The Advocate is an entry to the path of the Black Emperor and, perhaps, the most deceptively harmless ninth step in all of mysticism. It grants no raw power: its weapon is the word, procedure, and other people's trust.
Eloquence makes the bearer a master of persuasion and reasoning. Through words, deeds, and a carefully built order of actions, he influences other people's judgments, thoughts, and conclusions — to some extent distorting or steering the course of the interlocutor's thinking while remaining one of their own and worthy of trust. Noticing such influence is difficult: even spiritual intuition may not be enough to recognize the substitution. Worse still, it works passively as well, without any deliberate intent on the Advocate's own part.
The second skill is knowledge of the law. The Advocate unfailingly finds gaps in the rules and weak points of the opponent, then strikes at him with Order itself, shaping a favorable situation around himself. As one of the best users of Order among the lower steps, he is capable of deceiving even abilities that operate through dreams and spiritual channels.
This is the character of the entire path: the power of the Black Emperor begins not with a fist, but with the ability to turn the rules so that they work for you.
