Organization - The Cult of Steel
579cy The Shield Lands are hard pressed. The Horned Society pushing from the north and west, the Bandit Kingdoms with mysterious support pushing from north and east. The Nyr Dyv filled with pirates and raiders. From the turmoil something new has arisen.
In the Shield Lands the faith of good men and women has been tested and the strength of the gods has been found wanting. A belief in the power of armor to protect and a keen edge to avenge is growing, has taken hold and the new faith is in the Cult of Steel.
Warriors and Blacksmiths, Dwarves and Humans, the power of Steel has enchanted more men than metal, but all cultists, from the lowliest new recruit or apprentice to the master-smith and high priest bears some graven blade or piece of armor blessed and dweomencrafted with some enchantment.
Steel Cultist keep their beliefs secret and their membership hidden, even among themselves. In their hidden forge-shrines they are cowled and often helmed or masked only showing their marks of rank to each other. In the outer world the serve as soldiers, blacksmiths, thieves, adventurers, mercenaries but can reveal themselves to other Culist through the emblem of hammer and blade.
Cultist seek weapons, armor and items of enchantment. These are brought to the Priest/Smiths who will reform them into enchanted weapons and armor specifically crafted for the indvidual cultist. A cultist grows in rank through achievements as well aquisitions. The higher the rank the more powerful the armor and weapons and the greater feats of daring and hard won victories required. Cultist armor and weapons are kept hidden from non-cultists and only worn on missions and quests or within-the forge shrines.
As the cult grows some members choose to renounce their former lives and dedicate themselves entirely to the cult. They will then mask or hide their features permenantly and openly wear their armor among the uninitiated in the wider world. In the Shield Lands such cultist are no long a rarity and the cult is spreading outward across the Flanaess.
NOTE: Inspired by the Mandalorian ep 3.
An interesting thought, and certainly plausible if they were always so pressed upon. They'd definitely be on a road to a stoic and bleak existence. Hail Sparta!
ReplyDeleteThe Shield Lands is an exciting place especially for a combat/war focused campaign. I found the Greyhawk Wars to be an example of poor storytelling and the Horned Society far more interesting than Iuz. The Bandit Kingdoms and Rift Canyon are filled with such potential. My Shield Lands have a steady flow of knights and military groups from other nations joining the fight against the Hierarchs and their minions of Evil so the Cult of Steel is taken back to nations all cross the Flanaess
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