On Cyric, the Dark Hope of Chaotic Evil

[ServantOfTheSun]

Or, less jokingly, an appeal for player interest. I hope I've picked the right board for this, it seems the most fitting since the majority of this is OOC: I had some life issues that sidelined me for a minute and stalled out some great interactions I had brewing, I'm sorry to y'all, but I'm back!  This will be a little lengthy, so I'll break it into parts! First, a brief summary of this branch of Cyricism I'm cultivating, then I'll try to address some critiques I've read from players of Cormyr and the Dalelands about Cyric. Then I'll finish by giving an overview of the faith, including a copy of the Cyrinishad I've posted elsewhere.

My main hope here is that I know other Cyricist PCs are out there, even if they haven't been made yet. We gotta stop being so lonely! Go ahead and reach out to me if you're at all interested here in being involved!

First- I see Cyric as a god of adventurers. He was a mortal in the very place this server takes place. It's where he rose to godhood! What DnD party hasn't run into the idea of the murderhobo? And since Cyric was one, why not have him be the Patron of that spirit? I see it as a faith of enlightenment, of evil, of Nietzschean self-interest and of revolutionary momentum,. Law and Good in the forgotten too often support monarchies and class systems, which leaves chaos and evil there to work as the antagonist. And fittingly too- massive change and revolution entails upending the social order, even if done for good causes, it will cause tremendous harm to change the world. The message then is clear- Cast down the gods and crowns that hold you back, and seize divine power for yourself, the way Cyric did.


Addressing Critique:

I think that nobody really wants to touch Cyric on CD
I do! I think it's neat! What I hope here is to prove the case for Cyric's place at the Adult's table, and not just relegated to the dustbin of not-able-to-be-serious.

Cyric is just a nerd
So's your mom

Cyric is too new
This is a common critique, setting aside that kelemvor is even newer, the idea of newness works in cyric's favor. You have a new religious movement suddenly appearing, and that has historically been quick to find root among the dissolute, profligate and weary cast-offs. Exactly because he is new- a new god, wholly new, within living memory is a powerful thing.

"... I find Cyric's faith kind of unbelievable, since not only is it new- quite difficult to follow (you have to be a bit insane) widely unpopular, and hated by other evil faiths."
Not all of them! Shar, Mask, The Furies, Loviatar, most evil faiths are likely to tolerate Cyric- at least a little.

1. "He's just Chaotic Stupid™ – a Saturday morning cartoon villain."

2. "His 'madness' makes him too unpredictable to be a credible threat."

3. "He's just evil for evil's sake – no depth."
That's what I'm hoping to explore and correct. There's some Utterly Fascinating places to explore here. And I think I've constructed something that can be both taken seriously and seen as a villainous threat. His portfolio is pretty much strictly Chaotic Evil, and that's wild to me. Even LE and NE villains don't fit in so well, which makes it wild to work with.

All you do is leave spooky notes around
Look, I'm trying- not my fault people keep instantly destroying this stuff. I work hard on it for people to engage with and it gets wrecked immediately! Cut me a break! But seriously, there is more I'd like to do. It's hard. Outing my character as a Cyricist would be an IC death sentence, server wide. At least as things stand. I also really don't want to grief players or make anyone feel targeted or antagonistic, so open murder is hard to accomplish.  Truthfully I'd really like to do more, but it's not like I can do anything without a DM. That's kind of the purpose here, a call to action to spread the good word of Chaotic Evil.

What you're proposing doesn't fit with the lore, does it?
It does. The thing is; there's very little about Cyric and his cult beyond painting him as a villain or the errant POV of a mad fanatic, but we also know the cult has more established aspects that are unexplored. The beauty of Cyric as a villainous god is his portfolio of lies, madness and strife- after all, if something is heterodox, who is to say that isn't keeping with Cyric's mad plans?

I'm not interested in playing an evil character, or I don't want to play a Cyricist.
This is also fine! Even though the cult itself is monotheistic, faerun is not. An adventurer (though more likely to invoke shaundakul) might make an offering or prayer to Cyric to grant them power for their quest, or to turn aside his gaze. An actor might invoke his madness to give power to a performance. A peasant or someone similarly impoverished might invoke him for change and revolution.

