The Scholar

The Scholar

Forbidden knowledge's silken snare, and Intelligence Central of the Corrupt Court. Her "natural" form is that of a featureless feminine figure comprised of a black, inky substance, wearing scholar's robes. However, when dealing with her supplicants or other mortals, she prefers to take the appearance of a kindly scholar or academician.

The Scholar speaks with an air of cultural refinement appropriate for those she is consorting with, and is exceedingly polite. However, she is sometimes given to bouts of pedantry, as she has knowledge and is not afraid to flaunt it. The truth needs to be found, regardless of trifles such as ethics or morality, and must be let loose, the consequences be damned.

Those dedicated to the Scholar are rarely found on the front lines of the Corrupt Court, often serving as nodes of contact between cultists of different Old Ones, supplying and relaying tactics, research, and information. For example, Olg'ish cultists discover that a nobleman in another town is in the habit of fathering bastards, threatening the succession of his house. They pass this information to a Scholar dedicant, who in turn passes on the information to Pyrrha cultists who blackmail the nobleman for a payout. Disaffected but undecided beings seeking an Old One to adhere to are often sent to them for "consultation" as to which Old One would best suit their aims.

Because of her position in the Corrupt Court, she is highly discerning of those who would follow her, and often handpicks potential hopefuls on a case-by-case basis (thematically, this translates to proficiency in Calling, Corrupt, some kind of evidence of the potential's worthiness, or a glowing recommendation from another Scholar dedicant. Ideally, all three). Her modus operandi is typically to approach frustrated academics, innovators and other such beings, aiding them in their work and gaining their trust - a free taste of her power, until they are willing to accept her direction and methods, or even worse, dependent on them.

Basic Pact

• Bid: I bid you to claim what others shun.
• Offer: I offer you insight into the forbidden.
• Purpose: You will cherish the forsaken and reveal its horrible wonders to all that will listen.
• Gift: All supplicants of the Scholar receive a quill, which appears completely ordinary. However, messages written with the quill may be directly written on any surface, even if the distance separating quill and surface is many, many miles. This allows for long-distance communication and coordination between servants of the Corrupt Court.
• Mark: The Scholar's followers possess a haughty aura of refinement and intelligence. It is easy for them to pass as experts even in subjects they are not terribly knowledgeable in, so long as they are not too deeply questioned.
• Path: My path is one of much solitude and pain. You will be reviled by the ignorant, fearful and small-minded, but truth shall prevail in the end.

Benefits

• Dedicants to the scholar become more devoted and monomaniacal about research and knowledge, especially in fields which are usually not condoned by polite society. While this has no mechanical benefit, it can be played up in role-play. They may become inclined to shun and avoid those they deem as unenlightened or ignorant, which often means anyone who disagrees with them or their methods.
• By spending a hero point, Dedicants will instantly perceive the meaning of any foreign language, code, cipher, or symbol that they see, although they will not know the exact wording or history of what they are seeing. For example, a red triangle with a lightning bolt in it found in some creator ruins may be perceived correctly as "electrocution hazard", but the dedicant may not necessarily know what "electrocution" is, nor will they know who fashioned the sign. If asked to read a letter in a foreign language they are not familiar with, they will have to paraphrase its meaning instead of giving a literal translation, nor will they know who wrote it unless such information is contained in the letter proper.
• If an Scholar dedicant has adequate reason to believe that information or knowledge is being deliberately hidden away (what is adequate is at the judge's discretion) by physical means, they gain a +1 value to the final rolls of any action taken to access that information. (For example, breaking into a vault, dispelling wards about a Creator Artefact, spotting and evading traps placed) This does NOT apply to persuading or convincing other beings to give up secrets, leave guard posts, or such actions that involve other beings.
• Dedicants are expected to share information as freely as possible, so long as it does not interfere with the dealings and interests of the Corrupt Court. Withholding information from an unwitting dedicant of the Life Court is acceptable. Doing the same for personal gain or mercenary reasons, such as playing information broker, or attempting to hold a trade secret, will elicit anger and possible punishment.