Lesser Ministries of Seers of The Throne

From "Seers of the Throne" book we know about 4 Great Ministries and the general stricture of SoT. We know that Great Ministires fight with themsleves AND Lesser Ministires. So maybe a little topic about brainstoriming the second? Here is DaveB, author of "Seers of the Throne", post from other topic.

DaveB:

The Prophet, remember, is all about the bogus but pervasive idea of the "Great Man" view of history - He tells Her followers that only select individuals have any agency to change the world, while the mass of people are doomed to follow along behind the pedagogue of the current flavour. Her followers both try to become "Great Men" and identify and neutralise the same among their enemies - they're the sorts to kill the leader of a rebellion, identify the guru who's attracting Pentacle mages to their banner and do away with or subvert them.

The Crown Prelacy for the Prophet would be about assuming that mantle of leadership and destiny, the Sword Prelacy is about identifying and countering it in others and the Temple Prelacy creates areas of "gravity" that such individuals are drawn to; a Seer of the Prophet would find people flocking to their banner while they set up base in a Temple to that Exarch, while other Seers use Time Prelacy Temple Stones to set traps for Great Men they disapprove of.

If I would been asked, I would rather say it's more suitable description on followers of Ruin, but that maybe me.

I have also a second Matter based Lesser Ministry, after the Mammon, the Pantechnicon

Pantechnicon Philosphy:

Pantechnicon are Seers full mouth, only that they oppose being categorized as “Exarchs worshipers” - they want to enslave humanity, to “leave as it is”, because it's “proper” world, world which only they know. And in this world, using they beloved Technology, they are lesser gods. They propagate frivolous or “fun” parts of Technology, putting humanity aside from true scientific progress. They are like toy-makers, giving humanity new toys to spend their lives on, satisfying they need for pleaser and safety.

Machine is everywhere

You are just one of the cogs. Your dearest are next cogs. Your boss is cog. Your dog is cog. Sky, rain, earth – or of them are parts. Society, weather, everything is in perfect Machine, complex Cosmic-Mechanism. And you know of it. You love it. You embrace. You call it “All-Technology” because it is like Sleepers Technology, only applied to all things in Creation. Even culture, invention of humanity, is just next part of “All-Technology”.

Machine speak from Technology

The Machine, All-Technology, favors one way to speak to us – our own creations, technology of Sleepers, inspired by complexity of Mechanism in their subconsciousness. And it's controlling humanity by it – Internet is becoming the only life for many of Sleepers, surveillance devises watch all over as 24/7. We can't imagine life without electronics or other inventions, like cars or television. We need them, we are their servants.

Machine must be maintained

There are some that want to destroy All-Technology – they want to remake this, called by them, Fallen World – those reality deviants must be stopped! Is is Pentacle Mages, Nepandi or just Sleepers with ambition and money, they need to be brought to order. And is it we, how need to undone what they mess up.

Machine will repay

As chosen of “All-Technology”, you have privileges – you must rapier what enemies of Mechanism destroy, so you got Arcana. You are working for safer world for Sleepers, so you deserve the luxury. You are servant of Cosmic Mechanism, so you can, no, you are obligated, to using technology to extend control on world. It's your calling.

Interesting... I was wondering what people saw as the patron Exarch/Seal of Pantechion.
Very interesting philosophy for them - very good work!
*makes a note to put together his idea for a Lesser Ministry of Psychopomp*

Pantechnicon, in my games, is "dark mirror" of Free Council, Lesser Ministry that becomes more and more in the way of Greater one, racing on with Mammon ( who is loosing more and more ). Both Lesser Ministries are worshiping the Iron Seal of Matter, one as Chanclleor, second as Machine. ;]

Waiting for the Psychopompos Ministry.

Animametcorpus (Bone Eater) Philosophy

The Animametcorpus Ministry is a group that serves the Psychopomp.  They believe that He/She guards the realms of the dead, preventing the unworthy (that is to say, those that aren't devout and loyal Seers) from entering into the Realms of the Exarchs.  The particulars of their belief is that they can help the Psychopomp to keep the unworthy from even troubling the Psychopomp; they are the sword that He holds to guard Her gate.

Ghosts are not worthy of care.

Ghosts are not people; they are either shadows of the dead or, if they are souls, they are the souls of the unworthy and not in any way deserving of rights.  While ghosts can be used as tools to an end (many members possess the Ghost Familiar from Summoners) or, at their highest, repositories of knowledge, their "death" or banishment to the Underworld isn't worthy of worry.  If the soul was worth anything, it would have been allowed into rest by the Psychopomp.

The souls of the Sleeper and the Traitor do not deserve to be with the body.

Soul theft is a grave crime against Wisdom; however, mages of this Lesser Ministry do not personally find it immoral objectively to remove souls of those unworthy to have them.  The only things that keeps them from stealing the soul of every Banisher, Pentacle stooge or mortal and trapping them in a collection of soul jars (or, better yet, feeding them to Tremere Liches loyal to the Throne) are the degredation of their own souls (i.e. a loss of Wisdom) and the general unpalatability this causes among other Seers.  That said, they have ways to mitigate both problems.  Other Seers typically look away in the same fear that makes them disapprove of the Animametcorpus.  As to the trouble of magic, they secretly possess a copy of Le Livre Rouge, which they have locked in a magical vault that prevents its insanity from spreading; but most importantly it grants them spells which allows them to temporarily allow them to ignore the cost of Morality.  Not every mage knows how to sever souls, but those that can are almost certainly trained to this level of Mind magic, or else are partnered with someone who is; further, for those who have Fetches, some have a soul stealing Numina.  THAT said, this is likely the factor most limiting to the Ministry's growth.

Those without souls are tools.

