The Enduring
Summary
The Enduring is the collective name for all surviving peoples of the Halcyon Domain who maintain their humanity and resist The Umbra. Rather than a single unified faction, the Enduring represents a shared identity—a declaration that despite the gods' abandonment, despite the Soul Blight, despite the ever-growing darkness, life continues.
The Enduring are scattered across numerous settlements, each centered around a Sacred Pyre, connected by wandering traders, hunters, and the occasional messenger.
Leadership
The Enduring have no central leadership. Each settlement governs itself through:
- Councils of speakers and elders
- Military commanders who organize defense
- Pyrekeepers who maintain the sacred flames
- Various local traditions and power structures
Goals
- Survive against the horrors of The Umbra
- Protect and expand their settlements
- Maintain the Sacred Pyres that keep the darkness at bay
- Connect with other settlements for trade and mutual support
- Discover ways to end the curses that plague the realm
Shared Values
Despite their separation, the Enduring share common values:
- Unity against the dark: The Enduring do not abandon their own
- Respect for the Pyres: Sacred Pyres are the most precious resource
- Wariness of magic: Aetherweaving is viewed with suspicion by many
- Remembrance: The dead are honored, even knowing they may rise again
Key Settlements
- Okros - Fort village in the Idol Hollows
- Amber Reach - Fallen city with competing factions
Relationship with Other Factions
- The Celsian Athenaeum: Respected scholars who aid the cause of survival
- The Damask Queens: Considered traitors to humanity who prey on their fellow survivors
- Zealot factions: Various groups seeking to contact the Veiled Gods
- Hermetic societies: Guardians of forbidden knowledge about God-King Othedias