The Silver Eye is a religious institution devoted to the tenets of the moon goddess of balance, Unavaranu. It is one of the larger worshiping bodies of Unavaranu, and is particularly active in the western kingdoms of Atavar. Central to the beliefs of the Silver Eye is that her worshipers act as her eyes into the world, and their aim must be to observe for her, but not meddle in affairs on her behalf. They believe that the knowledge Unavaranu collects allows her to better balance the world, claiming that no information is too obscure or mundane to overlook.
Beliefs
The current beliefs of the Silver Eye are based on the 22 Edicts of Balance, apparently dictated by Unavaranu herself through the chosen cleric Pellath Monteland. These are generally shaved down to the first 4 main edicts, which are considered the core of the Silver Eye. While these were originally uttered in Godspeech, a common translation is as follows:
- We are the eyes of Un, and she shall see all through us. Avert not your gaze, as to do so is to turn your back on the pursuit of the Balance.
- Enemies of the Balance have obscured the Understanding from Un; we must uncover was has been forgotten and hidden away.
- We are but fragments of consciousness in service of Un, who is beyond comprehension. It is her duty to restore the Balance, and ours to enable her vision.
- It is not our place to assert the Balance through our own hand, and to attempt such is a sacrilege against Un.
In the tenets, special attention is given to the ideas of the Balance, the Understanding, and the Enemy. While these can be interpreted many ways, generally the Balance is considered the end goal of Unavaranu, where the world is in a sense of harmony. The Understanding is Un's current level of knowledge regarding the world, which contributes to her ability to assert the Balance, and the Enemy, sometimes the Enemies, are any peoples or obstacles that would prevent the accumulation of knowledge.
One of the core beliefs that has shaped the direction of the Silver Eye is the Fourth Edict, which mandates that the followers of Unavaranu are never to attempt to establish the concept of the Balance themselves. The extent to which mortals are capable of disrupting the Balance is a hotly debated one, with some arguing the Silver Eye should take a more proactive approach to collecting information, while others believe it is better to no be observed in the world at all. The official stance of the leaders of the Silver Eye is that Un will guide you in the proper direction, and as long as you trust in her guidance, you will be lead correctly. In effect, however, they generally advocate neutrality as much as possible, with the only exception being the recruitment of new Seekers of knowledge.
As with most sects of Un worship, The Silver Hand views the destruction of information a grave sin, with the tampering of evidence a close second.
Structure
The Silver Eye as an institution in comprised of a small council of leaders and two main designations known as Seekers and Keepers. Those who do not fall into these categories are considered members of the Silver Eye, but are not expected to fulfill any responsibilities beyond following the 22 Edicts of Balance.
Seekers
The Seekers are special worshipers of Unavaranu that follow the 22 Edicts of Balance, wandering the world searching for more knowledge. Seekers may take many forms, but most choose to enter an oath to Unavaranu in order to work under her direct guidance. Seekers can often be identified by the large wooden shelves they generally carry on their backs containing texts and records collected in their travels. In line with many other sects of Unavaranu, they generally they travel in pairs, referring to their partners as "boughs".
Generally, Seekers do not involve themselves in matters of politics or even the struggles of the common man, leading some to believe they are cruel, cold, and detached. Seekers will generally respond that it is not their place to meddle in the Balance; however, the actions of Seekers often affect others, as they tend to venture into forgotten ruins and tombs in search of knowledge, stirring up sleeping beasts and magic in the process. The extent that Seekers should affect matters is a heated topic among the ranks of the Silver Eye, but most believe that if the information is valuable enough, it should be considered the primary objective, valuing the Second Edict over the Fourth Edict.
Keepers
The Keepers are members of the Silver Eye that manage temples and archives across the land. It is their duty to protect and preserve what has been collected by the Seekers, as well as ensure that the goddess receives this knowledge by memorizing the texts they own. Keepers are often highly sought after for their knowledge, though depending on their personal beliefs, they may not always choose to share what they know. As with most temple keepers of Unavaranu, they normally work in pairs.
Politics
Kalhastian Empire
The Silver Eye plays a strange part in the politics of the Empire, choosing to simply observe and record the various courts and colleges of the nation. Members of the Silver Eye are generally tolerated, and the presence of a Seeker in a room might compel others to act with more caution, grace, or truth, knowing that each word they mutter is being recorded. Regardless, the Silver Eye of the Empire generally do not freely offer their knowledge to others, believing that the Enemy could use it to attack Un. In times of great duress, the crown of the Empire has consulted the archives of the Silver Eye, but these occasions have been few.
History
The Silver Eye was founded long ago, with some records stating that it existed before the Broken Age. Some even believe the institution was established by Unavaranu herself by orders she gave from the far side of her moon Unavara back in the Age of Gods. Regardless, the group has been reshaped constantly by countless generations of competing leaderships, though its current tenets were established sometime in the early Age of Iron and Chains after a devoted cleric of Un reportedly spoke directly to the goddess herself.
The Silver Eye grew across Atavar for some time, embedding itself in governments and institutes of learning in order to offer more knowledge to Un. While members of the SIlver Eye are known to offer council and provide historical context, their central beliefs have prevented them from taking positions of power and influence, preferring instead to simply observe.