A History of Modern Occultism
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- Chapter 1: OriginationTo understand modern occultism, we must first understand its origins. Occultism is an ancient, sacred practice bestowed upon us by our ancestors in the early first or second age. It was a widely studied art, appreciated by scholars and practitioners everywhere, unlike now, where its image has been perverted by those zealots of Domaanziin and their pathetic fearmongering. To discredit such insanity we only need look to the ruins that dot our shorelines and see that it was a widely practiced skill, unmarred by the misplaced morality of lesser men. These once-magnificent temples, inhabited by creatures both terrestrial and aquatic, stand as testament to the grandeur of the craft. Unfortunately, their civilization is no more, seemingly wiped out by some calamity or another. Such is the fickle nature of history, after all. Once my visions of Bythos are realized, however, that will not be a nature we need concern ourselves with.
- Chapter 2: The War of the RunesIt was the Simaros who first rediscovered the ancient art, dragging artifacts of the occult from the seafloor, where more ruins no doubt reside. Greed then took hold of them, and of the men of this time, and they misused its gifts for their petty wars. Semseris of New Pontium was the first to harness its power, creating the curse of frailty. All who crossed his path on the field of battle found their strength failing them, their swords slipping from their little fingers. A delicious prospect, I must admit. Unfortunately, Father Helciphron the Pure of Gwynia Avono sought to counter this with a more heavy-handed use of the gift. How "pure" of him, indeed! He unleashed an ichor bomb directly over the Simaros forces, raining superheated viscera down upon them. I'm sure it was quite the spectacle, yes, but it lacks the elegance of the refined craft we practice here in the halls of our monastery. Sir Varen Winn of Northgaelia formulated the ritual of summoned doom, sacrificing his own forces to call forth terrible demons to augment his human forces. Now that's true ingenuity! In fact, his early spellcraft forms the basis of many modern summoning rituals. What a guy! Of all the so-called mages of the war, he's my personal favorite.
- Chapter 3: The DeclineUnfortunately for every exciting advancement there were several misappropriations. The most egregious, of course, is the event we all know as the burn, which rendered the Simaros island nation forever uninhabitable. Some idiot sorcerer unleashed a horribly miscalculated spell that got our great craft banned across the continent. If I ever find his spirit, the things I'll do to him will make the burn seem paltry by comparison. Anyways, after all the fun ended, the art spread north to Bruga and Meromar, where it was used by their deathspeakers to commune with their ancestors. Not the most creative use of the craft, but one I respect greatly. There are many beneficial uses of occultism's great wonders, far beyond simple acts of violence. The Bruga and Meromar people understood this. The Northgaelians, however, did not. Ruled by fear, they wiped out the peaceful kingdom of Meromar in an atrocious act of brutality. And they call us savages? I would laugh at the irony if their shortsightedness wasn't so aggravating!
- Chapter 4: Our PathAnd now we come to the modern day. That wretched ban persists, but my followers and I are undaunted. We, the true children of the ancient art, will continue our research into Bythos and Occultism both, and with the secrets revealed to us we shall improve the lives of all, even for those who would otherwise deny themselves our gifts! Through our shared vision, the limits of our mortal flesh shall be rendered obsolete, and I will usher us into a glorious, everlasting Fifth Age of limitless magic and eternal life! They may curse us, persecute us, but our great work will never cease! We are the chosen, and our path will lead all life to a greater state of existence.