Recusants
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To take power and make it his own, the recusant must hunt his own kind. To raise the flag of revolt against this sanctified pillaging. We recusants must become the most wretched of predators. - Recusant Bernahl
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The Recusants are a covenant of invaders aligned with Rykard, the Lord of Blasphemy, and his heretical opposition to the Golden Order at the Volcano Manor. At his hest, these merciless Tarnished cut down their fellows.
Overview
This group of Tarnished is similar in practice to Lord Mohg's Bloody Fingers, in that they seek out and kill other Tarnished throughout the Lands Between. However, they seem to differ in long-term goals as well as rites of induction. The steps of becoming one of these invaders is far less ritualistic and complicated than entering the Bloody Fingers: the process and its end goal, however, are no less brutal.
To become a Recusant, one must simply venture to the Volcano Manor and speak to its proprietress: Tanith. If she extends an Volcano Manor Invitation and one accepts, the inductee is greeted cordially and allowed to shelter at the Manor. From there, the inductee is given a letter detailing a target that needs killing: a fellow Tarnished. While staying at the Manor, it is also possible to take up contracts from fellow Recusants or aid them in accomplishing their own hits, as well as targeting and invading Tarnished of your choosing. However, unlike in the Bloody Fingers, simply attempting to kill Tarnished is not enough, nor is picking one's own targets: the assigned targets must die. Success is rewarded not only with another contract, but pieces of equipment as well.
Once three assigned contracts are fulfilled, Tanith will offer the Recusant a chance to gain an audience with the true leader of the covenant: Lord Rykard himself. However, the Recusant may discover too late that the purpose of the contracts is to gauge and increase a Tarnished's strength, only to be fed to the Lord of Blasphemy. As their strength is absorbed into the abomination, the hope is that one day Rykard will become strong enough to devour the very gods themselves.
Likely due to its inherently heretical standing, some prospective members of the covenant have refused their invitations, unwilling to become the covenant's champions.