Bekuma Uprisers

The direct followers of the Luca, the Queen of the Bekuma and the Revenge Queen.

Divine Origins

The Uprisers have their origins in the aftermath of the mutation of Luca by the Svanti Empire. After her creation, she utilized her magic both to create more Bekuma with the other experiments, as well as began to produce them through natural means. As the newborn Bekuma spread, they passed their genes along swiftly, and the Empire soon became to view it as an infectious virus. They denied their involvement in the creation of the Bekuma, and quickly went to work exterminating the "virus", as well as get revenge for their destroyed lab. Declaring all bekuma Nohesenn, the lowest and outcast caste in Kirran society, they began a crusade against them. Despite the strict laws, the Bekuma continued to reproduce, and even those who claimed no Bekuma blood in their lineage would occasionally produce a "tainted" baby, leaving many to speculate that Luca was somehow infecting others from across the realm. With the hunting of the Bekuma and the destruction of thier villages and people, they soon began to organize, forming a resistance network that would eventually become the fondations of the Bekuma Uprisers.

Tenets of Faith

Most uprisers are solely focused on either the liberation of the Bekuma and/or the destruction of the Eleyai and the Svanti Empire. The most devout follow often follow the below tenants, and many long-lived uprisers will eventually fall into cycles of rage and hate that lead to the path of the antipaladin.

I shall protect always my Queen, even with my own life.
I shall not suffer the grip of tyranny. When it reaches out its wretched hand, I shall instead be the one to grasp its throat.
I shall let no trespasses against our people go unpunished. If they seek redemption, they can find it in death.
I shall protect all Bekuma as if they were my own blood, and shall not aid in the machinations of the corrupt Yai.
One is not safe unless the community is safe. I will work with my neighbors to protect us all, and so that we may rebuild after the battle.
I shall never give away our secret paths, and shall ensure that only the deserving shall walk them.

Ethics

The Uprisers have mixed ethics, as they are constantly trying to resist extermination at the hands of the Svanti Empire, and thus often must resort to extreme measures. Many of them are not above attacking anything related to the imperial government, going so far to target the families of important officials. However, each of the sects operate differently, with some focusing solely on liberation instead of retribution.

Worship

Due to their status as more of a revolutionary army than an organized religion, worship for the Uprisers is varied and personal. The most common form of "official" worship tends to be a mutual meeting of Uprisers over tea, whilst discussing future plans for protecting the area or threats to the sect or community. In times of conflict, this tradition is replaced by martial training; usually in the form of sparring or training youths. Song is also a common form of veneration, with many hymns of freedom and liberation composed in imperial holding cells. The most extreme zealots and destructive members of the order do not consider their daily worship complete until they slay a member of their enemies, be it an official, or even just a citizen of the hated empire.

Priesthood

The Uprisers are less of an organized religion and more of a large network of congruent militias. Thus their priests function less of a servicer of rites and more of a trainer of resistance. Known as High Revolutionaries, they help train the guards of hidden Bekuma villages, create and guide others down hidden paths, and create networks of contact and aid networks to aid in the liberation of the Bekuma people. Most High Revolutionaries are in fact not Bekuma themselves, rather tending to be disenfranchised Kirran humans or even Skylings who work with the Star Path, another liberation group for escaped imperial slaves. Most Bekuma High Revolutionaries utilize their dangerous powers to become assassins, attacking imperial caravans and massacring high profile government officials.

Granted Divine Powers

Most members of the Uprisers are not divine in nature, but the few who devout themselves fully to the ideas of revolution can gain some might powers. Such powers include a protection against charm and controlling magic, increased power and skill against specific groups of people (usually Eleyai), the ability to teleport quickly between urban terrain, such as the back allies of Kirran cities, increased power with one's natural vectors, or the ability to wield bladed scarves as if they were an extension of ones on body. The most powerful abilities include the ability liberate the enchanted in mass, increased number of vectors, or even fusing your bladed scarves with you skin to create pseudo-vectors, and even the ability to return from the dead to continue fighting against the group that led to your demise.

Political Influence & Intrigue

As an outlawed organization, the Uprisers political influence remains in the shadows. Remote villages on the fringe of the empire might secretly give tribute to the Uprisers, either out of fear or companionship. The Star Path, an organization of Halflings seeking freedom from the Empire frequently aids Upriser cells connect to each other. The Dowan Hold resents the Svanti Empire for usurping their rule over the realm, and thus often send the Uprisers weapons to utilize against their mutual foe. The Alkan raiders of the western regions often aid in Uprising attacks, and the White Paw priests also lend aid to those in need of medical care, regardless of faction.

Sects

The Uprisers is composed of many different cells, hidden away from the might of the Svanti Empire, and thus each sect acts independently and with different methods. There are four main categories that each sect broadly falls into: The Far Hands: These Uprisers focus mainly on aiding remote or hidden villages survive away from the grip of the empire. These sects help get the villages supplies and even other displaced people who are looking for places to hide. They often work closely with the liberation group, the Star Path. The Bloody Hands: These sects focus on the offense, attacking imperial supply lines and assassinating key members of the Empire. The Hidden Hands : These sects focus infiltrating imperial areas, gaining information to send to the other factions and learning of imperial plans. These factions have the fewest actual Bekuma members. The Shattering Hands: These sects focus on the liberation of imprisoned people, breaking into prison labor camps, disrupting slaver caravans, and helping villages implant anti-slavery policies.