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Imperial Prophets

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The Prophets do not speak for themselves. Nor do they answer to the Emperor. They are one with the flame, and the flame would see the world cleansed of corruption.
—High Inquisitor Esmerel Soth, from The Veiled Doctrine

The Imperial Prophets are enforcers of the Emperor Gazreth’s divine mandate, created through a ritual involving the Brazier of Avestar. To the Empire, the Prophets are regarded as conduits of the One God’s will. Candidates with arcane or psychic potential are sought out by Imperial inquisitors all over the world and then subjected to the transformative fires of the Brazier of Avestar: they are forced to bear witness to His incarnation so that it may burn away the idolatry of their beliefs. Such victims are instantly blinded, and many burned to ashes, but among those who survive, the One God bestows tremendous prophetic power.

The Congress of Judges consists of nine such Prophets (of which whom is deemed the "Supreme Prophet"). While the Emperor himself sits upon the throne in Castle Moongarm, many believe true authority rests with the Congress. The Prophets’ judgments are absolute, their decrees enforced without question by armies of Inquisitors. Their roles extend beyond administration, however: they oversee executions, have veto power over the legislation of Albarith, and often offer strategic advice on Imperial military efforts based on their prophecies.

Each Prophet’s body is tied to the Brazier by which they were created, which enables their resurrection if their corpse is burned upon its sacramental flames.

The Prophets' gift of immortality makes many Lords of Arcadia surmise that the Prophets are not human at all. Many secretly doubt whether they are truly extensions of the One God's will, or abominations from beyond death. The Prophets nevertheless are revered by the faithful, respected by their Imperial cohort, and loathed by those subject to the Empire's tyranny.

Adventure Hook

A PC with the magical potential to become a Prophet is an easy story hook to tie the party into the central conflict in Arcadia. Prophet-candidates will be pursued by Imperial Inquisitors no matter where in the world they go. You can have them crop up at the most inopportune moments to attempt to kidnap the PC or NPC.

Among the party or their allies is a spellcaster who possesses the qualities sought by the Congress of Judges—a perfect vessel for the One God’s divine fire. When their identity is exposed to the Imperials, an elite cadre of Inquisitors descends upon them, determined to drag the candidate to the Brazier of Avestar to fulfill their grim destiny. The party must act swiftly to protect their companion, outmaneuvering relentless pursuers while unraveling the reasons behind their selection.

What makes the candidate uniquely suited to become a Prophet, and how might this knowledge change how the party views them?
How far is the party willing to go to save their companion—would they risk allying with morally ambiguous factions to survive?
Could the candidate’s prophetic potential manifest during the escape, creating moments of clarity or chaos that challenge the party’s plans?

Tags: Religious Orders

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