Falling Pride
The following article is content from the "Falling Pride" campaign
Travel behind the great walls of
Brillé as spies, all while under the guise of immigrating citizens. Build a life, gain the trust of locals, improve your social credit, and accumulate resources as you investigate for the
Oligarchy of Kala. Choose your allies carefully in this theocratic dictatorship, as they could keep you alive or lead to your demise: though you may even find yourself working with the powers that be. Few choices will be easy in the Pride of
Proving as you do your best to lay low and survive.
Potential Spoilers May Follow
"In the dark days brought forth by the passing of the great Ybal Saja, it is Saja Maut's first decree that ten holy paladins shall rise to burn a light into the future days to come. Each paladin has sworn their oaths to defend His Pride, Uphold the faith of the New Gods, and bring the Azberret to their knees in a holy war to preserve the future of Brillé. Both servants to the people and government, each oathkeeper will take charge to spread the word of Saja Maut's distinguished reign and bridge the gap between two.
As Saja Maut's first diction, the ascension of his most faithful tenants will mark them as harbingers of a new nation which shall be rewarded in multitudes upon the end of our War on Barbarism. These paladins are named below, such that the people may know who fought to preserve their peace:
Indarin
Val Ymet
Aiva Fett
Din Vurit
Tirinat
Karn Ithan
Girovan
Fal Fefir
Iri Kolan
Erivan Lorat
We raise these paladins to meet the great challenges set before our nation, but through their faith we shall be freed. Blessed be their names and Praise Saja Maut."— Scribe General Eriviran on Saja Maut's First Diction
A Conversion of Faith
The faith of
Brillé has always differed from the rest of the
Renadi Pantheon, holding to the same gods and demigods while proposing the nation's leaders as part of the pantheon as well. However, while the leaders were revered as gods, little credence was put into their worship. It wasn't until the death of Ybal Saja that his son,
Saja Maut, would rise to power and decide to reinvigorate the family name through the
War on Barbarism. Waged over the course of four
J'barri years, worship of foreign gods was stamped out with ten individuals leading the charge: the sentinels of
Saja Maut. Through a great purge of sinners, these paladins ensured that the worship of false gods was banished and that the nation's leader was considered the pinnacle of faith. Under the sentinels, Saja Maut became revered more than
Brillé's own patron god,
J'tsan.
Unlike priests of old, the paladins swore fielty to
Saja Maut, forsaking any oaths to
J'tsan or the other
Kinnet Eti. To doubters of
Saja Maut's divinity, the powers granted to the sentinels may seem confounding, though it is the strength of their oaths themselves that gives them divine abilities. With the
War on Barbarism concluded for decades, some paladins have begun returning to the faith of
J'tsan with special allowance from the clergy of the
New Gods. Still, every sentinel owes fielty to
Saja Maut and splits their duties between both gods.
War as a Messenger
The Sentinels of
Saja Maut, like the 16 new Junction Captains, rose under their new leader to take charge of the coming conflict. However, while the captains were tasked merely with ousting their predecessors under suspicion, the sentinels were tasked with spreading the New Scripture. The
War on Barbarism was intended to be two-fold: allowing captains to stabilize the government in this chaotic transmission while sentinels of the faith would keep the citizens of the country in check.
Thanks to the belief of the sentinels and the face they provided for the movement, most citizens remained submissive as their friends and neighbors were exposed as
Azberret worshippers. The sentinels traveled far and wide in their conquest, allowing for the word of the New Scripture to reach every corner of
Brillé. This grand exposure of
Saja Maut's message set a dark precedent going forward: that conflict was an efficient messenger for information.
As the sentinels spread the good word from village to village, they often came with war bands to bolster their image. Food, musicians, priests, doctors*, and artists all rode behind their respective paladins to show that the son of Ybal Saja was here to defend his people. Luckily,
Saja Maut's rise came during a period of doubt from citizens as rations were diminishing nationwide. Without these good tidings, the slaughter of the alleged
Azberret worshippers may not have been taken so passively by the population. It was this effect on the population that led to the sentinels being revered as heroes and faces of the nation after the war which was rewarded by
His Pride in the years to come.
*In the following years under
Saja Maut, the position of "doctor" was merged with that of priests, allowing for a succinct role of "healer" to flourish in the new regime.
Post War
Following the
War on Barbarism, many nobles questioned the positions of the sentinels going forward, though
Saja Maut has always recognized the value of charismatic leaders in his wisdom (particularly when their authority is subject to his own). To thank the sentinels for spreading the good word of the New Scripture,
Saja Maut gave gifts of land, servants, and status amongst their noble peers. Most paladins converted these lands into private plantations, which their
Sycophant servants still tend. Their ownership of exotic crops, apiaries, and manor houses makes their lands popular for political debate and banquets.
As the paladins reach the middle of their lives, they've taken to traveling the nation to reinvigorate faith in
Saja Maut as rations waver once more. Their reliance on propaganda continues, as they blame the nation's issues on entities such as
The Impersonator or followers of
J'bar. While a second
War on Barbarism is unlikely, it can't be denied that similar rhetoric is spreading across the nation once more.
More Reading
Well, I do have an absolute weakness for felid-species. So immediately it caught my eye, but the first declaration got me right into the mood to read more. I loooove the ideas of the caravans which give me that warband vibe. Not necessarily evil, but well armed. Where they go, their law wins out. Great Article SmokingBat! I look forward to reading more of your content right after this one.