Draft:Followers of Asica

1

Members of the cult worship Asica, a goddess of destruction. They study the cult's holy book (the Book of Asica), spreading a message of doom and apocalypse. However, they are most famous for abducting travelers and adventurers in the Uncivilized Area, using them to perform various brutal rites described in the Book in the hopes of pleasing Asica or requesting her favors. These rites include blood rituals, burning gunpowder (to form a ring of fire, a holy symbol), abductions, forced conversions, as well as torture, mutilation, and sacrifices.

The cult believes that the end of the world is coming soon, that it will be carried out by Asica, and that all will be purged and destroyed when it comes, except for those that Asica will have chosen to inhabit the new world. To that end, the Followers devote themselves to her worship, the study of the Book, and the brutal rites described within. According to the Book, "those who wish to follow the path to salvation and prove their worth to Asica must demonstrate that they are unafraid of the End. To this end, they must destroy the unworthy, bathe in their blood and feast from their remains, again and again until the end-times come".

2

Since the death of the founder, Alastor Revanus in E7-570, the Followers haven't been able to select a new, overarching cult leader. Because Revanus was childless and died before he could designate a successor, a brief period of conflict and infighting (colloquially referred to as the Asican Civil War) ensued, with various priests and disciples of Revanus fighting for the status of cult leader. This conflict was ultimately very brief and entirely fruitless; after 17 casualties, including 3 of Revanus's closest friends and disciples, a ceasefire was negotiated four months after the start of hostilities. To this day, the subject of designating a new cult leader is pretty much taboo, out of fear of sparking a new civil war.

To keep chapters from drifting apart and maintain a sense of unity among all Followers of Asica, chapters across the world have formed various congregations (a chapter of chapters), one per geographic area, for a total of eight. Congregations are leaderless and joining is entirely voluntary, relying on the mutual trust and cooperation of each of its constituent priests.