The Faithful creed is one of the five creeds practiced by mortal Hunters. In churches, pagodas, mosques, and temples, Hunters of faith gather. They band together to hold the line against things only hinted at in their respective sacred texts. Some have found that unwavering faith can be a powerful asset against the monsters that prowl the night. Few burn with a righteousness so potent as those of the Faithful creed, which they may take up as a spiritual weapon or other tool of the Hunt.
Overview[]
For the Faithful Hunter, belief in some sort of higher power shapes their perspective on ridding the world of monsters. Supernatural creatures might represent notions of mortal sin, sent to seduce or victimize, or might be members of unholy hosts at odds with the very existence of the world. Faithful Hunters might also subscribe to dualistic worldviews, seeing themselves as agents of spiritual Light in immemorial conflict against tides of darkness.
Faithful Hunters might expect to rebuke an impure purveyor of otherworldly temptation in their fleshpot lair, counteract the profane curses of a muttering hierophant, empower the other Hunters in the cell with their own zeal, repel the degenerate spawn of an undead firebrand, and scourge their hometown of supernatural evil given worldly form.
Backgrounds[]
The stereotype of the Faithful hunter is the fire-and-brimstone zealot, which has come to characterize the creed’s reputation. In truth, the Faithful creed is much broader and not necessarily as violently intractable. A Faithful might be a temple monk coming out of the cloister, seeking to restore harmony to a natural order that some rampaging blood-fiend has tainted. Then again, they might be a self-styled “missionary” imposing their beliefs in a locale that didn’t invite them. They may even be Cunning Folk practicing beliefs that have long fell out of the spotlight but that nevertheless serve a crucial role in maintaining the local supernatural ecosystem.
Faithful Hunters include those who are quietly relentless in their opposition to the supernatural, or who see themselves as the shield of righteousness rather than its sword, protecting those who rely upon them rather than building a conflagration of the impure. The end result may be the same, but in occupations in which soul-scarring horrors and the cost of victory alike might resign one to living perdition, a pure heart and good intentions make all the difference. From the exorcist priest in their cassock to the esoteric tomb-explorer, Faithful Hunters seek out what’s wrong, per their spiritual outlook on the world, and set it right.
As well, not every faith or Faithful Hunter subscribes to the holier-than-thou outlook attributed to their most overbearing members. Many Faithful hunters are worldly, pragmatic, charitable — and any number of additional characteristics espoused by paragons of their faith. A disaster-aid worker looking to help a stricken community rebuild after a tornado might be a Faithful Hunter, or even a corporate cutthroat with especially strong conviction. As well, many find themselves having a sympathetic outlook toward the more pathetic of their quarry, knowing that every monster has become a monster for a reason, and the blame isn’t always theirs.
Tactics[]
More than the other creeds, Faithful Hunters pursue and employ both True Faith and a number of potent relics, though it is far from rare to encounter one with neither, and whose faith alone provides nothing more than outlook and conviction. These are part of the grassroots creed movement to oppose the occult nonetheless, and some are fortunate enough to discover relics that have fallen into the employ of pernicious creatures. To this end, much of a Faithful Hunter’s time might be spent in research, observation, or reclamation of relics, and thereafter in contemplation, study of holy rubrics, or other edifications of the holy self.
On the Hunt, Faithful often act conservatively, “by the book” for whatever practice their personal faith supposes. But of course, Faithful mavericks definitely exist, likely protected by catechisms that act as a bulwark against temptation and other vices wielded by the malign.
All of this varies greatly, however, by the values and background of the faith in question. One Faithful might well fight in the orderly idiom of beatific warrior-monks while another Hunter practices outlawed guerrilla tactics borne of decades of persecution by oppressive cultures.
Creed Field[]
When Desperation takes hold for a Faithful Hunter, they excel the most whenever in direct conflict with their quarry itself.
Gallery[]
References[]
- HTR: 5th Edition Core Book, p. 36-38
| Hunter: The Reckoning Creeds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Imbued creeds | Avenger · Defender · Hermit · Innocent · Judge · Martyr · Redeemer · Visionary · Wayward | |
| Mortal creeds | Entrepreneurial · Faithful · Inquisitive · Martial · Underground
| |