Tale of Diep:Cult of Panzer

The Cult of Panzer is one of the four main factions of. The other three are the Tank Empire, Polygons, and the Fallen. The Cult of Panzer is portrayed as the main threat and enemy within the game, with plans to return the sealed god Panzer to. The Cult of Panzer is just a term used outside of the organization itself, but its own members refer to it as such so that the simpleminded fools outside of their ranks share a common term on what they are referring to. The Cult of Panzer, also known by its members and affiliates as the Spiritual Brotherhood of Panzer (though commonly referred to as 'The Cult of Panzer' or more directly 'The Cult' even by its members in discussion with outsiders), is not as much as a religious institution as the name and purpose suggest, as much as it is a governmental, ideological, and belief focused institution, based in the western part of The Realm. The Cult of Panzer is headed in physicality and mortality by the, and spiritually by Panzer himself.

Members of the Cult of Panzer appear in the forms of common enemies in western Realm Areas, and are focused heavily in the Neverest Mountains and Desolate Plains. The Cult of Panzer begins appearing as early as, if rarely, and only in its westernmost regions.

History
The Cult of Panzer was founded by the Archprophet during the Dormancy Period, a thousand long year gap between and  where the world was ravaged by inhabitable conditions in the wake of Panzer's sealing. Within, near the end of the Dormancy Period, the Cult was founded, with most of its survivors living there becoming members of the Brotherhood following the Dormancy Period's close. The main reasons of the Cult's founding included tanks own fear the Dormancy Period would never clear while Panzer was away, the Archprophet's own lusts for control, and something else much deeper that lay beneath his surface as well.

Months after the destruction cleared, the group had reached the, the focal point of the world. Panzer had once oversaw the entire Realm from this divine spire, and so the Archprophet seized it and turned it into an impenetrable citadel for his operations. The Tank Empire was at this time reclaiming old cities that used to be ruled by the, and reclaimed the land in the northeast. Meanwhile other institutions such as, the , and the all reacted in their own ways, to varying importance.

Little by little, Cult influence spread from their home in the Desolate Plains, beyond Neverest Mountains, and into its bordering lands, Paradigm Dunes, Shattered Coast, Toil Ridge, and Wintercrest. All of these lands slowly over the next few hundred years would come to be members of the Cult of Panzer both directly and indirectly, some just being believers who did not enter its main ranks, remaining in towns and cities spread throughout The Realm.

would soon come to join the Cult following multiple assassination attempts, willingly however entering, seeing the opportunity and duty. It would be not long after this as well that would be nearly killed, and then rebuilt into the massive cyborg by the mad doctor that he is today. The would then be elected head inquisitor and judge of the Cult, convicting and executing heretical figures, and signing much of the paper work behind the scenes.

Into the time period of the game, the Cult of Panzer's influence has spread far, all the way into the furthest regions of Toil Ridge. And it threatens to eventually enter and  through this as well. The Cult has been locked into a war with the Tank Empire since their encounter near the early Middle Era. The Fallens are chaotic and make no attempt to attack nor ally with the Cult, and the Polygons maintain a great deal of neutrality with the Cult, but it can be a bit shaky. Everyone else caught in between the Cult views as just people waiting to be converted or killed. Peoples such as the Sect of Andromeda, Freshwater Grovelers, Forgotten Kingdom, and even the pirates of the Shattered Coast, all just nuisances soon to be assimilated or exterminated.

Hierarchy
The Cult of Panzer, as most institutions do, has a set chain of power from top to bottom, containing many ranks and divisions within them, each with a purpose and set of responsibilities. The Cult is more than just a religious order, also maintaining and governing the Desolate Plains, Neverest Mountains, and territories within other areas in its influential sphere. All ranks fall into play for this, and shall be explained from the top down.

Panzer
At the top of the Cult, even beyond its physical leader the Archprophet, is Panzer, the god of The Realm himself. While rarely accounted for, or actually having a direct role in the system, Panzer is the being in which the rest of the Cult is founded and based, and his freeing from is the ultimate goal of the entire organization. Panzer can only speak directly to the Archprophet, so when his word is taken into account, it must be taken with face value, as the Archprophet can either misinterpret the god's word, or skew and bend it into something slightly different for more personal gains. In the end, Panzer just wishes to get back to The Realm, but would prefer it be done as quickly and peacefully as deemed possible in the situation.

The Archprophet is the sole mortal leader of the Cult of Panzer. Granted what is practically immortality so long as his loyalty remains, the Archprophet oversees everything the Cult does. He speaks with Panzer to better his goals, but most of his crazy ideas come from his own insane mind. He creates, reviews, and changes the rules and doctrine when necessary, and can overrule the decisions of the Inner Circle, specifically the Apostle of Panzer, as he wishes, mostly in regards to death sentences, forms of punishment and torture, and other things. The Archprophet himself is a much more complex figure, but none of that is relevant to his position as the face and leader of the Cult of Panzer. As such, he carries a lot of the responsibility, has the largest public image, and has his place in Realm affairs with other factions big and small. Yet with this image comes incredible fear due to his power both physical, magical, and spiritual, so he usually gets his way for the good of the Cult. The Archprophet is also the High Prophet of the Desolate Plains, and always will be both positions due to his once again, practically eternal mortal life.

