True Worshippers

English · Español · Català

Appears in: Slave Pits

The True Worshippers is a reformist movement of the Star Worshipper faith, born in the north of the Star Worshippers Empire.

In Slave Pits (2503)

The True Worshippers is a reformist movement that started a little after the Crafter uprising, more than 150 long cycles ago, in the northern region of the Star Worshipper Empire.

Although they share the same core principles of the Star Worshipper tradition, the movement has a more strict, local and honest approach to them. While the castes are the same, their function and predominance differ. Everyone (there are no differences between men and women for the True Worshippers) starts in the farmer caste, which is the largest by far and also receives military training as part of their duties. The warrior and the noble castes are both rare and reserved for the special individuals that have proven the excellence of their abilities to fight and rule, respectively; the best of them are expected to act as teachers and masters of the rest, which is the most revered position in the society. Finally, the biggest difference with the Star Worshipper Empire being that it is the local community who decides in which caste an individual stands, case by case and one by one.

Pregnant women are revered equally as providers of life, and are supplied with help and resources from the village as a whole, but only while they are expecting and a little after the child is born. After that she is expected to perform her duties like before. Having a companion is not mandatory. The children's education is given by the teachers and the noble caste is responsible for distributing the village riches to provide all the means required by them. When they are ready, they join the farmer caste as young adults.

There are no slaves or prisoners in the True Worshippers communities. The criminals are either cast away from the village or executed. On the other hand, the past of an individual is not taken into account when he joins a community, but he needs to prove his value during 3 full long cycles as a farmer or be expelled.

The roots of the movement come from the Warrior, the only survivor of a Star Worshipper religious battle order that was disbanded during the Crafter uprising. Partially disappointed with his past beliefs, he escaped from the war to a village in the north and taught them in his own ways. Tens of long cycles after, his teachings, more fair to the vast majority of the lower caste, had spread widely through many villages of the north.

Once neglected and almost abandoned by the Empire, more focused on the richer cities of the south, the northern villages are now managing well on their own, some even flourishing. After the continuous efforts of the border wars and the slow decay of its own power and economy, the Emperor has turned his eyes again to the north, banned the True Worshipper heresy and reinforced his authority over the region, mostly through violent oppression.

The heroine of Slave Pits, No-step-back!, was raised among them, and the Empire calls the preachings of the Old Warrior, her village's teacher, heresy.

The Contrition (2504)

Spoilers for Slave Pits

Revenge for her death fuels the teachings of the late Old Warrior, and the whole north rebels. Under the warcry "No step back!" the True Worshippers defeat the imperial army, and they take control of the entire region of the fallen Empire. Their first edict is to abolish slavery.