Qadhi, He Who Felled the First Tree

Qadhi, the Pockmarked Saviour, Father of Horrors, He Who Felled the First Tree, the Kindly One

The followers of Qadhi have no misgivings about their fate. They know what lies ahead. They know the afterlife, everyone's afterlife, is a series of exquisite torments administered by Qadhi who will weave their pain into a fine tapestry of stars. The pain is not endless and the cycle must continue, everyone is fuel for the stars, ensuring they never darken.

Followers of Qadhi believe theirs is the only afterlife, all others being fantasies created by jealous gods who fear Qadhi. They too will feed the universe in time.

The laity

The common worshipper is liberated by the knowledge that nothing they do will affect their afterlife, and in death they will play an important role in the continuation of the universe.

Worshippers of Qadhi consider the undead to be a theft from the Father of Horrors. However their torment will be no greater for angering their patron so they generally don't interfere unless the undead are of such a scale as to endanger the motion of the stars. Personal interpretations will vary.

Worshippers generally value life and good health. Killing is seen as a terribly severe act so settlements where Qadhi is popular rarely see capital punishment. The sick, disabled and elderly are well cared for. The disabled especially so as it is seen as being terribly unfair to suffer both in this life AND the next. They do what they can.

Worship of Qadhi takes the form of ritual group therapy, where the laity gather in small groups chaired by a priest. Here they are helped through their doubts and fears and into cheerful nihilism. This help covers all aspects of life, as the clergy sincerely want you to make the most of what time you have left on this world.

The clergy

A cleric of Qadhi

His priests are masterful and determined (mundane) healers. They intend to preserve themselves and others as long as possible, to wrench every second out of this life as they know nothing good waits for them beyond the veil. Qadhi can wait, Qadhi is patient.

Priests typically wear as little clothing as the local climate allows, although there is no standard. Priests in the same city will often wear different outfits as personal preference dictates. Their identifying feature is the extensive scarification and piercings all over their bodies, all expertly applied and healed. They consider the ritual mutilation of their flesh to be good practise for the future, though it is not to inure them to the pain. Indeed, it is important that Qadhi can milk them for all they're worth when the time comes. So to accommodate, they place piercings where they can be used to lever, to rip and tear most easily. Hooks and holes, all placed to apply maximum suffering on removal. All in the name of Qadhi.

The clergy are well known for they evangelical ways. They will take their scarified pates and spike bedazzled ears out to the street, door to door, on the dusty road. These missionaries offer their (non-magical, capital "C" clerics are rare) healing services to fund their travels while spreading the liberating truths of the Pockmarked Saviour.

When not travelling they operate small temples that act as hospitals and ritual gathering places for the devout's therapy. It's also the best place to get a piercing this side of the Ikons.