Whispered Choir
The Whispered Choir is a secretive occult society, active in Elluenuueq, accused of indulging in obscene and criminal acts in their worship of the Sovereign of the Dawn.
Core beliefs and practices
Within the verdant labyrinth of Elluenuueq's ancient woods, where sunlight struggles to pierce the verdant shroud, exists the Whispered Choir – a clandestine society shrouded in secrecy and bound by their enigmatic devotion to the Sovereign of the Dawn. Unlike the sun-kissed deities venerated by most, the Sovereign dances on the fringes of documented history and credible belief, her existence a tantalising whisper amidst the tapestry of myth and folklore. For some, she is a figment of embellished lore, a mirage shimmering in the desert of truth. Yet, for the Choir, she is a multifaceted embodiment of power and knowledge, woven from moonlight and whispers.
Legends paint the Sovereign with an ethereal beauty, her form crowned by spun gold, and her captivating eyes shimmering with untold mysteries. The Choir reveres her not as a capricious deity, but as a sovereign of arcane knowledge, a repository of cosmic secrets locked away from mortal minds. In the hushed murmurs of their rituals, they speak of her ability to bestow upon her chosen followers access to these forbidden truths, a siren song of cosmic wisdom that fuels their unwavering devotion.
The celestial tapestry of the night sky is not merely a canvas of twinkling stars to the Choir, but a cryptic cipher, a reflection of the Sovereign's will etched across the cosmic expanse. By meticulously deciphering the movements of planets and constellations, they believe they can glean insight into the goddess's grand design, unlocking the hidden fate of the world and their own place within it. Visions and divine whispers echoing in their dreams are considered testaments to her favor, fleeting glimpses into the veiled grandeur of her existence.
Within the echoing halls of their twilight-shrouded tombs, macabre dances unfold under the bleeding moon. Grotesque idols contorted by eldritch influence bear witness to arcane pronouncements sung in a distorted tongue. Sacrificial pyres cast grotesque shadows as limbs burn, their pungent aroma mingling with the musky perfume of eldritch incense. Each offering fuels the Choir's macabre communion, tearing at the veil between worlds and drawing forth whispers from the abyss.
Yet, blood alone cannot sate the thirst for arcane knowledge amongst the devotees. The Choir delves into forbidden practices, weaving blood magic into intricate sigils carved onto flesh and bone. These pulsating markings act as conduits, anchoring the Sovereign's influence in the mortal realm and granting cryptic glimpses into the cosmic maelstrom. The price of such insights is steep, however. Sanity frays at the edges of these rituals, whispers of eldritch truths gnawing at minds unprepared for such revelations. Madness blossoms like a parasitic vine, twisting limbs and warping perceptions, a grim testament to the perilous cost of communion with the enigmatic goddess.
Beyond the confines of their hidden sanctuaries, the Choir's influence bleeds into the wider world. They infiltrate remote bailiwicks under the veil of night, snatching infants from their cradles and offering them to the Sovereign's insatiable hunger. Whispers of these "Dawn Tributes" echo through the shadows, leaving fear and sorrow in their wake. Rumours also swirl of forbidden pacts forged with bandit warlords, eldritch power bartered for dominion or the strength to strike back against the Union-State. The tendrils of their sinister machinations stretch far and wide, leaving a trail of blood, madness, and whispers of impending darkness wherever they tread.
The Whispered Choir's macabre dance on the precipice of cosmic revelation casts an indelible mark on Elwynn's soul. In their wake, madness blooms like a poisonous flower, a chilling testament to the price paid for courting the veiled divinity of the Sovereign of the Dawn. Whether their dance culminates in the unleashing of unimaginable horrors upon Elluenuueq, or their arcane communion meets a bloody end, remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain: the echoes of their profane pronouncements will reverberate through the ages, a chilling reminder of the potent allure and veiled divinity of the Sovereign of the Dawn, a goddess whispered about in shadows, her true nature as elusive as the first rays of dawn itself.
Yet, whispers abound within Elluenuueq, carried on the wings of moonlight and dissent. Some claim the Sovereign is not an ancient entity, but a nascent one, born from the collective yearning of the Choir, a gestalt consciousness birthed from their obsession with the veiled and forbidden. Others believe she is an avatar of a darker entity, a malevolent force cloaked in an alluring, manipulating the Choir for its own nefarious purposes. Regardless of her true nature, one thing is undeniable: the Sovereign of the Dawn is a potent force, drawing both the devout and the curious into her enigmatic web, and the consequences of her existence for Elluenuueq and beyond remain unknown.
