Preceptors, Watchers, Chroniclers, Beholders

The Men of Letters is an organization which is dedicated to the study of the supernatural world, in all of its vagaries and variations. Typically, they consider themselves neutral observers, not bound to action unless they absolutely must. They believe it is their purpose to observe the world without interfering with its supernatural denizens. Described at times in the modern world as "Nerds with magic" or as the "real" Talamasca, they generally do not take action unless one of their members is threatened or in danger, with one notable exception.

The Men of Letters have a profound hatred of demons and demonic activity. Where demons are concerned, the Men of Letters will act swiftly and decisively in order to counteract the influence of the infernal and aim to destroy any and all demons they come across.

History

The Men of Letters are believed to have come into existence during the early periods of the Roman Empire, during which time they were considered nothing especially serious, save that each "man" of letters was considered to be very well read, and with an interest in scientific matters such as alchemy/chemistry, astronomy, biology and other avenues of scientific and magical thought. Shortly after the rise of Christianity, the Men of Letters decided to go "underground" believing, correctly, that in time they would come to be demonized and suspected of using 'black' magic to further their own goals. It was shortly after they went underground that they first became aware of the reality of demons and began their long war and crusade against the demons.

Since those early days, the Men of Letters has remained linked to the ideas of magical learning, learning in general, and the flow of ideas and information down through the ages. Working with other leaders in occult groups, the Men of Letters absorbed a number of lesser organizations and spread out around the world, building a network of interconnected bunkers and safe houses in various cities all around the world. They are believed to have helped bring out the Renaissance in the 15^th and 16^th centuries and have a long tradition as serving as mentors, supporters, and patrons to scientific and artistic endeavors.

In the late 1950's, their war with demons took on a new degree of complexity when the Men of Letters were targeted by the Knight of Hell Abaddon for destruction. Although the demon gave it her best efforts, she was unable to destroy the organization and only succeeded in wiping out a few members of the order based out of Kansas.

After Abaddon's assault, she was banished back to Hell, and the Men of Letters began drawing inward, securing their facilities with potent wards designed make the bunkers among the safest places on earth, warded against any evil ever created.

Purpose & Goals

The Men of Letters are a rather simplistic organization, and while a 'secret' organization they are also relatively well known in supernatural circles.

• Observe, Watch, Record - The Men of Letters believe that their first duty is to observe the supernatural world without interfering, taking notes and compiling an understanding of the supernatural creatures and entities of the world, as well as the other realities that might exist such as The Land of Oz, the Shadowlands, and the Spiritual Realms that lie beyond earth. In a manner similar to Librarians, they record information and then file and store that information for prosperity. They are said to have "every object, scroll, and spell collected by the order for over a thousand years, as well as research and books on a variety of subjects."
• Identify, Isolate and Destroy the Infernal - The Men of Letters’ hatred for demons is the stuff of legends and demons are the only thing that will make the organization abandon its neutrality. Their understanding of demons and demonic powers is unrivaled, surpassing other societies on almost every level when it involves demons.

Ranks & Hierarchy

The Men of Letters is an organization which offers levels of initiation with those levels depending on the depth of supernatural, magical knowledge, and power that is attained by an initiate. These degrees are fairly simple and are recognized by "Circles". These Circles number from the Fifth to the First, with members of the Fifth Circle being new members and members of the First being the oldest, and most powerful of the members.

• Council of the First - Unlike many other organizations, there is no central figure that serves as 'grandmaster' for the order as a whole, rather every so often the members of the First Circle gather together in order to determine the overall direction of the organization and to settle affairs for the Men of Letters. They act as a sort of Congress, adopting policy and granting new responsibilities or 'promotions' to deserving members. They are also the only way a member can move from the Second to the First Circle
• Chiefs - Almost every major city on Earth is home to a safe house or a bunker that serves the Men of Letters of that city. These bunkers and safe houses are led by a Chief, who oversees the Men of Letters operations in a given city.
• Master of Spells - The Master of Spells was the strongest magic user within the organization as a whole and was responsible for designing the warding which protects the Men of Letters bunkers around the world.

Benefits of Membership

Members of the Men of Letters have access to what is widely considered to be the most extensive and exhaustive collection of lore about the supernatural world and magic that exists in the world as a whole. They are also the most neutral of the secret societies, with no overriding goals for world domination, for creating a world for humans alone, or the desire to gain mastery over the world and its denizens.