Ganzseher De'moda

The Second Prophet of Tapphos

> *"Praise Tapphos. Revere Erdeweber. Mind the four."*
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- De'moda, as often as he can afford to say it

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**Ganzseher De'moda** is the current Ganzseher of the New Tapphic Faith, and the establishing Prophet of Tapphic Monasticism. Currently residing within the Eastern Ziggurat in Khulmiu-Faira, within the Holy Tapphic State, De'moda is an intensely invested Tapphic philosopher and devout proponent of the faith. His most obvious contributions are the establishment of the new sect of Tapphism currently popular across laadithis, and the reformation of celibacy vows within the monastic tradition.

## Early Life

#### Birth

Demoda was born within the "Plated Tunic" sub-culture within the South-Western Tapphic Nomads, who by then had begun a pattern of immigration into local populations. The days of Tapphic nomadic culture had been long on the decline, ever since the destruction of the overworld creatures, and since the Prophet Silthusa had begun to spread his faith. The movement pattern of this specific group found them within a range of 5 km from modern day Spinnennetz, where they clung to the harsh, mixed terrain of lowland swamp and snowy mountains. In this environment, De'moda seemed to thrive. An inquisitive and often mischievous child, he frequently explored the wilds surrounding his village without informing his family, much to their dismay. It was here he discovered his reverence for the complex interactions that formed nature, and developed a drive towards physical mastery. His father, the then Ganzseher (chieftain) of his village, was thrilled to witness his son's interest in understanding the nature of reality. He made a point from there to introduce him, and his village, to certain more exclusive wisdoms within Tapphic Mystic practice. Though it was not entirely unheard of to speak myths and legends of Tapphos around the bonfire, De'moda's father would let slip many stories within Tapphic canon that were once hidden for some years. It seemed that the village, and De'moda, developed a powerful reverence for Tapphos around this time period, and well into De'moda's teenage years.

#### The First Heresy

By this time, De'moda had begun to develop his own beliefs, enabled by the liberal attitude of his father. His interest in the oral traditions had begun to waiver. He frequently spent more and more time within the wilderness of laadithis, where he would ponder Tapphics myths. And he thought to himself, over and over: "This can't be all there is." Out there he had begun to compose an understanding of the Tapphic faith on the stones found at sites he would visit, hiding them away when he could. This hidden record of early New Tapphic faith focused predominantly on the connections found within nature. He would wonder about the cycles of nature, the forms of living beings, and the existence and movement of energy that pervaded everything. This began to culminate in a physically based world view regarding the World-Web, with De'moda becoming firmly convinced that this web was itself alive, living as these connections themselves. He rejected the unitary principals. To him, Tapphos was God, truthfully. But nonetheless: he was not the only one.

Throughout this period, De'moda became increasingly withdrawn, as his attempts to hide his possible heresy began to weigh heavy on him. Eventually, a close friend of his would follow him out to the wilderness, where his works were discovered. Surprisingly, the philosophy resonated with this friend, who swore to keep the secret and help De'moda develop his theory. This turned into a group, and then a crowd of followers, all invested within the metaphysical relationship between Tapphos and man, now with a proper deific name: Erdeweber. In addition, the physical theories around the human body began to develop into it's own branch of mystic tradition, one kept hidden to this day from all but those who have dedicated themselves to the monastic order.

New Tapphism was now created. These secret followers of the physical web of the universe came together frequently and pondered the Tapphic sciences. They found solace and wonder in the connections that formed reality, and their pointed implications about the nature of Tapphos itself. New philosophy was developed, and it soon became normal to think of everyday occurrences as a natural excitation of a living string, a wave in a universal web. The unification of all reality brought beauty to the world through its connections; Tapphos became just a creator, not the divine mechanism itself. Though, to these followers, Tapphos was still ultimately considered the tender of the universe, and that which resolved breaks, created webs, and pulled the strings that determined the fates of large events. In truth, these doctrines only moved them deeper, and pushed their faith ever higher.

Ultimately, De'moda's heresy was, of course, discovered by his father.

