Congregation of Flies

**The Congregation of Flies**, also known as the **Beelzebub Neo-Cult**, is a cult that operates out of a gathering of tents on the southeastern side of the city. They combine the feverish devotion of Dark Ages Christianity with pre-Christian entities and practices. This group worships the long-abandoned patron god of the city of Ekron: Ba'al, otherwise known as Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies.

## History

Over 40 years ago, even before the plague began to gain a worrying traction in the population, the cult was started by the first generation of priests. As the death toll rose, more and more vulnerable people were led into the Congregation and starved to halt the apocalypse. Most of the priests, especially in later generations, do not believe their own doctrine and use the ritualistic binging and purging to hoard supplies in their private tents.

44 years ago, Faustina was the single mother of the youngest child in the cult at the time, and when he turned 10, was chosen to be the mortal vessel for their god in another step by the then-second generation priests to advance their propaganda through a charismatic figurehead. After psychologically breaking and searing the doctrine into the boy and fostering an appropriate persona and set of behaviors, he was christened “Ekron” after the fallen city of their god and made the effective leader, even if puppeted by the priests. Faustina likewise was kept to the side as a silent, veiled Virgin Mary figure, as manipulable as her son. Several years later, Ekron castrated himself as a renouncement of the sin of sexual behavior, an example followed by the more devoted male flies. Recently, during the Week of Ba'al in April, Ekron escaped the camp, which the priests covered up by explaining that he was meandering like the Greek god Dionysus and would return of his own accord.

The Flies are eager to spread their word but due to their habits, many assumed the cult had died out at some point. In addition to their tents, they have also claimed a few blocks of buildings in the southeast part of the city and have access to some technology, such as photography cameras and printing presses, which they use to create pamphlets and advertisements, which are handed out by missionaries who hover around both near and far away, even in others’ territories.

## Beliefs

The original priests theorized that because Adam and Eve fell into sin by eating the fruit of knowledge, this had cursed humanity to rely on food to survive, effectively bringing the world further and further towards irreversible sin. Theoretically, humans would be able to free themselves from this cycle of sin by training themselves to become self-sufficient off of food. They are not a doomsday cult, and in fact do what they do because they think it will stop the world from being razed to the ground by Ba’al. They are not a death cult either, and seek to preserve human life even if they suffer.

Flies are largely pacifists, and won’t even put up a fight if attacked. They all have an eerily cheery air about them, as if they know something others don’t. They are perceived by all other parties to be annoying but ultimately very harmless, and mostly just bothersome. If they seek help from Doctors, they will not be turned away, but cannot be kept too long or hired due to their tendency to proselytize others. Flies will eat most smaller things they can get their hands on, up to and including garbage and even blades, just to vomit it up again.

The Lord of the Flies is the god of the cult's worship, and the only deity of focus. The monotheistic God is hardly acknowledged within Fly doctrine.

Ba'al is both their savior and destructor. He shows them how to escape judgment and break free from sin, and if they cannot, he must wipe the Earth clean of humanity to begin again. Ba'al is not regarded as a creator deity, but a preserver *and* destroyer. He is praised for his mercy and tendency to give second chances. The current plague outbreak and subsequent famine is viewed as a sign from Ba'al of humanity's impending sin threshold, and as a helping hand in ridding the world of "sin". Those who die from starvation, whether following the Fly doctrine or not, will wait with Ba'al until humanity rids itself of sin completely and he will open the door to Salvation for all.

Gods are affected by mortal worship, perception, and belief, and thus can be removed from godhood due to waning belief, even being literally demonized. Such a fall occurred to Ba'al due to the collapse of the City of Ekron, but the now demonic god was brought back to godhood by the Congregation's efforts. Demons are understood to be not inherently negative, just wrongly stigmatized and relatively depowered, perhaps as just another form of godhood.

Flies believe the human soul can be prematurely weakened and removed from the living body, resulting in an empty shell like a corpse but still physically alive. With repeated psychological and/or physical abuse, the soul can be slowly removed as if scraping clean a jar until the body is ready to be a host. This process, nicknamed “scooping”, was used to prepare the 10 year old Ekron to be Ba'al's vessel. Ekron himself states the process was not complete, or could not be completed due to being flawed, resulting in the original host soul (however weak or suppressed it may be) still remaining inside him. The process only succeeded by Ba'al's will to continue with the possession and protect the boy.

Ghosts and spirits are not part of Fly belief, instead hauntings and the like being seen as a trace or shadow left by a parting soul, not the soul itself.

### Practices

The Flies are eager to spread their word but due to their habits, many assumed the cult had died out at some point. In addition to their tents, they have also claimed a few blocks of buildings in the southeast part of the city and have access to some technology, such as photography cameras and printing presses, which they use to create pamphlets and advertisements, which are handed out by missionaries who hover around both near and far away, even in others’ territories.

