Teachings of Diam
Mastery over one’s self begins with mastery over pain. So say the teachings of Diam, a set of rules passed down for hundreds of years created to allow the Touched to bring forth their best selves. Rituals of the Teachings are physically brutal and harsh. Great strain is put on disciples, always willingly, that they might come out stronger having survived, hopefully to one day obtain true peace of mind, uncaring of the dangers of the world. While some from the outside would call the actions taken barbaric, the teachings are very clear about what is and is not permissible. The techniques one endures to bring the wounding of the body cannot be intended to maim or incapacitate; nor can they be intended to take life. The recovery from the wounds one takes is the important aspect of the teachings, that through all of the hardships, the Touched are miraculous creatures of strength and recovery. Indeed mastery over the body allows many to be able to apply the same mastery to the expired bodies of others, pushing will and control into the corpses they come across. Deeply ingrained in the teachings of Diam is the need to use these tools to stand against darkness in all forms. They endure terrible agony to better themselves should they be needed to defend the tranquility of the world from the shadows descent.
The followers of the Teachings of Diam are known as the disciples of Diam and are typically not open about their membership in the religion. The teachings of Diam are deeply personal, and many who follow the rules do so anonymously, wearing masks and costumes to obfuscate their identity. While the teachings are not illegal in the empire, they are highly frowned upon and often violent crime and death is attributed to the Teachings of Diam whether that connection is justified or not. As such, the disciples of Diam do not have a lot to visibly mark who they are except for a tattoo that they can get somewhere on their body denoting their membership. It does not have to be, and frequently is not, openly visible.
Clerics who are disciples of Diam may take the Grave, Peace, or Twilight Domain.
