The Grey
The Anointed Ones fear another rift, and the beginning of the end.
The expatriate seer Ezdra of Cernoa (b. ~811 A.C. or about four hundred years ago) once prophesied that the world would end with an abomination from beyond the outer planes tearing into our universe. This gargantuan creature is supposedly coming to devour the stars one by one, eventually eating everything in existence. The Anointed Prophets of the Darkened Stars -- commonly called "The Grey" -- are a cult dedicated to stopping this prophecy by any means necessary.
Throughout Ter'esreal's history, rifts have opened to other worlds. One brought the first fey, another infected the world with the undead. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, a rift brought dragons with their elvish, orcish and human slaves. Twelve hundred years ago, a rift opened on the Blood War between demons and devils, destroying civilization and ushering in a dark age the world is just recovering from. The Grey believe Ezdra's 'Prophecy of the Darkened Stars' predicted a rift to the Far Realms opening -- they just can't tell when it will appear.
Ezdra is one of the most famous seers in history, but very few believe in this particular prophecy. The cult has a small membership in most larger cities, often among the wealthier classes. Wizards and warlocks are often drawn to The Grey, especially warlocks who made a pact with an Old One.
The only place where The Grey hold any sway is in the tiny coastal nation of Thaan, where the cult was founded almost four hundred years ago. It is rumored the cult was started by Ezdra herself within a few years of having the prophecy.
Agents of The Grey will often unofficially work with contacts among The Kindred (a network of yesreni), along with druids, intelligent animals, rangers and nature paladins dedicated to defending Ter'esreal from invasion by future rifts to other worlds.
Many people believe that the Apostles of Tharizdun are an offshoot of The Grey, since the Apostles believe that the god Tharizdun is going to destroy all creation. Worshippers of Dendar the Night Serpent are also often confused for Grey cultists, as Dendar is prophecied to eat the sun.
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