The Void

*"For the Void."*

**The Void** (also called The **Darkness** or The **Nothingness**) is the name applied to the dimension outside of the known realms. It is usually used in capacity to describe what was before the creation of current existence. To Voidists, it is the domain of **The Null** and the antithesis to existence.

## Worship

> *In the beginning, there was Null. A vast canvas of nothingness, to which existence was an unknown concept, even to itself. And yet, when existence came to be, the darkness screamed itself into the birth of the universe, desperate to return to sleep. While most of the parasite Gods and the first beings clung to the inconsequential life they found themselves in, The Void only sought one goal - to end.*
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> - The Prophecy (Voidist religious text)
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### Voidism

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> > *When a non-Voidist thinks of one, most picture the brutal, seclusive cults that practice ritual sacrifice or blind themselves in order to gain a glimpse of their god. While this is all true, it is only a representation of the most zealous members of the faith. Many voidists see no particular change in their daily lives, aside from the occasional prayer. Such prayers are usually closer to meditation, as it is believed that someone must be in a state of internal focus and peace, with their eyes closed and senses drowned out, in order for prayer to be successful.*
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> - *A Guide to the Faiths of Keranos* by Adventurer Digitol
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Voidism is the worship and reverence of The Void. Most Voidists seek to return everything back to the primordial nothingness of pre-existence. In Voidism, nothingness is seen as eternal peace and the inevitable end of all things. Voidists believe that **The Null** (also known as **The Great Other**, **The** **Dread-Father**, **Erebus** or **Abyss**) is the personification of The Void.

The goal of Voidism is grand; regardless of the minutely different forms of worship, culture and indulgence, all proper Voidists will pledge themselves to the destruction of the realms of creation and support the grand incursions that further this goal

This makes Voidism a surprisingly flexible and diverse faith. Scholars, politicians, priests, craftsmen, farmers, soldiers, and members of almost every other profession across the planet have come under the fold of Voidism. This is because, unlike other faiths that promote virtues and vices, and encourage people to do everyday good or evil, Voidism only requires the acknowledgement of The End as an inevitability and absolute good, and as such to assist when possible in hastening it. In some rare cases, there are Voidists that also follow another faith, though in those cases that is usually because the ideologies are not contradictory, or if they are then Voidism takes priority.

While there are many cults of Voidism, a common form of prayer among Voidists is the attempt to "glimpse into The Void". (Forms of this include: closing their eyes, sleeping or blinding themselves). While many faithful will try their hardest to glimpse The Void through ordinary methods, its those that have died or had a near death experience with the most likelihood of success. In Voidism, it is believed when you die you are transported to the Void and are “enlightened” by the grand epiphany of nothingness. As such, those that are revived from death find themselves to be “touched” by The Void and are blessed with the opportunity to carry out The Null’s direct orders.

Most magics, even those usually taboo in society, are permitted by Voidism as long as it serves the ultimate goal.

Void Cults vary enormously in size, strength, purpose, and membership, from tiny conspiratorial cells in the heart of a city to whole villages that have secretly given their allegiance to the Void.

#### Enlightened Voidism

**Enlightened Voidism** also known as **Darkfort Voidism** or **Chaos Worship**, is a moderate branch of Voidism that was followed in the lost continent of Keranos, especially by the Darkfort Harbingers in Flogos.

The primary goal of Enlightened Voidism is to bring about the end of civilisation and to remake it in their image. Chaos worshippers; unlike traditional Voidists, are not ontologically opposed to existence, instead they see themselves as a perfect symbioses of existence and The Void, and seek to assimilate existence into a new Void made in their image.

Unsurprisingly, Darkfort Voidists are typically enemies with **Darkfall Voidists**; the former sees the latter as unenlightened, with the latter, in turn, believing the former to not be true Voidists.

### Keranos

#### Darkfall

> *The Void is not a demon, nor a god. It is beyond human understanding and control. Those who have embraced its power have transcended the limitations of the physical realm. You speak of weakness and manipulation, but it is you who are trapped by your own limited perspective. The Void offers true freedom and limitless potential to those who are brave enough to embrace it. It is not a force to be controlled or subdued, but rather a force that one must learn to harness.*
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> -Varas The Second to Penguin Off-PVP
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The Empire of Darkfall, contrary to its secular predecessor, the Empire of Narda, is a theocracy that only accepts the worship of Voidism. It is currently led by the Council of the Void, headed by Void Archbishop Pingu Raavan, the former lord of Kraznir.

The Darkfall cult is one of the largest sects of Voidism, following the orthodox version of the faith. The cult, which had managed to dominate a large portion of Narda, eventually overthrew the Emperor and instated their own domination over the territories.

### Flogos

Several religions and cultures in the lost continent of Flogos make reference to the Void or the end in some way.

#### Fallpour and Berryism

A prophecy from Berryist text mentions four historic empires of history, and that when the fourth empire would fall, all organized society and culture would collapse. It was speculated that the fourth empire mentioned in the Berryist Books was Fallpour.

According to some Fallpourian oral storytelling, in ancient times the first Empire of Fallpour collapsed, causing the destruction of civilisation. As such, the mantle of Fallpour must be carried on, lest the world fall into chaos again.

This prophecy was clearly held seriously by both Fallpourians and Berryists. According to some texts, after the Republic of Fallpour's dissolution and the formation of Desperado's Republic in its place, a Berryist chancellor of the state of Drywind renamed the country to Fallpour in hopes of keeping society from collapsing.

This Second Fallpourian Republic, as it was called, was a significant player in geopolitics. However, its stagnation during the peak of Imperium Encavia's reign, and alleged collapse, led to several self-claimed successor states, though none held the name of Fallpour.

#### Darkfort

Darkfort, previously the Kingdom of Dropplia, was a state that seceded from Desperado’s and was one of the successor states to Fallpour. Unlike the other successors however, Darkfort sought to fulfil the ancient prophecy.

According to *The Final Days of Flogos* by Lorekeeper Spino, Darkfort Believed themselves the rightful harbingers of chaos and they, along with the Principality of Snowspire and Interdimensional Kingdom of Jayle, declared a religious crusade against Flogos with the intent of destroying civilisation and remaking it anew.

After this, accounts become more contrarian: some insistent Flogosians claim that the Dark Crusade succeeded, and the Flogosian Migration was a result of people fleeing the fate Darkfort had for Flogos. Others claim that Darkfort did not win, only that the chaos and destruction caused by the Crusade left the continent unbearable to live in. According to a few Void Cults, Flogos no longer exists, and the Migration is just the remnants of existence fleeing from the Void’s conquest.

However, it should be noted that these are only theories, and the reason for the Flogosian Migration is currently inconclusive.