Editing Lineage:Rebellion Lineages (section)

=Order of Utnapishtim=

[[Image:Twodoves.gif]]

Positive Stereotype:  Brave protector.

Negative Stereotype:  Useless relic.

Symbol:  Two doves.

Signature Spell:  Beast Speech.  “Hear the Animals”

Magical Style:  Mesopotamian, an amalgam of Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian elements.

Utnapishtim, known to Christianity as “Noah”, is viewed by this Order as the primordial survivor of the wrath of God, who shows that humanity is not simply the helpless victim of divine whim.  As the Order tells the story, Utnapishtim was a loyal servant of God who was told by Him that He had decided to destroy the world by flood.  Utnapishtim then forsook God, building a boat that would survive the storm, saving humanity and the animals.  After saving the world, Utnapishtim went on to steal the secret of immortality from God and is said to still be alive.  This Order regard themselves to be the protectors of the people and animals of the world.  Their focus is very much on survival rather than human happiness, and most of their humanitarian efforts are focused outside of the United States, where human life is most at risk.  Apprentice training, mundane and magical alike, focuses on wilderness survival and an understanding of the natural world.

The Order of Utnapishtim has often come into conflict with the Houses due to their self-appointed role as protectors of humanity.  It supported the barbarian tribes that overran the western Roman Empire, reasoning that the barbarians needed the land to survive, thus earning the order the eternal resentment of the House of Julii.  Similar support for desperate populations has lead to long-running feuds with the Capets, Hapsburgs, Romanovs and Stuarts.

Mortal Politics:  The United States must do more to alleviate world poverty.  We also need to protect the environment, improve public health and get rid of nuclear weapons.  Perhaps if we spent less on the military and the war on drugs, we would have more money for actually helping people.


Cost:  20

Skills:  Animal Handling, Botony, Climbing, Naturalist, Occultism, Stealth, Symbol Drawing (Mesopotamian), Suvival (Any), Survival (Any), Zoology.

Animal:  Beast Soother, Beast Speech, Beast Summoning.
Body Control:  Frailty, Lend Energy, Vigor.
Communication and Empathy:  Sense Foes.
Protection and Warning:  Detect Poison, Sense Danger, Nightingale.


Relations

The Houses

House of Anjou:  The more vengeance they take, the more enraged they become.  Their curse has driven them mad.

House of Cain:  Their powers of endurance are legendary.  We may not like them, but we have a lot to learn from them.

House of Capet:  They are dying.  It can be seen in their flesh.

House of Carolus:  Whatever they get, they are never satisfied.  Like all kings, they feast on what they should cultivate.

House of Flavii:  So degenerate, they disgust even the dead.  Their legendary cunning helps them less than their willingness to sink to any depths.

House of Hapsburg:  They have ancient pacts with forest spirits of an unclean nature.  If they could truly see nature again, they could heal.

House of Julii:  Empires come and empires go.  Mages should be concerned about more important things.

House of Lancaster:  Their technology is destroying the world and they do not care.

Order of Lilith:  They care nothing for others and nobody cares for them.  Still, they are the oldest cabal of mages in the world and must know many mysteries.

House of Medici:  Money isn’t real and one day they may just learn that they can’t eat it.

House of Romanov:  Temporal power doesn’t last.  Deal with it.  You have been given an incredible gift.  Must you throw your life away on the petty glories of the past?

House of Stuart:  Oh, how high and mighty.  They think their reign will last forever, in violation of all the president of human history and longer.

House of Trastámara:  The only reason the other mages have not destroyed them is that they secretly admire their ruthlessness.

House of Ummayad:  The world is outside and they are missing it.

House of Warwick:  They are toying with magical forces that are much more dangerous than they think.

House of York:  They are losing touch with their humanity.  Whatever it is they become, it isn’t likely to survive.

The Rebellion

Order of Boudicca:  They have always been survivors and now they are growing a moral conscience.

Order of Copernicus:  They are very observant and everyone needs observant friends.

Order of Darwin:  They cracked the biggest secret in the universe.  Impressive.  I do not know whether this young Order will last for long, but they justified their place in history.

Order of Eve:  They have always been humanity’s friends.  Though they are naïve and proud, they are kind.

Order of Jesus:  Surprisingly, they do a lot of good in the world.  As long as they continue to fight for our side, we must make them welcome.

Order of Judas:  They understand that sometimes, it is necessary to kill in order to survive.

Order of Siddhartha:  Their tremendous reserves of strength allow them to endure.  We must not be so proud that we close our eyes to new ways.

Order of Solon:  They understand the dignity and importance of the common human being.

Order of Spartacus:  They fight so that we all may remain free.  Whatever happens, the Order of Spartacus must not perish.

Order of Thales:  What on earth are they doing?  What on earth are they talking about?