Cult of the Living Mountain
Let us now turn our attention to a particularly insidious proscribed cult that has its roots within the Imperial Territories inside of the Wall, and, unfortunately, has been found inside the Emerald Seas proper. The Cult of the Living Mountain. These fanatics take the accepted veneration of the Living Mountain and twist it into something destructive, dangerous, and damning. As such, it stands to reason that understanding the basics of how the Living Mountain is venerated will shed insight into how the Cult acts and why.
For the less knowledgeable among you, the Living Mountain is a potent spirit of the Ling clan which makes its home inside the many valleys of the Wall, the barrier that houses the Emerald Seas' most tenacious foe, the Cloud Nomads. Most peculiarly, the Living Mountain is a type of land-dwelling Xuanwu, hence the common naming scheme between it and the Living Isle, and is a spirit exemplifying renewal. Specifically with the qi aspected by fire and wood. The existence and efforts of the Living Mountain act as a lesser example of what Xiangmen is known to do, provide potent vitality and fertility to the surrounding lands. This allows previously unfarmable land to be fertile enough for consistent farming. Many farmers in the area, therefore, venerate the Living Mountain as a potent provider and protector. This is encouraged by the Ling clan with the "Festival of Flaming Fields" where communities will burn a tithe of the first fruits of the harvest to the Living Mountain and then scorch their fields, burning the old to prepare the land for new growth in spring. This sacrifice is said to be especially pleasing and resonant to the Living Mountain as it aligns neatly with his nature.
These sacrifices and rites, however, are the limit to what is acceptable to the Living Mountain and the governing authorities. But others have become too fanatical in their worship of the spirit, and it is from these delusions that the Cult of the Living Mountain was formed. Lao Chu, may his body and soul rot and stagnate for five hundred generations, is the first recognized leader of the cult. It was by his actions that disparate and divergent fanatics were brought together under one organization with a singular goal and teaching: ensuring the Living Mountain's ascension to a sublime spirit is of apocalyptic proportions so that the world can be broken and renewed.
As such, we shall first turn to their symbology and methodology, then to their history and breaking, and then finally to their current influence and spread.
Symbology and Methodology
It is good, at least for the governing authorities, that the adherents to the Cult of the Living Mountain are most traditionally farmers and uneducated laborers. This means that the level of sophistication in recruiting attempts. As a result, the symbols used to denote the worshippers and locations of worship are simple, at least compared to the various Hui cults which still hide within the Emerald Seas. The most commonly seen symbol, therefore, is a simple artistic representation of fire inside of a triangle, an overly simplistic representation of a mountain.
However, just because the majority of symbols are simple, does not mean there are not more complicated possibilities known. The personal symbol of Lao Chu, may the great spirits deny his soul peace for five hundred generations, was an eye ablaze, signifying enlightenment found within the inferno; the Cult's base inside Crimson Peach Mountain had a symbol of a charred peach tree; the group who works on refining the rites of the Cult have a symbol of a flaming compass. There are others, as I'm sure you can gather, but I will not waste any more breath on expounding further on these various symbols. If you wish to learn more, there are scholars within the Ling clan and within Xiangmen who are very knowledgable on the greater variety of the symbols within the Cult.
Turning our attention to methodologies of the Cult, however, sheds some particular insights into how cults of this sort gather support and attempt to accomplish their deranged goals. There are two common means by which they propagate their beliefs and recruit their followers. As a first option, they entice men with brotherhood and camaraderie which communities deny the outcast, or they entice the jealous with knowledge beyond that of their neighbors. The second option, however, is only possible because of the already limited veneration of the Living Mountain; acting as legal authority, cult members will draw the uneducated but faithful from outlying villages and towns into their clutches. This can be particularly troublesome as communication with these outer settlements can be difficult and cumbersome, making unmasking the deceit difficult promptly.
In addition, while the rites and sacraments that the cult engages in could be considered a part of their methodology, as it is the methods by which they attempt to reach their goal, the less said about such practices the better. They are twisted and debased versions of the proper rites to appease spirits within Imperial lands. Most often involving the immolation of still-living flesh, human or otherwise. Should you be placed in the unfortunate position of attempting to root out a branch of this cult, seek guidance from more experienced investigators to acquire a better understanding of when, where, and how these rites are performed.
History and Breaking
Unlike most proscribed cults, the foundation and history of the Cult of the Living Mountain is well known and researched. The Ling Clan especially has a vested interest in understanding the past of this cult to better be prepared in divining where they will next attempt their perverse and destructive schemes. As such, considerable resources have been spent and exhaustive research has been conducted that has created a fairly accurate picture of the cult's past.
The Founder of the cult, Lao Chu, may the land his ashes were scattered across be barren for five hundred generations, was a talented youth from one of the newer villages nestled within the Wall. Mere months before he joined the Blue Mountain Sect, he witnessed the cataclysmic power of the Living Mountain when it ascended to the Violet Realm. Unfortunately for everyone, a fragment of shell landed near him and he became obsessed with the power behind the Living Mountain. Journals of his that were recovered describe a sick fascination and belief that the Great Spirits themselves had given him a divine task to unshackle the Living Mountain from the Ling Clan, cleansing the land with its power in the process.
