History Main / AncientOrderOfProtectors

** The [[Film/TheMummy2017 reboot]] has Prodigium, a secret society based in the British Museum of Natural History, which hunts and contains monsters of all sorts around the world.

* In ''{{Series/Tracker}}'', Mel discovers that she's part of the Keepers of the Dark Secret, a bloodline of human/alien hybrids created in ancient times to prevent the alien super weapon that the show's BigBad is after, from falling into the wrong hands.

* In [[http://clichequest.com/index.php?pos=12 this]] Webcomic/TheNoob, Ohforf joins a guild. Upon learning their name, "The Righteous Protectors of the Crimson Star", he imagines them as this trope, but it turns out they're just a roleplaying guild with a NonIndicativeName.

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[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live-Action TV ]]

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[[folder: Toys ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Web Animation]]

[[folder: Web Comic ]]

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius:'' The Corbettites are a monastic order who both run a Europa-spanning railway system, ''and'' collect and store away dangerous [[MadScience Sparky]] artifacts in their catacombs.

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'': Paladins seeking [[DropTheHammer The Silver Hand]] learn of it from the Tyr's Guard, an ancient and secret order who have charged themselves with keeping the resting place of the Titan Tyr secure and hidden. The Legion's invasion renders their purpose moot, forcing them out of secrecy, assisting the [[PlayerCharacter Highlord]] in securing the artifact.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'': The Brotherhood of Steel, full stop. They were originally a California-based military unit that went rogue after discovering that the [[MadScientist government scientists]] under their care were performing inhumane SuperSoldier experiments on "[[GotVolunteered volunteers]]" that more often than not left the participants [[BodyHorror horribly mutated]]. After the bombs fell, they founded the Brotherhood in order to preserve old world technology and prevent dangerous tech from falling into the wrong hands. While a noble goal, they were ultimately indifferent to the goings-on in the Wasteland, preferring to [[AlienNonInterferenceClause remain politically neutral]] and stepping in only when events force their hand, such as when [[ChurchOfEvil The Unity]] tried to [[AssimilationPlot forcibly turn all of humanity into Super Mutants]] (a horde of immortal, violent, orc-like monsters that ended up ravaging the wasteland for 210 years). In ''Videogame/Fallout2'', the Brotherhood was well on its way to demilitarizing and becoming a simple research group when they got blindsided by [[TheRemnant the Enclave]] - technologically advanced remnants of the U.S government that were trying to kill ''[[AbsoluteXenophobe everything and everyone, everywhere]],'' forcing them [[GuiltFreeExterminationWar take action or die]]. Ever since then, the Brotherhood has expanded their mandate to include [[FinalSolution aggressively destroying any advanced tech they think they can't control]]. One Brotherhood chapter was dispatched to the East Coast to recover tech - when they encountered [[WretchedHive post-war Pittsburgh]] and its thoroughly mutated and deranged inhabitants on the way, [[GenocideDilemma they exterminated most of the population]] and developed an [[TragicBigot ongoing hatred of all mutants]] that persisted into their occupation of the Capitol Wasteland. By ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', the Brotherhood has become the ''de facto'' governing body of the Capitol Wasteland, and launches a crusade into the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to defeat the [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Institute]] and eradicate its [[ArtificialIntelligence Synths]], under the reasoning they are protecting the Commonwealth and the wider world from the threat of a second apocalypse caused by [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow technology gone mad]]. By this point, [[GuiltFreeExterminationWar they aren't interested in taking prisoners]].

* Unusually, the ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' trilogy centers around the founding of an ancient order. In Viking times, the village of Berk domesticated dragons, which up until then had been predators hunted by humans. Unfortunately, the concept of 'wildlife conservation' didn't really exist back then, so in order to protect dragons from warmongers and trophy hunters (like the one who [[spoiler:almost drove Night Furies to extinction]]), the Berkians sent them back to live wild in the cavernous 'lost world' from which they originated. They settled an island nearby, vowing to keep the lost world hidden [[TheWorldIsNotReady until]] humanity was ready to respect its inhabitants. [[spoiler:Similarly, the dragons passed down respect for humans through the generations.]]

* An order of Greek priests established by the titular ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' guards his son Orpheus' immortal head. Not that anyone seems to be going out of their way to seek it these days, but they still take their job very seriously and are armed to the teeth, just in case.

->''"The secret of the [[HolyGrail Grail]] has been safe for a thousand years. And for all that time the Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword has been prepared to do anything to keep it safe."''

* In ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', Indy encounters the Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword, an ancient order dedicated to protecting the location of the HolyGrail. Following a traditional playing of the trope, they try to kill Indy (and Elsa [[spoiler:the FemmeFataleSpy]], whom he's with). He captures the leader, Kazim, and finds out what their purpose is; they realise that they both want to protect the Grail from the Nazis, and [[EnemyMine make peace]]. Later they attempt to prevent the Nazis' armed convoy from reaching the Grail's hiding place by ambushing it while it travels through a valley. They are brutally slaughtered. Indy finds one of them (apparently Kazim himself) and tugs at the collar of the shirt to reveal the cruciform sword [[TattooTropes tattoo]]. Indy doesn't say anything, but it's clear that he appreciates their sacrifice, or at least their intention.

