Grave Walkers
The Grave Walkers worship the fallen paladin Elustria who was killed on the island of Aqua. They aspire to ressurect Elustria and be her servants of destruction across the world. Those who are inducted into the religion are given the ability to siphon necrotic energy from Elustria's tomb and use it in battle.
Structure
There is a hierarchy with one supreme leader of the cult, known as Dead One, with a group of more powerful necromancers known as Black Skulls that are entrusted with the training or induction of new members also known as Walkers. Walkers are rarely accompanied by a Black Skull or the Dead One unless they are on important business and are left to their mission with little guidance.
Culture
Seniority in the cult holds a lot of power, allowing the Walker to move to a new position that does not involve going and fighting. However, to become a Black Skull or even a Dead One, the Walker must take the lives of others as well as come close to death. The success of a mission is not as important as the damage to this religion. There are many peaceful Walkers, and they lead the development of literature and technology as well as go out on explorations to build the knowledge of the religion.
Public Agenda
The Grave Walkers to the public are a group of cultists looking to do nothing more than kill, however this is not necessarilly all there is to the religion. They seek to awaken Elustria from death, and every attack is a necessary one decided by the Dead One. Walkers are peaceful to those on the Northern Isles unless provoked, but most fights are with trade captains from the Scorchlands.
Assets
The Walkers hold the Stronghold of Elustria, though it was magically sealed until after the invasion of Ohrer. The Walkers have secured many boats from Scorchland scouts and traders they now use to raid the mainlands. Many residents of the Northern Isles are more than happy to lend a wagon or tool to the Walkers if they need it.
History
Around the time when Elustria was thought to be killed, it was found that the Stronghold of Aqua had been magically sealed by the mages that were sent to attack her from Ultribar. A shaman of Aqua tried to break the seal but his magic was useless in comparison to the mages that cast the spell. That shaman would use a spiritual projection to see the inside of the stronghold, but all they saw was the petrified body of Elustria. After the projection ritual, the shaman kept hearing the voice of Elustria telling her to look for a vial she had buried nearby, a vial of a poison called The Half Death (See half-death condition in world articles).
This shaman was named Ponty after the flowers of the island and she became the first Dead One, prior to the official founding of the Grave Walkers. For the next decade, Ponty would research the Tomes of the Lost so she would be able to break open the stronghold. She additionally followed the voice of Elustria to activate the Half Death and drank a drop of it herself to show her loyalty to Elustria. Prior to dying, she appointed a group of islanders to pass the Half Death, as well as her progress on the Tomes, to.
As a relatively new group, they have only tapped into the surface of power that Elustria and the Tomes of the Lost contain. Their main focus for many decades was to free Elustria, allowing her to become the eternal Dead One and free the Northern Isles. They did this by stealing magical items and using their connection to the Source to break the seal to the stronghold. Lead by Octavius, the fourth Dead One, Elustria was broken from her petrification and returned to her former glory.
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Founding Date
719
Demonym
Walkers
Leader
Location
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