Editing LeviathanTempest:ArchivedSocialLife (section)

=== Beloved ===
Some mortals are more deeply affected than others by the Wake, and become obsessed with the Leviathan whose Wake they were touched by. The more powerful the Leviathan, the greater the pressure of the Wake, the likelier that this result becomes. These individuals attempt to stay near the Leviathan, equally terrified and deeply attracted. 

Unaware of the truth of what they are experiencing, they find ways of explaining it - some outlets more constructive than others. The only unifying element of this obsession is that the mortal is certain that there is something different - something special and unique and equal parts horrible and wondrous - about the Leviathan. Some become stalkers, or hangers-on, or even kidnappers, trying to understand the creature who haunts them, awake or dreaming.

These cases end in one of two ways - either the complete self-destruction of the obsessed mortal, or the entry of the mortal into the Leviathan's Cult as a Beloved. Established Cults usually begin with a Leviathan's first Beloved, and then grow - the more Beloved there are, the likelier that an ensnared mortal will join their ranks. 

Beloved form the backbone of a Leviathan's Cult. While it might have numbers well beyond them, they are the only ones whose loyalty and dedication is certain. They serve as extensions of the Leviathan, his agents in the human world, permitting him to avoid the strain of everyday life. Periodic exposure to new revelations of the Primordial world are necessary to keep the Beloved's mind stable, but this is a small price to pay for their aid. A Beloved Cult can infuse the Leviathan with Ichor through reverence and the enactment of mystical rites - their subservience reaffirming his divine nature. Beloved are also prime hosts for the generation of Hybrids, as they are willing, perhaps even eager, to be touched by the bloodline of the Tribe. 

The lure of staying secluded and meeting only with one's Cult is strong, especially for older, more world-weary Leviathans. This is a potential trap, as interacting with the Beloved is not a substitute for interacting with normal humans, and it is often the ultimate fate of the hidden Cult leader to fall into degeneration, isolated from his own human side.