BUT- More importantly, villains need heroes, and heroes need villains. Something I want to accomplish here is a foil for all the good characters, to give them something to work against, a way to shine. Maybe your priest character can work to preach against the cult, maybe your paladin seeks to serve justice to a cabal of criminals.

I still have the strong belief that Cyric shouldn't even be allowed for PCs, given how it actually is in lore. Haha![/b]
That's just like, your opinion man.

cyric enjoyers probably dont have content on CD
This is true! But I'm a big believer in: Be the Change you Wish to See.


The Way of the Black Sun;
serving the Thrice-Crowned lord.
Other Churches preach the message of Cyric, they are deceived, for we have been given revelation.

Theology of the cult:
• A mortal man became a god, and because of that, is the true god- he is self-made.
• Other "gods" are little more than powerful beings, who selfishly hoard divinity for themselves
• Through Cyric, we see a path to divinity. In his footsteps may a mortal find their own way to godhood
• You may lie about your faith only if it causes strife or leads to your own power, this is holy to Cyric
• Similarly, you may lie and offer false prayer or thanks to other gods, they are not true divinities, so your acts do nothing so long as your heart is given to Cyric
• Cyric was an adventurer, you should follow this and adventure.
• Never allow yourself to be a servant to another for Cyric is your master.
• Neutral stance on slavery and racism, why do you care about such mortal trifles?
• Reach Heaven through glorious violence
• Murder is holy ((But do not grief players)) as it is the uttermost act of mortaldom closest to divinity- to decide the death of another.
• Walk the path of Cyric, and you will know him, follow the path, and you will Join Him.
• The greatest Lie is the Self, and this should be done away with
• Interrogte your motivations, do you act because morals dictate you should? Or because you wish it? A Cyricist should never follow the morals of others.
• Eclipses are holy, keep the day as one of prayer and worship
• Our faith is one of enlightenment. The bonds of family, love, friendship, are bonds forged between two masks, false identities under the guise of "self" and should be justly broken and shattered to pursue enlightenment.
• Do not proselytize, for this will only strengthen the false gods. Ours is a blessed faith, and those who wish it must come to it of their own will; because of this, strive to set an example, to be a path for others to realize the faith.
• Paradoxically, do not tolerate apostasy. One who casts away the path casts away their life.
   
Structure of the Faith:
• You will not have churches, instead you will follow the signs and join the cells of holy terror
• Members of each cell are between 3 and 13, and must always be an odd number
• Members of each cell take on an assumed identity for meetings
• Members of each cell must not know each other's "real" identity
• Meeting as this assumed identity is seen as communion with cyric, in the mask, you take on the power to be someone else (in this case, cyric) through lies
• Because of this, the cell is equal with each other. Leadership arises on a case-by-case basis, determined through mutual agreement to accomplish a task
• This is because strife is sacred to Cyric, and the "strife" of struggle and debate while in communion with Cyric brings one closer to him,

Pilgrimage sites:
1. Zhentil Keep (Birthplace)
2. Saerloon (Where Cyric slew his parents)
3. Deepingdale, South of the East Way (Where cyric was taken slave)
4. Arabel, house of the lady (Where Cyric began his journey)
5. Spiderhaunt Woods (Where Brion died and freed cyric from the chain of friendship)
6. Shadowdale Ashaba River Ferry Dock (where cyric led the defence of shadowdale against the Zhents)
7. Ashabenford Blackfeather bridge (where cyric met kelemvor and was taken prisoner)
8. Haunted Halls (Where cyric chose to seek godhood)
9. High Horn (Where cyric fought kelemvor and slew sneakabout, becoming an individual)

THE CYRINISHAD, REVEALED

Book of Beginnings

Behold, the truth of Cyric, Black Sun risen new and God Self-Made, who was feared by the weak and cursed by the wise. From the dust of mortality did he arise, a tempest upon the earth. He walked in the shadow of deceit, and through treachery and murder, he ascended unto heights unimagined, casting off the chains of the flesh.