Their most infamous practice is the act of binging and purging. Designated times and special dates are reserved for binge-purge times, though the act is encouraged immediately after every meal or even just bite of food, even if it does not coincide with the reserved times. Each morning, 1 PM mass, and suppertime is the Fly schedule. Ekron purges much more often, while his mother has her own schedule, and his priests allege they do it behind closed doors, only occasionally joining a purging mass with the rest of the cult.

The Congregation does not have any issued uniforms, but the clothes they wear will generally look ratty, shabby, or homemade. As a child, Ekron was only allowed loose clothing or rags, and as an adult only has a robe to drape on his arms, and is nude at all times. He is the most extreme example of how emaciated a member of the cult can appear, but at least half of the cult resemble him in that way.

The Congregation embraces unconventional families and couples, but sexual activity is to be kept very private and to be done very minimally.

## Holidays

April 19: Ekron’s human birth date and day of accepting Ba’al into himself. Ekron is garbed in robes and reveals himself before the procession feasts and drinks, followed by a collective purge.

April 20 - 30: The Week of Ba'al. Livestock are brought to Ekron and slaughtered and fed to him first, then a piece for everyone else. Talented Flies will show off their efforts as a show of devotion to Ekron. The celebrations grow more frantic and bloody until the finale of May Day.

May 1: Day of the Beast. Livestock are eaten raw and warm this day.

December 25: The Flies stand outside in the cold, holding hands, barely garbed from dawn to dusk.

## Hierarchy

Potential inductees are “maggots”, training followers are “larvae”, and followers are “flies”. Outsiders are “eggs”.

The Congregation of Flies was originally an oligarchy headed by the original priests, who would be succeeded by their progeny. After the incarnation of Ekron, the cult assumed the appearance of a monarchy with a council of advisors. However, in truth, the cult was still an oligarchy capped with a charismatic figurehead who buys into the priests' fabricated doctrine stronger than any ordinary Fly. Still, the actions of the higher-ups are swayed by the priests' need to appease figurehead Ekron to continue the ruse. Ekron is aware of the deception, but does not care as long as his message is delivered intact, even with his clergy weaving their agenda throughout it.

Due to her syncretism with the Virgin Mary, Faustina is effectively a priestess and enjoys similar privileges to the priests, though is still just as indoctrinated as her son.

Marriages are officiated by Ekron and can be broken off by him if requested by both participants. If he is unavailable, the priests and Faustina are able to officiate.

Ordinary Flies are all one class and are left to their own devices. Artisans enjoy the privilege of using the cult's machinery to reproduce propaganda for distribution.

## Prayers

* Mornings
* 1 PM
* Luck
* Pre-binge
* Post-purge
* To Faustina

*Our Lord, he who waits by the door*

*Hallowed be thy name*

*Your will shall be done*

*Your kingdom rises again*

*Sin will be purged forevermore*

*On earth as it is in heaven*

*Forgive us our sins*

*Give us this day our daily bread*

*Forgive humanity of its sinners*

*Save us from Temptation, lest it wins*

*Deliver from our mouths the unholy dinners*

*And through the Door, Salvation will be met*

*We thank Thee, O Ba’al our Lord,*

*Thou hast saved us from the temptatious earthly sins;*

*deprive us not of Thy mercy nor Salvation,*

*but as Thou camest among Thy disciples,*

*O Savior, and gavest us the truth,*

*come unto us and save us once again.*

*O Lord, arise.*

*Everything indeed have I committed unto thee as the Ender.*

*Now art thou the Doorkeeper, thou art the Good Destructor, the Good Lord of Endings.*

*Thou'lt come especially, thou the superior of these weak, sinful kings...*

*Sing ye to the Lord of the Flies, entreat the Champion of the Human Wastes.*

*Bless us, O Lord, and these, mankind’s sins, which we are about to receive from Thy mercy.*

*Through he who waits by the door, our Lord.*

*So be it.*

*We give Thee thanks, All-Encompassing Lord, for all thy mercy,*

*Who lives and reigns forever and ever.*

*So be it.*

*Hail, Faustina, lucky maiden, the Lord is with you;*

*blessed are you among women,*

*and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Ekron.*

*Revered Faustina, Mother of the Lord,*

*pray for us sinners*

*now and at the hour of our death.*

*So be it.*

## Known Members

* Ekron
* Ekronic Priests
* Faustina
* Esther

## Gallery

* In-Game
* Misc

## Trivia

* The name of Ba'al or Beelzebub is scarcely used out of reverence, usually being referred to as just “Lord”. The name is not forbidden to use.
* Ekron is not acknowledged as a virgin birth like Jesus Christ, but this fact is discouraged from repetition in the cult.
* Ekron's father was not a member of the Congregation.