The Passions
The Passions
The Sacred Passions are a little known position within the Cult of Ecstasy. The Cult is known for its loose-knit structure and lack of definite hierarchy; The Seat of Time, (currently Marianna of Balador,) leads the Cult as Seat of Time, the sects follow the Code of Ananda, and violators answer to Marianna. The Passions answer to the Seat of Time solely, and act as his/her agents.
It is not known when the positions of The Passions were created, or how. Nine artifacts were created, one for each of the Nine Sacred Passions. Each artifact molds itself into the Keeper's paradigm and cannot be removed from his or her person. Necklaces, medallions, rings, tattoos, scars, etc. are common manifestations of these artifacts. The artifacts themselves are on par with the Euthanatos Spoke Armor in power level, and cannot be destroyed. If a Keeper is killed, the artifact travels instantly to the next closest living Keeper and attaches itself to him or her. Only the Seat of Time has the knowledge to move, remove, or redistribute these artifacts; the knowledge is passed down to successors of the Seat.
The Artifacts
The artifact grants the Keeper a perfect sixth sense of their particular emotion. They simply know when someone is feeling that particular emotion, and the knowledge cannot be blocked from the Keeper. The Keeper can also manipulate the intensity of his/her particular emotion in others. This can mean intensifying the emotion until it is the only conceivable thought in the target's psyche, or diminishing it until it is nearly eradicated, and every gradient in-between.
Keeping one of the artifacts slowly affects the psyche of the Keeper. They tend to lean toward their emotion in most situations, and it takes an effort of will to go against the emotion unless in immediate harm, or companions are in immediate harm. People around the Keepers also tend toward feeling that particular emotion more easily than others.
The Keepers
Keeper of Joy/Wonder: Jonathan "JJ" Morrell (America)
Keeper of Love: Hua Guong (China)
Keeper of Empathy/Sympathy: Shafalta Bhandari (Nepal)
Keeper of Lust/Ambition: Otello Conte (Italy)
Keeper of Grief/Sadness: Aloysha Ivanski (Russia)
Keeper of Fear: Leandro Perriera (Brazil)
Keeper of Jealousy/Envy: Hemangini Darsha (India)
Keeper of Hate: Roger Harris (America)
Keeper of Rage: Aghanashini Boparai (India)
