Written by Lord Z with Premier Assist
Urgent warnings have been issued by the Great House of Barren Marsh. These messages are being delivered within sealed shell casings by Falconers, Deliverymen and Outriders. Inside each protective shell, a collection of reports summarize and detail several troubling and verified events that have recently befallen the Human Resistance. The reports were written by Alexis Talbot, official Scribe of Barren Marsh, and they are being carried to all known Houses within the Resistance. Here is one of the these reports by Scribe Talbot...
”My fellow Scribes and Historians:
I take this opportunity to share what I know concerning the Cult of Sooth. I have information to offer: multiple theories, precious few facts and a personal observation of this very certain social phenomena. Any of this information may or may not be already known to you. I hope if you know more and if you are able to contribute, you will see fit to respond. Together, we can perhaps piece together this most curious and disturbing puzzle.
Personally speaking, I would not object to placing all cult members in protective custody. Despite the impressive bravery displayed by Soothsayer converts when fighting against the Machine, I do not see significant reason to believe the motives of all Soothsayers are inline with the larger goals of the Human Resistance. More concisely, I do not trust anyone who bends knee to the N.E.X.U.S.
The Soothersayer Cult first arrived into our territory less than a year ago. Investigations by my assistants have revealed that the cult was imported by refugees from an unspecified location. These original Soothsayer-evangelists are no longer available for questioning: they were recently killed when their refugee encampment was caught in crossfire between the militiamen of our own Great House of Barren Marsh and a robotic patrol at the edge of our surface territory. Before death, these refugees had already established new congregations of converts within two of our retro-villages. From there, the cult spread and established congregations in the other villages and our own city within weeks. None of our senators have been converted yet, so there is little chance of a Soothsayer becoming Warlord of this Great House within my lifetime, but the Cult is strongly supported by ten percent of our population and growing.
Experiences with Soothsayers in other Houses differ. I have read reports of similar growth occurring in nearby Great Houses and their allied surface communities. There are inconsistencies in these reports: the origin of their congregations differs greatly from one telling to another, the extent of infiltration differs from one House to another, and the Cult has developed into a potent political faction by varying degrees in difference Houses.
My reports include a range of responses to the Cult by warlords and other officials. Soothsayers, or 'Soothers' as they are often called by non-members, have been arrested and interrogated to discern their intentions. In other areas, Soothersayer congregations were forced to disband. In at least one community, an entire congregation of a dozen families was exiled from the haven. The leaders of other communities have embraced these sects, took heed of their prophecies and converted to learn more of their beliefs and predictions.
When dealing with a developing congregation, neither humanitarian tolerance nor repressive crackdowns develop desirable results. I base this statement on results observed by Great Houses that have tried either approach. When the authority takes a stand against the Cult, backlash by libertarian-minded citizens has turned violent. When left to grow unchecked, the Cult develops its own chain of command, which conflicts with the legal government of the Warlord.
This is no trifling matter, my colleges. Social riots have been triggered in at least two Houses. It is unclear whether this rioting is a legitimate emotional reaction to government repression or if – the riots are engineered by the Soothsayers themselves to engender sympathy and recruit the dissatisfied - as suspected by conspiracy theorist. The most striking and disturbing element of this trend is the prophesying. With great consistency, the Soothersayers proclaim an incoming wave of doom that will raze the surface and preparation for an epidemic to follow. This prediction is consistent with reports of attacks by powerful new biotechnology, which is occurring currently in several coastal territories.
The imagery of a “wave” is both consistent and confusing. Many scholars and council members in my Great House speculated and debated on this specific meaning of the word “wave”. The initial interpretation, now known as the “Mechanical Theory”, was that N.E.X.U.S. would be the aggressor: field some new type of war-mechanism, or release some new form of nano-plague upon the Resistance, and that this new weapon would be deployed across the surface in a swooping wave pattern. This initial theory was believed in their minds but would not openly admit due to its possible magnitude and potential for causing mass hysteria. It is still possible that N.E.X.U.S. will return the old days of aggressive global genocide, so the theory is still held by a few stubborn military strategists.