## The New Role of Ganzseher

#### Grave Consequence

The discovery of New Tapphism by De'moda's father was far more serious than what might have been suggested by his attitude towards life. The willing development of new philosophy within Old Tapphic faith was always welcome, but the personification of what was once only an aspect of Tapphos was considered blasphemous, as Tapphos was considered the supreme deity responsible for ALL connections and ALL mechanism. By suggesting the idea that the web itself drove nature through it's wills, as opposed to Tapphos belying everything, De'moda committed a grave insult. He had suggested that his Lord was limited. His father, though sympathetic to De'moda's philosophy, had been pressured by the religious leaders of the village to impose "grave consequence", preventing such blasphemy from ever occurring again. As a result, De'moda was stripped of his birthright to Ganzseher before his village, and banished.

However, it should be noted: De'moda's banishment did not go easily. A large portion of the New Tapphic followers objected severely, and in the end approximately 37% of the village had followed De'moda out. The New Tapphic villagers had become nomads again.

#### The Second Prophet's Sleep

After the exile, De'moda relied heavily on his village-kin to help him develop a working group, and near the beginning of his exile fell into a mild depression. Few died within this time, if any, however De'moda was still very uncertain of the future of his following. One day, he had refused to work at all, and spent the time he could attempting to meditate in his room, before accidently falling asleep.

Upon realizing this, he had become somewhat disappointed, before suddenly noticing he was aware of his own sleep. On top of that, he was faced with a wall of red, composed of individual strings. Underneath it, he spotted something approach, something uncomfortably large: a white spider, the size of a man. It fled. He hesitantly walked forward after it, into the forest of red strings. He at once seemed to notice where he was, and stopped to take in the atmosphere. Into view came one particular string, softly buzzing nearby. He plucked it. A powerful drone echoed out. He tried again, and could feel something in his core vibrating softly, buzzing. Again he plucked, until he did a fourth time, and the string snapped.

De'moda awoke with a start to the clap of thunder, but strangely no rain. When he exited his tent, he saw in the distant twilight a plume of smoke, far off in the distance. He had awoken his friend, the First Follower, and ran out to see what had happened.

#### The Jaegerblitz

Upon reaching the sight of the plume, De'moda and his First Follower had encountered a raging wildfire, whipped by high speed winds. Paradoxically, the ground leaked water, cracking and forming dangerous crags. They advanced within the inferno, through cleared areas, before realizing that none of the weather conditions could harm them. In addition, they realized this area housed the cave in which De'moda began his writings. Around it, a ruined village, burnt and rotten. The scene had, reportedly, affected the First Follower till the end of his days, in which he frequently spoke of nightmares regarding the incident. Corpses had been scattered about, seemingly frozen and yet charred. In the center, however, is the scene that affected De'moda for the rest of his life: his father, comfortably kneeling in prayer, smiling. His skin was stone and cold, and yet his features appeared unaltered. The area around him pointed to signs that, ultimately, his body was the center of the lightning strike, and the event: the Jaegerblitz. No evidence had been found as to the cause of the late Ganzseher's miraculous condition, but the significance of this occurrence had been concluded upon: It seems that the Ganzseher had gathered the religious heads and remainder of the village to profess his adherence to New Tapphic faith. A series of events then occurred which both destroyed the adherents to Old Tapphic tradition, and preserved the former Ganzseher for eternity. The four elements would rage slowly, and harmlessly around the statue. Fresh water would pour from it, and the winds would carry embers along the gravel. It would become the Miracle Statue. Some current followers call this Ganzseher the true New Tapphic prophet. Nonetheless, the late Ganzseher was now the center of a powerful occurance. And De'moda knew he must have been responsible. He pondered and realized that Tapphos had been blessed and damned him in this dream, and just as Prophet Silthusa, he was chosen for something divine.

This had two major consequences. The first was the purging of all local Old Tapphic adherents, elevating New Tapphic faith to orthodoxy in the area. The second was the elevation of De'moda to village Ganzseher.

#### The Ganzseher's New Role

De'moda's ascension came with several major implications to the role of Ganzseher. Once a political role as head of village, the title now passed from religious leader to religious leader, cementing it as a theocratic position for the Second Followers. Though De'moda was still the chieftain, he had forgone the connection to leadership and instead taken a role as a giver of wisdom and a guider of policy. The First Follower had taken up nomadic leadership, directing the course of movement. Just as well, the Tapphic oral tradition had been reinstated, as De'moda believed the destruction of his works had been somewhat intentional as well. This is how traditional information is passed, though for select private theories he had also mandated the creation of a store of knowledge, beginning the mystic tradition in combination with previous recovered texts. Stories would pull the village together, and written works would preserve these connections.

