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"Tremble, child of man, for a creature of purest divinity wiggleth before thee."
The Church of Scree aims to teach all of Hydaelyn's children the splendor of The Great Serpent in all his forms, how to share his kindness, and the history of the Ronkan Empire.Church activities are not limited to just one Shard, nay, we wish to spread his Holy Rotundness to all. It is our goal that all of the world sundered know his glory as it is now, and as it once was.
Main location: Dynamis Seraph, Empyreum, Ward 26, Plot 24
"...for its true form would be too terrible for mortal minds to comprehend."
The Church of Scree is a collaboration with scholars across the Shards; our records mainly come from Xak Tural on the Source and Rak'tika on the First. Dedicated members from all over help with our research as we dig ever deeper to find all that we can of The Great Serpent, so that one day his tale in its entirety can be known to all.
The Church of Scree welcomes all, no matter whom they are or whence they came. Our doors are open no matter the hour, providing a spot of rest and worship for any who need it.
For those who stop by while any members of the clergy are present, they will be gifted an acorn cookie and any wisdom we can provide.
The Great Serpent is most commonly known as The Great Serpent of Ronka on the First or The Greatest Serpent of Tural on the Source. (We at The Church of Scree worship all versions of He Who Wiggleth equally. As such, when speaking of his splendor, we oft say The Great Serpent or The Serpent.)
The Ronkan Empire
A large majority of the information we know about The Great Serpent is linked back to the ancient civilization of Ronka on the First. From there the first tales of The Serpent are spun. It is said he was a great winged creature, one who initially brought torment upon the people and thus was sealed away inside the Fruit of the Protector for his misdeeds by Lozatl, the guardian of the Qitana Ravel.In time, The Great Serpent's heart was changed, and he instead became a guide and protector of the Ronkans. This change led him to eventually be considered the protector of the Ronkan Empire's lands, a belief which is continued by those who carry on the legacy of Ronka.Of the peoples that still share in the legends of Ronka and The Serpent, the Qitari are the most thought of. Their culture is largely rooted in that of the Ronkans, and they strive to preserve the cultural traditions of Ronka to this day. The Stewards are a tribe of Qitari who worship The Serpent and live among many incarnations of him. One of these incarnations is said to have lead the Stewards from the Qitana Ravel and into the outside world where they now reside once more. Other incarnations of The Serpent were observed guiding the Qitari through the ruins of Hopl's Stopple and helping them unearth the lost Qitari stelae; stone tablets which share the history of their peoples and the Ronkan Empire.The Great Serpent's incarnations are also recorded to have helped cure a blight that spread through the Stewards' tribe.
The Yok Huy and Xak Tural
Less is known about The Serpent's history on the Source. The Yok Huy, peoples who revere serpents as divine creatures who govern the boundary between worlds, share the tale of The Serpent being found slumbering within ruins. Recognizing the being's immense power, they built a temple around the slumbering serpent and offered prayers for its divine protection. Unfortunately, The Serpent never awoke under the worship of the Yok Huy and saved them from their blight, which led to the temple being abandoned.Within recent times, The Serpent slumbering in the temple was awakened, but disappeared not long after being bested in a fight against the "Warrior of Light".
The sundering and the shards
We at The Church of Scree believe The Serpent to be from times before The Sundering, perhaps even older than The Ancients themselves. In the Final Days of the unsundered world, it is said there was keening from the earth itself. This, we believe, was The Serpent crying out in pain at the world's destruction. During the Final Days, The Serpent encircled the star to protect it from threats. When the world was sundered, so too was The Serpent, but his coils remain wrapped around each shard to empower and protect travelers. We see the fragments of The Great Serpent in his incarnations found across the star and shards.During the second Final Days, the very same keening could be heard once more. This is proof that he still works to protect us.
"When the great serpent doth awaken, its coil shall envelop the world."
"Scree! Scree!" - The Great Serpent of Ronka
We welcome any scholars who wish to aid our cause with open arms. Should you have information you think important to share, or simply want suggestions on how to spread the Screeptures, reach out via Delivery Moogle.
"Scree! Scree!" - The Behelmeted Serpent of Ronka
Thank you for reaching out to us. May The Great Serpent guide you on even the darkest of days.