The Unchained
Structure
1. Leadership: The Chainbreakers
: No permanent leaders—only temporary guides who prove their resilience. To guide others, a giant must master all three pillars. Publicly resist their curse for a full year. How Authority is Claimed: A giant demonstrates mastery over their curse. Any Chainbreaker can call a gathering. Contenders recount their triumphs (lying means death). The giants choose who most embodies defiance of their curse. Others follow until someone proves stronger. How Leaders Fall - If a leader succumbs to their curse they must: Admit weakness before the Unchained. Surrender their symbols (broken torc, defaced rune-tooth, washed-off paint). Re-prove themselves pillar by pillar. 2. The Trial-Bound: All Giants: Work on one pillar at a time. Aspiring Leaders: Must conquer all three + a year of resistance. 3. Initiation - To join, a giant must: Publicly defy their curse. Carve the Unchained sigil into their weapon or armor. Swear no oaths, allegiance is proven through action, not words. 4. Rules - Never aid dwarves—only steal from them. Kill any giant who betrays the Unchained to the Bloodborn. If you succumb to your curse, you must repent and cleanse yourself until you regain control. If you are in a position of leadership you must relent your position.Tenets of Faith
"Your Flaw is Your Teacher" : The curse is not a punishment—it is Vit'khari’s whetstone.
"Steal Truth From the Enemy": Dwarven lore may hold curse-breaking secrets, but never trust a dwarf.
"Stormspeak is Divine": Thunder is Vit'khari’s voice. Lightning is his gaze.
"A Leader Must First Master Himself": To guide others, conquer all Three Pillars and resist your curse for a year.
"No Chains But Your Own": Obey no one. Follow only those who have proven stronger.
Ethics
The Unproven May Not Speak in Gatherings (until they pass one Pillar).
A Giant Who Falls to Their Curse Must Wear Ashes until they redeem themselves. Relinquish their signs of mastery and must start anew.
Dwarves Are Killed After Interrogation (but their bones may be used for runes).
Worship
A Giant worships by fighting their curse through the three pillars. Each pillar represents a way to fight the curse. A giant may focus on one at a time, but leaders must conquer all.
1. Pillar of Iron (Body)
Challenge: "Endure what your curse compels you to fear." Trials: Physical trials that represents overcoming your curse (IE. Fire giants stand motionless in blizzards for 3 days. Frost giants sleep beside a roaring fire. Hill giants solve a riddle before eating.) Proof of Mastery: The right to wear an unbroken iron torc.2. Pillar of Runes (Mind)
Challenge: "Outthink the curse. Steal its secrets." Trials: Memorize lines of stolen dwarven script. Spend a month writing in Dwarvish runes (illiteracy is no excuse—learn or fail). Proof of Mastery: A rune-carved tooth that hangs from your neck. The right to carve anti-curse marks on others.3. Pillar of Thunder (Storm)
Challenge: "Hear the War-Father’s true voice." Trials: Stand atop a mountain during a storm until lightning strikes nearby. Go a full night without sleep, howling Vit'khari’s name into the wind. Drink seawater mixed with ash and do not vomit. Proof of Mastery: The right to wear stormcloud warpaint. Each Giant is awarded the mastery during a gathering where a Chain Breaker who leads agrees you have succeeded.
"I take the first chain. I will break it."
Type
Religious, Cult
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Deities
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
Related Species
Comments