The initial theory was followed by the Social Theory. It was hypothesized by one of our Librarians that the prophecy itself and the larger Cult was a deception engineered by N.E.X.U.S. or rival Great Houses seeking to usurp certain territories. The riots and distractions we have already experienced could result in Resistance losing key, highly fought-for positions. This Social Theory seems well supported by recent developments in the coastal territories. Furthermore, this theory does specifically conflict with the official beliefs of the Soothsayers themselves. The Soothsayers believe that goddesses determine mankind's fate and reveal their will through visions directed to their priest-class. That may be exactly what is happening, not for the greater purpose of helping humankind as the Soothsayers believe but rather to divide and weaken the Resistance.
Finally, the Logictist Theory was developed. The Logictists are an elite order of high-scholar aristocrats who devise their methodology and policy recommendations based entirely on logical analysis and sound rational reasoning. I now disclose that I am a member of this order myself. We Logictists concluded that there was too much metaphoric interpretation of the wave-symbol and that was symbolic at all. According to our theory, the wave accurately describes the affects of literal tsunami that would crush the shoreline communities and any nearby Resistance strongholds. According to historical legend, the old nation-states developed this same technology during a period known as the Cold War. It is plausible that N.E.X.U.S. recreated this tactic: manipulating underwater volcanoes or fault lines, amplifying the resulting wave with resonating explosions, and directing the tidal wave towards specific target regions. As devastating at this strategy could be towards the surface battlefront, the affect would be worse for the oceanic strongholds, sea faring armadas, numerous biotechnology surplus caches, and resources stored in deep fathom sites or islands. We have calculated it would be effective against both coastal communities and the oceanic dwelling communities of the Resistance whom have resided in the vast water sanctuary beyond the grasp of N.E.X.U.S., drastically setting the Resistance back threefold.
There were other interpretations voiced, but these three apocalyptic theories stood out the most in our council's deliberations and assessments. Several Soothsayers were detained and questioned before the council. After days of interrogation, the council determined that these cultists knew nothing more of the message's meaning than anyone else. In fact, they had received instructions to not taint the message by imputing their own personal interpretations upon the gospel they were instructed to tell.
As genuine as their intentions are, the several Soothsayers have not been released from their chambers. This council has decreed it is for the protective well being of these Soothsayers that they remain in protective custody. I reason that another riot will soon ensue in this very haven if these Soothsayers remain in custody.
There is one more element of this story to which I need to make you aware. We have been visited by a nomadic team of Soothsayer Cultists. A cleric who holds the rank of Harbinger leads this team. She is recognizable by her powerful Phalanx Host Armor that resembles a Sabertooth Ocelot Centaur. The entourage who follows her is a mixed assortment of battle-hardened soldiers, all Soothsayers. This team includes Biotics, Packmasters, Falconers, Roughnecks, Archangels, Grendel Outriders, Scarecrows; and she has several Tormentor bodyguards by her side at all times. She is visiting all Great Houses to monitor and evaluate treatment of her fellow Soothsayer sects. If the congregation she visits is treated well and her expedition is not impeded, she has been known to assist the Great House against attacks by the Machine and the Violet Wave. Reportedly, she will otherwise trigger a campaign of guerrilla warfare attacks if she determines the local sect is being mistreated or abused.
So, clean your closets before she arrives.
- Scribe Alexis Talbot. “
The Cult of Sooth
Created and Written BY Lord Z
Illustrated by Chuck “Premier” Walton
http://madjaguar.deviantart.com/art/SPL ... -215158989
“For Sooth! Question not the intentions of your goddesses. Question not the methods of your goddesses. Your calling shall be to fight your goddesses.”
– Arch-Herald Omen of the Soothsayer Cult
Among Splicers, an old philosophy is taking root. The full implications of this movement are not yet clear. Opponents of this philosophy consider it a dangerous and debilitating delusion, almost as dangerous to the Human Resistance as the Violet Wave, which appeared at the same time.
Predestination is a concept which developed from time to time in many of the religions of Old Earth, including Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Classical predestination reasons that if God is omniscient (all knowing), then God already knows every event, which will happen in the future. If God knows what will happen, then God may cause it to happen, take action to change the event, or do nothing and allow it to happen. Whatever God chooses, God is responsible for every event. Free will may be rejected as incompatible with most versions of predestination. In the age of the Splicers, this idea has been resurrected with a new relevance.
