The Shroud-Bearers

The Shroud-Bearers are a clandestine and feared religious order who serve Thanatos , not as mere killers, but as sacred guides to the end. They view death not as punishment or cruelty, but as the final mercy that releases mortals from the burdens of life.

They act only when fate has been disturbed—when tyrants, oath-breakers, or unnatural forces prolong life beyond its rightful span. To the Shroud-Bearers, each death they bring is a sacred offering, a prayer sealed in blood and silence.

Structure

The Pale Shrouds: High priests and mistresses of death who decree which souls must be delivered.

The Veiled Hands: The assassins and enforcers who carry out Thanatos' will with precision and reverence.

The Mourning Cloaks: Agents and spies who gather intelligence, track targets, and prepare sacred grounds for the rites.

The Ashbearers: Novices and ritual keepers who cleanse bodies, conduct funerary prayers, and maintain the order’s hidden sanctuaries.

Culture

Rituals and Practices

Veiling: Before a mission, a black shroud is drawn over the assassin’s face—symbolizing the quiet mercy of Thanatos approaching.

The Final Whisper: A prayer murmured over each soul sent to Thanatos:
"Shroud them, Lord of Silence. Draw their breath into yours."

Ash Washing: After each kill, assassins ritually cleanse their blades in ash and spring water, honoring the purity of the death they delivered.

Bloodless Dagger: If possible, a perfect assassination leaves no visible wound—symbolizing a painless passage.

Oath of the Shroud Bearers

"Before the veiled face of Thanatos, I kneel."
"I swear by the silence between heartbeats, by the breath that leaves and does not return."
"I shall walk unseen. I shall strike without cruelty, without hatred, without joy."
"I am the hand that releases, the shadow that closes the eye, the shroud that ends all suffering."
"I will not fear death, for it is my master and my final gift."
"I will not flee the will of Thanatos, nor will I deny the soul its rightful end."
"By the ash and by the blade, by the silence and the stone, I swear."
"I am a bearer of the shroud. I am a quiet song at the end of all things."
"Let my name be lost. Let my breath serve the god."

Tenets of Faith

Death is a mercy, not a cruelty.

All living things have a destined end. Those who evade or corrupt their fate must be set right.

Killing is not a crime, but a rite. Every strike is a consecrated ritual in service to Thanatos.

Suffering is an offense to Thanatos. Pain and cruelty are forbidden in their kills.

Worship

Everyday Practices

1. The Prayer of Stillness
2. Before any meal, travel, or task, followers sit or stand in complete silence for a full minute. During this time, they reflect on the impermanence of life — how everything they do could be their last act.
3. Keeping the Blade Consecrated
4. A ceremonial dagger is kept by every true follower, even if they are not active assassins. Each night, the blade is washed with spring water and passed through incense smoke, cleansing it of any corruption or cruelty it may have absorbed.

Rituals for Missions (for Veiled Hands/Assassins)

1. The Final Whisper
2. After the kill, a prayer is spoken to guide the soul:
   "Shroud them, Lord of Silence. Draw their breath into yours."
   The body is then respectfully positioned — eyes closed, hands folded — no matter who the victim was.

Regular Observances

1. Night of the Shrouded Flame (Held every new moon)
2. Followers gather at secret shrines is possible or an individual can do these rights on their own.
3. Each member present lights A single black candle, symbolizing life.
4. One by one, members extinguish their flame with a whispered name — often of someone they released or pray for to find peace.
5. The night ends in collective silence beneath the stars.
6. The Rite of Ash and Spring (Seasonal)
   At the changing of seasons, the faithful walk to sacred pools or rivers. They wash their hands and faces with ash and cold water, reaffirming their mortality and cleansing their spirit of pride or vanity.

Funerary Traditions

1. The Cloaking
2. When a member of the Shroud-Bearers dies (whether in battle or peace), they are wrapped fully in black cloth with no markings. Their name is whispered once and then never spoken again — they now belong to Thanatos entirely.
3. No Graves, Only Stones
4. The faithful do not bury their dead traditionally. They Burn the bodies and scatter them to the wind, and place a single black stone at a sacred site, acknowledging the soul's journey into silence without clinging to the body.

"We are the breath after the last. We carry all souls to silence."

Alternative Names

The Shroud, Shade makers

Deities

• Thanatos

Notable Members

• Kairon