The Grand Preach-Off

[ReaderAt2046]

In the black stone citadel of Grove City, a small chamber has been set aside. Its walls have been painted in blue and silver, a lectern and some basic musical instruments (drums, trumpets, etc) provided, and in general it has been made welcoming to the priests of any faith that cares to visit. And Grand Duke William Adolf Adam Wulfendyne has issued a standing invitation to all such: Come, and speak of your faith to the Crown of Pavonia. Speak of the basic tenents, the things that every child of your faith knows. Speak that I may hear, and hearing understand, and understanding choose. I know that your gods have power, for how else could you live without the sigla? I would know more of these gods, that I may see which I would bind myself to.

[SamBurke]

Guilder arrives, though its delegation is predictably small on the preaching aspect. There's one token man of faith, who is supported by the true reason to arrive: the tradesmen.

Princes of all sorts arrive, ready to speak to their true beliefs: profit and opportunity. They are most eager to trade...

[ReaderAt2046]

The various delegates soon find themselves in conference with the Grand Duke and Duchess. It is William who opens the discussion, addressing the token preacher.

"Let us start, then, at the beginning. What doctrine is it that you preach? Who or what do your people worship?"

[WaylanderX]

A cloaked figure arrives and asks to be let inside. She moves very slowely, the reason for it unclear.
She appears before the Grand Duke and makes a gracefull courtsy.

"May Prowess light your path, Grand Duke Adolf Adam Wulfendyne. It has reached my ears that you seek enlightenment from the faiths present on Telluris. My name is Nyllana Earthguard, Head Priestess of the Ashmar faith. I came here to inform you of the teachings of Ashmar, if you so desire. However, before I begin, I must ask thy: What do you hold dear in both yourself and your subjects? Ashmar, above all else, preaches the utmost potential, the hidden Prowess within oneself and to rise above what you think you can achieve."

[lt_murgen]

Linden Flint was a middle aged Quill man, perhaps a bit shorter than most. He dressed simply in AQUA fashion- shirt, vest, pants, a broad belt made from a tiger skin. As a concession to the climate, he added a simple cloak and fur-lined, wide brimmed hat. Those who look closely will note the intricate pattern of dark colored lines traced upon his ebony skin. Small dots of white, red, blue, and yellow sit at the intersections of the lines. It is not visible enough to be disturbing, merely a constant presence. His walking stick was carved with the skull top, and with the likeness of thorny vines carved spiraling about it. As he set the stick aside, a bracelet of wound black silk and a dangling pendant was about his wrist.

“Grand Duke, we thank you for this forum. You honor us. As you will, I shall speak of our goddess. I am the eldest Child of Kina, our Mother of Night. It is to me the children look for guidance. I can testify to my faith, if you choose, or answer your direct questions.”

[Morph Bark]

Tailong was not an expert in religious matters, though he knew most of the tales by heart and the core tenets as well as any other, but for this the Qzare had elected to send emissaries better versed in the Hailings of the Silver Sea. The priestess Jinna was accompanied by two acolytes, Marinus and Pjetra, as well as one of the guardsmen of the Qzare, a nervous but sharp fellow by the name of Jiao'ao. Jinna had disliked him from their first meeting as he'd made a pass at her. Not for the attempt--not alone, but for how bad it was.

Venturing to colder southern spheres, the priestess wore dark blue robes with silver threaded patterns. The acolytes wore dark grey robes with simpler patterns in white. Jiao'ao was clad in steel plate armor, but carried an orichalcum dagger with him.

Jinna nodded curtly at the Grand Duke and rose. "Thank you, Grand Duke, for hosting us in your warm halls and opening your mind to the words of the celestial ones." She cast a wary look around. "Though I would hope their power shall not show today as they have before, for the tales of the northern gods have been frightening at times."

"I am Jinna, an argentes, a priestess of the Silver Lady and part of a temple in southern Aus-Teire. I would like to echo the Ashmarite's question, but also ask if there is anything you hope to accomplish with this, beyond the revelation of truths and divine guidance for your people?" She smiled kindly. "Or perhaps there is something you expect from such divine guidance."

