Cult of Deat-Kra
"Time to level the scales, time to learn how they do it. The dragons hold the key, so we will force them to give it to us. Move out!!!
Seat of Power: Halls of Immortality, Haramir, Kang-Chorath.
Head of Cult: First Dreamwalker Elvarix Telkanite
Primary Orders: Draconis, Order of Dreamers.
Major Festivals: 24th of Heva, Samhain, Month of Heva, Festival of Rememberance.
Popular Holy Books: Of Scaled and Winged, Wisdom of the Evermore, Hymns of Dreams
Popular Holy Symbols: Dragon, stylized on wing. Dreamer's Eye, Skull breaking.
Seat of Power: Halls of Immortality, Haramir, Kang-Chorath.
Head of Cult: First Dreamwalker Elvarix Telkanite
Primary Orders: Draconis, Order of Dreamers.
Major Festivals: 24th of Heva, Samhain, Month of Heva, Festival of Rememberance.
Popular Holy Books: Of Scaled and Winged, Wisdom of the Evermore, Hymns of Dreams
Popular Holy Symbols: Dragon, stylized on wing. Dreamer's Eye, Skull breaking.
Structure
WORSHIPERS
Deat-Ka is the least well known of the Ascended, but the most storied. As the supposed prophet of the Primordials, it was his dream-walks that guided the Valarian alliance to victory, so the legends say. Some other cults hold ill like for the Cult, seeing them as a cult of death, that has permission to exist. There is.....in a way.. truth to this. Deat-Ka was known to be a student of death and its many causes, a philosophical sort whom enjoyed studying finality. He was also a mystic and claimed that the Primordials communicated with him regularly through dreams and visons. This is in line with the other Ascended, though Deat-Kra seems to have had far more of this sort of interaction than the others, according to the holy legends. It makes sense of course. Scholars generally agree that the Primordials returning and using their awesome power directly would do far more damage than it would to help from the sheer collateral blowback. So instead they communicate through worldly dieties, bringing them into existence as suits their needs, using faith to guide the many and varied peoples to a better future than the one they see, a dark and terrible fate across the stars. Deat-Ka's followers, as Dreamers, know slightly more of this than most. Part of their commitment to the faith is to immortalize themselves via body or deed. But the second part of that states 'If the choice is presented to you by an outside force, then you must always choose deed, for you cannot trust the manipulations and machinations of outside forces with such responsibility. Many on Valerick offer prayers to Deat-Ka on their death beds, or at the death of a loved one. Also worshiped by doktors, surgeons, even apothecaries and herbalists quite often. Military men and women oft have a minor relationship with Deat-Ka, as they seek to avoid death, or at the very least, may it be quick and clean. The largest militant arm of the faith are the Draconis, so named for their study and deep interest in dragons and draconic history. They are smart, fearless, cold and calculating. Masters of opposition, of learning and utilizing vulnerabilities, they fight with a vicious but cold tactical efficiency. Like other such orders, they have an oath of fealty to their homeland, though naturally their church comes first. On the Monastic side, the Order of Dreamers stands as the largest, and they wander, giving those of human origin (regardless if tiefling or not) a Dooming, also known as a Geisa. Other races can receive such a thing, but most don't believe in such things as the humans do, so they dismiss it. So often, if any other race would have one, they would have requested it themselves as adults, or the rarer still, their parents requested it formally and donated to the church to receive it. This power of prophecy does not relate necessarily directly to death. More to a key moment, where a choice will set into motion great or terrible events in their life, and ripples that will effect many others without. Death just happens to be on the table quite often.
Members of this faith wear simple blacks and greys, though the militant branches may have armors of a color more suited to their environment as well. The Dreamer's Eye is always present however, on the front or back of their robes or clothes.
HOLY SITES
The Halls of Immortality in Haramir are obviously their grand cathedral. Small shrines and temples to Deat-Ka can be found across the continent at graveyards or crypts. Most every settlement in Kang-Chorath have a church dedicated to him as well, all maintained and watched over by the various monastic orders.
PENANCES
Making penance to Deat-Ka normally entails destroying some sort of undead, for the falsehood of their 'immortality' offends the deity. It can also entail investigating reports of Draconic activity, or even spiritually trying to guide a restless spirit to rest.
