The Blood Sun in Pent

The Blood Sun In Pent

Runes   Blood Sun     Illusion

Mythos & History

Following the Fall of the Solar Storm a new manifestation of Zerel Fan, the Blood Sun, came to reign over Chern Durel.  This brought stability to the otherwise demoralized and weak nation and, in return for blood, gave power and life.  There was always a cost to this, and for many it was too high. However through the actions of his Prophet, Jorazzi Redhand, it came to dominate the land until the arrival of the Uz.  The Wizards of Gore formed the priesthood, physically weak yet spiritually powerful, and apparently almost invulnerable.
Since the coming of Basko, and his recognition as the sixth manifestation, the cult has declined in numbers and influence.  It has also never had the strength amongst the Chern Durlites in Pent as it had in the homelands.

Idealised depiction of Jorazzi

Nature of the Cult

Blood is power, and there is power in blood.  The cult exploits the availability of blood to extract the maximum power from it that it may.

Depiction

A red sun, dripping blood.

Rune Affinities

The Blood Sun is his own Rune, and thereby the source of many powers.  Illusion is inherent to his nature, since his promises always have an unstated cost.

Blood Sun Rune Affinity
The Blood Sun is hope in adversity, pride amidst shame, life amidst death.
Initiates have used this affinity to aid in agriculture, to leech disease from a sufferer, to undertake first aid, to poison blood-sucking insects and the like, to become unpalatable to vampires, and to enhance the blood-letting capabilities of their flaming, dripping weapons.

Illusion Rune Affinity
The Blood Sun gives power at a cost, and the Illusion of free power is powerful in itself.
Initiates have used this affinity to conceal their wounds, to ignore pain, and to make themselves appear healthy and powerful even when in the grip of disease.  All of these illusions will be paid for later, with increased blood loss, agonising pain which will not permit the sufferer to pass out, and an apparently comatose condition.

The Blood Sun, inscribed in lead.  In ritual, all the
grooves are filled with sacrificial blood.

Particular Likes and Dislikes

All solar cults are favoured, apart from those of Kralorela.  All Kralorelan cults are anathema.

Cult Organisation

Strictly hierarchical, lay serving initiate, initiate serving priest, then chief priest, then the High Priest in Chern Durel.

Priests

Any who meet the standard requirements are welcome to aspire to be a Wizard of Gore.  They are required to undertake Blood Sacrifice each year (see below).  They long to be known for their outward show of power, and for the agricultural wealth of their community. 

Holy Days and Sacrifices

The second Fire Day of each (Pentan) season is celebrated with feasting and communal blood letting.

The formal Blood Sacrifice is an annual event for each priest, on the anniversary of their arising to priesthood.  It involves the weakening of a physical characteristic, e,g. taking traits of Weak, Sickly, Unattractive.  The first instance of the Blood Sacrifice, the trait is taken at 13.  Each time thereafter it may be increased by up to 3 more.  For each point beyond 13, the priest's Blood Sun keyword increases by the number 'sacrificed'.

Initiates

The Blood Sun is approached through his own rune.  Initiates are required to show the cult virtues of Ambitious and Self-Sacrificing.

Subcults

There are none

Devotees

Only Wizards of Gore may become Devotees.  They are expected to sacrifice 3 points to the Blood Sacrifice each year, and generally have to be protected from the outside world by cultists.

(Blood Sun)  The Sacrifice Of Blood Feat 

Blood Sun showed how to bring wealth from the fields with the sacrifice of blood, and how blood may be used to bind the people together in hope.  This Feat has been used to Fertilise Field With Blood, to Propitiate Hostile Landscape Daemon, to Warm The Field when winter ends, to Bind The Community As One through the communal blood-letting of the sacrifice, and to Find Hope Through Sacrifice.

(Illusion) The Illusory Warrior Feat 

Blood Sun also used Illusion to conceal from Kralorela the dire weakness of the nation after the fall of the Solar Storm.  This magic is very costly, since after it is completed the cultist will be helpless for a complete week.  This Feat has the very special effect of Ignore Pain, Conceal Wound and Appear Mighty all in one.

Cylinder seal from the Hot Lake area, depicting a sacrificial procession.
Note the priest's knife about to enter the sacrifice's stomach

Agents of Reprisal

The sacrifice of an apostate's blood may be used to gain a 1 point boost in Blood Sacrifice without a commensurate increase in a trait.