Tchortists
The Tchortists are a joinable faction that can first be encountered through their missionaries in Core City, they are headquartered in the Upper Underrail, and play a large role in the later events of Underrail.
Description
At a first glance, the Tchortists appear to be a cult who worship an entity they refer to as Tchort, whom they insist is an entirely physical and real being. Described as an Esoteric Sciento-Religious community, they have, despite outward appearances, made a number of strides in the sciences, and are the only group (besides Coretech) that been shown to do in South Underrail. Thus they appear to be more than just a cult in worship of a fictitious being.
Tchortist members can be easily identified through the hoods that they wear, it appears as though all Tchortists don hoods outside their Institute, but members inside the Institute may choose to forgo them. In addition, one may recognize a Tchortist by rank or position simply by the appearance of their uniform.
Tchortists employ other cultish mannerisms through their usage of special greetings. Tchortists expect to be greeted by "Tchort is evolution" the response to which is "Evolution is Tchort". They express farewell by saying "Tchort guide you". Tchortists are expected to refer to their senior ranking members very graciously; primarily Eidein which is referred to as "His Illustriousness". Newer members are often forgiven for accidentally neglecting such formalities.
Eidein is the founder and prophet of the Tchortist religion, since he is the first and one of few to claim to have personally interacted with Tchort, he is viewed with the utmost respect by all of the Institute's members, and is revered as only second to Tchort in their religion. Perhaps this reverence is in place, as the Tchortists and Eidein himself both claim that he has been alive for hundreds of years.
It appears as though the true goal of Tchortism is genetic evolution, Tchortists believe that by following their religion and by advancing their scientific capabilities they can ascend to the apex of what a Human being can be, and walk the surface again, Tchortists already have genetically modified humans within their ranks, so this goal may not entirely be out of reach. Tchortists make great use of biological terminology and view themselves as being genetically superior to their enemies; both Faceless or otherwise.
History of Tchortism
See also Original Report.
| Year 1 | Eidein discovers Tchort, formation of Institute of Tchort |
| Year 5 | Biocorp Armed Forces renamed to Preservation
Education and Science merged into Investigation |
| Year 8 | Great east wing fire |
| Year 9 | Principal Investigator (Monsignor) Giacomo, Institute of Tchort's first monsignor dies from a sudden cardiac arrest |
| Year 21 | Principal Investigator Evdok attempts a coup
Rassophore (Monsignor) Torin dies protecting Eidein |
| Year 24 | A strong earthquake demolishes the Institute library as well as the large part of west wing and main hall; damages repaired within the same year |
| Year 39 | Principal Investigator (Monsignor) Antheia becomes Episkopos
Investigation prosperity period starts |
| Year 42 | A series of major conflicts with the Faceless, culminating with the Battle of Nucleus, won by Harmost (Monsignor) Marcial's Preservation Forces; last major conflict with the Faceless |
| Year 58 | Prosperity period for Investigation ends with death of Episkopos (Monsignor) Antheia |
| Year 67 | The great mourning over the loss of west wing expedition which perished due to unknown causes
Investigator (Monsignor) Peter dies |
| Year 69 | Investigator (Monsignor) Hristofor dies from cancer |
| Year 70 | Investigator (Monsignor) Minty's death |
| Year 77 | Formation of Propagation division from Education department of Investigation and several other smaller departments |
| Year 78 | Harmost (Monsignor) Marcial dies of old age |
| Year 81 | Investigator (Monsignor) Lenora dies two days after publishing her seventy-eighth paper |
| Year 85 | Biocorp's final dissolution
Institute courtyard riots |
| Year 90 | (Monsignor) Bradock, Institute's historian dies |
| Year 92 | Medication Export for Core City started |
| Year 96 | Success of Investigator (Monsignor) Gustav's recombinant project revealed at the annual Investigation symposium
First recombinant in action |
| Year 98 | Investigator (Monsignor) Gustav choked to death |
| Year 99 | Neural Pacification project revealed at the annual Investigation symposium |
Tchortism came to an abrupt end just before its 100th anniversary celebration.
- Faceless invade the Institute, killing everyone inside
- Tchort is destroyed in Deep Caverns
- Harmost Stavros abandons Cytosine Outpost and leads the remaining rassophores back into Underrail
- Eidein's corpse disappears along with the faceless
Ranks
These are the main Tchortist ranks, as encountered in Underrail.
| Preservation section | Investigation section | Propagation section | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founder | Eidein | ||
| Section leader | Harmost | Episkopos | Provost |
| Higher section ranks | Mediant | Principal Investigators (biology, chemistry, physics) |
Curator, Praepostor |
| Middle section ranks | Efreitors | Investigators | Ministers |
| Lower section ranks | Rassophores (Ekrixphores, Pirophores, Skopeftophores, Recombinants) |
Assistant Investigators | Acolytes, Missionaries |
| Trainees | Novitiates | ||
| Candidates | Postulants | ||
Additionally, ministers are split into assistant ministers, associate ministers and (full) ministers, but this distinction is not clear in Underrail. Judicator is a rank of the judicatory section which does not have significant role or presence in Underrail. Monsignor is a honorary title that can be granted regardless of rank.
Notable characters
- At the Institute
- Eidein
- Mediant Samuel
- Curator Nenna
- Episkopos Lydia
- Provost Vladan
- Judicator Azarias
- Praepostor Amelia
- Efreitor Hanna
- Efreitor Denzil
- Efreitor Mateo
- Principal Investigator Rista
- Principal Investigator Schteff
- Principal Investigator Georgis
- Rassophore Payam
- Investigator Kiro
- Investigator Vuk
- Octavia
- Theodore
- Jerre Franz
- Outside Institute
- Crazy man in Foundry
- Percival in Core City
- Tchortist Missionaries in Core City
- Harmost Stavros in Cytosine Outpost
- Rassophore Prevlic in Cytosine Outpost
Locations
- Small church in Core City Upper Level
- Institute of Tchort in Upper Underrail
- Cytosine Outpost in Deep Caverns
- Nucleus in Deep Caverns
Quests
- Return the Reaching Man and Praepostor interview: Required to gain entrance to the Institute
- Strange tremors: Eventually strange tremors start shaking the Institute
While at the Institute, you may work for both the preservation and investigation departments.
Preservation
Mediant Samuel's jobs
Completing all of Mediant Samuel's tasks allows you to join the preservation section as a Rassophore.
Investigation
Physics lab (Principal Investigator Schteff)
Chemistry lab (Principal Investigator Georgis)
Genetics lab (Principal Investigator Rista)
Completing six tasks for the investigation section allows you to join the investigation section.
Random events
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