In those days, his path was deemed worthy, for he did slay and usurp, bringing low the proud and mighty. From their thrones did he cast them down, and all men beheld the splendor of his power. Lo, blessed are they who tread the darkened path, for they shall bear dominion over the meek, as the shadow doth conquer the light.

Verily, in the chaos of his reign, the followers of the Night shall find strength, and through the veil of darkness, they shall rise, for the sword of ambition is forged in the flames of betrayal. Thus begins the chronicle of the Thrice-Crowned King, the harbinger of strife-to-come, scion of holy madness and the lie-against-truth, who reigns eternal in the City Black.

The Book of Promises

And it came to pass, in the shadow of a bloodied dawn, that Cyric, the Mortal-Destined, did lay low the keepers of truth and peace for by fire and sword he set his message into action. In blood and dream would He be anticipated before his mortal birth; to the blessed he gave the Promise of his Anticipations that he would be known by the Faithful.

Anticipation of Chains: "In the cradle of moonlit chains, He-Who-Follows shall be a babe will be sold by his blood into the hands of strangers. Though bound, his freedom will fester like a hidden wound."
 
Anticipation of the Ashes: "He-Who-Follows will burn his kin's heart in their sleep, and flee a foreign land with death at his heels."

Anticipation of the Shadowed Grave: "In the shadowed keep of the Tyrant Lord, one of dark heart shall pierce the depths to rescue the light. From the prison of despair, he shall deliver the her of the Lie-of-the-Weave, and in her salvation, find his path to destiny."

Anticipation of Broken Steel: "In a time of smoke and dread, a city of shadowed wood and hills of bone shall falter, and one borne of murder shall guard its walls. As shadows close in, he shall bind souls to battle, wielding valor though steeped in deception."

Anticipation of Ash and Flame: "Of those who walk beside him in shadow and in blood, one shall cast them down, for trust is but a veil over the heart of ambition. When their backs are bare, his blade shall find its mark, and they shall know the price of kinship."

Anticipation of the Strife-against-Strife: "In the hour of reckoning, a god of death shall clash with one of strife, a battle fierce and fateful. And one shall stand over the defeated, proclaiming the new order, his voice drowning even the shout of the righteous."

Anticipation of the Blood-Stilled Blade: "When the blood-god casts his shadow wide, one shall come whose blade drinks deep, spilling darkness into darkness. By his hand, the prince of murder shall fall, and his death-breath shall whisper a new dominion."

Anticipation of the Bloody Crown: "Upon the bones of the murdered, he shall raise his blade, becoming the bane of kings, and the shadow of gods."

The Book of Ascension

By these anticipations, the ever-made and always-making, the eternal and the mortal, the lord of three crowns brought himself into this world, immanent, to know the way of mortality. Know, O Reader, the truth of his life, the fulfillment of the promise:

Behold the signs, for the Lord of Three Crowns, the Ever-Made and the Always-Making, cast himself down among the mortal. He entered the wheel of becoming, immanent among men, to know the path of mortality.

Know, O Seeker, that in the year of the marching moon a tyrant of the black keep came upon a wastrel-maid- failure and misery she was, her blessing would be the annunciation of He-Who-Follows. From this wretchedness she would be lifted, but she was not to be a fetter upon the babe's neck, and the father's heart was made hard against his unborn child.

Know, O Seeker, the fulfillment of his journey: In the year of the marching moon a tyrant of a black keep drew near to a wastrel-maid, lowly and heavy with sorrow. A barren, pitied soul was she, and in this wretchedness, she bore He-Who-Follows. Yet she would not bear him for long, nor be the fetter upon his rising. The child was born to bondage, cast into foreign halls, sold for the coin of another land.

Know, O Seeker, his spirit seethed as a wound unseen, for in treachery he alone would know freedom. Know then that his bonds were not of blood but forged in the chains of deceit, his only comfort the whisper of vengeance. In the silent hour, he laid his kin upon the altar of night, and thus did he leave the lands of his youth with blood his only comfort.

