History Main / AncientTradition

If a member of a passive AncientTradition is a recurring character, they tend to break their [[{{Alien Non-Interference Clause}} vow of non-interference]] with shocking regularity. If the tradition starts taking a more direct approach, they often become TheOrder.

** The [[{{Alien Non-Interference Clause}} Prime Directive]] [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes means]] not interfering with other cultures at all, even space-faring ones at a comparable tech level. It also sometimes mandates hidden interference if it is necessary to keep the other culture existent, and sometimes specifically prohibits it even then. Some ExpandedUniverse materials attempt to HandWave this issue by treating the Prime Directive as a complete mess, drafted in too much haste as a knee-jerk reaction to a terrible mistake, and so riddled with exceptions and loopholes that Starfleet captains can interpret it to mean whatever the hell they want it to mean.

* ''Literature/SecondApocalypse'' has the Mandate, a school of sorcery committed to preventing the second apocalypse. Because their ancient enemy is so long forgotten that it is considered a myth, the Mandate are something of a joke among the sorcerous schools, but then again they're the only ones who still know Gnostic magic, which is far more powerful than the Anagogic magic of the other schools.
* [[Literature/{{Illuminatus}} The Erisian Liberation Front]].
** More accurately, the collective Discordian Cabal. It's implied that the ELF itself is actually relatively young, like its contemporary compatriots. They just happen to know and guard some very old secrets. The actually oldest and most mysterious organization in the book is called A.'.A.'., which is not an acronym of anything; anyone claiming otherwise is an impostor.

* The Mandate in ''SecondApocalypse''.

* ''SecondApocalypse'' has the Mandate, a school of sorcery committed to preventing the second apocalypse. Because their ancient enemy is so long forgotten that it is considered a myth, the Mandate are something of a joke among the sorcerous schools, but then again they're the only ones who still know Gnostic magic, which is far more powerful than the Anagogic magic of the other schools.

* The Mandate in ''SecondApocalypse''.

* The Hieda family in ''AsagiriNoMiko'' protect against demonic forces and assist the Amatsu family in sealing Yagarena.

* ImpureBlood [[http://www.impurebloodwebcomic.com/Pages/Chapter006/ib034.html The Watchers.]]

* [[{{Illuminatus}} The Erisian Liberation Front]].

* The Illuminati in the first ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' sort of fall under this trope in the first game, as they would originally, at least according to Everett, only "influence" the world, instead of directly controlling it. They help you in the fight against [=MJ12=], but it is questionable if their motives are any better, especially [[spoiler: when you see that Everett has one former leader in semi-cyro to keep him alive and conscious for advice, while falsely telling him that he cannot cure his illness.]] The second game on the other hand, they are definitely not just in the shadows, "influencing".

* The Order of Wen the Eternally Surprised in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''.
-->'''Marco Soto''': We're the most secret society that you can imagine.\\
'''Newgate Ludd''': Really? Who are you, then?\\
'''Soto''': The Monks of History.\\
'''Ludd''': Huh? I've never heard of you!\\
'''Soto''': See? ''That's'' how good we are.

** On one occasion, the Watchers as a group made a decision to violate their own rules: in ''ComicBooks/{{Marvel 1602}}'', they help prevent the destruction of the omniverse, which they feel would leave them without anything to watch. In doing so, they condemn all the people and possible people of a certain reality to non-existence, which is one of the reasons why they never interfere.

** On one occasion, the Watchers as a group made a decision to violate their own rules: in ''{{Marvel 1602}}'', they help prevent the destruction of the omniverse, which they feel would leave them without anything to watch. In doing so, they condemn all the people and possible people of a certain reality to non-existence, which is one of the reasons why they never interfere.

** The [[{{Alien Non-Interference Clause}} Prime Directive]] [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes means]] not interfering with other cultures at all, even space-faring ones at a comparable tech level. It also sometimes mandates hidden interference if it is necessary to keep the other culture existent, and sometimes specifically prohibits it even then. Some ExpandedUniverse materials attempt to HandWave this issue by treating the Prime Directive as a complete mess, drafted in too much haste as a knee-jerk reaction to a terrible mistake, and so so riddled with exceptions and loopholes that Starfleet captains can interpret it to mean whatever the hell they want it to mean.

* The Oogami family in ''KannazukiNoMiko'' train the priestesses of the Sun and Moon so that they can seal {{Orochi}}.
* Kuanjitta and her ancestors in ''{{Madlax}}'' guard Thirstary, one of the books of power.

* A DC example might be the Endless from Neil Gaiman's ''TheSandman'', because even though they have interfered with the affairs of humanity for millenia, they aren't evil or good, but just sort of impartial.

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* The Watchers from ''HighlanderTheSeries'' observe the Immortals but do not interfere.

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* Creator/RobertAHeinlein's short story ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Legacy Lost Legacy]]''. A benevolent secret society of people with psychic abilities lives under Mount Shasta. Their membership has included Abraham Lincoln, AmbroseBierce, MarkTwain and Walt Whitman. They help the protagonists refine their mental abilities and fight the opposition group that wants to keep humanity ignorant.

* The Psijic Order in ''VideoGame/{{Skyrim}}'' Originally formed as a religious sect against changes to the Altmer worshipping traditions. Then, their entire island of Artaeum disappeared for 500 years and upon its returned the Psijics refused to discuss anything that had transpired. Their only discernable role as an organization in game is to safeguard magical artifacts from those who would abuse their power.

* The Keepers in the ''{{Thief}}'' series claim to be this ("Propaganda is WrittenByTheWinners. History is written by the observer.") but in reality, often start meddling in worldly affairs themselves (preferrably, with [[PlayerCharacter Garret's]] hands).

* In ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}} [=ThunderCats (2011)=]]]'', Thundera's [[TheOrder Clerics]], in addition to acting as ChurchMilitant PraetorianGuard, also have a more passive tradition of guarding Thundera's history, and [[KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge keeping]] the [[GreatBigBookOfEverything Book Of Omens]]' contents and location a secret. They allow the book's existence to become [[LegendFadesToMyth mythologized and doubted]], and conceal specifics from their ruler, and the people he sends in search of the book. But when an ancient enemy attacks, and the book becomes necessary to defeat him, the remaining Clerics immediately begin providing aid and information to their king.

->''"You may ask, 'how did this tradition get started?'. Well, I'll tell you... I don't know."''
-->-- '''Tevye the Milkman''', ''FiddlerOnTheRoof''.

* The 2010 ''[[{{SHIELD}} S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'' miniseries reveals that The Shield is ''not'' an espionage agency founded by Nick Fury, but dates back to AncientEgypt, with a mandate to bring humanity to its ultimate destiny.

* The Priory of Sion in ''TheDaVinciCode'' turned out to be this at the end of the day. All the organization is concerned with is protecting the descendants of Jesus and practicing their own brand of Gnosticism. The organized appeared to be an AncientConspiracy and much more powerful at first glance because it attracted a lot of bright people to join; however, the achievements of these members (that we know of) are almost always accomplished independently of their Priory membership.

* The Priory of Sion in ''TheDaVinciCode'' turned out to be this at the end of the day. All the organization is concerned with is protecting the descendants of Jesus and practicing their own brand of Gnosticism. The organized appeared to be an AncientConspiracy and much more powerful at first glance because it attracted a lot of bright people to join; however, the actually achievements of these members (that we know of) are almost achieved independently to their their Priory membership.