Religious Advocacy

The various Old World cults often compete in a low profile manner to acquire the attention of a notoriously fickle public. This means that cults sometimes send out contingents of priests and laypersons into the streets to spread the word of their faith and collect donations. The use of public assemblies is not the domain of established cults, many small cults and sub-sects bordering on the realm of heresy often take to the streets to spread the word of their faith - or to decry the legitimacy of the established religions.

Revolution

In change there can be opportunity for advancement, and while many have some vested interest in the status quo there are others who would profit from it changing, or ending. Inciting revolt or revolution is a dangerous proposition at best for the authorities react with extreme prejudice to those threatening their hold on power.

Temperance

Life in the Old World is difficult, and for many a pint or four does much to ease their suffering. Nonetheless there are always those who cannot abide the thought of others enjoying themselves and hence agitate for the abolishment of all strong spirits and liquors. These teetotalers are usually fringe religious types or the uptight sort that favour discipline. Their argument that alcohol causes more problems than it solves is of course no relevance.

Agitators' Roles in Society

Agitators are often a thorn in the side of authorities and a public nuisance to any within hearing range. They do however fulfil a number of valuable roles to society.
First and foremost they are often one of the best sources of information in a town or village. Although this information is always politicised and never impartial, most people in the streets would never even be made aware of the issues that the agitators represent.

An agitator arguing only dry facts is heard by none, and for this reason agitators are also a source of entertainment and gossip. Agitators are constantly seeking better ways to convey their information and earn the attention of the public and many have mastered the art of public speaking and are able within a few words to seize the attention of the long jaded public. Even if people are not interested in the issue that the agitator is campaigning for, many will stand around and listen for the sake of distraction. Popular agitators have no problem attracting an audience regardless of the subject matter.

Most Old Worlders rarely hear multiple perspectives of an issue, and the agitator is a voice for popular dissent or resistance. The agitator may educate the public in alternatives and suggest ideas that they had not though possible. The agitator can inspire social change and give voice to people with none.

The establishment can be just as savvy in maintaining control, and they too often have their own advocates arguing for a conservative social approach. These agitators for the status quo serve as a source of political control. Many civic groups and nobles have no shortage of those seeking their favour and are eager to speak up for their masters.

It would be folly to assume that agitators are concerned only with weighty matters pertaining to the health of the body politic. There are those who are concerned not with political issues, but with issues of personal politics. In other words, these people are little more than gossips and slanderers. Other agitators hold these gossips in contempt, the public however is eager to listen to every salacious tidbit.

In a world where not everyone reads, the agitator serves important roles in society, for they provide a forum for public discourse on a whole range of issues that concern or interest the average citizen.

Its a Living

How does an agitator make ends meet? A few are independently wealth and can afford to whittle away their days ranting in town squares. Another handful care nothing for bourgeois notions like money and live contentedly on the streets. Most need to find a way to fund their agitation. Some rely upon a trade they picked up earlier in life and their free time is spent on corners and courtyards espousing their cause. The very act of agitating can often be a source of income - many agitators will sell their pamphlets or broadsheets developing their arguments and if their cause is popular enough they can earn a tidy profit. The most popular and urgent of causes allow the agitator to directly raise money for their cause, which inevitably results in other agitators taking up the same cause and competing for public donations. One of the best means of making a living is to have a patron that provides for the agitator, however the problem is that the agitator has less autonomy.

Who Would Become An Agitator?

We've already covered those who found themselves taking up a cause for various reasons early in life, but what about those who later in life forsake their vocation to take up agitating?

Exciseman

Why would a tax man take up agitating? There are a number of reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is to serve as a shill for their patron. The authorities are not above paying people to counter-agitate and to voice their perspective on the streets. The problem is that most people recognize these hired advocates and pay them little heed - and a former collector of taxes is very unlikely to win any admiration from others. In towns that are politically contested with fierce politicking for the reigns of power, these exciseman-agitators play an important role in gaining the support of the public.

On the other hand a disgruntled exciseman discharged from his duties for legitimate or spurious reasons may very well take up a cause against their former employees. Likewise so would exciseman removed from their position after their patrons are forced out of power in a town, with their position being filled by the henchman of the usurpers. These former-exciseman are likely to rail publicly against any perceived misstep by the new administration.
It is possible, but somewhat highly unlikely that an exciseman, bothered by his or her own contribution to the inequitable distribution of wealth may switch sides and advocate for fairness and moderation in issues of taxation.

Initiate

Agitation is not merely a political activity, for politics and religion are closely intertwined. Many cults have sub-sects that take a serious role in proselytising and preaching to the public in an effort to heighten public awareness of the cult while others aggressively court converts. Some of these sub-sects are officially sanctioned while others are fringe elements and an embarrassment to the cult.

In areas where religious resentment runs high, such as in some areas of the Empire between Ulric and Sigmar the role of initiates as agitators is an important and volatile one with public opinion easily swayed by hearsay and speculation. This religious war is one fought on street corners, soap boxes, and in pamphlets.

Some initiate may become disillusioned and speak out against their former religious instruction. These agitators may be crazed and bordering on the heretical while others may have very genuine grievances against their former faith or its leadership.

Seer

Sometimes seeing the future is not enough - sometimes spreading your knowledge is just as important. Those seers who believe they witness something significant are often compelled to spread their revelation to all that will listen. Sometimes these seer agitators are mistaken for ranting madmen.

Servant

Who would know better about the inequitable distribution of wealth than those poor who labour in the homes, town houses, and mansions of the rich? Years of drudgery and domineering behaviour by the wealthy has often driven many servants out into the streets to agitate against the excesses of their employers. However there are those servants who are eloquent and charismatic who are employed by their masters to advertise the generosity of their lords or represent their issues in the public forum.

Student

It should come as no surprise that numerous students from colleges and universities have taken up lives as agitators. Some are motivated by a new found idealism, others motivated by guilt, some by long held convictions, and others are out to anger their parents and their tutors. Despite their efforts to get in touch with the commoners, many look at their fervour as the product of a life of leisure and idealistic theory and are distrustful of student agitators.