[ReaderAt2046]

A cloaked figure arrives and asks to be let inside. She moves very slowely, the reason for it unclear.
She appears before the Grand Duke and makes a gracefull courtsy.

"May Prowess light your path, Grand Duke Adolf Adam Wulfendyne. It has reached my ears that you seek enlightenment from the faiths present on Telluris. My name is Nyllana Earthguard, Head Priestess of the Ashmar faith. I came here to inform you of the teachings of Ashmar, if you so desire. However, before I begin, I must ask thy: What do you hold dear in both yourself and your subjects? Ashmar, above all else, preaches the utmost potential, the hidden Prowess within oneself and to rise above what you think you can achieve."

"That which I value... might perhaps be summed up under the word 'civilization'. My father was a great man, but he was a man of the old order. He was a warlord in a time of warlords, but I wish to be a hegemon in a time of hegemons. In short, my father's strength built a citadel, and now it is my task to fill it with art and culture and make it a palace."


Tailong was not an expert in religious matters, though he knew most of the tales by heart and the core tenets as well as any other, but for this the Qzare had elected to send emissaries better versed in the Hailings of the Silver Sea. The priestess Jinna was accompanied by two acolytes, Marinus and Pjetra, as well as one of the guardsmen of the Qzare, a nervous but sharp fellow by the name of Jiao'ao. Jinna had disliked him from their first meeting as he'd made a pass at her. Not for the attempt--not alone, but for how bad it was.

Venturing to colder southern spheres, the priestess wore dark blue robes with silver threaded patterns. The acolytes wore dark grey robes with simpler patterns in white. Jiao'ao was clad in steel plate armor, but carried an orichalcum dagger with him.

Jinna nodded curtly at the Grand Duke and rose. "Thank you, Grand Duke, for hosting us in your warm halls and opening your mind to the words of the celestial ones." She cast a wary look around. "Though I would hope their power shall not show today as they have before, for the tales of the northern gods have been frightening at times."

"I am Jinna, an argentes, a priestess of the Silver Lady and part of a temple in southern Aus-Teire. I would like to echo the Ashmarite's question, but also ask if there is anything you hope to accomplish with this, beyond the revelation of truths and divine guidance for your people?" She smiled kindly. "Or perhaps there is something you expect from such divine guidance."

William laughs. "You've caught me out a bit, I'm afraid. Many ages ago, Pavonia was not the land of humans and Jaegers and goblins. In that distant past, it was ruled by the Faeren, beings of such power that they bent the Wave with nothing more than their will. It was they who gave us sygaldry, to aid us against the Formor. More than that, the legends speak of mortals making bargains with the Fae, granting the Great Ones service and devotion in exchange for boons and blessings. They left us many ages ago, but I've wondered if they might have returned under different names. I seek Truth, for Truth is always a thing of worth, but I'm not going to lie and say that that's all I seek."


Linden Flint was a middle aged Quill man, perhaps a bit shorter than most. He dressed simply in AQUA fashion- shirt, vest, pants, a broad belt made from a tiger skin. As a concession to the climate, he added a simple cloak and fur-lined, wide brimmed hat. Those who look closely will note the intricate pattern of dark colored lines traced upon his ebony skin. Small dots of white, red, blue, and yellow sit at the intersections of the lines. It is not visible enough to be disturbing, merely a constant presence. His walking stick was carved with the skull top, and with the likeness of thorny vines carved spiraling about it. As he set the stick aside, a bracelet of wound black silk and a dangling pendant was about his wrist.

“Grand Duke, we thank you for this forum. You honor us. As you will, I shall speak of our goddess. I am the eldest Child of Kina, our Mother of Night. It is to me the children look for guidance. I can testify to my faith, if you choose, or answer your direct questions.”

"I suspect that you should simply testify first. I don't yet even know enough to ask pertinent questions.

[lt_murgen]

“As you wish.” He nodded politely. “Brothers and sisters in spirit, I have come here today to testify.” He raised his hands and looked skyward, “My Mother is consciousness, the indivisible Awareness, Reality, and truth. The night sky between the stars is her perfection, the depths of the ocean her echo. The unbounded is always cloaked in darkness, the inebriating darkness of my beloved Kina” .

