Papier Mache Mask: Caeliphera

Rites of the Blight Empress: Sacrifice

These rites are transcribed for any that take up the cause of our glorious cult in the future should our numbers dwindle. We are the Envenomed and we pledge our undying servitude to the great Blight Empress, Caeliphera. Ever since she first descended to our mortal plane, our followers have carried out her will and done everything in our power to further spread her influence. The Grand Temple of Sacrifice lies in the west, past the forestlands inhabited by the ogres and near the coast. It is here and the surrounding settlements where most of us gather. We meet on the final night of the month to honor our great empress and hear her wishes. When she calls for it, we bring a sacrifice as well.

If you are a new acolyte to the ranks of the Envenomed, perhaps you are unfamiliar with the form of the empress. Far exceeding the capabilities of a mere human, our leader is of the Plague Eater tribe, a small race of sentient insect demons. Her kind is said to reside on another plane altogether and I don’t believe any others have been observed on our world. Empress Caeliphera’s regal form is a site to behold, fitting of her commanding presence. Those that have seen her in a rare instance of combat know that her rending claws and corrosive venom are capable of subduing even the mighty dragons. It’s said that even the Sealed Ones of the Abyss cannot withstand her strikes.

On to the subject of sacrifices. On the night where we honor the Blight Empress, it’s critical for only the most powerful of subjects to be brought forth. Our leader demands great sacrifice and we, her loyal followers would earn her wrath if we presented an inferior specimen. No, the strongest of humans, demons, or even ogres must be selected. When we cast our sacrifice into the Jade Portal, there can be no question that they are worthy for our empress.