Modern Purifiers: Reply to Rosalia

[Askuzai 505]

 

 

A Reply to Rosalia’s Response to Modern Purifier’s:

 

“In this matter I believe you fall more into the ways of a Tyrite. To the knowledge I have, Tyr made no distinction between Purifier and Keeper, but rather wanted all Keepers to take up the role Purifiers had served in Arthas’ lifetime and before.”

 

It is not that I fall into the ways or ideals of a “Tyrite” in this topic, I simply state the manner in which history has occurred. The Purifiers truly had not seen glory days since the dawn of Arthas’ time. In the time since, no High Keeper has had many, if any, Purifiers. From this decay of our once great branch of the Faith has fallen asunder and change may have been needed. As you know our Faith is not as numerous as it once was, and perhaps that lack of bodies is why the two had to be combined into one branch by Tyr and others before him.

 

“You ask whether or not Purifiers are necessary in this day and age, which I find troubling.”

 

I posed the question as to if they are not necessary not to go against the Third Tenet, of course that is necessary, It is always necessary, but it was to point out that in this current age they have been replaced by this new era of Keepers and Wytch Hunters alike. As you go on to say  “Men of the new military will be wholly of the Faith.” Again, what would that make the difference between them and the Purifier? They exist while the Purifier still does not? Will the Purifier simply be enlisted in the Brotherhood and know of the rituals necessary to purge undead?

 

“Men of the new military will be wholly of the Faith.”

 

Once again we visit this line, who is to say that every man or woman recruited into this new military will be of the Red Faith? It is a choice, and I doubt Godric would be willing to exclude a countryman, based on his faith, that is willing to fight. We cannot compel th soldiers to become  a part of the faith, but we can teach them of it and perhaps they will join.

 

“I believe the best course of action will be to recruit Purifiers from the men of the military, those who show genuine loyalty and belief in our Father.”

 

I wholly agree with that, they will be the ones to learn the rituals to dispel and offense the mere existence of the haunted: Such as salt lines, the Mercy, and Cleansing. This will only occur after Godric’s army has been expanded upon though, so for the time being, it is our job to spread the word of the Father unto these new recruits coming in.

 

“As for Flamebrands, I do not believe we should burden the Father with the smaller tasks of life.”

 

The point of giving a creature Mercy, no matter how far gone it is from the grace of the Allfather, is an attempt to release the soul from the bonds of its corrupted flesh to be sent to the Allfather’s embrace. A second chance, if you will. This is stated directly in this excerpt taken directly from the Third Tenet: “The All Father’s mercy. They are to be tied to a stake and purified with Holy Fire. This will give them some small chance of being purified of their corruption and sent to the Father’s own embrace.” -Arthas, “The Third Tenet” Is that Holy Fire he speaks of not our Hearth fire that we tend to so diligently today? I believe that it is, and it is our job to cleanse the unworthy so that their souls naught be sent to the abyss, to fester with the undeath and arrive again in our mortal realm. The flames within us are not enough to set alight one of these corrupted as you well know. So there must be an outside source of flame to free the soul. 

 

Another quote speaks of the Holy Fire that burns the corrupt and abominable: “It is death by the Holy Fire. There is little explanation needed. It should be clear that there are many ways to carry this out, All using holy fire as a base. One can tie a tainted soul to a stake to keep them still, or even simply just light them into a blaze. After this maybe then the Allfather will be merciful and let them back into his grace.” -Initiate Galen, “Thoughts on the Unworthy.” This excerpt also shows that you burn a corrupted being with Holy fire to send them into the arms of the Allfather. To give them that second chance at being welcomed into the Allfather's embrace. As it was their flesh that tainted them, there is a slim chance that might not have been so with their very soul. 

 

An Argument Against that Holy Fire can only be used to purge the unholy is found within the context of Aeyn’s “Fatherism, An Introduction”: “Their flesh having corrupted their soul. Generally the Fatherist will attempt to save these poor unfortunate individuals by freeing their souls from their flesh. That they may perhaps escape damnation. This of course being done by burning the flesh so that the soul may escape its prison.” -Aeyn, “Fatherism, An Introduction.” You can see that it is another attempt to free the damned from their jail cell of a body, but this time, it refers to the fire as just any fire. As not all Fatherist’s will have ready access to the Holy Hearth fire that Keepers use to perform the Allfather’s mercy. Perhaps then, by this insight, Our Lord on High has bestowed a fire more effective at freeing the souls of the wytches we so seek to eradicate. Reserved only for when a Keeper is present to give Mercy unto the arms of the Allfather.

 

“Apostates, perhaps. Godless men, no. They do not deserve the Holy Fire.”

 

The blind will be blind, and thus the fire must be brought to those proven to be absolutely corrupted to their core. An apostate can still pay penance for his deeds and redeem himself on this world, but when we speak of the Godless there is but only one option for them. For when Arthas wrote Concerning Godlessness it says: “In summary the godless must be routed out, and should be considered the lowest of the low worthy only of the All Father’s mercy.” -Arthas, “Concerning Godlessness.” The godless are not able to pay penance or renounce their deeds for their sin of seeing themselves as above the father. It is why we seek to give the Mercy to them, as they are only worthy of such. The Father himself is to cast judgement unto these sinners so that their misdirection will not take route in the fouls of lost spirits. You can see them exactly as an undead, a fully corrupted corpse, a lost soul that had been blind to the light far too long. It must be purged with the flames of the Father to have any chance of being welcomed into the father’s arms.

 

“I believe you misunderstand his writings when it comes to initiates of the Purifiers and of senior Purifiers.”

 

It was not clear to me that Keepers might be able to transfer to an equal rank of the other branch. Thank you for this Clarification. Hopefully further light will be shed onto if they did wield Flamebrands coming up from initiate.

 

“I offer you a question in response, how do we define a representation of the All-Father’s presence?”

 

The Allfather’s presence is simply the Hearth Fire, as it is a direct connection to him, It is needed to free the accursed from their unholy flesh. Sometimes there is a need to pray to the Allfather or the Paragons during or before battle.

 

“The High Keeper is the ultimate and final say in all things Faith, as defined in Arthas’ ‘The Red Priests’. The Lord Purifier would fall below the High Keeper within the Faith, and as such, this should not be as much of a concern as it is made out to be.”

 

Aye, that is true, but as you know, Our High Keeper is busy most of the time and not able to tend to a Purifiers every whim. A Keeper may temporarily be needed to be given the rank of Lord Purifier in order to make sure the Purifiers keep in proper order under the Allfather’s eyes, Until a man possessing a portion of Bjorn’s leadership arises again.

 

-Initiate Chadmyr