The Way of the Weavers
"Those who walk the threads of the Great Web shall know the truth of the Universe." - Father Gregario Castain
Description
The Way of the Weavers is an hierarchically organized, monastic faith that was adopted by the Saikar Empire as their official religion. They worship 6 cosmic entities who live beyond the boundaries of our universe, although discussion about whether that means a higher dimension, or just inter-universal space is heavily debated. They believe that the true form of these beings incomprehensible to a mortal mind, so alien are its shapes and colours, and that looking upon them tempts an unrecoverable madness in many. Some, however, are gifted with the ability to open their minds to the Weavers, and claim them to take the form of colossal spiders in their true shape. These gifted Prophets channel the divine will of the Weavers, allowing humanity a glimpse at the Great Web eternally woven by Cynwy, and which determines the fate of the universe, that they might work to ensure it comes to pass.
In the modern era, they are still the official religion of The Saikar Coalition - S.A.C, but the government now treats them more as a tool to keep the population suppressed, rather than the reverence that was afforded them in the days of the old Empire. The population's view on the religion varies widely, from full denial to full devout faith and everything in between.
Tenets and Promoted Ideology
The Way of the Weavers, thanks to those at the top, has become a tool for The Saikar Coalition - S.A.C in the modern era. They are used to keep the population of the Occupied Territories satisfied with the way things are run, repress dissent, and give people a distraction. While this is known by the Grand Masters, and a select number of the upper echelon of the two Orders, this is not public knowledge.
In order to achieve this, the religion places value in, and promotes certain types of ideologies. They encourage rugged individualism, a hard working attitude, and unapologetic self-interest. The rhetoric is applied through metaphors of the hard working spider, who makes their web from nothing, and uses the natural processes of prey and predator, of the solitary hunter on the prowl for their sustenance. Equally, and seeimingly oxymoronically, they push the ideas of the Great Web, that everyone's path is determined for them by Cynwy; therefore, those who embody the values of the church whill be shown favour in the weave. Equally, Webs can be altered, and those who find their way into the good graces of Cynwy could be granted a new destiny.
Many of the general population have bought into this ideology. Some believe in certain tenets and not others. And amongst the lower ranked members of the Way's Orders, many find themselves there believing they serve the people and the greater good, without fully understanding that they are complicit in this propaganda machine.
Hierarchy
The Grand Masters
A council of 6 of the elders of the faith, its members are selected from the most senor and respected of the faith. Once appointed, Grand Masters retain their position for life, or until voted out unanimously by the other 5 members. They determine the path of the faith, enforcing the tenets, bringing down punishment, performing excommunications, and guiding their members down the path set out by the Great Web. They serve from The Web of Cynwy, the temple the heart of Vespa on Bastion, where it is rumoured that in the Council Hall they have a door to the Weavers themselves.Order of the Web Walkers
One of two branching routes taken as practitioners grow in their faith, Web Walkers serve as teachers to those who need them. Whether it is a faithful follower who has come to the monastery for guidance in their life, Acolytes seeing advice, or those unsure of their faith, Web Walkers help put people's feet on the right Thread of the Web, guiding them to where they need to be. While there is no formal leader, there are a few Web Walkers who are generally accepted as the most knowledgable and successful amongst their peers, and are often consulted for advice or guidance by the younger, more inexperienced Web Walkers. They serve as independent agents of the Way, answering to no one save the Grand Masters, and come and go from the monasteries as their work requires.
Order of the Patternists
The second branch of the faith's hierarchy, they are led by the most senior amongst them, the Grand Patternist. A Patternist's responsibilities lies in the seeking out, and interpretation, of Threads left by the Weavers to guide humanity. Those who walk this path are selected from among the most learned and intelligent of the faithful, for they are the eyes of the Way, studying texts both ancient and modern, and analysing world events. Using this knowledge, they weave together the Threads, piecing together the elements of the Great Web from which they craft Prophecy and attempt to guide the faithful down the path laid before them by the Weavers. They isolate themselves in the monasteries, seeing almost no one outside of their Order and few from within it, so as to avoid contamination of their weaving. As such, Patternists are often extremely eccentric, and develop the appearance of those who spend their lives in dark rooms.
