Tirta Baya (tɪr.t̪a ba.ja)
If it is true that the gods are born from our beliefs, then it is necessary for us to believe in better gods. - Bagus Jayanagara, founder of Tirta Baya
Among the Persatuan Phaṇin in the Kanluranan, there is a faction calling itself the "Tirta Baya". In the Bahasa language, this translates roughly to "Purifiers of the Sacred". While all the Karajans of the Persatuan Phaṇin are unified in their opposition to Rangdayan and her creations, the Tirta Baya have a broader and wider vision in mind. They aim to do nothing less than purge the ranks of the gods, removing all of those who they deem evil. While they are currently focused on Rangdayan, they have begun to spread their ideas into the Tagápulo Empire and intend to begin operations against other unfit deities in the near future.
Operational Methods
The Tirta Baya believe that it is their duty to prevent evil gods from exerting power over mortals, and have begun to study how to achieve this mission. These methods are primarily the work of Bagus Jayanagara, the scholar and philosopher who founded the group. Jayanagara has spent decades studying the nature of gods with the goal of destroying Rangdayan, and believes they have found several possible avenues of attack.
Gods are born of the Egregoric Force, and are far more subject to its influence than mortal beings. To kill a god, they must no longer be sustained or supported by this force. Alternatively, it may be possible in some cases to use the power of belief to rehabilitate an evil god, by altering their public image so that they are no longer wicked. In all cases, the battlefield is in the minds and dreams of mortals, and this is where the Tirta Baya intend to fight.
In their current campaign against Rangdayan, their strategy is divided between a few methods. An important first step is to limit knowledge of Rangdayan spreading from beyond the Persatuan Phaṇin, to prevent more minds from becoming a part of her belief base. Even those minds not actively engaged in worshipping a deity can help sustain them, and controlling the flow of information is a key part of undermining a god.
A second step is to limit the ability of the god to exert their power. For centuries, Rangdayan has been able to keep the military forces of the Persatuan Phaṇin at bay by deploying monsters of her creation against them. These creatures create fear and despair, and make sure that the Phaṇin population is always thinking of the goddess, which aids in sustaining her. However, there are multiple examples in history of magicians binding the powers of the gods, including the Clarati in Ynys, and the Malika of Saba in the Sabaen Archipelago. Identifying and implementing these magical constraints is a core mission of the Tirta Baya.
If they can bind the powers of Rangdayan, the next step is a military one. The worship of the evil deity must be eliminated, and the core believers compelled or prevented from supporting the god. This will usually mean extermination of all members of the worshipping population. In the words of Bagus Jayanagara, this is "unfortunate".
The final step is again one of information, this time of a longer term nature. The memory of the evil god must be removed from the world. Texts that mention them should be edited, and stories that feature them are to be purged. Finally, even the records of the Tirta Baya must be expunged so that nothing bearing their name remains. Only when they are completely forgotten can mortals be safe. All of them.
Structure
The Tirta Baya is still small, and their structure is relatively flat. At the top of the organization is the Lurah Adhi, who has absolute power over the followers of Tirta Baya. Wira Suryanata is the current and first Lurah Adhi, and was chosen for the role by Bagus Jayanagara, the philosopher whose ideas form the core of the Tirta Baya. Bagus Jayanagara serves in an advisory role to the Lurah Adhi, but has no formal title within the hierarchy.
The members of the Tirta Baya are organized into small cells of three to five members. When Bagus Jayanagara and Wira Suryanata began to recruit for the Tirta Baya, they were concerned that they would be infiltrated by the agents of their enemies, and took steps to attempt and limit the impact an intruder could have. The different cells do not have contact with each other outside of missions selected by the Lurah Adhi, and even then they take measures to obscure their identities from each other.
This is amazing. I've found this article both inspiring and terrifying in equal measure.
Thanks! It’s always great to inspire (and terrify)!