"Do not think of them as the dead, nor as one of the living. These are natural states, and the Vampire is nothing natural. For him, such distinctions lose meaning, and his very existence mocks the black gates that Morr set between these two realms."
- —Mikaelus Ürlen, Agent of the Shroud[1a]
An Agent of the Shroud at work upon an investigation.
The splinter order of Morrites, known as the Fellowship of the Shroud, takes a much more active view of their duties to Morr than the mainstream cult. Its members include warriors, priests, and Vampire hunters, but in many situations, a far subtler hand is needed, and such are the abilities of the Agents of the Shroud. These scholarly types are trained in careful observation, medical examination, and logical deduction, so they may identify Vampire or Undead activity without being detected. Some of them turn their results over to more martially skilled members of their cult, but they are quite capable of enacting their own justice and putting an end to those the Fellowship call “the Enemies of Life.”[1b]
The Agents of the Shroud investigate any suspicious death for signs of necromancy or dark magic, so they are often involved in murder mysteries that turn out to contain no mystical elements. Their services are appreciated by the victim’s family regardless, and the Agents are happy to help any departed spirits rest.[1b]
A Day in the Life[]
The Agents of the Shroud are first and foremost investigators. They visit morgues frequently looking for evidence of their prey, and make contacts among the local watch, hoping for a tip about anything unusual. They are as likely to scan the news-sheets as they are to peruse musty tomes of forbidden lore. An effective Agent is one who is well connected and able to sift out facts from folklore and fantasy.[2a]
As a matter of survival, agents usually have another profession. Few cities have such a large population of vampires that professional vampire hunters and their assistants are always kept busy. Instead, an Agent of the Shroud is likely to be a professional in another career, who has joined the Fellowship and aids them whenever trouble presents itself.[2a]
A small handful of Agents travel from city to city, always looking for the next nest of vampires, making this career their full time obsession. Only the bravest of these dare patrol graveyards and dark alleyways, hoping to stop an attack as it happens.[2a]