Esther’s Light / The Essen Stair
The light of the Virtuous Gods broke like a hot afternoon sun upon Middle Sembre, sweeping from east to west in Prince Pax’ great campaign. Thus, it was fitting that the same light in the east came under scrutiny from the very place that birthed it.
Now with religious fervor centering around the Westling Archipelago, the scholars in the Tower of Esther’s Light look to the lonely star in its black corner of space and wonder if all this religious fervor is really justified. In a cold, ivory tower on the eastern shore - the Essen Stair - skeptics from Dysmiridia have gathered and pushed out the philosophers, suggesting a turning in the religious tide in the Empire of the Rising Sun.
Disciples of the Essen Stair argue for a deep, gnawing meaninglessness to the world. They consider themselves on a stair case traveling both directions simultaneously. By choosing to go down, they elevate their minds. By discovering how deeply unfair, cruel, and meaningless the world is, they also become more and more awakened to the reality of the world as it truly is.