Cult of Mithras

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Mithras Year Founded: 50BC Founder: Decaeneus the Dacian

Description

It is a cult centered around a heretical deity known as Mithras. Mithras has shown himself to the citizens of Rome a few times, taking on the form of a cream-coloured bunny with, more often than not, red eyes. The deity posed a challenge to the Roman gods, calling them out on their indifference and cold justice towards their followers, in doing so earning quite a few followers. Cultist altars dedicated to Mithras started appearing all over Rome, stirring up the relationship of the city with its gods. An organised cult formed, with Decaeneus the Dacian as its head. The cultists constructed many underground shrines and meeting spots, where they worshipped Mithras in secret, sending the Temple into frenzy, and sparking multiple city-wide heretic hunts.

Story

The cult was started by a man known as Decaeneus the Dacian. Harbouring hostile feelings towards the Roman gods, he set out to make the first mithraeum, an underground shrine for the heretic deity known as Mithras, under the floors of House Aurelion. Members of the family remained unaware, as he made offerings to Mithras right under their noses. On that faithful day, the fragile peace of the celestial plane in Rome was shattered. Forces long forgotten, which remained deeply asleep until now, opened their eyes once more. And they answered the call.

The first shrine dedicated to Mithras.

As heretic forces stirred up in Rome, the gods got angry and demanded that priests from the Temple hunt down the cultist shrines. As rain poured down on the citizens, thunder rumbling and lightning tearing through the gray skies, the devout followers were forced to run through the city and desecrate any heretic altars they could find. This resulted in the shrine under House Aurelion being found, marking the family as possible heretics. As the framed family was put on trial, Decaeneus was working hard to gather more people for his cause, forming the first cell. He also testified against a member of House Aurelion, claiming they made the shrine, trying to frame the leader of House Aurelion. As the heretic hunt was unfolding, one group of the priests stumbled upon an altar in a cave, where, upon desecrating it, Mithras showed themselves. They taunted the priests, calling their gods ungrateful and cold, undeserving of such loyalty, before they disappeared again.

As more and more accused heretics were apprehended, the Chief Priests (who held deciding power in the absence of the Pontifex Maximus that day) called for a Holy Trial. Jupiter himself came down from the skies to judge the accused. One heretic met his fate from the godly lightning, but evidence for all the rest of them proved significantly insufficient, which angered the King of Gods. After all, he was righteous and just, so he refused to strike anyone down, scolding the Chief Priests for wasting his time, and disappeared once again. The rest of the accused were hence promptly released.

Fortunately for all of Rome, the heretic hunting parties, which consisted of priests of the Temple and legionares dispatched by the Senate, managed to find and destroy most of the cultist altars, appeasing the gods. This earned the city a bountiful year, minerals, yield, and harvest all sustaining its citizens properly - a blessing from the gods to their faithful followers.

Alas, it was only a battle won - not the war.

Desecrated altar in the Temple of Jupiter, which caused the writing on the statue to turn into ominous glowing red.

The cult was slowly growing in size in the shadows, another cell forming under the leadership of Decaeneus. Heretic attacks ramped up, the Temple of Jupiter getting desecrated multiple times - one at the hands of Decaeneus, for which he was promptly arrested. A whistleblower from the first cell came foward, trying to sell out the members of the cult, but none of them were arrested, while the second cell was left uncompromised. Due to lax security of the prison, Decaeneus managed to escape, and some members of the second cell were assigned to guard him from now on. Another mithraeum was made in an abandoned house, where the cult performed some rituals, while waiting for the situation to cool off.

As Rome fell into chaos, the cult only rose in power. They were preparing for a new ritual, one that would change their fate forever. Another mithraeum was made, this one designated as the main shrine of the cult - right under the headquarters of The Brotherhood. The cultists gathered together to finally fulfill their goal. Decaeneus' swan song - he was to become one with Mithras, ascend, and become the embodiment of the god, giving them his flesh to use as their own.

Decaeneus and Mithras.

The ritual succeeded. As he destroyed even more Roman altars, Decaeneus was killed, going out in a blaze of glory as he ascended and became one with his god. The cult of Mithras persisted after his death, desecrating even more shrines, destroying temples, and causing deaths of some civilians, but their power grew weaker against the efforts of the Temple priests. Likewise, the voices of the Roman gods also grew weaker as conflict between Saturn and Jupiter broke out, and heretics in Rome made them distance themselves from their followers. Mithras made a final appearance at the Temple of Jupiter, trying to sow fear and doubt into the hearts of priests and civilians present, however met with a firm stance from the believers he left, going silent once more.

For now, it seems like the citizens of Rome are safe, but no one knows when Mithras might return.

And they will return.