Cult of Kosmos

The true form of existence is Chaos and only we can hold back the tide of destruction. For Order and survival, we walk the path of Darkness. For the Salvation that awaits us...for the Creator to awaken

 — Cult of Kosmos Motto

## Cult of Kosmos

The Cult of Kosmos is a secret organization founded by Gilgamesh in the 5th Epoch after "He" and "His" companions stepped back into the world. Their aim is to prepare the world for the Apocalypse by any means necessary, even by purging the weak or anyone that is a liability. They also seek the resurrection of the Original Creator by merging The Fool and Ancient Sun God (two Pillars) along with other Gods. They believe the combined imprint from the Original Creator would be enough for "Him" to revive.

As an organization, they are very secretive and each member has a range of defensive measures on them, ranging from soul to physical. Despite being founded recently, their members hold many important positions across the world. They have secretly replaced many Beyonders and infiltrated other organizations, from the Churches to Evil Organizations like the Rose School of Thought. They use these positions to manipulate and alter the plans of others to their own ends.

The Cult has a monopoly on the Sovereign Pathways, with only a few odd Characteristics escaping them. They also have access to the 22 Pathways via the Pyramid of Kosmos, an instrument that acts like the Blasphemy Slate and can produce Characteristics up to Sequence 2. Their members are thus of any Pathway, but only high-ranking members are granted access to the Sovereign Groupway

They are in cooperation with the Golden Order and Twilight Hermit Order, the former for being led by Miquella and the latter for having the "same" goal of reviving the Original Creator (only high-ranking Cultists know the true aims of Adam and the Order)

They refer to the Original Creator as "Kosmos" in their Rites.

## Philosophy

The Cult has many beliefs that mirror both the Aurora Order and Twilight Hermit Order, in that they believe that Divinity (the Original Creator) is inside everyone and that by advancing as Beyonders they become closer to "Him". Where they differ however, is the importance they place on this belief.

The Cult believes that, as everything comes from the Original Creator, everything *is* the Original Creator. They state that "He" is merely sleeping and we are the creations of "His" dreams. In their own words: "Angels are "His" Blessed, Gods are "His" Angels and Above the Sequences are "His" descendants." They also believe that Beyonders are "His" representatives in the Universe and thus all all equal below Sequence 2.

They state that as everything the the product of the Original Creator and "He" is inside everything, everything is the Creator by proxy. This means that by praying to Gods like Evernight, Lord of Storms or Hidden Sage, you are actually praying to the Creator inside "Them". As such, the Cult allows and practises *all* religions. Even if you worship a rock, that rock was born from the Creator and is qualified to be revered.

Despite preaching general equality amongst Beyonders and Gods, special emphasis is placed on certain individuals. For example: Son of Chaos, Mother Tree of Desire, Mother Goddess of Depravity, God Almighty and Lord of Mysteries. The Cult states these are the Creators children and direct kin, thus being crowned as "Kings and Queens amongst Gods". The largest factions within the Cult are those that worship these Gods. They view all other Gods equally.

They also hold the Sovereign of the Cosmos in an unique light: they believe "Him" to be the vessel of the Creator, who will resurrect within the Sovereign's body during the Apocalypse and save Humanity . As such, the Sovereign is seen as equal to the Creator and surpasses even the Pillars and direct kin in importance.

## Goals

The Cult seeks to save Humanity from the Apocalypse and drive back the Outer Deities. To this end, they seek to unify the world under one banner and combine their forces. All that resist this notion are to be purged and exterminated, regardless of power or importance. They are completely dedicated to this goal and will sacrifice half the world if they can guarantee the safety of the other half. This is the official goal of the Cult.

Some members simply want to profit of membership of the Cult, and are given free reign to do so. However, unless they seriously convert before the End of Days, they will be left to their own devices and not protected.

The actual goal of the Cult is to revive the Original Creator by merging as many Gods and the Pillars as possible. The combined imprint left by the Creator would fuse and awaken "Him" once again. They would then all join the Creator and "become complete". This is known purely to the highest-ranked Cultists.

