The Children of Crowta

Mythology of Crowta

The legend of Crowta has spread rapidly in Rocg, thanks to Taerik Fousthle, the elf man that Amisha first tricked into believing in Crowta. The arising mythology says that after he was shipwrecked on the Day of Woad, Crowta herself saved him from the Woaden Sea, taking him back to the temple where she first revealed herself to him. There, she instructed him to gather all who would be saved by her compassion, and build the walking fortress from the fallen Mocaeis' ruined temple. 

The Children of Crowta did so, and called the walking fortress Juggernaut, as Crowta wills that they never cease their motion. Men, women, and children all take their turn pushing the temple across the plains and savannahs. They have trampled farms, crushed homes, and taken in all refugees.

Where exactly they are going is not a concern, as they follow 'Crowta', and what will happen when they get wherever Crowta is leading them is simplified to "being saved".

Juggernaut

The Juggernaut is an unstoppable refuge for all who would enter. It is a massive, pyramidal, mostly wooden structure, featuring a stone building at the top. It is painted a splotchy black, with plain wood visible in some places, and black banners covering others. Crow feathers and crow symbols are abundant, as is the number of crows that follow the Juggernaut. There are windows in many places, and arrows and scorch marks on the sides. The wheels can be heard as far off as the chanting can, as they groan under the weight of the Juggernaut, but they and the walkers are hidden from view behind and beneath the Juggernaut walls. There are blood stains on the front walls of it.

It is also being pulled by five elephants, and several camps with other elephants are ahead of it. The Juggernaut has a pace of 3, and any difficulty of terrain brings it to a 1.

The chanting of the walkers can be heard for miles, repeating over and over: "Crowta save us, Crowta by your Mercy! Crowta wilt thou ever guide us and those who join our everlasting crusade."

Crowta's Children

The Children are not hostile towards anyone, however they follow 'Crowta', which happens to be whatever crow Taerik is pretty sure is Crowta, and they don't stop for anything. There are a number of warriors who have taken up the faith, and they protect the juggernaut with their lives. Twenty guard each elephant, and two hundred walk along the outside of the Juggernaut, chanting as loud as they can. Archers and wizards are ready at the windows as well, for if Crowta wills them through a village, then they will go, and the ungrateful children of those homes tend to fight back. 

This also happens to be how the Juggernaut stays fed, however. Refugees will bring whatever they have, and their belongings are added to the community share, but there aren't enough joining. The warriors (who also call themselves Juggernauts, as they hold strongly to the ideal of moving forward unstopped) tend to pillage whatever towns or villages they trample.

Those who have less faith and more desire to belong to a strong community may share that they feel that this is more a bandit party in disguise than a religion, but not in the presence of the devout. Some of the slightly less devout, but still faithful, Children of Crowta argue back that if this were true, there wouldn't be such a large number of people sent out to hunt and forage for the Children.

The Vigil

Despite their belief that they are being led by Crowta, it is still vital to the Children that a coin be left at the top of the tallest structure. Whenever they come to a new town, the most devoted race to climb the tallest structure to leave their 'Vigil Coin'. Whoever manages it first is honored for a time, and given a larger share of the goods taken. There are usually many who go to the slightly shorter buildings (or trees), as the Juggernaut has occasionally destroyed the tallest building.