Unreviewed The Ashen Weave

[Neryn Ka]

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OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To codify a twisted Dark-Side cult that can serve as a plot element for future stories.
• Image Credit: Generated by me via ChatGPT
• Canon: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: N/A

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Organization Name: The Ashen Weave
• Classification: Apocalyptic Cult
• Affiliation: Primarily Neryn Ka, and consequently the Dzara.
• Organization Symbol: When the cult uses an open symbol at all, it is typically a sort of crudely-painted, stylized angelic figure, who appears to be sucking in or devouring eight screaming, tormented humanoid shapes. Notably, these figures together form a spider-like image, lending a dark double-meaning to the cult's symbology. Alternatively, a second symbol in common use is a descending spiral, traditionally burned directly into surfaces or daubed on with ashes.
• Description: A dangerous, violent doomsday cult dedicated to the destruction of all that is.

GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

• Headquarters: Various planets, assets, and locations. The Cult deliberately does not maintain any single central stronghold, rendering it less susceptible to decapitation. Small cells can be found all over the galaxy, typically in remote locales.
• Domain: As a rule, the Weave neither takes nor holds territory, and disdains the concept of home turf.
• Notable Assets: The cult does not maintain much in the way of assets itself, normally choosing instead to infiltrate the assets of others. Still, they are armed and funded by the Dzara, and can call on their wider resources when needed.

SOCIAL INFORMATION

• Hierarchy:
  
  
  • Ashes: The lowliest of the low, and mere initiates into the mysteries of the Weave. They primarily serve as laborers and cannon fodder. Generally speaking, these persons are not considered spiritually "alive" as the Weave defines it. Nevertheless, their very name is one laden with symbology. Ashes are what remains when the old self burn away, and initiation into the Weave begins not with creation, but destruction and rebirth. Typically, these members are clad only in rags, and denied the symbols and trappings that mark a true member.
  • Embers: True members, albeit the lowliest of the lot. They have intaken small smatterings of their hidden master's blood, and are yet at the beginning of their journey. These comprise missionaries, footsoldiers, recruiters, and ritual participants. Embers have yet to have much of their individuality burned away by exposure to the mysteries of the Weave, and retain much of their former personality. Nonetheless, they bear the iconography of the cult proudly (when not attempting to infiltrate) and usually bear minimal scarification so as to better blend in with the general populace.
  • Kindled: Blooded, veteran members. These people have generally survived several battles in the cult's name, or otherwise accomplished one or two impressive feats that merit promotion. They are cell leaders, officers, keepers of scripture, and instructors. Most commonly these individuals are seen as "squad" leaders (if one can attribute so organized a term to a rabble like the Weave).
  • Pyreborn: The first rank regarded as sacred, and no longer entirely mortal. These individuals are beginning to transform in earnest, but still represent the lowliest of the Weave's priestly caste. They serve as elite warriors (whether in units of their own or leading others as officers), minor prophets, or ritual overseers. Most of these individuals are partly altered by intaking Neryn's blood, and hide their appearances carefully in voluminous robes, heat-blackened armor, or other accoutrements according to the individual's tastes.
  • Cindersaints: Quasi-divine, high-ranking prophets and saints. These individuals are invariably terrifying in power, and often possessed of many bizarre and sorcerous abilities. They are very rarely seen by outsiders, and only a hundred or so are believed to exist within the cult's thousands-strong ranks. When they emerge at all, they lead large-scale operations or important matters of faith. Most of these persons have very little in the way of individuality left, and are in full communion with the fire. Personal names are invariably discarded at this stage, and replaced with a variety of grandiose titles.
  • The Immolated: The inner circle of the Lord of Cinder, these cultists have long ago left their mortality and humanity behind entirely. The rituals that create such beings are a closely-guarded secret, known only to themselves and their maker. They represent the ruling body of the cult, and make most of the decisions that govern its actions, doctrines, and beliefs. Without question, these are the deadliest beings the cult has to offer. Only eight exist at any given time, and no more are created unless a current sitting member dies.
  • Lord of Cinder: Neryn Ka, spawn of Lirka and "immortal" master of the Weave. His divine blood alone is the source of the cult's power, and imbibing it is what elevates one from Ash to Immolated.

