Order of Heralds

"You want the Truth? That's going to cost you."
From medieval troubadours and town criers to modern day newsprint and online journalism, the Order of Heralds deal in that murky but vital world of shifting perception and truth which is Memetics. Reality is shaped, either totally or at least to some degree, by one's perception, and perception is often based on public opinion. This is where the power of the Heralds comes from - they have the power to manipulate reality and shape world events, not through arcane magicks or advanced technology, but simply through the memetic power of people's perception. 
The Order of Heralds deal in the transmission of information and how that transference affects reality itself. They are a sister Order to both the Scribes and the Priests, because they deal in knowledge and belief, but the Heralds offer a unique ability in that they can actually alter reality itself through the weight of public opinion. 
Aspect of God: The Word 
Paradigm: Memetics. 
Herald Degrees
== Facts: ==
-In ancient times, Heralds were the town criers who announced the latest news and legislation, bards who kept the oral tradition of their people alive, troubadours who traveled about delivering songs and political speeches, itinerant preachers and of course the official heralds of aristocrats and nobles. The Heralds have always wielded the power of opinion, using their influence to shape public perception.
-Heralds can use the power of belief to alter or reshape reality itself. By convincing enough people that something is so, they can affect the material universe at the quantum level. These changes are often subtle, although the truly miraculous is never out of the question should enough people join in. 
-Heralds are members of the Ruling Orders because of their nature as purveyors (cynical minds might say gatekeepers) of the news and information. Other Ruling Orders respect the Heralds, if for no other reason than their ability to wield public opinion as a weapon. The Order of Kings has especially been keen to gain the friendship of the Heralds, although that relationship has been a fickle one. More than a few Kings have found themselves deposed at the hands of an angry crowd whipped into action by the works of the Heralds. 
-Because they are seen as the 'keepers' of knowledge, Heralds are often viewed negatively by the Arcane Orders. Adepts of the Orders Arcane tend to view the Heralds as hoarders and manipulators of the truth, and so the two groups have a simmering discontent between them. The Heralds could use their power in the social sphere to counter the Arcane Orders, but even the memetic magick of the Heralds is as nothing to the occult knowledge of all the Arcane Orders combined. This leaves the two groups in a stalemate. 
-Another group of Orders that has a terse relationship with the Heralds is the Military Orders. As a general rule, military groups tend to prefer to keep their behavior confidential. So having a Herald around who likes to snoop for information will generally lead to them uncovering secret military business - something which never sits well with Adepts like the Warriors or their allies. 
-Heralds have a strong tendency towards writing, and so they make up a sizable chunk of the Keepers of the Word Chapter. They can also be found in droves within the Tinfoil Hat Society, Anonymous, and the Journalist Guild.
-Naturally, they can also be found in the dreaded New World Order. The Herald's ability to manipulate information and public perception is vital to the goals of the NWO. Many of the NWO's highest ranking leaders are members or close allies to the Heralds. 
-It should be noted that the Order of Heralds is far from a united organization. Many Heralds are old-school purveyors of newsprint, while others have adopted the 'laptop lifestyle' and travel about with little more than just that. Others work for independent magazines while their 'sellout' kin get comfy positions in major media firms. Some Heralds use their powers to liberate the minds of their fellow man, while others use them to control the public. The Order of Heralds produces both the very best, and the very worst, in the media. 
== Information Control: ==
The power of the media to mold the thoughts and opinions of the masses stretches back through the ages, and even the mightiest of Kings and Priests have been run into the ground by a successful social campaign against them. 
The Order of Heralds has penetrated the modern media empire at the highest of levels. News channels, social networking sites, even local TV channels and radio stations are all under their purview. This isn't to say they have total control - there are plenty of other Supernaturals who have a presence within the mainstream media. But the Heralds are certainly a force to be reckoned with and in the minds of the other Orders, the Heralds are always equated with the power of the media itself.
-http://www.heroicmedia.org/power-of-media
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_influence
== The Internet: ==
The birth and growth of the Internet has proven to be a life-changing experience for the Order of Heralds. Heralds, used to the ancient tradition of traveling on foot, can now reach even more people with their message, all without leaving their own home!
Conservative members of the Order worry this could erode an important aspect of the Order, the fast-past nature of the internet is making it harder for journalists to do their ponderous research. But many of the younger Heralds counter that the Internet opens up a new world of possibilities for them.
Many Heralds are reporting discovering that their powers work over the sea of digital data that is the internet. The possibilities this idea raises are incredible for the Order and many Adepts are beginning to realize that a new, potential golden-age for the Order could just be dawning.
== Factions: ==
-Campaign Managers = These Heralds are heavily involved in politics where they use their powers of communication and influence to win public support for their candidates. Naturally, they have deep ties to the Order of Kings. 
-Conspiracy Theorists = The name pretty much says it all, while it would be easy to cartoon them as the Tinfoil Hat Society (of which, more than a few are members) the best Heralds of this Faction take their work seriously. They research online and may even travel to interview the subjects of various conspiracy theories and share and network between themselves and trusted allies in order to determine the truth. Many of them are quite dedicated to it, seeing it as an honest vocation. 
-Troubadours = These Heralds live a nomadic life, journeying from area to area and making a living off of their communicative or artistic talents. Whether a traveling band of musicians, an itinerant writer or secretary, or simply a communications consultant, these Heralds have only the open road for a home. 
-Investigative Journalists = These are the truly committed Heralds who pursue the truth no matter where it leads. They search for scraps of a 'good story' and follow the path to its completion. They frequently come across as invasive and bossy in the eyes of other Adepts. 
-Smear = For good or bad, Heralds have tremendous power in shaping the thoughts and opinions of many. Their ability to control the context and flow of so much information in society is tremendous, and these Heralds specialize in taking out anyone they deem a target. 
-Troll Army = These are Heralds of the new age of the internet, creating thousands of alias accounts online and working hard to shape public opinion indirectly, through the comment sections, blogosphere and twitterverse of the world wide web. 
== References: ==
-http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/evangelism
-http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/bytopic/preachersevangelists
Category:Memetic