The Decrepit Court

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The Decrepit Court
Established Unknown Abhorrent King/Queen REDACTED Members 8 Safehouses The Abhorrent Crypt The Facade

The Decrepit Court

Somewhere, beneath the veneer of polite society, built upon the ashes of a fallen Kingdom whose name is scarcely whispered, lest its utterance attract ill fortune, is a gathering. This gathering to some is a cancer, growing and feeding off otherwise virtuous societies. To the enlightened, it is a gathering of the adherents of truth, who accept the world as it truly is, and hold the real power behind the scenes.

The Creed of the Court

Peace is a lie, etc.

Dogma

The artist who painted this portrait of the second Abhorrent Monarch used their own blood in the painting, ultimately giving their life to capture the image perfectly.

Virtue is the greatest deception mankind ever wrought. One need merely observe nature to learn that power is derived from cunning and violence. To pretend man came to power any other way is a lie. Charity, mercy, kindness... Are either deception, or born of weakness. Deception is to be embraced, weakness culled.

On Sorcery:

Man mastered fire, and with this mastery, became master of the material world. This advancement has lead to his triumph over the beasts of the land, and put him on par with the Monsters who would otherwise remain unchallenged as the apex predator. However, soon a new power would begin to elevate man further... Magic.

With the rise of magic in ancient eras, SpellMasters rose and dominated the land... However their greed sapped the world of its available magic and no longer can man freely draw upon this power, save for a scant few sages and wizards.

Rites and Rituals

The Mass of the Rebirth

At the First Hour of the Second Day of the Third Week there are Five Masses held in each temple of Tor. Eight Supplicants form a circle in the center of the dark communion chamber and their they chant the praises of the Dread Lord so that he may hear them in his slumber in Old Toren Stronghold. The masses last for Thirteen Hours, and the only light permitted within the communion chambers is given from Twenty-One small braziers, burning wood and sacred powders, giving off a silver-blue light known to be pleasing to the Dread Lord.

The Prophet's Path

Followers of the Dread Lord in an effort to become closer with Dead Tor follow in the Prophet's path. This takes them through a number of trials, following the path of the Pontifex Primus, Jonsu Himoura. Each step mirrors a step in the journey she took to restore the faith, and though the trials are not in chronological order, the locations do mirror the path she traveled upon arriving in Niselur. Those that complete the final trial upon the Prophet's Path are celebrated heroes and given special status within the Church. They are promoted to Harbinger and it is only from the ranks of the Harbingers that the Thanatons of the mortal realms are selected. To mark those who have achieved such closeness, a special brand is carefully tattooed upon the neck of those so blessed.

The Trial of Torment

When the Pontifex Primus Jonsu first traveled to Niselur to bring the glory of Tor back to the sacred lands, she traveled through the Corridor of Torment from Asylon. Her horse had broken its leg in a rabbit hole, and so she set out on foot. The journey was agony, for the wounds she suffered at the hands of the torturers of the betrayers of Luria were still yet half healed. Three days of agony she traveled, and so too will the faithful undergoing the Trial of Torment. The Faithful will travel North for three days through the Corridor of Torment, flagellating themselves as they go, not stopping to rest or eat. They may drink water as they go, but otherwise must fast. At the end of the journey, successful pilgrims will be greeted and feasted, and their feet will be washed by the highest member of the clergy available.

The Trial of Woe

The Second Trial of the Prophet's Path is the Trial of Woe. After completing the Trial of Torment, pilgrims will journey to the Mountain of Woe, and ascend to the peak. Once at the top they will fast for two days and two nights to purify themselves. Upon completing the fasting, they will be administered a sacred mixture, its ingredients a closely guarded secret, which will allow them to experience the pain of Dead Tor. Visions swim before them, and as the cold winds of the peak swirl and beat at them, they will come to understand the Prophet's Woe.

The Trial of Betrayal

The Third Trial of the Prophet's Path is the Trial of Betrayal. After completing the Trial of Torment and the Trial of Woe, the pilgrim will journey to the peak of the Mountain of Betrayal. They will be greeted and feasted by the faithful on the way up, until they arrive at the peak. They will be invited to a grand feast, and poisoned. The poison will leave the pilgrim paralyzed, unable to move as they are affixed to a breaking wheel, naked, in the cold and left for a full day. At this point the pilgrim is brought inside and put to question concerning their faith. Those found to be true of faith will be feasted once more.

The Trial of Remorse

The Fourth Trial of the Prophet's Path is the Trial of Remorse. After completing the Trials of Torment, Woe and Betrayal, the pilgrim will ascend the Mountain of Remorse to begin their final trial. The exact details of the trial are secret, but it is known that the trial consists of ritual combat.

The Hierarchy of the Church

The Pontifex Primus

Tor's prophet upon the mortal Earth. The Pontifex Primus receives Tor's Holy Word, interprets it, and oversees the implementation of it within the Church. The Pontifex Primus governs the church jointly with those of Divine Blood, the Divus Imperatus.

The Divus Imperatus

Having been proven to be descended directly from Tor, the Divus Imperatus occupies a special role in the church. They are the rulers of states dedicated to the Church, and lead the armies of Tor's faithful. It is known that the fragments of the dreams of Dead Tor will occasionally bestow Tor's seed upon a woman, and the child birthed is a Son of Tor.

Thanaton Primus

A marshal of the Church who falls under the command of the Divus Imperatus, or governs in the absence of a Divus Imperatus. The Thanatons of faithful realms report directly to the Thanaton Primus, and must be selected from the ranks of the Thanatons.

Ecclesiastes Primus

An agent for the Pontifex Primus, the Ecclesiastes is charged with the coordination of priestly activities.

The Thanatons

A Thanaton is a blessed warrior of Tor, charged with leading the ranks of the holy warriors within a realm. To be eligible to become a Thanaton one must complete the Trials of the Prophet's Path and become a Harbinger