The Book of Knots - Jags

that humanity is corrupted by its irrationality, and its vulgar strength
of emotion. To be cured, then, The Wheel seemed to suggest, mankind
should be scrubbed clean until nothing was left but the hidden jewel of
pure, logical thought.
The Wheel’s Bride, realizing that as badly humanity offended and
distressed The Wheel, the only thing it hated more was to see its own
awful ideas put into action, set about developing what is known as the
Rational Actors.
What made humanity objectionable, said The Wheel, was the way its
emotions and self-doubt interfered with its beautiful capacity for rational
thought. So research begun as to how to destroy those parts of humanity
that were so disgusting. When a method was found that was thought to
work there was one problem: the procedure needed a lot of help from
Chessboard Zero and none of the Caretakers had any assets there.
Enter Project Pagan. When contact was made, although it’s highly
unlikely that Pagan really understood The Wheel (they weren’t that
insane yet) and it’s equally likely that The Wheel and its emissaries
didn’t understand an apocalyptic secret society within the US Air Force
they were able to agree on something: they both wanted each others
cooperation.
The discourses have been refined over time but the basic thrust is this:
turn everyone who is suitable into a Rational Actor ... the sterilize the
planet of everyone else.
Encounter Threat
Low. If you are the kind of person the Scribes can push around then it
goes to Medium or High—but if not, The Wheel, unless you have the
capacity to destroy it, doesn’t get involved. In fact, if you make it to the
Wheel the Scribes may try to recruit you.
Dramas
The desert is largely empty of recognizable human Dramas but if you
look there are some. Around the monasteries there are small, miserable
towns (with humans and other things) that assist the scribes (bringing
food, doing laundry, etc.). These people are often involved in a state of
seeking answers that they might get if they can overcome the myriad
near-impossible, often nonsensical tasks the scribes impose on those who
wish answers. The graveyards of these towns are filled with headstones
that, in addition to names and dates, are inscribed with the unanswered
questions that the person came for and died unknowing.
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Book of Knots - The Caretakers