This new role ushered in a short era of nomadic lifestyle that had not been seen since Silthusa's time, and refocused the faith on aspects of connection and universal wisdom.

## The First Tapphic Marraige

De'moda's time as Ganzseher saw many innovations in Tapphic schools of thought. The creation of certain sects, such as the Subtle Force philosophers, and the group known as the Sungehn Tapphics, happened around this time. The introduction of a new deity also ensured that the nomads were very attentive to interpersonal relationships, which reduced group infighting. However, there always seemed to be one problem: Old Tapphic religious leaders were unable to marry. De'moda would not be able to pass on the title to the First Follower, now it's own role, and he himself had no sons. He spent his time searching for a possible apprentice, before resolving that no one was willing to even join old style of clergy: all had many problems with how the old system seemed to work. Instead of becoming a monk and dedicating to solely to Tapphos, many wanted to enjoy the pursuit of all wisdoms earthly, in reverence to Erdeweber. Many wanted to explore the more sensuous aspects, such as culinary or artistic pursuits. This revelation distraught De'moda. His new faith had unintentionally sparked a cultural revolution which shifted focus from religion to the pursuit of the arts and sciences. He was alone in his piety.

#### Faira

This streak of bad luck seemed to go on for some time, before the nomad's encounter with a smaller group of Tapphic nomads from the north. They had heard of the events within the South, and had resolved to see for themselves the religious implications of the statue event. They were overjoyed to find the statue of the old Ganzseher, in all it's strange magic, and integrated seamlessly with the group. The doubling of the amount of New Tapphic followers was a great boon to the spread of the faith. However, the new Ganzseher's attentions were diverted. Of these new followers, it was painfully obvious that De'moda was distracted by the daughter of the new carpenter: a woman named Faira. He had been caught often meditating some distance closer to where she frequently gathered water, much to the amusement of her family and the village as a whole. This attitude became clear to De'moda, and he resolved to pursue the relationship.

Much to his surprise, in that instance the villagers became less amused.

#### Religious Scandal

What might have been a simple affair had now became rumors and whispers. The Ganzseher was said to be a religious head now, and Old Tapphism strictly dictated celibacy for those religious leaders. The integrated Northern nomads had not taken kindly to this sort of behavior. Faira, nonetheless, expressed sincere interest and secretly supported his efforts. They began to meet in secret, in the places they had known the best: the area of the statue of the late Ganzseher. There, De'moda found a bright and fiercely curious person in Faira, who had asked many questions about the New Tapphic faith. In time, these liaisons mixed between romantic rendezvous and mystic instruction, until De'moda became certain that Faira must be the successor he looked for, in the woman he now loved. She had taken De'moda's instruction to heart, and expressed a brilliance of mind that belied wisdom far surpassing her age.

This period generated a strong undercurrent of dissidence, however. The scandal only began to get worse.

#### The First Ceremony of Matrimonious Ka

Eventually, Faira and De'moda met again, and De'moda conceded that she must be the one Erdeweber had pulled into his life for this exact purpose. She was to carry on the torch of New Tapphic faith and become the new Ganzseher. Faira, however, solemnly declined. De'moda, now anxious and distraught, asked why. Faira then presented her reasoning: She could not possibly take the job of the one she chose for her husband. She presented a gift: a prayer lattice, embossed with images of them in matrimony. De'moda accepted and understood that they must make this union in secret. He would remain the religious head, but Faira established the role of Highest Follower that night: the first ever spouse of a theocratic Ganzseher and Tapphic monk, and the heir of Ganzseher should none be selected. Before this would come to fruition however, they both knew instinctually that this would need to be digested by the village properly, and so they resolved on a plan. They developed a ritual together.

