The Houndsbane Zealots

The Houndsbane Zealots are an extremist sect of the Ash Zealots devoted to the worship of the Ash God known as Houndsbane, the God of Aberration. Their temples and altars are located along the western edge of the region known as the Charnel Flats near one of the titanic megastructures built by the aliens. This Construct, known as the Charnel Construct, is believed to be the home of Houndsbane and the laboratory in which the eldritch, alien god conducts experiements on humanity and animals alike. The Zealots consider the Hounds of Houndsband to be the arbiters of their god's wrath and justice, and as such regard them as sub-deities. Their religious rites and rituals involve invocations to Houndsbane, worshiping at the footstool of the Construct, conducting human sacrifices in their temples, and sacrificing both human victims and meat offerings to the Hounds on altars placed strategically at the edges of Hound hunting grounds.

Mythology & Lore

The Houndsbane Zealots were formed by members of the religious cult known as the Ash Zealots who noted the patterns in behavior of the predatory, mutant species known as Hounds. Hunting grounds for the canines seemed to center around the Charnel Construct, leading some among the Zealots to conclude that the abominable species was the product of genetic manipulation by the Ash Gods themselves. Such stories were coroborated by reports of human beings taken to the Constructs and reemerging with superhuman prowess. These 'Chosen' of the Gods formed a major part of the foundation for the Ash Zealot's original worship, and so it seemed logical to some of the Zealots that the Hounds might also be gifts from the gods meant for veneration. This sect was deemed blasphemous by the Zealots at large for associating beasts with the perfect beings of the gods, but the belief survived persecution and became an entire sect of the cult.
Since the Hounds were not reported around any of the other Constructs, it seemed clear to believers that they must originate from the Charnel Construct specifically. The identity of their creator stemmed from this conslusion and the legend of Houndsbane, the God of Aberration was born within the cult. The sect renamed itself after this supposed god and devoted themselves to his service.

Type

Religious, Sect

Parent Organization

The Ash Zealots

Deities

• Houndsbane, God of Aberration

Divines

• Houndsbane, God of Aberration

Location

The Charnel Construct

Related Traditions

• Human Sacrifice - The Ash Zealots

Related Species

• The Hounds of Houndsbane

Related Myths

• The Final Burning
• The Gods' Chosen