The Hedgewise might also consider that Mathilde being declared trushworthy by their patron goddess is not in logical conflict with Mathilde being mistaken about the outcome of their involvement in the project being beneficial or her ability to shelter them from consequences.
Yeah, it's why I said it's important to know what they will have faith and trust in Mathilde about.
They can trust that she'll keep the secret about who they worship or even trust that she'll not deliberately try to harm them.
That doesn't mean they'll trust her judgement more than they trust their own. Trust isn't an absolute, or a blank check. There're plenty of people I'd say I trust (with various things) but I wouldn't give any of them power of attorney over all my assets and tell them all my secrets.
The way I see it, the Father gives us an entry ticket to what are possibly are probably very secretive, very cautious inner circles of mystery cults, as some one who isn't trusted wouldn't even get their foot in the door. Once we're inside though, we have to proceed on our own merits. I think that they'd treat us like the other Colleges treat Mathilde. They have a baseline of trust and faith that she's on the level and that as a Lady Magister she's acting in the best interests of the Empire, which are generally aligned with their own interests. However they almost certainly keep secrets from and favour trade with each other, as the Lord and Lady Magisters of the Colleges do,
Paranoth and Mira demonstrated significant trust and faith in both Mathilde's discretion and abilities. However, they still made her pay for their help.
One point about the Protector—it doesn't manipulate, trick or otherwise convince people, it just creates irrefutable evidence that the bearer selflessly risked their life to protect others. People then believe this evidence for the same reason I believe the sky is blue—because the evidence is, well, evident.
I suspect the Father works in a similar way—rather than brainwashing people into trusting Mathilde, it just creates irrefutable evidence that she is trustworthy.
Boney said:
How do you distinguish supernaturally-induced trust from respectful deference paid to a VIP visitor?
The trust the Father produces is supernaturally induced. That doesn't sound like it's indirectly created by manufacturing evidence.
I think the Protector is the same. It doesn't manipulate or trick either. It just reaches into the target's mind and supernaturally induces the knowledge of Mathilde's action and the belief that it was selfless.
