The Cult of Nirrin

A secretive cult, dedicated to the service of the Goddess Nirrin, mistress of secrets. They live in small disguised Enclaves set underground across Leng, where they cultivate and preserve the most precious secret entrusted to them, which they call the Psionic Disciplines. The Cult of Nirrin are the only group on Morus that have knowledge of psionicism, and this is their best-kept secret.

The Cult of Nirrin also maintains the three Black Libraries, which are storehouses of hidden and secret texts, many in the secret languages of other orders such as the druids.

The Cult of Nirrin dwells in three underground Enclaves around Leng, and has a specific structure for teaching the Psionic Discipline:

Acolyte: An Acolyte is an entry-member level of the cult. They spend their time in meditation, learning the precepts of the Psionic Discipline and making their mind and body one. Many do not grow above the level of Acolyte as few have the intelligence and strength of will required, but those who are truly dedicated eventually prepare their minds for Awakening and become Initiates.

Initiate: An Initiate is an Acolyte who have reached a stage where their mind is ready for the Awakening, the complex training required to awaken the latent psionic potential of their minds and make them into Psions - this training is given to them by the Master Psions, and it often takes 1 or 2 years of constant training before they are finally awakened and attain their psionic abilities.

Psion: A Psion is an Initiate who has become awakened and gained psionic abilities, becoming a 1st-level Psionicist class. From this point on, they do not require any further training, and can develop their abilities and grow in power by themselves. Once awakened, improving your psionic abilities through pure practise is a very slow process, and many leave to adventure and practise their abilities in the real world, though many also stay to help Initiates, contemplate, and meditate upon the nature of the mind.

Master Psion: There are three of these to each Enclave, selected by the Arch-Psion of that Enclave. They have been entrusted with the Secret of Awakening, the complex training required to awaken the latent psionic potential of an Initiate whose mind is properly prepared. The Master Psions oversee the running of the Enclave and spend most of their time putting Initiates through the training that will awaken their psionic power and make them into full Psions.

Arch-Psion: There are three Arch-Psions, the original founders of the Cult of Nirrin - one of them dwells in each Enclave, never showing their faces to anyone but the Master Psions. They observe the progress of their Enclave from the shadows, and when a Master Psion dies, they select the new one. It was they who originally passed the Secret of Awakening on to the Master Psions. Each of the Arch-Psions is a good or neutral aligned Illithid, or Mind Flayer - their motives are unknown, but they shared the secret of Psionics with humans and seem content to work from the shadows.

The Cult of Nirrin has no problem with its Psions leaving the Enclaves, although Initiates usually are not allowed to leave once their Awakening has begun until they have been Awakened. Psions outside of the Cult may use their abilities as they please, so long as they follow the Tenets:

1. Do not expose the Order.
2. Never use the Psionic Disciplines in anger, but remain calm in all actions.
3. Do not reveal the Psionic Disciplines to outsiders.
4. Strive always to increase your knowledge of the Psionic Disciplines.

Note that while the Enclaves are hidden and the Psionic Disciplines are a well-kept secret, the Cult of Nirrin is not a secret order - while obscure, its existence, and the existence of Psions, is known of.

Each Enclave houses about 100 acolytes, 50 initiates, and usually a small group of 10-30 Psions. There are always three Master Psions per Enclave, and obviously each Enclave has only one Arch-Psion.