Nestled in the blighted swamps of Laputa and extending their influence to the city of Hyphal, there exists a faction of Elves and Myceliths who have become enamored with decay and death. Known as the Revenants, they pursue the mastery of the darker aspects of creation, seeking power that others would shudder to contemplate. They seek to harness these forces to further their own ends, heedless of the consequences
Origins
The Revenants emerged in the wake of a great plague that swept through the elven communities of Cardinal. While elves formed the initial core, a subgroup of Myceliths, drawn to the aspect of Decay, later joined them, further enriching the faction's arcane arsenal. These Myceliths, in particular, are often those who have embraced Sporogenesis not only as a transformative process but as a lifecycle embracing both growth and inevitable decay.
Culture and Beliefs
The Revenants live in a world surrounded by death and decay. Their customs and traditions are centered around the cycles of creation and destruction, and they see death as a continuation of life. They revere the cycles of creation and destruction, seeing both life and death as stages in an ever-repeating loop. They believe that those who have passed on can continue to live in undeath.. This notion aligns closely with the Mycelith understanding of Sporogenesis as not just a beginning, but a passage into another form of existence.
The Revenants take great care to preserve the bodies of their loved ones, animating them with dark magic to serve as guardians and caretakers. They believe that this process allows the dead to continue to serve the living and that it is their duty to ensure that their ancestors are given a chance to continue on in some form. In this way, the Revenants are able to maintain a connection to their past and their ancestors. However, their methods are often seen as heretical by other factions, who view undeath as an abomination against the natural order.
In Hyphal, the Revenants maintain the Crypt, a sacred place where the enchanted remains of Mycelith and Elven ancestors coexist in a balance of glowing fungi and arcane shadows. This sanctum serves as both a place of worship and more importatly the Crypt serves as an advisor the the Throne, providing a second perspective.
Leadership and Motivations
At the head of the Revenants is the first elf, the once-king of the elves who died in the wake of the great plague that swept through Cardinal. His body was preserved and revivified by the Revenants. He has turned to darker magics in his quest for power and knowledge and has spent years researching the secrets of death and decay. His continued existence is seen as proof of his mastery over death itself, and he seeks to use this power to achieve immortality.
His desire for immortality is what drives the Revenants' goals. They seek to use their mastery to achieve and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their ends. They see themselves as above the politics of the other factions. The Revenants' obsession with death and decay has the potentiol of lead them down dangerous paths.
Members and Abilities
The Revenants are primarily elves skilled in necromancy, but Mycelith members use array of potent nature-based magics to minipulate corpses and decay. These Myceliths often serve as the faction's mystical anchors, their innate connection to Cardinal's land amplifying the Revenants' necromantic rites.
The Lamented
Within the Revenants lies a group known as the Lamented. This unique sect is not bound by the physical realm but is instead full of spirits bound to mortals who have forged pacts with one another. The Lamented are those spirits who once walked the land of Cardinal but met untimely ends. Instead of moving on, their spirits were called back and bound to the Revenants through sacred and arcane rituals.
Enemies and Allies
The Revenants are viewed with suspicion and fear by most of the other factions in Cardinal. They are seen as dangerous and unpredictable, and many fear that their pursuit of power will upset the delicate balance of the Aspects. The most direct opposition to the Revenants comes from the followers of the Aspect of Life, who view the Revenants as a perversion of the natural order. The Revenants have few allies, but they have been known to work with other factions on occasion when their goals align.
Magic and Religion
The Revenants believe in the power of death and decay as a force of creation. Their arcane practices meld necromancy with the organic spellwork of the Myceliths. While the Elf mages specialize in necromancy, their Mycelith counterparts command spells of decomposition and rebirth, a reflection of their intrinsic bond with the world's cycle of life and decay.
By integrating their profound knowledge of death, decay, and the cyclical nature of life, the Revenants tread a dark yet captivating path, offering a complex tapestry of both menace and allure.
