The Mourning Cults of Vandarr

The one constant in this world, no matter what great age or eon one has lived, is the end. Liches and vampires may claim that they have broken free from this truth, but they are so woefully wrong. None escape death for, in time, even they will fade into the dust of the world. It is said that from the graves of untold trillions, we living walk atop the graves of their countless numbers. Such death has been a constant in every age of this world, but who should watch over the dead? Was there anyone on the other side? Such questions plague mortal minds for as long as minds could think, and so, the god of death came into being. Vandarr is its modern name, with its previous names being: The Ending Man, The Cloak, The Shroud, The Twilight, Grimm, and many more. Like many of the disparate cults of the church, the modern cult of Vandarr can trace its origins to the many scattered tribes of mortals across Nilush, specifically near Ashenfeld and Neundorf. War was far from uncommon amongst these tribal communities, with each other and with monsters roaming the lands, and with war came death. It is believed the first of the faithful started as those who took it upon themselves to bury their dead (or honor them in whatever funeral rites the tribe had at the time). It is from these undertakers that began the cult of the black, and from these origins they would spread across the land. While seen as strange and unnerving to many of the tribes, they did still fulfill an important role in society. Curiously, while other cults typically had to content with vastly different ideologies butting heads, these beginning cults of death and funeral seemed to be one of the more relaxed and united of the faiths. Their charge was simply the care of the dead, and the mourning of said dead, nothing more. Even if their methods of mourning and interment differ, the goal and ideal are the same When the Flame came to the land, and when Ashenfeld was being born anew thanks to help with the church, many were quick to ignore the mourning cults as they have always done, but soon realized they would need to make a decision sooner or later on these grim dressed individuals. So it was that through several outreaches, the disparate cults became one, under the true name of the death god: Vandarr. Since then, they have continued their work mostly unchanged, though they are now far more organized in their beliefs and practices. While they do enjoy the privileges of being a recognized faith and not some pagan cult, in truth they care little for politics outside their organization. Though they are some of the most common priests in most cities and towns, in truth they exert their presence little. They do not need to, for all will come to them, in time.

Worship

In truth, worship is more lax as compared to other cults. While they do have set days of worship (being the beginning and the end of each month) in truth the only time they are directly praying to Vandarr is when they are carrying out funerals. When going about their day tending to the graveyards and the like, nothing more than a mumbled prayer for steady hands is truly needed. However, one sect that differs from this behavior is The Knights of Dust. This is the small but elite military arm of the cult of Vandarr, and most areas of significant cult precense feature either one or a handful of these knights. These are holy warriors, almost or completely mute, that done black steel armor with depictions of skulls and death. They are tasked with guarding higher ranking cult members, and guarding areas of importance, most often places the dead are buried. They are imposing figures, said to stand so utterly still when on guard that many forget they are even there. Rarely do they go on crusade, but make no mistake that just one of these warriors is formidable indeed, and to see a man fight completely silently is an unnerving sight for many.

Priesthood

The clerics and believers in the mourning cults all wear black robes of some description, for it is the color of the end and of death itself. Many wear their hair short and practical, with eye catching hairstyles being frowned upon. Their robes either come completely unornamented, or draped in bones and other death related iconography. Many even train ravens as part of their initiation, and these raves sit upon their shoulders to gaze upon passers-by. Many describe the priests of Vandarr to be: dour, solemn, quiet, and reserved individuals. While there is quite a bit of truth to this statement, this is partly only because many only meet them as they are carrying out their duties of funeral work. During said work, priests are expected to only talk when necessary, or saying prayers, as it is better to maintain a respectful silence for the departed's family, be they present in life or spirits looking on in death. Inside the cult however, one may be surprised to find humor, hobbies, and friendship is alive and well in the dour looking cathedrals and graveyards. While it is true that the cult primarily gets people from the less "outspoken" "extroverted" side of the population, many priests that work together form small but humble circles of friends. Curiously, unlike others, the mourning cults do not actively seek out new members, and instead let initiates come to them. Many come to the cult for deeply personal reasons, experiencing death of people they know being the most common. Many also attribute strange dreams of the dead plaguing their rest that also guide many to Vandarr. Regardless, these recruits are accepted graciously, and serve as initiates shadowing a more experienced member and learning of the importance of funerals.

Granted Divine Powers

Common powers granted to the mourning cults are those that consecrate areas to bury the dead, and lowering the risk of undeath taking and perverting the body and soul of the passed on. Other powers include many targeted at shrouding areas, revealing visions of death, or harming the undead creatures of the night. Curiously, some are also skilled in healing, spareing the living from dying just yet.