Simorgh's Flight

[Samson Option 9652]

 

Ambience Music

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

A most ethereal cloak shrouded the man from the elements and the disheveled. The cloak barely reached his ankles and fluttered as if the wind inspected it with scrutinizing fingers. A turban sat loosely on his head, leaning and yet keeping shape atop his head. He walked with a pace commanded by poise and looked deeply into the eyes of those he spoke with. Ardashir Shirvanyan, the name he introduced himself as, seemed as Farfolkish as Farfolk got. His appearance commanded intrigue, apprehension, bewilderment; all of which he took in stride and accepted without a frown or an expression of received insult.

Ardashir visited libraries and saloons and avoided taverns and brothels. He disdained the institutions, but made sure to smile and greet politely any who crossed his path regardless of their association with these institutions. His travels made him a frequent sight throughout Oren and the lands of Renalia, Irrinor, Aegrothond, & Tongyi-Hu. Everywhere he visited, he’d offer his services in writing and education to any who might venture to take benefit. He would identify himself as a gnostic and encouraged people to take advantage of his skills in oratory, rhetoric, and writing. To the rare man or elf that would pause and have lengthy conversation with him, he explained his gnosticism in further detail.

 

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General Overview

 

There are those who, through the myriad of religions, choose to see commonality and abide by them without partisanship. In all fair religions, there is a call to a higher power, and a moral code imposed - the gnostics are well aware and observant of this. However, gnosticism compels adherents to reconcile the man-made religions throughout time with the Ultimate and its act of breathing soul into the Descendents. To this end, gnosticism finds itself compatible with many of the religions throughout Arcas, but places an emphasis with a direct, personal, and awe-inspiring relationship with the Creator.

 

Gnosticism points to the act of creation, in which the Creator blew spirit into the hollow forms of the Descendents, as an endearing moment in which the Creator showed love for the creation. This love is reciprocated by the gnostic longing for reunion. This reunion is not morbidly attached to death, but rather gracefully attached to fervent worship, upright moral life, and beautified adoration of the Almighty. Gnostics find that achieving harmony among the Descendents is a vehicle to impressing and showing love to the Creator. To this end, gnostics rarely contrast the religions, arguing that the name ascribed to the Creator is a moot point and that arguing over such would cause discord and thus disrupt potential harmony among the Descendents. One may find gnostics of different religious backgrounds, but united in underlying philosophy.

 

There is one enemy of the Gnostics: ego. In gnostic soteriology, the ego is like a chain weighing the person down and restraining them from reunion. In moral terms, the ego is the font of all vices including the cardinal among them: arrogance. Arrogance is, to the gnostic, what drives certain Aengudaemons to believe they are superior to the Creator and what drives certain Descendents to be aggressors and oppressors over each other. The gnostic swears oaths to counteract and retribute the arrogant - no matter the race or religion. Many gnostics turn to asceticism as a practice to restrain their own egos.

 

Gnosticism as a philosophy affecting one’s personal faith is obscure in origins. Fierce orthodoxy is a typical and recurring quality of many groups, especially of human populations, who utilize faith as a means to encourage cooperation and brotherhood. The orthodoxy of such groups as the legendary Order of the White Roses, Teutonic Order, and Da Kirkja Dverga usually proves anathema to any challenge to religious orthodoxy and supremacy. For this reason, gnosticism as a philosophy is often kept quiet, yet has found a great number of followers both in clandestine acceptance and proactive promotion and congregation.

 

Sects & Tenets

 

Many gnostics show appreciation for the many religions across Arcas and in past lands including Aegis, Asulon, Anthos, and others. They embrace particularly those religions that have inspired intellectual endeavors including Canonism and the faith of the Brathmordakim while tolerating but distancing themselves from more animistic religions as more elemental and anti-philosophy such as the Shamanism of the Orcs. For these passive gnostics, they still accept a few major tenets that would be generally considered heterodox:

 

1. The morally just and upright deeds are not done for any reward or to avoid placement in punishment, but rather for an ecstatic closeness to the Creator and to show adoration for the sole creator.

2. As alluded to in the first tenet, those who follow polytheistic religions contend internally that there is a sole creator with multiple avatars. In such cases, the avatars are typically ignored while the sole creator is  revered.

3. There is a recognition that the creator has certain elects or moral paragons within the religious traditions who emphasize virtues over faith and religious jurisprudence. These elects are those who the passive gnostics gravitate to and try to learn from.

[Jentos 9422]

The Schoolman watched. 

[Stag 3230]

((I will read in a bit but the art is so moving I could die...))

[Samson Option 9652]

1 hour ago, Jentos said:

The Schoolman watched. 

 

Ardashir, on one of his many walks, spotted the Schoolman and hailed him good day.

[Nozgoth 3083]

A Hou-Zi grows curious at the mention of Tongyi-Hu.

[Samson Option 9652]

On 5/29/2020 at 5:09 PM, Nozoa said:

A Hou-Zi grows curious at the mention of Tongyi-Hu.

 

Ardashir, taken aback by the sight of the Hou-Zi, asked to sit with him on his next visit to Tongyi-Hu. The arch with its two gongs flanking a sign bearing the town’s name looked familiar to him. Everywhere he looked, beings bearing simian features congregated through either going from one place to another or loitering in leisure or conversation with others. The faces began to blend in, Ardashir lost himself trying to find the particular Hou-Zi amid the many found in Tongyi-Hu.