Following the Proclamation of Reason, Stygia dropped the pursuit of Transcendence from their stated goals. That said, many Wraiths still have strong religious impulses which the underworld redirects rather than eliminates. These wraiths form the nucleus of a gaggle of sects called the Heretics.
There isn't much organization to the Heretics, their most distinctive feature being a metaphysical view about the Underworld and some form of hierarchical organization. Most Stygian citizens use the term the way that one of the Quick might use "cult". For example: the Artificers Guild has been called a Heretic cult due to the Cult of Nhudri, while the Pardoners Guild acquires similar guff for at least paying some lip service to Transcendence.
As a rule of thumb, Heretic is less of a religious title than a political one. The reasons for the Proclamation have less to do with the belief in Transcendence and much to do with the Fishers stealing thousands of souls from Stygia and indoctrinating them. Heretics today are de facto enemies of the Hierarchy - to be a Heretic is to have a beef with the Hierarchy's treatment of Transcendence and the Underworld.
That said, the majority of Heretics are organized into very small cells. Heretics are notoriously fractious and tend to spend more time feuding with each other than anything else.
Notable Heretic Groups[]
- The Host - Wraiths that believe themselves to be guardian angels.
- Children of the Green - A group based in neo-paganism that steadfastly sticks to beliefs of peace and freedom for all.
- Riders of the Wheel - Rather than follow Fate, the Riders follow Chance; to them, gambling is a form of legitimate worship.