The Dead
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Funeral pyres continue to blaze far to the north, the sky black and casting an eery glow on mourners. To the south in the capital, those of wealth and status hold private ceremonies for their dearly departed.
Many wonder the fate of the mortuary after the recent proclamation of the Queen and the loss of status and favour the Church of Cyric had previously enjoyed.
Some speak of construction by the old graveyard but the only thing apparent is a banner.....
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Facing mounting pressure from the Bhaal cultists, the once open and brazen church of Cyric struggles without the protection and favour of the deceased Duke, withdrawing from public sight. Only a few careful priests remain but they are seen more as a curiosity than a threat....
Retired
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Per order of the Queen Regnant, the burning of bodies will continue. Thick clouds of ash rise upon the Northern horizon, as death priests continue in their duties to grant every fallen of the war their final rite. The disfigured and unclaimed are buried within mass graves to the North, whilst the graveyard to the West of the Capital grows steadily. The church of Cyric, now mostly hidden within the shadows, seems to have acquiesced to the Queens demands and focus on the tending to the dead. What happens in the shadows remains a worry to some.
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In the secluded chambers of Arabel's most devoted scribes, quills dance tirelessly across parchment. Every name recorded serves as a timeless commitment to the living and the dead. This eternal duty has never been more crucial.
Once, the Church of Cyric stood as a dark monolith that united the terrifying legacies of Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul. It should have been an unbreakable alliance. But instead of unified terror, the Church fell victim to its internal strife.
While the Church crumbled, scholars pondered the role of another, older deity: Jergal, the Scribe of the Doomed. Why, they wondered, did a god so ancient focus solely on recording the passing of souls? Why not leave such tasks to Oghma or Deneir, gods of knowledge and script? The answer has become painfully evident.
As chaos engulfs the Church of Cyric, the Scriveners of Dhoom—Jergal's devoted followers—emerge from the shadows. These are the same Scriveners who safeguard the Necropolis of Eshpurta and maintain the Library of the Damned in Skullport. Their presence alone silences the squabbling sects. They know their history: their gods only ascended because Jergal allowed it.
This epiphany is not limited to hidden corners and distant lands. It invades Arabel, leaving the fractured Church of Cyric in disarray. And in this void, steps forth a solemn figure: Brycen Loroun.
Brycen doesn't just reclaim forsaken mortuaries; he gives purpose to a divided faith. He invokes the ancient rites of Jergal, reaching out to the followers of Racial deities like Urogalan, Sehanine Moonbow, and Dumathoin, establishing the groundwork for something new—something unified.
And thus, Brycen announces the inception of the House of Ash. This new sanctum promises to honor every mortal's passing, offering a dignity that the Church of Cyric could never provide.
In the end, we are all bound by the same fate: Death awaits. And when it comes, the House of Ash ensures that even the lowliest soul will be remembered with the respect they deserve...
