Ixoi

The Ixoi (also known as the House of Ixion) were a secretive group of mages which attempted to turn the World of Darkness towards its ultimate Ascension, Telos.

History
In ancient times, the infernalists of Bhât ruled over the ruins of cities such as Babel and Gehenna. Some of their slaves secretly Awakened and began learning the secrets of magic from their masters. Many were tortured and killed, but their Avatars were reincarnated, preserving the organization.

The spirits responsible for the guided reincarnations were Psychopomps, fragments of the Other. In the future, a group of like-minded mages would summon them through the Horizon and they were thus able to ride the "waves" of the summoning forward and backward in time from that point. After seven generations of reincarnations, the Psychopomps made themselves known and offered a gift to the mages, so that the future summoning would occur. They imbued the mages with a piece of their own essence, creating merged beings called Anakim. The Anakim used their newfound ability to manipulate souls to destroy the infernal citadels in which they were trapped.

While pillaging the ruins, the group took possession of a small obsidian hand ax. This was an artifact known as the Knife of Ixion, named after the first murderer of Greek mythology. The group likewise named themselves after the Knife as their magic revealed that it was of vital importance to the future summoning.

Night of Fana
The prophecied summoning would come to pass during a chance meeting of Darwushim and Warring Hands, as the two sides escaped judgment by, respectively, the Ixoi and the Chakravanti. The number of Psychopomps skyrocketed, and they set about forming the most perfect unions between Avatars and mages possible. So perfect, that the inner voice of the Avatar was often quieted. (q.v. Fount)

Dark Ages
As the years moved on, Psychopomp emanations decreased. The Ixoi were left to their own morals. In 1336 the majority of them joined the Order of Reason, intent on punishing mages and Artisans alike who strayed from the path of Ascension.

Renaissance
By the late 17th century, the Ksirafai began to doubt the purity of their mission given the Pogrom of the Order of Reason. They quietly faded into the shadows, eliminating all traces of their existence, and then "defeated" their own Construct in Turkey. Using the name Dincer Albayrak, the leader of the Ksirafai presented the "victory" over the Order of Reason to the Order of Hermes, and asked to be recognized as House Janissary.

Resources

 * MTAs: Ascension, pp. 52-55