Cult of the Sunless sea

Founded by a circle mage who claimed to have discovered a hidden truth behind divinity, it is said he had used Divination magic so powerful he could divine the will of Sol, and upon this vastness was found naught but a sunless sea, one bereft of the "one" but filled with "the many", a sea of stars, an infinite divines. This revelation that in truth Sol is not the sole divine shining upon the world, but one of many lighting the night sky, that each star contains a divine being powerful and benevolent, gently watching and guiding those who can see them and are willing to listen. The Scholar remained anonymous in fear of prosecution by the Church of Sol and published a series of vague poetic riddles in various publications, he sponsored and wrote a myriad of books and treaties wherein he hid kernels of his truth to those that would wander and "Dream of a sunless sea". Many years did the writings go unnoticed until a multitude of lesser cults had spawned and he garnered an ardent following, once the inquisition learned of the scholars' identity and his blasphemy they launched an inquisition to weed him and his followers out; what happened to this scholar, and his true identity remains a closely guarded secret to this day.
These believers would often worship a pantheon of Stars as divine entities and ascribe meaning to star signs and their movement, as such they regard themselves as astrologians first and foremost.

Doctrines:

The Radiant Oblivion; a belief that the gods of the sunless sea can not reach Adar while the planet is awash with the ever-increasing oppressive light of Sol, as such his influence must be lessened lest the world faces an imminent "Radiant oblivion", believers point to climate change and the ever distant gods as a justification for their fear of this apocalypse. Even though most don't truly believe fully in this doctrine, many still consider the "Radiant Oblivion" the afterlife for those "taken" by Sol, and it is often depicted as a pure-white void of nothing, true oblivion, many followers are driven to their belief in the sunless sea for fear of this afterlife.
Shadowbringer; a belief that shadow is only cast where the light shines bright, as such followers of this doctrine tend to believe in a balance of Sol's radiance and the comforting shadow of the sunless sea, they themselves often take positions in the church of Sol while hiding their true faith, acting as a mediating factor to the often harsh judgment of the church. They seek to give succor, or shade, to those cast in the oppressive light of Sol. The church sees such believers as heretical spies intent on corrupting Sols' divine light, and anyone who reports such "Shadowbringers" may find themselves richly rewarded as the cultist is burned upon the stake.
The Blessed; a form of saint worship, where those born under auspicious star signs and who show favorable traits as they reach adulthood are venerated as avatars of the gods. These traits often tend to be an aptitude for magic, as such those venerated as blessed tend to become powerful and influential figures, even though in most communities such reverence is kept hidden and to secret shrines and underground temples. It is said that the first blessed was the scholar who first spread the word of the sunless sea, as such many blessed seek to follow in his footsteps.

Structure

The cult is as varied as it is widespread, often taking on cultural norms and forming symbiotic relationships with other faiths and cults. Due to its decentralized nature, no leader or leadership structure exists, save for those following the Blessed doctrine where the blessed themselves can become leadership figures.

Public Agenda

To uncover the "Sunless sea" and discover the truth behind divinity.

Worship

Let not thine name grace his light A typical tenant observed by shades is to shun the use of their True name, or any name resembling it, while in daylight, for doing so would be to reveal oneself to Sol and incur his wrath.
Pay reverence to thy name day It is normal for shades to celebrate their name-day, a day corresponding to the star sign that closest resembles their true name. The method of celebration varies but often includes star gazing.
Carry thy heart upon your skin Many practitioners will make amulets and other accessories out of gemstones with the color of their patron star, this they call their "hearthstone" and embodies their dedication to their faith. It is believed that one can not reach into the sunless sea without one such hearthstone, and to be buried without one condemns the soul to the Radiant Oblivion.
As above so below A ritual where practitioners gather in caves or underground temples with candles, each practitioner, in turn, places their candles in their assigned pattern to form a star sign. The goal is to mirror the nights' sky with Candle lights, it also becomes a rite of passage for children of the Nights' blessed as they focus their intent outward towards the star sign of their birth, and should the candles swell with light and increased intensity the child is presumed to be blessed and in possession of magical abilities that the community must foster. If a practitioner has recently died, their family may present an additional, small candle light with a special wick that burns a dim blue, this is to signal the rebirth of the spirit in the sunless sea.

Dream of the sunless sea

Type

Religious, Cult

Alternative Names

Night's Blessed, Star Seekers

Demonym

Night's Blessed, Shade