The Faceless Court
Only from behind the mask can you show them who you really areTairos is home to countless cults who worship everything from demons, to false prophets, and even The Autumn Queen. Most of these groups have brief existences, burning out quickly due to infighting or the abuse of their leaders. So, when word reaches anyone in a position of authority about yet another group of masked strangers its easy to ignore them, wait for the usual cycle to play itself out, and focus on more pressing matters. This is part of the Faceless Court's greatest power, their immunity to ritual, dogma, and bombastic displays of worship. They rarely gather, they never show their faces, nor use each other's name. There are no ancient tomes of blasphemous secrets, nor any blood offerings tithed during grandiose rituals. Instead; there is only the plan. The New Day. Even the name they use for their singular, united purpose, is as innocuous as possible. While ambiguous to all that hear it, among the Faceless Court its meaning is clear. The resurrection of their goddess and the new world order she will bring back with her. The goddess, Stryxis, is a name from before... before the The Queen's Rebuke, before the Plague of Undeath, before the Fang Crusades or even The Empire of Skyrir. It was a name spoken by the old tribes of Tairos, one used by a goddess who was said to spare her followers the agony of death and the pains of scarcity. She was a source for both magic and miracles but also for order. She ended war, silenced strife between neighbors, and where we shadow was cast it heralded with it an unshakable peace. This is what the Faceless Court know of their goddess and what they wish to bring back to the modern world. The Court see themselves as the advisers and officers for the kingdom she will again inherit. They wield her tools in her name - magic and a mastery over death. The dead are empty vessels waiting to be filled with her power, and to become extensions of her will. Thus, the Faceless Court has no hesitation when it comes to using the undead to accomplish their goals. They also know that Stryxis' spirit waits on the other side of the veil, collecting the departed and ushering them on to their final reward. The worthy can be reborn when she returns. The deserving are guided to their eternal rest. And, the wicked are punished. It is for these reasons that the Faceless have little hesitation when it comes to killing the innocent. Afterall, what harm are they truly causing? They're creating a vessel to carry the goddess' power while delivering their soul to her mercy.
Structure
The bottom rung of their organization is make of the Knaves. These are low level servants, often new to the organization. Their title reflects that they have not yet proven themselves worthy and seen as scoundrels, scoundrels who have taken the first step on the righteous path, but scoundrels none the less. There are some variations of this title that are used for Knaves with unique talents. These include titles such as Necromancer (knaves with magical acumen), Rake (Knaves with a talent for subterfuge or assassination) , and Blackguard (knaves with an uncommon talent for martial prowess) .
Once graduated from the role of knave an individual will rise into the ranks that make up the bulk of the organization. These roles include the deacon, tower, knight, and magus. All of which act as the agents of the Faceless Court who actively pursue the culmination of the New Day.
Finally, the leadership of the Court is made up of several very powerful and mysterious individuals who view themselves as the true royal court to their goddess. These are the Bishop, the Oracle, the Marshal, the Madonna, and the Prince. These titles may have multiple holders, such is the case for the Maddona for example which is currently held by the Black Maddona and the Red Madonna. Titles are split when revelation is delivered from the goddess herself to the Prince. The Prince, who acts as the coordinator for all the efforts toward unleashing the New Day across all the Faceless Court, is the ultimate earthly leader of the organization.
Culture
Secretive. The primary culture of the Faceless Cult revolves around concealing one's identity from as many as possible, including their own members. In fact, only the leadership ranks of the Court are privy to the true identities of all involved, and only via the magic masks they all wear. The identity of the Prince is the most obscure; it's unknown if even the other leaders truly know their actual identity.
Faith. All members of the Court believe that Tairos' fate hangs in the balance and that only by enacting the New Day can they pull the continent back from the precipice. Stryxis represents a long lost paradise and the promise of a return to order for a realm steeped in chaos. Every single one of them believes fully in the dream of a better tomorrow and they zealously pursue this no matter the cost.
Public Agenda
The Faceless Court has no public persona. Many of their members may use their public identities to help conceal the activities of the Court however.
Assets
All members of the Faceless Court view their public personas as assets to be used, even burned, to further the realization of the New Day. Family, friends, wealth, and influence are all seen as resources and nothing more, resources tithed in full to the Faceless Court
History
Stryxis' Court is a relatively new organization, having formed only in the last decade. It is believed the current Prince is the only original member and the first to hear the voice of their goddess and receive her power. In that time their activity has mainly centered in and around Ghal Pelor , the previous territory of their dragon deity.
Mythology & Lore
The Faceless Court has full faith in the legends of Stryxis' paradise, where death cannot grasp the living, where diseases and sickness wither before her gaze, and where war has perished entirely. Their beliefs come partially from small surviving fragments from Tairos' tribal age, mainly in the form of stone tablets. These tablets are written in the proto-languages that would one day give rise to The Common Tongue and Melanthrin so reading them is a near-impossible endeavor. Instead, the majority of the mythology and belief is shared through visions from the goddess delivered to her follows, usually via the masks they wear or via the power she invests in the Prince
Divine Origins
In most cases all of their beliefs can be traced back to one of three sources, the masks, the revelations shared by Stryxis herself, or visions passed on through to the Prince. Some see the masked symbology that the Faceless Court and the Fae's Shadow Court share and speculate at a connection. In truth, this is likely just a coincidence. The Shadow Court may wish to see a return to an older order and wear pale masks during their gatherings but unlike the Faceless they are utterly incapable of placing anything over individual power. The masks the Shadow Court wear are traditional pieces that indicate rank and privilege, they do not conceal their identities but celebrate them and the mask is seen as another adornment. To the Faceless, the mask is truly a means of surrender to a larger, shared goal. While they do not share an origin it's also unlikely their goals could ever align.
Cosmological Views
The Faceless Cult acknowledges the existence of other gods and great powers. They even acknowledge that some of these entities may be of greater power than Stryxis herself. However; they believe she is the only one that holds true love for her followers and a desire to share paradise with mortals. The Court also believes that there are tools belonging to these other gods and cosmic entities that they can be recovered and bestowed upon Stryxis to be used toward a better purpose.
Other gods are seen as squatters who briefly occupied Tairos during their goddess' absence. At best, these new gods treated with indifference but in most cases its scorn. They are thieves and looters, pretenders all. The Faceless Cult sees the Silence of the Gods as a miracle, not a tragedy. They think of it as the first sign of the coming of the New Day and the effects of the Rebuke upon spellcasters as punishment for wielding magic without the permission of a true god.
Worship
The Faceless Cult purposely avoids ritual or displays of worship. They see such acts as weak offerings made for petty gods. Acts of worship also serve as a means of outing their existence, something anathema to their beliefs. The only form of worship they value is the furtherance of the New Day
Granted Divine Powers
Stryxis' power seems to be delivered via the acceptance of an oath and the granting of a special mask. The oath serves like a contract of sorts and the mask a means by which power is shared. With that power comes visions and whispers from the goddess as well. It is also how she is able observe her Court and judge their successes or failures
Demonym
Member of the Court
Leader Title
Divines
Location
Notable Members
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