Hyperion Cult
The Hyperion Cults were a series of theological circles that rose and fell across more or less the entire history of the New Rozsan Empire on First Age Materia. Shunned and often persecuted for their beliefs, these were circles of people who wished to worship "true gods", which they called Hyperions (a Rozsan contraction of "Those Even Above"), as opposed to the undead godlords that ruled New Rozsan society. This would have included the Overbeings, Duskscape Regents, Insurgent Gods and a variety of primordial beings now lost to history.
Intriguingly, there's scant evidence the ruling Lichlords found the Hyperion Cults very threatening, and wars/genocides against these fringe groups were rare. There appeared to be a considerable freedom of the press in Rozsan society, and if so, it seems to be the case that worship of "celestial gods" was genuinely considered primitive and boorish by most New Rozsan civilians, and as a result the the true power behind the empire may not have felt forced to intervene. That said, when the Lichlords did decide to quell a movement, they did so without mercy or ceremony. This paints the picture that the ruling Temporal Vanguard didn't particularly care whether people worshipped other gods or not, they just didn't want to be seen as weak or inactive.Hyperion Churches
The following are only the Hyperion Cults known to Third Age historians; there were likely more.
Tallari-Anaviri-Irallat
Tales would reach New Rozsa of a sort of "God-Ambassador" of the Tiam-Anzu in faraway Alanthan'aravaut, whose labyrinthine intellect single-handedly turned the tables against Elir-Otrinax and ended the Dragon Wars. The New Rozsans were filled with wonderment at the idea of a different sort of god, even if most were still loyal to the ruling Temporal Vanguard. This god-anzu, Tallari, spiked in fame as the famed philosopher and poet Shennuvriex Shauku (profile image) became a member of their cult, Hyperion Tallarax.Morrigan & Merlinkainen
The Rozsans had a great cultural appreciation for the Ars Arcana (unsurprising in a Magocracy), and as such most deities who assert the Domain of Magic were well-liked. This was especially true for Morrigan: the interplanar diaspora was the result of persecution on their native plane, for the practice of (among other things) Demonology, Blood Magic, Avant Garde music and Theoretical Physics. They felt great kinship with the Red Raven, who in her stories was also frequently persecuted for her mastery of the Dark Tapestry.
To his surprise as much as anyone else's, the Wandering Wizard Merlinkainen was a frequent favourite among certain circles as well. Stories of his adventures bled into Rozsan society via traveling bards and became extremely popular among its citizens.
Rozsan authors were careful, of course, not to treat the Red Raven and Blue Fox as more powerful than Nir and the Temporal Vanguard.Aios & Umbraas
There existed a Hyperion church known as Terminal Dogma, which worshipped a united concept of Aios and Uhrmazd, whom they called The Pleroma. They were as much an assassin's guild as they were a cult, specializing in the snuffing-out of corrupt politicians and robber barons. No one ever expected the Terminal Inquisition, if they did not wish to be expected. (See also: banner image, right.)Overshepherd Rom
Though they vehemently denied it, the followers of Vierix Ionia were sometimes accused of being Hyperion cultists, given their unorthodox views around the society's use of undead servitude. The rumours were more or less correct: Ionia and some of her lieutenants were indeed Seraphite paladins of the Death God Overshepherd Rom, though this was a strict secret, her politics were secular and worship of Rom was not a mandatory aspect of the community. (See also: banner image, left.)Tariel
Tariel was a common subject of focus for many Hyperion Cults. Many portrayed them as more or less the standard twin crones, although the longest-lived Tarielite church portrayed them as a holy, blue vulture with a thousand-metre wingspan, crowned with a floating disc of gold, alight with holy flame. Interestingly, this was still a dual deity: the flaming disc itself was a distinct and theologically important divinity.The Hecath Queens
A popular and bizarre set of Hyperion Cults came late in the First Age, as the politics between Nireau and the Hecath intensified. News of the "secret talks" between the biologist, social philosopher and Lichlord, Vierix Clymenikari, and the Hecath Queen Raggedy Azra are not difficult to find despite only a few surviving Nireauan libraries, suggesting this was a popular topic. The demigodlike power of the Queens became better understood by average Nireauans, and reaction was so polarized that factions came to blows in several well-publicized skirmishes.
When merely eccentric, semi-intelligent fungus-bugs, the Hecath were a passing curiosity through much of Nireau's history. When it was revealed the fungus-bugs were lead by their own pantheon of divine monarchs, in the form of the morphic, time-bending Queens, most reacted with fear. However a notable minority—reminiscent of the first news of the Sphinx God Tallari's arrival—viewed this new breed of god as marvelous, and worth at least respect if not veneration.
To Professor Clymenikari's abject fear, Hyperion Cults began to pop up around her and Raggedy Azra. Philosophies varied in detail, but in general these cultists sought to join the Hecath in their "Hivemind World" and there either find Paradise or receive insights into its creation. (This is based on a false understanding of the Hecath's scent-based communication, which is easy to mistake for telepathy.) The unwilling new Cult Gods—Clymenikari particularly, who was herself a Nireauan and knew their entitled disposition—saw many bad outcomes from this partnership and few good ones. Clymenikari asked the ruling Temporal Vanguard to find ways to discourage the cult, arguing they were a source of tension with a powerful potential enemy. Horror a second time: The Vanguard agreed, but thought a more permanent solution was pragmatic. Nef and Lakodalmas personally laid waste to the three major cult Halls in a violent arcane conflagration, leaving scattered survivors to warn of what happened that night.The Trioscuri
The Chorus of Seasky had occasional cults in Nireau, where they were called the Trioskuri. This worship tended to be centered around Ranarim in particular, who was a Nireauan native.
Profile: A Nireauan portrayal of Aios typified by detailed linework and bright, metallic colours.
Banner left: An Ionian warpriest blessing a regiment of Knights of the Three-Pointed Dawn, in one of a series of wars with Nireau. Some regiments were Hyperion Cults of Overshepherd Rom.
Banner right: An "inquisitional team" of a Hyperion church known as Terminal Dogma, which worshipped a united concept of Aios and Umbraas.
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