Occultatum Occulus

Wherever the werewolf howls, the demon corrupts, or the vampire feeds, there the Hidden Eye watches: its members are poets, dreamers, philosophers -- anyone who has seen beyond the veil. Their motivations hidden, they are an enigma, with much to teach the World of Darkness...and much to learn.

## Philosophy

* The Society posits that there exists another world, one in which the supernatural and mythological teachings of the Ancients bear truth.
* They believe that this world conjoins with our own, and that it is our duty to understand its secrets.
* They seek this knowledge in the places of mystery, through the pages of history, and in the lore of all people.
* As the Ancients understood, so, one day, shall they.
* The Society believes that only through scholarship and learning can one separate fact from fiction, and can mere superstition be shorn from supernatural truth.
* Myths and folklore speak of higher truths, and it is through diligent study and investigation that these higher truths may be revealed.
* The Society exists to learn, not to manipulate.
* They are objective observers, and not judges.
* The Society does not evaluate the "morality" of the supernatural simply in light of the fact of its existence, nor does it take any action against the supernatural based upon any predetermined system of ethics.
* What the Society studies and learns, it does so for its own benefit.
* The resources of the Society are not to be shared with anyone outside the Society, nor shall the precious knowledge earned by our studies be spread without the consent of the Leader.

## Recruitment

Recruitment into the Eye is often handled in one of a few different ways:

* ***The Labyrinth:*** You can unlock any door if you only have the key. This sentiment is echoed in this method in that it is a puzzle that one must solve to demonstrate their resourcefulness and knowledge of the occult. Some of these puzzles are left in the open for anyone to find. The catch is that not everyone can solve them. By finding one's way through the twists and turns of the puzzle they would eventually discover the light of knowledge, the support of one's compatriots and a new path in life. What knowledge are they bringing to the Society?
* ***The Labor:*** Deeds speak louder than words they say and this is nowhere more true than in the Society. Whereas the Labyrinth is a task for the "Thinkers" of the Eye, the Labor is more for the "Doers". Rather than setting a task before the candidate and then evaluating how well they complete it (such as in the Labyrinth) this method looks at the achievements of the person as a whole. What skills are they bringing to the Society?
* ***The Librum:*** You can't judge a book by its cover. This statement is at the heart of the Eye's philosophy; never to accept things on face value. They rely upon the recommendations and experiences of others to guide them. So, should one of their members come across someone who has impressed them sufficiently, they can recommend them for recruitment. This is not to be taken lightly because they are responsible for the actions of whomever they recommend for a year and a day after they are successfully initiated into the Society.

## Ranks

* ***Initiate:*** Initiates have agreed to the basic expectations of the cult, and been accepted by the leader. Their journey into the mysteries of the Hidden World have begun.

* ***Journeyman/woman:*** Journeymen or women have advanced their knowledge of the occult and/or gained a heightened sense of just how many dangers there are out in the night.

* ***Agent:*** Agents of the Eye have experienced more than a glimpse of the Hidden World and as such they have developed an eye for what is and is not part of it. They have also grown within the Society enough to be trusted with a small portion of its resources. Agents are also given the signet ring to wear.

* ***Brother / Sister:*** Brothers and Sisters of the Society have reached such a heightened state within the Hidden World that they can sense the presence of its denizens. Their status also affords them access to the rarest of the Society's resources; its library.

* ***Elder:*** Elders of the Society have seen and felt the Hidden World in its many forms and grown the wiser from it. They are less susceptible to the suggestions about what is or isn't real from others or less distracted from the minute details of what they see right before their eyes