Occasism is a minor religion that worships the Ruin. Occasism places an emphasis on a galactic rebirth known as the Occasus (Latin: Setting Sun), in which the Ruin will successfully take over and assimilate every lifeform in the galaxy in order to create the 'Unity', a state of society where there is no strife, only complete understanding of one another. Occasism as a religion is based on certain selections of Ancient tomes such as the Great Vaticini Caelestis and the Oculi Auream, adapted to modern times by the founder Asra Nox. Such texts hold written accounts of the Ruin at the height of its power, performing feats such as assimilating minds into its vast Gestalt.
As a religion, Occasism can be found in a large variety of places practiced by small groups of people organized into temples or cults. It is practiced by a wide variety of different species. It has a great deal of overlap with other esotetic and occult beliefs such as Tarot, and some Occasus sects and temples nurture the use of Psionics, which they simply called the "Art".
¶ Occasus Esoterica
Occasism is an occult religion, having a variety of esotetic tradition that Occasists practice. Occasism has a lot of overlap with other occult practices such as Tarot, tulpa creation, and more. However, Occasism has certain unique practices, these being the consumption of ambrosia and the practice of psionic arts.
¶ Oracles and Ambrosia
An oracle is a practitioner of Occasism that regularly engages in the consumption of ambrosia, a drug known by well-learned occasists to be the fossilized blood of the Ruin. When taken regularly, ambrosia has the potential to induce hallucinatory visions that allow the user to tap into the great Gestalt of the Ruin hivemind, gleaming otherworldly visions and memories. Practiced oracles are a source of immense guidance for other occasists, and an incredibly valuable source of information for extremist sects of Occasism.
¶ Mystics and the Art
An occasist psion is known as a mystic. Knowledge of psionics is known among various secretive, more occult circles of occasists that engage in nurturing the art and teaching it to others. Occasist psionics are called cabalistics, or more commonly "The Art". Cabalistics places an emphasis on the connection between the mind and the world, or a microcosm and the macrocosm. Using the Art, mystics are able to manipulate the etheric plane in order to control their etheric body, their direct psychic influence including their reserve of aether. Knowledge of the Art was gleamed from Ancient tomes and manuscripts regarding it.
Mystics are able to impose their will on the world to achieve great things, and some use the Art to achieve a oneness with the Ruin that none have achieved before. Examples include the usage of clairsentience to read neural information from the Ruin's Gestalt such as memories, or the usage of metamanipulation to biokinetically manipulate or assimilate Ruin tissue.
¶ Occasus Extremism
A small portion of occasists take their faith seriously enough to take up arms in favor of the Ruin; the reasons for doing so vary, such as hoping the Ruin will favor them after the Occasus occurs, or because ambrosia visions told them to perform certain tasks, or simply to find a place to belong to. A few extremist sects have sprouted in Civspace, and there is one particularily old sect that operates in Fringe space, led by a mysterious figure called the 'Sun'. These sects tend to be devout to the point where they pour significant resources into matters such as research regarding the Ruin or the Ancients.
¶ Occasus History
Occasism first developed approximately 300,000 years ago in the midst of the Ancients' war against the Ruin, forming into a cult translated as the "Gilded Eyeseekers", founded by an Ancient known by modern scholars as Eraxis'ocul. The Eyeseekers worked as a force in favor of the Ruin, before the war came to a mysterious end. The Oculi Auream describes ways in which Eyeseeker cultists transcended their mortal bodies, and became one with the Ruin.
Over 300,000 years later, Occasism resurfaced in Sol, following the discovery of Ancient Occasus texts such as the Great Vaticini Caelestis and the Oculi Auream by archaeologist Asra Nox. Nox formed the first modern Occasus cult in Earth and abandoned all of her previous work and research in pursuit of the Ruin, driven by what seemed to be madness.
Years after, Earth met its destruction by the Ruin, and galactic history was forever changed. Nox's whereabouts after Earthfall are not known, but Occasism as a religion spread from her teachings, reaching other homeworlds and even the Fringe.
Player Option: Occasist
As a religion, Occasism attracts a great deal of hate for their worship of the Ruin, a vast force of destruction that has killed billions. As an Occasist, you believe the might of the Ruin will bring a rebirth of the galaxy as we know it, unifying every living organism under the Unity. You trust the Ancient accounts of the Ruin's power and the peace that the Gestalt brings at the height of its power. You may even be an extremist, performing hated acts for the sake of the Ruin.