Order Of Acolytes

"Let there be Light!"
In the primordial Darkness that preceded all creation, God created the Light, and the Light conquered the Darkness and revealed creation. However, the Darkness was not destroyed, but receded to the deepest parts of creation, there it dwelled in its own nature. The Light and the Darkness existed together, despite being opposite forces, and together they formed a symbiosis, and from that symbiosis was born the Order of Acolytes. 
Aspect Of God: Master Of Light & Darkness
AKA: The Luminarians, the Luminous Order, the Eternal Shadow, the Shadow of God. 
== Facts: ==
-Acolytes are Adepts of Light and Darkness, able to create, draw forth, draw power from, and ultimately manipulate both light and darkness in various ways. These concepts of Light and Darkness which suffuse the Order also transcend the physical, scientific definitions of the words and include philosophical, metaphysical, and even religious notions as well. 
-The Order of Acolytes are an Order forever locked in contradiction. On the one hand, they are passionate seekers of the truth; on the other hand, they are famous for keeping secrets, and will go to great lengths to conceal certain things from others, even from the other Orders. 
-Acolytes can generate light, or darkness, solidifying it into various shapes. This is one of their more basic abilities and it is probably the one they are best known for. 
-Use of these abilities have potent psychological effects, especially on those unfortunate enough to be attacked by them. Imagine, being an enemy of the Acolytes and walking home one night, only to be suddenly enveloped by inky darkness and swallowed whole? 
-Can intensify or diminish sources of light, can radiate whole areas, can generate radioactive light as a weapon, can dazzle or mesmerize with a plethora of colors. 
-Can reshape, move, or differentiate shadows, can make shadows come alive, can shape darkness into solid objects, can trap others in darkness, etc.
-Can create solid objects of light or darkness, both tools, body armor, even primitive weapons. These abilities are generally only available to Veterans of the Order, making Veteran Acolytes extremely dangerous (after all, they can create their own weapons and armor on the spot if need be).  
-Advanced Adepts of this Order can physically transform into beings of pure light or darkness (harmed only by the opposing element). 
-It's important whether an Acolyte is channeling primarily the Light or the Darkness, because objects made of darkness are easily broken by light, and vice versa.  Another words, swords of light tend to dull and break when in near darkness, powers of light fade when cut off from all light, etc.
-Black and purple are colors traditionally associated with the Order of Acolytes. 
-Sol and Luna, the World Souls of both the sun and moon, are also patrons of the Order. 
== Second Born: ==
There is something of a mythological legend prevalent within the Order of Acolytes that holds that in the time before time, in the primordial moment of aeternity that preceded all of creation, God first created the Order of Infinity simply by being Himself. The Order of Infinity being God's own Order, after all. 
However, in doing so, He also created The Darkness. That primordial, never-quite-defined essence of all that is not-God and unholy. This was the first member of the Acolyte Order, and thus the Acolytes are God's 'second born' creation. They believe their Order preceded all other Orders, even the Order of Celestials. The only exception to this, of course, is the Order of Infinity. 
This is important in the overall theology of the Order because it is the reason why the Acolytes know so much - it's because they've effectively been here since the beginning. The secrets that lie at the heart of their Order are the very secrets of creation itself. 
== Keepers of Secrets: ==
A very important facet to the Order of Acolytes is their role as being Keepers of Secrets. The Luminous Order was privy to God's act of galactic creation, so it's bound to contain some pretty important information. Veterans and Elders of the Order will be well versed in the occult and supernatural, and even younger Acolytes will display a talent for attaining the truth. 
Of course, there is a drawback to having so much knowledge.
Knowledge equals power, and the Acolytes have learned time and again what kind of disasters befall those who give great truth to those who are not yet mature enough to wield it. Because of these past lessons, the Order of Acolytes as a whole discourages giving away its hard-won knowledge to outsiders. 
== Passionate for the Truth: Stealing People's Secrets: ==
Just as Light always seeks to conquer Darkness, so all Acolytes feel a personal drive to attain more knowledge and illumination. The Order as a whole has a penchant for truth-seeking, and they often get into trouble trying to delve into other people's secrets. 
This extends beyond just individual Acolytes to the Order as a whole. The Luminous Order is often viewed with suspicion even by other Adepts, and with good reason. The Acolytes have been known to go to great lengths, sometimes even infiltrating the Chantries of other Orders! 
Needless to say, a hefty chunk of the Luminous Order works for the Thieve's Guild. 
== Old Religion: ==
The Order of Acolytes has always been drawn to religion, not so much because of the dogma and rules but instead because of the mystery and aura of otherworldly truth. The Order of Acolytes is firmly one of the Ecclesiastical Orders and has flourished in many religions, especially the older and more established ones. 
The Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches have both proven to be bastions for the Luminous Order. Priests, deacons, important laymen, bishops and others have been drawn from the Order. Rabbinic Judaism has also been important to the history of the Acolyte Order, as have the various branches of Islam. 
An ancient religion, once quite prosperous in its own day but which has sadly dwindled into modern times, is Zoroastrianism. Founded by the prophet Zarathustra, whom some have claimed was himself an ancient Acolyte, Zoroastrianism teaches that there is only one God but He is opposed by a dark counterpart, a nebulous concept identical to the modern idea of The Darkness. Zoroastrianism makes heavy use of light/darkness symbolism and members strongly associate with The Light. 
== The Abyss: ==
The Abyss is some kind of universal place of darkness, an infinite-shadow that at times displays some form of sentience. Mystics within the Luminous Order have taught that the Abyss is the shadow of all creation, just as the Order itself is the Shadow of God.
Among the Orders, only the Acolytes seem able to access the Abyss. Tactically, this provides the Luminous Order with a secure, pan-dimensional place of refuge where they can hold their meetings and hide their vaunted secrets. 
As for the content of the Abyss, that is had to say. Shadow People, a common supernatural-phenomena here on earth, has been linked to the Abyss. But Shadow People don't appear to be individuals in the traditional sense so much as pieces of the Abyss which are temporarily functioning independently. Once a Shadow Person returns to the Abyss, they (supposedly) are reabsorbed into the inky, endless shadows.
Besides Shadow People, the Abyss has produced other shadowy copies of existing things, such as dogs, cats, bears, monsters, even individual Adepts. 
The presence of the Abyss has resulted in several important traditions within the Order of Acolytes. There is the pragmatic tradition of Staring into the Abyss (see below) or Abyssal Mysticism, a spiritual tradition that teaches Acolytes to seek union with the Abyss. The Abyss, after all, is part of the very nature of the Order itself, and union with the Abyss grants exceptional advancement in a Luminarian's powers. 
Note: In the account of the Order's creation at the beginning of time, when the Light conquered the Darkness and it receded, it is commonly believed within the Order that this is the origin of the Abyss. The Abyss is the refuge created by The Darkness when it fled from The Light. 
== Staring into the Abyss: ==
The Abyss is more than just an empty space, the absence of all native light has powerful effects. Those effects range from the physical and mental, to the spiritual as well. Time spent in the Abyss is known to change anyone, especially Acolytes, both with positive and negative alterations. 
The most common side-effects of prolonged exposure to the Abyss is a hardening of the mind. The common phrase "staring into the abyss" is believed to have its origin within the Luminous Order precisely for this reason. Acolytes who have started deep into the pure emptiness of the Abyss have experienced a metaphysical horror previously thought unimaginable. To conquer such fear, to accept their own finiteness, is a powerful thing and leaves the Acolyte a much hardier and resilient person. 
Of course, not everyone actually succeeds at this, and stories are told within the Order of younger members actually dying of panic and fright from being left too long in the Abyss...
Sadly, a secondary change that often comes from over-exposure to the Abyss is a darkening of the soul. Acolytes who spend way too much time in the Abyss begin to suffer changes to their mind and outlook on the world, particularly a decrease in their faith in virtue and stability. If the Acolyte in question continues to sojourn in the Abyss for great lengths of time, they may even suffer a psychological shift, one powerful enough to push them from following The Light into following The Darkness!
Also, prolonged amounts of time in the Abyss may leave noticeable changes on the Acolyte's own body! A darkening of hair and skin pigmentation, an inky mist that clings to their aura, and a void where their soul should be... All are events associated with those Acolytes who did not heed the warnings of their Veterans. 
Acolytes corrupted by the Abyss will see a surge in their mastery over the powers of Darkness, but they will also lose their powers of Light. In fact, Acolytes corrupted by the Abyss can be detected precisely because they begin to suffer damage from contact with strong sources of light (this has also led to them being historically misidentified as Vampyres). 
== Depths of the Oceans: ==
The Aqua Tenebrae is a kind of secondary Abyss, or really an extension of the Abyss that exists in our Realm. It 'lives' at the bottom of oceans and large bodies of water. Acolytes who associate with it may develop the power to travel through the Realm of the Abyss to other physical locations in our own universe. 
This ability to travel great distances with little effort has produced a hefty chunk of the Luminous Order associated with groups like the Brethren of the Coast, or the Phoenician Brotherhood of Sailors. 
Note: Traveling through the Abyss is neither always safe, even for Acolytes due to its corrupting touch, or always reliable. The Abyss appears to be semi-sentient, and often Acolytes are exited miles from their desired destination. 
== Darkness Between Stars: ==
Just as the Acqua Tenebrae is a manifestation of the Abyss at the bottom of oceans, so the Stellaris Tenebrae is another form of the Abyss that seeps into our world. Only the Stellaris Tenebrae exists far out into space, in the void between stars and planets. 
