The Circle of Kioresh

Divine Origins

The Circle of Kioresh is a druidic type cult that spawned from the strange magical fungi that seems to grow from basements of places where evil energies are incredibly potent. The cult is believed to have formed form Red Ravens Rock, where a large portion of land is dedicated to burials and graveyards. In this place, old abandoned houses around the graveyards are said to have begun developing these strange fungus type growth. When a group of druids would try to harvest this fungus for alchemical potion making, the fumes of the fungi would show them strange and fantastical visions of the world rebelling against civilization. These druids would call themselves the Circle of Kioresh, and they became a reclusive order of druids that hid in the woods. However they would somehow stow away on a boat and end up within Ashenfeld, where they hid in the forests of the Northern Falcon Woods. They reside there to this day, mainly keeping to themselves but sometimes are provoked into attacking the neighboring forests.

Cosmological Views

The Circle of Kioresh believe that the world spreads its roots in the form of fungus to the rest of the world. The world is very selective of where it grows these roots so it must be guarded over and helped to spread even further. They must seek out these roots and harvest the sacred sap.

Tenets of Faith

• Protect the sacred forests of the world for its gifts are wonderful
• Oppose those who carelessly trespass into the sacred woods
• Hide from the outside world for civilization is a cruel and dark place
• Drink of the Great Sap that grows from Kioresh's blessed fungi

Worship

Worship consists of burning sacred incense as well as drinking the sap and engaging in large prayer circles and nature related rituals.

Priesthood

The druids of Kioresh seem to all be ones who have drank of the strange sap like fluid that leaks from the bloated fungi that those who have run into them coined: Bloki Fungus. The sap seems to have some peculiar psychedelic and vision inducing property that seemingly drives the cultists mad. These druids usually attempted to collect the sap because it can be used in potent nature rituals. These cultists seem to not have any real ranking structure, however one individual has been reported as being named "He who Walks with Roots." This individual is reported to be a prophet leader of sorts.

Granted Divine Powers

Being druids, they have access to a vast array of nature related magics.

Political Influence & Intrigue

Due to being a smaller cult, and a xenophobic one at that, the Circle of Kioresh is considered a minor cult organization at best. However they are not viewed as harmless for while they mostly keep to themselves they usually cause unrest and damages to property by casting spells that cause fungal growth in the homes of peasants and ruined buildings. However they get violent when hunters or woodsmen travel to deep into the forest and cut down strange trees that they consider sacred, or burning the fungus that they come across, which is known to be hazardous to the health of most races. This will cause an event known as "The Red Harvest" where they will begin preying upon local village communities and burning homes down, however they are typically repelled quickly thanks to town millitas. After they consider do enough damage to consider their holy wrath sated, they then escape back into the forest to pray and worship the roots of the world.

"Let the roots tear down what has defiled the sacred world!"

Type

Secret, Occult