Every good story needs a villain. The Carthaeni know this, and they gladly accept that role. After all, it is fun to be the bad guy.
Also known as the Bainupoca and the Ahisa, the Carthaeni take on duties and jobs that the rest of Myth society might find distasteful. Hunting down violators of the Compact, dealing with the Alexandrians, confronting the Zeitgeists, and culling Myths too far gone before they attract the Forgotten. They also act as an outlet for villainous Myths and anti-heroes, creating a safe place for those with darker inclinations to exist without being drawn to their fallen siblings.
Symbols: Masks, daggers, scorpions, the tamarisk tree, a yoke.
Aspects: Deceit, scapegoats, selflessness, manipulation, sacrifice, duty.
Duty: To be the villains of the story. To accept the duties others shy away from. To punish those who breach the Compact.
Luminaries: Loki, Set, Mordred, Grendel, Prometheus, Frankenstein’s Monster.
The Name
The Carthaeni derive their name from the city of Carthage, the city that had to foil and then fall for Rome to fulfil its true destiny. The symbolism of this represents the great sacrifice the Carthaeni make for all of Myth society. They let other Myths live cleaner, less complicated lives, and expect no praise or thanks for their actions.
That said, being a Carthaeni is not all doom and duty. Many revel in the dark drama of their position, indulging their darker impulses without stepping over the line. You can find Carthaeni in nightclubs, associating with criminals, and holding positions of influence in the underworld. Shades are obviously attracted to this Court, although some see it as just more of the same. But other Archetypes find themselves drawn to the Carthaeni as well. Grimvolk who serve as warnings to others rather than good examples, token villains from deific pantheons, and anti-heroes of all kinds find acceptance and meaning here.
Role in Myth Society
The Carthaeni are the principal hunters of the Alexandrians, acting upon the judgements of the Dayiani and using their closeness to the Alexandrians to understand and foil their plots. They are also highly effective at misdirecting Zeitgeists, having no issue using underhand tactics to send their Avatars on wild goose chases. Stories of great Carthaeni heroes often involve them sacrificing themselves to some great enemy to sate their desire to purge, convincing them the threat is dealt with. They can also be called on to act as emissaries, making backroom deals where open communication would not be acceptable to the great and good of either side.
The Carthaeni have a saying: “The mask does not wear the face.” By this they show another aspect of their duty to the Compact, reminding Myths that the mortal side is who they truly are. This is a direct counterpoint to the original mission of the Alexandrians, who sought to push Myths to fully realise their legend and shine bright in the mind of humanity. All Myths should remember that their true self is their mortal aspect, and the Carthaeni preach a conservative approach to one’s legend, hoping for Myths to exert control over their legend rather than the other way around.
All this said, the Carthaeni do skirt what is acceptable in polite society. Their associations with sworn enemies of the Compact, dark natures, and undesirable groups in both the Waking World and Otherside mean they are often mistrusted by other Myths. It is however a foolish Myth who gets too comfortable on their moral high ground. The wise know that those who haunt the gutters are just as necessary as those who step over them.
Approach to Narratives
If the upper duets interact with Narratives in positive if opposite ways, the Carthaeni are their dark opposite. Unlike the Alexandrians however, the Carthaeni do not care about Narratives for the power they contain. Most Carthaeni seem entirely uninterested in entering Narratives at all, but when they do it is usually intentional and always purposeful.
A Carthaeni acting in a Narrative will seem almost entirely uninterested in the story itself, making frequent and seemingly meaningless changes to the Narrative while their attention remains almost completely focused on the other participants. Their reactions and responses to each change are observed carefully. Eventually the changes the Carthaeni make will cohere in theme and escalate in size, up to and including changes that can potentially break a Narrative, stopping only when their goal has been achieved. That goal is almost always judicial, with the Narrative being used as a tool to punish a Myth who has broken the Compact.
Other times their goals are less direct, such as impeding envoys of a Zeitgeist who are laying the groundwork for a Narrative’s incorporation, or breaking a story to uncover hidden truths about a Forgotten. In all these instances, the common denominator is that the Carthaeni is acting at the behest of another. Only in the rarest of circumstances will a Carthaeni enter a Narrative of their own accord.
While the upper Courts may view the breaking of Narratives as against the spirit of the Compact, it is not against its letter. When done for a greater goal it can be viewed as an acceptable cost under extreme circumstances.
