Help me come up with scriptures for a holy text

[DementedFellow]

Howdy gang!

For an upcoming game I am going to be playing a bard who believes himself to be a prophet to a goddess of Love. The goddess in question will be named Mara (yes from the Elder Scrolls) but will simply be a refluffed version of Hanali_Celanil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanali_Celanil).

I took perform (oratory) for this character and the DM is known for giving roleplay XP. I have a small hardback book that I want to write some scriptures in. Any ideas? Keep in mind the scripture I want is for a goddess of love and a fictional goddess of love.

Please no real religion discussion. I just want some cool passages for a nice bit of roleplay experience, not to pontificate on the meaning of life, the universe and everything.

[Craft (Cheese)]

My favorite fictional holy text has to be the Chant of Light, from Dragon Age.

"And so is the Golden City blackened for each step you take in my hall. Marvel at perfection, for it is fleeting; You have brought sin to heaven and doom upon all the world."

The Qun has a few good taoism-inspired lines as well, though we don't get to see nearly as much of it as the chant of light:

"Struggle is an illusion. There is nothing to struggle against."

"The tide rises, the tide falls, but the sea is changeless."



As for your own work... Well, the lines your bard will say will probably be the parts of Mara (= Hanali)'s dogma that they feel is most important to them. What are they?

[DementedFellow]

Relax, love and be groovy. Although slightly altered for the setting.

Funnily enough, the goddess of love isn't too particular about fidelity. So that's fun.

[AgentofHellfire]

"Look around you. Look at the rules, the money, the obligations...the things you've been worrying about. That which fetters. Then know that it is not real.

Look then at the people you've been trying to please, the way that you will follow. That which leads to emptiness. Then know that it is not real.

Look then at the rushing stream, then. At the people all around you, the ones that are trying to please you. This, this is reality.

Then go forth and live in it."

Just something random I thought up. XD

[Lapak]

Well, let's see. Thinking of settings you might draw from, it occurred to me that Love is the highest virtue in Carey's Kushiel series. So you might find some useful quotations here. (http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/9237.Jacqueline_Carey)

Some highlights:

To start off, the singular and central commandment of Elua (their primary figure of worship) is:
"Love as thou wilt."

Also:
"That which yields is not always weak."

"There is no fulfillment that is not made sweeter for the prolonging of desire."

"Happiness is the highest form of wisdom."

"Let the warriors clamor after gods of blood and thunder; love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel."

"We are all these things [...]. Pride, desire, compassion, cleverness, belligerence, fruitfulness, loyalty...and guilt. But above it all stands love. And if we desire to be more than human, that is the star by which we must set our sights."

[Ravens_cry]

They that lovest thine neighbour, lovest themselves, and they that lovest themselves dost love themselves.
Love bindest a community unto another, love dost forge bonds as strong as adamantine, as long lasting as the eternal sea, yea, the very foundations of the Earth.
Yea, love dost bind man to man, woman to woman, and man to woman.
Without love, life be as bleak as the abyss, as black as the very plane of shadows.
Give of thy love so thee may taste the fruits of love, and thy bounty shalt be multiplied hundredfold.

[hamishspence]

Slightly more pessimistic, but with a hint of hopefulness:

The dark is generous, and it is patient, and it always wins—but in the heart of its strength lies weakness: one lone candle is enough to hold it back.

Love is more than a candle. Love can ignite the stars.

[Jay R]

Never forget the words from the first Letter to the Greyhawkians, "Split not thy party, else thou shalt surely be set upon singly by loathsome creatures of the darkness."

[Erik Vale]

'Give freely of your blessings and your bounty, and feel the love of the world upon you, knowing that your light makes a difference.'
((Should be obvious.))


'As I do give of my light freely, so should you. As mortals I doth accept reservation, and you should accept it from each other. Let your love give to each other and accept from each other the gifts one gives."
((Love each other and give to each other, but accept that there are some things that wont be given or accepted, and act acordingly.))

'No greater gift has one, then to give the ultimate sacrifice for love.' ((Shamelessly almost lifted from a song. This is to accept gifts given from another.))

'Live within the pyre, live vibrantly and full of freedom, yet accept ones right to stand away from it.'
((Accept others for who they are. Live vibrantly and free. Again, shamelessly almost lifted from a song.))

[Jay R]

The quotes from your holy text needs to dispense Universal Wisdom:

From the Book of Tarquin, "You can't make an omelette without ruthlessly crushing dozens of eggs beneath your steel boot and then publicly disemboweling the chickens that laid them as a warning to others."

From the Book of Belkar, "Solve a man's problems with violence, help him for a day. Teach a man to solve his problems with violence, help him for a lifetime."

And from the Book of Julio, "It doesn't matter if you win or lose, as long as you look cool doing it."

[newBlazingAngel]

'Love freely wherever thine spirit takes thee. But though shalt not be a slut, for that s*** will get you eternal damnation.'

[Talyn]

Rejoice in the Song of Mara, and be generous. For as the Angels who serve the Goddess of Passion give freely to any who is willing to receive, so shall Her disciples. Passion begets passion, love begets love, loyalty begets loyalty, and by all three shall Her disciples find salvations.
- Songs of Joy, Chapter 2, Verse 1


When the Goddess came down to the people, her Avatar went throughout the City, and all who saw her fell to their knees. She saw into their hearts and rebuked them, saying "My blessings are for those who love deeply and fully, with all of their heart. Store not your love in coffers of iron, but be generous. Know that all the world shall is there to be loved, and, through loving, shall know peace." And the people wept, and swore to open their hearts to all who were willing to be loved.
- Acts of the Avatar, Chapter 3, Verse 17

[Randomguy]

From the tales of Wyre:

"Nothing becomes."
"Infinite becoming."
"Not all truths are unequal."

[North_Ranger]

I've always been a sucker for the Hymn to Therin from Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising.

Praise be to thee O Therin,
Goddess of the Light,
Your radiance and mercy
guide us safely through the night.

Illumine our darkness,
and keep us safe we pray.
That we may rise and worship you,
O Keeper of the Day.

Heard here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjIwVJ5CDto) in the background, starting around 04:25.

[Gnoman]

Go the parable route. Not only will it sound less trite than a bunch of aphorisms, but will actually be easier to write. There's a reason why this technique has always been popular in philosophy.