Cabal of Pure Thought

Cabal of Pure Thought, Gabrielite
Plural	Gabrielites
Pronounce	kah-bahl' uv pyur' thaht'
Nicknames	Gabrielites Daedaleans (unpreferred)
Faction	Order of Reason

The Cabal of Pure Thought was a faction that helped founding the Order of Reason. Pious and devout, if not exactly tolerant, the Cabal saw themselves as adherents of the Archangel Gabriel to unite mankind under Christianity.

Paradigm

Goodness comes through Christ's holy blood, shed on the Cross, Mankind has refused to follow the teachings of God, His Son and the prophets; thus, the world spirals downward, and Satan cackles. This truth is simple and self-evident; there is no reason to disguise it in riddles or signs. A pure soul that has accepted Christ into their heart thinks pure thoughts; while no man is without sin, this ideal gives mankind something to aspire to (Incidentally, Gabrielites hate being referred to as "Daedaleans," and never call themselves such. Daedalus was not a reverent man.). Each Gabrielite is invested with the Holy Fire — the Awakening —and carries it as a sacred trust. That trust can only be broken by forfeiting one's soul. Prayer is a Gabrielite's greatest tool; through it, God answers a servant's needs. Even so, He appreciates resourceful followers. Hence, a Knight also employs speeches and invocations (to change minds); healing salves (to cure illness and wounds); fire and water (to purify); and weapons, armor and torture (to destroy that which will not be changed). When discretion is essential, passwords, hand signals and Scripture-based codes assure the Cabal's secrecy.

The Gabrielites interpret the Avatar as a spark of God's Sacred Fire, an intense communion with the Lord that can only be severed by joining with the Adversary. Their magickal style was heavily centered around prayers and similar spiritual duties.

The Cabal had a special enmity with the Choeur Céleste, whom they viewed as traitors before the One God by allying with pagans and heathens.

History

The origin of the Cabal of Pure Thought lies in the vision of Claudius Dediticius, who was tasked by the Archangel Gabriel with assembling a group of God-fearing men and women to combat the Evil that tainted the hearts of men. To seal this covenant, Dedicitius was imbued with holy power and Awakened.

Dark Ages

Claudius set his vision down as the Revelation of the Pure Thought of God, and assembled a fellowship of talented Christians to aid him. This Divine order outlasted Rome, Charlemagne and the Pagan hordes that once ruled Europe; its members went on Crusades, built cathedrals and compiled libraries when education was almost nonexistent. Working within the shadow of Peter's throne, this secret Cabal sought to unify all Christians under one World, one God and one Church, then protect that Church against its adversaries.

Renaissance

The Gabrielites appeared unannounced at the Convention of the White Tower, having uncovered the secret meeting by their own merit. Seeing the mortal Church as corrupted by supernatural influences and mortal vices, they sougt to ally themselves with the forces of Reason to spread the Good Word. While they initially hoped to convert those of the Order that were heathens to the truth, they chose to delay the conversion until the Superstitionists were brought low.

Victorian Age

In the late 1830s, the Gabrielites are wiped out. Belief that their power flows from God is generally incompatible with the secular direction towards which the Order of Reason is progressing.

However, some few members believed that reason and deduction were gifts from God, and thus they were able to coexist with the rest of the Order. Even in the Final Nights, not every Technocrat is atheistic, despite propaganda from the Traditions, and many sentiments of the Cabal of Pure Thought live on, although they are far from organized.

In 1851, the Order of Reason undergoes reorganization and emerges as the Technocratic Union. The remnants of the Cabal of Pure Thought are re-christened as the Lightkeepers.

Note that some of the above is supposition. The creator of the Lightkeepers, Bryan Armor, said this:

My intention with the Lightkeepers was that it was a reorganization of what was left of the Cabal of Pure Thought after the Reformation totally tore that group appart, with the three subfactions - Lighthouse (scholars), Lantern (investigators) and Torch (monster hunters) - designed to take over the functions of the Cabal and its guilds.

Organization

Despite the noble title, all Gabrielites, even commoners and women, were considered Knights of God who were divided into the Doves (more temperate and scholastic) and the Falcons (more extreme and dedicated). The Doves (Knights of Peace) and Falcons (Knights of War) follow the basic Daedalean ranks, but make distinctions between peaceful and military Respondents. Gabrielites refer to Apprentices as Aspirants and lodges as temples; a Senatus oversees the Convention and reports directly to the Maximi. Several military orders — among them the Templars, Swords of Grace, Die Wolffgilde and the Order of the Hammer — comprise the Falcons' ranks.

While the Gabrielites were allies to the Order of Reason, they always thought themselves distant. The Order named themselves after the pagan Daedalus, after all.

Methodologies

• Illustroferatores
• Poenitenti
• Venatores Maleficorum

Maximi

Early 1400s: Girolama Gallo and Franceses Gillaume; after 1440: Bonifacio Valle and Gertrude de Aquino.

Initiation

A Gabrielite experiences a holy vision before Awakening. This usually leads the Aspirant to a tutor, where he receives instruction and a special sacrament- This ritual, the Kiss of Gabriel, involves long prayer, fasting and purification, followed by a series of vows and a final kiss. If the Aspirant feels the Holy Fire within him, he joins the ranks; if not, he becomes a Brother instead.

References

• MTSC: Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade Rulebook , p.146-147
• MTSC: The Order of Reason , p.132-134