The Sworn
We realize we’re not exactly “save the world” types — okay, most of us realize that. We feed on mortals or drive them crazy, we lose control or lose ourselves, we take more than we give. We live in the dark because we’re bad for the world, whether we mean to be or not. But as bad as we can be, the Contagion is worse, and we hold no illusions of being clever or powerful enough to wrangle a pan- demic to work in our favor. You can’t control a plague. That’s a good way to get yourself — and anything else you value, cherish, or claim mastery over — wiped out.
So, much as it might pain us, we understand we need to try to put aside our differences for a while and extend a little trust. We dedicate ourselves to a greater cause, or at least a more urgent one. We vow — sometimes literally with magical oaths, sometimes just in name and intent — to get to the bottom of what’s happening and end it, one way or another. Thus we become the Sworn.
Our History
Throughout history, outbreaks have come and gone, and so have the Sworn. The five major groups we have now weren’t always around, and some groups that once were are gone today. The Contagion swallowed up some, body and soul. Others turned False, or just died out. More than a few lost faith in their causes or proved their own theories wrong, and then went sulking back into the night. We probably have Sworn cousins pursuing niche Contagion cures in pockets all around the world; if we ever find them, they might join forces with us. Or maybe they’ll tell us to piss off, thanks and good riddance. Who knows?
Factions
To some of our number, organizing among ourselves is old hat. We have traditions and societies going back centuries or millennia. Opening the doors a bit wider is no big deal. Others of us didn’t even know we weren’t alone behind the curtain until after the outbreak started and joining up with a group is a major adjustment. We try to reach across the aisle and make things easier on each other, for the most part, with varying degrees of tolerance for one another’s... quirks.
Regionally, each Sworn group has its own way of bring- ing members together and operating as an organization. Reliable global hierarchy is impossible with our few num- bers, but we can swing worldwide communication in some cases. Usually, smaller gatherings of three to ten Sworn with complementary abilities and knowledge get together to attack a specific Contagion problem in a particular location. We call these factions. We don’t have the peoplepower to get too picky about who our friends are, and each faction has something unique to offer in the search for a cure.
And hey, at least they’re not False.
Vector: Authority, Fervor, Semiotics, Realignment, and Intel. The Sworn use their talents and gifts to control, study, or eradicate the Contagion wherever they find it.