Private knowledge
Knowing the Born exist is not itself a violation.
Knowledge · Discretion · Trust
The Veil
“Knowledge is not itself a breach. What someone does with it may become one.”
Official reference
Know why.
Then know how.
Why supernatural secrecy exists, who may be entrusted with truth, how suspected exposure is evaluated, and why every response must remain proportional.
The complete reference is the authority. Examples explain intent; they do not create loopholes around consent, staff direction, or collaborative play.
The Veil
Knowledge is not
itself a breach.
Why secrecy remains necessary
The outside world would not arrive quietly.
Public proof of the Born would draw governments, corporations, researchers, religious institutions, opportunists, and those seeking power. Fear would follow discovery, and exploitation would follow fear.
The Veil therefore protects more than supernatural secrecy. It protects the fragile peace Hearthborn and Born have built together in Opaline.
“Some secrets are kept not because the world is unworthy of them, but because the consequences of revealing them would change everything.”
Shared responsibility
Protect quietly. Respond proportionally.
01Conceal supernatural abilities from the general public.
02Avoid unnecessary witnesses to supernatural events.
03Cooperate with trusted authorities when incidents occur.
04Resolve supernatural conflicts discreetly.
05Correct or contain situations that genuinely threaten exposure.
Hearthborn and knowledge
Discovery may happen naturally.
A character may spend a lifetime unaware, or encounter the supernatural through profession, relationships, investigation, or simple proximity. The world will not distort itself to preserve deliberate ignorance.
When a Hearthborn learns the truth, they share responsibility for protecting it. They do not automatically become Oathborn, join the Concord, or receive every secret held by every lineage.
Knowing and exposing are different acts
What matters is what happens next.
Trusted discussion
Speaking privately with others already entrusted with the truth is not a violation.
Responsible inquiry
Investigating through appropriate channels is not a violation.
Public exposure
Recordings, broadcasts, publications, demonstrations, or deliberate attempts to attract outside attention may become a breach.
Escalation ladder
A confused witness is not an enemy.
Most situations should resolve long before reaching formal Concord action.
Observe
Does anything actually need to happen? Uncertainty and ordinary explanations often protect the Veil better than confrontation.
Explain or contain
If someone clearly knows, an appropriate person speaks privately and shares only what is necessary to understand the incident.
Entrust
A reasonable witness accepts responsibility for protecting what they learned and continues their life normally.
Monitor
Someone who appears likely to expose the Veil may receive appropriate attention from Oathborn or lineage leadership.
Intervene
Active public exposure may require lawful recovery of evidence, mundane explanations, challenged claims, and containment of further supernatural activity.
Concord action
A deliberate, serious, continuing attempt to expose the Born becomes a matter for the Concord and must be resolved proportionally through roleplay.
Violence is not the default method of protecting the Veil.
Records, journals, and history
Truth without proof may still look like folklore.
Opaline's history includes letters, journals, photographs, legends, and personal accounts that may contain genuine supernatural truth. Possessing, reading, or privately investigating them is not automatically a violation.
Concern begins when credible evidence is intentionally distributed to the public or used to expose the Born to the wider world. The response must match the actual reach, credibility, and intent of the threat.
Faction perspectives
One Veil. Three relationships.
Generally supports the Veil as a practical safeguard protecting neighbors and ordinary life.
Actively investigates and defends against credible threats to the Veil.
May support, question, seek to reform, or reject the Veil depending on individual belief.
Frequently asked questions
Applying the Veil in play
Must every Hearthborn remain ignorant?+
No. Some discover the supernatural through work, relationships, investigation, or chance. The Veil prevents public exposure; it does not require universal ignorance within Opaline.
Does learning the truth make someone Oathborn?+
No. Knowledge creates responsibility but does not automatically grant faction membership, Concord status, authority, or involvement in supernatural affairs.
Will someone threaten a character who witnesses something?+
Ordinarily, no. Minor incidents may require nothing. Clear witnesses may receive a private explanation and warning about the consequences of wider exposure.
Is privately telling another informed person a breach?+
No. Trusted discussion among people already inside the Veil is permitted.
Is investigating supernatural activity a breach?+
Not when done privately and through appropriate channels. Deliberate public exposure is the concern.
Is a journal containing supernatural claims a breach?+
Not by itself. Journals, letters, legends, photographs, and accounts usually resemble folklore without credible corroboration.
When does a written record become dangerous?+
When credible evidence is deliberately distributed publicly or used to attract outside attention and expose the Born.
Does the Veil protect criminals from justice?+
No. It does not excuse wrongdoing. Crimes remain subject to Opaline law, Concord response, and appropriate investigation.
Is violence a normal Veil response?+
No. Observation, explanation, trust, monitoring, and nonviolent containment come first. Any serious response must remain proportional.