Faction Overview
The Faithless are deceased souls who, in life, lacked piety and devotion to any deity or faith. Ordinarily, such souls would be consigned to the Wall of the Dead in the afterlife, where they would gradually be broken down into raw spiritual energy. Escape from this fate was believed to be impossible, except through rare dealings with fiendish or celestial agents who could potentially offer bargains. However, a cataclysmic event during the Spellplague shattered a portion of the Wall of the Dead. As a result, souls have been "reborn" and are emerging from the Lands of the Dead through mountain passes in the Shifted Lands. These Faithless souls, armed with newfound natural spiritual and necromantic powers, seek to defy their predetermined destiny, cheat death, and ensure they never return to the Land of the Dead.
(Most of the Faithless are unliving creatures, but there are many others who return living just as they were in life)
History
According to the divine workings of the realm, when a living soul passes from the mortal world, they await judgment in the Lands of the Dead. The god of the dead assesses their soul based on the faith of the deity they held in their hearts during life. Judgment is rendered based on the tenets of the chosen god and how well the soul adhered to those teachings. Upon judgment, the soul is sent to the appropriate realm determined by the gods' and the faiths' doctrines. However, for those who lived as Faithless and rejected any form of deity or piety, there is no divine entity to claim them. Some of these lost souls may be discovered by demons or devils within the realms of the dead, who bargain for their souls to transform them into fiends. But a majority of Faithless souls remain undiscovered and are consigned to the Wall of the Dead—a mystical barrier that safeguards the Land of the Dead and the souls awaiting judgment. Within the Wall, these souls gradually lose their sense of identity over the centuries, their spiritual energy eventually forming the foundation for the souls of future creatures. In the meantime, they suffer, trapped and confused as they slowly disintegrate into mere energy.
Until fully reclaimed by the Wall of the Dead, the Faithless souls serve as a barrier, protecting the realm of the dead and preventing unauthorized crossings into other planes. One such weak spot existed in the mountain boundaries of the Shifted Lands, in the neighboring city of Mishtan, also known as the "City of the Dead." Mishtan was a spiritual holy city in Mulhorand, revered for its involvement in the afterlife process and its role in maintaining the interplanar barriers. However, the cataclysmic events of the Spellplague caused cracks to form in the barrier, resulting in the destruction of sections of the Wall in both planes. This event unleashed vast amounts of spiritual energy and allowed the rebirth of the Faithless souls.
The Faithless, now reborn, possess natural spiritual and necromantic powers granted by their newfound connection to the raw spiritual energy within them. These powers vary among individuals but generally manifest as abilities related to manipulating and communing with spirits, harnessing necromantic forces, and defying death itself. Motivated by their desire to escape their predetermined fate, the Faithless seek to change the course of their souls, using their newfound powers to alter their destiny. Their ultimate goal is to cheat death and avoid being consigned back to the Land of the Dead, forever eluding the Wall and the cycle of decay that awaits them.
(In Mulhorand, The Holy City of the Dead - Mishtan, is the site of the weakened veil to the Lands of the Dead and many of the Faithless appear in the surrounding mountains and have fled to the Shifted Lands)
Attire
Clad in garments that mirror the desolation of the realm from which they emerged, their attire reborn attire exudes an ethereal aura, as if touched by the lingering essence of the Wall of Dead itself. Tattered and weathered, their garments often consist of faded robes and ragged shrouds that drape loosely over their frail forms. Shades of gray, muted blues, and somber purples dominate their clothing, mirroring the despondency and lack of faith that marked their mortal existence.
Symbolism plays a crucial role in the attire of the Faithless.
The presence of fragmented symbols representing various religious orders, deities, or even their own forsaken beliefs adorns their clothing, serving as a reminder of the void that once resided within their souls. These symbols often faded and partially obscured, stand as a testament to the spiritual struggles they faced and the emptiness they endured. The Faithless bear marks and scars upon their bodies, remnants of the trials they encountered within the Wall of the Dead. These marks serve as a constant reminder of the torment they endured, as well as a visible representation of their defiance against the fate that awaited them. When using any spiritual powers the spectral energy that emanates from their very being often takes on an otherworldly glow, casting an eerie and ethereal aura that further sets them apart from the living.
(The Faithless nature and appearance drive fear into their enemies - but it is their sheer willpower that drives the Faithless to victory)
Organization
More information coming soon!
(The Faithless are attracted to and have conquered several locations from the Shadowfell that have merged into the Shifted Lands)
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