In the world of Splicers and the Machine, the omnipresent infestation of nano-machines has led many humans to develop a belief in a new predestination. These believers reject the idea of free will and instead believe that N.E.X.U.S. controls their lives and every decision they make. Even if the N.E.X.U.S. cannot tell the future, it is orchestrating events and controlling the major decision makers. In short, N.E.X.U.S. knows exactly what it is doing, and every event that happens – including the Human Resistance – is all part of a planned destiny.
This belief in artificial predestination has its pros and cons for humans.
The upside is how logical and sensible it seems. As a theory, it would explain many mysteries. For example, the inhabitants of this world do not know for certain on which world they live, Earth or some other planet. That is a funny thing to forget, but one must understand that these people have nanites inside every portion of their bodies. Their own brains are occupied enemy territory, so they should not trust their own memories.
The downside of a belief in predestination is that it may not offer an opportunity for a person to change ones own destiny. Most people find the entire idea to be hopeless and reject it outright. Admitting that one believes oneself to be a tool of N.E.X.U.S. does nothing to increase ones popularity. In some communities, it can get a person arrested on suspicion of treason. Although nihilistic on its surface, this philosophy is not all doom and gloom. Many believers in predestination find their belief comforting. They believe that all events, no matter how tragic, serve a greater purpose. Their view of reality is orderly and purposeful. Even their mistakes and failures are pieces of a grand strategy, which is too complex and far-reaching for them to comprehend.
Recently, this idea has grown and matured into a quasi-religious order. This order calls itself the Soothsayer Cult – or more properly the Cult of Sooth. Not yet a full and true religion, the Cult possesses its own beliefs, ceremonies and chain of command. Not all citizens of any Great House are members of this cult, but Soothsayers are a well-connected minority and possess tremendous influence in some.
SOOTH: (archaic noun) truth. Originally, the word was used as an adjective, which meant true and genuine.
Their guiding principle is the Sooth. The Sooth (meaning “truth”) is the idea that the goddesses of N.E.X.U.S. know exactly what they are doing. Specifically, Soothsayers believe that the goddesses found humans not to be achieving their potential, like a collection of un-carved gemstones. The goddesses took necessary action to refine and sculpt humanity. They culled the population, eliminated the weakest of the species and challenged the rest. The surviving humans became braver, more resourceful and smarter as a result of these challenges. The goddesses, however, were still not done. The goddesses gave bio-technology to the surviving humans (or else allowed them to discover it) so that the humans might be able to refine bodies and minds as they had already refined their spirits. The challenges will continue until the inevitable day when the humans demonstrate their advancement by defeating the goddesses. In this final act of self-sacrifice, the goddesses will declare their work to be complete and die. The entire point of the Sooth is to accept this vision of reality in one’s own heart.
Soothsayers are not traitors who sell out their Great House to the Machine. In fact, they are some of the bravest warriors, attacking robots and other enemies with little thought of their own safety. Soothsayers tend to act honorably, respect other humans and take pride in their efforts for the war. These are all elements of the Sooth. To struggle against the Machine is to participate and thus advance humanity. The only sin for a Soothsayer is to despair and reject the goddesses in ones heart.
The CONNECTION
So what is the connection between the Soothsayer Cult and the Violet Wave?
We leave this matter up to the gamemaster to decide. Here are some possible answers.
I. The Soothsayers originated from the same Great House, which is responsible for the Violet Wave attacks. The Cult might be serving a role as an unwitting informant and saboteur. If this is the case, then the Harbinger mentioned in the previous report is a spy who has staged battles in which she fights against the Violet Wave invaders. She has completely fooled many observers, including Alexi himself, with this tactic.
II. The Cult considers the Violet Wave attackers to be a hated enemy. The Cult originated in a smaller and isolated Great House which fell early to the invasion campaign of the Violet Wave Splicers. When the Great House was destroyed, refugees carried their beliefs and customs to other havens. The expansion of the Cult is an unintentional side effect of these attacks and a warning as to how severe the Blood Feuds may become for the Resistance as a whole.
