Scales of the Conqueror

Scales of the Conqueror

(Organization)

Type

Heretical cult of Damoritosh

Leader

First Scale

Alignment

Lawful evil

Goals

Impose slavery on all non-vesk races

Scope

Veskarium

Members

Vesk followers of Damoritosh

Source: The Blind City, pg(s). 42–43

The Scales of the Conqueror are a heretical cult of Damoritosh who advocates for strict enslavement of all planets conquered by the Veskarium. Despite their increasing traction, they are not recognised by Damoritosh or his church to be his followers.

Goal

According to the Scales of the Conqueror, giving self-rule to species conquered by the Veskarium is tantamount to abandoning Damoritosh's mission, and they wish to convert the empire to their dogma. In the meantime, members of the Scales lead normal lives and occasionally gather to attack conquered species, carefully planning them to attract retaliation and gain more support to their cause. They are planning a full-scale crackdown on Vesk-2, whose inhabitants are suspected to be revolting soon.

Structure

The Scales of the Conqueror's leader is the secretive First Scale. She summons levalochs from Damoritosh's divine realm and feeds them orders which they then pass to other Scales in his name, giving an illusion that Damoritosh himself is spreading his commands to them. She believes that the church of Damoritosh consists of cowards unwilling to impose tyranny on the rest of the Veskarium, and wishes for herself to be installed as supreme ruler.

Members

All members of the Scales are vesk. Most were converted during their military service and continue to support the Scales after returning to civilian life. They wear masks with Damoritosh's holy symbol rearranged to form an interlocking shield to hide their identity and protect themselves from retribution.

Relationships

Both the Veskarium Division of Disloyal Organizations and Damoritosh's church wish to extirpate the Scales of the Conqueror, as its members frequently disobey orders from their superiors, including Damoritosh himself. However, due to the Scales' popular support and secretive membership, no purge has occurred. The Scales view the Keepers of the Lie's vesk members as traitors, but are not strong enough to take on the much older rival cult.