Hey, I'm the creator, and welcome to the absolute epicenter of my Cult of the Lamb hyperfixation!
This blog is the official home for my custom universe: The Heretic and The Hound AU. What started as me just playing the game has completely spiraled. This AU is a chaotic blend of my actual playthrough experiences, my own twisted headcanons, and way too much time spent playing with these characters like barbie dolls.
Before you dig into the lore, here is a quick heads-up on how things operate around here:
The Ships: The primary focus and main ship is GoatLamb. However, this blog flips violently between GoatLamb and NariLamb content, with the lamb being the main character of the overall story.
The Narinder Situation: Narinder is relentlessly infatuated with my Lamb. My Lamb is heavily scaroused by this. It is a mess.
Content Warning (18+): This is an explicitly 18+ space. It centers on a m/m ship, and I will be making spicy shit of these little fucks. There is also a high probability of fanfic drops in the future.
If any of that isn't your thing, this isn't the blog for you. Otherwise, welcome to the AU.
🩸 THE HERETIC AND THE HOUND AU🩸
Welcome to The Heretic and The Hound, a Cult of the Lamb Alternate Universe focused on trauma, power dynamics, and the consequences of divine resurrection.
The Origin
Before the events of the game, the Bishops of the Old Faith executed all sheep to prevent a prophecy surrounding the imprisoned god, The One Who Waits (Narinder). In canon, Narinder resurrects a single Lamb to act as his vessel.
In this AU, Narinder did not want to leave anything to chance after the failure of his previous vessel, Ratau. He resurrected the Lamb (Briar), but also created a contingency vessel: the Goat (Bane). They were never intended to meet.
The Vessels
Briar (The Heretic)
Role: The manipulative, sociopathic face of the cult.
Appearance: Doll-like and delicate, with pale hair and a dark complexion.
Psychology: Repeated martyrdom and resurrection have severely fractured his psyche. He masks his deep PTSD with a bratty, entitled, and arrogant persona.
Leadership Style: Handles all social engineering, sermons, and gaslighting. He views himself as intellectually superior and refuses to tolerate incompetence.
Bane (The Hound)
Role: The feral enforcer, protector, and right-hand.
Appearance: Robust and muscular, featuring prominent canines, and a heavy spiked collar.
Psychology: Naturally aggressive and abrasive. He operates with a blunt, utilitarian mindset and actively distrusts mysticism.
Leadership Style: Manages the cult's physical reality. He disposes of bodies, breaks up fights, and scans the congregation for dissenters while Briar preaches.
The Dynamic
Briar and Bane are two halves of a fractured whole. While their relationship features a high-tension "Predator vs. Prey" binary, they are fundamentally two sides of the same coin, each fulfilling a vital function the other cannot survive without.
The Duality: They are the mind and the muscle of the cult. Where Briar is the divine, manipulative voice that controls the masses, Bane is the brutal, grounded physical force that secures their reality. Neither can lead the flock alone; they lock together seamlessly to maintain absolute control.
The Leash: Because they are so deeply interconnected, Bane acts as Briar's necessary anchor. Briar frequently becomes overwhelmed by the psychic noise of his crown and his own trauma. When he begins to spiral or throw a feral tantrum, Bane serves as the physical "leash." Bane is the only entity allowed to forcefully drag Briar away from a situation, often by simply covering Briar's face with his hand and hauling him off.
The Crowns
The artifacts granted by Narinder possess their own wills and influence.
Briar's Red Crown constantly whispers to him, exacerbating his worst impulses and manipulating his thoughts.
Bane actively bullies his crown. Through sheer willpower, he forces the artifact into submission, making it serve him rather than acting as a conduit for its own agenda.
The crowns are also boyfriends. Are Briar and Bane a thing because of the crowns? Guess we'll find out. How are two ancient relics boyfriends? I don't know, i just wanted the crowns/snakes to be cute together.
Crusade Tactics
Briar (The Glass Cannon): Relies entirely on the Red Crown's magic and ranged curses as well as quicker weaponry favoring swords and daggers over more heavy hitting weapons. This allows him to crowd control enemies and move quickly.
Bane (The Vanguard): Operates as the frontline tank. He uses raw, physical brutality to carve paths through enemy waves and actively intercepts any attacks aimed at Briar. Favors hammers and axes as well as ichor/poison type curses.
The Flock's Perspective
Viewing the Heretic: Followers view Briar with a mix of religious awe and absolute terror. He is the divine voice of the cult, and crossing him socially means immediate sacrifice.
Viewing the Hound: Followers avoid Bane completely. He does not speak to the congregation. His presence is a silent, looming threat of physical violence for anyone who falls out of line.
That’s the foundation for now, but there’s plenty more to unpack. I’ve got endless headcanons about their day-to-day, their 'spicy' interactions, and the general disaster that is the Heretic and the Hound.
If you have any questions about the AU, the dynamics, or want to know more about what happens when Briar pushes Bane just a little too far, drop an ask! Otherwise, stick around! There’s plenty more chaos coming to the feed.