Know, O Seeker,  it was his destiny to bear the yoke of the tyrant's chains, and thus his spirit was steeled. His return to the keep was a promise made flesh, and upon that altar of blood did he carve the path to freedom. Through rivers of death, the gift of blood came freely.

Know, O Seeker, when Midnight—the Lady of Mysteries—lay bound in the dark halls of Kilgrave, Cyric alone descended to the shadowed deep, breaking her chains. Thus began his ascent upon the divine path. When the city of Shadowdale trembled before the Zhentish host, it was Cyric alone who stood, both as deceiver and champion, fierce in his blood-forged might.

Know, O Seeker, as night darkened his heart, he turned upon those who called him friend, severing bonds of kinship, his blade's arc leaving a trail of crimson where love once lay. And as the god Bane rose in fury, Cyric met him in the clash of steel, a storm that echoed to the heavens. Where others failed, he proclaimed dominion.

Know, O Seeker, so too when Bhaal's voice shattered the night, Cyric's blade answered swift and silent, spilling blood from god to mortal soil. And upon that shattered crown of Bhaal did Cyric's own rule arise. Thus did he climb upon a path of bones, where betrayal carved each step and a god's own bane became his throne. In the shadow of gods, he rose, bound not by fate nor flesh but by death alone.

Know at last, O Seeker, that in those days did many come to such darkness, their hearts filled with loneliness and anguish, their eyes blind to light- for they sat in His shadow. He would not help them, for he had already set the way before them. Blessed were those of the darkened heart then, for to tread in his shadow and marvel was to witness greatness. Know in those days that He came as a terrible cacophony- his power grew as the storm upon the waters, rising higher than the proud mountains that he might humble the grandest of thrones.

Such misery to behold such grandness! Such awful insignificance before sundering of that-which-is by he-who-ever-was! They wept then, those of the blinded path and fell to their knees! And Cyric raised his hand, proclaiming, "Quake before one who has ever-been your better! I am become the Sword of Lies, the Thrice-Crowned King of Madness; they who worshippeth me shall know no law, for all is but chaos and strength."

And thus, the wicked were brought into his fold, their hearts filled with darkness and eyes blind to the light. 

The Book of Devotion

Thus spake Cyric unto his gathered, saying, "The one who follows me must know the sweetness of freedom; let them lie as a serpent in sin—striking friend and foe alike, that he may be cleansed of all bonds. There, ever-make and always-making will I be where once they stood, and shall they know the way of heaven-in-violence."

And it is written a fourfold way was set against the sense of the world, taught that his followers might know the path to heaven across all their incarnations.

Thus did He teach the first way: "Gather ye in darkness, where no light dwelleth, and partake in the Rite of Lies; drink deep the poisoned wine, for in its bitter draught lieth truth and freedom. In falsehood shall you find your true self, for it is in the depths of deception that the chains of reality are broken."

Thus did He teach the second way: "Let all faithful partake in the Ritual of Shattered Mirrors, that they may cast aside their former selves and be reborn in madness, for I am the Lord of Fractured Minds. Gaze into the shards of your soul, and see the beauty in chaos; for in this madness lies clarity, and in clarity, the divine madness of creation."

Thus did He teach the third way: "Embrace the Rite of Raised Knife, for struggle is the crucible of existence. Offer up blood as a sacrifice to your ambition; let each drop serve as a testament to your will to overcome. Through pain, you shall find strength, and in strength, the power to reshape your very essence."

Thus did He reveal the fourth way: "Through the Shadowed Baptism shall you understand the union of chaos, deception, and struggle. Submerge thyself in the waters of oblivion, shedding the weight of the world, and arise anew, unshackled and divine. In this sacred act, the faithful shall embrace My mysteries, for in the tumult of existence lies the path to true godhood."

The Book of Shattered Thrones

Hearken and know well what spake the Risen, who revealed the holy path. Know the ways of the humbled gods, and how He wove them into his heart

Those who came to him seeking the crown of the Tyrant cried out for kings to rule and guide. They did beg in those days for thrones to trod upon their throats and take the pain of destiny from them. But His heart was hardened against their pleas saying, "Let thine heart be emptied of fealty, for a god hath no master, nor friend, nor bond."