III. The Cult has no connection with the Violet Wave at all. Most high-ranking cultists, such as the traveling Harbinger, don't care if the Violet Wave wins or loses. It is all part of the plan of the goddesses. The attacks might, however, be used as a vessel of opportunity for the Cult to expand its message and demonstrate the devotion and courage of its members. Some cultists may even hope to convert the invaders themselves.
IV. The Cult is a remnant of the survivors who once were the original inhabitants of an oceanic Great House before a dark fall that silenced the Great House years ago and caused the festering house to become the Violet Wave. It is the Cult that has somehow managed to defy the Violet Wave conversion process and awakened to a new enlightenment. Instead of fighting the nanobots that course through their flesh, the Cult has spiritually accepted them, which has promoted some ideology of N.E.X.U.S. providing “favor” to the Cult via the “voices” and that the Violet Wave seeks to obtain this favor for its own conquest. This favor of voices has given mythical rise that some Sooth have learned to listen to the voices as a possible means of a telepathic breakthrough by communing with the nanobots inside of their flesh. It is the Cults persevering defiance & favor that the Violet Wave seeks to consume to prove that they are the kismet epitome of the goddesses’ planned destiny for mankind. The coincidental rise & recent events of both the Violet Wave and the Cult, project strong possibilities that the two are intertwined as a duality of the same coin.
Soothsayer Culture
Soothsayers are proud of their cult, so they want to be recognized as members. Soothers wear emblems of their faith at all times, such as carved bone medallions and tattoos. The particular symbols preferred by a group of Soothsayers will vary from one congregation to another. Their most common symbol is the para-arc, an icon shaped like a jagged lightning bolt framed within a parallelogram. Lightning, thunder and storms are revered because it is said that thunder is nature's way of proclaiming the Sooth for all to hear. Tattoos are also added to their Host Armors, Warmounts and other Living Bio-Armors that Soothsayers use. Soothsayers also tend to wear dark purple, loose-fitting robes with yellow trim, especially during times of reverence. The higher one’s position in the cult, the longer and larger the robe gets. They avoid any bio-enhancements, which would disrupt their abilities to speak, but they would otherwise have no objections to enhancements that make their mouths more powerful.
Soothsayers have their own terminology and speech patterns. They celebrate spoken language; they do not use efficient forms of speech like abbreviations when they can avoid it. They use longer words when feasible, like “purchase” instead of “buy.” They also have a curious habit of speaking a negative adverb after the predicate, so “do not go there” becomes “go not there.” Soothsayers always refer to N.E.X.U.S. as “the goddesses.” The cult holds all manifestations of the fractured A.I. personalities in great reverence and will not insult them. Soothsayers have even been known to shout praise to the names of Kali or Lilith when attacking robot patrols. They tend to refer to the Machine's nanite infestation as the “nano-minions.”
The Cult is a tiered society. Regular members have the title of Speaker. So, if a character named Max Power joins the cult, he gains the rank of Speaker and his honorific name becomes Speaker Max (or Speaker Power or Speaker Max Power as he prefers). Higher ranking members with the title of Herald act as counselors and battlefield chaplains. Above the Heralds are Harbingers who manage the cult. The leader of the cult holds the title of Arch-Herald. If the Cult were to triple in size, it would add more Arch-Heralds and create an even higher position, the Arch-Harbinger.
Since inheriting her title from her mentor, Arch-Herald Omen has been quietly advancing the martial strength of the Cult. Roughnecks have noticed that cultists tend to get first pick of new bio-equipment, and cultists tend to receive less punishment for losing or breaking bio-equipment. This favoritism can become a problem if the Splicer were to bring shame to the cult as the cult is predisposed to punish shame-bringers above and beyond what punishment is given by official authorities. While Omen has been in power, many of the Heralds under her command have been upgraded to various types of Splicers. There are currently a disproportionate number of Geneticists and Tormentors among the Heralds and Harbingers of the cult when compared to the rest of the Resistance military (see Rifter #50 for details about the Geneticists and Tormentor classes).
