VIVA LA REVOLUCION!

In the comments section for Chapter 61, Lothere asked about the Dissenter Resistance Movement. So here is a quick overview of the theories that currently govern the movement and the key players.

The Philosophy of the Movement

Kvornan must die. Period. There are varying view-points amongst the Dissenters about why Kvornan needs to go but they are all unanimous in the conviction that he has to go. Their numbers are too small to really form factions around their different theories so the group remains fairly centralized. But here are the theories:

1)

a) Kvornan snapped psychologically when Fricorith died to the extent that he became willing to corrupt himself metaphysically with vampirism. His corruption makes him a threat to Elise because their thoughts and energies are too intermeshed. And if Elise is corrupted, that spells Armageddon. More to come on that in the actual story. And very soon.

b) Not only is Kvornan's corruption a danger to Elise but the fact that he's still alive also spells Armageddon. Kvornan has to die in order to ascend. If he does not die before the start of the 5th Age (ie the age during which Kvornan is supposed to be Sheut-- almost 400 years from 2074) then that will be the end.

This first theory is the most prevalent one.

2) Kvornan is not corrupt. Only the Ib faces the threat of corruption. There has never been evidence that any aspect of Deus Rex but the Ib has the potential to be corrupted. That said, the Sheut is too close to the Destroyer. If the Ib is influenced by the Sheut without the presence of the Ka then there is an imbalance and that leads to corruption. This will get clearer after Kvornan gives Elise the talk about what she is. But in any case, Elise is in danger of corruption and Kvornan needs to die anyway to ascend.

3) Kvornan is inherently corrupt. An aspect of Deus Rex who wants Free Will and refuses to serve? Puh-leez. That's not normal. Danger to Elise. Needs to die anyway.

4) Kvornan was never the Sheut. He's some kind of weird anomaly or something but he can't possibly be Proximus Deus. Deus Rex would never allow one of their number to be a vampire. Anyway, he needs to die because he's just too powerful for someone who also happens to be immortal and a jackass.

This last one is not so widespread and no one who knows their religious studies would ever buy into it.

Corruption

What do I mean when I say "corrupt"? In Elise's case, it has to do with impartiality. There are two driving forces behind everything- God the Creator and God the Destroyer. On a spectrum between those two extremes, the Ib is in the middle. She completes the circuit between Creator and Destroyer. She serves both parties. She has to stay in balance.

Then there is the idea that actual divinity can be corrupted on the level of life energy. Kvornan has changed his energy through vampirism. He isn't what he was intended to be so he is corrupt. In theory.

Who are we?

The members of the Resistance are faes, humans and vampires who for one reason or another, know about Kvornan. High-ranking members of the fae race. Vampires that have some connection to Kiernan or to the Garrison family. Human descendants of vampires who know about Kvornan.

I should also mention that anytime a fae and a vampire unite under a common banner then they must be serious. It's an "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" situation.

The Dissenters meet in secret to discuss possible plans of action. They haven't come up with anything feasible yet.

Resisting what exactly?

The popular view is that everything is as it should be. Kvornan is infallible. God's plan cannot be altered or steered off course. There are people who would defend him with their lives just on principle. So the movement has to happen quietly and if at all possible, their goal needs to be met without anyone knowing just who enacted it. The Dissenters are all about keeping their identities secret-- With one notable exception.

Thea Klein, pictured above, does not see the need to hide her thoughts on the matter. She is highly militant and full of zest for the cause. But Ahriman, as you know, keeps his ties secret. The two of them are the leaders of the group, Ahriman being the good cop and Thea, bad. Most of the vampires involved in the cause are her spawn.

Fear

Kvornan doesn't give a flying monkey turd about these people. They are so powerless that he isn't bothered. Likewise, they are afraid of him. And they are afraid of the people who stand by him both openly and in secret.

I hope this answers some questions! As per usual, I'm probably forgetting stuff so if there are questions that this did not answer, you know where to find me.