The Occultists
| The Occultists | |
| Leader | Sybilla |
| Patron | Ourania, Goddess of the Moon |
| Leadership Style | Elected Autocracy |
| Founder | Harlequin |
| City | Ashtan |
| Classes Permitted | Occultist |
| House Tutor | Ezekial |
| Heraldric Arms | Sable, a chimera salient contourny Or and a chimera salient Or |
| Icon | The Wheel of Chaos |
- This page is about the House. For the class, please see Occultist.
Shrouded by secrecy and misinformation, the venerable House of the Occultists made its home in the northern city of Ashtan. Known for its unpredictability and general insanity, it was 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 was the oath of secrecy that every member had to swear, and the violation of that oath was the only intolerable crime recognized by the House. Both its intense study of Chaos and its affiliation with the city of Ashtan lent the House a strong focus on the ideal of freedom; Occultists despised unnecessary constraints and were quick to overturn taboos and prohibitions.
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.
Consumed by a greater phoenix in a last ditch effort to end the Golgothan seige of Ashtan, the sacrifice of the Living Book of Eschaton broke every warding spell of the Occultist's home, and with a quiet rumble the House collapsed in on itself in 691 AF.
Political History
Patrons
- ??? AF - Lord Sartan
- ??? AF - Lady Eris
- ??? AF - Lady Valnurana
- 360 AF - Lady Makali
- ~395 AF - Lady Ourania
- 482 AF - Lord Babel
- 545 AF - Lady Selene
- 555 AF - Lord Pandemonium
- 567 AF - Lord Matsuhama
- ~578 AF - Lord Babel
- 644 AF - Lady Ourania
Leadership - Demiurges
- 175 AF - Founder: Servelan de Vermiis
- 193 AF - Luthius replaced Servelan as the Demiurge.
- 203 AF - Bakhu replaced Luthius as the Demiurge.
- 208 AF - Vieira replaced Bakhu as the Demiurge.
- 209 AF - Mordyval replaced Vieira as the Demiurge.
- 227 AF - Napoloen replaced Mordyval as the Demiurge.
- 231 AF - Morlana replaced Napoloen as the Demiurge.
- 268 AF - Nightcrawler replaced Moriana as the Demiurge.
- 284 AF - Morlana replaced Nightcrawler as the Demiurge.
- 287 AF - Fate replaced Morlana as the Demiurge.
- 293 AF - Shakti replaced Fate as the Demiurge.
- 326 AF - Aneila replaced Shakti as the Demiurge.
- 382 AF - Orklanishkal replaced Aneila as the Demiurge.
- 397 AF - Reznik replaced Orklanishkai as the Demiurge.
- 403 AF - Imyrr replaced Reznik as the Demiurge.
- 419 AF - Amunet replaced Imyrr as the Demiurge.
- 452 AF - Sorantia replaced Amunet as the Demiurge.
- 481 AF - Imyrr replaced Sorantia as the Demiurge.
- 546 AF - Amunet replaced Imyrr as the Demiurge.
- 637 AF - Lianca replaced Amunet as the Demiurge
- 646 AF - Apollodorus replaced Lianca as the Demiurge.
- 652 AF - Sybilla replaced Apollodorus as the Demiurge.
Icon History
- 403 AF - The Wheel of Chaos was raised.
- ~540 AF - Icon was destroyed.
- ~597 AF - Icon was raised again.
Inhabitants
Ezekial, the Scholar resided within estate of the Occultists, and existed as their tutor.