Arch-Herald Omen's most significant innovation has been the development of group ceremonies. These rituals mark conversions to the faith, acknowledge births or deaths and spiritually prepare warriors before a battle. The most important ceremony, however, is performed daily. This time is called Reverence. Different small groups of Soothsayers perform Reverence at different times of the day depending on their own schedules and responsibilities. During Reverence, small groups of Soothsayers gather to meditate or quietly to contemplate the will of the goddesses. Recorded sounds of storms, thunder and crashing waves are played during Reverence to help Soothsayers relax and accept the will of the goddesses. Reverence typically lasts only ten to fifteen minutes, but a Harbinger may call for longer or shorter periods depending on circumstances.
It is important to remember that Sooth is not a true religion according to what most people would consider a religion – at least not yet. The Cult does, however, follow practices developed in religions. Blessings from a Harbinger inspire no more or less faith than a birthday candle wish, but the blessings are still valued by Soothsayers and thankfully received. Although Reverence resembles daily prayer, Soothsayers would not call it prayer, and they rarely ask the goddesses for anything specific. Although the personas of the N.E.X.U.S. are called goddesses, Soothsayers understand that these personas are projections of programming code and not actually divine beings. It is just that the goddess are so god-like that they might as well be true goddesses.
ARCH-HERALD OMEN
The current leader is Arch-Herald Omen, a 13th level Scarecrow. Omen is a confident, determined and manipulative woman. She claims that when deeply meditating, she can sometimes hear the voice of a goddess speaking to her through the nano-minions. Omen is completely willing to exploit her influence as the Arch-Herald to promote her work as a Scarecrow (and vice versa). She wears her para-arc tattoo on her face so that it passes over her left eye and wears her hair in long dreadlocks. Although she lost her right hand in combat years ago, she has never regrown it nor had it replaced. She believes that it was the will of the goddesses that her fleshy hand was taken away, and she will not contradict them. Instead, she wears a hook of polished whale bone on her arm. The gleaming white hook is complemented by several other pieces of bone jewelry she often wears. She dresses in a long hooded purple robe, which drags several feet behind her in the back. Her voice is clear and very enunciated, and she manages to make every phrase sound vaguely menacing.
Sooth Alignment
Soothsayers may hold any alignment in the game, and are roughly equally distributed among the alignments. The most dedicated Soothsayers, however, share a specific and unique outlook and set of morals. Other characters could be converted to the Sooth Alignment. A character might have never heard of the Soothsayers, but has developed the same ideas independently. An independent Sooth-character would find much in common with the Soothsayers should they ever discuss their place in the world.
Sooth doesn't fit any of the three normal classifications of alignments (good, evil and selfish). It could be considered either good or evil by outside observers. If a specific classification is required, Sooth might be considered selfish, somewhere between Aberrant and Unprincipled.
A Sooth character will...
1. Keep his word and avoid lies (unless directed to lie by a higher ranking Soothsayer).
2. Not kill an unarmed foe or innocent.
3. Never torture, because all life is part of the goddesses' plan and thus respected. Please note that Soothsayers prefer working with Tormentors because of their Truth Extraction ability, which is invaluable for sorting spies and saboteurs out from prospective converts.
4. Not kill for pleasure alone, but he may take great pleasure in it when he has to kill.
5. Likely to help others; but if he cannot, then oh well, that's the will of the goddesses.
6. Always work within the law.
7. Have great respect for authority.
8. Show he can effectively work within a group, but he may be arrogant and hostile towards non-Soothsayers.
9. Take dirty money, stolen or ill-gotten goods and loot. Hey, the goddesses placed this stuff in front of him, so it must be their will for him to take it!
10. Not betray a friend, probably. It is against his nature. If he is told to do it, however, he is unlikely to feel guilt.
Immortality from the Goddesses
Soothsayers do believe in a form of eternal life. Whether or not they are correct about it – or about anything for that matter – is up to the Players and Gamemasters. Their concept of immortality is dependent upon the presence of the Machine's nano-machines.
The belief states that nano-minions are not only monitoring humans from the inside. They are also recording what they observe. All experiences and knowledge gained by the human is preserved and transferred into the global network of machinery. When the human dies, the goddesses preserve this data like precious treasure. The goddesses may copy these backups and reuse the data for various functions. A human might be cloned and reawakened in a machine-constructed city years later and thousands of miles away from the place where that human died. Or, the goddesses may use a backup as an operating system in an experimental new computer or robot.