Deat-Ka is the least well known of the Ascended, but the most storied. As the supposed prophet of the Primordials, it was his dream-walks that guided the Valarian alliance to victory, so the legends say. Some other cults hold ill like for the Cult, seeing them as a cult of death, that has permission to exist. There is.....in a way.. truth to this. Deat-Ka was known to be a student of death and its many causes, a philosophical sort whom enjoyed studying finality. He was also a mystic and claimed that the Primordials communicated with him regularly through dreams and visons. This is in line with the other Ascended, though Deat-Kra seems to have had far more of this sort of interaction than the others, according to the holy legends. It makes sense of course. Scholars generally agree that the Primordials returning and using their awesome power directly would do far more damage than it would to help from the sheer collateral blowback. So instead they communicate through worldly dieties, bringing them into existence as suits their needs, using faith to guide the many and varied peoples to a better future than the one they see, a dark and terrible fate across the stars. Deat-Ka's followers, as Dreamers, know slightly more of this than most. Part of their commitment to the faith is to immortalize themselves via body or deed. But the second part of that states 'If the choice is presented to you by an outside force, then you must always choose deed, for you cannot trust the manipulations and machinations of outside forces with such responsibility. Many on Valerick offer prayers to Deat-Ka on their death beds, or at the death of a loved one. Also worshiped by doktors, surgeons, even apothecaries and herbalists quite often. Military men and women oft have a minor relationship with Deat-Ka, as they seek to avoid death, or at the very least, may it be quick and clean. The largest militant arm of the faith are the Draconis, so named for their study and deep interest in dragons and draconic history. They are smart, fearless, cold and calculating. Masters of opposition, of learning and utilizing vulnerabilities, they fight with a vicious but cold tactical efficiency. Like other such orders, they have an oath of fealty to their homeland, though naturally their church comes first. On the Monastic side, the Order of Dreamers stands as the largest, and they wander, giving those of human origin (regardless if tiefling or not) a Dooming, also known as a Geisa. Other races can receive such a thing, but most don't believe in such things as the humans do, so they dismiss it. So often, if any other race would have one, they would have requested it themselves as adults, or the rarer still, their parents requested it formally and donated to the church to receive it. This power of prophecy does not relate necessarily directly to death. More to a key moment, where a choice will set into motion great or terrible events in their life, and ripples that will effect many others without. Death just happens to be on the table quite often.
Members of this faith wear simple blacks and greys, though the militant branches may have armors of a color more suited to their environment as well. The Dreamer's Eye is always present however, on the front or back of their robes or clothes.
HOLY SITES
The Halls of Immortality in Haramir are obviously their grand cathedral. Small shrines and temples to Deat-Ka can be found across the continent at graveyards or crypts. Most every settlement in Kang-Chorath have a church dedicated to him as well, all maintained and watched over by the various monastic orders.
PENANCES
Making penance to Deat-Ka normally entails destroying some sort of undead, for the falsehood of their 'immortality' offends the deity. It can also entail investigating reports of Draconic activity, or even spiritually trying to guide a restless spirit to rest.
Mythology & Lore
The forging of the world, by the Elemental Children. And the Draconic Wars.
Divine Origins
This faith, as with all the worship of the Ascended, comes from the Draconic Wars, the nine heroes whom united and pulled the seven races together to stand against the Dragons, both sides. By sheer numbers, eventually the dragons fell. But the cost. We know not much of the time. But we do know that none of the nine legends survived the war. Nor did any of dragonkind. Our nine champions ascended into godhood. They were welcomed home by Mother and Father and the seven Children of Creation, the first of each race, the Elemental Children
After the Draconic wars came an age of happiness and enlightenment. Our heroes became gods. So we worshiped, we sang, we prayed. But though it was a boon of an era, a time of great discovery and invention and regrowth.....darkness was to return. Some discovered things that should have been left lost. The darkness and temptation of the Abyss. The Black Mists. Daemons, the worst embodiment of our own desires, talents, dreams, twisted into nightmares, dark twisting abilities and our desires turned to horrifying dark obsessions. The eldest of the beings of creation, the things the Mother of Creation and the Father of Time, blessed unto them, locked away when they birthed the first of each race, the elemental beings, our ancestors. But some discovered lost knowledge and magical rituals....and cults began to form until things reached a boiling point. That is when the Sundering occurred. That is when the Twisted Forms, the Ruinous Powers, The Daemon Lords, once again began storming the gap between our plane and the Abyss. And they've closed the distance. We are entering a new age, an age where faith and strength are our only hope. Chaos, the Abyss has returned to Valerick. We pushed back and recovered, indeed we continue to attempt to advance.....but they will not stop. The Black Mists will not stop. And we must stand fast.