Bodies of the dead, undead, and Ministry victims all share a lack of a soul; their bodies are thus tools to be used by the Ministry.   It is not uncommon for their to be zombies in the service of the Animametcorpus.  Vampires, Prometheans and other creatures whose state of soul is uncertain are considered pawns to be manipulated, though Seers skilled in Mind can control them directly.  They practically attempt to avoid controlling those above their power range, either mystically or socially, but their are rumors of small squads of vampiric slaves used by the Ministry to extend their control, and of Promethean slaves who are sent to small areas to drive up emotional furor through disquiet, allowing the Ministry to "drive away" the outsider and step into a new power base.

As one can expect, many members of the Animametcorpus are skilled in Death magic, but Mind is extremely common as well.  Amongst the Legacies common include the Tremere (obviously), the Carnivale Melancholy, and the Thread-cutters.

Because I feel especially masochistic, I thought I'd take a hand at a Tetrarch of the Animametcorpus:

Path: Moros
Legacy: Tremere
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 6, Wits 6, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5
Social Attributes: Presence 6, Manipulation 6, Composure 7
Mental Skills: Academics 3, Crafts 5 (Receptacles), Computers 2, Occult 7 (Geomancy, Ghosts, the Underworld), Medicine 2, Science 2, Politics 5
Physical Skills: Athletics 3, Brawl 4, Firearms 3, Stealth 2, Survival 3, Weaponry 5 (Swords)
Social Skills: Empathy 2, Expression 3, Intimidation 5 (Threats of Torture), Persuasion 6, Socialize 2, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 5 (Seduction)
Merits: Allies (Occult) 5, Destiny 3 (Bane: "Empty Night"), Dream 4 (Mystery Commands Flaw), Hallow 5, High Speech, Multiple Familiars, Ghost Familiar, Supernal Companion (Spectre), Supernal Companion (Aperion), Supernal Anchor, Sanctum (Security 5, Size 5), Library 3 (Souls, the Underworld, Zombies), Resources 5, Occultation 2, Status (Seers of the Throne) 5, Common Sense, Encyclopedic Knowledge, Meditative Mind, Whispers, Weaponry Dodge, Fast Reflexes 2, Quick Draw, Contacts (Occult, Morgues, Police, two others of ST's Choice), Striking Looks 2, Summoning Circle 3 x 2 (Underworld, Stygia), Daimon, Geomancer, Gesture Lore (Hand Mudra, Posture), Sleepwalker Retainer (Many), Supernal Resistance 3
Willpower: 10
Wisdom: 1
Virtue: Faith
Vice: Gluttony
Gnosis: 7
Arcana: Death 6, Matter 5, Prime 5, Mind 5, Space 4, Fate 3, Time 2
Rotes: Any that ST deems appropriate, but always includes Casual Brutality (Grimoire of Grimoires), Summon Supernal Being, and Ghost Summons

The Club

The Club is a modern expression of an alternative Unity cult that has existed in one form or another, hiding from Hegemony, for over a century.  Now, though, they stand beside Mammon in secret.

The Club is devoted to pleasure in every form.  Beginning in 1898 as a Hostler Pylon in New York and a sister in London, with a reputation for red-light district pleasures, they slowly expanded into every vice imaginable.  They began to expand slowly, drawing in otherwise-unaffiliated and dissatisfied Seers (and even Pentacles and Apostates) from across America.  However, Hegemony, wounded as it was, was not about to let any challenger to claim the favor of the Unity, and thus the Club (known in those days as the Bordello) had to act covertly, hiding out (a difficult task when dealing with a Ministry devoted to the Seal of Mind), but for the most part they succeeded.  As they expanded into the drug trade, prostitution, cruise lines, and movie companies, amongst other endeavors.

As Mammon takes rise, the Club takes aim at a different Ministry.  One of the courtesans in their employ found out from a Tetrarch of Paternoster that their Minister may not have the full favor of Father.  The Minister of the Club kept the information secret, and approached his opposite in Mammon.  The two came to a deal which could solidify the power of the Seers like never before: If and when Mammon replaced Hegemony in the order, they would give subtle aid in taking down Paternoster and replacing them.  While Mammon wants to put a price on everything, putting the world into their pocket of debt, the Club wants everyone to be in the debt to their appetites.  These two go hand-in-hand, and though the relationship may not be perfect, this understanding may allow the two, should both succeed, in ruling over the Seers with a united and overarching iron fist.

Philosophy:

Everyone has their Vice

The Club knows that every man, woman and child has something that they want, something that drives them beyond survival, a vice that they want or need to indulge. These vices can be turned into addictions and controlled by the Club, forcing its victims into a bondage of their own depravity.

Offer What they Want - for a Price

The Club runs every type of vice imaginable, or at least a corner of it.  Nothing is free, of course - it takes money to bring the finest drugs and women, or to offer the best buffets and banquets.  But they keep it affordable - just cheap enough that each person can afford it, but expensive enough that they MUST have it (after all, spending money means you have money to spend, and that is a vice in itself).

Control Through Their Vice

Vices and addictions control their victims.  The club controls those addictions.  Between blackmail potential, price control and control of supply, the Club seeks to dominate by addling the population and making them bend to their will.

Club Seers are known for their Mind abilities, especially Goetia, which they use to enhance addictions and vices.  They also take training in Life and Spirit - the former to control physical effects, the latter to influence spirits to help with that control.  Common Legacies include the Clavicularius and Bene Ashemedai (which are treated as Order Legacies for Ministry Members), as well as the Pure Sovereigns and Daksha (though these are corrupted so as to serve the decadent calling of the Club).

It seems to be a good candidate to be patronized by the Raptor, afer all the Life´s Seal is all about given to base, animalistic urges.

Prelacy of Instinct, anyone?