* The Priory of Sion guards the HolyGrail in ''Literature/TheDaVinciCode''.

A frequent plotline in fiction is to have the characters go and retrieve a MacGuffin or AncientArtifact, or locate a hidden valley, or something else that might have wealth or power or both. In the course of their travels, particularly if they’re dealing with something that dates back to antiquity, they will run into, and most likely run afoul of, an organization dedicated to protecting whatever it is they’re looking for, by any means necessary.

This is the Ancient Order of Protectors, an organization whose purpose can be defined as “keep this knowledge out of everyone else’s hands no matter who they are”. This usually means that the heroes will be forced to fight them one or more times along the way, since PoorCommunicationKills, but this does not necessarily mean they are evil. Quite often, after misunderstandings have been cleared up, the heroes will [[EnemyMine team up]] with the Protectors to fight the BigBad or work with them to prevent a global catastrophe.

The Protectors as a group are virtually unknown to the rest of the world, though they may form a secret society who lives among the average citizenry. They are not usually an AncientConspiracy, though it’s not impossible that they are either, especially if they're trying to suppress all knowledge of whatever they're guarding. They do, however, usually have their own AncientTradition. They may or may not be an OrganizationWithUnlimitedFunding. There is some overlap with SecretKeeper, though instead of just not telling anyone, they actively try to prevent people from finding out about it. They may not even know where it is themselves and think it's better that way.

Subtrope of TheOrder. Compare ImpartialPurposeDrivenFaction, which they may fall into, and ThresholdGuardians, though if the Order does its job right, no one will even get that far.

* In ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', Indy encounters the Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword, an ancient order dedicated to protecting the location of the HolyGrail. Following a traditional playing of the trope, they try to kill Indy (and Elsa [[spoiler:the FemmeFataleSpy]], whom he's with). He captures the leader, Kazim, and finds out what their purpose is; they realise that they both want to protect the Grail from the Nazis, and [[EnemyMine make peace]]. Later they attempt to prevent the Nazis' armed convoy from reaching the Grail’s hiding place by ambushing it while it travels through a valley. They are brutally slaughtered. Indy finds one of them (apparently Kazim himself) and tugs at the collar of the shirt to reveal the cruciform sword [[TattooTropes tattoo]]. Indy doesn't say anything, but it's clear that he appreciates their sacrifice, or at least their intention.

* In ''{{Series/Tracker}}'', Mel discovers that she’s part of the Keepers of the Dark Secret, a bloodline of human/alien hybrids created in ancient times to prevent the alien super weapon that the show’s BigBad is after, from falling into the wrong hands.

[[folder: Web Original ]]
* The FFC in ARG/EscapeFromEdenPark, a fraternal order that attempted to record paranormal disturbances and, if possible, correct them.
* The ''Wiki/RPCAuthority'''s predecessor The Auctoritas Impertus called upon monastery on the slopes of smoke-belching Mount Vesuvius for help to contain the anomalous remenants of the renaissance era since 1514.