• Membership: So far, this organization is young, uninfluential, and relatively small, with personnel estimates ranging from three to ten thousand actual members. Nonetheless, most of these are dangerous fanatics, and shouldn't be underestimated. The cult's ranks are swelled further by numerous misshapen mutants, monsters, and genetically-altered beasts of all sorts. In the event the cult is roused to direct combat, these make up the bulk of its forces.
  
  Generally speaking, the Weave welcomes any and all who express a sincere desire to join its ranks, regardless of their age, station, species, or personal attributes. Nonetheless, would-be initiates (the above-mentioned Ashes) are subjected to rigorous early trials to prove their sincerity and worthiness. The exact nature of these initiation rites can vary somewhat from cell to cell, but almost without exception, they are unpleasant. Initiation can include intense physical and mental torture, as well as psychological, chemical, technological, or sorcerous mind-breaking techniques.
  
  Typically, the initiation period concludes with a difficult and lengthy pilgrimage, at which time the initiate is told they will be entirely unsupervised. Some such initiates, finding themselves wisely second-guessing their decision to join, attempt to go to the authorities. None ever survive to reach them.
  
  In truth, the initiate is watched from the minute their journey begins, and any deviations in loyalty are punished harshly. Death is perhaps the least uncomfortable possible consequence for disloyalty or failure, at any stage of one's initiation. Should the initiate complete their journey, they are welcomed as a full member, with all the dubious privileges that entails.

• Climate: Inwardly, the Weave's culture is surprisingly warm and fraternal. Members are strongly encouraged towards an attitude of brotherly kinship with one another, and this doctrine is reinforced heavily and regularly by the cult's leaders.
  
  Should a member be in need of help, other members typically fall over each other to provide it, whether it be simple financial aid, a place to sleep, or protection in an increasingly-dangerous galaxy. Within reason, most members find that any concerns they may have are quickly and effectively addressed.
  
  Nor are the cult's leaders remiss in their duties. Any member, no matter how new or lowly, may address a senior member in request for help or support, and even the lofty Cindersaints are loathe to refuse help to a member. No such courtesy is displayed toward outsiders, and non-members are generally treated with suspicion at best.
  
  This mixture of extreme insularity with extreme generosity ensures that members become more and more reliant on the cult to survive, and less likely to fare well should they attempt to leave.
  
  Interestingly, the cult has a manifest obsession with spiders and spider-like creatures of all sorts. These creatures (and their webs) appear in the cult's art, literature, and naming conventions with great frequency. This veneration of industrious web-builders might seem unusual, when performed by a group dedicated to the destruction of all order and structure, but to the Weave, it makes perfect sense.
  
  After all, most such organisms tear down their own webs when they've become damaged or dirty, and rebuild new ones in their place. Thus, they are seen as living symbols of the Weave's goals, and are beloved by its members. The Weave cares little for most other living things, but arachnids are typically held sacred, and members are forbidden to harm them except in self-defense.
  
  Likewise, as a manifestedly pyromaniacal organization, the Weave loves fire and fire-related things of all sort. Ritual burn-scarification and fiery living sacrifice is commonplace, and cult members greatly favor incendiary weapons in battle.

• Reputation: The overwhelming majority of the galaxy's populace are unaware of the Weave's existence. Thus, the cult has little reputation at all, good or bad, and they prefer to keep it that way. The cult retains few allies, mostly among the Sith. To these, they are regarded variously as useless fanatics, unreliable but determined allies, disposable catspaws, or dangerous potential rivals.

