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Cult Of Five

General Info

  • Allegiance : Varies
  • Type : Major Religion

Description

The Cult of Five is the primary religion of Eastern Tritan, having arisen independently several times throughout the various isolated towns and villages during the Second Age.

While there are some minor variations in beliefs, the central tenets of the Cult of Five are surprisingly well preserved throughout Eastern Tritan. Indeed, the commonality of belief between previously isolated settlements convinced many early skeptics that the Gods truly had returned, and propelled the early Cult to the forefront of civilization on Tritan.

The Cult of Five, as the name implies, worships five recognized major gods. In order of appearance to mortals, the Five are:

  • Pyrael : Goddess of War and Life
  • Elumin : God of Light and Death
  • Luthelye : Goddess of Nature and Trickery
  • Suram : God of Knowledge and Tempest
  • Aniris : God of Forge and Grave

While lesser gods and other supernatural beings are known to exist, the Cult does not recognize these as true gods.

Structure

Governnance

As the Cult arose independently all throughout Tritan, there is no common curia. The Cult's clerics are largely independent, and the early Cult faced several schisms that prevented a centralized organization from developing. In more recent years however, with the expansion of major political powers, there has been a greater degree of cultural mixing and a renewed push for a common set of tenets and rituals. As of 520 AGS, two major centers of influence have arisen within the Cult of Five: Siddar City and Blackpoint. While they share the same pantheon and basic tenets, the two cities have developed very different interpretations and teachings.

Notable Locations

  • Cathedral of the Republic (Siddar City) :

    The Cathedral of the Republic, sometimes called Siddar Cathedral, is the largest Temple of the Five within Siddar City and the Republic. Located on the outskirts of the Government District, the Cathedral was founded by Ahrya Veldamahn, the 7th Lord Protector of the Republic, to establish the Cult of Five as the official state religion.

  • Draseotheoa (Blackpoint) :

    Originally a First Age Temple to an unknown god, the Draseotheoa was renovated by the early Cult with the blessing of the Dohlaran Crown. Many of the original idols and statues are still present, as the Kingdom gives great deference to First Age relics.

  • Basilica of the Eclipse (Ravenhelm) :

    One of the most recently constructed temples, the Ravenhelm Basilica is unique in that it eschews the traditional First Age aesthetic of many Second Age temples in favor of a radical new design that prominently features rib vaults and flying buttresses, and incorporates beautiful stained glass mosaics behind the main altar.

Notable Members

  • Ahnsahl Crowle :

    As the Deacon of Siddar City, Ahnsahl Crowle is nominally part of the Republic's government, though the Cult remains an independent entity. Ahnsahl is a cleric of Pyrael, as is traditional for the Deaconship.

  • Rober Jocelin :

    The Primate of Blackpoint, Vicar Jocelin wields a tremendous amount of power within the Kingdom of Dohlar. The Kingdom's unique take on the Cult asserts that the Primate of Blackpoint is the Five's representative on the material plane, and as such is the ultimate authority on matters of faith.

Culture

The Five

The Cult associates each god with two major aspects based on the miracles and teachings attributed to each god.

Pyrael - Goddess of Life and War

The first deity to reveal herself to humanity after the fall. Born from the collected willpower of the survivors of the Great Sack, Pyrael embodies the eternal conflict presented by life - the fight for survival in a harsh and uncaring world. She is the matron of soldiers, refugees, healers, and the infirm, having revealed herself countless times to those fighting with all their will to live for just one more day. Her followers believe that true strength comes from within, and that strength of spirit is superior to strength of body. Pyrael is neither cruel nor kind, and will come to the aid of anyone courageous enough to fight to their last breath, either on the battlefield or in the ward. Pyrael is traditionally depicted as red-haired human female in golden armor, wielding a spear.

Pyrael’s symbol is the outstretched fist, an ancient symbol of resistance representing the universal will to fight for survival.

Elumin - God of Light and Death

The most mysterious of the new Pantheon, Elumin is characterized by extremes of personality, an aspect that is embodied in his portrayal as a two-faced tiefling-esque being. One face personifies wisdom, charity, calmness, and enlightenment and is often depicted as jovial, while the other face is curled in a snarl of hatred, anger, death, and destruction. His followers typically revere one aspect and consider the other to be a perverted or distorted representation of the natural order, while others believe that Elumin is the ultimate manifestation of the duality of existence - the infinite capacity for good and evil that is present in all sentient beings.

Elumin’s symbol is the moon and sun together, a representation of the dichotomy between light and dark.

Luthelye - Goddess of Trickery and Nature

Luthelye is considered a bit of a black sheep among the new Pantheon. Unlike her more serious and reserved brethren, Luthelye is often portrayed laughing, singing, or simply smiling. There is no universally agreed representation of Luthelye, as different cultures mold her appearance to ancient traditions, though all representations are female, and are almost always associated in some manner with a fox. She revels in trickery, and although often represented in a positive light, there is a subtle undercurrent of malice. She has come to the aid of those who seek to disrupt the status-quo, and those who find enlightenment in the wilderness.

Lythelye’s symbol is, appropriately, the fox, nature’s trickster.