This could prove useful if you're writing an Acolyte character in a sci-fi or space adventure story. 
== The Darkness: ==
The Darkness, the sum manifestation of all Evil throughout the Omniverse, is believed by Acolytes to be the shadow-opposite generated by God Himself. They also hold that The Darkness is the founding member of their Order. 
Of course, this runs counter to the traditional theology of the Order of Fallen, who believe their own Order was born from The Darkness (and none other). 
While the truth of that question is hotly debated ad infinitum, one thing known for sure is that many Acolytes in the past (usually those corrupted by the Abyss) have trafficked with the Infernal. Many of them have also fully converted over to the Dark Order as well. 
== Fall of Lucifer: ==
Another area in pre-history where the Acolytes and Fallen connect is on the origin of Lucifer as Satan. When Lucifer, previously the Archangel of Legion Princeps, was cast out of Heaven, the Acolytes teach that he fell through all of creation itself and landed in the Abyss. 
It was here, in the Abyss, where he truly came to know The Darkness and accepted it. It was in the Abyss where Lucifer became the champion of all darkness everywhere. 
== The Light: ==
With so much talk of the Abyss, its many manifest tentacles into other Realms, and of Lucifer and The Darkness, it's easy to forget The Light. The Order of Acolytes is a Petitioner Order, but its patronage is dual, being shared by both The Darkness as well as The Light. 
Acolytes draw upon the power of Light for many reasons, not least of which is to control The Darkness itself. For when the Abyss grow in power and manifests too much of itself in our world, the Acolytes are quick to beat it back using the power of the Light. 
Also, Acolytes who associate with The Light more strongly than The Darkness have been known to develop some of the powers of the Celestials. Many such Acolytes have befriended the Angelic Order and have even been privy to some of their sacred mysteries. 
== The Watchers ==
The Watchers, an ultra-secretive sect of Celestials whose agenda and origins remain largely unknown, are at least known to possess strong links with the Order of Acolytes. Despite their common image of observing events from the shadows, the Watchers are actually devoted followers of the Light. Many believe them to be spies for the great angel Metatron, or possibly agents who take their orders directly from God Himself. 
It is commonly believed that at least some Watchers have strong ties of friendship with the Luminous Order. Or they could be members of the Order themselves! 
== Spheres Of Light: ==
Just as the Abyss is the abode of The Darkness, so the Light has its own home as well. The Spheres of Light are a semi-Realm of sorts, a place of perfect light. Believed by many to be generated directly by God, the Spheres of Light are a section of Heaven where all light ultimately originates from. 
Descriptions of the Spheres of Light are hard to come by, for those few Acolytes who enter rarely choose to return. The Spheres of Light are a place of perfect restitution, where there is no bodily needs, and all knowledge in the universe is at one's fingertips. 
Any Acolyte corrupted by the Abyss cannot enter the Spheres of Light. Only those Acolytes pure in heart and soul are said to be able to walk among the many spheres of light, on landscapes that burn with a strange light, on paths walked by Archangels... 
Note: The Spheres of Light represent perfect truth and illumination. Unfortunately, if an Adept ever leaves the Spheres, any knowledge they gained from them begins to fade away, since perfect knowledge cannot exist in our imperfect world. This is why Acolytes who attend the Spheres rarely leave, and why those who do are always so eager to return. 
== Shadow Occultism: ==
It should come as no surprise that the Order of Acolytes have a very large presence within the Occult Underground. Their powers of Light and Dark, their penchant for secrets, and their thirst for knowledge makes them perfect candidates for the road of esoteric information. 
In fact, Acolytes are often in high demand among the dedicated occult groups. Expect to find at least one or two of them in any serious group of Supernaturals dedicated to the occult. 
== The Primordial Darkness: ==
The Primordial Darkness no longer exists. It is the first Darkness, that magic emptiness which preceded all of creation itself. It was shattered when God began His creating. In the Book of Genesis, God is quoted as ordering "Let there be Light!" That was the beginning of creation and the end of the Primordial Darkness. 
Today, a minor but potent Sect wihin the Order of Acolytes has sided itself with the Order of Oblivion. These Acolytes, often deranged individuals or Acolytes corrupted by the Abyss, seek to destroy all of creation itself, and bring back the ancient Primordial Darkness... 
== References: ==
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJvbGuZWaFY
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3v9unphfi0
-https://powerlisting.wikia.com/wiki/Light_Manipulation
-https://powerlisting.wikia.com/wiki/Darkness_Manipulation
-https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Lasombra
-https://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/Evelynn/Skins
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabor_Light
-https://www.catholiccompany.com/content/Luminous-Mysteries-of-the-Rosary.cfm
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfvaGwD00EE
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxThZpslbhE
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD_IRiEQdtA
Category:Luminarian