The Huntmaster's Faithful

We are the chosen hunters of the most deadly of prey and foes. Boran entrusted the secrets of such quarry, their weaknesses, the ways to defend against them, to track them, to us. We have this sacred knowledge not to perserve in some stuffy old tome in a dusty old cathedral. Some of us must do so of course to preserve the knowledge for future followers of the Huntmaster. But for most of us our duty is to practice the lessons. To hunt the beasts, and to spread what lessons and aid we can to those whom would seek the Huntmasters aid. We lead the packs of Boran, we are their guides, their teachers, their aid in times of need or crisis, and when the unfortunate duty befalls, us, we are also their judgement. Such is the way of the Huntmaster.

From the annals of the holy text Calls of the Great Hunt, page 4, passage 3, the task and purpose of the Huntmaster's Faithful.

Structure

The Huntmaster's Faithful is split into many congregations or 'packs' as they are oft referred to, and has many other unofficial, yet officially recognized divisions, as one would expect of any religion with such a breadth of spread. However, by and large what is worth noting, like all nine of the religious organizations that exist across Valerick, they have two distinct arms, two distinct orders, which are;

The Wolfsguard:

the Templar Order tied to the Huntmaster's Faithful are the more militant arm, what might have once been named a Knightly Order, though in truth never was this the culture of this particular group and order of Templars. Currently at the head of this arm of the faith, and being the second most powerful individual within the entire religious sect, is Alpha Fenrik Hanigar. A Koltani man in his late forties, Fenrik is known to be a real bear of a man, though he is also known for being far more agile and far quieter of step than a man his size has any right to be.

The Mooncallers:

This is the name for the arm of the clergy, a name well earned, as a great many of the most important holy days and sermons, such as they can be called 'days' for the faith of the Huntmaster are meant to take place at night and have to do with specific stages of the lunar cycle. The faithful of the Huntmaster oft prefer their religious ceremonies, sermons and even day to day services be held under the night sky. Currently the head of this arm of the faith, and of the entire sect in general, is Matriarch Eva Lyndhilt, a human priestess of but thirty-one years of age, the youngest to take up such a position in any of the sects in their history. Of Koltani heritage, she was basically raised in the church, given her father was in charge of the Wolfsguard until but four years ago, when he and his band, whom had been seeking the lair of a vicious pack of wyvern, stumbled upon the discovery of an ancient and forgotten crypt deep in marshy hillands of southwestern Raechin. One of the band had made it back alive, but was a changed man, speaking of the terrors of the place and the beast they had stumbled upon in feverish riddles and rambling nonsense. She has proven a competent and well liked leader of the faith over the two years she has held the position thus far.

Public Agenda

Those of the faith of Boran the Bloodhound are protectors of the natural order, the other half to those whom follow the Lady of the Leaves, Talia. They are the huntmasters, those whom face the corrupting forces that attempt to twist, deny or break the cycle head on. They are the alpha, the apex, the bloodhounds. They guard the cycle with all the ferocity and power of Beasts, guarding and enforcing the cyclical nature of Life and Death, and they protect and pass down the techniques and skills as the cycle of Nature demands. In so doing they insure there are always Bloodhounds ready to stand against the terrors of both the Void and the Monsters of Valerick. They are often seen, rightfully so, as a more martial faith, and even those among their clergy are well known to be passable archers and know their way around a fight with sword, axe or spear.

Assets

Temples to Boran the Bloodhound, those specifically dedicated to him, are found most numerous in the nation of Raechin, the same place in which the most holy site stands, the Wolf-Hund Harengrav in the city of Longreach. This is their grand cathedral, the heart of their faith, the monument of the Ascended Champion of the Koltani people. The faith of the Huntmaster may also be found to be dominate in places where the people must hunt, fish and forage off the land to survive and thrive, as one might expect.

Tenets of Faith

Those whom worship Boran the Bloodhound may have many variable tenets and special rules they follow, many personal codes that qualify how they approach their worship and behavior within matters of faith. Indeed any given sect or pack may have their own additional codes, rules, or expectations they place upon those within the faith. However broadly, there does exist a code of sorts, a small list of rules, of expectations of the faithful known simply as Ir Vin Cathorn or simply translated, the Hunter's Code. The tenets of this code are simply as follows;

1. Seek to do right by the pack, even when others fail to.


2. Remember you place. All can be prey, even you. Do not believe yourself above the cycle.


3. We do not waste from prey we kill to eat.


4. Treat all prey with respect. We can catch or kill them with respect.


5. We do not hunt our own, unless they have turned on the Pack. Then we bring a swift death where once there was life.

Of the Pack, For the Pack

Founding Date

0001 SuD

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

The Pack, Bloodhounds, or the Hounds

Worship and Divinely Inspired Powers

Honoring the Hunter's Code is of course a key aspect of worship. Beyond this his worship can take many forms, and oft does for any given sect or pack. Some general key conducts do include teamwork, taking care of and elevating the needs of the pack to equal to or more than your own. Along with treating your interactions with the natural world with proper respect, which is a big one. Finally, as one might expect, there is an expectation of certain standards of behavior towards worshippers of Talia, given the scriptures that indicate the pair were married in life and have stayed so in divinity.

The Huntmaster's Prayers

The prayers and scriptures that allow the Huntmaster's most faithful to call upon his gifts of Divine Power.