The personal goal of Gilgamesh is unknown, but several Cultists have e expressed doubt about "His" desire to fuse with the Creator, given "His" strong desire for independence and survival. This was ultimately proven correct when Gilgamesh slaughtered the Cultists in preparation for "His" Apotheosis Ritual. The Cult was merely a means to an end for "Him" and "He" had no desire to resurrect the Original Creator, instead only using the Cult to prepare for the arrival of Miquella and the Golden Order.

## Rules

The Cultists are not allowed to reveal any information regarding anything featuring them. They rely on the same technique as the Twilight Hermit Order in this regard. However, the name can be mentioned just fine: it only restricts actual matters discussed by the Cult.

The Cult is relatively lax apart from this, with Gilgamesh (their leader) providing little input in management and actively allowing Cultists to expand their own gain using the Cult. As long as your actions do not bring harm to the general wellbeing of the Cult and its members, you can carry out any act you see fit and pursue and other goals.

## Gatherings

The whole Cult gather every 3 months or if something important occurs. The meeting are held is a special sub-dimension, created by Trinia Saint-Gold. The space is actually "His" Divine Kingdom projected onto the Real World. This makes spying and Divination impossible.

If Cultists want separate or individual meetings, they teleport to the Golden Capital (Gilgamesh's palace) in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. There are also several small bunkers and meeting places for Cultists.

## History

Founded by Gilgamesh in the 5th Epoch when "He" and "His" companions began to influence the world.

The Cult "sprang up out of nowhere" and rapidly advanced, becoming a global powerhouse in as little as 2 years. This growth is attributed to Gilgamesh handing out many Demigod Characteristics and brainwashing important Beyonders into joining. The Cult also gained control over the Pyramid of Kosmos, which was gifted to them by Trinia. The Pyramid allowed them to create countless Beyonder Characteristics up to Sequence 2 of any Pathway, but had several drawbacks.

The Cult established the Church of the Heavens as a cover and installed Trinia as the Head. They made contact with the Twilight Hermit Order, Church of the Fool and Aurora Order and attempted to enter a partnership. They succeeded with the Twilight and Aurora Order but failed in doing so with the Church of the Fool.

Next, the Cult planted several Beyonders in other Organizations. They first went after the Rose School of Thought and Moses Ascetic Order. Next, they turned their eyes on the Demoness Sect and Numerous Espiceltes. Finally, they extended offers towards the Life School of Thought and the Secret Order. After securing some alliances and filing in others, the Cult began properly orchestrating plots.

After rooting itself in all aspects of the Beyonder world, the Cult began to purge all forces that dissent. They went to war with the Orthodox Churches as a part of this Unification Plan, though the real reason was to help Trinia and Paragon in "Their" Apotheosis Rituals, which both required to fight a God. During the War, the Cult dealt severe damage to the Churches but also received massive damage. In the end, the 2 groups exchanged blows and both crumpled. In the conflict, the Rose School of Thought and Blood Sanctify Sect was wiped out apart from the High-Sequence Beyonders. The Demoness Sect and Theosophy Order was nearly eradicated too, but managed to just barely survive thanks to personal assistance from Primordial Demoness Cheek

After the War, the Cult lost 2/3 of its Branches and Envoys, making it very weak. However, this was the ultimate goal of Gilgamesh, as "He" only saw the Cult as a tool for "His" Advancement. As both Trinia and Paragon had advanced to Sequence-0 after the War, the Cult lost its use. Gilgamesh then purged the Cult of all remaining members, effectively destroying the Cult forever. Only Kayneth Vergo and Julius Kingsly survived the purge, the former due to willingly removing "His" memories of Gilgamesh and the latter having lost his mind and no longer be able of sentient thought, memories included.

## Command Structure

The Cult has a hierarchy and somewhat confusing structure. It is split into 10 Branches, each Branch led by a Sage and comprised of 5 Envoys. Each Envoy has 20 normal Cultists beneath them, meaning each Branch has 100 members. Furthermore, each Branch is in charge of a controlling a different aspect of society and the world.

