Bastet-Cas

Bastet-Cas (sometimes referred to as Bastet, Cas, Basement Cat) is a deity of sorts in the world of Gallian. She is the icon of worship in a small cult of expert metallurgists and pyromages mainly based somewhere in or around the mountains of Mystarria. Unlike many other deities she is a physical entity that this cult chooses to worship.

Origins of Bastet-Cas
Bastet was once an ordinary cat who was said to one day posses extraordinary powers leading many villagers of the town she strayed in (Bubastis) to believe she was the current avatar of Cas, the god of spite. A skirmish broke out amongst the villagers over what was to become of the cat. Those who feared her wished her dead while others believed she should be worshipped so Cas returned to Gallian they would all be saved from his spite. Local legend states that Bastet was the cause of the turning point of a crucial battle of the villagers allowing those who were not opposed to her to live while those who feared her perished.

Bastet and the Ragnarok
Prior to the final battle of Bubastis before those who praised Bastet had been working on an ultimate weapon to defeat those who opposed Cas. As many of those who did not oppose Cas' current reincarnated avatar were pyromages many prayers were dedicated to Kossuth, the god of fire, during the creation of this weapon to give this weapon the ability to summon fireballs. This ultimate weapon was forged into a sword using the fires of Kossuth and blessed by Cas. Many stories claim that while the pyromages were shaping the metal into a large Great Sword they were chanting in prayer to Nerull, the god of death and the underworld for hopes of a swift victory against their enemies. Alas the sacred sword of Bastet-Cas was forged named the Ragnarok in hopes of not only destroying those who feared and wished to execute Bastet but of destroying their deity as well.

The pyromages fought vigilantly and though the Ragnarok could easily slaughter dozens there were just too many who were opposed to the worship of Bastet. No one knows for sure how the pyromages ended up defeating those who were against Bastet-Cas by many a legend claim that a miracle happened that day. According to the most well known legend of the Ragnarok when the pyromages numbers dwindled to six males and seven females Bastet herself showed her own pyrokinetic ability, lifted the sword into the air with her mind and a large fireball engulfed all of those who opposed her. It is also claimed that after defeating this army the fireball ascended to the heavens at high speeds killing any deity those who had died may have worshipped. Regardless of the story of legend that may be told the Ragnarok was lost. The cult of Bastet-Cas have searched for generations to find this lost relic with no result. They believe that one day a mighty wielder of this sword will come to them as their messiah to save them from oppression the experience from all of those who fear Bastet-Cas.

The Cult of Bastet-Cas in the Present Day
The worship of Bastet-Cas has been going on for hundreds of years due to a close track of her descendants with the belief that the first female kitten born of a litter descending from the original Bastet is the reincarnation of the newest avatar of Cas (or Bastet-Cas) after the previous Bastet-Cas has died. As the pyromages who worship Bastet-Cas usually live in the mountains of Mystarria the pronunciation of her name varies the further a person is away from the mountain town of Bubastis. At the base of the mountain chain Bastet-Cas is known as Bastet-Cat. Further south away from the mountain chain and through much of Mystarria she is known as Basset Cat. Throughout remote parts of Heredon she is sometimes referred to as Basement Cat.

Many elven settlements throughout the continent (including Sylvarresta) usually refer to Bastet-Cas as Bastet the cat goddess while many dwarves just refer to her as Cas or in some remote areas Nerull due to some accounts of legends and their involvement of the lord of the underworld. The few in Indhopal who know of the Bastet-Cas story and of her cult believe her to be none other than Iblis himself.

Followers of the Bastet-Cas practice beliefs and practice that would seem to an outsider as a combination of those associated with worshippers of Cas, Kossuth, and Nerull. Also they worship the actual and physical current embodiment of Bastet-Cas and have created new beliefs, practices, and holidays associated with their living God. Also every member of the cult is a well traied pyromage and expert marksman in hopes of seeing the day when the Ragnarok is returned to them. They are often very oppressed outside of their town of Bubastis and are often subjugated to random acts of violence or captured and sold as slaves to Indhopal pirates. They hope for one day their Messiah will come with the lost Ragnarok sword to free them from what they believe to be tyranny.