Athar (Defiers, Lost)
Philosophy: The gods are frauds; the unknowable truth lies beyond the veil.
Factol: Terrance.
Sigil HQ: Shattered Temple (Lower Ward).
Home Field: Astral.
Allies: Believers of the Source.
Enemies: -
WITHIN THE RANKS
- Nearly all the Athar feel a need to show the deluded, who still have faith in the powers, the error of their ways. However, most of the Lost feel peery of priests of specific deities and avoid their temples. Why should a body expose himself to the one place where the enemy is strongest? Defiers steer away from overt hostilities against the various faiths: The survival of their faction depends on discretion. After all, too many open attacks on established temples will simply unite their foes into a force the Athar could never withstand. [/li]
- Not all the Lost are bitter, but most have had a power turn stag on Â’em. ThatÂ’s why folks join the Defiers, and a lot of them carry around a heavy load of cynicism, paranoia, and resentment. Whatever their attitude, Defiers follow the Rule of Three by having three main goals: to prove publically the falsity of the so-called gods, to lessen or destroy their influence, and to part the veil of the unknowable to glimpse the truth. [/li]
- Defiers of various ethical systems all look at the Athar philosophy a little differently. A basher with a bent toward charity wants to save the “faithful” sods from suffering the pain of the inevitable betrayal by their powers. A few Lost value honesty, and so find motivation in a love of truth. Self-centered Defiers hope to pull down the powers to leave more room for their own schemes to gain wealth, pleasure, or even revenge: Strip the false gods of power by stripping them of believers. ’Course, the Defiers who naturally refrain from passing judgment still detest shams. What is, is - and fraudulent gods only muddy the waters. Lawful Athar think a berk who follows the rules of the powers follows the wrong guidelines: he needs to see past the powers to the order of the Greater Unknown. Chaotic Defiers insist that the multiverse has no rhyme or reason and think the powers just form part of a false veneer of order. The neutral Lost believe the phonies distort the balance between law and chaos. [/li]
- A basherÂ’s profession determines the reason for joining the faction and the methods used to pursue its aims. Fighters seek combat with all who serve the powers and believe that the truth will out in melee. Rangers consider deities who enslave animals more vile than others and claim that animals in their natural state provide clues to sublime truths. Paladins hope to convert all beings from worship of their idols to reverence for the true (though unknown) source of all majesty. Priests also look beyond the powers in search of the Greater Unknown god. Druids insist the powers interfere with the natural cycles of the multiverse and want to see them operate without these interlopers. Wizards claim the powers deliver tainted magic, and thieves want ecclesiastic wealth for themselves. [img]http://baator.hit.bg/factions/Athar.jpg[/img] [/li]
- Many Planars in the Great Ring serve a power and would never join the Athar (nor find themselves welcome). This fact makes the Lost less multiracial than some other factions, such as the Believers of the Source and the Free League. Bariaur, Half-Elves, Humans, Tieflings, Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, and Halflings are all well represented. Githzerai seem few and far between, though: The majority revere either their raceÂ’s nameless wizard-king or the legendary Zerthimon as a god. [/li]
- Folks can join the Lost just by presenting themselves at Shattered Temple. Some of the namers find jobs at the Temple. All of ‘em must provide room and board for needy factotums, since the temple itself offers no housing. The faction treasury gives them a bit of jink for this service, but not enough to cover all the costs. The excess? Consider it the namer’s contribution to the cause. [/li]