Heart of Gods

Qetzel's Gift

Welcome the heart into your body and become elevated; begin your ascenion.

— Cult of the Mind

The Heart of Gods is a massive 14' tall obelisk of pink-ish crystal, roughly cut into a geometric approximation of an anatomical human heart. Those who treasure this object, followers of Qetzel that are known as the Cult of the Mind, say that you can hear the thrumming heartbeat of the universe eminating from within this crystalline simulacrum of a massive organ.

The Heart of the Grand Conspiracy

The Heart of Gods is located within the center of the capital city of Ezcor, known as Rose Crystal City; a massive settlement that is not so secretly run by current iteration of the Cult of the Mind. The city is covered in hundreds of pieces of public art, each carved out of the blue crystal that grows and falls from their patron God-husk, Qetzel; however there is no piece more impressive, or more culturally significant to the area, than the Heart of Gods.

The Heart resides within a massive circular public plaza, in the center of a transportation hub where seven different roads meet and cross. The plaza is adorned with very little greenery and vegetation, choosing instead to keep line of sight to the Heart as clear as possible, while adding plenty of public seating areas to entice observation of the object.

I want to go visit the Heart, I heard it's one of the most important stops to make first!

— Rose Crystal Tourist

The Heart is believed to be an artifact of extreme power; one that brings mortals closer to godhood simply by living near it. Thus it is prominently on display in the center of the city, in order to elevate the entire population. The theory of it being Qetzel's heart is readily dismissed, despite the material similarity between it and the blue Crystals dropping from Qetzel that the city was named for. Instead, most who trust in the obelisk's power are convinced that the object is another Gift from the Sky, one of the few artifacts rumoured to have created the gods in the first place long ago.

Gifts of Lies

Items that are incorrectly assumed to be part of the Gifts from the Sky are oftened termed "False Gifts", or in some circles they're given the group name of the "Gifts of Lies".
Of course, not being a part of the legendary 'Gifts' does not mean that these false artifacts lack power; in many cases they are still capable of twisting reality, ruining lives, and pushing humanity into dark places -- just like the real Gifts from the Sky do every day.

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Notable False Gifts

Many of these items come from the gods, rather than predating and possibly being responsible for them. Strange powerful objects such as the Falselife Teardrop, the Boneweb, or even the Lustrous Aurumcisor have all been historically traced back to originating from one god or another.

by Michael Dziedzic

Come, visit Rose Crystal City, and enjoy the beauty our capital has to offer. Spend an afternoon watching the light dance through the Heart of Gods, listening to the pleasant hum from within. Then take a stroll through our commercial district -- we're certain you'll find plenty of offers that you'll be unable to refuse.

— Rose Crystal City Tourism poster

by Michael Dziedzic

Qetzel's Game

The Cult of the Mind have worshiped Qetzel for as long as he's been around; they've gone through countless iterations as they've driven the cult into extinction time and time again, re-birthing themselves years later after each incident when some of their old texts and ritual objects are discovered. This has lead to an incredibly strange modern iteration of the cult, as well as much of the history and knowledge surrounding Qetzel being twisted, warped, or even forgotten.
It's no surprise then that the cult is entirely unaware that the obelisk they proudly display within their main city, is in fact the torn out heart of the god they worship. The proof that they proudly ignore is in the humming; it comes at the same frequency and general volume as the humming that comes from the rest of Qetzel's crystalline growths, only the humming from the Heart is powerful enough to be heard by all.
Texts found within The Comprilith that have never made their way into the hands of the cult are unsure if Qetzel removed his own beating heart as some horrific practical joke, or if it was a part of his "Grand Game" that he was so fond of playing. Details are murky as to the method and the aftermath of the event -- and as to what the scheming god was even trying to accomplish.

The Truth Hidden Within

One of the strangest properties of the humming sound that comes from Qetzel's crystals is that not everyone can hear it. The only ones that can are people who are more susceptible to peer pressure, more easily convinced, or more outright trusting in general -- the kinds of people that are often easily manipulated or caught up in situations they never expected to find themselves in.

The Heart takes this strange property one step further, however. No longer is the humming sound coming from within only able to be heard by the easily convinced; instead this unnerving sound is heard by all, and those who listen to it for too long find their resolve weakening and their willingness to do what others suggest growing stronger every moment they listen to the hum.

Don't you think it'd be really nice to just relax in this plaza a bit more? Just for a little bit longer?

— Rose Crystal City Local

by Michael Dziedzic

Those madmen have built a city around an object that makes them all into easily suggestible victims, ready to believe any of the lies they tell each other. This endlessly gaslighting cycle is the machine driving the entire cult.

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— Katarina Thornwright, Regiment for Humanity

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