The Oathbreakers
They'd seen the ship hours ago. It looked like it could hardly stay afloat, rigging destroyed, mast cracked and floating low in the water. The locals had done hasty spells before even thinking of approaching, all said the same. There was nothing alive on that ship. So, they'd let it float into harbor. Parts could still be salvaged after all, and money was tight. As soon as it had docked they began to hear the scratching. If they'd been thinking straight they would have called us then and there. Instead they opened the cargo hold to investigate. By the time we got there, Husks were swarming the town, almost no one was left. They were all just stone statues, blank eyes judging us and blaming us for not getting there in time We couldn't even catch the chaos-spawn because they all fled underwater! Underwater! They saw us coming and left! It makes no sense! When did the damned things get so organized?! That many husks, working together? Revenants work alone, and none could make that many Husks without us noticing! Could the rumors be true?The Oathbreakers are a group of organized Revenants, bent on destroying public faith in the Gods.
What is a Revenant?
Revenants were once loyal Knights of the Gods, mortal men and women who gave up their souls in exchange for a miracle. For most, the immortal live of servitude to the Gods is pleasant enough. For those who become Revenants, it was unbearable. Using corrosive magic, they have burned the marking of the Gods from their skin, severing their connection and regaining their souls. But now, mortal again, using their divine magic (essentia, or one of its two components) eats away at their own life force. To combat this, Revenants found a way to survive; they drain the life force of other mortals, turning them into beings with shattered souls and no will of their own called Husks.The Oathbreakers, Created
Prior to the creation of this organization, most Revenants worked alone. This gave rise to their other title, 'Solitaries'. Everything changed when a young Revenant accidentally found himself face to face with Lamya Muot, the first of their kind. The young revenant, named Kairo Xerai, begged for her help. He was terrified, weak and only had a couple of Husks shambling after him. Lamya agreed to help hide him if he could prove he could be useful to her. As years passed, they found this arrangement to be quite useful. With more eyes to watch for danger, and more husks to seek out additional food they were feeling secure for the first time since they'd become Revenants. Slowly, their organization grew. More and more Revenants heard tales of the Revenant Queen, of Lamya and her second in command Kairo. More and more Revenants sought them out and joined them. Soon, their group was too large to hide from the always searching gaze of the Goddess of the Hunt, and Lamya made the decision to move the entire organization to the Ashen Wastes. No one lived there, and no one would care to seek them out there. It was perfect for their needs. Soon after the move, the organization became about much more than just protecting themselves with sheer numbers. They were close enough now to the floating continent that the Dark God called home, and it wasn't long before the bodies of Knights he'd thrown from his seat began to wash up on their shores. Enraged by the Gods lack of respect for mortal life, and the fact that the other Gods did nothing to stop it, the Revenants decided that this only proved their own atheistic tendencies. Tarin would be better off without Gods at all.The Reign of the Revenant Queen
Lamya is anything but a gentle leader. Revenants are held to strict standards of loyalty, and extreme levels of training. Though she sends out the groups pooled resource of Husks to gather essentia for food, she insists that they could be attacked at any moment by the Huntress, or other Knights. As a Vessel, she holds much more Celestial magic than most, and has honed her skills over the years. Those who dare to challenge her reign face that magic, and remain as frozen statues of opal and reminders to her people. Those who attempt to leave are simply given to the Husks, their stone bodies set up near their opal brethren.
Attacks
The Oathbreakers rarely attack en masse. Generally, they send out Husks to other continents, either using ships they've commandeered, or simply by having the husks walk on the seafloor. Many among their ranks are Shonia, and are able to use elemental magic to hasten the Husks along without risk of draining their precious essentia supplies. When supplies of husks are running low, Revenants themselves will return to the continents, seeking to turn as many as they can before fleeing back to their islands. Some of the Oathbreakers stay on the continents at all times, ready to supply their brethren. Revenants will also return to the continents to destroy temples to the Gods, or kill the priests and priestesses attending them. The Oathbreakers are the most feared criminal organization in all of Tarin. All fear what could happen if they were to gain more to follow their cause....Structure
Public Agenda
The Oathbreakers seek to break the hold of the Gods. They believe them to be unfit to oversee the paths of fate, and wish to allow mortals to make their own decisions free of their influence. Of course this means destroying temples, often while people are still inside.
Where Gods Hold No Sway
Type
Illicit, Terrorist group
Alternative Names
"Revenant Scum"
Leader
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
The writing in the opening quote hooked me in big time! Great layout, fantastic artwork and inspiring worldbuilding :D
I just finished some new art in my latest article: Pinecrest College of Aviation!
Ah, thank you so much! The Husk ship was an image I'd had in my mind for a while, I'm glad it hooked you! Thank you very much!!