Followers of Vortal Buddhism

[TheDeNuke]

Originally Written by Lord Beckett
Adjusted for the City 8 Arc and New Lore by TheDeNuke

異教信徒
Followers of Vortal Buddhism

"Knowledge, Tranquility, Cooperation"
知識—安寧—合作



The Movement:

Born out of a mix between Buddhism and traditional Vortal shamanism, Vortal Buddhism is a semi-religious movement based in the continent of Asia. The group's leader, one of the vortigaunt remnant elders simply known as "The Monk," came to Earth and took an immediate interest in Buddhism. With several parallels able to be made between Buddhism and Vortal shamanism, the Monk was able to convince the masses that he was a new "Buddha," or one that has reached ultimate enlightenment. Early on, the Monk demonstrated a complete understanding of all the tenets of Buddhism, seemingly unexplainable considering his extraterrestrial origin. Using this knowledge to impress the humans he interacted with, the Monk merged Buddhism with the Vortessence, and so the new movement was created.

The movement has dozens of small communes and temples scattered throughout the Asian countryside, hidden from the prying eyes of the Combine. With loose ties to the fledgling Resistance movements, followers of Vortal Buddhism have been able to smuggle people out of the newly constructed urban centers and into the rugged outlands areas. The Monk himself is located somewhere within Burma, and occasionally sends shockwaves through the Vortessence concerning matters of the movement's doctrine and overarching philosophy. All vortigaunts in the region can feel these ripples in the Vortessence, and are continuously drawn to the remnant elder's message.

While a large portion of the movement is made up of vortigaunts, the majority of members are humans who are either refugees or fully inducted members who wish to become connected with the Vortessence. Those humans who follow the words of the Monk are able to pass on after death, through a Vortal ritual, and return to the Vortessence, rather than be lost to the Void.
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The Movement within City 51:

In regards to the former Beijing, the Monk has sent a contingent of followers to assist in the dire refugee situation, appointing a vortigaunt elder by the name of Chaa Hui'Seng, otherwise known as "The Gray Monk," to lead the relief efforts. This section of Vortal Buddhism has the goal of preventing as much loss of life as possible, in the form of both weakening the Combine's grip on the region as well as relocating citizens into various safehouses and bases located both within and outside the city walls. Followers are also known to preach to anyone willing to listen, advocating cooperation and peaceful coexistence in all aspects of life.

In addition to the refugee work, the movement is active in the underground black market, providing "spiritual awakening" narcotics to gangs, citizens, and even Combine affiliates for funds that are spent toward relief efforts. Followers also provide mediation services for the various gangs, acting as third parties to facilitate negotiations in the service of decreasing overall violence in the region.



Important Note:
Though the movement preaches pacifism, they will not hesitate to strike at Combine forces, or to defend themselves from attacks by hostile gangs. The movement employs nearly all free vortigaunts in the region, and is therefore a force to be reckoned with.
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Ideology:
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Pacifistic... Members preach against "unnecessary violence," or violence that does not serve the greater goal of ridding the planet of corrupting forces (Combine units, predatory gangs). Followers will often volunteer themselves as mediators to help organize negotiations between rival gangs.

Cooperative... All people, human and non-human, must work together to undermine and destroy Combine influence on the planet. The ultimate goal is survival, which is impossible as along as Combine forces remain in power.

Xenophilic... All living things are connected to the Vortessence, not just vortigaunts, but also humans and animals. Issues such as species, race, or ethnicity have no bearing on movement members.

Humanitarian... All life is sacred. Vortigaunt or human, everyone deserves to live a free and joyful existence. Providing essential victuals and other important goods to those in need is the core of the movement.

Ascetic... Rejection of worldly excesses is a virtue. Over-indulgence in food, drink, or other sources of pleasure only leads one away from the path of true enlightenment. Members are expected to keep only the bare essentials: basic food, clothing, and lodgings.

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Hierarchy:

By and large, the movement operates on a decentralized line of command. Members are generally free to do as they choose, as long their actions fit within the overall message of the group. A few positions, however, do exist, and are listed below.

The Enlightened One:
By no means the only name for this position, the "Enlightened One" is a rank reserved for one being: The Monk. This vortigaunt has the final say on all matters relating to party operations and doctrine and operates in solidarity from somewhere in Burma, relying on other vortigaunts to enact his will through his occasional messages sent through the Vortessence.

Mentor:
Mainly reserved for vortigaunts and those few humans who achieve a basic connection to the Vortessence, Mentors are responsible for a variety of tasks, such as leading a commune or directing refugee operations within a certain region. They are the eyes, ears, and mouth of the Enlightened One, and are responsible for ordaining Monks and handling movement discipline.

Monk:
This is an acolyte who has been granted a certain degree of trust by the regional Mentor, and are given the task of organizing local relief efforts, facilitating the sale of blackmarket goods, and recruiting new members. Monks will often be seen preaching to the masses, a process that both spreads the movement's message and assists in recruitment efforts. Generally, all vortigaunts involved in the movement are Monks by default.

Acolyte:
The first rank that can truly be seen as someone who is an official member of the movement, an acolyte is, for the most part, a human or perhaps a very young vortigaunt that has been recruited by a Monk. Acolytes serve as assistants to the Monks who recruit them, performing various assigned tasks and organizing meetings between Monks and prospective acolytes. The majority of grunt work is completed at this level.

Follower:
A catch-all term for those individuals who ascribe to the views of Vortal Buddhism or are affiliated in some way to the movement. The closest equivalent from organized crime would be a Mafia "associate," or someone who carries out tasks for the group but is not an official member. Followers can include regular citizens, gang members, biotics, or even enlightened Combine forces, such as Civil Protection or CCA members.


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[TheDeNuke]

This document from 2022 by Beckett has been claimed for further development due to this server now actually going to the region where the Monk is.

There will likely be heavy revisions made to this document over the coming days.