Summary
The Followers of the Cackling Thunder, so named by the locals, are a loose collection of about one hundred people, that against all sanity have decided to chase the storm known as Anak'jo Buri across
The Badru'ta 'Junk' Desert. Strangely, the followers of this collective do not have a shared goal, but instead, follow three distinct purposes for why they chase the storm. Religious purpose, historic discovery, and treasure hunting are all separate goals for the group. Some people in the group focus on one of these goals, others on multiple but all work together in order to chase down the storm as best they can. Despite their supposed teamwork, locals have described this collective as unfocused, reckless, and divided in purpose. But the followers don't seem to pay mind to public opinion and continue to follow the storm as they have been over the past few years.
The members of the group primarily follow one (or multiple) purposes. Some have joined the group seeking enlightenment believing the storm is a powerful deity, causing havoc across the desert in search of some form of cosmic purpose. Others are historians, following the storm with the belief that it is somehow connected to the ancient civilization of Thysduin and that the storm itself is caused by an errant artifact. Some are merely adventurers who have hitched their wagon to the strange collective, believing that regardless of the storm's origins, the desert is a prime spot for treasure hunting and the storm may even reveal some hidden bounties.
Origins
The inception of the Followers of the Cackling Thunder was purely accidental. Several years ago, a group of four adventurers decided to enter the Badru'ta Desert, as they had heard rumours of treasure, ruins, and more. For an adventuring party that had been travelling together for well over a decade at that point, this sounded plenty enticing. On the third night of their first visit to the desert, they happened upon the Anak'jo Buri, the Cackling Thunder, a terrifying storm that appears at random within the desert. After the event, the group rattled by the experience spent the next few days discussing the experience, each of them coming to drastically different hypotheses on what the storm may be, and what, if anything was its purpose.
The parties cleric, whose former deity is unknown, came to the conclusion that the storm was in fact a deity of considerable power that had found itself wandering the dunes in search of something of cosmic importance. And that the storm requires direction from the devout in order to quell its rage and assist it in finding what it seeks. In return, the devout may even receive a form of enlightenment or gift from the grateful deity.
Two of the adventurers, a natural historian and an archaeologist respectively, theorized that the storm is in all likelihood a lost piece of elven technology gone haywire. The historians believe that the artifact should be hunted down, deactivated, and studied as it is likely one of the last remaining functioning pieces of elven technology. They also believe that the storm may likely uncover Baizair (and maybe even elven) history in its destructive wake, and that it is a great opportunity to stop and collect pieces of historic importance.
And the final adventurer thinks the other three are nutters but does think there is treasure afoot so he sticks around to see what they can dig up.
Despite their differing opinions on the origin and purpose of the storm, the four have travelled together for well over a decade now, and quite like each other, and wouldn't think of splitting up over a 'small' disagreement like this.
The actual formation of the followers around them was happenstance, the intention was to keep themselves, just the four of them. But as they continued following the storm, occasionally stopping at the
Povari Trade Outpost and speaking with merchants, traders, and the like, the word of what they were doing spread and people began to show up and follow their lead in chasing the storm. With each new person gravitating toward one of the three explanations of the storm; religion, history, or whatever let's find treasure.
The leaders of the group, while it wasn't their intention to form a collective of sorts, find their increased numbers a very useful resource and decided to embrace the incoming followers. With each follower being put under the direct command of whomever's reasoning they resonated with. And since the four original members still have a good relationship, no major harm or discontent has sprung up. Though the occasional argument or heated debate does occur, it is typically friendly and does not come to blows.
Organizational Structure and Separated Purpose
There are three 'branches' of the small organization, led by four former adventurers. The branches are the group's religious sect, their historian's branch, and their adventurer's league.
The Religious Sect
Led by Efraim Basho a cleric whose former deity is unknown, who prays to the storm and leads converts in the chase believing the storm is seeking something of cosmic importance. The cleric hopes to quell the storm enough so that they may commune with it and assist with whatever the storm is seeking. In the hopes that the storm will repay them in kind with a form of enlightenment or elevated purpose.
The Historian's Branch
Led by Bernard and Constance Walhard, the historians of the founding adventurer's party. They believe the storm is an ancient elven artifact gone haywire. They lead a group of like-minded historians that wish to discover how to deactivate the device and study it, or at the very least study the movements of the storm in the hopes that it leads to other elven discoveries or hidden Baizair history.
The Adventurer's League
Led by Alre Xyrrel, who leads the group of adventurers who don't really care about the storm overall but have noticed that the piles of junk the storm strikes, which seems to hold rather juicy bits of treasure. They aim to follow the storm until hopefully one day they hit the mother load, maybe even one of those rumoured ruins beneath the sand filled with elven treasure.
Relationship with Baizair Locals and Government
The relationship between the Followers of the Cackling Thunder and Baizair is complicated, but not altogether a poor one. While both locals and the rulers of Baizair think that what this organization is doing is foolish and dangerous, they have decided that the main danger is only to themselves and they have not proven a major threat to the status quo. Treasure hunting within the Badru'ta Desert has been commonplace for generations and any hunting being conducted by members of the group is no more of a concern than a typical scavenger party or adventuring group.
In fact, both the locals and the rulers are happy for them to be in the desert on a longer-term basis than most others. This keeps trade and the local economy running, as the group needs constant refuelling on supplies and even sells and trades whatever they find in the wake of the storm when they happen upon items of value.
The only group that truly finds the followers somewhat of an annoyance are
The Badru'ta Sand Scavengers. Whom despite being a welcoming sort, view the followers as disrespectful and reckless, affecting the already dangerous environment of the desert in ways they may not understand. While also trespassing on territory and junk piles that have been their lifeblood for countless generations.
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