Cosmological Views
As with all followers of the Ascended, they believe that Mother of Creation and Father of Time gave birth to seven children, the Elemental Creators, the first of what would eventually become Valerick's seven 'civilized' races, though none know what the Tieflings used to be before the Abyssal taint crippled and twisted the very fabric of their race. But it is believed the world was forged by these seven. They used their own energy and elemental power to forge a companion being. Their other half. And so our species began, each of our species.....However, the twisting began at that moment. long forgotten powers, ancient, thought dead beings of chaos and blood and slaughter, they followed the trail of energy, and at the moment of forging, insured they tainted the world, and these partners the Children of Creation built for themselves. These tainted mirrors slowly lost control to long forgotten beings, monsters, nightmares. And they twisted and twisted, and brought that infection with them. It manifested in goblins, kobolds, giantkin, mind flayers, all manner of other monster and beast.
But this is our world, and we are here. We cannot falter, for where can we turn. So we will stand strong against the madness. We will not falter. We will take our world back. We will stand against the darkness, the insanity, the madness, the sin, the excess. So stand strong!!! Take heart!!! Our ancestors care for us and shield us from on high!!!
But this is our world, and we are here. We cannot falter, for where can we turn. So we will stand strong against the madness. We will not falter. We will take our world back. We will stand against the darkness, the insanity, the madness, the sin, the excess. So stand strong!!! Take heart!!! Our ancestors care for us and shield us from on high!!!
Tenets of Faith
Body or Deed?
1. We seek immortality, like the dragons of old. We seek to bring this gift to the Races of Creation, and keep it out of the hands of the Twisted beings.
2. If all else fails, and you are close to the end, you must immortalize yourself. If you cannot by body, you must by deed.
1. We seek immortality, like the dragons of old. We seek to bring this gift to the Races of Creation, and keep it out of the hands of the Twisted beings.
2. If all else fails, and you are close to the end, you must immortalize yourself. If you cannot by body, you must by deed.
Ethics
Beyond all else, it is the sworn duty of a priest of Deat-Kra, to pursue with zeal and vigor any rumors or chance of interacting or discovering any lost Draconic writings or artifacts.
Worship
The worship cycle begins with imbuing in the Wine of Dreams, a substance whose recipe is only known to those of the cloth. This is a beverage consumed once a day, at night right before sleep. This allows Deat-Kra's Dreamers to flow through the priest, providing spiritual guidance, revitalization and rest. In the morning, the priest must spend an hour in silent contemplation of these images, dreams they experienced the night before, seek the lessons, the ideals, the knowledge that was being offered. Besides that always remember the simple rule and question. Body or Deed?:
1. We seek immortality, like the dragons of old. We seek to bring this gift to the Races of Creation, and keep it out of the hands of the hands of the Twisted beings.
2. If all else fails, and you are close to the end, you must immortalize yourself. If you cannot by body, you must by deed.
1. We seek immortality, like the dragons of old. We seek to bring this gift to the Races of Creation, and keep it out of the hands of the hands of the Twisted beings.
2. If all else fails, and you are close to the end, you must immortalize yourself. If you cannot by body, you must by deed.
Priesthood
These priests hold an almost unhealthy fascination with the seeming immortality that dragonkind held before their utter and complete slaughter during the Draconic Wars. An inability to die of natural causes. A body that cannot be ravaged by time. As far as the priests of this order are concerned, that is a weapon that could be of great use against the beasts, monsters and daemons of the Black Mists, of the Abyss.
Priests of this order generally wear garish hide robes, bone and dried scale decorations, and wield light blades and axes, their holy symbol oft attached to their weapon cord.
Granted Divine Powers
Blessings are minor manifestations of divine will, not even discernible from good fortune without the Holy Visions talent. If you are a priest following this lore you gain full access to all six of his blessings listed below.
Blessing of the Fallen
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1 (Special rule, must be recently dead)
Duration: Instant
You gain intimate knowledge of what happened to your target in the last few moments of its life, knowledge as if you were watching the event from directly above it all. (Bear witness to the last Fellowship seconds of your target's life)
Blessing of Disease
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Your target can lower duration by 1 day of one disease they are afflicted with. This prayer may only be attempted once per instance of disease per person
Blessing of Dreams
Range: Self
Target: Self
Duration: Instant
You enter into a dream state, briefly. You gain a dream-answer to one question. But the answer is naturally a tangled mess, and you will need to try and untangle it. The Dream state lasts for minutes equal to your Fellowship Bonus
Blessing of Evil
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You can immediately sense if your target has dark, twisted, evil intentions, though you know not the specifics.
