Dormantism

## The Report

Official report by audalad imperial agents in the county of Apasiril to Sahrad Skavier Castellan III of Konushum about suspicious activity regarding a secret cult in his domains

Two weeks ago a patrol found a squatter settlement to the north of Konushum, in the county of Apasiril. They intended to expel the inhabitants and maybe relocate them in the nearby cities. There was only one problem. They found a crime scene. The squatters had been massacred in a brutal attack and it was clear to the patrol that it wasn't simply some bandits. It was an ugly scene with little clues apart from severed heads and a macabre poem written in blood:

"Awoken by force,

> but awoken nontheless
>
>

> worth the blood
>
>

> and all the bad press"
>
>

It was one of the most violent and practically the only manifestation of this mysterious cult that is beginning to be referred to as "Dormantism" in the Audalad halls of intelligentsia. But who were they? Who are they? That same question seemed unanswerable until yesterday, when one of my agents stumbled upon some leaflets found in the possession of some dead dude from Prisma. And this is what we know so far about the Dormatists:

Dormatism is an obscure religion of unknown origin that believes Rathnir to be a nightmare realm controlled by the evil god Mekalsk, who feeds off the souls, dreams and fears of those within. Therefore, the religion prophesies and calls for a cataclysmic event which they refer to as the Deep Slumber followed by the Blissful or Great Awakening brought about by the God Nictas and its unknown prophet/hero.

### Mekaliska, the Devil in the daylight.

Mekalsk or Mekaliska appears to be known by many names but its own, for dormatist believe that pronouncing it would alert Mekalsk about your knowledge, and it would bring great suffering upon you. Depending on the region Mekaliska is known as the Master Puppeteer, the Sleepless One, the Dream Eater, as well as many other names. Mekaliska lives in everyone who hasen&#39;t awoken, that being anyone who doesn't follow Dormnatism.

Dormantists do not trust people outside their religion although they may keep appearances and even &quot;follow&quot; other religions, the gods of which also believe to be mirages or monsters at Mekalsk's service. The false idols as well as those who worship them will be destroyed too when the Deep Slumber arrives, and the followers of Nictas will be called to arms to wage a Holy War against Mekalsk and its followers.

### Nictas, a helping Deity

Dormantists believe that reality in Rathnir is an illusion conjured by the evil Mekalsk, but they think that, during the night, the spell is partially broken by a helping, although less powerful deity called Nictas that wants to help humans break free of the Nightmare.

During night, the dark reality of Mekalsk's realm as well as its beasts are revealed. Nictas also appears to people to tell them about the true nature of Rathnir.

> "Escape de Cage, dear bird" said Lord Nictas "and sing the song to the others, that there is a bright path beyond Mekaliska's realm; beyond your suffering"
>
>

Nictas also acts as an intermediary and "smuggler" between Rathnir and the Realm of Truth by sending the souls of the Awoken to the other side, liberating them of the nightmare.

### The End of Rathnir and the Blissful Awakening

In the end, Dormatism calls for the destruction of the mirage called Rathnir conjured by the Master Puppeteer, through a cataclysmic holy war against the unbelievers and their gods:

> "The Awoken will break the golden chains forged by the lieutenants of the Sleepless One"
>
>

Finally, the whole world, having been freed of the servants of Mekaliska, would go to sleep at the same time and finally wake up from the nightmare.

### History, following and practices of Dormantism.

The first known manifestation of this creed was by a mad man found by some bandits in a ruined castle near Konushum, in the deep provinces of Yimmu-Audal. His message, unlike his name, lives on:

> "We must wake up from this Great Nightmare. It doesn't want us to leave for we are the fuel of its eternal life"
>
>

The spread and rituals of the religion are difficult to determine since it is a secret cult, but we believe that the religion may be spreading amongst the bandits, the poor and the outcasts of Rathnir, specially in feudal societies like Yimmu-Audal.

May Theios and all the gods in Rathnir guard us from this savages.

End of the report.