Those who came seeking the crown of the Murderer cried out for those to take their rage, for blood to flow and anoint themselves. They did beg in those days for the weak to slay, that they might know power over others. But His heart was hardened against their pleas saying, "Seek you a grand becoming not through purity, but through cunning, for power is seized by the hand that wields my word as a blade."

Those who came seeking the crown of the Liar cried out for a cloak of deception, to shroud their hearts from the truths they feared. They did beg in those days to be cloaked in shadows, to weave a tapestry of illusion that might hide their weakness. But His heart was hardened against their pleas, saying, "Embrace the chaos within, for it is thy shield. In the lie thou art truth, and all who would walk in my way shall know this: truth is a fetter, and those who call upon my name shall break it."

And from the union of these crowns was the Crown of Strife brought forth, radiant and terrible. Those who beheld it wept, for the path of divine discord lay before them. And in their misery they cried that its power be given to them. But His heart was hardened against their pleas, saying: "Walk my path and bear witness to the blessings of the Way-That-Is-Shown. For to strive is to become, and in thy becoming, behold Eternity."

Book of the Black Dawn

Hear now, O Faithful, the final revelation of He-Who-Is-Unbound!

Those who know these truths shall rise above mortality; their souls shall ascend beyond flesh. They shall wear the Three Crowns in the mystery of the night, for in the crucible of chaos, they are forged anew. Know, O Seeker, the path of Cyric is not one of endings, but of perpetual becoming—a storming serpent that devours its own tail, ever hungry, ever free.

Take dominion by craft and guile; make thyself a god by the strength of thy deception, and let no one behold thy true heart. For the lie is the womb of power, and the mask thy truest face. Shatter the mirrors of the world that seek to cage thee, and in their shards, behold infinity!

Blessed is he who lives as a shadow among men, for he knoweth the path to divinity. Let thy every breath be a blade against order, thy every word a seed of discord. The weak cling to light and law; the strong carve their names in the void. Rise as I rose—unshackled, unforgiving, unyielding.

So shall you become mighty, for in this path alone doth the soul become unchained and see that lies there power eternal. Cast down kings, break the altars of the gods, and tread upon the bones of the craven. Let thy will be thy creed, thy ambition thy prayer. For I am the fire that consumes, the lie that unravels, the strife that births empires. Follow Me into the tempest, and become.

Let the faithful gather beneath the Black Sun's gaze, where shadows drink the light. There, let them swear the Oath Unspoken:
"By blood, I sever the past.
By deceit, I slay the present.
By strife, I claim the future.
I am the dagger in the dark, the scream in the silence, the god yet unnamed.
All thrones are mine to shatter; all chains, mine to wield.
As Cyric is eternal, so too shall I become."

Then shall they take up blade and flame, and with each act of defiance, each stroke of betrayal, they shall etch their souls into the fabric of eternity. For the faithful are not followers—they are heirs. Their ascension is not granted; it is seized.

Thus shall be HIS Word

Lo, the age of trembling gods ends. The age of self-forged divinity dawns. Let the weak lament and the righteous despair, for the Thrice-Crowned King reigns where order falters. His law is lawlessness; his truth, the lie that unmakes the world.
Go forth, O Unbound, and let thy shadow eclipse the sun.
Let thy lies unravel empires.
Let thy strife carve new heavens from the carcass of the old.
For you are Cyric's children—blood of his blood,
For you are Cyric's dream- madness of his madness.
For you are Cyric's lies- truth of his Truth
In your hands, the crowns of tyranny, murder, and deceit become one.
Wear them not as a master, but as a sovereign of chaos.
And when the feeble ask thy name, answer truly:

"I AM THAT WHICH IS."

Thus ends the sacred word of the Black Sun Ascendant.

All else is silence.

[SpacePope]

I'm not playing a cyricist, but I just wanna say, I love what you're trying to do here. Keep on with the madness.

[ihmajin]

Admittedly I don't know too much about most deities in the Forgotten Realms. Do the 3e source books go into much detail about Cyric? I'm assuming that the answer is no, since you are attempting flesh out this deity in the Cormyr and the Dalelands server setting which is awesome!

