The Votaries of Talesse

This is a derivative Humakti House from the Safelster. St. Talesse came from Helby near the start of the Third Age and she was accompanied by the Votaries. They were exceedingly pious Humakti, who believed that Humaktis way was the only way, and spread his creed. To all those who would not accept his creed, they gave his gift. Death.

St. Talesse and the Votaries expunged thirteen minor temples, four major temples and numerous shrines of other faiths before she and her group were slain whilst fighting Xiola Umbar Healers who were known users of the Ressuection ritual. She was sainted by the cult of St. Humakt in 1217 ST, but her cult was not imported into Otkorion until the early years of the 14th century. It was disliked for its fanatical overtones, but as the violent aspect of the Hero cult slowly became less prominent, and preaching took over, they became more acceptable.

As a House of Humakt, they became an effective fighting force to combat specific faiths. With their assimilation into the Church the Votaries have even managed to get along with other Orlanthi faiths without breaking into combat. Famous acts of the House include the destruction of the House of TalanMar who attempted to legitimize Ressurection within the Humakti cult, the Lead Cross HeroQuests of 1426 ST, the destruciton of various foreign cults that were present in Valantia and their Hero, Janacerte Foxtrot, who was lost on a HeroQuest a century ago.

The House is based in Valantia with chapter houses across Otkorion. The worship of St. Talesse is exceedingly rare outside Otkorion, but not unknown. The House has no official part in the military, and forms only part of the St. Humakti cult. It has a membership of some 500 worshippers, about 3% of the cult, making them reasonably popular.

Organisation and Composition

The House is supposedly lead by St. Humakt himself. Every season a new intermediary isc hosen from the Swords by random selection and a powerful cult spirit descends into them. In a plume of holy light the Sword becomes the mouth of the god for the next season. The House then follows the orders of that Sword. The House is not a very political entity, and rarely engages in political acts. The appointed Sword has not, for many years, given out any particulary important orders, but has complained of propheices and coming woe.

Membership

To join as a Votary, the candidate must show their dedication. They must have served for at least one year as a Humakti and have a Ceremony score of at least 50% to show theri knowledge of St. Humakt and his rites.

They then serve a two season term as a Birroal, a pre-Votary, during which they must attend to the vows of the House. At the end of the term they must return with the heads or fingers of the enemies they have slain in that time and describe how they killed them. Depending upon this they will either be accepted into the House, or told to serve another two seasons. The chance is based on Orate, adding modifiers with their standing in the cult, and adding 2% for every slain enemy, 3% if the enemy was chaotic. A success means entry is allowed, failure means rejection and another two season Birroal period, and a fumble means that the House is so disgusted that they reject the candidate totally, they may be able to try again in a matter of years when the interviewing Swords have changed.

After this period they are initiated into the House as a Votary. Upon inauguration all Votaries select one cult as their one cult as their specific enemy cult. Whilst they are generally unpleasant to all non-Humakti, including members of St. Orlanth, this is the specific cult to which they garner most hatred. Common choices are Chalana Arroy, Gyzar, Elmal, Zorak Zoran, Kyger Litor and Thed.

The Votary must then take certain Vows, which they will have already adherred to as a Birroal: