Cult of Altan
The Cult of Altan is a religion centered around the worship of the god Altan. It is practiced primarily in the region north of the Great Sea, although there have been reports of Altanists in the lands beyond the mountains to the north and also south in the farthest reaches of the Berian Empire.
BELIEFS
Members of this cult, also known as Altanists, worship a god known as Altan. To most followers, Altan is a god of peace who calls for unity among all people, a god who decries war and greed.
In the wake of the return of the Starless Nights, leaders of the cult claimed that the Darkness had been sent by Altan himself as a punishment. The Great War had raged on for a thousand years. The peoples of Atios had too long ignored Altan's calls for peace.
According to Altanists, the Starless Nights are meant to cleanse the world–to free it from conflict and division. Atios will be remade by the Darkness and in this new world, Altan's followers will be able to live in peace. They see the world as a collapsing house that must be knocked down and rebuilt in order to be safe.
Some call this the Great Cycle, claiming that it has happened before–many times over. Destruction, followed by renewal, followed by destruction once more.
Most Altanists believe that there are other gods besides Altan. Some believe in the Great Pantheon and choose to serve Altan, while others believe in the existence of Ziva and Altan alone. They see Ziva as an enemy of Altan and claim that she is not as benevolent as the Temple of Ziva claims. According to these followers, the Great Cycle is an endless tug-of-war between Altan and Ziva. He seeks to see the world at peace, while she seeks to see the world destroyed through the greed and division caused by her so-called gift: kinfire.
Divergent Beliefs
Some Altanists refer to the Darkness as punishment–retribution for the greed and selfishness of the world. Others, however, see it in a more positive light, believing that the Starless Nights are a gift from Altan–a way to bring peace and an end to the Great War.
A small sliver of the cult view the Darkness as merely a natural phenomenon. To these few individuals, Altan is a god of peace, not destruction, who did not cause the Starless Nights and wishes only for harmony and oneness among his people.
ORIGINS
The origins of the Cult of Altan are largely unknown. They have appeared in various places at various times over the course of Atios history.
The first texts that reference Altan also reference Ziva. It is believed that the cult once possessed a collection of volumes that detailed their rivalry and revealed Ziva's intentions, but supposedly these texts were destroyed long ago.
RECEPTION
In recent years, the Cult of Altan has gained a negative reputation in Din'Lux. Its members are feared in Din'Lux, though it's possible that these fears are merely the result of rumors and misunderstanding. For the most part, followers of Altan keep their beliefs quiet out of a fear of judgment and mistreatment.
A few individuals have admitted to spreading propaganda on behalf of the Temple of Ziva, though Temple leaders have denied this. For a long while, the Temple denied the existence of the Cult of Altan, but in recent years they have admitted its existence and proclaimed its members to be heretics. Many Temple members refer to Altan as the Hidden One and avoid saying his name altogether.
PRACTICE & WORSHIP
Due to the many whispered rumors and fears surrounding the Cult of Altan, most members are hesitant to share their beliefs with others or openly worship. Service and worship of Altan tends to be an individual practice performed in secret. For this reason, not much about the cult is widely known.
It is believed that followers keep personal shrines to Altan in hidden places within their homes. They seek out items–amulets, tools, strange gems–left behind by the Darkness to place in these shrines.
Due to their need for secrecy, it is rumored that the cult uses a series of symbols to communicate to one another. There have also been whispers of a location beyond the walls of Din'Lux where the cult is free to meet.
RECRUITMENT & MEMBERSHIP
Not much is known about the ins and outs of the cult, but a few who have left their ranks have identified key members and spoken a little about their practices. One claimed that the cult had a method of recruiting members that targeted individuals left alone after the return of the Darkness.
It's not as bad as people make it out to be. Yeah, I left. But it wasn't because they made me sacrifice people to Altan or lick weird mushrooms or anything. I actually had a few friends in the cult. Made me feel like I had a place to belong.
Lately, though, things started to get a little weird. Some were saying nasty things about folks who follow Ziva and even talking about destroying Din'Lux. But Altan…he's not like that. He wants us to live in peace and stop fighting all the time, you know? But some people, it seems like fighting's all they got left in them.
-Former cult member
Known Members
- Killian Stormsail: Killian was once a peace activist in the city of Din'Lux who decried the war as violent and unnecessary. Kinfire, he claimed, wasn't worth the many lives lost to the war. Though Killian has been captured more than once, he has always somehow managed to escape. It is now rumored, however, that he's been swallowed by the Darkness.
- Jolla Farcross: Back in Aes'Tos, Jolla was a respected priestess in the Temple of Ziva.Her husband and two older children had joined the fight against Dwar Fell and were killed in the Great War. Fearing an attack on their city, she and several others from Aes'Tos fled to Din'Lux not long before the return of the Starless Nights. Bitter and alone, Jolla shed her priestess robes and joined with the Cult of Altan.
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