The Coven of Screaming Masters
In the horrid, bloody realm of the Forbidden Lands, the city-state of Zhafmond towers above the sands as a maddeningly magnificent place. It is a city of utter madness and sorcery, and those who inhabit are are mad indeed. It is believed that Dorganol, Arch-Devil of Deceit, Schemes, and Sorcery would enact a great plan to form his greatest stronghold in the Mortal Realm. He would bait and guide champions of local tribes for years, until he got them all to sacrifice themselves in a grand ritual, that tore a hole in the sky and brought down a magical comet. This revealed a city of insanity and most potent sorcery, and those other tribal champions that survived this ordeal were driven mad. However, Dorganol would whisper into all of their ears of how this was now their home, and their domain, and watched as the tribals started to enact a brutal rule. He gave the greatest among them the powers to bind those under them to their will, and so the first Sorcerer Masters would rise, and rule their new home with an iron grip. Zhafmond is a glittering city-state of sorcerer towers and the screams of those who have lost their mind, and the endless scheming of the masters on how they shall bend the rest of the world to their masters will.
Structure
Above all is of course their god, Dorganol. Under him is his mortal servants who interpret his will, known as the Thrallmasters. They are incredibly powerful mages who have mastered the art of controlling the minds of others, and use strange mist globes to show enemies visions of terror and madness. Under them are their lieutenants, known as the Illuminated. The Illuminated are driven so insane by the ever changing nature of magic that they have found new clarity and insight into the beautiful madness of Hell and Magic. Under them are the Reflected Blades, who are master duleists from the sword colleges of Zhafmond. Under all of these are of course the Mindthralls, who are utterly insane slaves and mind controlled to do all basic tasks as well as serve as cannon fonder on the battlefield for their Thrallmasters.
Culture
The city of Zhafmond is a matriarchal city-state that acts more like a sorceress cabal. However, unlike typical magic users, they are also incredibly agile and martially skilled, with all being trained in the Zashi martial arts and blade techniques to fight off invaders and those who are their targets. They are also incredibly skilled in stealth, subterfuge, and assassination, acting as spies and assassins' for Dorganol in the Mortal Realm. They are an incredibly secretive bunch, and rarely speak of their home to outsiders. What has been told is that the city is equal parts beautiful and awe-inspiring as it is horrifying. It is an ever changing maze of pathways and buildings where magical demons roam amongst the common folk, and unlike other places in the world that fear magic, magic is openly celebrated. Even the negative effects of magic, being madness and mutation, can be seen as beautiful and respectable. They are perhaps the closest thing to a serene nobility class amongst the Helltribes then any other, save for the backwards bloody barbarian warriors calling themselves king.
Granted Divine Powers
Due to their close power with the Arch Devil of magic, they are incredibly powerful sorcerers, and use these gifts to break the minds of their opponenets, driving them insane before making them bend to their will. They also are able to resist most forms of magic, and regularly use mind control to control their battle forces of thralls, though the thralls are all too willing to give themselves to the masters.
"For the Maddening Spires of Zhafmond!"
Type
Religious, Cult
Parent Organization