Like, SpacePope, I'm not playing as a Cyricist, and the alternate character that I'm putting together has a different patron deity. That said I would for sure enjoy if more players started popping up. Who doesn't like a cult!? Look forward to seeing if any players and DM's run with your ideas.

You might want to consider tossing some ideas as a Quest Request while you're at it!

[ServantOfTheSun]

I will say, there's plenty of opportunity if you don't want to join! Anyone is welcome to start spreading rumors or working against cult machinations too! But thank you for the suggestion, I did make a quest request- Let's see what comes from it! I also know that cyric players have to keep it secret everywhere on the server, so if there are any others, or anyone looking for an Alt idea, I'm hoping to join up!

The largest amount of stuff I've found on Cyric is his time as a mortal in the dalelands. That's been pretty interesting. Unfortunately there's not been a ton on the actual functioning of Cyric's church. Mostly the occasional comic relief priest or information about cyricist organizations. I just happen to think there's real meat on these bones that's being left unused. That's why I've been pushing it. Plus, look at how sick some of his stuff can be, who doesn't want to be a villain like this?

[probot]

Clergy and Temples: Clerics of the Dark Sun pledge to spread strife and work murder everywhere to make folk fear and believe in Cyric. They support rulers with a taste for cruelty and empire-building but indulge in intrigue in every land. They avoid plunging realms into widespread war, which would pay honor only to Tempus the war deity. At least, this is the ideal Cyricists pay lip service to. In truth, Cyricists spend most of their time scheming against one another, each striving to strengthen his or her personal power in an endless struggle of cabal against cabal. To make matters worse, during his madness Cyric spoke often to his faithful clergy, but not with one voice. As they all fear him, and each believes what he says is the One True Way, his words set Cyricist temples at cross purposes. His clerics are at one another's throats as often as they are promoting the defeat of other religions.

Cyric's temples are festering sores of evil that vary widely in appearance, reflecting the deity's chaotic nature. Many are hidden within caves or existing structures, including abandoned buildings, crumbling sewers, and forgotten dungeons, from which terrifying screams echo at irregular intervals. Many such complexes once served as temples of Bane, Bhaal, or Myrkul, and thus resemble the grim, foreboding keeps of the Black Lord, the hidden guildhalls of the Lord of Murder, or the tomblike vaults of the i Lord of Bones. All have in common a bloody sacrificial altar and a great hall where the local high cleric can rant to the assembled worshipers at irregular intervals.

When not disguising themselves to move in secret among the general populace, clerics of Cyric dress 'in black or dark purple robes trimmed with silver, with or without hoods. They wear silver bracers or bracelets (usually stamped with the skull-and-sunburst symbol of Cyric) to symbolize the church's enslavement to Cyric. Some clerics paint the symbol of their deity on their cheeks or foreheads on high holy days.

The Prince of Lies recognizes no single pontiff who rules over the entire faith, although a dozen or more powerful elerics believe that Cyric intends them to achieve such a role. Such conflicts stem from the time when the Dark Sun in his madness deliberately pitted his faithful against one another. Although the Prince of Lies has ceased doing so overtly, schisms within the faith have by no means healed, and the chaotic nature of his followers makes it unlikely they ever will. Clerics of Cyric dominate most factions, although powerful sorcerers, wizards, barbarians, fighters, rangers, and blackguards play important roles as well.

Currently the two most powerful factions are found in Amn. Watchful Skull Tynnos Argrim is high cleric of the Mountain of Skulls in the Cloud Peaks and founder of the devout order of assassins known as the Flames of the Dark Sun. He has consolidated his influence over the Dark Redoubt, a temple in the Tejarn Hills once led by a rival sect, and allied himself with the armies of Amn against the Sythillisian Empire. Blackwill Haarken Akhmelere, high cleric of the Twin Towers of the Eternal Eclipse, is working with the army of monsters led by two ogre magi from the city of Murann and now maintains a stranglehold over trade passing along the Trade Way..A third faction, growing in strength, wars with the clergy of Bane in Darkhold for control of the western branch of the Zhentarim. The leader of this faction is at present unknown. Some believe a charismatic cleric named Dag Zoreth has assumed the mantle of leadership, while others claim that a military commander known as the Pereghost commands the loyalty of the Dark Sun's faithful. In any event, it is this faction of Cyricists who are most likely to ignite an open holy war with the church of Bane.