• Curios: Most members carry a personal book of quotes from "Music of the Apocalypse", and are encouraged to read it regularly. Given the cult's obsession with spiders, small pet arachnids of various species are also very common.

• Rules: Generally speaking, the Cult is uninterested in the day-to-day banalities of its members' private lives. Few hard-and-fast rules of conduct or behavior exist. This loose-handed approach is somewhat surprising for a doomsday cult, but of course, it is only skin-deep. This leniency only applies so long as members keep their heads down, faultlessly attend sermons and ceremonies, obey their betters, and give the cult's leaders no cause to scrutinize them further.
  
  Members are generally prohibited from harming, stealing from, or otherwise inconveniencing other members without cause. These restrictions, of course, do not apply in the Weave's numerous sacrificial rites, which frequently result in injury or death.

• Goals: The Weave desires nothing less than the complete erasure of all that is, ultimately including themselves.
  
  The cult's doctrine is a relatively simple one: they are believers in the apocalyptic prophesies espoused by Neryn Ka. To that end, most of their beliefs, ceremonies, and activities revolve around attempting to accelerate or bring about the end of the physical universe.
  
  Cult doctrine holds that the universe exists in a constant cycle of birth, corruption, stagnation, dissolution, and regrowth. It is their duty, according to the so-called "Weavers", to ensure that this dissolution happens, thus ushering in a glorious, paradisical rebirth.
  
  Weavers believe that the current structure of reality is underpinned by certain key places, persons, and objects, known to them as "vertices". These supposedly anchor the universe's structure and destiny, similar to the way in which only a few key threads maintain the structure of a spider's web. The cult regards it as their most critical duty to destroy these vertices when and where possible, therefore hastening the universe's slide into destruction.
  
  To this end, the normally-reclusive Weavers occasionally emerge onto the scene to engage in seemingly-random attacks on various persons, places, and things. To outsiders, these attacks can seem truly baffling, but the cult nonetheless targets these Vertices with startling precision. Past recorded targets have included a small farm on Saleucami, a drug den on Corellia, a war memorial on Coruscant, and an archaeology student on Yavin IV.
  
  Supposedly, when enough of these key elements have been removed, the entire structure of the physical universe will collapse.
  
  Of course, it's a big universe, and pinpointing its structural supports is no easy task. Finding these is the task of the cult's inner circle, the ones who have most transformed into something entirely other. Not all members of the Weave are Force-sensitive, but without exception, the priest-castes are.
  
  These individuals are selected for their abilities in the finer aspects of the Force, particularly prophecy, psychometry, and other talents used for divination. Working together, these individuals are able to pick out persons or places whose destruction can cast devastating ripples across the galaxy.

MEMBERS

Neryn Ka, Lord of Cinder


HISTORICAL INFORMATION

The Ashen Weave was conceived, assembled, and founded by Neryn Ka in its entirety. His reasons for doing so were a mixture of the pragmatic, the ideological, and the purely insane.

For his part, Neryn truly believes the nonsense he sells, and is utterly dedicated to his bizarre self-created mythology. Like any zealot, he wants to spread his creed far and wide, the better to reshape the universe in his preferred image. A cult was thus convenient, if not inevitable.

Much of the cult's advancement scheme relies on consuming small samples of Neryn's corrupt, mutant blood. Over time, this inflicts radical mental and physiological changes on organic beings. These "blessed" members slowly lose their humanity and individuality, and instead become something rather like Neryn himself. Blessed with long life and supernatural power, their loyalty to the cult's dark master is assured.

Of course, Neryn's control of the cult is not common knowledge. Only a scant handful know the truth, and thus, about the cult's true nature. Most of the rank and file know him only by his title, and few meet him directly.

To most who know of them at all, the Weave is a riotous assemblage of freaks, lunatics, monsters, and far worse. They make up for their relative lack of individual quality at the lower level with sheer fanatical drive, determination, and an unshakeable belief in the truth of their dark creed.