The Inner Circle
The Inner Circle is a small group of three members and advisers who have exceptionally good and trustworthy relationships to the Archprophet, in a favorable order as well, despite all being near equal seconds in command. Their jobs are, respectively, to try heresy and oversee criminal actions in and outside of the Cult, head the Praetorian Legion (the Archprophet's personal guard), and create new schemes and inventions. All can also act as advisers and spiritual leaders in their own unique ways as well, able to command lower ranks.

At the "top" of the Inner Circle despite its rank being equal to its members is the Apostle of Panzer, who acts as the judge, inquisitor, head torturer and interrogator, and paperwork doer of the Cult of Panzer. The only member of the Inner Circle actually granted any credibility for power by Panzer, the Apostle works his hardest and does what is done because it must be. Most burnings of heretics alive, deaths and assassinations of opposing faction leaders, or other small decisions within the Cult usually stop at him, but can be reviewed by the Archprophet and overruled as he wishes. No reason is required for anything that gets done except for that it must be done to bring Panzer back, or in the extremes, "was requested by him directly".

Belisarius the second member of the Inner Circle, the leader of the Praetorian Legion, an elite guard for the Archprophet, not that he really needs one, and in general the head of the militant cultists. Belisarius himself makes no decision processes in regards to the Cult itself, but instead keeps rank and is responsible for the Prateorian Legion as a whole, which is its own separate, generally unimportant chain. Despite this, he is still technically a Cultist, and is closer to Panzer and the Archprophet than the final member of the Inner Circle. He alone can rival hundreds of men simultaneously, and because of this is the leader of the armies.

On the occasions the mad doctor is brought for decisions, his guidance in said discussions are usually seen for the intellectual take and less the necessarily divine. Generally, Dr. Lacus is only grouped with the Inner Circle for being a prominent figure, having magical power of his own granted by Panzer himself, and for his absolute control over the neighboring Neverest Mountains. Other than that, he remains mostly separate, isolated in laboratory working on new fiendish things.

Next are the Sons of Panzer, direct descendants of the god himself. They are placed the highest they can be, as all above them are given their places of rule assigned by Panzer, and so their actual presence and lack of a leader is seen as lesser in regards to this. The Sons are divided into two class by the Cult, the Final Rulers and the Prime Rulers.

Final Rulers
The Final Rulers were only formed following the Month of Panzer where the Final Sons were awoken and brought to The Realm, but the Archprophet's attempts failed and so they were put to sleep again until the time draws near once more. They had very little impact on the Cult itself, but their presence as bearers of the return and eventual conquerors of the land following Panzer's revival gave them an edge in power over the Prime Rulers.

Prime Rulers
The Prime Rulers however, are composed of the rest of the Sons. They themselves typically do no general work within the Cult, but their places cannot be denied, and so they are called forth on some occasion for assistance, and their absolute raw power. They have been given this name due to being the first owners and kings of the land during, ruling the many city-states tanks originally labored as slaves in. Prime Rulers mainly reside in, serving their parts as powerful militants instead, slaying hundreds and thousands of Tank Empire soldiers.

Prophets
Below them are the Prophets. A class divided into two groups, the High Prophets and just... Prophets. Prophets are selected individuals who have been 'enlightened' by the Archprophet in a special ceremony to spread the word further across The Realm. Prophets govern large portions of claimed lands by the Cult, overseeing the actions of the Veridicus who speak the word there.

High Prophets
One Prophet within every area of The Realm the Cult controls is elected to be the High Prophet until death. Therefore, there are six High Prophets. One from the Desolate Plains, Neverest Mountains, Shattered Coast, Wintercrest, Paradigm Dunes, and Toil Ridge. The Archprophet, as explained, is also the High Prophet of the Desolate Plains, and due to his revival from death granted by Panzer, forever will be. The High Prophets decide what Veridicus can be enlightened to become Prophets themselves somewhere down the line, with requirements in its own right. The High Prophets are also responsible for watching the actions of every Prophet, and making sure their duties are done. The High Prophets are responsible for their entire portion of the Realm, and keeping track of all documents, requests, etc. to be sent to the Mementus back in the Tower of Gladii. The High Prophets periodically meet every four months to review Veridicus recommended by the local Prophets, but can also be called for other matters at any time by the Archprophet or by majority vote from the entire High Prophet council. Within the game, High Prophets are for their respective areas.

Prophets
Prophets are selected Veridicus that have been enlightened by the Archprophet through election by the High Prophet council. Prophets, while keeping track of the Cult in a portion of a Realm Area, are also responsible for conversions,, and keeping the Veridicus in line, as well as notifying the Apostle and his group of Wardens of possible suspicious individuals within the Cult and out of it, to execute. A group of local Prophets within a territory of a Realm Area can elect Veridicus to become Prophets among them every four months, but this process is of long review, hard challenges, and much teaching following selection. Within the game, the appears as an enemy.

