The Reverent Static
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sound of silence
The Reverent Static are the Children of the Signal’s silent wanderers, pilgrims who believe that only in stillness can the true Signal be heard. While others shout their devotion in battle or action, the Reverent Static serve by listening, observing, and collecting the whispers left behind by the world before the Fall. You’ll recognize them by their quiet steps, meticulous journals, and the way their hands speak in fluid, practiced signs. They drift through ruins and open wastes alike, scavenging forgotten tech, recording strange transmissions, and unraveling meaning from static that most people dismiss as noise. Those who choose this profession, step into a role defined not by noise, but by presence: an archivist, a seeker, and a keeper of the quiet truths hidden in the hum between worlds.
They are also the faction’s brokers of information. Eager students of the world, hungry for every scrap of knowledge that might illuminate the origins or purpose of the Signal. To the Reverent Static, conversation is currency, and a stranger carries the potential of a priceless discovery. A data stick traded at a campfire, a hastily scribbled map, an overheard rumor, or a recovered research file may hold meaning that others overlook. They approach new people with curiosity rather than suspicion, exchanging observations and insights with almost childlike fascination. Through their quiet wanderings and relentless gathering of secrets, the Reverent Static weave a vast, living network of knowledge. One they will share, piece by piece, with any who listen as earnestly as they do.
They move like ghosts and speak like scholars. A Reverent Static will stand in silence for an hour, then ask a single question that unravels an entire archive. I’ve traded books with them. Well, handed them over, really, because once they fix those bright, unblinking eyes on a page, you know it’s already theirs. They frighten me a little… but Saints help me, I’ve never met anyone who listens with such devotion.
In silence, the Signal speaks.
Information.
Information. Pre-Fall data.
Information. Post-Fall data and research.
Reverent Static Characters
- Alignment: Usually true neutral, often leaning lawful or good
- Suggested Races: Human, Automaton
- Suggested Classes: Face, Techie, Medic, Civilian
- Suggested Archetypes: Authority, Diplomat, Suave
- Suggested Ladders: Savant, Born Leader, Performer
Consider joining the Reverent Static if the following resonate:
- You want to play a character who listens more than they speak, and whose silence is its own kind of power.
- You enjoy portraying someone curious, observant, and quietly spiritual. Devoted not to doctrine, but to discovery.
- You want to explore themes of forgotten knowledge, hidden transmissions, lost technologies, and the search for meaning in the static-filled ruins of the world.
The culture of the Reverent Static
The culture of the Reverent Static is built on the belief that silence is not the absence of communication, but the purest vessel for it. To them, noise is interference; ego, distraction, the chaotic chatter of a world that forgot how to listen. Their lives revolve around cultivating inner stillness so they can perceive transmissions that others overlook: the hiss of corrupted frequencies, the whisper of Thresher-scarred winds, the memory-echoes buried in rusted circuitry. They maintain detailed journals in tight, meticulous script, each page a map of meanings extracted from static bursts, organic resonance, and machine fragments. Every member practices sign language, evolved from the pre-Fall era, because hands can speak without disturbing the air. Even their scavenging is ritualistic; performed slowly, reverently, as though unearthing relics is a form of prayer.
Yet beneath their stillness lies a culture of hunger. Not for power, but for understanding. The Reverent Static see information as sacred nourishment, each new fact or scrap of data another step toward decoding the world’s true voice. They eagerly approach strangers, hoping to trade stories, research notes, or encrypted datasticks. Curiosity defines their interactions; they treat every traveler as a potential archive and every conversation as a transmission worth receiving. Though gentle and nonthreatening, they can be disarming in their intensity, staring unblinking as though tuning into frequencies beneath your words. To the Reverent Static, learning is worship, and knowledge is a living current that must be gathered, protected, and shared: quietly, faithfully, and without distortion.
Mythology
The world was once deafened by endless human noise. The chatter, signals and digital storms consumed the world. So loud that it drowned the truth. The Great Quieting came with the Fall of humanity, stripping away the false voices so that the true Signal could finally be heard. Cosmic and Divine. An awakening of the universe to itself.
