The Cult of Petal and Thorn
The Cult of Petal and Thorn began as nothing more than a gardening society run by the upper echelons of polite society in Thunderglade. The women involved were captivated by flora, their passion bordering on obsession. Back then, they were simply known as P&T. They traveled across Selenia and the surrounding islands in search of rare flowers, dedicating themselves to learning the art of cultivation. While many considered the group eccentric, their pursuits seemed harmless—until they connected with a few botanists. These experts began to channel the society's hobby into more structured research. Slowly, P&T evolved into something far greater—and far darker—than a mere gardening club.
The Cult first came into contact with The Botanist , an enigmatic man with a fascination for flora beyond anything they had encountered. The flowers he introduced were unlike any they had seen—ethereal and seemingly alive, yet tinged with a dark, otherworldly beauty. These specimens never wilted, as if sustained by a life force of their own. The strange vitality of the blooms, coupled with their ominous undertones, captivated the Cult and deepened their obsession.
It is said that their fate was sealed when they fell under the influence of Nyessera, the Harbinger of Bloom and Rot. The dae was drawn by their devotion to flora and became infatuated with their care and reverence. She sought to twist their passion into worship, bending the Cult to her will through whispers of forbidden secrets and promises of eternal beauty.
The Botanist, however, recognized Nyessera for what she truly was—a dae, corrupted by the evils of the world. Yet, his own dark ambitions proved his undoing. Unable to resist the power she offered, he entered into a binding contract with her and the Cult, one from which he could not escape. Though his loyalty to Nyessera remains dubious, his wicked deeds continue unabated, using the Cult as pawns to further his own shadowy goals
Now, the Cult ruthlessly collects people like flowers, forcing them to join as followers or offering them as sacrifices to Nyessera. Though none have ever truly seen the mysterious dae, her human guise is said to be so hauntingly enchanting that it keeps all eyes away from her true goals and sinister motivations. Her allure blinds even the most skeptical, drawing them deeper into her web of manipulation and decay.
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