Veil Reachers

The Veil Reachers are group of witches, worshiping Nocturnis, that learned how to use the magic energy of the veil between the worlds and even how to control Nocturnis' shadows. Hidden away from the eyes of others they still practice the old beliefs and rituals that had been forgotten by the public centuries ago.

Public Agenda

They keep very much to themselves, especially since in the past those who chose to worship Nocturnis were seen in a negative light and often excluded. They do not actively search for new members, rather do they come across them mostly by accident. When they are not currently meeting as a whole, they do not show their connection with the coven to others, be it by openly preaching or even wearing parts of their traditional apparel, such as jewelry embalished with Nocturnis' sigil, without hiding it underneath their clothing.

Assets

Since the members of the coven spend most of their time traveling Esterya on their own, they do not gather valuables or resources that are to be used by every member. In that regard they are mostly independent. The only buildings they temporarily inhabit are the ruins of temples that were once used to worship Nocturnis centuries ago, when the fight between gods was still going on. They are scattered across Esterya, while Sunsreach houses most of them. They are almost always hidden away in caves, forest or build into the cliffs along the southern and northern seas, to keep their existence secret and protect any worshipers visiting them.

History

They were once a sub-group within a religious group that worshiped Nocturnis before and during the battle between the gods. While most others have abandoned their beliefs eventually after Nocturnis had vanished or simply stopped preaching, the Veil Reachers continued to do so, partially because they perceived their connection to Nocturnis to be much closer than that of others and their commitment as much stronger.

Mythology & Lore

Other than the Shojorin, who believe Nocturnis to be the one who started the great battle between the gods, the Veil Reachers are some of the last people who still know how things had actually started. In their view Lycilia was the one to start breaking the balance by creating life and got mad when Nocturnis had to take the creatures faster than before to keep the balance intact. opposite to most, they do not hate Nocturnis and still pray to them, even though they know that Nocturnis had been defeated and mostly extinguished many centuries ago. In their belief there are still parts of Nocturnis left in Esterya, which they do not see as something negative or dangerous, rather as something that is necessary to keep up the natural order.

Tenets of Faith

"Embrace the shadows. They will always be there to protect you, even when all light has vanished." "Do not fear death, as it is merely the beginning of something new."

Worship

During every night of a new moon the whole coven gathers in the biggest temple left in the cliffs along the southern sea and worships Nocturnis in a night-long ritual, in which they use The Eye of Nocturnis to call out to their god. Aside from this extensive ritual, they do not regularly worship through rituals or prayers. Only when they intend to control Nocturnis' shadows in any way, they perform a short ritual including prayers and the use of certain herbs.

Priesthood

Their High Priestess is voted into her position by the other members. She is usually one of the older members, with the most experience. When decisions are to be made, she is the one to make them, although the opinions of other members are almost always taken into account. This is to keep power within the coven distributed as evenly as possible. The High Priestess is also the one to send out the magic signal to all members to gather in moments of emergency, that need the presence of all members, or when decisions are to be made that affect the whole coven. Everyone that wants to join the coven and to be taught in their magic, needs to be deemed worthy by the high priestess, before they can begin their apprenticeship.

Granted Divine Powers

Back when they had not yet been extinguished by Lycilia, Nocturnis allowed them to control their shadows to a certain extend and use their magical energy. Nocturnis was also the one who taught them how to reach into the veil between Esterya and the "Otherworld" to use its energy for various kinds of magic, ranging from making plants grow much faster and bigger than they normally would, to even healing certain illnesses. They are most know for their ability to help those who suffer from a Torn Soul, by taking control of the shadow inhabiting the affected individual's soul.