Saturday, April 20, 2013

'R' is for 'The Red Brigade.'

'R' is for 'The Red Brigade.'

The Red Brigade is the dominant sect of a disorganized religion worshiping five absent gods: The Bold, The Wise, The Provider, The Deceiver, and The Fifth. These gods are explicitly abstracts, not thought to inhabit a distant plane like other religions, and are seldom anthropomorphized. Rather, someone who wears the red jacket or wristband of the Red Brigade strives to embody one of the five, and their good works in that form are considered both prayer and divinity.

Exact practices vary wildly based on your geography, and there is no central body governing The Red Brigade. The most common form of The Bold is the soldier or warrior, such as those insurgents fighting against The Empire of Gold and Jade’s incursion into The Frontier. The Wise are most commonly scholars or strategists, while The Deceivers are most infamously spies who infiltrate other societies. Most cherished are The Providers, such as parents, educators and farmers. The Fifth god is seldom mentioned by name, and is the only one for whom, after you converted to its ways, you cannot convert back.

It is also dogma that Red Brigadiers change from one phase to another as is needed by their people. Most Red Brigadiers are yetis, centaurs or humans, though it is spreading among triclopic peoples. Secularists pin the recent trend in triclopic Brigadiers on it being such a time of strife for them, what with their presently losing a war to foreign secularists and all.

24 comments:

  1. The Fifth god is the one that has me intrigued. Will we find out more about this? Please.

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    1. Happy to! Was thinking of writing a story for Friday about transformations. Would you prefer a post dedicated to The Fifth, or to simply field questions here?

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    2. Greedily, I think a post dedicated to The Fifth, as then I will get the benefit of questions answered in comments.

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  2. You see religion as well is something I'm debating inside my brain! I mean I'm trying to figure out if I want to put in my world or not...but as you point out it might be a good conflict trigger!

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    1. It's difficult for me to imagine world without religion. It can exist without that word (there are several "secular" religions that explicit scorn religion), but people tend to organize values and belief systems around what they consider true or important. It's mostly a question of what fits your world.

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    2. That makes sense even if I don't agree. What I know for sure is if I'll ever put it in, I'd give it a negative meaning. I dunno, I'm a bit weird and stubborn on the matter!

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  3. Red Brigade makes me think of Communist movements in the 1930s. Cool world-building.

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    1. Another good, though eventually dangerously organized religion. Pope Stalin?

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  4. I'm curious about triclopic people.

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  5. The Calvinball of religion? Love it!

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  6. I wonder why the Fifth is not mentioned by name- it makes me wonder if he has Voldemort-like qualities. Perhaps it's considered taboo to admit that he exists?

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  7. Which group would you put yourself in? Just curious. Jennifer a.k.a Urban Gypsy Girl

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    1. That's a great question! Given that I've spent the last week caring for the sick, I think I'd be wearing The Provider label. It's a consuming mission.

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  8. Definitely curious about The FIfth. Not only the fact that its true name is not used, just a number designation, but the fact that you can't convert back. That's hard core.

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  9. In response to others here, I used to shy away from adding religion too but like you said, it's always here. I view it in any world as a people's way to explain their origins and surroundings, the unexplainable. It doesn't matter what my personal views are - religion will always be around for certain people and as a writer I should include that.

    I'm with EC. I'd love to see you write about the Fifth. I want to know what happens if one tries to unconvert themself. ;)

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    1. This is true. I should include that then! Thanks!

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  10. I want to know more about the Fifth too!

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  11. Sounds interesting and reminds me of Buddism a little bit.

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  12. Followed by several races? Very interesting.

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  13. The yetis, centaurs and humans have always said that if the triclopics ever find religion, heaven help the secularists.

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  14. Interesting. New follower here. I'm stopping by from the "A to Z" challenge and I look forward to visiting again.

    Sylvia
    http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/

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  15. Interesting religion. The Fifth god sounds a little domineering though if he/she doesn't allow you to turn back from worshipping him/her.

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  16. I like the fact that the Providers are parents, educators and farmers, and are most cherished! If only more society was like that.

    The Fifth sounds fascinating. Wonder what they're up to?

    Rinelle Grey

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