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The Cult of Ravanon - Origins of Humact - The One
The Cult of Ravanon
"Lord Ravanon lived the life of a gentleman in a stately manor house in the countryside. Although he secretly supported the Reformists, he did not appear to be greatly troubled by the Loyalists: those who backed the King of Angle, and his house was eminent in its respectability. Upon one day, he was out with his falcons when he found a group of people under attack. Taking them under his wing, he never suspected that they were the feared Maegwar Cultists, also opposed by the Loyalists. Indeed he went to much trouble for his unpleasant guests, even allowing them to take residence in a room of special emotional significance to himself, and allowing them the run of the place.
"The Cultists, from the Isles of Angle and Gwynneth, worshipped the wolf, and sought to undermime the household from the inside. They converted the servants to their cause, or they poisoned them, leaving the doctor baffled as to the cause of the sickness. The Cultists reserved the most virulent of poisons for Lord Ravanon himself. When he died, their leader, Owen Reece, assumed Lord Ravanon's identity and position. He relied on the Housekeeper's support in maintaining an orderly house, and its exterior credibility to keep the game afoot.
"Reece, or 'Lord Ravanon' as he was now known, was able to use the former Lord Ravanon's excellent connections to place himself close to those in positions of power. One of these was with King Ikarus, with whom Ravanon had had many dealings. He was not of their Tower, but a trusted outsider. During the yearly ritual to affirm the Ikarthian Triangle, he stabbed Ikarus in the back many times. Ikarus had been forged from the Ikarthian People's very life essence and status, and his death triggered a catastrophe, where all those chained by status to Ikarus perished. And so the Ikarthian Tower fell, and the former Maegwar Cult became celebrated as the Cult of Ravanon and the Wolf.
"Klinemort Ironfist described the ways of the Cult briefly. They will try to infiltrate from within, starting with the odd suggestion, then forming a small group, and the players become deeply involved very quickly, perhaps without even realising. Others, who are not afraid to get their hands dirty, can turn on those within easier, such that it gets to the point where none can trust any person.
"By slaying the Serbitars as they came to perform a ritual that would in some way re-embody the Ravanon leader in this time, it is hoped that we have denied the Cult a further place in this world."
Kevralyn Soulfire, Mission Report, Snow Moon 11AR
Archive Note: The following is an extract from BloodBark's account of his mission to the plane of Chi-Chen during Turning Moon, 10AR.
'...Quetzcouatl took us at great speed to a open field holding a large group (between a dozen and 20) of people wearing white and purple bearing the cross of the Humacti on their robes. Immediately (through some fickle wish of Quetzcouatl) they percieved us as a host of undead come to slay them, and so they formed up and battle was joined. Sadly one of their number was slain in the ensueing battle before the Humacts in our group managed to convince them that we were not undead and they had actually been deceived, finally the fighting was stopped and their leader spoke telling us his tale.
These people refered to themselves as the Humacti people and they reffered to their home plane merely as their land and by no other name according to them they now of no actual individual named Humact, Humact is the name of the people who dedicated their life to fighting undead. It is worth mentioning at this point that the famed cry of the Sacred Swords of 'One life, one death' stems from these ancient times before the aspect of Humact was incorporated into the good Sphere, as such the Humacti people had no knowledge of Ressurection and the spirits we spoke to were sad that this knowledge did not exist in their time.
They were the last of their people, the young who had left their homeland through a portal they had opened when it became overrun by the forces of the Undead. Their leader was the son of the last defender who fell in the defence of the portal who as the undeads claws ripped into him he cast his sword ( ' the sacred sword of the Humact ' ) back through the portal. This was the sword wielded by their leader...where it now lies we don't know. Their leader realising that it was they who were now spirits gave to our Humacts the banner that had once flown over their fort and with that last gift they dissappeared.'
Bloodbark, eye-witness account, 28th of Turning, 10AR
'The combat stopped when Quetzalcouatl cancelled the illusion which veiled the eyes of the Humact people. The leader of the Humact people did not see the Humact powers as an aspect of Good but of Life. While these powers were used for the good of his people ,they were not, in essence, Good.
The leader of the Humact had no objection to the use of the ressurection invocation and, had it been available would "gladly have used it."'
Caradac, eye-witness account, 12th of Snow, 10AR
Archive Note: Thought to be an Aspect of Knowledge, 'The One' was trapped in the Liber Opifex by one of its own servants, Morphius. Fragmentary text, possibly extracts of a narrative, appeared mysteriously within the towers in the last months of 10AR. They are reproduced below in the order they were found.
"Read and Learn"
.... and the two did meet, "Well what have you learned?" said Morphius. "That you must die, in order to be reborn whole" said the other and Morphius was struck down where he stood....
Read and Learn"
... and lo two were set the task. To watch and learn and make sense of their lessons. But Morphius found watching not to be enough and spent a portion of himself to create a receptical for his knowledge....
"Read and Learn"
... and the nine set forth with Morphius at their head. Over the next score years did they wade in blood and gore, only to return home emptier than when they left.
"The Watcher"
The Watcher sent forth his minions and they scoured the Planes for the One, but to no avail. In his rage the Watcher turned to the Heavens and shouted "The One does not exist, It does not exist, You do not exist!". And an almighty silence fell upon The Retreat of the Stars, for He had heard and He did exist.
"And so the Story ends..."
... and The Tome was placed before His Altar. "What is this?" He cried, "a Book!". Morphius did cringe and proclaim, "but this is what you seek and thus have I spent myself in Its creation." "Foolish child", He did roar, "You have wasted this existance, and all to naught." "But take a closer look and examine The Tome" Morphius begged. And He did, only to find that He could not turn away and then He was drawn and became at One with The Book. And thus The Book's power did multiply and know no bounds, until the end of Time....
"Read and Learn"
...but to Dream is the sorting of reality in our minds. If we could only record our dreams then the very answers to Life itself could be read. But what is Its purpose, for to Dream is no reality. Did Morphius know and did he care? For the creation became more important than the reason. But was the Creation flawed and did Morphius use imperfect materials.....
