Diluvian Diviners

Historical Overview

Origins

Lake Etan, and the two rivers flowing from it, have long been the lifeblood of the Vestral Downs and much of Anhara's agriculture. As they are largely fed by snowmelt from the Coquet Heights and Nyara's Peaks, the lake and the two halves of Etan's Stream seasonally flood the lowlying Downs.
This was most dangerous during the ancient days of the Age of Rule, and the early settlers of the river valley recorded many destructive flooding events. Before the College of Vestrial Priestesses' crackdown on the Old Ways, the worship of the nature deities was more prominent. Thus, the residents of the Downs turned to druids of Mistra in an attempt to placate the waters and prevent flooding.
These druids formed an early priest class before the Vestrial Priestesses began extending their authority beyond the Heights. They acted as not just predictors of the weather, but augurs, orators, and advisors to the nobility.

Suppression

The Diluvian Druids, other times known as Diluvian Diviners or the Diluvialist Circle, fell from power with the growth of two groups. The first was the Vestrial Priestesses, who spread their authority through the Tribunal for the Upkeep of the Sacred. Their goal was not only to stamp out the worship of the old, natural gods, such as Mistra, but also to expand the authority of Vestria and thus, themselves.

"It was my duty for some time to wander the valesides and speak to those whose beliefs are somewhat out of date. Our place is to remind them that our faith is in Vestria, daughter of Mistra, and it is now the turn of those gods of Her line to rule, with full respect to those whose importance came before." - Br. Guy d'Aimonne, a proselytizing religious brother from the the Vinelands

The Priestesses coupled with a second group, House Oeis. House Oeis was the founding house in control of the Lower Downs. With the aid of the Priesthood, they expanded into the Upper Downs, forcing tribute from the Old Gods' worshippers of House Etan.
With the entire Downs eventually under Oeis' control, they began not only cracking down on threatening groups like the Diviners, but also constructing grand works across the region. One such project was the Oeis Levees, a system of elevated earthen structures doubling as both flood protection and a road network.
This network, as well as more advanced methods of predicting flooding, combined with persecutions by the Tribunal, doomed the Diviners to obscurity.

Resurgence

After the Fall of House Oeis in the Age of Rule, there was a brief resurgence of Diviners as advisors to the newly-elevated former vassals of House Oeis. These groups were looking to reforge the region's identity and used the Diviners as a cultural symbol more than a group for predicting weather.
Today, Diviners survive in a limited form. No longer associated with religious rites or augury, they are seen as oddities by urban residents of the Downs, and a unique cultural touchstone by more rural houses.

Type

Religious, Druidic Circle

Alternative Names

Diluvialist Circle, Diluvian Druids

Parent Organization

House Etan

Location

Genesee