Far Star Cult

 
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The Far Star Cult, also known as the Far Star Temple, is dedicated to the care of advanced cases of oortic poisoning. By inviting and allowing the sufferers to worship the Oort Cloud, they are able to supervise and support them through a troubled life. These individuals are often amnesiac, terrorized by nightmares both when awake and asleep, and driven by a desire to collect what makes them sick.

Cultist Caretaking

At the Far Star Temple, the sufferers are able to participate in rituals and rites that help them to connect with eachother and process their visions, and they are encouraged to join in group therapy. The cultists cook their own meals and help to maintain their own temples, shrines and accommodation.   The Far Star Cult encourages the cultists to develop hobbies like crafts or amateur astronomy, and sells the products to help fund the cult. Beaded jewelry and beautifully illuminated celestial handbooks are only some of the products made and sold by the Far Star Temple. More dangerous self-expression like oortic iconography and religious creeds are enabled but not distributed.

Illustration of an Oortite Crystal. It is sharp and black, with vivid colours where the light hits.

Oortite Crystal by Annie Stein

Cultists in the Far Star Cult are kept far away from Oortite and other oortic materials.

Volunteer Priests

Most of the priesthood of the Far Star Cult are volunteer workers who help to guide and supervise the cultists. A handful of cultists have also been allowed to join the priesthood by showing a devotion to the wellbeing of their fellow cultists. Each volunteer priest has monthly consultations with their doctor to monitor for signs of oortic poisoning.

Related Articles

Outer Space
Locations Asteroid Belt ( The Collision Course ) · Oort Cloud
Species Deep Space Leviathan · Orbitross · Astroplankton
Materials Astrallite · Oortite
Technology Crystal Technology · Super Wide Access Network · Spacecraft ( Dragonfly Carrier )
Society Traditions ( Dumplings in Space ) · Organizations ( Sentinel ) · Conditions ( Deep Space Syndrome · Oortic Poisoning )
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Comments

Author's Notes

This idea fell into my lap as I was writing about Oortic Poisoning. After joking about it a bit with friends, I decided it deserved its own article. It might be a bit silly, but I do think it is worth thinking about how we can care for people who are ill in ways we might find disturbing.


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Jul 29, 2024 14:54

Quite a sweet place. As odd as it sounds.

Jul 29, 2024 15:12 by Annie Stein

Thank you, they're making the best of things.

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Jul 29, 2024 22:59 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

I love this so much. It makes me think a little of leper colonies, in a way, but with much more help and support. I love that they encourage arts and crafts. :)

Jul 30, 2024 08:22 by Annie Stein

That's a pretty good parallel to draw! Thank you!

Creator of Solaris -— Come Explore!
Aug 1, 2024 21:39 by Aster Blackwell

I have been doing research on early asylums in the 1800s and this reminds me a lot of how some of them functioned. They were their own little communities and sold things that were farmed and crafted by the patients. While old asylums are often depicted as hellish places, they weren't all like that! Some of these setups were actually quite good for the patients. It allowed them to be part of society while still being sheltered from the things that triggered them. This also reminds me of "dementia villages", where those suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia live in a sort of mini town, where they can retain their autonomy and have a social life, but are safe from the dangers they could get themselves into. All in all, I really love this article and I don't think it's silly at all! Actually, it's quite realistic ;D

Aug 12, 2024 15:19 by Annie Stein

Yeah, care facilities really run the gamut, from places that absolutely deserve the poor reputation Asylums have today, to caring and loving communities. Sometimes a place that was very good for one person could be terrible for someone else.   This article is a bit silly with the eldritch arts and crafts we've got implied, but I'm very serious about what is at the heart of this: that even cultists deserve to be cared for.

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Aug 19, 2024 21:52 by Rin Garnett

Sometimes the best way to help someone is to let them engage in unhealthy habits in safer ways.

Aug 20, 2024 07:38 by Annie Stein

Yeah, harm reduction can do a lot of good.

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