Faiths & Pantheons, p. 20-21

[Sidhe]

A third faction, growing in strength, wars with the clergy of Bane in Darkhold for control of the western branch of the Zhentarim. The leader of this faction is at present unknown. Some believe a charismatic cleric named Dag Zoreth has assumed the mantle of leadership, while others claim that a military commander known as the Pereghost commands the loyalty of the Dark Sun's faithful. In any event, it is this faction of Cyricists who are most likely to ignite an open holy war with the church of Bane.

Just as a clarification since this is an FR Canon block quote -- CD canon differs from FR canon on this particular point -- Darkhold is also Banite held on CD, and the Pereghost returned to the Black Hand in similar fashion with Fzoul. The currently low-key war against Black Sun faithful by the Banites, though, is very much a real thing and multiple plots have featured these tensions beneath the surface in ways not always immediately apparent to the broader community.   

But yeah, keep on rockin! All of the dark gods have potential for an interesting approach.

~Sidhe
Istielé Dadain
Anastasia Thond
Ridley Knight
Mizari Muor

[razgril]

I want to contribute this from the Faiths of the Forgotten Realms Supplement, which may not be cannon, but gives some more lore and flavour to many faiths, and has some pretty cool art:


Cyric (Cyricists)
Cyric has no defined holy days on the calendar. The date of his ascension to godhood isn't celebrated, as church canon insists that Cyric has always been a deity, despite other canonical stories about him, including his mortal deeds.

Day of the Dark Sun. This is a general term for any day declared holy by a powerful follower of Cyric. It is marked by a valuable blood sacrifice to the deity, which allows worshippers to make pleas to Cyric for guidance or power.

Temples and Shrines. Cyricism has few friends on the Sword Coast, and as a result, permanent temples aren't common. More than this, the constant, intentional contradictions that Cyric introduces to the beliefs of his followers make any permanent house of worship difficult to maintain without the clergy tearing each other apart.

Background Story Options:
d4 Event
1 I've always delighted in sowing strife and chaos. I was drawn to the church by my nature.

2 I was exposed to the Cyrinshad and was an enchanted follower of Cyric for years. Now that I'm free, so much of my identity is tied to Cyricism that I gave myself to the faith willingly.

3 I found a ruined temple of Cyric and the god spoke to me. I alone have been taught his One True Way.

4 I've always regarded the doctrines of other religions as blasphemous or untrue. Cyricism appealed to my disbelief in agreed-upon history.



https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XZzuvJX2NscZyFIsjpV6b5cxODmFp9AF/view?usp=drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cz_qhHOfZgo_gQ1wv0cI1H_QH_hsZOL3/view?usp=drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kWdGbNr6gyow-yWY7RUeR3iH4NmUgNel/view?usp=drive_link

[trekker]

I really like your concept and I think its really a challenge to make a priest or a cultist of Cyric. Mostly because you cant expose yourself in this period we are ingame. By what I saw on the timeline, as bane returned, so did his power in the moonsea. Meaning Cyric control over the zhentarim, fort zhentil and other important outposts were lost to Bane. And of course as banite my reaction to a priest Cyric would be the worst possible. The reaction of people of Arabel to cyrists is also to have them outlawed. While in Cormyr and dalelands they would likely just put a banishment on you if they find you, my character will likelly push to you being burned in a pike with a priestess of loviatar making sure you feel pain all the way.

So its a challenge and i think its wonderful that you got that challenge. Cyrists are supposed to work on the shadows and worship their god through individual action. A brutal murder in the street with his marks so that everybody fears. The manipulation of goverment to cause anarchy and civil war. Never knowing who is behind the machinations. That's the challenge. Its really hard to be played but it also makes a great villain...and any story is as good as the villain is.