Veridicus
Obviously below the Prophets are the Veridicus or "Truthful". They are the individual speakers of Panzers word via the tablets of long ago, established by the teachings of the old members of the Cult, to the new members officially converted by the Prophets. Veridicus are commonly important figures in the local towns or areas of The Realm they reside in, as most of the time the Cult of Panzer is the common ideology to individuals within that area anyway. They answer to Prophets, and can be called in by them for review, or can become a Prophet via recommendation by the Prophets, and then promotion by the High Prophet council. They are the lowest group of the Cult chain with the legal ability to teach the word of the tablets and the records and ideas of Panzer. Within the game, Veridicus can appear as.

A subdivision of the Veridicus are the Mementus, which are record keeping Veridicus within the Tower of Gladii archives. Mementus is less a group above the Veridicus, than it is an extension to a Veridicus' title. Mementus add, read through, review, sort, and remove records sent in from the Realm Areas by Prophets to the Tower of Gladii Archives. Mementus are responsible for the preservation of cult history, and have almost perfect up to date records on every member of the Cult, and almost every person in The Realm as well.

The Ascen
Next are the Ascen, a collection of four high military orders within the Cult: The High Order, the Council of Steel, the Skullcrushers, and the Fallow Knights. All of these group are equal in rank except for the High Order, above the other three, but all serve a purpose as well. One does not need to have been an Ascen, or any of the lower ranks, to become a Veridicus, except for that they believe in the ideals of the Cult as the records kept by the Mementus about them tell.

The High Order
The High Order takes members of the base Cult infantry, the Custos de Fiden, and assigns them to one of the other three groups. Leaders of the other three groups can become High Order members following the death of one of its own members. High Order members are even better trained in every form of combat in the Realm than Tank Empire soldiers, which are commonly regarded as the best trained army in The Realm. So while also great leaders, do not underestimate them in combat as well. Veridicus are not exactly better than the High Order, or even any of the Ascen in this regard, but they hold more spiritual value as the elected speakers of truth, placing them higher in the hierarchy. A member of the High Order can also simultaneously become a Veridicus, or even a member of the Prophets while still maintaining their purpose within the High Order, but their other title will be considered first and seen with higher regard. Within the game, the High Order is mentioned but never encountered.

Council of Steel
The Council of Steel maintains the relations of the Cult with outside factions in the political, governmental, and technological manner, but have earned their name for being stubborn in just about every regard and as "unmovable and unshakable as steel". The Council of Steel is responsible for every contract of peace, every declaration of war, and the confirmation of every invention Dr. Lacus wishes to send must go through them first to even reach the Archprophet's hands. The Council are too responsible for collecting tax, charity, and sponsoring community building projects within areas the Cult controls. The Fallow Knights, while equal in rank, sort of serve as the keepers and maintainers of the law and order established by the Council in these areas. Within the game, the Council is referenced but never encountered.

Skullcrushers
Grand militants within the Cult of Panzer that have achieved the title of Skullcrusher through their brutal nature and mastery of multiple weapons while serving in the Custos de Fiden. They portrayed great strength, and act not just as solo adventurers, scouts, and heroes for the Cult, but also as army leaders, making Belisarius a superior to them. Most of the time becoming a Skullcrusher takes rigorous training in the art of fighting with multiple weapons, a great deal of leading masses of men, and also requires someone to have fierce brutality and little mercy for opponents outside of the Cult. Within the game, Skullcrushers are fought as Desolate Plains.

Fallow Knights
Fallow Knights have become the keepers and maintainers of the law and order established by the Council of Steel in governmental areas of the Cult, such as towns and cities. They are sort of like the policeman, and can send reports to the Apostle and his Wardens when it comes to suspicious and criminal activity within these areas. Fallow Knights are fought as in towns and cities in Cult controlled lands.

Custos de Fiden
The Custos de Fiden, or "Keepers of Faith" compose the largest direct group of the Cult of Panzer. It has six rankings, each higher than the other unlike the Ascen. Most of this is already explained, and they are pretty much the entire rest of the expendable fighters. The Disciples at the top, next the Nobles, then the Phantoms, the Strikers, the Division, and the bottom, the Army of Panzer. The Army is pretty much every other Realm Enemy part of the Cult of Panzer that spawns in the areas of The Realm not a member of the higher groups. The first five groups are fought as the, and the Army of Panzer is the rest of the part of the Cult of Panzer that are not explained above, such as the Fallow Knights, Veridicus, and Prophets.

The Affilia
And lastly is the Affilia. They are all believers in the ideas of the Cult without becoming an actual responsible member of the hierarchy. The, for example, are Affilia. Affiliated, but not truly a part of the Cult, not even in its army. This rank also includes just basic civilians who follow the Cult, most of which live in areas claimed by the Cult, Toil Ridge and westward. They are encountered as, as explained, in extremes Fanboys, but most of the time just regular civilians in towns Toil Ridge and westward.

Trivia

 * This page was made more than a year after it should have been.
 * The Cult actually has an indepth structure as explained. The page itself will become more filled with how the Cult fits even better mechanically as the Cult Realm Enemies begin to form and come about.