MOUNT TYLOS

[MadOne 4945]

 

here, atop the rugged peaks of that desert cliffside,  toiled an elder priest.

 

Clad in humble robes was he, and gripping resolutely wooden staff which guided each step across the treacherous landscape as he made his ascent. Each step was laborious. His breath was heavy, yet his spirit burned without waver. The path was steep, strewn with loose rocks and treacherous inclines, but Caius pressed onward.

 

His physical toil mirrored an internal turmoil far greater, for only days prior, had an act of violence by the Brother Krug onto the Priesthood of Owyn shook him to his deepest core. He remembered sitting atop the throne, wounded and palely loitering as the clarion sounded, and by his word, a call to arms stirred the hearts of the nation Horen. A Crusade. He had envisioned a united front, with the wayward sons of Horen banding together, not to squabble among themselves but to fight a common foe. Such was the curse of man, Caius thought, the curse given onto Horen was not man's short life, but his ambition, that might turn men of Horen's tribe against each other.

 

 

The sun blazed mercilessly, although blocked with a black haze, the heat and what remained of it's light casting long shadows that danced upon the arid, waterless ground. Sweat mingled with the dust on Caius's brow, yet he paid no heed to his discomfort. His solitary eye, sharp and clear despite his years, remained fixated on the summit above. With each step, he muttered fervent prayers, invoking the strength of GOD to sustain him in his journey to the top. But with each prayer, his mind wandered back to the Orcish Chieftain who had, in a moment of humility, prostrated before him, kissed his ring, and capitulated to his demands. It was not the Canonist way to kill and maim those who would repent, and so Caius had to shamefully call off the Crusade.

 

 

Minutes turned to hours as the priest ascended the mountain. The nights were cold and the days scorching, yet Caius found solace in his faith. He recalled the scriptures, the tale of Horen, of Joren and Owyn. the tales of the venerable Prophets and their Saints who had undertaken such pilgrimages, their hearts too, burned alight with the same mandate-divine. He steeled himself, and fueled his resolve. With renewed vigor, he ascended the final stretch of the mountain.

 

 

Cresting the mountaintop, Caius did not only grapple with the arid landscape of this forgotten land, but with the weight of his decision. He wondered if he was sacrificing countless lives of human Canonists of the future at the altar for the bloody wars of Man, of which he had seen plenty in his youth. By showing mercy to the repentant Brother Krug, as scripture demanded, perhaps he rebuked his own people. His heart was heavy, knowing that he had been the only man for peace, the pious and wise rulers of his time such as John of Aaun, Catherine and his Father vanishing akin to the dunes of this vast desert landscape for the call of death. His generation, whom had known war, now was replaced with fiery men such as Ivan and Charles, who sought the same glory that perhaps he himself once had sought. Holding back the throes of war, his decision, was a double-edged sword. On one hand, he upheld the principles of his faith; on the other, he feared he might have forfeited the unity of his people by festering opened wounds further. The human spirit was seldom contained, and would never be contained by the efforts of one man.

 

 

At long last, Caius reached the summit. There, he beheld a sight that made his heart swell with reverence. Spread before him was a vast expanse of holy land, untouched and serene. The air was still, imbued with a sense of sacred presence. In the center of this hallowed ground stood a solitary tree, its branches reaching towards the heavens, as if in eternal supplication.

 

Thus, now with a heart full of solemnity, he rose to his feet. He grasped the axe and, and swung a wide arc. As the tree fell, Caius saw that it was good. Thus did Caius strip himself of his sleeve, tearing it asunder for fabric, that the branches and the robe may culminate into the Cross of Horen, his people. 

 

 

The blotted sun of crimson cast a red glow upon the desert landscape, and Caius knelt before the newly erected cross. He consecrated the ground with holy water and anointed the cross with sacred oils. His voice rang out in a powerful invocation, declaring this mountaintop a holy land for the people of Canondom, a sanctuary of faith and devotion from now in this age of End Times, and Omens. And thus, he named the mountain Mount Tylos, the Holiest of Holies.

 

 

 

 

Lo and Behold, the People of Canondom,

 

For We Have Toiled and Endured,

 

In the face of adversity, we have wrested peace from the jaws of conflict, and through this very steadfast devotion, did the Lord has bestowed upon us a sacred reward—the holiest of holy lands. With divine guidance, we have transformed the strife of Descendants into the sanctity of the bounds of the Lord God.

 

The lands atop the Southeastern mountaintops, within the realm of the Luraki Horde of Brother Krug, are thus hereby declared the dominion of the Church. We have anointed this land with holy oil and marked it with the stakes of the towers Aemon and Daemon. Henceforth, this land belongs to the Lord GOD in perpetuity, to be shepherded by the Holy Mother Church.

 

Let this mountain be consecrated as Mount Tylos. This land shall remain the property and sacred domain of the Church forever. No iniquity nor man shall assail it.

 

This mount shall henceforth be declared holy and consecrated ground, serving as a pilgrimage site where men may attain a closer spiritual relationship with the Lord. We ordain this land for the establishment of a monastery atop its heights.

 

 

---

 

 

 

• Holiness and Respect - All who enter Mount Tylos must do so with reverence. This sacred site demands the highest respect for its sanctity and the spiritual purpose it serves.

 

• Monastic Community - Only those committed to a life of prayer, contemplation, and service to GOD may reside within the monastery. The community will be one of strict monastic discipline, dedicated to the worship and glorification of the Lord.

 

• Pilgrimage Regulations - Pilgrims may visit Mount Tylos, but must seek permission from the Vice-Chancellor. Their stay shall be limited, and they must abide by the rules of the monastery, engaging in prayer and reflection during their visit.

 

• Prohibition of Secular Activities - No secular activities or profane behavior shall be tolerated on Mount Tylos. This is a place of spiritual retreat, free from the distractions and corruptions of worldly life.

 

• Preservation of Sanctity - The natural environment of Mount Tylos shall be preserved. The monastery and its inhabitants must live in harmony with the land, maintaining its purity and holiness.

 

• Access Restrictions - Only adult Canonists of Horen's Tribe shall be permitted entry to the Mount Tylos, in keeping with the traditions of monastic seclusion and focus on spiritual purity. Let no iniquity of Iblees step forth.

 

• Mount Tylos shall house the Monastery of Blessed Mateo of Durres, consecrated in his honor and service. This holy place will stand in perpetuity, a beacon of faith and devotion for all Canonists.

 

May this land serve for the boundless grace of the Lord GOD.

 

 

[seannie 7443]

Tiber, now a famed painter by intercession of the Pontiff's divine touch, takes a snapshot of him kneeling by the cross upon Mount Tylos - feeling blessed. Serene.

[Aesopian 1639]

"Kanon zpirit iz gettin bub'mitey." Gribb'Lak nodded.