Acolytes
Acolytes of the Way have earned themselves a position within one of the great monasteries. Those who have proven their devotion are brought here to study under the Web Walkers, learning the true tenets of the faith as they serve the whims of their betters by cleaning and performing chores in between time spent in study and reflection.
Shuttle
One of the lowest official positions within the church's hierarchy, Shuttles are often those who are new to the faith and trying to prove their devotion, or serving penance for their transgressions. Shuttles spend all of their time on a commited mission, travelling the outer regions of civilization, bringing with them the patterns of the Weavers and working to convert those of the forbidden faiths to the Way.
History
The Way of the Weavers was founded in the Kingdom of Bokkara, during the reign of Salemon Saikar, the father of Vespasian I "The Bold" Saikar, when he was only 20 years old. Salemon claimed that he was visited in his dreams by by spier-like beings of colossal size, and they came to gift him the secrets of the universe, and the tools to claim it. He leaves out what he has to pay, which is a promise to uphold work towards the stability of Great Web, the fates this being wove. Over the next 40 years, Bokkara thrived using the secrets they were given, crafting technological marvels never before imagined by humankind. Salemon claimed that he was visited every month or so by this deity, whom he came to know as Cynwy - Weaver of Fates, with new knowledge. A temple was built in their honour, and a small collection of people claiming to have been sent to Bokkara by the same being take up championing the faith, and it was made the official religion of the kingdom.
He was visited one last time, when he was 55, proclaiming that his son, Vespasian, would be given an Empire of a size never before seen, and this dynasty would rule for time immemorial, if they agree to serve the will of the Great Web and serve the Weavers faithfully. Salemon would receive no more visions from Cynwy, but instead his son would begin having dreams of future sight.
As the Empire grew, so too did the Way. Once the Empire expanded beyond the boundaries of Bastion, and all other religious practices were banned. In 2798 PD, tensions between the Way and other faiths reached a head, and The Purging of the Web was suggested by the Grand Masters of the Way, citing the displeasure of Cynwy for the struggles Vespasian II Saikar was experiencing as a ruler. Special Inquisitorial groups were put together, made up of the elite guard and a specially trained warrior priest, and set out from the capital. They would start on Bastion, and eventually head into the Astral Sea, spreading the word of the Weavers. Any citizens of the Empire were told they must convert and denouce their old gods. Those who refused were summarily executed. In 2784, Vespasian II was assassinated, leaving no heir, by a group of revolters fighting against the Purge. During the chaos that followed, multiple wars were fought over succession. Stability was only maintained by the Way, using their common faith and their commitment to Cynwy as a stabilizing agent. Early in the year 2563, the Inquisition formally concluded, with no open practice of the The Dark Gods as they had been termed, anywhere in the Occupied Territories. However, the Inquisitorial units remained active, serving as responders to gathered intel of banned worship and quickly shutting it down.
While the Empire went through small ups and downs, The Way remained the dominant religion throughout its time. After the Fall, numbers of followers fell somewhat. Many people couldn't understand why they had been abandoned, lied to about the lifespan of their civlization. Those who stayed believed it a test of faith. The church remained throughout the Dark Ages, working hand in hand with the The Royal Guild Historica to rebuild. When The Technomancer's Guild re-emerged, and the S.A.C formed, the Way was once again cemented as the official religion of the human government. While the number of faithful has never recovered, nor has their political influence, the Way still serves as an important tool employed by the S.A.C.
The Pantheon
- Cynwy - Weaver of Fates
- Khavit - The Light Bearer
- Nourne - The Night Watcher
- Lianti - The Wild Mother
- Asrhaar - The Shadowed One
- Abanok The Crafted