Church of the Moon

The Church of the Moon began as a seemingly harmless cult whose members traveled with merchant caravans, offering blessings of the Moon for safe journeys. Unlike most superstitions, it gained followers with unusual speed and recognition, spreading more widely than expected for such a minor sect. Though still small, its rapid growth drew attention, especially when analysis revealed that similar cults existed across the three Quadrants, the River of Tears basin, and the former Sword Domain, with the possibility of other hidden groups outside of religious sects.^[2]

Outwardly, the Church of the Moon appeared benign, giving people a sense of community, offering blessings, and holding sermons, with the only recorded misconduct being minor acts of vandalism. Upon deeper investigation, these acts of vandalism were found to be graffiti bearing the Dreamspawn's name. While the graffiti itself possessed no power, the name did: once someone learned it, the name rooted itself in their mind, compelling them to repeat it unconsciously, which caused it to spread like a contagion. Anyone who heard the name became a new carrier, turning the phenomenon into a virulent idea with no cure, vaccine, or countermeasure. Despite early detection, countless people had already been exposed, and the spread was expected to grow exponentially, resembling a pandemic.^[2]