Order of the Key and Torch

History

Established by Pope Advent VIC in his Manifesto of 1180 the Order of the Key and Torch is charged with investigating reports of miracles, evaluating prophecies and, some whisper, hunting down Evil Magicians. The order has only confirmed 3 beautifications in the last century, although it has uncovered a staggering number of very sophisticated cons, bizarre natural phenomena and one case of accidental mass migration.

Operations

The Order has two general modes of operation, firstly the order responds to calls for a saint to be beautified, or by widespread rumors of miraculous occurrences by sending a Deacon or similarly high ranking priest to investigate, usually assembling a team of experts at the site to cover disciplines that the priest may not have expertise in, the investigation is conducted in (almost) full view and the findings are relayed to the masters of the order. More rarely the Order sends out an operative at the direction of a prophecy or divination sources, in this case the Order moves in secret, finding out what is happening and taking "appropriate measures".

Personages

Cardinal Breck

The Illuminated Master of the Order, a shadowy figure who wears a mask during his rare public appearances, rumors say he is extensively tatooed with wards against the influence of the Devil, protecting the integrity of his soul as he speaks out against the saints.

Saint Mersius of the Unraveling Eye

Little, if at all known outside the Order, Saint Mersius was as Confessor of the order and later it's Illuminated Master, after 80 years of service he was interred in an anonymous shrine on Lexis IX. When a number of mysterious revelations were granted to visitors to the shrine the Order investigated. After finding no evidence of misconduct the Order then spent 37 years trying to find out who was interred there. Finally in 940 he was declared a saint by a secret meeting of the Synod. He is prayed to those facing challenging puzzles or complicated intrigues.

Confessor Archdeacon Samuel LeMarrom

LeMarrom is one of the Order's current crop of investigators. Frequently assigned to undercover work for long stretches he has recently become obsessed with a volume of notes by an unknown papal secretary which indicate that the Pope in question was experiencing hallucinations.