De'moda's knowledge of Tapphic music tradition had aided him in this situation. He knew of hundreds of secret caverns, designed for performance of sacred rituals and songs. He and Faira selected one of these, and informed few trusted followers to aid him. On that night, the group developed the First Ceremony of Matrimonious Ka. De'moda wrote the music, and Faira the dance. In it, the performers would house within the specialized caverns themselves, focusing the sound on one point instead of all around, and the wedding pair would practice a sacred dance around the Kolossshnur in the caves, representing the weaving of the lines of fate and the showcasing Xa aspect of independence and freedom. Then, the two began to come together and perform a sacred style of dance, resembling a physical fight, and representing the passing of Ka between the pair and symbolizing the sharing of identity. This precedes a joining of the two in a co-operative form, in which they together preform a set of complicated, interweaving moves that rely on the other person for momentum to stay balanced, symbolizing Pa. Towards the end of the performance, De'moda integrates the motif from *Dialogue of Ta with Erdeweber*, in a show of perseverance and infinity, where the pair embraces and holds the embrace until the song fades out, unifying the two forever through the persistent Ta.

This ceremony, now developed, was to be performed on the night of the full moon. The followers convened shortly before, and celebrated the soon to be union. It seems, however, that integrated Northern nomads had caught on. They themselves planned to stop the ceremony.

#### The Wedding Night

That night, the cave rung out with De'moda's song, and Faira's dance flourished within it. The ceremony had begun, and continued, and the two, sure of their connection, had given their faith to Tapphos and Erdeweber. During the Pa section of the song, they fell into cooperative movement, and out of the corner of De'moda's eye sprung into view the Northern nomads. As the Ta portion began, the pair stopped the ceremony and faced their objectors across the stone bridge between them.

A heated religious debate ensued. Each side hurling insults more aggressive than the last, as the pair of lovers looked at each other in worry. Disunion, hatred, and pain hung in the air, and the ritual was halted. In De'moda's heart, something buzzed painfully, and the cave began to shake. All slowly became aware of the imminent collapse of a sacred Tapphic site, and still blamed each other. As more and more rocks fell, Faira quickly realized it was because of the pause in the ritual. She urged De'moda to continue, despite the lack of music. He agreed, and as the rocks collapsed, embraced her tightly, refusing to look or let go.

As the dust cleared, it was evident that the bridge between the Northern nomads and De'moda's followers had been destroyed. The platform supporting them had crumbled, and they stumbled and rose from the rubble. The platform supporting Faira and De'moda, however, remained untouched, meters off the ground on a pillar of still standing earth. The room was silent. Their embrace was unbroken, and the performers finished the song before they descended, now united in marriage. The Northern nomads could deny no longer the divine mandate of this ceremony.

To this day, Tapphic monks are allowed to marry. Often, the woman will help with religious rites, and more often than not, she takes the role of religious head of house entirely. Owing to Faira's quick mind, woman who head the religious workings of a house are revered, and not often questioned. If for any reason either were to leave the monastic order, they were released as full Tapphic followers, with honor and dignity.

*First Ceremony of Matrimonious Ka*

## Gain, Loss, Death, Rebirth

#### The Child

The marriage between Faira and De'moda had been passing smoothly, and the creation of a new nomadic group was complete. The followers of New Tapphism had established themselves in the environment that had so enamored De'moda as a child. So often was this childhood on his mind that he realized: he and his now wife would not be here forever. They were much older now, and he wanted a child. Perhaps an heir, if ambitions were truthfully expressed. De'moda decided he and his nomads should properly settle down sometime within his life. And so, he went to find the place of the Miracle Statue, and brought his followers there. By this time, Faira had become pregnant.

Once he had reached the statue, he was surprised at the presence of a stranger. And the vandalization of the statue.

#### The Foreigner

The stranger had been caught off guard and drew a sword. The Ganzseher made his attempts to calm the man, and asked what had happened to the statue. The stranger admitted to attempting to get a drink from it, curious of it's power and clearly wanting for water. He looked as if he had just come from war. The statue was broken, and De'moda was distraught and insulted. However, surprisingly, the youngest of the Tapphic monks walked over to the broken head, and placed it back on, in silent innocent toil. The statue was whole again, miraculously unbroken. The Ganzseher was paused, but cautious, reminded of unity as he addressed the stranger again.

