Thesis on the Vytenite

[Reckless Banzai Screamer 11529]

Thesis on the Vytenite

Written by Paco de Mantequilla, Lector of Owynist Rite

From the Priory of the Prophet Owyn, Luciensburg

[Foreword: While many of my contemporaries normally recite the theology we’ve studied in our years of studying scripture or explore the deeper questions most faithful do not contemplate, I wish to take this opportunity to examine our approach to preaching the word and how we spread faith.]

Although my travels on the continent are still fresh, I’ve taken notice of the lack of faith our Canonist realm once revered and broadcasted abroad. When faith was strong, even in the most heathen of lands a significant minority of faithful could be found. Now our reach has limits and heathenry is in closer proximity to our faithful then ever before. I could not point the finger at anyone in particular fault of this but my best judgment concludes that a series of events have befallen our realm that has led to slothfulness and the acceptance of what is sub-par to mankind’s gentile standards.

 

In particular I notice the lack of the Vytenite, the wandering friar braving the road and venturing into heathen lands to spread the word. It’s less luxurious than the life of the Virosite who resides in the safety of their temple of abbey walls. While faith remains strong in our metropolises, the farther one ventures away the more sacrilege becomes visible. I sympathize with my brothers in cloth who fear the world outside of Providence for there is darkness and terror that seeks to trump GOD’s good. But I encourage my brothers to look at the story of Owyn in the Scroll of Gospel and be inspired by Owyn’s willingness to reside in the court of Alduun for seven years protecting the human Harrenites and spreading faith. The brave of us should be willing to venture far from the sanctuary of the Canonist realm to save the handful of wayward souls who have not yet heard GOD’s word. GOD’s promise is our protection and every soul saved is a step towards our salvation.

 

The Rule of St. Humbert establishes two schools of preaching in the Church of Canon: the stationary monk also known as the Virosite and the wandering friar known as the Vytenite. Both are instrumental in the spreading of scripture but more often than not the path of the Virosite is favored by aspiring men of the cloth who wish to oversee houses of worship. Few holy men aside from the crusader call the roads home and this has left the Canonist realm surrounded by heathens of various lives with little chance of being introduced to our faith through The Scrolls instead of Owyn’s flaming sword. The way of the friar is not a luxurious one as the man of cloth forsakes the idea of a permanent home and often stays in tents, local inns and hostels. Sometimes even amongst heathens and outright opposition to the Canon. Such a path is not for the faint of heart but for those who give their hearts in totality to GOD. From my personal experience though, I have found the path of the friar a rich and rewarding life because it has allowed me to save the souls of various walks of life who would have otherwise died ignorant of GOD’s word.
 

 

The Baptism of Bernard de Salier

 

The life of the Vytenite can sometimes lead a man of faith to the dregs of civilization. I’ve traveled for decades sometimes by ship going port to port across the Great and Shattered Seas but in recent years my missionary work has brought my brothers and I to the city of Luciensburg where we’ve walked amongst and preached to various men and women whose families had been banished from their home countries. A land of outcasts and deplorables. The Bishop Guy was alone from what I witnessed and he was one of the few brave upstanding men to call these wretched folk neighbors. Despite the status of this parish though, these folk craved for faith and GOD’s blessings to thrive in their new life and during the last couple of years my brothers and I along with the Bishop Guy have spread the word and helped build strong pillars of faith to hold this community together. I’d like to retell a short version of the story of Lord Bernard de Salier’s baptism. During the second day of the Interrex’s baptism by Owynist rite, he sat by burning pyres symbolizing the internal torture Owyn endured for seven years serving Harren as his seneschal. Towards the second half of the seven saints hours Bernard cooked, a raiding party of orcs arrived demanding tribute. The large flames and smoke scared the orcs however and they ran out of the city of Luciensburg. No one died and not a weapon was drawn and many witnessed this miracle from the Prophet Owyn take place and the Interrex was able to continue his fasting and complete his second day of baptism. Even in the most heathen of lands, GOD’s miracles can still be witnessed if the effort is made to spread faith to those unwanted or banished. Despite our status in  life, we are all sinners and equal in creation as GOD intended.