Blessing of Fear
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
You begin to pray in tongues, referencing the darker sides of Deat-Kra's heritage as a Tiefling. You do so willing the whispers to make it to the ears of your target. They gain the the Broken 1 condition
Blessing of Shadow
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
The shadows seem to wish to aid your target. They gain +10% to Stealth tests.
Along with the basic blessings, each deity offers true divine powers to their faithful. These are called miracles by most, and that term is actually fairly accurate. These powers require a Pray skill test to manifest.
Miracles of Deat-Kra
Instead of having separate spells, Deat-Kra is one with the Wylde. He gives his children the miracle of Geomancy. You gain the most fitting Geomancy package, but treat all spells as miracles. The casting number becomes number of successes needed, but instead of channelling, you just pray and bank those successes. The geomancy package is usually picked by where one has lived most of their life. Special Rule: Will of the Gods. This is the opposite of Wrath of the Gods. If on your Pray roll or other cast check, roll 01-05% you not only get the obvious massive degrees of success, but your god smiles their favor upon you. In Deat-Kra's case, as with them all, this manifests in one of two ways.
Whispers of the Dreamer: Your power functions as you rolled it. Then your head spins, as the whispers of the Dreamers engulf you. You gain honest and reasonably full answers to a number of questions equal to your WPB.
We Refuse Death!!: Your power functions as you rolled it. As it begins to manifest, you and your allies feel a bolstering of energy unlike you've ever felt, crackling, alive, energetic. You all heal for a number of wounds equal to your WPB, and you gain +10 to any and all Toughness tests you have to make for rounds equal to your WPB
If this event comes to pass however, you are magically shredded temporarily from being a conduit of direct magical influence and energy of your deity. You are at -10 to your next attempt to manifest a Miracle.
Blessing of the Fallen
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1 (Special rule, must be recently dead)
Duration: Instant
You gain intimate knowledge of what happened to your target in the last few moments of its life, knowledge as if you were watching the event from directly above it all. (Bear witness to the last Fellowship seconds of your target's life)
Blessing of Disease
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
Your target can lower duration by 1 day of one disease they are afflicted with. This prayer may only be attempted once per instance of disease per person
Blessing of Dreams
Range: Self
Target: Self
Duration: Instant
You enter into a dream state, briefly. You gain a dream-answer to one question. But the answer is naturally a tangled mess, and you will need to try and untangle it. The Dream state lasts for minutes equal to your Fellowship Bonus
Blessing of Evil
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1
Duration: Instant
You can immediately sense if your target has dark, twisted, evil intentions, though you know not the specifics.
Blessing of Fear
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
You begin to pray in tongues, referencing the darker sides of Deat-Kra's heritage as a Tiefling. You do so willing the whispers to make it to the ears of your target. They gain the the Broken 1 condition
Blessing of Shadow
Range: 6 meters
Target: 1
Duration: 6 rounds
The shadows seem to wish to aid your target. They gain +10% to Stealth tests.
Along with the basic blessings, each deity offers true divine powers to their faithful. These are called miracles by most, and that term is actually fairly accurate. These powers require a Pray skill test to manifest.
Miracles of Deat-Kra
Instead of having separate spells, Deat-Kra is one with the Wylde. He gives his children the miracle of Geomancy. You gain the most fitting Geomancy package, but treat all spells as miracles. The casting number becomes number of successes needed, but instead of channelling, you just pray and bank those successes. The geomancy package is usually picked by where one has lived most of their life. Special Rule: Will of the Gods. This is the opposite of Wrath of the Gods. If on your Pray roll or other cast check, roll 01-05% you not only get the obvious massive degrees of success, but your god smiles their favor upon you. In Deat-Kra's case, as with them all, this manifests in one of two ways.
Whispers of the Dreamer: Your power functions as you rolled it. Then your head spins, as the whispers of the Dreamers engulf you. You gain honest and reasonably full answers to a number of questions equal to your WPB.
We Refuse Death!!: Your power functions as you rolled it. As it begins to manifest, you and your allies feel a bolstering of energy unlike you've ever felt, crackling, alive, energetic. You all heal for a number of wounds equal to your WPB, and you gain +10 to any and all Toughness tests you have to make for rounds equal to your WPB
If this event comes to pass however, you are magically shredded temporarily from being a conduit of direct magical influence and energy of your deity. You are at -10 to your next attempt to manifest a Miracle.
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