Iconoclasm
The Iconoclast movement was a religious movement that emerged during the 3rd Age but only became prominent later in the 5th Age as the ideas were promoted by several controversial thinkers particuarly the philosopher-general Dechen Tadej.
Iconoclasty would leave to several major conflicts and inquisitions, the death of several Ederic deities and according to the Imperial Tathamite Church the Spellplague itself descending upon the land.
Tenets of Faith
Early iconoclasm took a far less violent approach to the post-Dechen movement.
Early belief emerged in the rejection of traditional faiths arguing that the gods of the Tathamite, Ederic or other religions were no different to the patrons of warlocks like faey, demons or other such powerful creatures. This rejection meant a refusal to support theological endeavours and instead the promotion of individualistic endeavours and the reliance of mer on one another. Iconoclasts often rejected the expansion of the churches into their territories and treated pacts with powerful beings as a means to gain power with suspicion and distrust.
Post-Dechen thinking however was far more aggressive in scope. Acknowledging that the gods were no different to any other powerful being Dechen argued that their willingness to perpetuate a faith that pervades all aspects of society makes the deities manipulative and evil. The case was made that if devil and demon cults were eradicated, pacts with faeries were treated with distrust then an enormous organised religion dedicated to the same type of creatures must be destroyed. Dechen thus argued that as it would be impossible to seperate the Imperial Tathamite Church from the Magaran Empire and the other major churches from their states it was the duty of all Iconoclasts to work towards the murder of the deities as without an object of worship then the institution would crumble. Followers of Dechen thus seek the tools to kill deities and the means to perform the act leading to Iconoclasty being both criminalised by the Aesalian Empire and actively persecuted by the Imperial Tathamite Church.
Worship
Iconoclasts operate in cells as guided by the teachings of Dechen Tadej. These tend to be no larger than twenty people and possess no direct contact with any other cell to preserve the safety of all that follow the belief. Open practice is discouraged due to the hostility of the Imperial Tathamite Church with members instead inducting new members through gentle conversion over long periods of grooming towards the point of view.
Political Influence & Intrigue
During the 5th Age Iconoclast cults existed throughout imperial society with cells operating at every level of the political and economic body of the state. Several purges have managed to greatly reduce this number but those following the tennants continue to operate in secret making it hard to predict their actual influence.
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