The Legend of Shattered Crosses

The Light in the forge was black, but the shop itself still had a candle glowing brightly on the desk, the Vampire reading over a large dusty tome. His head snaps up at the opening of his shop door, and he smiles at the one who enters.

"Another story, eh? Why don't you ever bother me for something interesting, or just a pleasant conversation. . . Alright fine, I'll tell you a story. But keep your ears sharp, and your wits at hand, my child. Because this Legend I'm about to tell you, is scarier than any boogey-man you've ever heard of. . ."

The Vampire flicks through the old and dusty book he had been referencing and puts on a pair of half moon spectacles, those long spider like fingers running across the enormous page.

"Ah here we are. . . Ah-heh-heh-hem. . ."


Not very long ago, a new religion began to spread through the land. At first they were peaceful, spreading the word of their One and Only God like so many others do, and it seemed that they were content with that. But strange things began to happen in towns that these Missionaries visited. Some cities were grateful for these happenings, while other cities became nothing more than rubble and brick, completely eradicated from the face of this planet.

The Cities' supernatural citizens began to show up dead. . .

Now some of you might wonder why Cities would be pleased at this? Well not everyone is as accepting as this wonderful City of Eldarus, you know. Some cities despise the supernatural community! They want nothing to do with them, but are unable to drive them out themselves, to weak or afraid of their powers.

Then they would be visited by a Missionary from the One and Only God.

You see, the Church of the One and Only God despise the supernatural, and will do anything to incinerate them if they are considered to be evil. Undead don't even get an explanation, but are killed on sight. If the Undead is powerful enough, then they are left alone. However, these violent beseechers of the One and Only God were shunned by the rest of the Religious community. In order to survive, they had to change their ways. But some of them didn't. . .

The Church denies their existence, they say that they don't have any idea what they are or how they would have anything to do with them. . .The Order of the Shattered Cross.

You see, the Symbol of the One and Only God is a simple black cross with a red gem in the center. The middle pillar represents the God himself, his heart red like any other human's. The left side is forgiveness, and represents the Church's compassion, and the right side is Atonement, to represent the Religion's passion for eradicating evil. This was supposed to be a representation of the Church's ability to purify the evil and bring them to the religion of the One and Only God. However, there were some in the church who believed that there were those who did not belong.

Supernaturals who abused their power and went against the God were not fit for forgiveness, and that the only way for them to atone is to be eradicated. For a few hundred years this slaughter of supernaturals and undead went on, until finally the church put a stop to it. Those who went against the Church and killed in the name of the One and Only God were excommunicated. Their crosses were shattered into pieces to be carried around in a pouch to remind them of their horrible deeds.

A few decades went by, and the church went about their business, trying to convert the numerous races they came across, even accepting a few supernaturals, but still never undead. However, after fifty years of peace, the killing began again. Reports of assassin's working in pairs of two flittered across the land, about how they eradicated undead and purged cities of unruly supernaturals. No one knows how they fight, since they have never been seen actually carrying out the deeds. But Legends of Individual pairs of humans with crosses that seem to have been shattered and pieced back together go from town to town, speaking the word of the One and Only God. But when they leave, the town is purged of any undead and supernaturals that ever oppose them.

Some say it's only a rumor, others swear it to be true. Those that do believe in it though, have given them a name. . . They call them. . . The Order of the Shattered Cross. . .

"There, you've gotten your damn story now get the hell out of here. . . What do you mean, 'Is it true?' of course it's not true. The religion of the One and Only God has been dead for centuries. The Order of the Shattered Cross is just a boogey-man for children of supernatural races. Tall tales to tell young mages and magis who are learning to control their powers. Ghost stories to tell young werewolf children. . . I told you they're not real! Now get the hell out of my shop!!"