Banishers

For the book, see MTAw: Banishers (book) .

Banishers are mages whose Awakening was twisted in some way, and as a result believe that altering the world with magic is evil. Also called Timori, or "the fearful", they have rejected the wonders of the Supernal and embraced violent ignorance. They are driven to destroy Atlantean artifacts and knowledge, to hunt and kill Order mages, and remove all trace of the supernatural from the Fallen World. Despite their hatred for magic, Banishers do use it in order to fight and counter the spells of other mages, and are often remarkably talented despite little to no formal training.

Origin

No one knows for sure what causes people to become Banishers or how long they have existed. Mysterium scholars tends to associate them with the Timori of Atlantean legend, but even then there are differing accounts. Some stories depict them as outcasts and subjects of scorn within the Awakened City, others as exiles who were banished or chose to live as naturalists beyond Atlantis. Another theory states that they were protectors of the Supernal Realms called the Custodiae who opposed vain magic because it disrupted Awakened ancestors in the worlds above. A third theory is that the Timori, and modern Banishers as well, are natural prophets capable of sensing the Supernal, but driven mad by their insights.

Regardless of their past, Banishers in modern times are akin to a supernatural phenomenon while also seeming to be capable of "infecting" others with their perspective. Individual Banishers have an uncanny ability to find others of their kind or Sleepers who will Awaken as Banishers. Efforts by Order mages to completely eradicate Banishers and any mundane or magical reference to them in an area have ended in failure, with new Banisher cabals later forming spontaneously to take their place. A few Banishers belonged to an Order but later left it because of some disillusionment or traumatic experience; most mages assume they were damaged to begin with, and simply needed some additional stress to make them snap.

The Banisher's Atlantean rune

Organization

Banishers work alone or in their own cabals, and in rare cases join cults containing both Awakened and Sleepers. This is not to say they identify with one another as a whole or always work together; different beliefs about the nature of magic and ideological agendas often lead them into conflict, to say nothing of the fact that Banisher magic seems as innately wrong to them as any other.

References

• MTAw: Mage: The Awakening Rulebook, p. 53 -54
• MTAw: Sanctum and Sigil, p. 111
• MTAw: Banishers