The Many Below

A depiction of Paige, Widow of Wounds, huddled with branches, crocus flowers , and manic geometric patterns bursting forth around her. She covers one eye, and glares at you with the other. Art by raisinzone

### Aliases

* The Tree Of Spite (most common in The CLS)
* The Wound Tree (most common in The Peninsula)
* The Fiend Of The Flowering Crocus
* The Rancorous Oak
* Paige's God

### Known Worshippers

* Paige
* Hayward
* Dennis Duplass
* Dan
* Alice
* Elgin

## Story Context

### First Mentioned

Chapter 23: I'd Howl, I'd Scream, In Victory

### Featured in Episode(s)

* Chapter 26: My Song, My Sorrow and I

The Many Below is a god of victims and martyrs. It only helps the desperate and hopeless, those in their final moments. It feeds on the sacrifices offered to other gods. The Many Below presents as a tree like plant, with white crocus flowers.

## Notable Events

Paige describes the Wound Tree in her dreams:

> *'A great black oak, with branches that split the sky apart like lightning.'*
>
>

## Gallery

A depiction of Paige, Widow of Wounds, huddled with branches, crocus flowers , and manic geometric patterns bursting forth around her. She covers one eye, and glares at you with the other. Art by raisinzonePaige as an idealized "Widow of Wounds", perhaps as might be depicted in stained glass. Geometric shapes in black and white show a placid woman with long dark hair,one hand held up with two fingers extended, the other holding white crocus flowers. Tree branches shoot up in the background. Art by smolderingtides
## Organization

The followers of the faith are known as the Children of the Woundtree. There are approximately 60 disciples. They live in the Grace.

### Prominent Followers

* Paige Duplass: The Widow of Wounds.
* James Hayward: The Rootkeeper.
* Dennis Duplass

## Origins & Mythos

### Creation

The Many Below was created by James Hayward, Paige Duplass and Dennis Duplass.

Dennis tells the story of someone he knew in prison, Walter, who was sacrificed to build an extension to the prison compound. He feels guilty for the way he treated Walter. Paige talks about her mother, Gwenyth. Her mother died at a busy intersection in Nesh. She loved white crocus flowers. Paige made that intersection into the memorial to her mother in her mind, after her passing. Hayward talks about the children who would go missing from the estate. How he was discouraged from playing outside late by his mother. That new people moved into the tenements. No one ever spoke about the missing children.

Together the three of them say:

> *"My god, let this not be in vain."*
>
>

### First Manifestations

On the radio it is reported that at the site of Gwenyth's death, a vast tree with white crocus flowers grows.

Hayward finds a half buried hare and a barn owl dead on the way back to Dennis' farmhouse. They are both dead. The hare is covered in dark veins, and from it white crocus flowers grow.

### The Widow of Wounds

The Widow of Wounds lost her one true love to a breach of contract and lawful sacrifice. As she wept before the grave, the first buds of the Woundtree stretched out around her and formed a bower to shelter her from the falling rain.

## Hymns

The Truths:

> *The first truth: we hope, earnestly and sincerely, that you never have cause to call upon us.*
> *We hope that you can live your life in peace, worshipping the gods of your mothers and fathers.*
> *The second truth: you are not safe here.*
> *You will never truly be safe here.*
> *And no matter how well you’re loved and how thoroughly you’re needed, there may come a time when they decide to make use of you.*
> *In this moment - if you suspect that it is to be your final moment - call upon us. Draw your marks across your chest.*
> *And speak these words aloud, with courage and with spite.*
> *I will die today.*
> *I will not die helpless.*
> *My death will not amount to nothing.*
> *My hand will draw the marks of my revolt. My flesh shall take the great shape of my revenge.*
> *I will steal myself away from their intent for me. My blood will not ripen their soil, nor shall my body blossom into their chosen colours.*
> *I will bring them fear instead.*
> *My death today shall be the quiver in the executioner’s hand tomorrow, the wavering doubt in the mind of the justiciar.
> I will be hallowed, but not for them.
> I will die. I will not die*.
>
>

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 32: Its Wrath Shall Scald The Sun
2. ↑ Chapter 23: I'd Howl, I'd Scream, In Victory
3. ↑ Chapter 26: My Song, My Sorrow and I