Daehn

The Daehn formed initially from zealots that were opposed to the uniting of the various regions of Urnati under a global flag. They believed that nature was the ultimate arbiter of what should be and that technology that tried to improve or change nature should be abolished. In the beginning they were outspoken, but public. This led to their being considered kooks and backwards thinkers. Then in 3584 BTG, an incident know as the Crimson Awakening byt the Daehn (Red Massacre to non-Daehn) changed the public perception for the worse. The high priest at the time, Callred Guyting, called a gathering in a public square in one of Urnati's largest cities. There, he gave a speech about the perils of technology and how it would destroy civilization. The event was publicized widely, and the majority in attendance were nn-believers who came to gawk, protest, or shut down the event. In all, approximately 5,000 people gathered for the event. As Guyting ranted and raved, he grew more and more animated. Security forces, which had been sent to control the crowds, were now closing ranks around the stage platform as the crowd pushed in tighter. Guyting, seeing the energy, took his to another level. Then in one moment, he raised his arms to the sky and said "Retribution shall be taken, and the world will be awakened!" In that moment an immense blast detonated. The plaza was obliterated, nearby buildings crumbled. In the end, the death toll was more than 6,300 sould lost in the blast and aftermath, with hundreds more injured. Guyting was declared a martyr by the Daehn. By the rest of the world, he was labeled a suicidal mass murderer. The event, surprisingly, caused an increase in recruitment to the Daehn. Those who joined were interested in the single-minded and all-cosuming devotion the cause exhibited by the cult. The event, however, also forced the Daehn underground, resulting in a dramatic change in tactics. No longer could they be seen in public as Daehn. Instead, they met clandestinely going forward.

The Daehn believed that technology was evil. Before they became strongly organizes in 3423 BTG, they acted as singular cells of rebellious “acolytes”. At the time, they believed in a variety of gods, depending on the region, normally associated with natural elements.

They carried out acts of “rebalance”, attacking technological infrastructure in an effort to “return to nature what the Gods created”. These included bombing power plants, cutting communication lines and sabotaging research facilities.

As a result of these actions, they were considered terrorists and dangerous. Neverheless, they gained followers year after year.

This also had the effect of making the cult more and more dependent on secrecy. With no “churches” and with authorities always searching for them, the group held clandestine meetings whenever and wherever they could, always just a half-step ahead of the authorities.

In late 3389 BTG, when it was announced that research was being done to try to find and return [history:f09d08f9-15d4-47b7-a939-1c1323a6bbb7]The Emissaries[/history] to Urnati, the Daehn took it as a sign of the downfall they believed would come. New technologies were being tested at the MZS – Muioqa Zimomel Sopom in the Muioqa Desert and the Daehn worked behind the scenes to organize protests against the research, calling it “an abomination”. They interrupted broadcasts to get their message across. In these messages they spoke of the impending downfall of civilization and the wrath of their gods upon Urnati. It is these broadcasts that caused survivors of the [history:45c519ee-4769-4d42-84f4-8f02b544e38f]The 30-Year Winter[/history] to believe that the Daehn may have been responsible for the blast.

The Daehn were “disbanded” much the same way nearly every organization was disbanded on Urnati: The massive blast of the Cataclysm. Many still believe to this day that the massive explosion was in some way caused by the Daehn, although none can say for sure. The Daehn ceased to exist, but since that time has been partilly resurrected in the form of the Dyan.

The Daehn had a very complicated relation ship with the world around them, They pressed to be looking out for nature and wanting to teturn the world to a peaceful state, but were insistent on using violent, destructive means to do so. As such, they could not be publicly visible as many other groups would. Instead, they used different forms of media, from simple print to broadcast communications to covertly place message in the public sphere. Generally, they were viewed with disdain by the citizenry, but mainteined their ranks with a slow and steadt trcikle of new recruits to theie cause.

Prior to [history:42735991-17f4-4eb5-bf36-9bdceb67d1be]The Cataclysm[/history], the Daehn were a tightly controlled, zealous group with a penchant for rebellion against technology. They believed that technology would be the final downfall of a civilization that they felt was already in decline. The cult was led by a high priest who worked his way through the ranks of the cult, usually by means of trickery and subterfuge. The position was never secure. It often resulted in deaths or disappearance if the leader. In the last decade before the Cataclysm, however, the organization became more militant, and developed a more rigis structure. This also meant that the leader developed a security force around them, and dissenters were often severely punished. Once in the cult, no one was simply allowed to leave, for fear they would try to sabotage the cult or give away its secrets. Those who tried to leave were hunted and returned, or worse. The final structure of the Daehn included the leader, a council of 9 "advisors", and each advisor overseeing dozens of lower priests. These advisors would be the ones to mete out punsihments and distribute the declarations from the leader. Failure to perform these duties meant certain death.