The Occultists

The Occultists
Leader	Imyrr
Patron	Babel
Leadership Style	Elected Autocracy
Founder	Harlequin
City	Ashtan
Classes Permitted	Occultist, Shaman, Infernal, Serpent, Sylvan, Magi, Outcast, Apostate
House Tutor	Ezekial
Heraldric Arms	Sable, a chimera salient contourny Or and a chimera salient Or
Icon	The Wheel of Chaos

Shrouded by secrecy and misinformation, the venerable House of the Occultists makes its home in the northern city of Ashtan. Known for its unpredictability and general insanity, it is a group fiercely devoted to the forbidden study of Chaos in all of its manifestations. Considering themselves scholars and thaumaturgists of the highest order, members have also produced some of history's great warriors and leaders. Indeed, the Goddess Eris arose from the mortal Occultist, Servelan. Central to the occultic identity is the oath of secrecy that every member must swear, and the violation of that oath is the only intolerable crime recognized by the House. Both its intense study of Chaos and its affiliation with the city of Ashtan lend the House a strong focus on the ideal of freedom; Occultists despise unnecessary constraints and are quick to overturn taboos and prohibitions.

House History

In the distant past, before Nicator and his empire, the Occultists were scattered into a loosely organised system of cabals. Studying the secrets of karma and aura manipulation, and quietly interacting with the mysterious and powerful Chaos Lords, they soon attracted the attention of more radical elements within the ancient Church. According to traditional occultic legend, the Luminai launched a vicious crusade against them. Cabals were destroyed, libraries were burned, and all traces of their work were eliminated immediately upon discovery.

The Carnivalis family, of which Silvestri Carnivalis would later become the most famous, sheltered many of the Occultists who were trying to flee the wrath of the Church. According to the legends, it was from the kindness of this organisation that the occultists learned the art of Tarot. Countess Belladona, then of Ashtan, also offered sanctuary to the disorganised Occultists. In return, however, she demanded their assistance in the development of Necromancy - an art that, misfiring, ultimately was her ruin when it transformed her into a fearsome vampiress.

Regrouping, the Occultists established themselves in Ashtan, under the leadership of Belladona’s son, Luxsyth. Abandoning Occultism by his order, they committed themselves entirely to the study of Necromancy. It was not until the year 304, when deprived of Necromancy by the malevolent decree of Sartan, that the Occultists recovered Occultism through the Eschaton Experiment, under the leadership of Shakti Devi and direction of Eris, Goddess of Chaos.

In the year 397 AF, the Occultists Guild became the Occultists House under Orklanishkal Eruu'Yul. Unlike many of the other guilds that made the same transition, the Occultists changed little with respect to their identity and customs.

Demiurges of the Occultists

The following individuals have served the Occultists, first as Guildmasters and later as House Lords, wearing the title of Demiurge.

Guildmasters
#	Name	Term	Comments
1	Servelan de Vermiis	175 AF - 190 AF
2	Luthius	193 AF - 203 AF
3	Bakhu	203 AF - 208 AF
4	Vieira Harkness	208 AF - 209 AF
5	Mordyval Danarrii	209 AF - 227 AF
6	Napoloen	227 AF - 231 AF
7	Morlana Ni'Choya	231 AF - 268 AF
8	Nightcrawler	268 AF - 284 AF
9	Morlana Ni'Choya	284 AF - 287 AF
10	Fate	287 AF - 293 AF
11	Shakti Devi	293 AF - 326 AF
12	Aneila	326 AF - 382 AF
13	Orklanishkal Eruu'Yul	382 AF - 397 AF	Last Guildmaster of the Occultists

House Leaders
#	Name	Term	Comments
1	Orklanishkal Eruu'Yul	382 AF - 397 AF	First House Leader of the Occultists
2	Reznik Saer'rac	397 AF - 403 AF
3	Imyrr Rousseau	403 AF - 419 AF
4	Amunet Viatrix	419 AF - 451 AF
5	Sorantia Caderyn	452 AF - 481 AF
6	Imyrr Rousseau	481 AF - present