| Blood Congregation | |
| Ascendant | None |
| Oligarchs | Azor, Nizaris and Vrah |
| Patron | Sartan, the Malevolent |
| Leadership Style | Oligarchy |
| Founder | Xerimor |
| City | Mhaldor |
| Classes Permitted | Apostate, Bard, Jester, Magi, and Shaman |
| House Tutor | Morimbuul |
| Heraldric Arms | Sanguine, a baalzadeen statant guardant Or |
| Icon | The Crown of Thorns (Destroyed) |
- This page is about the House. For other uses, please see Apostates (disambiguation).
The Blood Congregation is one of the Houses of Mhaldor. The Spire of Horror is the House estate of the Blood Congregation, and is located in Mhaldor's Baelgrim Fortress. They serve as the clergy of the city, devoting themselves to the Seven Truths in all fields with a fierce zealotry.
Founding
The foundation of the Apostate class and, subsequently, the guild itself occurred after a number of unusual occurrences. The first hint to its beginning was in the year 318 AF, when images of dark priests began to appear to Mhaldorians, while angels in Shallam began to show demonic traits.
In the same year, the rogue occultist Xerimor summoned Lord Taug and was told to travel to the Chaos Plane to slay Danaeus. Upon the completion of this task, Taug imprisoned Danaeus' soul in an altar in Mhaldor, with the intent of imprisoning him there for eternity. Naturally, Lord Golgotha was enraged by this action, and instructed Xenophage and the Occultists to construct a portal strong enough for him to enter Sapience through. Upon his arrival, he freed Danaeus and, to fill the void left in the altar, imprisoned Xerimor in his place.
The citizens of Mhaldor worked to free Xerimor from his prison, lest his soul be bound there for eternity. They were instructed to make a sacrifice of a holy being to achieve this goal. Though many attempts were made to capture and slay a priest for this purpose, none were successful. Finally, Azmodai, the pit fiend, summoned the priest Valeo, whose angel was slain and used as a sacrifice to free Xerimor.
Immediately upon his release, Xerimor explained that the altar could be used to unleash a demonic force upon the land, and he then opened a portal in this manner; one that was large enough for an entire army of demons and other infernal beasts. Valeo intervened, however, striking Xerimor with his holy mace and then using the last of his power to resurrect his angel. In the meantime, the demon general, Morimbuul walked through the portal, the first of what should have been many demons. It was then that Valeo's angel stepped through the portal with her master's corpse. This had an unpleasant effect, at least from the perspective of the followers of Evil, as it balanced out the powers of the portal, and caused it to collapse.
Rather than waste the efforts put forth by the Mhaldorians, Xerimor completed a ritual to bind the now stranded Morimbuul to a life of servitude. With Morimbuul's knowledge, the Apostates were formed.
Political History
Patrons
- ??? AF - Lord Sartan became the first Patron of the Blood Congregation.
- ??? AF - Lady Indrani replaced Lord Sartan.
- ??? AF - Lord Thoth replaced Lady Indrani.
- ??? AF - Lord Apollyon replaced Lord Thoth.
- ??? AF - Lord Shaitan replaced Lord Apollyon.
- ??? AF - Lady Keresis replaced Lord Shaitan.
- ??? AF - Lord Sartan replaced Lady Keresis.
Leadership - Guildmasters
- 318 AF - Founder: Xerimor.
- 321 AF - Mistral replaced Xerimor as Guildmaster.
- 324 AF - Detritus replaced Mistral as Guildmaster.
- 325 AF - Afflicted replaced Detritus as Guildmaster.
- 335 AF - Ladydeath replaced Afflicted as Guildmaster.
- 359 AF - Ranzou replaced Ladydeath as Guildmaster.
- 378 AF - Ravai replaced Ranzou as Guildmaster.
- 385 AF - Wulfen replaced Ravai as Guildmaster.
- 397 AF - Herenicus replaced Wulfen as Guildmaster.
- 413 AF - Cypra replaced Herenicus as Guildmaster.
- 431 AF - Dyzanru replaced Cypra as Guildmaster.
Leadership - Messiahs of the Damned
- 439 AF - First Messiah of the Damned: Dyzanru
- 452 AF - Ranzou replaced Dyzanru as the Messiah of the Damned, purely as an interim.
- 452 AF - Wulfen replaced Ranzou as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 470 AF - Nocroth replaced Wulfen as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 488 AF - Kaevan replaced Nocroth as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 500 AF - Tahquil replaced Kaevan as the Messiah of the Damned
- 511 AF - Gorlasintan replaced Tahquil as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 522 AF - Herenicus replaced Gorlasintan as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 524 AF - Taraus replaced Herenicus as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 544 AF - Taraza replaced Taraus as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 559 AF - Zii replaced Taraza as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 573 AF - Taraus replaced Zii as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 580 AF - Harmonia replaced Taraus as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 589 AF - Carmain replaced Harmonia as the Messiah of the Damned.
- 608 AF - Azor replaced Carmain as the Messiah of the Damned.
- ??? AF - Azor was removed as the Messiah of the Damned, with no true leader being appointed.
Icon History
- ??? AF - The Crown of Thorns was raised.
- 433 AF - The icon was destroyed in a joint effort involving Eleusis, Shallam, and Ashtan.
- 441 AF - The icon was raised once more.
Inhabitants
Morimbuul, a troublesome daemon, resides within the Spire as their tutor, and a mad gremlin exists as their humgii.