Editing The Fallen (section)

===Mathers===
The Mathers branch are an outright cult,<ref name="R4"/> patterning themselves after Simurgh, they live at an intentional remove from civilization and migrate to avoid prying eyes.<ref name="II5.6 e1"/> They are involved in numerous illegal activities,<ref name="R4"/> notably abduction and trying to control people with indoctrination and parahuman abilities.<ref name="II2.1 e2"/> Over one seven year period they kidnapped and abducted thirteen Wards and independent capes with the intention of marrying them into the family.<ref name="II5.6 e1">“The Fallen aren’t to be messed with.  They were a minor nuisance for years, with some bad stuff going on in the background, with kidnappings, murders, mutilations of minorities, case fifty-threes included, and a lot of low-level terrorist or attention-grabbing stunts.  The group we’re focusing on now, I believe, are the Mathers.  Each of the major branches took an Endbringer as a theme, and the Mathers took the Simurgh.”<br><br>“The kidnappings were their thing,” Weld said.  “Back in Bet, they would go after isolated capes, ages sixteen to twenty-five.  These capes would be married into the family.  Thirteen incidents over seven years.  Three of the kidnapping victims stayed.  Three died.  The rest escaped, were released, or were freed by PRT intervention.  The PRT tried to go after them, but they moved frequently and they had anti-thinker measures in place.”<br><br>“It stands to reason they still have them,” I said.  Because Rain had been hiding among them.<br><br>“Stands to reason,” Tristan said.  “Looksee, that means you keep cameras off of the Fallen, unless we give the all clear.  We don’t know if it goes through cameras, and your cameras are weird enough it might be more dangerous.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/03/17/shadow-5-6/ Excerpt] from [[Shadow 5.6]]</ref> Three capes died, three stayed, and the remaining seven were able to escape in one way or another.

[[Valefor]] was one member of this branch. His mother is the leader of the Mathers,<ref name="R2.2"/> based near Kansas City.<ref name="R2.1"/> Her power made it dangerous for [[PRT]] Thinkers and other surveillance resources to focus on the Fallen.<ref name="R2.4"/><ref name="II5.6 e1"/> A common custom for the branch was for young members to keep their hair long, as a reminder that they could be 'soldiers' fighting for the family, or 'sluts' only able to give the family more children.<ref name="I4cII e66">Her fingers traced his shoulder-length hair.  “I told you to grow your hair long, back then.”<br><br>“Yes, mama,” he said.<br><br>“Do you remember why?  Any boy of mine that does anything to catch my eye, good or bad,  I have them do it.”<br><br>Rain nodded.  No words would have come out if he’d said anything, so he didn’t try.<br><br>“The girls know it, but the boys sometimes need to learn it.  I’m content to let either be my soldiers, but that requires ''zeal''.  Not everyone has it.  Not everyone cleaves to their role and position.  Everyone has responsibilities, and it takes a soldier to obey.”<br><br>Rain nodded again.<br><br>Her voice took on a different tone.  No less ethereal, but haunting-ethereal, now.  “The hair is to remind you that if you won’t be a soldier for the families, we’ll have you be a ''slut''.  We’ll get children out of you.  If you fail at that, if they’re sickly or disobedient, we’ll geld you like we would any of the farm animals.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/02/22/shade-interlude-4c/ Excerpt] from [[Interlude 4c II]]</ref> This branch often swapped members to other branches in exchange for muscle; [[Eligos]] being an example of someone they acquired this way.<ref name="R2.4"/>

Despite their leader's best efforts they were never able to acquire a [[Healer]].<ref>Christine Mathers watched and waited, cradling her injured hand.  A thrall approached to tend to it.  No healing powers -oh, how she had wished to get a healer under her wing- but only medical expertise. - [https://www.parahumans.net/2019/08/10 Excerpt] from [[Interlude 15.z II]]</ref>