Letter to Caius I

[satin 7600]

Spoiler

 

 

 

Dear Caius I,

 

I read your recent missive - ‘The Creed of Redemption’ - with interest. And I saw your mention of me, and I do not deny that I was initially angered. You wrote that I sought to use the Faith to glorify myself; that I hold no innate understanding of the Lord’s Grace upon the World, and that my destiny lies outside the Covenant of the Lord. 

I understand that you think me vain. I understand that you think that I seek personal glory. I understand that you think that I do not understand the GOD. I understand that you think that I am not guided by piety, but rather something else.

And I do not deny that I have been vain, and allowed myself to fall to the sin of Pride, for I had thought my perceived purpose more important than those around me, and I had allowed the fear of failure to guide me to rashness and a misapprehension of the structure of the Church. And I apologise, sincerely, for that. In our argument, I was crass, I was rude, I was foolish and vain, and I can only pray that you forgive me.

But now I have leprosy, and I will be dead within the decade - so I must act quickly, whilst I still can. And the business, that purpose that I spoke of - of building the Stone Chapel - is near-finished. All I require, now, is approval from the good Queen of Numendil to begin construction, and construction will begin, and be promptly done, because I intend for it to be a humble Chapel, as I have dreamt.

I tell you this because I desire your blessing for the building. I will build no matter what, but I recall that you previously stated that you would ‘tear down with cannons’ anything that I rose up.

I do not want that to happen. I do not want that to happen, and I recall that you stated, in your argument and in your righteous anger, that you would refuse to give permission for such a building to be created. I must now humbly ask for you to give it. I do assure you that I desire no station from this; the Stone Chapel will be constructed, and I will spend the rest of my diseased life within it, and die quietly in the Numendilian woods. That seems to be the fate that has been meted to me, and it is one that I will embrace. But for the sake of peace of mind, and the prevention of conflict, and the prevention of future disputation, I do humbly ask for your approval for the construction of the Stone Chapel.

 

- Serwa

 

 

[MadOne 4945]

 A letter was penned in retort, both letters being placed over Churches and Canonist Kingdoms publicly for all men to see.

 

Serwa,

 

In the name of Almighty, the LORD GOD of Horen and the Prophets, and by the Laurel and the Chair of Owyn, I must now address you once more, with grave concern and righteous indignation festering within my heart. This farce of a letter which you have sent me, though filled insincere with admissions of vanity and sin, does not mask the deeper transgressions against the Holy Church that you have perpetuated, and still continue to this day to perpetrate with envy, vainglory and avarice.

 

Hearken to my words: your intent to construct the so-called Stone "Chapel" without the sanction of the Holy See and the Laurel is a blatant and thinly-veiled affront to the sacred traditions and divine hierarchy established by the Prophets and Lord Himself, which you claim to listen. Such audacity to dismiss the authority of the High Pontiff, the Chair of Saint Daniel, cannot and will not be tolerated.

 

You have mockingly confessed to pride and folly, yet your very actions belie any true repentance. To place your personal vision - no doubt earned through the foul trickery of Saul and Iblees and your Elven magicks - above the ordained guidance of the Church is to tread to heresy. This act of defiance is not only an error as you claim, but instead a grievous sin against the unity and sanctity of the Canonist faith. It is your intent now that you are a cornered beast, that you must capitulate to our wishes as if you are some paltry Baron in the losing side of warfare - Nay, this situation is much more profound and spiritual than the secular lens which you seem to look through and live within.

 

Furthermore, you have now revealed your disingenuous nature by stating that you will build this chapel regardless of my permission. What is the point of asking for my 'permission', then? Such a statement renders your plea hollow and insincere. You ask for this so-called permission in the name of preventing conflict and strife? Who do you think you are to presume to deal with the High Pontiff on equal terms? The only men who can claim to deal on such equal terms with the Vicar of God are fellow Canonists - of which you assuredly are not, for any man professing the Testaments of the Exalted would not ask for this permission in the name of "preventing conflict" but rather simply because I am the High Pontiff, the legitimate Ecclesiastical authority. What conflict can you offer to the Church of the Canon that you threathen the Received Tradition with it? Do not mistake my gentle nature for weakness. Your threats and your false-testimony will be met with equal fierceness. Measure for measure.

 

If you seek to become a 'prophet' and to found a new elven religion, do not attempt to hijack the processes of the Canonist Church or usurp rightful ecclesiastical authority from within. You desire to worship graven images and beasts of the earth. You acclaim yourself a prophet. Thus I say onto you; join the countless hordes of pagans and heretics who already do so openly.

 

Know this: should you proceed with the erection of this 'chapel', it shall be deemed heretical. By my decree, any such structure shall be razed to the ground with the cannons of the faithful. Furthermore, I shall inform Queen Tar-Caraneth of your wicked insolence and your vainglorious ways of Iblees, and will advise her to thwart any support for your most unholy endeavor.

 

Moreover, your affliction as a leper, for as a heresiarch claiming to be the only one capable of receiving Revelation from the Lord, is telling of the Lord's disapproval upon you. Take heed and recognize this affliction as a sign to repent sincerely and seek true reconciliation with the Church.

 

The authority of the Holy Church and the received tradition of the faithful must be upheld. Your plea is thus rejected, not only for your lack of respect for ecclesiastical authority but also for your presumptuous self-proclamation as a prophet.

 

Return to the path of true humility and submit to the will of GOD and His Church.

 

CAIVS PRIMVS