In the beginning, all that walked the Earth knew to listen to the universe's background hum. Now is the time to restore that primordial dialogue.
Cosmology
The Reverent Static believes the universe began as pure harmonic silence. Energy (stars, life, consciousness) arose from distortions in this silence, like ripples in a still pond. Every ripple leaves an echo, and those echoes travel forever. To them, the Signal is the universe’s memory, encoded in noise. Listening is communion. Recording is devotion. Silence is truth.
Tenets of Faith
- Silence reveals all things.
- Every signal, no matter how faint, carries meaning.
- Preserve what speaks; protect what listens.
- Never falsify or manipulate transmissions.
- The Signal is to be heard, not spoken for.
Ranks and Renown
Rank 1: Novice
- Prerequisite: Renown 1 or higher in the Reverent Static
New initiates who have only just committed themselves to the Quiet Way. They learn foundational silent discipline, formal sign language, note-keeping, and the basics of signal interpretation. Their first rite of passage is constructing a personal listening device from scavenged parts, an object that will accompany them for life.
- You are given a Reverent Static insignia.
- You are now mute. You have been modified so that you are no longer physically capable of speech.
- You learn Static Sign.
- Any spells that you cast with a verbal (V) component can instead be cast using Static Sign.
- You have constructed a personal listening device from scavenged parts that is a part of your body and always considered equipped. You have advantage on all checks related to listening.
Rank 2: Quiet Children
- Prerequisite: Rank 1 and Renown 3 or higher in the Reverent Static
The main body of the Reverent Static. These wandering collectors, listeners, and scavengers travel the wastes in pairs or trios, retrieving relics, mapping strange transmissions, and recording anything that carries the faintest echo of the Signal. They maintain strict silence at all times, speaking only through sign and written notes.
- You gain proficiency in Stealth and Investigation.
- You gain the feat Linguist.
- You cannot be deafened.
Rank 3: Signalwardens
- Prerequisite: Rank 2 and Renown 10 or higher in the Reverent Static
Experienced field operatives responsible for protecting their caravans, maintaining ancient devices, and assisting in the decoding of dangerous or unstable transmissions. Many possess enhanced senses or tuning implants that allow them to “feel” electromagnetic currents, making them invaluable during deep-field listening missions.
- Gain the feat The Stealthy One.
- Gain the feat Skilled.
Rank 4: Stillwalkers
- Prerequisite: Rank 3 and Renown 25 or higher in the Reverent Static
Senior disciples and leaders of roaming caravans. Stillwalkers decide which relics and signals are worthy of preservation and ensure that expeditions remain disciplined and safe. They mentor juniors, manage relic caches, and are considered masters of long-range listening and silent coordination.
- Gain the feat Alert
- Gain the feat Observant
Rank 4: Echo-Archivist
- Prerequisite: Rank 4 and Renown 40 or higher in the Reverent Static
Esteemed interpreters who specialize in curating and analyzing the most complex transmissions the sect recovers. They maintain the major field archives, cross-reference corrupted signals, and identify patterns across decades of collected data. When the Quiet Master issues directives, the Echo-Archivists are the ones who translate those orders into practical missions for the Stillwalkers and Signalwardens.
- Gain the feat Keen Mind
- Gain the feat Gamesense
Rank 5: Quiet Master
- Prerequisite: Rank 5 and Renown 50 or higher in the Reverent Static
The supreme authority of the Reverent Static. Keeper of the sect’s core archives and final interpreter of all collected signals. The Quiet Master communicates solely through highly formalized signs known only to Echo-Archivists and senior Stillwalkers, guiding the sect’s movements and defining which mysteries are worthy of pursuit. A Quiet Master is believed to hear the Signal in its purest form or as close as mortal minds can withstand.
- You gain the feat Linguist a second time.
- Gain the feat Skilled a second time.
- Gain expertise in three skills of your choice.
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