진리의 구도회

엄밀히 따지면, 진리의 구도회는 성기사단이 아니네. 그들은 한때 심문회라고 불렸지만, 네바라 협정이 체결되면서 그 이름을 버리고 지금처럼 우리 성기사단을 감독하고 규율을 집행하는 상위 집단으로 변모했네. 내가 아는 것은 이 정도뿐일세. 현재 정확히 몇 명의 구도자가 존재하는지도 확실하지 않아. 몇십 명 정도 될까? 그들에게 작전 기지가 있다 해도 어디에 있는지 알 수 없다네. 우리에게 확실한 건 아무것도 없어. 그들이 수석 마도사들이 제기한 항의에 응하기 위해 우리를 방문할 때가 아니라면 아마 마주칠 일도 없을 게야. 문제가 생기면 구도회는 조사를 시작하고, 성기사가 그네들 기준에 반하는 행위를 한 사실이 밝혀지면 의문의 여지 없이 아주 엄한 징계를 내리지. 기사단장조차도 그들의 뜻에 따라야 하는 판국이니, 진리의 구도자의 등장에, 모든 성기사들이 긴장하며 그들과 시선을 마주치지 않으려 하는 건 어찌 보면 당연한 일이 아니겠는가.

물론, 네바라 협정이 파기되고 모든 상황이 바뀌었다네. 들리는 말로는 성가회가 협정을 파기했다고들 하지만, 실제로 그에 대한 발표를 한 사람은 다름 아닌 구도회 대원수 램버트였지. 그는 진리의 구도자들과 성기사단은 교황의 명령에 상관없이 반역파 마법사들을 사냥할 것이라고 말했네. 그자의 권한이 그렇게까지 막강할 줄이야. 명령 한 마디에 모든 사람이 군말 없이 따를 정도라니... 어쨌든 우리는 명령에 따랐네. 일이 이렇게 흘러가리라곤 예상하지 못했지만, 구도회는 항상 우리를 인도해오지 않았는가. 이제 그들이 우리를 전쟁으로 이끌 것이네.

—용의 시대 9:40년, 조나단 페리 경의 편지에서

 

The Seekers of Truth

The Seekers of Truth aren't templars... not precisely. Once they were called the Inquisition, but upon the signing of the Nevarran Accord, they gave up that name and became the Order they are now, standing over us templars as watchers and enforcers. I honestly cannot claim to know more than that. I don't know how many Seekers there are—a few dozen? If they have a base of operations, I don't know where it is. Certainly not with any of us. The only time we'll see one is when a Seeker is summoned, perhaps in response to a complaint by one of the first enchanters. They'll investigate the problem, and if it turns out a templar did something they don't like, he's disciplined. Severely. Without question. Even the knight-commander bows to their will. If a Seeker of Truth shows up, you know every last templar is sweating, hoping their gaze doesn't fall on him.

Of course, that changed when the Nevarran Accord was broken. I'm told the Chantry broke it, but it was Lord Seeker Lambert who made the announcement. He said the Seekers of Truth and the Templar Order were going to hunt rebel mages, no matter what the Divine commanded. I didn't know he had that authority, that he could just say we would do this and everyone would follow... but we did. I never thought of it that way, but the Seekers have always been our guides. Now they've led us into war.

—From a letter written by Ser Jonathan Perry, 9:40 Dragon