Disciples

Disciples are individuals who, through their close connections with their deities, are imbued with a portion of their god's essence. With this essence, they can perform various miracles, which come in a variety of effects, and reflect the nature of the god that is worshiped.

Over time, religions have formed around the gods, and by proxy, the Disciples, who are viewed as the most pious of the faith, the chosen of the gods. At the dawn of humanity, these groups formed the basis of human government, though over time they've been superseded by various kingdoms and empires, with the notable exception of the Nezzarine Triumvirate, which is led by the religious leaders of cults of Tëllazeth, Wyn, and Zôl, from the Isle of Nez.

## Disciple Cults, by Deity

### Tëllazeth

Known as the Purifiers, the Disciples of the Cult of Tëllazeth devote themselves to rooting out necromancy, which they view to be the most profane act that can be done to a body. This is also why the Cult of Tëllazeth ceremoniously burn their dead. In their view, the reanimation of a corpse defiles its soul in the afterlife, keeping it tethered to the material world and out of the reach of Tëllazeth in the afterlife.

The Purifiers divide themselves into three major orders: The Claws, The Wings, The Light. The Order of the Claws make up the warrior faction of the cult, and are typically outfitted in gleaming steel plate, with deep purple tabards that are embroidered with Tëllazeth's sigil. They are trained in the use of the bastard sword, which are tipped in silver and blessed by priests of the cult.

The Order of the Wings handles the logistics of the cult; supply chains, coffer management, and resource acquisition are all handled by them. Local temples are also staffed by this order.

The Order of the Light are considered to be the brains of the cult. It is by far the smallest order, comprised of the most enlightened priests of the cult, who spend the majority of their time in meditative communion with Tëllazeth, attempting to decipher the visions he sends them. Their lowest ranking members typically act as priests in the various temples of the cult, spreading the vision of their god among the people.

### Wyn

The Keepers of the Leaf are the Disciples of the Cult of Wyn, and are the most renowned healers in the world. With a word, any true follower of Wyn can sooth rough nerves, calm an troubled stomach, or ease a pounding headache. True Disciples can mend flesh, cure disease, and reverse poxes and remove many curses. Very rarely, Wyn has granted her most august Disciples the ability to restore life to those who had been recently slain, so long as their soul still lingered nearby.

The Keepers of the Leaf do not follow a strict structure, though they do follow an elected leader of the cult, who serves the position for their lifetime, providing they do not stray from their tenants of mercy, kindness, and compassion.

### Zôl

Zôl's Disciples are known as the Gravetenders, a position that is universally respected among all people of the land. This respect stems from their ability to bless the souls of the dead, releasing them from anything that may bind them to the material world, regardless of any type of curse that may lay upon their spirit.

The Gravetenders keep a small, modest temple in most major cities, funded solely via donations, as they perform the last rites according the the wishes of the deceased, even when the dead leave no survivors. It is said that having a Gravetender see over one's funeral is crucial to easing the transition into the afterlife, removing the risk of becoming a ghost, which is a fate that horrifies almost all people.

Curiously, many of the Cult of Zôl are elves, in spite of the fact that they do not seem to be connected to the afterlife in the same way the other races are. The elves tend to be secretive about their motives, but it is widely believed that they hold a certain fascination for the liminal path that the other races experience.

### Retheri

Retheri's Disciples are called The Luckless, though not because they are unlucky. Their god holds domain over luck, thus indicating that luck is not random, ergo, luck is an illusion. In spite of this, or perhaps *because* of this, virtually all of the high-ranking members of the Cult of Retheri are quite wealthy.

The Cult of Retheri is unlike most other religious followings, acting more as a bank than a temple. The cult is famous for investing in the most bizarre ventures, almost always resulting in a huge return. The cult uses these earnings to consolidate power in many city-states, and to fund their exotic fire temples where they pray for guidance from their patron.

The Luckless are unique among Disciples, as they seemingly lack any obvious miracles, though it has been noted that most victors of war had members of The Luckless on the payroll.

### Alatax

Alatax is a god that most people fear and revile. Known for murder, pestilence, and plots, he burnishes his gifts to those who move beneath the gaze of society. The Cult of Alatax includes killers, thieves, and anyone else who has no problem taking what they want from those who can't defend it. His Disciples are known as The Red Hand, whose ranks include the greatest assassins in the world.

Little to nothing is known about the internal structure of the cult or the Red Hand, who have no public temples and no open recruitment. Nearly everything about their organization is secretive, with their only concrete fact being their calling sign, which is a blood-stained hand print at the scene of their crimes.

It is rumored that Alatax gives his followers unparalleled stealth, lethally poisonous blades, and an eye that can seek out any target.

### Dhurgeth

The Faithcrafters of the Cult of Dhurgeth devote themselves to pushing the limits of ingenuity via engineering and invention. The cult is responsible for some of the most intricate, artistic displays of infrastructure in the land, and the grandest castles and citadels often bear the sigil of Dhurgeth on their capstone. The cult is run almost as an apprenticeship, with the lowest members working as assistants to master engineers in various municipal construction projects. At the highest levels, the Faithcrafters are granted flashes of insight that lead to such monuments as the Dhurzthenget Underpass.

The Faithcrafters have revealed little of their intimate interactions with Dhurgeth, but it has been noted that his Disciples seem to be possessed by madness in times of need, crafting wild inventions that manage to solve a pressing issue before breaking apart. Many an adventuring group has managed to escape certain death while in the company of a pious Faithcrafter.

### Krô

The Cult of Krô form the largest army on the entirety of Tëó, while beholden to no particular nation, instead acting as the realm's largest and most powerful mercenary band. Numbering in the hundreds of thousands, the cult is practically a nation onto itself, with a citadel in nearly every major city across the continent.

Among the cult, those who are favored by Krô are known as Wrathbringers, who act as generals in the vast armies of the religious group. In the heat of battle they are granted heightened reflexes, increased strength, and limitless stamina.

### Aerineth

Aerineth is not worshiped by all spell casters, but the majority of them carry her sigil somewhere on her person. Her followers in the Cult of Aerineth devote their time to the interpretation of the metaphysical, and how magic and material interact. Her temples are referred to as colleges, and are open to any who wish to learn, even non-casting or non-religious individuals.

Those who are thoroughly devoted to the Lady of Moonlight, however, are granted a powerful, if double edged, boon: as long as they devote themselves to a single Realm of magic, Aerineth will enable them to begin directly in a Secondary Realm, in addition to increasing their spell's potency, and the caster's overall magical reserves. These chosen are known as the Spellsingers, as they are known for praising their patron even as they weave magic.