Most backups, of course, are not used for anything. Most held in reserve for the day of ascendance when the goddesses accept defeat. On that day, the backups will be released to new life. Then, humans will assume the positions vacated by the goddesses – as divine rulers of the planet.
Soothsayer Bio-Enhancement: Living Tattoos
The Soothsayer Cult may claim at least one innovation completely as its own. The cult has designed a tattooing process, which could be programmed into skin on a genetic level. These Living Tattoos are infused deep in the epidermis (skin). Designs may also be implanted onto living weapons, Host Armor, Warmounts and other bio-creations.
The benefit of Living Tattoos as opposed to regular ink tattoos is regeneration. Because the mark is genetic, it will regenerate with the epidermis as the organ regrows, even if the mark was burnt or cut off. Let's say a certain Splicer was to receive two tattoos, one ink and one living, on the same arm. The Splicer loses this arm in battle. When the arm is later regenerated at the gene pool, the ink tattoo will not appear on the new arm, but the Living Tattoo will. The process developed out of a desire for Cult members to recognize other members, even while in Living Armor. The cult's Geneticists developed the process without the aid of an Engineer nor Librarian. Cultists typically prefer to be tattooed with a para-arc drawn in a dark shade of blue, red or violet.
Although incredibly simple by bio-engineering standards of the age, Living Tattoos have become surprisingly profitable. Cult approved Engineers offer their tattooing services to other Cult members for free – and to customers outside of the Cult for reasonable fees (which will vary depending on demand and artistic skill of the Geneticist). Removal of a Living Tattoo costs the same reasonable fee. The Geneticist commissioned to create a Living Tattoo will draw or write any design. It all depends on what the client wishes. There is no bio-energy cost for just the tattoo alone.
One variation of the Living Tattoo is a tattoo, which also generates bio-luminescence. Glowing tattoos glow all of the time and cannot be shut off, but the amount of light produced is negligible so that it may be easily covered for stealth. Glowing tattoos require the normal amount of bio-energy required for bio-luminescence (3 Bio-E as per Glow Cells on Page 87).
Soothsayer Templates: Optional Rules!
A Soothsayer is not a new Occupational Character Class. Instead, it is a system of faith and practices, which are added to a character that already has an O.C.C. Speakers are the regular members of the congregations. Heralds and Harbingers are the Chaplins of the Soothsayer Cult. They counsel, advise, bless and rally the Speakers of their congregations. The proportion of clergy to laymembers varies in Great Houses depending upon the needs of the Speakers and how much freedom to organize the local authorities allow. The proportion of Heralds to Speakers ranges from 1:10 to 1:50. The proportion of Harbingers to Speakers ranges from 1:100 to 1:1000. Instead of applying these specific bonuses, many G.M. will probably rather opt for roleplaying the effects. If so, consider the descriptions below to be suggested guidelines.
Speaker Template
When a Splicer joins the Soothsayer Cult, the character gains these bonuses.
Free Living Tattoos: all Soothsayers are entitled to living tattoos for free from Soothsayer Geneticists. Because the Geneticists are performing this task an act of devotion, those Speakers who receive the tattoos should not expect the Geneticist to act like a hired artist at their command. One small tattoo might be all that the Geneticist feels like giving for free. Bio-luminescent living tattoos still require spending Bio-E.
Under the Table Privileges: Soothsayers tend to develop an us-versus-the-world mentality. As such, they can get preferential treatment from other Soothsayers. When Soothsayers are in charge of distributing resources, they frequently see to it that other Soothsayers are first in the line and receive the highest quality goods available. Speakers also gain a +5% bonus with the Bartering and Begging Skills, but these bonuses only apply when dealing with other Soothsayers. This bonus may become a penalty if the officials are hostile or mistrusting of the Soothsayer Cult.
Herald Template
When a Splicer is recognized with this honor, the character gains these bonuses:
Voice of Sooth: When speaking or performing in front of an audience of Soothsayers, the Herald gains a +10% bonus to Public Speaking, Singing, and/or Dancing. This bonus is not a measure of the Herald's talent. It is a representation of the respect that others have in the title of Herald.
