The Blood Cult/Initiations/Third

By Priestess Aran, intro was lost. Believed to have occured in Worvobaen, though perhaps Yokk, as Enweilian armies fought daimons in Plergothian lands.

Roleplay from Nicolas Chénier

Message sent to all Cultists and Enweilians

Nicolas watched the ceremony with mixed feelings. He was pleased he would finally be an official follower of Teros again, and that with these people, he would give him proper glory and worship, but he watched the ceremony with a hint of fear... the priestess was obviously insane, he thought. Around him, things were dark and dusty, everything seemed black, ashes flew in the air when the wind picked up. Obviously this temple had never been big, but it now lay in ruins. He wasn't sure who did it, but he was still irritated, as he knew the culprit were allies who took advantage of the presence of his army here to cause such cowardly acts... People without courage or honour, cowards who hide behind Enweil's mighty forces to perform their every dirty mischiefs without having to be accountable for it. He thought it was Plergoth, but it was more than likely it was Fwuvoghor... After all, that filth Mordred had sent one of his cronies against the main temple in Zisswii, and he seemed to recall a lone noble of Fwuvoghor around here during the last campaign, no doubt he was sent for this sole cowardly purpose... Fwuvoghor wasn't what it used to be. He wished them all dead, none of them had a sense of honour anymore. All mindless cronies to Mordred... His peasant army. That a few nobles have been raised ignobly he could believe, but when the quasi-totality of a realm's lords and knights were commoners ennobled by the same three men, he found it highly suspicious... And the blind loyalty they got in return did not help that feeling. The whole rite itself was new, too. Sacrifices were not held in the Church before... though he supposed gladiatorial sacrifices would indeed please the Lord, and thought he would probably perform some in the future. He watched the priestess perform the ceremony closely, showing distinct pleasure from the pain and mutilation of her victim. After a little of it, he just stood and stared blankly, and was slightly surprised when she handed the dagger to him. "Thank you, priestess", he said. Nicolas walked in front of the victim and fell to his knees. "My lord... I... I have never forsaken you... it is... the Church... they... my enemies... traitors... I never wanted to turn my back on you, please... take me back..." he muttered in front of the man. He stood up, and almost mechanically, he performed the act he was told to do. The dagger was thrusted into the man's torso, to the diaphragm, allowing him to insert his hand into him and rip out the beating heart, as the victim slowly died in horror of seeing his own organ beating in front of his eyes. A servant came to take the heart away in it's receptacle. "Teros", he said loudly. "I swear myself to you. The Qyrvaggs will never erase your worship." Then, a man put his hand on his shoulder from behind, startling him. He turned around to see it was the tattooist, the crude nature of the man's instruments gave him shivers. "Let it be done", he thought. In a painful procedure, the man carved onto Nicolas' right arm and hand the image of a grand snake, made of shadows: the Avatar of Teros. Should he ever fight without his armour or sleeves, his victim would see the great serpent's head on the back of his hand, coming right at his as he swung his sword toward him. Once this was done, the ceremony was over... He set out to resume his military duties and prepare the extinction of the daimons on this world.

Nicolas Chénier (Count of Nemeno, Marshal of the Army of Fengen)