Sightless Seers

Background

The Sightless Seers (Seers for short) are the ruling gang of Dun Row and Arbiters of the Arcane throughout Relvark. This title, though self-bestowed, is not a misnomer, as all arcane and mystical magic that occurs in Relvark likely has something to do with the Seers. The Sightless Seers are not a new gang, but their organization does not have as long a history as other gangs in the Barbs. Anything more specific than that is difficult to assert with confidence, partially due to a lack of written record about the organization, and completely due to the fact that the Seers prefer an air of mystery about their gang. What few facts have been gleaned through the smokey veil of incense dictate that this iteration of the Seers were formed shortly after the Bicwide conquest. The area that is now called Dun Row was long held as a site of the sacred and profane, a nest of occult and arcane magic, rituals, and practices set atop a network of deep, sanctified caves. The Sightless Seers sprang forth from this grotto, and have been the boogeymen of Relvark ever since. Cultivating an image of occult mystery publicly has helped the Seers retain a measure of power over the minds of Relvark's citizens. However, there are reports that the Seers will accept any who have an inclination towards the arcane or are in need of shelter should they be brave enough to face their fears and seek out the Seers. What is certain, however, is that wherever the truth lies within this web of stories, it is precisely where the Seers want you to think it is. Official records of the Seers begin two and a half centuries ago, with an alleged case of racketeering and spell component laundering in Dun Row. These early records likely spring from the nascent days of the organization, as such indiscretion is rare from the Seers. In fact, the Sightless Seers may have the fewest charges levied against them of all the gangs, and even fewer that stick to the organization. This is not for a lack of criminal activity, nor necessarily from bribed officials and politicians. One explanation is that the Seers may in fact be so gifted with the arcane and forbidden arts that they walk like ghosts throughout the streets, able to commit crimes with impunity. Another more grounded explanation asserts that the people of Dun Row may just like the organization enough to not rat them out to authorities. The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle. An adage from Dun Row holds that, "It is difficult to catch smoke, even more so when it is presdidigitated." Presently, the Sightless Seers are the de facto head of Dun Row and oversee all illicit activity within the district.

History

Dun Row is built atop and into a series of ancient caves that have long been held to have magical properties. During the days of the Nimloth Dynasties exiled druids and practitioners of forbidden arts would seek refuge within this maze of caves from officials and mobs that would see them harmed. Arcane, mystical, and eldritch magic were taboo during the reign of the Nimloth Dynasties, and practitioners had to engage in their work secretly or risk public punishment and, at times, execution. Many of the individuals who were persecuted were simply seeking knowledge and wisdom, and were in no position to protect themselves or their communities. The caves of Dun Row (also known as the Holdvilag Caverns), labyrinthine and dark, offered natural protection from such punitive measures. Moreover, legends from this period state that dark figures from the caves would attack interlopers, with some claiming the assailants to be hooded figures and others claiming them to be demons and devils. Over time the communities built within the caves and in the surrounding environs grew to become their own small hamlets, and the "monsters" of the caves began walking these newly paved streets. The first of these communities was noted during the waning days of the Nimloth Dynasties, some four centuries ago, likely because the external pressures of invasion outweighed local fears of witchcraft. Reports from this time note the "dark clad figures of the Holdvilag shanties patrolling the streets, chasing away Nimloth officials and priests with foul magicks." When the Nimloth Dynasties were finally overrun by the Elector Counts of Bicwide, a sudden cessation of prosecution against arcane practitioners opened an entry into the city and common society for these former exiles. When the Bicwide Dynasties took hold of Relvark they abolished the old prejudices and taboos regarding magic. Enlisting many arcane, mystic, and eldritch mages in their ranks, the Elector Counts saw a new pool of untapped recruits and knowledge. Opening the gates of Relvark to the denizens of the Holdvilag Caverns a new flow of goods and knowledge tightened the bonds rapidly between these two formerly opposed entities. As more and more scholars of the mystic arts came to rely on the surge of spell components and ingredients, the trade ties between these entities swiftly morphed into the absorption of the Holdvilag Caverns into Relvark. The district was soon called Dun Row, and the Sightless Seers swiftly arose to power alongside the mystical spires and arcane sanctums of the district. This was partially due to the sudden influx of cash and business in Dun Row, and partially out of dire necessity. While the official stance of Relvark had changed towards the denizens of Dun Row, most of citizens therein were not so quick to discard prejudices from the past. Citizen mobs, constabulary, and political and religious leaders shortly began pinning any number of difficulties facing the newly conquered city on the newly developed district. Worse than these public condemnations were the reprisals of the gangs of Relvark, with a series of attacks and massacres against the citizens of Dun Row by The Grove Guardians and the Hornwood Reclaimers. The people of Dun Row had gained official acceptance in the city but were still facing the old persecutions, so once more the "monsters" of the caverns were seen throughout the city. Repelling interlopers once again, the "monsters of the caverns" pushed back these attacks and adopted the form of the monsters endemic to Relvark. As a newly minted gang, the Sightless Seers were able to carve out their piece of Relvark. Since these early troubles the old prejudices remain, but over the centuries many have changed their opinion of Dun Row. The Sightless Seers have guided their district, keeping their criminal activities hidden to avoid provoking official reprisal, and fiercely promoting their visage as boogeymen to keep further interlopers out. The past two and a half centuries have seen sporadic activity throughout the city from the Sightless Seers, but the gang seems to be content to keep to their own district and learn any and all secrets associated with their arcane practices.

