The Ruam Clis

History

The House of Ruam Clis is otherwise known popularly as the House of Freedom or the House of Independence by those who understand the political nature of the Church versus the cult of St. Humakt.

The House was formed as a ruling council of Valantia in 818ST, when the Otkorioni were forced from their homelands into Lanskt by God Learners and only a few Humathi remained. The Ruam Clis were a group of powerful Swords who decided to take control of Valantia. They ruled with an iron fist, organising agriculture, housing, land distribution and responsibilities of those individuals who remained behind when the God Learners came. Without the Ruam Clis, Valantia would have been less of a city and more a collection of individual temples to Humath, which would most likely have fallen through rivalry and lack of co-operation. The Ruam Clis used a bonding oath called the Wolf Pledge, that had all of the Heads of the myriad of Houses at that time promising to work in unison for a year at a time. After the year the Pledge was taken again, and a House could opt not to join - loosing the support of the Houses for that year. All of the houses opted out for a period of time at one point or another while the Wolf Pledge was used.

When Safelstran settlers came to Valantia near the end of the Second Age, they took control of a lot of the functions of the Ruam Clis. By 1010ST the Wolf Pledge had served it's purpose and stopped being used. The Ruam Clis, however, did not fade away as might be expected. They owned many important places in the area, and had a large portion of the land. Many important leaders were also members of the Ruam Clis. While they no longer had Valantia they had enormous influence over the cult of Humath.

They have remained this way for a long time, an eclectic selection of worshippers of the Death God. Joining them is always an honour, and brings many benefits as members of the Ruam Clis often gain preferential treatment from other Humakti, mainly because so many Ruam Clis members are influential members of the cult.

During their history they have always tried to retain devotion in following their lord. Most fought against the 1364ST proclamation for Humathi to acknowledge a "new truth" and rename their god Humakt, and worship him in a different fashion. Eventually they were forced to change, but only after a long time, nearly fifty years after the proclamation was made by most other Houses of Humakt. They inaugurated the first Temporal Incarnation of Humakt and were responsible for the killings of Galvosti Abbots when the Church of Nomia attempted to force the Humakti away from Valantia in 1398ST. They always hated assimilation of their cult into the Church and the Ruam Clis tried to convince members to boycott the Conference of Henotheism.

The House are still a politically powerful force. Many refer to themselves still as Humathi and talk of returning the Wolf Pledge once again to unite the Humathi against the facist control of Surantyr and the Church has been rumoured.

Oraganisation and Composition

The House is split into two lines, the Ruam strain and the Clis strain. The Ruam strain are composed of those Humakti whose devotion to the cult is religious in nature, so here you find Sword-Priests, temple owners and religious fanatics. They are organised into three tiers, the Ruami Sal who are all High Priests, followed by the Ruami Bor which refers to all Humakti who have a large amount of influence over the cult and/or a temple and are not high priests. Beneath them are the Ruami Mal, which is virtually all the other Ruam Clis members. The Clis strain is militaristic in nature. It has two tiers, the Clis Bor a group of thirteen Swords who organise all covert and covert military missions. Beneath them are the Clis Mal, all of the members who joined and are not connected to a particular temple or shrine, and are willing to participate in military activity when asked. The Clis Mal are not very respected, being little more than bodyguards to the more important, more influential Ruami Bor.

Above both strains is the Head of the House. He is currently Briccria Birogel, Sword of St. Humakt. He has refused Rune Lordhood in the Warrior Caste even though he has been offered it many times. He is supported by the Byoni who are his advisory council.

By the by the House doesn't do much, unlike the Dunfali their members do not act as shock troops, unlike the Durani Arawac they don't hunt out undead. It is a political rather than a military body and it has political aims and powers.

To join at any level requires the candidate to have some measure of either political influence, or influence over the Cult of St. Humakt. The benefits are a heightened status, reputation and respect within the cult, as well as a larger measure of influence, both through back scratching from other members, and fear by other people of the power of the Ruam Clis. Members are more likely to advance in the cult etc... a lot like a Favoured Cultist. All members must be willing to obey the will and the agenda of the Head of the House.