He lowered his hands and looked at the audience, “Brothers and sisters, cousins in spirit, listen to my words. Know that Kina is the Mother of Darkness. All living things come from her, and all souls return to her. All creatures who can think and ponder and children of Kina, whether they recognize Her grace or not. We are all brothers and sisters, cousins in spirit.
Know that the Kina holds within her all that has gone before, and is the progenitor of all that is possible in the future. Into you is given great and terrible power to shape the world. For good or ill, the future is decided by your actions. Know, cousins, that your salvation or destruction is within your control. The Mother of the Night will not save you from yourself.

You will be tested, cousins. Kina will test you, in her guise as Khaditna the Great Deceiver. Children call upon their mother, comprehending not the difference between need and desire. The Great Deceiver will deny you your earthly delights, despoils your pleasures. What you need is found only in in the darkness beyond adversity. Our great Mother understands our needs, and demands that we look within, into our hearts and minds. We are limited beings, brothers and sisters. We cannot know what will come from our actions. All we truly know is why we do what we do. Judge wisely, and do not act rashly. Treat all living things with the respect you desire for yourself. Khaditna will tempt you, cloud your judgement, make you quick and rash in action. True wisdom, my cousins in spirit, comes from facing this adversity. Wisdom means learning that no coin has only one side: as death cannot exist without life, so life cannot exist without death. Khaditna teaches that this awareness, this ability to understand and decide, is the only true gift you can take with you when you return to Her.”

Brothers and sisters, cousins in spirit, She is waiting for you. As Kina is the progenitor of spirit, she is also Khadi, the Great Devourer. To her all spirits return, and all knowledge of what has come to pass is Hers. For those who live a just life, she will take you into her bosom, to be reborn and returned to the world as part of Her design. But for the unjust and wicked, cousins, there is naught but destruction, for Khadi knows nothing of mercy.”

Again he raised his hands and looked skyward, “Men seek mercy, but there is no trace of mercy within you, Devourer! You have cut off the heads of the children of men to wear as a garland about your throat, their manhoods as a belt about your waist. In you, there is an end to their futures. It matters not how much I plead “Mother, Mother”. You hear but do not remark my anguish.”

Returning his gaze to the audience, he finishes, “The Mother of the Night is our beginning, middle, and end. She commands us as a mother directs her children, with patience and understanding, watching us fall and hoping we will rise. As Khaditna, it is She who forces us to look beyond desire, to understand, to seek what is truly needed, not merely wanted. And to her, as we die, we return to be judged upon our understanding and actions.”

[lt_murgen]

ooC: adding more, hoping to ressurect the thread...
more ooc: what year does this take place?


IC:
His voice changed tone, becoming far more conversational.
“I apologize. I know only a little of your beliefs. I could find so little written as we journeyed here. I know that you trace upon your bodies intricate patterns, runes, that you believe hold power. This is not an uncommon belief. The Quill of my homeland in ancient times used inks and dyes to trace the symbols of their spirits upon their skin. The Islanders carry tattoos about their right eye, indicating family attachment. In Raaneka, they cover their bodies in symbols, patterns, and pictures showing their life and accomplishments. There are others, I believe, who follow similar customs.”
“I will admit I had not pondered upon such things, until my trip here. But sea voyages often bring me clarity. One night, unable to sleep, I lay upon the deck and stared up at the stars. The dwelling place of Kina, it has always brought me peace. I knew the constellations by heart, for they were my ever constant companion. But in a moment of preternatural clarity, I saw the connection. Patterns in the sky, patterns spelling out the seasons. Patterns upon the skin of the Mother of the Night. Patterns upon our skin, spelling out our lives. It all seemed, for an instant, so perfectly connected.
But that moment slipped past, and much of which seemed so clear I now struggle to recall. But I do believe there is a connection between the patterns upon the body of our Mother, upon our own bodies, and traced in your runes. Could it be an expression of the Her desires for us? Our attempt to understand the purpose into which we were born? I truly do not know, but desire the opportunity to learn and converse upon it.”