He explained his situation to the nomads, that he was a man exiled from a far off land, attempting to subdue the evil within his bloodline. His clan had resolved over time to attempt to reach immortality. They were nearly close to completion, sustaining a dark practice with many blood sacrifices of their people. De'moda had heard his story, and provided medical aid. He was welcomed for a time. That night, the Ganzseher had lead the bonfire story tradition, and the Stranger, a royal named Rider of the family Von Spinne, had begun looking increasingly invested. He had asked about the faith, and over the course of what would become the 3 Day Sermon, he had become fully convinced of something: he had himself had a dream. The prince had seen the shadow of a giant spider on the ground, and when he reached out, a spring of red webs erupted from his palm. From there, he was propelled upwards, before it ensnared the world. The Ganzseher was concerned. He understood the message of the dream: this man would attempt to bind the entire world. He refused to explain what he saw, but understood that Erdeweber had picked him. De'moda resolved to follow the web of this man's life, for now, that he might understand his significance, good or evil. If need be, he would stop him.

That night, the Ganzseher and the Von Spinne heir began to discuss create a ritual within the area of the holy site at Miracle Statue.

#### The Red Chain of Yigta

Ganzseher De'moda understood that this man would need help sealing away the evil he sought to defeat, and proposed a ritual where the evil would become bound within red string, trapping it and ensuring it would not propagate. This required a week long ceremony involving layers of Tapphic mystic knowledge, during which time the Ganzseher trained with the Foreigner. They honed their skills in their respective arts, before the ceremony had been completed by De'moda's followers. The two proceeded back to the Von Spinne homeland, and confronted the Foreigner's family. In battle, they succeeded in actualizing the ritual, resulting in an intensely disturbing outcome: the entire family and their evils were bound to a piece of armor. The Ganzseher shuddered. The Foreigner took the equipment and stored it away, where no one would reach it.

De'moda could not help but feel that he had done something terribly wrong.

#### The Birth and the Death

After all was said and done, Rider Von Spinne had claimed the land surrounding the statue, and the Ganzseher was appointed head of the religion for the new state of Gewebe. The area around the statue had become Spinnennetz, though the location of the statue itself is now kept secret. The unity of these two leaders had drawn in Tapphic groups far and wide, and the foreigner drew in men of his own following. De'moda had kept an eye on the new Kaiser, aiding him in the cities construction. To the people, he had now become associated with Tapphos themselves, where the Kaiser had become associated with Erdeweber. The later association proved more complicated as time passed. The nomads had become increasingly agitated at the escalating tensions between the nations of Gewebe and Albia. Secretly, Rider Von Spinne had confided to the Ganzseher of his plans to unite all of the world, through Erdeweber. He wished to conquer the world... the Ganzseher felt deceived.

The nomads began to leave the city of Spinnennetz. Just as well, Faira went into labor. De'moda came to her side and found her incredibly ill, sick with poison. He felt a buzzing in his chest, and knew once more he had propagated consequences unknown through Erdeweber. He had caused his own pain. He then understood, as his wife lay dying, yet another truth: Erdeweber is unknowable and perfect symmetry. All those actions that propagate through him return eventually. In sealing evil within it, he had released it into the world once more. He understood what this meant. More was coming. He held Faira as she gave her final breath, and De'moda's daughter was born.

He named her Faira.

Then The First War for Iaddithis occurred. After this occured The Second War for Iaddithis. Many followers of Rider had perished.

## Relocation, Redemption, Rebuild

De'moda was thrown into a deep depression. Those of the Tapphic faith had begun to abandon him for the evils he had released. In the night, they had taken Faira to become the new Ganzseher, and fled Spinnennetz. After control was handed away, so too did the Ganzseher migrate. He fled to the new capitol of Gewebe, Baravenos. Rider's power and aggression had been, in some ways, diminished. It seemed to De'moda that this was the end of the "Red Reverberations".

The Ganzseher was restless for the time after. He spent some weeks meditating, grieving, and understanding the nature of the deity Erdeweber. It was like a force, propagating, moving consequence to and fro. To generate good, De'moda needed to put good into the world. The simplest tenet, all but forgotten, now clear in his mind. He resolved to do just that.

#### The Ziggurat, and the Rise and Fall of Kingdoms.

De'moda resolved to create a temple. A ziggurat unlike any the world had seen. It would be home to the foundational stories of the mystic tradition, passed hall to hall through whisper and practice. He would make it tall and wide, with alters to both and all. It would rest above caverns for glorious music and hold halls dedicated to philosophy and wisdom. He understood the humility of work. A life of freedom for a life of work: balance. And so, he began to build it.

