Editing Gladius et Aegis: Arcane Nature Traits (section)

===Campaign Setting Notes===

Selecting this trait means that you are a ''Warlock'' - a human who has made a pact with demons or other malign otherworldly entities in exchange for arcane power.

''Warlocks'' sometimes call themselves''demonologists'', if they are seeking to come across as scholarly, but more often stick with ''Warlock''. Female ''Warlocks'' sometimes refer to themselves as ''Witches'', but more often avoid that appellation in order to avoid being confused as wiccans, which they almost never are. A female ''Warlock'' will more often just call herself a ''Warlock''! They refer to their magic as ''The Pact'', and speak of casting magic as ''paying the Price'' or ''offerings''. 

''The Pact'' refers to the source of their power: magic lent to them by demons who themselves need the ''Warlocks'' as agents in the world. In return for payment on the Warlock's part (usually blood or flesh, rather than souls, as selling your soul to a demon simply allows him to move into the empty shell of your body) the demon provides the raw power that empowers the Warlock's magic.

Anyone can become a Warlock, but few humans get the opportunity to interact with a demon, and any given demon can only be tied to one warlock. Their numbers are therefore limited by the number of demons who are able to exert enough arcane force to reach out of Hell, and make an offer to a mortal. As the individuals are chosen by demons, they tend to be unpleasant or outright evil people, as if the demon is going to spend his precious resources on empowering a mortal, he's going to want to make sure that the mortal will enact his will. Warlocks are certainly encountered more rarely than vampires or magi, but this is possibly because they often avoid contact with other supernaturals, as many supernaturals see them as nothing less than pawns of hell, and entirely untrustworthy. Warlock lore suggests that there are always six hundred and sixty six warlocks in the world, but this may be a lie spread by the demons in order to have others mis-estimate their true numbers.

''Warlocks'' generally operate alone, save for being forced to work for or alongside the demon that empowers them. However the schemes of demons often lead to them suggesting to their warlocks that they join certain factions, either for protection or to further their intrigues. Almost all factions include some ''Warlocks'', though they are not the dominant force in any one. Few serve ''Gladius et Aegis'', as its essentially altruistic mission doesn't generally further demonic agendas. Those that do are exceptional cases, with individual reasons for their choices, but are met with considerable suspicion, as many cannot believe that the Warlock could be there other than with their Demon's permission, and that no Demon would be in favour of protecting humanity. There are odd occasions, however, when ''Gladius et Aegis'' accepts Warlocks. Around fifty years ago there was a Warlock who convinced them that both he and his demon hated supernaturals more than humanity, and thus he was willing to protect humanity to spite those supernaturals. Seventy-seven years ago there was another Warlock who claimed that he mastered his demon entirely with the aid of magi, and that he was now seeking to make amends. He did much good work for no less than twenty five years, before suddenly betraying his allies during a confrontation with an archfiend of hell who had been patiently waiting for those souls to be brought to him.

''Warlocks'' generally come to knowledge of the ''Shadow Concordat'' late, and rarely abide by it, though it might often suit their purposes to pretend to do so. Few ''Warlocks'' actively and properly follow the ''Concordat''.