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* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'': The Brotherhood of Steel, full stop. They were originally a California-based military unit that went rogue after discovering that the [[MadScientist government scientists]] under their care were performing inhumane SuperSoldier experiments on "[[GotVolunterred volunteers]]" that more often than not left the participants [[BodyHorror horribly mutated]]. After the bombs fell, they founded the Brotherhood in order to preserve old world technology and prevent dangerous tech from falling into the wrong hands. While a noble goal, they were ultimately indifferent to the goings-on in the Wasteland, preferring to [[AlienNonInterferenceClause remain politically neutral]] and stepping in only when events force their hand, such as when [[ChurchOfEvil The Unity]] tried to [[AssimilationPlot forcibly turn all of humanity into Super Mutants]] (a horde of immortal, violent, orc-like monsters that ended up ravaging the wasteland for 210 years). In ''Videogame/Fallout2'', the Brotherhood was well on its way to demilitarizing and becoming a simple research group when they got blindsided by [[TheRemnant the Enclave]] - technologically advanced remnants of the U.S government that were trying to kill ''[[AbsoluteXenophobe everything and everyone, everywhere]],'' forcing them [[GuiltFreeExterminationWar take action or die]]. Ever since then, the Brotherhood has expanded their mandate to include [[FinalSolution aggressively destroying any advanced tech they think they can't control]]. One Brotherhood chapter was dispatched to the East Coast to recover tech - when they encountered [[WretchedHive post-war Pittsburgh]] and its thoroughly mutated and deranged inhabitants on the way, [[GenocideDilemma they exterminated most of the population]] and developed an [[TragicBigot ongoing hatred of all mutants]] that persisted into their occupation of the Capitol Wasteland. By ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', the Brotherhood has become the ''de facto'' governing body of the Capitol Wasteland, and launches a crusade into the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to defeat the [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Institute]] and eradicate its [[ArtificialIntelligence Synths]], under the reasoning they are protecting the Commonwealth and the wider world from the threat of a second apocalypse caused by [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow technology gone mad]]. By this point, [[GuiltFreeExterminationWar they aren't interested in taking prisoners]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'': The Brotherhood of Steel, full stop. They were originally a California-based military unit that went rogue after discovering that the [[MadScientist government scientists]] under their care were performing inhumane SuperSoldier experiments on volunteers that more often than not left the participants [[BodyHorror horribly mutated]]. After the bombs fell, they founded the Brotherhood in order to preserve old world technology and prevent dangerous tech from falling into the wrong hands. While a noble goal, they were ultimately indifferent to the goings-on in the Wasteland, preferring to [[AlienNonInterferenceClause remain politically neutral]] and stepping in only when events force their hand, such as when [[ChurchOfEvil The Unity]] tried to [[AssimilationPlot forcibly turn all of humanity into Super Mutants]] (a horde of immortal, violent, orc-like monsters that ended up ravaging the wasteland for 210 years). In ''Videogame/Fallout2'', the Brotherhood was well on it's way to demilitarizing and becoming a simple research group when they got blindsided by [[TheRemnant the Enclave]] - technologically advanced remnants of the U.S government that were trying to kill ''[[AbsoluteXenophobe everything and everyone, everywhere]],'' forcing them [[GuiltFreeExterminationWar take action or die]]. Ever since then, the Brotherhood has expanded their mandate to include [[FinalSolution aggressively destroying any advanced tech they think they can't control]]. One Brotherhood chapter was dispatched to the East Coast to recover tech - when they encountered [[WretchedHive post-war Pittsburgh]] and it's thoroughly mutated and deranged inhabitants on the way, [[GenocideDilemma they exterminated the entire population]] and developed an [[TragicBigot ongoing hatred of all mutants]] that persisted into their occupation of the Capitol Wasteland. By ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', the Brotherhood has become the ''de facto'' governing body of the Capitol Wasteland, and launches a crusade into the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to defeat the [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Institute]] and eradicate its [[ArtificialIntelligence Synths]], under the reasoning they are protecting the Commonwealth and the wider world from the threat of a second apocalypse caused by [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow technology gone mad]]. By this point, [[GuiltFreeExterminationWar they aren't interested in taking prisoners]].

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' the Order of the Guardians are a monastic sect which keeps cursed artifacts sealed away in hidden locations, keeping them out of the hands of innocent bystanders and villains alike.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'': The Brotherhood of Steel, full stop. They were originally a California-based military unit that went rogue after discovering that the [[MadScientist government scientists]] under their care were performing inhumane SuperSoldier experiments on volunteers that more often than not left the participants [[BodyHorror horribly mutated]]. After the bombs fell, they founded the Brotherhood in order to preserve old world technology and prevent dangerous tech from falling into the wrong hands. While a noble goal, they were ultimately indifferent to the goings-on in the Wasteland, preferring to [[AlienNonInterferenceClause remain politically neutral]] and stepping in only when events force their hand, such as when [[ChurchOfEvil The Unity]] tried to [[AssimilationPlot forcibly turn all of humanity into Super Mutants]] (a horde of immortal, violent, orc-like monsters that ended up ravaging the wasteland for 210 years). In ''Videogame/Fallout2'', the Brotherhood was well on it's way to demilitarizing and becoming a simple research group when they got blindsided by [[TheRemnant the Enclave]] - technologically advanced remnants of the U.S government that were trying to kill ''[[AbsoluteXenophobe everything and everyone, everywhere]],'' forcing them [[GuiltFreeExterminationWar take action or die]]. Ever since then, the Brotherhood has expanded their mandate to include [[FinalSolution aggressively destroying any advanced tech they think they can't control]]. One Brotherhood chapter was dispatched to the East Coast to recover tech - when they encountered [[WretchedHive post-war Pittsburgh]] and it's thoroughly mutated and deranged inhabitants on the way, [[GenocideDilemma they exterminated the entire population]] and developed an [[TragicBigot ongoing hatred of all mutants]] that persisted into their occupation of the Capitol Wasteland. By ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', the Brotherhood has become the ''de facto'' governing body of the Capitol Wasteland, and launches a crusade into the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to defeat the [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Institute]] and eradicate it's [[ArtificialIntelligence Synths]], under the reasoning they are protecting the Commonwealth and the wider world from the threat of a second apocalypse caused by [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow technology gone mad]]. By this point, [[GuiltFreeExterminationWar they aren't interested in taking prisoners]].

In ''{{Series/Tracker}}'', Mel discovers that she’s part of the Keepers of the Dark Secret, a bloodline of human/alien hybrids created in ancient times to prevent the alien super weapon that the show’s BigBad is after, from falling into the wrong hands.