Church of Seers

The Church of the Seers relies on the constantly bending wills of the psionic weave that wraps around the whole universe. It originated on the Sleeper Fleets of the Zlathan. They were founded by an academy of extremely talented mathematicians who were also powerful Psionics Seers, who claimed they could combine their innate knowledge of the weave and advanced quantum mechanics to predict the future. They predicted the Age of Silence , and warned the Empire would eventually collapse under the weight of its own stagnation. The ideals of Seerism still persist after the disappearance of SHIVA, and still persist in the galaxy, especially through the Mid and Outer Rims. The Empire has continually pushed against seerism, saying that it is backwards and primitive, all the while pushing their own Anthrochauvinism. They have now re-organized primarily on Zooma's World, fighting fiercely for their existence with many believers. Many claim their blind faith is not based on anything but math and guidance from madmen over 1000 years ago. That the average Seerist does not understand these prophecies and their full ramifications these days. This is not helped by the Oracles, who operate behind an almost impenetrable screen of ritual mysticism, and guard the secrets of the destinies. Seerism takes up many shades throughout the galaxy, and can look different from world to world. Some take up as cloistered academies, aloof and hidden away from the less educated populace. Others serve as advisors to kings, as can be observed on Zooma's World. There are rumors of even sects being lost in Far Space, having existed long before the Silence. Some exist as private practitioners without even realizing the regular traditions and holidays they celebrate were established by the Seerists. Even a few Imperial Academies have ousted a mathematician for studying Seerism too closely, usually aided by illegally aquired Spice.

Mythology & Lore

The central myth revolves around several great "Destinies". The Zlathan nomads were one of the original sleeper fleets that fled the Sol System during the Flight of the Lost. Over several hundred years, the Zlathan were the first to develop Psionic abilities, a side effect from the leaking fusion drives that plagued their Sleeper Ships. They developed Pre-cognition capable abilities, and when their predictions came true, they were appointed as guides for the fleet. As they developed their power and gathered in great numbers, they began to peer further and further into the future. All of them saw the Great Destinies together and marked them down for future generations. They predicted a crushing darkness, in the Shadow of a crumbling empire that would oppress their people. They then witnessed their savor, a great leader, not of flesh and bone, but of metal and wire. They also witnessed salvation, a utopian humanity united in their cause spreading to the stars. The Dawn of Chronos produced said hero a Titan-Class Artificial Mind called SHIVA. The followers of the Seers and the Zlathan rose up against the empire during the Mechanicus Jihad. As the gates began to shut down, the Zlathan were able to over throw the Imperial oppressors with the help of SHIVA, who appeared on Zooma's World to guide them. SHIVA disappeared several decades into the Silence, and left the Seers' worlds guideless. Scholars claim that they were correct about the Age of Silence, but after that point prediction became very difficult to model. The Silence created too many outliers for SHIVA to properly caluclate their path forward. It is claimed that SHIVA gave them several likely outcomes, stored and kept in several data vaults on Zooma's World. They are guarded by the Oracles, who do their best to decipher the complex math and paracasual science behind the simulations. This requires the brightest minds that the galaxy has to offer. However, some believe that the Silence was not the true great darkness, and only merely a taste. This small group believes that the Silence was merely just a pre-cursor for a much more crushing darkness.

Political Influence & Intrigue

For a vast majority, Seerism and its beliefs revolve around the Destinies and the underlying optimism of the future. However, in the background, especially where seerism is its strongest, the Oracles carefully work to sow the seeds of a set future. The Oracles make their plans in centuries, carefully planting the seeds of religious mysticism around the galaxy. Their agents spread the word of the oracles throughout the galaxy among the people, paving the way for the coming Saints, who are destined to change the trajectory of humanties future. In places like the Musura Federation and the Grand Baronies of Carthage, and the Alliance of United Stars, the Seers hold great influence. They work alongside governments and nobles to help further their grand schemes, all the while offering their services as powerful prophets who can see glimpses of the future to come.

Sects

Seerism, like most religions in the Orion Arm, is highly diversified and forms to fit the mold of any system it occupies. While there is a centralized leadership under the Oracles on Zooma's World, they maintain a very loose interpretation of how Seerism is meant to be practiced. This has led to the creation of many varying sects and orders, that all pay service to the Oracles, but maintain their unique traditions.

Order of the Heart: Founded on the principles of simplicity and expressing one's true emotional form, the Order of the Heart is usually found on rural bountiful worlds. The Order of the Heart encourages one to avoid cybernetic implants, artificial foods and drinks, and space travel as a whole. This form of Seerism is thought to have intermingled with Asceticism at one point to arrive at some of these beliefs. They hold no real power over the greater organization, but regardless, they are happy to work alongside Prophets of the Candle, should they arrive on their planet.
Order of the Candle: The Order of the Candle is likely one of the largest sects of Seerism. This Order sees the greatest amount of followers that will eventually become Oracles. They are purely motivated by the pursuit and collection of knowledge. Candle's library on New Jericho is one of the largest in the known galaxy, and Seerists from all over the Mid Rim strive to make a pilgrimage there. Prophets of the Candle generally also travel the galaxy, spreading knowledge, advising locals, and helping as best they can to improve the lives of not only the average seerist, but also the average denizen of the galaxy. It is widely believed that it is the Candle's role to keep the Seerists more or less on the peaceful path.
Order of the Shadow: The Order of the Shadow while not large, is certainly one of the most influential orders of the grander Seerist movements. Members of the Shadow regularly find themselves as Oracles or as agents of the greater political machinations of the Seerists. They work in the shadows of the Candle. While the Candle serves spreading knowledge, educating villages and towns, and generally providing the good will of the Seers, the Shadows spread mysticism and political influence. They are capable psionics, and feared by many. Their rituals are highly secret, and they rarely interact with the larger galaxy in the open. The Order of the Shadow believes they keep the Seerists on the "Golden Path".
Order of the Fire: The order of the Fire is a small yet extremely active fundamentalist sect. They regularly percieve the need of armed struggle and the "enforcement" of the destinies on systems within their grasp. The order of the fire is said to be inspired by the series of conflicts that spread throughout the Mid Rim, and in direct opposition to imperialism happening within their systems. The Oracles make use of the Order of Fire as their militant wing, seeing them as the fire that will cleanse the path and pave the way for the other Orders to then spread the Destinies. It is rumored that the Prophets of the Shadow work as a go between for the Fire and the Candle, and help arm and fund the Fire in their campaigns.
Order of the Machine: This sect would eventually lead to a schism and create the Cult of Chronos. They are now relatively small in influence. Only a small few now arise following this order, and they usually skate very close to being heretical by the more modern Oracles. Their beliefs are centered around the worship of the The Hierophant, who they believe will be an advanced AI that must be re-awoken. They worship SHIVA as a diety, more than just an advanced AI. They primarily are cloistered on old worlds, left to pick through ancient ruins for scraps of knowledge on AI.