 

According to the Scroll of Gospel, Owyn also ventured into the lands of heathenry much like friars do and stayed for seven years in the court of Alduun serving as Harren’s seneschal in order to defend Harrenites from their mixed blood lords who abused them. The story of Owyn is often misconstrued as a story of retribution where Owyn avenges the death of his father after seven years by slaying Harren and it is often ignored that Owynists celebrate Owyn’s story of redemption. We do not celebrate his act of kinslaying. Despite the sin conducted by our second prophet, GOD is a merciful one and offered Owyn a path of redemption through service to Him for he was truly repentant for upsetting the LORD. Owyn’s sacrifices by putting himself directly in harm’s way by joining the Alduun court to reach the oppressed humans is inspiring to the Vytenite who knows no borders and serves no secular lord - he knows the world belongs to GOD and will speak to anyone willing to listen to the Word he preaches. And despite Owyn’s sin, it is the cautious work we undertake to preach in good faith to outlanders, heathens, vagabonds and other wretched lives in order to save some souls from eternal damnation in turn saves our own souls and brings us all closer to salvation through shared knowledge and love of GOD.

 

Some of my contemporaries argue that the other descendants or our heathen brethren are exempt from GOD’s word because of their inherent ignorance and deem conversion a waste of time. However, I advise those contemporaries to look to the High Pontiff Lucien III in the time of Vailor when he ventured to the mercenary land of Vandoria to speak with the heathen Lord Protector. As a result of the High Pontiff making the effort to speak with and spread the word through the compassion of a teacher instead of the sword, he baptized Nafis Yar and the latter would go on to spread the faith among the Qalasheen and ascend to sainthood for his faithful deeds. It is underappreciated that it was because of brave men of the cloth who used peaceful means to convert a heathen that miracles and great deeds were accomplished in the name of the faith.

 

I write this not to diminish the role of the Virosite but to explain why we should appreciate both schools of preaching in order to strengthen our Canonist realm and broadcast our faith abroad through peaceful and compassionate means as well as dutiful service to GOD. It is not a waste of our time to venture outside of our realm to preach to those foreign to the faith. Great deeds and miracles can be accomplished that allow our faith to reach numerous descendants and make our world a much more holy place. An Owynist carries a weapon on him; he doesn’t carry it to convert by force but carries it to defend his faith and GOD’s faithful. He carries a lantern on him for the road is treacherous. At night it is full of dark and terror. But in this darkness wanders wayward souls seeking salvation and it is the Vytenite who is tasked with shepherding them back to the Lord’s light.
 

[Balthasar 2058]

Guy de Soissons placed his seal of approval, quite literally on the thesis. Now the ordination of a man of God could take place.

[Crevel 4727]

Anders Kortrevich, Proud Follower of Godan, would shove the copy of the published work into the face of his morbidly obese cousin, Jan Otto Kortrevich (@Luminaire), "Dzien‽ This is vasr the czev that I was talking to vy about the other Saint's day." He would further press it into his cousin's face, "Ea would not be serving Godan if ea signed up as a soldier in the Koeng's army. Ea would be serving Godan by preaching His virtue to those ignorant and those in need of guidance alike. The Kongzem of Godan is the only legitimate kongzem to serve and dedicate vyr life to." He would finish his statement matter-of-factly before pondering whether or not he should visit the Priory to learn more about Owynism.

[Statherian 3314]

6 hours ago, Crevel said:

Anders Kortrevich, Proud Follower of Godan, would shove the copy of the published work into the face of his morbidly obese cousin, Jan Otto Kortrevich (@Luminaire), "Dzien‽ This is vasr the czev that I was talking to vy about the other Saint's day." He would further press it into his cousin's face, "Ea would not be serving Godan if ea signed up as a soldier in the Koeng's army. Ea would be serving Godan by preaching His virtue to those ignorant and those in need of guidance alike. The Kongzem of Godan is the only legitimate kongzem to serve and dedicate vyr life to." He would finish his statement matter-of-factly before pondering whether or not he should visit the Priory to learn more about Owynism.

Jan Otto Kortrevich, who by no accounts would be considered morbidly obese, scoffed at his coz. "Da Anders, vy win! Ea'll find someone else to be useful in the HRA. Maybe Walter is more inclined to hold a sword....or just competent. Now, go back to finding work."