# Faction: The Dry (Burnt Sages) A strange new fanatical religion that has emerged in the wilder parts of Gryth, condemned as a heretic cult by the Salenian Church. ## Overview Within the past forty years, a new religion has taken hold in the areas of Q'Shar and Iros, spurred on by radical teachings that espouse a view of imminent death, acceptance of negativity, and the relinquishing of the self to greater pleasures. The religion resists easy classification and has been condemned by Gryth's largest organized religions. ## Names & Organization The religion has multiple names depending on location: - **The Dry Sages** - Name used in [[Region - Iros]] - **The Burnt Sages** - Name used in [[Continent - Q'Shar]] The two sects operate independently and have made slightly different interpretive versions of their sacred text. ## Beliefs & Pantheon Worshippers follow a strange ditheistic pantheon consisting of two sister entities which exist beyond the confines of reality: - **Ikoras, The Old God** - **Sevira, The New God** The Sages do not deny the existence of other pantheons, but claim that they are not true Gods, only shadows and dreams consisting of the New and Old God's true power. ### Sacred Text The Sages read from an ancient apocryphal text known as the **Vashira Salits (The Broken Verse)**, which tells a strange story of creation and espouses heavily for mortals to give in to their base desires, for time and reality are not the true gifts of their dual Gods. ## Regional Variations ### Iros (The Dry Sages) - Has taken hold quite heavily in some Irosian southern villages - Decadent parties and gatherings of Sages have begun to have a noticeable effect on the cultural landscape - Spread is more extensive and rapid than the Q'Shar counterpart ### Q'Shar (The Burnt Sages) - Sages are solitary wanderers who move through the deep and dark jungles of the [[Region - The Bleeding Isles|Bleeding Isles]] - Perform strange and secretive rituals - Main physical building: **The Black Shrine of Utterance** in Darkport (Bleeding Isles capital) - Sages gather at the shrine and bring new recruits - Less extensive spread than Iros counterpart ## Opposition The religion has been decreed a fanatical heretic cult by the **Salenian Church**. Its members have been issued a **'motu salenn'** - a decree from the highest council within the church, condemning any who practise the Sages teachings to be put to death. This powerful religious opposition from the Salenian Church, who command an incredible amount of sway in religious communities across Gryth, has slowed and halted the religion's growth in some areas. ### Condemned By: - The Salenian Church - The Greater Irosian Temples - The New Auken Fellowships ## Current Status Though only having existed for forty years, the religion continues to attract fanatical preachers and followers with its alluring teachings. Despite opposition, it remains active at the fringes of society in Iros and Q'Shar. In Darkport, an area renowned for its absolute lack of law and order, the Burnt Sages maintain their only physical building. The religion has drawn the attention of heretic hunters and mercenary troops as a potential issue. ## Locations - **[[Location - Black Shrine of Utterance]]** - Only physical building, located in Darkport (Bleeding Isles capital, Q'Shar) - Southern villages of [[Region - Iros]] - Areas of heavy influence - Deep jungles of the Bleeding Isles - Where solitary Burnt Sages perform rituals ## Gallery ![[Pasted image 20260114000325.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260114000334.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260114000341.png]]