Seekers of the White Sign
The Seekers of the White Sign are a quiet yet pervasive cult which worships Oasis.
Structure
The cult is led by the High Seeker. The High Seeker chooses a successor during their time in the role, when they die or resign from their role their choses successor is promoted to High Seeker.
Culture
Different branches of the Seekers are often isolated from one another and have limited contact with other Seekers. This combined with the insular nature of individual groups of Seekers has resulted in heavily varying means of worship.
Due to Rhylstone's position in the ethervoid, the Rhylstone Seekers are highly secretive. Branches that are not located in the ethervoid are much more open about their worship.
Public Agenda
The overall goal of the Seekers is to ascend from mortality and join the Neverplane. Traiditionalist Seekers (such as the Rhylstone Seekers) don't have any concern for mortals on Elos and are exlusively interested in ascension. More contemporary Seekers may have an interest in protecting the mortal world through worship of @Oasis, such as the Laoyaxi Seekers who hope to control the expansion of the Tiaoyin Forest.
History
The Seekers of the White Sign was founded by Tyrael Holafiel in 858, five years after the Crisis ended. During the Crisis Tyrael had lost everyone she knew and cared for, leaving her isolated in the years following. Tyrael initially began praying to the The Tear to ask for mercy, eventually she was joined by a handful of other survivors who sought to keep the Tear placated through worship.
Tyrael was never officially given the title of High Seeker due to a lack of formal structure being in place during the initial years of the Seekers' formation. The first official High Seeker was Cassius Chaucer, who took a leading role in the Seekers following Tyrael's death.
During their initial formation, Seekers would incorporate the ideas introduced by other early members of the organization which became more complex over time. The introduction of Oasis as the chief deity of the Seekers was introduced by Cassius several years after becoming the High Seeker. Cassius did not worship Oasis as a deity before he introduced It to the Seekers, rather he had learned about Oasis through his study of history during which he concluded that Oasis must have been the god of the Neverplane. Cassius wrote a doctrine about Oasis, cementing It into Seeker canon (although Oasis' lore was highly modified from Its original).
Mythology & Lore
Oasis
Oasis is the god Seekers worship. In Seeker lore Oasis created ether, and as an unintentional side effect created life. Because mortals need to have a small concentration of internal ether (referred to by Seekers as the soul), without Oasis creating ether mortal life could never have existed. Because Oasis didn't intend to create mortal life when it created ether, it doesn't care for mortals. It only cares for etherbeings and sees mortals as insignificant and unimportant, some even believe that the existence of mortals is explicitly unholy and that Oasis hates and wants to destroy all mortal beings. Etherbeings in contrast are believed to be Oasis' most beloved creation and are seen as inherently holy.The Neverplane
Seekers of the White Sign believe that the Neverplane is the domain of Oasis and the home of etherbeings. Mortals cannot access the Neverplane due to being inherently unholy and unworthy creatures. To be granted to the Neverplane is to be deemed worthy by Oasis. Seekers strive for holy etherification so that Oasis may one day allow them into the Neverplane.Holy Etherification versus Standard Etherification
In the White Sign there is a clear line drawn between holy etherification and typical etherification. The reason that the White Sign is based in the Alberin Ethervoid is so that if a Seeker becomes etherified then it must have been a blessing granted to them by Oasis, as there is no ambient ether that could have contributed to the process. While standard etherification doesn't disqualify a mortal from reaching the Neverplane, the Seekers believe that avoiding etheric transference is the ultimate show of faith.The Tear
Oasis existed long before the Tear did, but it only existed in the Neverplane. It created ether and etherbeings but as it had no attatchment to the material plane or the people residing within it ignored Elos for aeons. The formation of the Tear in 852 was Oasis attempting to reveal itself-- its formation confirming the existence of Oasis, granting etherbeings access to Elos, and offering mortals the chance to join them in the Neverplane.Recruitment
Because the cult is so secretive and isolated very few outsiders attempt to convert to the White Sign. Followers of the White Sign are typically born in to Seeker parents. The majority of Seekers come from families who have been Seekers for several generations. Seekers are distrustful of outsiders. In Rhylstone, most converts are people who have been kidnapped and held prisoner by the White Sign's Templar impersonators. The False Templars target solitary and vulnerable individuals and accuse them of being magic practitioners, they then escort the victim to Rylstone for "questioning". The victim is imprisoned in Rylstone, after which the False Templars reveal themselves to not be Templars at all. The victims are meant to be used for ether experimentation, typically with the intention to fully etherify the victim and bring them closer to the Neverplane. Before these experiments can take place the victim is brainwashed with the teachings of the White Sign, as the cult doesn't want to usher a nonbeliever into the Neverplane.Granted Divine Powers
Most Seekers are not granted divine power. It's believed that through worship Oasis may deem a Seeker worthy and allow them to ascent into an etherbeing to join It in the Neverplane. Even most High Seekers don't ascend.
Former High Seeker Luna Sims conducted several experiments to discover a means to force ascension. Although her tests successfully etherified many people, she ultimately deemed them a failure as each time she attempted to enter the Neverplane she was expelled.
Founding Date
858
Type
Religious, Cult
Demonym
Seeker
Leader
Leader Title
Founders
Divines
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Comments