creed: A statement of belief—usually religious belief—or faith. The word derives from the Latin credo for I believe.
In Hunter: The Reckoning, the creeds are the major factions that comprise the society of imbued. Creeds are built around the larger virtues of Mercy, Vision and Zeal, which themselves are constructs representing the passive principle, the active principle, and a melding of the two. They were created each with an express purpose in the time leading up to Armageddon, as well as a role to play in the world which will follow.
Creeds, while definite separate groupings, are nearly "transparent" within the World of Darkness. Individual hunters aren't really consciously aware of them except as variations in the manners and methods one uses to hunt. As time goes on, however, "like attracts like" and certain creeds tend to identify with each other, forming their own communities (for example, the JudgmentDay and Firelight sublists of hunter-net.org).
The recognized creeds, sorted by their respective virtues, are:
Mercy
Those hunters that tend to show compassion towards and attempt to reconcile with the supernatural forces of the world follow one of the Mercy Creeds.
The Mercy Creeds are:
- Innocents - Those who refuse to prejudge the supernatural.
- Martyrs - Those who sacrifice their all for their cause.
- Redeemers - Those who wish to bring the monsters back into the light.
Vision
Understanding and information gathering are the primary gifts of these creeds. Originally charged to lead the Imbued in their war against the unnatural powers of the world, the Visionary Creeds consist of one viable Creed and two "Lost Creeds." In theory, these "Lost Creeds" consist of people who were granted too much insight for the mortal mind to handle and have ended up deranged due to this Calling. However, there is some implication throughout the different source books that these "Lost Creeds", specifically Waywards, ended up precisely how the Messengers wanted them.
The Vision Creeds are:
- Hermits (Not available for play) - Lost Creed. "Failed" Imbued who receive psychic static near other Hunters and supernaturals. They should have been the intelligence gatherers for the Imbued, receiving information directly from the Messengers.
- Visionaries - Those who seek to understand the greater meaning behind the imbuing and the existence of the supernatural.
- Waywards (Not available for play) - Lost Creed. "Failed" Imbued who have gone violently psychotic. They should have been the strategists and tacticians of the Imbued. Because of their violent psychosis, they often see only the need to destroy the enemy, and are known to cause large amounts of collateral damage in the completion of their mission.
Zeal
Those hunters that are unforgiving and dogmatic in their belief that humanity is meant to "Inherit the Earth" and that supernatural forces are arrayed against this manifest destiny of mankind, tend to be one of the Zeal Creeds. The tendency of these hunters to be warriors/soldiers among a group of hunters gives these Creeds the stereotype as brute "zombie-killers." These hunters do the dirty work out of a passion few humans may understand.
The Zeal Creeds are:
