Custos Animarum

Requirements for this position have changed over the centuries of the Ordo Venatorum's existence. Currently, to become a Custos Animarum, one must be recognized as a Priest by the Ordo Venatorum, and have at least at Master's degree in Psychology. There has been discussion, given that many of the Custodes Populorum and Custodes Pacis follow faiths or philosophies other then Christianity, of removing the requirement of priesthood, but so far, all that has been accomplished to add a requirement that during the five to seven year apprenticeship a Custos Animarum must serve before being recognized as such, they must spend an entire year studying other faiths and philosophies.

One doesn't apply to become a Custos Animarum. Rather, there is an open arch to one side of the main chapel in Campus Dei, which leads to the private chapel of the Custodes Animarum. The arch was taken from a church that was supposedly the home of Saint Rinale Anders, and while everyone can see the arch, to most it seems to be filled with a stone wall. There is powerful old magic, again, supposedly cast by Saint Rinale himself, that allows only those with the qualifications of character necessary to become a Custos Animarum to pass through the arch, or even see what lies beyond it. No one knows exactly what the magic uses to judge someone a fit candidate. Some are mages, some are not. Sometimes a warrior finds themselves looking down the hallway through the arch, after many years of only seeing stone there. The Custodes Animarum regard the archway as the ultimate arbiter of someone's fitness, as they believe the magic in it is divinely guided. They may even be right about that.

The Custodes Animarum serve an apprenticeship that lasts five to seven years, sometimes longer if a canidate passes through the archway with minimal religious training and no scholastic training in psychology. The Custodes Animarum are few enough in number that rankings beyond Custos Animarum are unnecessary.

That said, it is unheard of for the Pater Sacerdotum on advising council to the Father Superior of the Order Venatorum de Magicis Malignis to not be a Custos Animarum.

The Custodes Animarum are often refered to as the "Internal Affairs" of the Ordo Venatorum, and they do consider one of their duties to be pulling any field agent that is not fit for duty or is abusing their position out of the field, sometimes permanently. They are the ones who call hunters to task for excessive use of force, tactics that endanger civilians unnecessarily, or targeting people who are simply using a different style of magic, not actually using their magic immorally.

This is not, however, their main purpose. Saint Rinale knew that when hunting monsters, there is a danger of losing oneself and acting out of a hatred of the hunted rather then a desire to protect the innocent. The Custodes Aniamarum were established to be the counselors and priests for people who faced off with magical monsters and those who would turn their magic to evil. The souls they guard are those of the Ordo Venatorum, and they are firm believers that a penny of prevention saves a pound of cure. They would far prefer to provide a listening ear, to gently remind a hunter or Custos of the Oroboros Libraries of what they fight for, then to have to pull rank and have someone removed from active duty because they have lost their grip on sanity.

Most Custos Animarum do not announce themselves as such. When they complete their apprenticeship, they are given a staff that resembles the rod of Asciepius but with the with the single snake biting its own tail. The wood used to make the staff is Elder, used for it's association with renewal, and the snake, or oroboros, is made out of gold. Generally speaking, Custos Animarum go about their business as any other order member, but make an effort to be there for those struggling with the horrors they have seen and attempt to protect humanity from. They usually only announce their status if someone needs to be taken off of field duty, temporarily or permanently.

Many among the order give the role a great deal of respect, but they are also feared, for they are the ultimate court of appeals when an order member oversteps their authority, or wishes to change operational procedures within the order.