The Far-off Children

My Lord,

I fear I must advise that for the time being, the trading conglomerate known as Emerald Oil must temporarily cease transport of their goods along the Olthamite/Dorozi border, owing to a significant increase in hostile activity in the elevated swamps north of Kashda. The last train we sent through arrived at its destination, with all of its safes broken, your cargo missing, and one in ten of its passengers unaccounted for. Through interviews with the survivors of the attack, we have gleaned little detail regarding the guilty party, but one detail remained consistent between every account. Dark silhouettes in the treeline - at least fifty strong - with a group of twenty descending to meet your guards.

Your soldiers put up no resistance, and allowed these brigands to take what they wished - including the passengers they had sworn to protect. Men and women were dragged kicking and screaming from their families, and to this day, have not been seen again.

With your permission, my lord, I shall render out contract terminations to all guards from this venture, and ensure for them the minimum possible severance packages. A few signatures on certain documents are all I ask of you, sir. With this at my disposal, I assure you - these men and women will never bear arms again.

— A letter to an Olthamite businessman, dated 9th of August, 734 N.D.

Structure

by Justin Sweet

While the followers of Yóhm-Nasuul exist in various pockets, with little to no communication from group to group, each sect of the faith has a similar, simplistic structure to its kin. Each group worshipping this deity is typically led by a single, unelected individual, chosen by Yóhm-Nasuul and blessed with his magic. Naturally, such a person does not have a difficult time establishing themselves as the leader of their respective band, and such folk tend to draw their fellow worshippers through word of mouth, until they become a force to be reckoned with. Sometimes - but not always - the leader of this group might decide to name a Right Hand to lead their group in their absence, and perhaps even establish a hierarchy beyond this. However, no matter the form their group's structure takes, the totalitarian nature of these sects remains the same.

Public Agenda

The followers of Yóhm-Nasuul aim to find a way to their Lord’s Hollow City. The world above water is a cruel, uncaring patch of land; many followers of the Lone King have no love for their lives. The promise of a home away from complicated politics, laws and restrictions is a strong motivator. This kind of idyllic image is what motivates Nasuulians through hardship and social exclusion.

The cult of Yóhm-Nasuul believes that only one group shall be allowed entry to their Lord's side at a time. As such, eliminating other groups worshipping the same old one is normally rather high on the agenda. Different groups, under different leaderships will often work to undermine and eliminate one another for a chance at salvation.

Assets

Assets for cults of Yóhm-Nasuul vary heavily from group to group, but most commonly, anything the cult possesses beyond weapons and armour has been stolen from one less capable of defending it. For example, the denizens of Fort Resolution along the Olthamite/Dorozi border make most of their living through the robbery of trains and commercial stagecoaches, taking magical items, food, money, and - more recently - people.

History

by unknown

Yóhm-Nasuul was a reclusive God, wholly uninterested in matters of the land above water. He ruled his Coral city, worshipped and protected by his people, he was the light of the deep sea. Yóhm-Nasuul found himself dragged forcibly into matters of the world above when shards of the Moon fell from the sky, rendering his paradise into ruin within a matter of seconds. An entire people, his children, wiped from existence.The Light, became the Lone God of the sunless sea. Some more versed in the occult believe Yóhm-Nasuul was rendered mad by the loneliness and the darkness surrounding his domain. These same people believe the long, high pitched wails heard out in the sunless sea come from Yóhm-Nasuul himself, mourning his children.

It is unclear when Yóhm-Nasuul first reached out to the people of Aren. For a long time, records of people claiming to have communed with the "Lord of the Lighthouse" as he was initially called, were dismissed as ravings of mad men and women. It was largely assumed that this shared delusion was a result of the toxic environment in which the Arenians lived. These stories gained credibility once witches and oracles signatures eerily similar to the energy of the sunless sea began making themselves known, some even amassing small followings. Despite a substantial amount of evidence to support the existence of something in the sunless sea, there are plenty who dismiss Yóhm-Nasuul as a fairy-tale to rebel young Arenian's against authority.

Divine Origins

Yóhm-Nasuul was originally worshipped by a people who no longer exist; presumably wiped out during the cataclysm. He was worshipped as God-King and protector of the Coral city, located in the depths of the Sunless sea. His people saw him as the literal and metaphorical light of the waters, before they were eradicated. With his people gone and nobody to venerate him, Yóhm-Nasuul has extended his blessings to the land dwelling creatures of Varen, promising them wealth and happiness, should they abandon the harsh land and join him in the depths.

Cosmological Views

by Anastasia Bulgakova

To the followers of Yóhm-Nasuul, his city is the centre of not just the world, but the entire universe - the glorious maelstrom that will swallow all that come close, and render them unto paradise. The more zealous fundamentalists of the faith tend to believe that Varen is but a purgatory - a transitionary state between the glory of Yóhm-Nasuul's reign and the return to his abandoned city. In time, his followers will make their Great Journey, and bask in his light once more.

Tenets of Faith

The Lone King does not expect his followers to adhere to any set of rules or words of wisdom. His only apparent ruling is that only the strongest shall be permitted entry into the Coral city. The followers of Yóhm-Nasuul take this one tenet to heart however, and are known to go through many a taxing process to increase their might. Enchantments and potions are often combined with regular sparring or battling of dangerous beasts. Anything to prove worthy of the Lord's home. Potential members of the cult are often pitted against existing members in one to one combat, where the winner consumes the body of the looser, believing it to transfer the physical strength of their opponent onto them.

Priesthood

Because the cult of Yóhm-Nasuul is one of if not the least organised cult on Varen, there are very few members of priesthood to speak of. Each individual group will have their own leader. Unlike in other cults, this leader does not necessarily have to be the one most connected to the Lonely God. Leaders of these groups are usually the most powerful member of the flock. If one group wishes to "absorb" another, or an individual wishes to take over leadership, they must defeat the current leader in one on one combat.

The people leading these cults are named the Chosen of Yóhm-Nasuul. They can be distinguished from the rest of their group by decorative fins, sea shells and wytch stones on their garments, or incorporated into their hair. The mot distinguishing sign of a Chosen however is an artefact. Each of these people have been blessed with a powerful item of Yóhm-Nasuul. The items are always different, but always exude the same kind of oily, thick arcane energy.

Granted Divine Powers

by Aaron Nakahara

The gifts of Yóhm-Nasuul focus largely on preparing his flock for entering the Coral City. Chosen of the Lone King have exhibited various levels of hydrokinesis, ranging from conjuring gallons of liquid, calming storms on the high sea and even a single report of a man parting a lake for himself and his flock to pass through. These chosen often are gifted with the ability to breathe under water, and some (depending on individual power) have been said to take on traits of sea creatures.

Political Influence & Intrigue

Yóhm-Nasuul has no interest in the politics of Varen. It is a game of no relevance to him, and as such he expects his followers to also remove themselves from such trivial matters. All ties to the current space they occupy must be severed. The only politics (and this word is used very loosely) are those of the cult and its strength.

Sects

The entirety of Yóhm-Nasuul's faith - removed from the occasional worship of the Arenian civilian population - is comprised of thirteen different factions; one for each of his blessed Chosen. All have their own unique traits, but all are united beneath a mutual cause - to gather as many of the faithful as possible, and embark upon their Great Journey into the Sunless Sea.

"Salvation Lies Below"

Type

Religious, Cult

Alternative Names

The Dark Vigil

Demonym

Nasuulian

Deities

• Yóhm-Nasuul, the God of the Lighthouse

Divines

• Yóhm-Nasuul, the God of the Lighthouse