Hilathu's Cult
Culture
Hilathu's cult is a zealous religious group surrounding the worship of Hilathu, the Fallen God of Serpents. They worship him, though killed by Shia for his crimes against his own cult and others, as the true god of serpents and the one who will bring justice among the gods by killing all who opposed him and his 'rightful' rule. The cult views all other gods as false prophets and their worshippers faith in them as personal attacks against them, rather than a disagreement of values and culture.
The vast majority of Hilathu's cult are raised from birth within it, largely in secret, without knowing much about the outside world or truths of the rest of the pantheon. They are indoctrinated at a young age into the belief that the cult is shunned not for their dangerous beliefs and practices of unwilling sacrifice, but that they in particular are shunned and discriminated against. Many of those raised within the cult become zealots themselves, adopting the same hatred and scorn they are raised with. Members often have little experience with the rest of the world, having been sealed off from other cultures, beliefs, and technology, holding both fear and hatred for unfamiliar concepts. The belief of having freedom of choice in their individual lives is often seen as a road to pure chaos and abuse- that if people are allowed to be as they are, they will become 'degenerates who will be rife with hate and abuse to their communities, free to kill, rape, and slander their own people'.
Those who have fled the cult are shunned by it once they have left and very commonly declared to be enemies who have been 'brainwashed' by the other gods, Shia in particular. A popular belief spread is that those who have grown to shun the cult are themselves not alive and in a similar state to Hilathu- Killed by Shia and mind controlled into doing shi's bidding and must be exterminated at all costs.
Demography and Population
The cult is almost exclusively made up of Naga, other races being heavily shunned and interracial marriages seen as corrupting their bloodlines. Mermidae, especially those who look more like naga, are slightly more accepted by the cult however but still face harsh ridicule and shunning by its members.
Technological Level
Due to the poor education of its members, the cult almost exclusively relies on technology from other groups that they will then take for themselves and claim they created it or was gifted from Hilathu himself. Almost all of their vehicles and machines are many decades out of date and in various states of disrepair. Medicine in particular is often neglected, as most members of the cult are barred from practicing medicine due to their poor education and falsehoods they believe about how the body works, resulting in a high death and injury rate to its own members when treated internally.
Foreign Relations
Due to their belief system, the cult is heavily shunned even by those with the same enemies as them and seen as dangerous by all. Many areas completely bar members of the cult from operating in their regions, shopping, or seeking aid in any form. Trade is almost completely prohibited to the cult.
Despite this, escapees from the cult are welcomed and encouraged to flee to neighboring areas where the cult is active, with promises of better life. The Republic of Shanai in particular is noted to welcome fire mana escapees with open arms, providing housing, food, and funds for those who have made it out to start their lives anew. Shia's Cult, although they still put heavy consequences on the past crimes of cult members, also seek to filter as many people out of the cult as possible.
Agriculture & Industry
Among the cult, snakes are reared and bred in large numbers for sacrifice, attacks on the public, and as religious symbols of the cult. Their bones are commonly used as currency among higher status members of the cult or to adorn their clothing and religious items. Cobras, kingsnakes, and constrictors in particular are bred explicitly for sacrifice with little regard for their health or well being, while vipers are revered, often obese from over feeding to make them grow as large as possible. In some areas, these snakes are sold into the pet industry.
Education
Education among the cult has been at a standstill for centuries, with all information heavily controlled by Hilathu's priests. Members of core sects of the cult rarely have an education that expands past the average high school education. The subject of history is especially twisted, teaching almost exclusively of Hilathu's fall from the pantheon and his death from their perspective, all other subject matter ignored. Accomplishments of other gods and public figures are frequently and falsely attributed to Hilathu or his priests, and as information that enters the cult is often shunned and not allowed, cannot be corrected. Other subjects are also neglected heavily and often incredibly outdated, due to the group's shunning of current information. Sciences and literature in particular are heavily neglected.
Ethics
The ethics of the cult are one of the primary factors contributing to their shunning and exile from the rest of the world. The cult openly allows for sacrifice in Hilathu's name of all people- their enemies, their members, children, and the unwilling. Any action as long as it is done in the name of the cult or their god is permitted unless it goes explicitly against the orders of one of their high priests. Due to the incredibly loose power structure, what is or is not allowed is often a hypocrisy.
The abuse of one's partners and children for not being dedicated 'enough' to Hilathu is also the norm. Physical abuse, restriction of food and water, forced dress codes, and assigned marriages to known abusers are extremely common within the cult as punishments meant to 'correct' bad behavior. It is currently unknown how many have been killed by these practices, as deaths are often attributed to be Hilathu's will.
Animal sacrifice is also extremely common with most animal sacrifices being that of snakes offered to Hilathu. Non-venomous snakes are seen as 'mistakes' that must be purged from the world and very often killed en mass by cultists. Many of these sacrifices are not done quickly, painlessly, or without cruelty with the majority being beheaded or skinned to reel in pain as a symbolic interpretation of Hilathu's pain in undeath.
Regard for the lives of those outside the cult is at a minimum among the cult's most dedicated members. Spreading harm to other cults and their followers is seen as not just a good action but necessary, with the more harmed the better. An act of 'coming of age' within the cult is to release venomous snakes, often pit vipers, into public areas in the hopes of people being bitten and envenomated by the serpents.
Sects
The Burman Family is a prominent sect of the cult in India and the Pacific regions, focusing much of their propaganda on the crimes of Shia. This sect is particularly violent, often claiming disasters, terrorist attacks, and crimes were committed by them or their allies. Akin to a mafia of their own, the sect is rife with crime and promoting any action against the cults of other gods and ordinary folk not associated with them.
The Lugal sect in Iraq operates very similarly to the Burman Family with similar ideals, instead focusing on religious propaganda to others. An oddity among Hilathu's main cult, the Lugals are often much more highly educated and allowed much more freedom in interacting with society as a method of converting others. The Lugals also make use of poor relations between many Mermidae pantheons and other land dwelling gods' cults, turning them against Shia and Mora through religious conversion.
Type
Religious, Cult
Alternative Names
Cult of the Fallen Serpent, Cult of Hilathu
Successor Organization
Leader
Currency
Hilathu's cult will use any currency, though within their own compounds, the bones of snakes are often used as high value currency above all others, especially those of snakes that have been sacrificed in Hilathu's name.
Official State Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Permeated Organizations
Deities
Divines
Location
Official Languages
Notable Members
Related Species
Uneasy
Due to Soliairs' cult revering runaways and refugees and placing them into their protection, they have a sour relationship with Hilathu's cult who often create such situations for people.
Enemies
Due to Hilathu's attempt to sacrifice all of the followers of all other snake gods in order to gain power, the fallen god earned the ire of Mora, The God of Life, and so too did his dedicated followers for continuing to worship the god.
Enemies
Hilathu attempting to have all followers of snake gods sacrificed led to the god being killed and raised into undeath by Shia, the God of Death, being seen by Hilathu's surviving cult as an aggressive and unwarranted move by the god of death. The cult considers themselves enemies to the cult of death for their god being forced into service of Shia.
Enemies
The knights also frequently clash with worshippers of disgraced gods as continuing to worship such a god is often punishable by death by the word of Mora and Shia unless one repents. The Hilathu Cult is probably one of the Dogged Knightâs biggest enemies but the Knights are more preoccupied with fighting and warding off dragons. However, whenever the Cult of Dogs or Morien come across one or more members of the Hilathu Cult fighting often follows. They also offer a safe haven for those who leave the cult.
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