paddyfool
2007-03-08, 04:00 AM
Cult Description
The cult of the ascension is a secret organisation which recruits its members very cautiously from higher level clergy among the Feldarin and, to a lesser extent, their subject races. These members The cult's history suggests that similar beliefs may have been held by some of the first elves, although if such beliefs persist, the believers have no contact with the Cult amongst the Feldarin.
The cult's own history sees its origin among the reaction of Feldarin scholars to the multiplicity of similar, yet distinct, deities to their own among the cultures they encountered in their initial wave of conquests. Perplexed by the fact that these alternate versions of the gods they knew appeared equally beneficient in granting prayers, even among the bewildering variety of gods worshipped by the Pacholi, various different views were exchanged. One popular view was that these people were worshipping the same gods, but had got the details wrong. Another view was that their clerics were merely very skilled con-artists and tricksters, and a third that the gods they were worshipping were warped, diabolical reflections of the gods the Feldarin knew. But some scholars got thinking along the dangerous line that perhaps all these gods were the reflections of a wider principle. When discussing, quietly, how a principle could have so many individual faces, they came to the conclusion that perhaps, each principle was supported by a faction of higher beings, with the Feldarin gods being pre-eminent members of their faction, and hence the rise in power of the Feldarin over all others.
The scholars were doubtful of the truth of this idea, however, since it was so against the teachings of their religion, and also because it lacked a reason why. Why such a multiplicity of entities? Why, also, would these deities obfuscate the existence of a wider body of other deities in the teachings they provided? The necessity existed for a purpose, and one among the circle provided it. Perhaps, these entities hoped to gain more of their kind by encouraging a process of greater spiritual awareness among their worshippers. Perhaps each faction simply hoped to achieve this through a different means, or was in charge of a different stage of the process. The Nature faction might be encouraging nature to provide candidates for this ascension, hence the multiplicity of different intelligent races. The War faction might be encouraging progress through conflict, culling the weak and enabling the strong to proceed. The Arcane faction might likewise be encouraging progress through understanding of the eldritch mysteries, the Travel faction by encouraging trickery and curiosity, and the Death faction by judging the lower beings at the end of their time.
This body of scholars then took the dangerous step of praying to these factions of ascension. Many were startled when their prayers met with a response. And they were further startled when they were approached by a "higher being" in person, wishing to shed his own divinity in order to enable their own rise to godhood.
This small body of scholars was divided on how to respond. Some took this as a test of faith, believing such a shortcut to godhood would not be truly offered. Others believed the offer, and went about recruiting a further body of people from among the more amenable Feldarin.
The creation of the elves, and the consequent arrival of the Plague Fiend, that stemmed from these events drew unfavourable attention on all the scholars involved. Some repented of their beliefs. The others, convinced they had come close to a greater truth, continued their researches in secret. They found that they could still gain power by worshipping the factions of the ascension associated with their original patron deities, although not by worshipping the patron deities themselves.
Since then, the cult has continued in tight secrecy to the present day. For their researches into the true nature of the divine, they have taken a much greater interest in the nature of all religions that the Feldarin encounter than any other body of clerics. They have also, more recently, arrived at the conclusion that close examination of other intelligent races might yield information on their "progression", with a particular emphasis in making experiments on elves to discern the true nature of the Plague Fiend's gift, and have an incipient program of kidnapping and examination by experiment.
The cult of the ascension is a secret organisation which recruits its members very cautiously from higher level clergy among the Feldarin and, to a lesser extent, their subject races. These members The cult's history suggests that similar beliefs may have been held by some of the first elves, although if such beliefs persist, the believers have no contact with the Cult amongst the Feldarin.
The cult's own history sees its origin among the reaction of Feldarin scholars to the multiplicity of similar, yet distinct, deities to their own among the cultures they encountered in their initial wave of conquests. Perplexed by the fact that these alternate versions of the gods they knew appeared equally beneficient in granting prayers, even among the bewildering variety of gods worshipped by the Pacholi, various different views were exchanged. One popular view was that these people were worshipping the same gods, but had got the details wrong. Another view was that their clerics were merely very skilled con-artists and tricksters, and a third that the gods they were worshipping were warped, diabolical reflections of the gods the Feldarin knew. But some scholars got thinking along the dangerous line that perhaps all these gods were the reflections of a wider principle. When discussing, quietly, how a principle could have so many individual faces, they came to the conclusion that perhaps, each principle was supported by a faction of higher beings, with the Feldarin gods being pre-eminent members of their faction, and hence the rise in power of the Feldarin over all others.
The scholars were doubtful of the truth of this idea, however, since it was so against the teachings of their religion, and also because it lacked a reason why. Why such a multiplicity of entities? Why, also, would these deities obfuscate the existence of a wider body of other deities in the teachings they provided? The necessity existed for a purpose, and one among the circle provided it. Perhaps, these entities hoped to gain more of their kind by encouraging a process of greater spiritual awareness among their worshippers. Perhaps each faction simply hoped to achieve this through a different means, or was in charge of a different stage of the process. The Nature faction might be encouraging nature to provide candidates for this ascension, hence the multiplicity of different intelligent races. The War faction might be encouraging progress through conflict, culling the weak and enabling the strong to proceed. The Arcane faction might likewise be encouraging progress through understanding of the eldritch mysteries, the Travel faction by encouraging trickery and curiosity, and the Death faction by judging the lower beings at the end of their time.
This body of scholars then took the dangerous step of praying to these factions of ascension. Many were startled when their prayers met with a response. And they were further startled when they were approached by a "higher being" in person, wishing to shed his own divinity in order to enable their own rise to godhood.
This small body of scholars was divided on how to respond. Some took this as a test of faith, believing such a shortcut to godhood would not be truly offered. Others believed the offer, and went about recruiting a further body of people from among the more amenable Feldarin.
The creation of the elves, and the consequent arrival of the Plague Fiend, that stemmed from these events drew unfavourable attention on all the scholars involved. Some repented of their beliefs. The others, convinced they had come close to a greater truth, continued their researches in secret. They found that they could still gain power by worshipping the factions of the ascension associated with their original patron deities, although not by worshipping the patron deities themselves.
Since then, the cult has continued in tight secrecy to the present day. For their researches into the true nature of the divine, they have taken a much greater interest in the nature of all religions that the Feldarin encounter than any other body of clerics. They have also, more recently, arrived at the conclusion that close examination of other intelligent races might yield information on their "progression", with a particular emphasis in making experiments on elves to discern the true nature of the Plague Fiend's gift, and have an incipient program of kidnapping and examination by experiment.