Suram - God of Knowledge and Tempest

Traditionally depicted as a bearded, silver-haired gnomish male holding a golden torch, Suram is the patron of alchemists, sailors, explorers, mentors, and scholars. He values courage and devotion to discovery. Suram will test the resolve of his disciples, placing obstacles and challenges on their paths, be they physical or mental. Those who have the fortitude of spirit to overcome his trials are graciously rewarded for their faith. He has revealed himself to those on the verge of a great discovery or journey, offering a cryptic clue but never a direct answer or a simple solution; there is no growth without struggle, and no reward without effort.

Suram’s symbol is the lightning bolt, both as a metaphorical spark of inspiration as well as the physical embodiment of tempest.

Aniris - God of Forge and Grave

The youngest of the new Pantheon, Aniris represents purification and transformation, whether of body or of spirit. Just as ore is turned to iron in the heat of the forge, so is the soul transformed upon death, all under the caring guidance of Aniris. Some of the more radical Aniris cults believe that bodily death allows the soul to transcend to a higher plane of existence, and thus condemn any and all actions that place that transition in jeopardy. Aniris is depicted by a hooded, gnoll-like creature, often holding a hammer or sickle. Though gnolls are almost universally despised for their savagery, Aniris is considered a grandfatherly, venerable being; a reminder to all that there can be great worth in even the most vulgar appearances.

Aniris’ symbol is the sickle, as the instrument is associated with both aspects of his being.

Other Gods

The Five (Pyrael, Elumin, Luthelye, Suram, and Aniris) are considered the Greater Deities, true Gods that are inherently linked to the Weave. Though most beings (and some creatures) worship one or more of The Five, there are other entities that are worshipped as deities, usually by creatures, or who exhibit powers beyond those of mere mortals. These include devils, demons, celestials, and several other kinds of outsiders that have established cult followings. One example is Yeenoghu, Demon Prince and Lord of Savagery. While not a deity, Yeenoghu is nevertheless a powerful entity with the power to grant his followers a measure of magical power, and even to effect change on the material realm much like The Five.

It is unclear how the collapse of the Weave impacted these supernatural beings. Demonic sightings became rarer during the spellplague, but were not wholly absent, indicating that at least some form of these beings survived and were relatively unaffected by the collapse of the Weave. Since the appearance of The Five, and of Elumin in particular, there is evidence that at least some of the lesser deities have pledged allegiance to the New Pantheon.

Racial deities, such as the Drow Lolth, the draconic Asgorath, the Orcish Gruumsh, and the Kobold Kurtulmak are also considered to have perished with the collapse of the Weave, casting their dependent societies and worshippers into the chaos that beget the Great Sack. With the racial and cultural mixing of the Second Age, most civilized populations have accepted The Five, sometimes attributing elements from antecasum mythology to the new Gods, and very rarely, re-interpreting the established dogma in an attempt to preserve a separate cultural identity.

Values

  • The Old Gods died with the collapse of the Weave, and were reborn from the collective experiences of the people of the Second Age.
  • The Gods help those who help themselves.
  • There is no growth without struggle; no reward without effort.
  • True strength comes from the soul, not the sword.
  • All creatures have an infinite capcity for good and for evil - though many are inclined towards one direction.

Traditions

  • Proclamation of the Word :

    The primary tradition of the Cult of Five, a rotation of clerics perform selected readings from the Holy Scrolls on the Ides and Kalends of every moon.

  • Consecration of the Elements :

    A bi-annual ceremony performed on the solstices, wherein a cleric of Luthelye blesses a communal meal to celebrate the passage of the seasons, and indirectly, the continued survival of the settlement.

  • Anamnesis :

    Performed on the Nones, the Anamnesis is a reminder of the great tragedy that befell civilization during the Great Sack. Precious and ancient reliquaries are often displayed, while clerics of Suram read passages from surviving First Age literature. Congregants are encouraged to reflect on all that civilization lost in the Great Sack, and to strive to restore the splendor of that lost age.

  • Prayer of Humble Access :

    Also known as the Lord Protector's Prayer, this tradition is unique to Siddar City. Performed during the Kalends of the First Moon of each Year, the ceremony is led by the current Lord Protector from within Siddar Cathedral. The prayer was originally written by Urwin Ludovyc, the first Lord Protector, as a memorial and tribute to the lives that were lost during that first terrible winter. Since then, the prayer has been rededicated to the Five, imploring them to accept the souls of all those lost in the past year.

  • Anointment and Coronation (of the Monarch of Blackpoint) :

    The holiest ceremony within the Kingdom, the Anointment and Coronation establishes for all to see the divine right of the monarch to rule. The coronation is performed by the Primate of Blackpoint within a fortnite of the death of the previous monarch. In theory, the Crown has no authority unless the Anointment has been performed, though no Primate to date has dared to test this theory.

History

Timeline

Date Name Event
50Y 1M KAL Pyrael Reveals Herself On the 50th anniversay of the Great Sack, Ysabahl Stywyrt, a rather unknown and inconsequential apothecary in Siddar City, is shocked to discover a fierce woman in resplendent armor watching over a dying soldier within her ward, only for the figure to disappear as the soldier died. The figure would re-appear in Ysabahl's ward throughout her life, always watching over a soldier on the verge of death.