Cult of the Eternal
The Cult of the Eternal is a fanatical sect devoted to the undying will of Acererak, the infamous lich and architect of death-laden tombs. Its members, known as Eternals, believe that true power is found not in mortal existence, but in the embrace of undeath, where suffering and decay are but steps toward godhood. They see Acererak as the ultimate harbinger of this ascension—a being who has transcended life, death, and even the limitations of lichdom.
Doctrine and Beliefs
The cult teaches that the world of the living is transient and weak, bound by feeble flesh and fleeting desires. Their core tenets are:
- The Flesh is a Cage – Mortality is a sickness, and only through Acererak’s teachings can one be liberated from the folly of life.
- Death is but the Beginning – The living must either be sacrificed to further Acererak’s plans or be enlightened and prepared for undeath.
- The Tomb Shall Be the Cradle of Rebirth – Sacred sites of death, such as tombs and catacombs, are places of worship, where Acererak’s will is strongest.
Structure and Hierarchy
The Cult of the Eternal is divided into several tiers, each reflecting the member’s progression toward “true eternity”:
- Initiates of the Shroud – New recruits who study Acererak’s works and participate in minor rituals.
- Harbingers of Decay – Mid-ranking members who carry out sacrifices, grave robberies, and spread necrotic curses.
- Tomb Priests – High-ranking cultists granted the knowledge to create undead servants and construct hidden death temples.
- Winter Lords – A select few who undergo a dark transformation, sacrificing their mortal forms to become deathless beings such as wights, revenants, or mummy lords.
- The Eternal Lord – The cult’s enigmatic leader, believed to have personally communed with Acererak’s spirit, delivering his will to the faithful.
Activities and Influence
The Cult of the Eternal operates in secrecy, establishing hidden temples in abandoned crypts, plague-ridden ruins, and forgotten burial sites. Their rituals involve the sacrifice of the living, the binding of souls, and the animation of undead horrors to further Acererak’s dark ambitions.
They are known to infiltrate arcane institutions, corrupt necromancers, and unearth powerful relics to feed Acererak’s insatiable hunger for knowledge and death. Some whisper that they seek to complete a grand ritual—one that would open the gates of the Negative Energy Plane and flood the world with undeath, ensuring that no soul ever escapes into the afterlife again.
Though feared and hunted by paladins, clerics, and adventurers, the Cult of the Eternal continues to thrive in the shadows, ever waiting for the day their master calls them to fulfill their terrible purpose.