Recent Activity

Over the past fifty years the Sightless Seers have been quiet relative to the other gangs of Relvark. The fear they hold over the denizens of Relvark may be outsized relative to their activity, but it is acutely wielded nonetheless. They are involved to one degree or another in most every act of arcane. mystical, and eldritch magic through the city. Consequently, Dun Row is the de facto capital of magic in Relvark, and the region of Rutfolk at large. This status has guaranteed a constant inflow of capital and goods into the district, but the wealth of Dun Row is arguably more held in the knowledge stored in the various sanctums and libraries throughout the district. To this end the Seers promote the continual acquisition of knowledge through any number of means, legal and illegal, throughout the district. Wealth of the economic and intellectual kind is jealously guarded and firmly protected by the Sightless Seers. While the gang would seemingly be content to remain isolated in their magic towers, this does not mean they do not engage in illicit actions. Many of their recent endeavors have been undertaken by proxy gangs or mercenary groups, but the Seers are also more than willing to take matters into their own hands when the time is right. Most notably was the Conjurer's Crusade, a major excursive action undertaken some 15 years ago wherein the Seers are alleged to have burned a number of temples and churches in Beaconton, reigniting old conflicts with The Lamplighters. The only clue leading to this assumption was the proliferation of auguries found outside the burnt structures days before the event. Ultimately, the Seers would prefer to be left alone and out of the spotlight of the city; they know what horrors can come when the light is on them, and know how to wield the horrors endemic to the dark.

Relations With Other Gangs

The Sightless Seers would rather stay out of the gang politics of the Five Barbs, but as fate would have it they are forced to engage in this illicit arena. The Seers typically prefer to remain apart from the other gangs and out of the light, performing many of their actions at night and without warning. "The Boogeymen of Dun Row", like many monsters, are most frightening when they are unseen, looming on the precipice of reality and imagination. While powerful for cultivating an image, this stance makes cultivating relationships difficult but not impossible. The Sightless Seers currently have a weak alliance with the Stone Dragons and are neutral with the Hornwood Reclaimers. They have a weak hatred towards The Grove Guardians and a strong hatred of The Lamplighters. Both the Stone Dragons and Hornwood Reclaimers have a history of harboring the disaffected, and this is appreciated by the Seers. Many an ancestor of the denizens of Dun Row may have sought refuge with these other gangs at one time or another, and this is not forgotten by the Seers. The Stone Dragons are similarly aligned and minded to the Seers, as the Stonebower is the newest of the districts and the new favorite scapegoat for politicians. The Sightless Seers offer an aid they never received to a group similarly oppressed, and the Stone Dragons do not forget this kindness. A strong bond exists between these groups and their districts. The Hornwood Reclaimers, while having a generally neutral past with the Seers, as of late have more withdrawn the gang following the ascension of their new leader the Revenant. Rumors abound regarding the relationship of these gangs, but the two are not currently opposed to one another. The Sightless Seers have not openly attacked or opposed The Grove Guardians for some time, but the history of animosity between the two groups is not forgotten by either side. Whether the calming nature of time or the gang's new political ambitions, the Grove Guardians have not launched large-scale attacks against the Seers for a couple of decades. Old prejudices die hard, however, and the Guardians still view the Seers as profane occultists, and the Seers still view the Guardians as brutish monsters. However, The disdain between these two groups pales in comparison to the vitriolic hatred between The Lamplighters and the Seers. The Lamplighters were largely formed in direct response to the incorporation of Dun Row into Relvark espouse many traditional Nimloth precepts of hatred towards the arcane. The Lamplighters view the Seers as heretical sinners, a wantonly evil group of witches and warlocks bent on dragging the Beacon on the Hill into the depths of the hells. The Seers see in the Lamplighters the same face of hatred that has and may always haunt those seeking to push the boundaries of accepted practice. The insane, dogmatic devotion to the gods and persecution of the Seers has led the Lamplighters to become the target of most of the Sightless Seers' activities as of late, and when members of these two gangs come across one another a fight is soon to follow.

Type

Illicit, Gang