The Dark Faith

The Dark Faith is a religion that worships the Dark Goddess, a powerful and mysterious deity who stands in opposition to the Church of the Holy Light and the Radiant King. The origins of the Dark Goddess are shrouded in mystery, but unknown to even the most devout followers, she was brought to life through the belief and imagination of Astrid Luciene, who later became the Apostle of the Dark Goddess.   The Dark Faith is a relgion, managed by the Cult of the Dark Goddess, with members who are sworn to keep the identity of their leader, Astrid, a secret. They use their powers and abilities to further the goals of the Dark Goddess, which include undermining the Church of the Holy Light and the Radiant King.   The believers of the Dark Faith are a diverse group of individuals, including former members of the Holy Church, disillusioned nobles, and skilled commoners seeking to overthrow the oppressive regime of the Holy Kingdom. They are united in their worship of the Dark Goddess, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to serve her and her Apostle. Notably, many of their distinguished members are given codenames of flowers.   Despite their fearsome reputation, the believers of the Dark Faith are not all evil or malevolent. Some desire a forgiving comfort after death given by the Dark Goddess, unlike the absolution dealt by the Radiant King. Others seek to overthrow the oppressive regime of the Holy Kingdom and create a new society where everyone is free to live their lives as they choose.   The Dark Faith celebrates a holiday known as the Night of the Darkening Moon, where they perform rituals and offerings to the Dark Goddess, and celebrate with feasts and drinks.   Additionally, the Dark Faith is known for its use of dark magic and abilities granted by the Dark Goddess. These abilities include influence and camouflage, allowing believers to infiltrate and subvert groups from within.   The only true way to identify a believer of the Dark Faith who was granted direct power is through the detection of a thick, even miasma of dark energy emanating from the area they reside in. This miasma is directly proportional to the amount of power instilled in the individual by the Dark Goddess. But their gift of camoflauge make disguise the exact source of the miasma. This is often used as a form of psychological warfare.   The leader of the Dark Faith is Astrid Luciene, the Apostle of the Dark Goddess. She is assisted by Anya Lefaux, the Cult's second-in-command and a powerful mind-mage.   The Dark Faith is a powerful and secretive religion, with only a select few even aware of its true existence and allowed to join. Believers and cultists are often brutal and unforgiving, believing forgiveness to a be a gift only the Dark Goddess can truly provide. Despite their reputation, the believers of the Dark Faith are not all evil, and seek to create a better world for themselves and those they care about.