Taking this twisted goal to heart, he secreted away the piece of shell and joined the Blue Mountain Sect, delving deep into lessons, classes, and practices of becoming a Monk ordained by his sect. Records indicate that he was a driven student, who quickly gained the privilege of being instructed in the higher mysteries kept by monks of the Blue Mountain Sect. Notes from the instructors indicate that he was talented and charismatic quickly befriending others in the program and becoming the most skillful in appeasing various spirits. Little did anyone know, Lao Chu was also modifying and defiling the rituals and sacraments he had gained access to in order to achieve his twisted ends.
Graduating from the program, he accepted a high-ranking position within the Imperial Ministry of Spiritual Affairs. He never made it to his assigned location, instead fleeing into the Wall with the gifts and other resources the Blue Mountain Sect gave him for his achievements. For decades, he amassed a following of believers, using his training to manipulate local spirits into hiding his activities and providing shelter for his followers. Carving a monastery redoubt into the Crimson Peach Mountain, Lao Chu collected tribute from surrounding towns and villages who thought their piety was helping to establish a local temple to the Living Mountain. Much to their dismay, once Lao Chu ascended to the Cyan realm, he turned on them, using the very geomatic arrangement the villages were organized under to fuel a powerful sacrifice to the Living Mountain.
It was only the sacrifice of the Hero Wen Kang that averted complete disaster. While only a simple village elder, having retired with honors from the Argent Sect Military service, he noticed what was occurring and ran with all speed to the nearest Ministry of Communication branch. Braving attacks from cult members and hostile spirits, he reached the office with a foot already over death's threshold. With his dying breath, he expressed the need for immediate assistance in the area and what was occurring. The Ministry, rightfully recognizing the severity of the situation, authorized the use of emergency communication and teleportation relays allowing Ling military forces in the area.
Ling Qian answered the call and marshaled her forces for an immediate assault upon Crimson Peach Mountain. Entire companies of soldiers began to march to the mountain while Ling Qian took an advance force through the Liminal Realm to stall the ritual until reinforcements had arrived. Arriving in time to stop the initial initiation of the ritual, Ling Qian began to engage in hit and run encounters, buying time for more soldiers to arrive and preventing key aspects of the ritual from being completed. While it took days of these types of engagements, Ling Qian was successful and the military might within the area was focused upon Crimson Peach Mountain.
After securing the villages around the mountain, Ling Qian ordered the assault against the monastery redoubt. Lao Chu met her assault on the peak of the mountain while cultists and soldiers battled fervently for control over the monastery itself. Breaking through living walls of flame, and other defenses within the mountain, the soldiers eventually prevailed and secured the entire mountain, turning its defenses against Lao Chu. While the monastery defenses had allowed Lao Chu to hold his ground against Ling Qian's assault upon his person, once the defenses were turned against him instead, the end quickly came. Once Lao Chu was slain and his body secured, the full might of Ling Qian's military forces could be used to purge the remaining area around the mountain of cultists hiding within the villages they were planning on sacrificing to the Living Mountain.
Unfortunately, while this daring assault and victory by Ling Qian broke the centralized organization of the Cult, it was discovered in the following investigation just how large of a problem Lao Chu had caused. The Cult of the Living Mountain had spread its teachings far and wide within the Wall, creating hideaways and smaller temples which only Lao Chu knew the full spread of. Furthermore, it became apparent that, unlike other cults, the Cult of the Living Mountain attempted to create as many copies of the arts, rituals, and sacraments they used in their attempt to achieve the cult's goals to spread to each hideout. Ensuring that even a single hideout would be able to become the next Crimson Peach Mountain.
Current Influence and Spread
Truly knowing the full spread of the cult is impossible, as they have taken Lao Chu's teachings to heart, ensuring that only Lao Chu knows the full spread of their work. Given that Lao Chu is dead and burned, this makes finding the disparate parts of the cult almost impossible. This also means, however, that greater organization between the groups comprising of the cult is not feasible. Lacking this greater structural organization in their cult is a boon to the greater Empire, however, as many of the larger-scale rituals and sacrifices the cult wishes to use require resources that the small independent branches simply can not provide without collaboration.
Unfortunately for the Empire, the cult seems to be spreading. Minor ritual sites for the cult have been uncovered all throughout the Wall and individuals attempting to promote the cult have been arrested within the Emerald Seas proper, even as far as territory controlled by the Diao. The politics and culture of the Emerald Seas also allow the cult to flourish whereas it would wither in territories like the Thousand Lakes. A history of friction between the multitude of factions within the Emerald Seas and the legacy of the perverse Hui create a landscape where minor nobility will secretly assist the Cult in return for destabilizing a rival or for favors in the future. Even the very public execution of nobles caught doing just that has not seemed to convince those who believe themselves too clever to be caught that such activities will not be tolerated.
As it stands, however, the Ling Clan and the Blue Mountain Sect have established an extremely close relationship, both seeing the spread of this cult as a blight that must be curtailed. More monks graduating from the Blue Mountain Sect than ever have received patronage from the Ling Clan in an effort to provide an alternative to the cult for their more fringe populations and the Blue Mountain Sect has begun powerful divination efforts based upon the information found in Crimson Peach Mountain which are bearing fruit in locating areas where the cult has, are, or will attempt to perform their rituals and sacraments. It is this author's hope that with continued cooperation between the Ling Clan and the Blue Mountain Sect the Cult of the Living Mountain can be firmly stamped out.
A/N:
@yrsillar another omake for the omake throne! Here is an attempt to show what problems could occur down the line as Zhengui continues to grow and become a dominant part of the spirit ecosystem. Also, this is a take on how proscribed cults within the Empire might form and just how problematic they could be. I hope you all enjoy the read!
