Allflock

Over the last decade, more and more members of a group called the Allflock have been seen in Moru Kel. The Allflock have been around for much longer, at least a generation, but were mainly found in small villages or among rural folk. Though they look and dress like regular peasants, they have some odd beliefs and customs. They do not observe feast days for individual deities or visit their temples. They do not make shrines to specific gods, nor even pray to them individually. Yet they may not be the utter heathens they first appear to be. Their outdoor gatherings celebrate all of the gods. The Allflock have combined elements of the worship of each deity into a prayer ritual lasting about two hours. It includes songs, prayers, offerings, and dancing. The Allflock call it the Ritual of the Divine. Their audacity, in ignoring traditional worship, is tempered by the respectful and reverent incorporation of each god’s traditions, in equal part. Also, the singing and dancing is lively and makes the ceremony fly by. 

The rural followers of the Allflock are also known for their multiple day gatherings in the countryside. Their members call these “healing circles” and say fasting and the consumption of aguasso plant, brewed into a tea, help them enter a trance state, during which they can commune with the gods and receive healing and blessings. Those who have happened upon healing circles describe hedonistic orgies and raving lunatics. The Allflock, though, claim their actions, while in this communal trance, are guided by the gods and their messengers and are neither base nor carnal. There are dozens of stories of people who, through healing circles, have been cured of conditions ranging from melancholia to drunkenness, even madness and blindness! This is certainly one of the reasons for the growing popularity of the Allflock in Moru Kel. 

As more of the Allfock have begun to show up in the city, they have started to make themselves of service. They now run four kitchens that feed the poor, offer free lessons to children, and minister to the destitute, crippled, drunken, and sinful. They invite everyone to attend the Ritual of the Divine, now conducted daily at The Sea Shanty, a tavern in the dock district. They hold open discourse to discuss proper ways of worship. They are always open to questions and especially enjoy speaking with those who have strong objections to their approach. They relish an intelligent debate and are surprisingly knowledgeable about the gods and their worship. Their way of worship is actually not new, it turns out; similar styles of worship have existed far back in history. However, it’s a pretty big jump from a few ancient examples to the conclusion that this is what the gods intended. 

Most of the Allflock are well-intentioned and revere the gods, but some members have begun to exclude Skura from their Ritual of the Divine and question her existence. This doesn’t seem to be the prevalent belief among the group, but it’s still disturbing. Altering when and how the gods are worshipped is questionable; denying one of them exists is blasphemous! Skura may not have as many devotees as she once did but she is the mother of the Twin Moons and one of the First Gods. I, for one, would not want her wrath aroused against our city by a few misguided loudmouths!

It is probably best to view the Allflock with some skepticism, despite their good deeds and healing miracles. Still, they have an interesting perspective, and — if nothing else — their ceremony is enjoyable.