Thoughts on the Redemption of Souls

[AstriaS 4988]

There comes a time when a judgement must be passed. This is a simple fact. When a wrong has been committed justice must be meted out. In matters of the soul, this becomes a much more complicated matter. For our souls, granted to us by the All Father, must ultimately be judged by him at the end of our days. But are there not those instances where we are called upon to determine the redeemability of a man based on his sins? In these instances, we are acting as judges on the Father’s behalf. Should we not then seek to be as thorough as possible in that determination of redeemability? And, for that matter, what makes a man redeemable? At what point is a soul too far corrupted to be saved?

 

To answer these questions we must first explore what makes a soul capable- or incapable -of redemption in the Father’s Light, we must first define both redemption and the ways in which corruption takes root. Redemption of the soul is, at its most basic, a purification; a removal of the primordial shadow that dwells within. This is known and accepted. The methods for achieving such purification, however, should vary depending on the severity of one’s moral and spiritual decay, as not all corruption is equal. The latent rot that lays upon the mortal soul from the moment of birth, those temptations of the Abyss, can be purified through simple prayer and dedication. Those who permit this rot to fester through ignorance of the All Father’s truth may be saved by being brought to His Light. Those that permit the decay to take root in their soul willingly are a more serious matter, and therefore require greater measures to be taken. 

 

In addition to the innate impurity of our being, however, there are other corruptions and transgressions to be discussed and considered. Firstly, there is the matter of practitioners of magic. Those who have embarked on this path have invited the abyss into their souls in exchange for power, and this should be weighed heavily when determining the degree to which they have been corrupted. Secondly, there is the matter of those who hold no faith. They have allowed their souls to be open to the corruption of the Long Dark, as they hold no belief in the need to look inward and recognize their failings. Some godless men, given the chance, change their ways. Others will instead choose to deride our teachings as ramblings and nonsense; These men are beyond our help. Thirdly and finally, we come to the matters of apostasy and heresy. These are crimes with long-established punishments, however they warrant mention. A man who renounces his apostasy has, after all, seen that the Father’s truth is the only truth, has he not? On the subject of abominations, there is little to say. The undead; those races whose forms have been warped and spirits irrevocably tarnished by the chaos of the Abyss; beasts brought into being through the machinations of foul magics; all should be treated as agents of the Long Dark, as they always have.

 

Having now defined the problems, we can move on to the various solutions. When we speak of solutions, we speak of those methods the faith has long employed. As we’ve previously stated, there is prayer and self-reflection for those whose souls are burdened only by those shadows that follow all mortals. For more serious transgressions, there are more serious punishments, namely penance by fire, the Father’s Mercy, and simple, unceremonious beheading. Now, it is necessary to acknowledge that a punishment must be fitting of the crime. Otherwise there is no justice, only cruelty, and let it never be said that we are unjust in our dealings. So, when should each of these punishments be dealt, and for what reasons? Firstly, a determination should be made as to the severity of the corruption afflicting the soul of the accused, and this determination should be made bearing in mind the weight of his sins. 

 

For those that have simply allowed corruption to drive them into immorality, all that is necessary is penance by fire. Similarly, this should extend to those who have dabbled in the arcane and chosen to repent, for they have chosen to come to the light. The method of penance should also be tailored to the weight of the sin, as, again, cruelty is not justice. To simply brand a repentant mage and then have a mere thief to lie on a bed of coals would be unjust. The repentant apostate, similarly, should be given a firm, permanent reminder of his mistakes. This is just. For those whose sins are too severe for us to judge, we reserve the Father’s Mercy. Those mages who have corrupted themselves and their fellows; Those heretics and apostates who refuse the Flame; Those godless men who attempt to spread their godless ways into the minds of others; Those whose sins are beyond counting. These people shall be put to the stake, that their soul may be judged by the Father with immediacy. Unceremonious execution should be reserved for abominations and those whose sins are so severe that to send them to the Father directly would be too kind an end.

 

-Alisa Camian, 1752

 

 

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[Askuzai 505]