On Pessimism

[John Ivory 4547]

 

ON PESSIMISM

OR;

A REPLY TO GODRIC’S REFLECTIONS

FROM NOVELLEN PALACE

THE DUKE HELENA AND ADRIA

 

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In my studies beneath the guidance of the Archchancellor Basrid, the phrase tapestry of man was common place. This is a particularly lofty ideal, nearing the metaphysical, but it is one with immensely practical evidence. It is a national idea, whether cognitively realized or not by the countrymen that uphold it.

 

The tapestry of man is a unity. It is one whole, made of composite parts. This aged piece of cloth, centuries old, shows itself in whole against its pessimistic critics. It teaches us of the falsehood of those vipers who would declaim the profound unity at the core of mankind, and the Empire which it has forged through time.

 

Against the critics, the tapestry of man speaks: look on at my Renatians, the first born of the Pheonix Rebellion. Look on at my Hansetians, those of the Teutonic Order. Look to my Salvians of the Heartlands, and also to the Seventians of the savanna. Look to the Raevir, the forebears of saints and prophets. Look to the Harrenite Adunians. Gaze upon the conquests of the patriotic Kaedreni. What of the Curonians, that fierce people? Look to the Adrians, and their brother-enemies the Savoyards. The zealous Waldenians. Find for yourselves the Illatians. The Rhenyari, and their brother Easterners. Set your eyes south upon the Vandorian Qalasheen, and guide them north towards the proud Haensetians.

 

Does not the whole project of pessimism confound itself at the sight of such a beautiful piece of art? These peoples, both extinct and living, found strength in unity. With one blood in their veins, they profess one God, one country, and one Emperor.

 

There are those few who set themselves against this glorious tapestry, in prideful tribalism, and are thus left to historical obscurity. These pessimistic people, thinking exclusively of their base needs, are incapable of grand accomplishment. While humanity busied herself with the project of eternity, of institution building, of conquest and defeat, the Rurics set themselves aside, encumbered by their own bigotry, failing to accomplish anything of significance for all Godric’s professed perseverance.

 

Godric sees himself a conqueror, the successor of those before him. Blinded by his misplaced pride, he laments in writing:“Our legacy, our foundation was built by conquerors. Forging the steel bonds of Empire with the blood and the soil of humanity, and the bones of its foes.” Whose legacy? Where were the Rurics, when Prophet Godfrey established sovereignty over men? Where was Godric’s tribe at Prophet Sigismund's restoration? Were the Rurics among Peter’s Court? The tribe surfaces first in history when it set itself against John Sigismund, only to be subdued. Let us not speak of its humiliation by Aurelius some centuries later.

 

This man claims a fabricated lineage. At the head of a coalition, the majority or near majority of which being composed of nonhuman elves and orcs, he professes that ”human unity is untenable.” While dining with the sohaer, he sings dirges to the “age of heroic men”. Together with the wargoth, he discusses the “declining character of man.” Finding no comfort in the fraternity of his fellow men, the hypocrite looks instead to the swords of elves and orcs.

 

Let there be no doubt that his lamentations are empty. There is no end to the self-aggrandizement of false humility. There is no great ideal in his words, naught but self-pity. This war, like Godric, is a sham – spiteful, selfish, and base. It ought not come as a surprise then when the man looks for human unity and finds none of it.

[rukio 8924]

Edyth would read the essay from the comfort of her favored seat, upstairs in New Reza’s tavern. Coughing weakly as she finishes the writing, she sets it aside and promptly rests her head in her hands, mind wandering, lost in her thoughts, burdened by the guilt of who she was and, to an extent, where her life had led her up to this point. 

 

Where were the Rurikid during these events? They were leading their people to the faith they believe to be true, to a land where they would not be murdered for said faith, in a time where the Canonist faith had many militant orders who would have gladly wiped my former people out. The Nordish people are a proud people. In their own way, they are conquerors. Their legacy is that of perseverance. No matter how hard the Heartlanders have tried, they have never succeeded in fully killing off the Faith or its people. The Heartlanders have waged war after war, crusade after crusade against the Nordish, and likewise, the Nordish have done the same to Heartlanders. Heartlanders and Haensemen have allied to elven Reivers. They have murdered my former kinsman, Alvar Freysson, in cold blood alongside those elven Reiver mercenaries during the Great War before my birth.

 

Yet this essay acts as though the Heartlanders have not tried to bring the High Elves to their side as well... have not attempted to shift all of the alliances against Morsgrad and Duke Godric. In days of old, upon the plains of Axios when Angus was High Keeper, Fatherist Purifiers slaughtered Canonists and the bad blood between the religions has continued on for decades, or perhaps over a century by now. In spite, or perhaps because of the toils they endure, the Nordish people traverse on, unwilling and unable to bend their knee to Emperors, kings, and a GOD they reject. But that’s it, isn’t it? Neither side will come to peace because the nobles of Helena think the Nordish to be vile, tribal pagans, and the Nordish believe the Heartlanders to be soft, weak from a life with few struggles or plights. The entire alliance they once shared was paper thin, it was never meant to last, just a facade.....this entire ordeal is a mess. If only Eleanor hadn’t rode to New Reza with me that day....and if only Godric wasn’t a slave to the past.

 

Edyth’s internal thoughts overwhelmed her, and so she wept, as she was prone to in her bouts of guilt. 

 

”It’s all so tiresome...” One might hear her say, but that was all she said aloud.

[Narthok 10416]

"I'm honoured that the emperor would deign to respond to me" says Godric, sipping some orange juice in his ski chalet