The Void

Overview:

The Void is a mysterious entity whose influence is often attributed to nothingness and frost. It is largely considered the antithesis to all things occult and magical. Its sole purpose is to devour all things and cast a black, cold shadow over the world to rid it of all things supernatural. Emotion is unnecessary, joy, love, happiness, sadness, anger and other such things are all feeble. The monks of the Hoarfrost Priory use its powers to tame the basest of human instincts, and bring themselves to perfect stability.
In their everlasting war against the arcane, the occult and the heretical, the Monks explore the Way of the Blank Mind in hopes to properly access a state of perfect being. The pursuit of the Void is centered around ignoring and forgetting all mortal shackles. Many sacrifices are made as initiates are plunged into ice cold baths, whipped to the point of exhaustion, or left to meditate hung upside down in a cage full of bats. The Void inspires the Priors to seek out the arcane and reduce it to smithereens, as it holds a cold hatred for its antithesis.
A grim truth remains: the Void does not simply seek the end of all arcane but also all emotion and by extension the destruction of humanity as a whole. The Doctrine serves as conduit and containment for the entity, who is shackled by the willingness of its users...

Manifestation

The Void is never represented, but is often attributed to lack of emotion, discipline and lack of heat. In a sense, it is the ultimate nemesis to the Dragon's Blood, and opposes the arcane practices of the Sacred Storm, as well as the the Monarchies of Hell. The Void itself seeks to end all supernatural life, not out of a sense of domination, but more out of a concept of ultimate emptiness.
It is an unthinking, hungering, mass of nothingness that simply cannot coexist with anything. And as such, it seeks out all other Powers to actively destroy them. The Void itself is incredibly powerful, however limited in that what does not exist cannot affect what does. Instead, it must use agents who follow a Doctrine inspired by its non-existence to restrain themselves. This is where the Doctrine of Ice enters, a foreign theology to Bloomenpeak who aided the Twin Monarchs in culling the Pits. When used, one's inner Void manifests inwardly as absolute stoicism and outwardly as physical frost or ice.
Whilst incredibly destructive in the hands of any other, the Doctrine ensures none but they hold the Void as a source of power, as they alone hold the grim and dour discipline to properly control its effects. Despite their rigor, the Doctrine remains one of the cruellest and most sadistic methodologies known to man, putting those under its ‘care’ through incredible amounts of pain and torture to eliminate all vulnerability from their spirit and body. They are taught to watch, give, and accept suffering at will.
Finally, the Void encourages all its followers to seek out the arcane, even amongst the common folk. This often leads to destructive and indiscriminate inquisitions within innocent households, where civilians are interrogated, searched and even tortured or killed if any suspicious behavior is found.

Localization

The Void is not found anywhere. It does not exist. Each individual is capable of Void, and acknowledging such grants both power over it, but also presence to its concept. As such, wherever one who believes in the Void goes, there is the Void. The collection of these believers can be found within the Hoarfrost Priory, namely the last level wherein a shrine to the Void can be found. The Heart of Ice, this shrine, has never been laid eyes upon except by Priors of the Doctrine.

The Many Purposes of the Void

Damnation by Kev Walker

The Void is purposeless, formless, with for sole will to consume. However, its powers have been used by the Doctrine, and some renegade monks to enforce and follow various purposes.

Inquisition:

The Doctrine of Ice has a special police force that keeps in check those who overuse the occult, and commit crimes using these supernatural powers. These inquisitors, however, take great pleasure in the suffering of their charges, and will often simply find a scapegoat if they cannot find anybody to punish.

Extermination:

The Doctrine of Ice makes use of its powers to stop and exterminate any monstrosities that make their presence known. Though some may believe this is for the betterment of others, it is more so done out of a zealous obligation to destroy whatever excesses of supernatural presence there is. The Void would rather slay a creature than save its victims.

Type

Metaphysical, Supernatural

Found on: Cryo Chamber.