Commanding Presence: The Herald gains a +5% per experience level bonus to trust or intimidate Soothsayers of Speaker rank; if the Herald already has a bonus from a high M.A. attribute, these bonuses are added together. This bonus is not a measure of the Herald's talent. It is a representation of the respect that others have in the title of Herald.
Rallying Speech: The Herald may inspire courage in other characters before a battle or other dangerous task. Both the Herald and the audience must have the Sooth Alignment for this bonus to apply. By making a successful Public Speaking skill roll, the Herald grants Speakers a temporary immunity to Horror Factors. The effect lasts until the current danger has passed or one hour, whichever is shorter. With G.M. approval, other skill rolls such as Singing, Art or Creative Writing may inspire this effect, but Public Speaking is by far the most common and most reliable form.
Free Living Tattoos: Although all Soothsayers are entitled to Living Tattoos for free from Soothsayer Geneticists, the Heralds and Harbingers tend to receive the largest and most elaborate tattoos. Bio-luminescent Living Tattoos still require spending Bio-E.
Under the Table Privileges: Soothsayers tend to develop an us-versus-the-world mentality. As such, they can preferential treatment from other Soothsayers. When Soothsayers are in charge of distributing resources, they frequently see to it that other Soothsayers are first in the line and receive the highest quality good available. Heralds also gain a +10% bonus with the Bartering and Begging Skills, but these bonuses only apply when dealing with other Soothsayers. This bonus may become a penalty if the officials are hostile or mistrusting of the Soothsayer Cult.
Harbinger Template
Prerequisites: To become a Harbinger, a Soothsayer must reach 6th experience level, have already been recognized with the rank of Herald for at least one year, and must have demonstrated a talent for influencing people (through a M.A. attribute of 13 or higher, or a Public Speaker or even Seduction Skill of 70% or higher).
When a Splicer is recognized with this honor, the character gains these bonuses:
Voice of Sooth: When speaking or performing in front of an audience of Soothsayers, the Harbinger gains a +20% bonus to Public Speaking, Singing, and/or Dancing. This bonus is not a measure of the Harbinger's talent. It is a representation of the respect that others have in the title of Harbinger.
Commanding Presence: The Harbinger gains a +5% per experience level bonus to trust or intimidate anyone; if the Harbinger already has a bonus from a high M.A. attribute, these bonuses are added together. This bonus is applied retroactively, so it a character becomes a Harbinger at 6th level, that character will still apply all six levels to calculating this bonus, which would result in a +30%. This bonus is not a measure of the Harbinger's talent. It is a representation of the respect or fear that others have in the title of Harbinger.
Rallying Speech: The Harbinger may inspire courage in other characters before a battle or other dangerous task. Both the Harbinger and the audience must have the Sooth Alignment for this bonus to apply. By making a successful Public Speaking skill roll, the Harbinger grants Speakers and Heralds a temporary immunity to Horror Factors. The effect lasts until the current danger has passed or one hour, whichever is shorter. With G.M. approval, this effect may be inspired by other skill rolls such as Singing, Art or Creative Writing, but Public Speaking is by far the most common and most reliable form.
Free Living Tattoos: Although all Soothsayers are entitled to Living Tattoos for free from Soothsayer Geneticists, the Heralds and Harbingers tend to receive the largest and most elaborate tattoos. Bio-luminescent Living Tattoos still require spending Bio-E.
Under the Table Privileges: Soothsayers tend to develop an us-versus-the-world mentality. As such, they can preferential treatment from other Soothsayers. When Soothsayers are in charge of distributing resources, they frequently see to it that other Soothsayers are first in the line and receive the highest quality good available. Harbingers also gain a +30% bonus with the Bartering, Begging and Seduction Skills, but these bonuses only apply when dealing with other Soothsayers. This bonus may become a penalty if the officials are hostile or mistrusting of the Soothsayer Cult.
For Additional information on the Sooth, the NPC Harbinger Providence the Leader of the Nomadic Inquisitors Sect and her Host Armor, please follow Lord Z's informative post below as more goodies pour forth from this brilliant Writer.
i like the option of whether or not the Sooth are behind the Violet Wave or not. it ads another layer to the intrigue 
