The Seers of Siun

Created by Merry S. (blurasberry on Discord)

After the devastation of Eida’s Calamity, Suraakh was left in disarray. Cities and towns were sent into spirals of confusion and chaos. In the struggle to survive the new terrain and lack of leadership, many long-storied settlements and relational ties between groups simply fell away or eroded with the tension caused by scarce resources. The remaining few clambered to find safe places to bed down and rest amongst the scarred land and prowling beasts. A small sect of these scattered people found themselves praying for shelter from the brutal blizzards of the Ashmani Mountains. Throwing their prejudice to the side in favor of a chance to gain the favor of the Goddess Eida, they swore to never again turn a blind eye to her or the suffering her children endured should they survive the storm and grasp a foothold in that unforgiving environment.

History

First Glimpses - 2160-2240

With the numbers of these true survivalists numbering a couple hundred at most, a movement was made to construct a refuge for followers of Eida that had been pushed to the fringes of society by the reconstruction around Suraakh. After a grueling three decades of construction, the truly awe-inspiring Temple of the Seers was finished, housing close to 800 people, the small civilization thrived on the remote peak of Shaabe. Being built on the tallest peak in the Ashmani mountains, the temple was truly the only place in the continent that could boast the clearest and most unimpeded view of the moons above, using clever architecture and masterful stonework to let the light of the bodies naturally illuminate the halls no matter the time of day. Having this focus on harmony with Eida’s gift to them and an aspiring interest in the stars above, it's no wonder that only two years after the temple’s completion, the first of Siun’s blessed was born.

Respect and Resilience - 2298

Word of the Seers and their devotion to both Eida and now Siun finally reaches the newly formed Republic of Suraakh, leading to a small group of four representatives from Oozir attempting to make the journey to the temple at the top of Mount Shaabe. All of the representatives are killed by a sudden avalanche, allegedly after one of the members declares that they would never see fanatic worshipers of Siun as equal to the citizens of Oozir. The weather took a turn for the worst in the months following the death of the envoy, wiping out nearly half of the villages scattered around the Ashmani range in the turmoil. Ever since this incident, those who call the Ashmani mountains home insist that any foreign travelers enlist the assistance of a Seer to ensure that they have a safe journey across the peaks, no matter the distance or the preparation the individuals have undergone.

Goodwill Agreement of Maelstroms - 2840

Centuries of sparse, erratic communication between the Seers and the capital city of Oozir lead to another proposition of peace between the isolated temple and the rest of Suraakh. Led by a moon Elf from Oozir and a white Dragonborn Seer, the Goodwill agreement of Maelstroms is carved in stone at the foot of Mount Shaabe, marking the occasion in arcane writing between both parties to assist one another should the occasion arise. Being the perceptive and insightful individuals that they are, the Seers included a clause that immediately ceases all adherence to this agreement should any of the major cities of Suraakh ever turn against Eida and her daughter's will.

Geography and Strongholds

Because of the relationship between the Seers and the mountains they reside in, many exceptionally dangerous flora and fauna call the peak of Shaabe home, including large colonies of various elementals, multiple broods of both crystal and white dragons, and two notable frost salamander dens. These creatures are considered sacred to the Seers and often times these beasts will seek out help from the temple should they need refuge or skilled healing. While the Seers shy away from interfering with the natural cycle of things too keenly, they do not dissuade the beasts from making their dens in and around the temple’s halls should they want to. Over centuries of this, the temple has become fully integrated with the environment around it, eroding and being rebuilt as the residents see fit, changed on the whims of the land around it, or the fierce battles waged by the creatures within.

Temple Ith and Sai

There are two strongholds of Seers, the original temple at the peak of Mount Shaabe (Ith) and her sister temple at the base of the next tallest mountain, Mount Nayzak (Sai). The sister temple is much smaller and serves as a reception point for many goods that are later transported up to the main temple via flying creatures or arcane runes. The sister temple is also more integrated for humanoid use, generally being the one to accept new Seers and assist them in their eventual journey up to the first temple.

Key Beliefs and Tennants

Paladins of Acuity

Resolve. Assume all threats you face are cunning, powerful, and subversive. Be ever alert for their presence and traces.
Canny. A keen mind and sharp reflexes make for an invaluable tool on the battlefield. Your discipline must be resolute and unwavering in training all aspects of yourself, from your technique with a blade to your reflexes and instinct. Given the time to study it, no aspect of knowledge is beyond your use or comprehension.
Service. Because of your superior senses, the burden falls on you to look out for those that are less attentive. You are always expected to resist the illusions and deceit of resourceful foes.

Cultural Practices and Customs

Leadership

While there is a clear hierarchy in the temples, it's not something to try and understand unless you have grown up and explicitly experienced it for yourself. A curt nod, or biting quip can change the leadership of the temple in a blink. With the emphasis of all tenants at the temples to steel themselves to all manner of deceit and illusion, even the smallest slight can cause you to lose your status. With such strange management, one would think that the temple would be chaotic and disorganized, quickly falling into disarray, but in truth, it's nearly the exact opposite. Only those with a genuine skill for leading and directing others ever intervene to break up discussions and arguments between Seers, and everyone is under the distinct assumption that each person who calls the temple home has the authority and right to take up the space they need to live freely.

Residents

In the temples, the residents are not only humanoid. Nearly half of all beings that call the Seers' temples home are not humanoid in nature, ranging from elemental to beastly and everything in between. Because of this, the residents don’t bat an eye at the destruction and rebuilding of any part of the structures they reside in, chaos and destruction are inherently part of life just as construction and creation are. The greatest offense to most of the Seers that you could commit is merely wasting their time, as most of their work is often lost to the elements, the creatures they live with, or factors outside their control, the Seers value the knowledge that their insignificance in the cosmic scheme of things can be used to fulfill their own lives just as much as it can be used to fulfill others.

Frost Wraiths

With so many draconic, elemental, and otherworldly influences around the peak, magic abounds just about everywhere in the Temples. One of the ways it manifests is through large, icy skeletal creatures called frost wraiths, and these creatures are truly gifted by Siun herself with preternatural perception and insight into an individual's past, present, and future. While they are most commonly found during the rare event of an aurora around the peaks, these creatures can very infrequently be found drifting through the halls of the temples themselves, passing through humanoids and beasts alike with ghostly ease.

Associations and Ties

The Goodwill Agreement of Maelstorms is still in place with the city of Oozir. Spelunkers are directed to not intefere with Seer duties and vice versa. Tensions have occasionally risen. however neither side has attempted to breach the treaty.

Country of Origin: Suraakh

Location: Mountain Shabe within the Ashmani Mountain Range

Patron Demi-god: Siun

Founded In: 2160