While the Sages are all at least Sequence 3, the Envoys can range from Sequence 7 to 4. You can become an Envoy by having good connections and opportunities for the Cult and not just power. Here is a list of Branches:

* Golden Lineage: Led by Gilgamesh, the Golden Lineage is in charge of pulling the strings behind politics across the world and do so with the utmost efficiency. They are the strongest Branch yet rarely intervene in meetings or affairs. They are in cooperation with the Twilight Hermit Order

* Blood of Kosmos: Led by Navruavati, a Sequence 2-Avenger. The Blood of Kosmos is focused on researching Mysticism and the Crucible. The are also responsible for making Sealed Artefacts and weapons for the Cult. They are in cooperation with the Moses Ascetic Order.

* Eyes of Kosmos: Led by Julius Kingsly, a Sequence 3-Eternal. The Eyes of Kosmos are spies and are tasked with infiltrating and gathering information. They are in cooperating with the Secret Order.

* Veins of Kosmos: Led by Kayneth Vergo, a Sequence 2-Black Blade. Due to Kayneth being in the Western Continent, "He" can only only lead the Branch via a projection. The Veins of Kosmos are the ones that manage the finances of the Cult. The members are all powerful and extremely wealthy tycoons or nobles. They are in cooperation with the Life School of Thought.

* Enforcers of Kosmos: Led by Lord Vile, a Sequence 1-Beast. Vile was "loaned" the Sequence 1 Characteristic by Gilgamesh. The Enforcers of Kosmos act as the Cults vanguard and army, with every Envoy being a Saint of a Pathway. They are greatly feared by the rest of the Beyonder world. They are in cooperation with the Numerous Episcopate.

* Faith of Kosmos: Led by Trinia Saint-Gold, the king of Angels of the Heaven Pathway. The Faith of Kosmos is in charge of managing the Church of Heaven and recruiting new members. They are in charge of negotiating with the Churches.

* Servants of Kosmos: Led by the Servant, a Sequence 2-Divine Champion. The Servants of Kosmos are the simplest Branch of the Cult and just handle general management. If Cultists want to meet, the Servants set up a place and time and send out the invites. They handle the logistics and paperwork of the Cult, oiling the gears and helping it run smoothly.

* Executioners of Kosmos: Led by Shiraori White, a Sequence 2-Imperial Blaze. The Executioners or Kosmos eliminate anyone that stand in the way of the Cult: they are assassins. Very good assassins, as you would have it. Anyone the Cult sees as a threat is expunged by them and they rarely (if ever) fail. They are in cooperation with the Demoness Sect.

* Light of Kosmos: Led by Paragon, the King of Angels of the Star Pathway. The Light of Kosmos are the elite warriors of the Cult solely comprised of Star Beyonders. They are the trump card of the Cult, reserved for if/when negotiations break down with the Churches and they need to deal with Angels or above.

* Judgement of Kosmos: Led by Willem K'metsch, a Sequence 3-Messiah. The Judgement of Kosmos rule the courts and law systems of nations. They shield Cultists and their accomplices from scrutiny and label targets for the Executioners of Kosmos. They also gain favours by bailing out influential non-members. They are in charge of making contact with the Tarot Club and Church of the Fool, alongside the Faith of Kosmos

## Additional Measures

The Cultists have bound their souls to the Crucible, thus gaining a sort of immortality. Each Cultist can only be killed in the following way:

* Envoys: To kill an Envoy, the 20 Cultists below them must first be killed. Otherwise, the Envoys soul remains intact and can resurrect through the Crucible. The Envoys must be killed in the order they made the pact with the Crucible. Even if you kill all 20 members, an Envoy will not stay dead if they are killed out of order. This measure fails if the soul of the Envoy is completely destroyed by an Angel or special circumstances.

* Sages: To kill a Sage, all the Envoys must be permanently killed. The Envoys must be killed in the order they bound their souls to the Crucible: killing out of order allows the Sage and Envoy to resurrect. This fails if the soul is completely destroyed.

* Each members wears a mask that makes them completely unrecognisable unless you have interacted extensively with them beforehand. Trinia and Paragon used these masks to conceal themselves from Medici, who knew and worked with both of them during the 3rd Epoch.