The Cult of Erebos
The Returned of Odunos despise the living, feeling sparks of pleasure when they destroy whatever the living value, be it property or people. Within their city, armed Returned gangs roam the streets, quarreling for no apparent reason. And no place is this seen more than in the Cult of Erebos that was founded in the dark necropolis. With branches and sects infiltrating the whole of Theros, the most concentrated population of the Cult is in the city of Odunos because this is where Tymaret, the Murder King, arose to hunt down and kill Phenax when he first rose as a Returned by Erebos himself.
These Returned and the few human cultists that they drew into their thrall worship Erebos and serve his whims above all else. While the Murder King appreciates their devotion, he is more concerned with defeating Phenax, even now that he is a god. As such the Cult of Erebos has been able to do as it wishes, even recruiting those evil humans who wish to bring about more death. These humans however exist in the polies and settlements beyond Odunos as none are allowed to enter the necropolis- the one line that Tymaret would not let the Cult cross.
The Cult's main branch operating in Odunos is situated in the center of the great necropolis within a massive Temple to Erebos constructed from the bones of thousands of mortal creatures.
Structure
- High Priest
- Priest
- Paladin of Erebos
- Cult Fanatic
- Cultist
Culture
The Cult communicates across its various sects as messages are handed down from the High Priest, Tafos. The Cult's main objective is to seed death and destruction in order to make their God more powerful, however, not every member of the organization is aware of this. There are several of the lower and middle ranks that believe that the Cult's duty is to take out the Returned and ensure the rightful passage of death as a part of life. These individuals are the "good" among the evil that is the true purpose of the Cult.
Public Agenda
Their public face shows them merely as those who respect and honor the necessary nature of Death. They tend to funerals, assist with bodies and the wills of those who have passed, and paladins of the order seek to ensure that no one goes against the Natural Law that everything must die, hating and eradicating the Returned whenever they come across them.
Assets
The Returned of Odunus and the Cult Headquarters there want for little as unliving beings. However, the humans who choose to become Priests in the polies and settlements are often rewarded handsomely by the Cult itself because they are "doing rightful, natural work" and by the communities they care for as they are typically the persons responsible for distributing wealth and settling disagreements and debts after a person dies.
History
Little is known by the polies branches of the Cult as to its origins. They are not aware of the Returned High Priest and the reason for its creation by Erebos being to extend his presence in the mortal world, granting him more power. Many believe that the Cult was started by a mortal who saw the necessity of Death and the requirement for someone to care for those Dead and their lingering affairs.
Mythology & Lore
God of the Dead
Erebos is the god of death and the Underworld, Lord of all that has ever lived. He presides over the bitterness, envy, and eventual acceptance of those who suffer misfortune. His hoarding of both souls and the treasures the dead carry into the Underworld see him worshiped by those who desire to collect and keep wealth. Erebos’s very presence is stifling, and those who come face to face with him often depart in despair. He is jealous and tyrannical within his realm. Erebos most frequently appears as a slender, gray-skinned humanoid with two large, outward-curving horns, wielding an impossibly long black whip. He also appears in the form of a black asp, a cloud of choking smoke, or an animated golden idol. Erebos, god of the deadWorship
To many mortals, Erebos is primarily concerned not with death, but with gold. Most of his followers downplay his association with death and misfortune, instead praying to him for material wealth. Others pray to him because they want to be more accepting of their misfortune. These individuals see themselves as beyond hope of improving their lot in life, asking only that Erebos grant them the strength to endure until they enter his realm at their predestined time.
A smaller but more dangerous group of Erebos worshipers are those who actively glorify death. These cultists and assassins congregate in secret in communities across Theros, engaging in campaigns of violence.
The only major festival dedicated to Erebos, called the Katabasion or “the Descent,” features a ceremony in which worshipers make a symbolic journey into the Underworld. The supplicants enter a cave, offer prayers and sacrifices to Erebos in utter darkness, and slowly make their way back to the surface just before sunrise.
At the End of All Things, One Thing Remains.
Type
Religious, Cult
Deities
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Related Plots
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