The Ganzseher worked to atone, brick by brick. Many days had past, many weeks, then months and years. The temple construction was slow, and laborious. The Ganzseher's best days were behind him, and he certainly felt it within himself to quit. He was distraught, and sought out wisdom during this time. He pondered his work directly and noticed something... The leader of Gewebe, the heir of the Von Spinne had disappeared, seemingly in self-imposed exile. Soon, it was discovered that he had perished. The consequences that the Ganzseher had propagated destroyed what he loved, but the consequences begotten by the Kaiser had killed him in the end. He and those remaining members of the Gewebian court were alone.

The former owner of Baravenos had endeavored to make his own nation out of the ashes, Altirus. And so the Ganzseher built, and built.

Then, he stopped building, and found again that the town of Baravenos was abandoned. He now was left alone, lost within the construction of monument to atonement. The responsibility of the temple and the upkeep of the town was now on him. And yet he built continuously. He was wary, but persistent. He could not do it all, however, and he understood that his age was failing him. He sulked over the fate of his works, and feared that, possibly, the meeting with the foreigner was truly the last and most grievous of his sins. Perhaps all he touches will fall.

Then, he began having the nightmare.

### The Holy City of Khulmiu-Faira

Over and over, Ganzseher De'moda began to see the same dream: He began alone in a vast chamber, within a forest of red cables. A campfire warmed him, and he sat still. He would hear something approach within the strings, not as Tapphos might traverse but instead as if it were vaulting itself along. When he would look up, it wouldn't be Tapphos.

Instead he would be faced with a creature. A baboon, with many arms, and faces on all four sides, mouth agape and fangs barred. Within it's front mouth layed a serpent, dead and pierced. In it's free arms it held a corpse, with a mask. It's feet were decaying. It would spew profanities within a deep rumbling music, before vaulting away, snapping chords as it went. It would mock.

De'moda would always awake with a start. The message would be obscured from him, but the threat he felt shook him. He did not understand, for the first time. His responsibilities had grown, and so had the chaos that loomed. It seemed so should his ambitions. He endeavored to construct something larger, a temple so to speak but further. He would construct a holy site. Erdeweber had clearly abandoned him on many occasions, and something was amiss, as the path it had chosen faded from De'moda's life. Things were decaying far too quickly. He fretted over the metaphysical implications of his lack of nation, again with his world in imbalance.

The city must support the mantel of Erdeweber's avatar. It would represent the world, and eliminate the need for a figure head. Tapphos the church and Erdeweber the state, the world, would become one. De'moda decided to dedicate the city to his late wife, naming it Khulmiu-Faira, meaning "Faira guide me." He would now call upon the city as well, his new symbolic bride, when praying to Tapphos for guidance.

Shortly after, the Holy Tapphic State was established within the city as a permanent state for Tapphic Monks to adhere to, and to ensure the security of religious liberty within.

## The Pantheon

### Dugus

#### Omens

The frequency of dreams only began to worsen. One after another, his dreams were plagued by visions of creatures unknown to him. The first dream repeated only so many times before a new visitor arrived: a human with a mask. He clanged on the red strings in his mind, sending out waves of pleasant musical buzzing that would grow and grow. New songs and new visuals popped into his mind. Those dreams inspired the Ganzseher over and over. Then, he was visited by a horde of pythons, swirling around itself in a mass. He didn't know what was at the center, for he could never see within. He would be left with an ache of confusion.

As he continued into this spiritual journey, he couldn't help but believe that these creatures were related. As time passed, tensions surrounding Albia began to swell; the Ganzseher could not help but feel connected to these events. Perhaps not to Albia, but to something else entirely... No thought popped into his mind but that these may be Gods, struggling to be recognized. If Erdeweber was only just acknowledged, what other beings could be beyond the veil?

#### The Attack

Soon, the last of the 4 dreams arrived. The string forest was more vibrant, and thicker. What the Ganzseher spotted in the distance was straight out of Tapphic legend: a monster from the times of the early Nomads. It had all the features of the previous entities, and sported a bow crafted of a fell string.