Lost Owynist Theses

[Slorbin 2932]

A collection of lost theses and notes, written long ago by an elf long-vanished. The tomes have been found once more in the collection of sinister religions.

Section 1: De Virtute DEI, 'On God's Power', unpublished Owynist theses cut short by ejection from the Lectorate.

 

De Virtute DEI

 

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On God’s Power

By Aether Mills

Dedicated to the Lectorate

 

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Prologue

It has come to my attention after periods of study that the Canonist church aught not to teach only those learned scholars who have spent years of their mortal lives higher concepts in theology, but should aim to spread their missionary dogma in a more meaningful and fulfilling way to save the souls of as many as possible. In my short time in Duloc, reading the Gospel and the four scrolls which have been given me, I have come to realize that the evangelization of cultured nations is of utmost importance. Every time the world has strayed away from the teachings of the faith, terrible tragedies have occurred. One such example within human reader’s lifetimes, one they can relate to, is that of Voidal magic.

I was a citizen of Haelun’or in my earlier years, and although that citizenship has long been abandoned and my house evicted, I remember the horrors and tragedies that voidal magic has concocted. The consequences when one strays away from GOD. The fall of Ando Alur left hundreds dead, and even though they were sinners, some of those poor elves were innocent. I have seen Voidal magic infect the empathy and rationality of descendants over time- once good colleagues, full of life and love, turned into cold, callous creatures, husks of their former self, focused on only their power and nothing of the good in life.

I may have also found that path as well. I may have, in a different life, decided to quench my unending thirst for hidden knowledge after I finish my alchemical studies, if not for the theologians ar Duloc. By writing this treatise I hope to educate those scholars to consider lay theology as a safe, fulfilling theory of study that saves souls instead of corrupting it with the vices of sin.

I admit. I, as an elf, will never go to the seven skies, and I have already coped with such. But all mortal men have the chance, and devoting my long life to the greater good of those accursed with age leaves me with a sense of warmth unlike any other. Alongside this- the spreading of the Gospel limits the veil of Iblees, who has struck us from our home time and time again. I write this missive in the case that I die, whether it be due to the savageness of the Dulocian green boar or revenge from Sillumir spies, my evangelism will continue to live on in written form, and more might be saved by GOD’s grace from wherever my mortal soul resides. For even though elves do not forget, they die, yet books never fade.

Chapter 1: Does GOD exist?

PROLOGUE: The existence of GOD is important, as it is the founding block of Canonism and all its denominations. To take in this question, we must review the counter-arguments that ‘no, GOD does not exist’, and then use reason and logic to provide a rational counterargument.

OBJECTION: We have not seen GOD, ever. No one alive has seen GOD. He is unobservable in this lifetime. Therefore, he does not exist.

COUNTERARGUMENT: I answer you thusly: Many people alive have indeed, seen GOD, in the flesh- The Aenguldaemonica. The Aenguldaemonica have seen the Lord with their own eyes, and testify to his existence. Iblees himself testifies to GOD, and the Aengudaemonica have no reason to lie that GOD exists. (Some do have reason to lie about him being dead- This will be covered in a later chapter.) Amongst that, the first Descendants of the first man and woman- Krug, Horen, Urguan and Malin- all testify to his existence.

Chapter 2: Did Horen Exist?

PROLOGUE: An objection to the counterargument stated above could be that the Descendants never actually existed. These doubters state a theory of ‘evolution’, that all the races came about through something called ‘natural selection’- that each race was bred for specific traits like animal husbandry. I reject this notion.

OBJECTION: The line of Horen and lineage of man go so far back it is nearly impossible to prove their existence. Therefore, since Horen is not alive, and not anyone alive has lived in his time, he does not exist.

COUNTERARGUMENT: While it is indeed true that no living mortal has ever witnessed Horen or the other first kings, again, it is within the immortal that we find our answer. Every single Aengudaemonic entity has testified that, indeed, Horen, Krug, Malin and Krug existed. However, that may not be enough proof for them- for many do not trust the Aengudaemonica. Well- then perhaps you can talk to Krug himself? You see, Shamans are well-known for their ability to commune with the dead. And, as it turns out, they are definitely able to commune with Krug’s soul- and Krug will definitely inform you of Horen, Malin, Urguan and GOD’s existence, if Krug’s standing there is not proof enough for you- if, of course, he does not slaughter you and the shamans first.

Chapter 3: I Have Not Seen Him?

PROLOGUE: Maybe all of this is not enough. Many people oppose all of these views, of being able to talk to people who witnessed GOD, as actual ‘proof’. They need to ‘witness’ him...

OBJECTION: I have not personally seen the glory of GOD myself. Therefore, as I have not observed GOD, GOD must not actually exist.

COUNTERARGUMENT: This notion that you have to see something for it to exist is absolutely absurd. There is something in the world, an idea, a mental skill that even the lowliest dogs have. It is titled ‘object permanence’. Just because you no longer see something does not mean it stops existing, or rather, has never existed. Let me give an example. Aegis. All of you have certainly heard of the land of Aegis. However- many of you, probably the majority, were not alive during the age of Aegis. However- you all are aware it exists, yes? You all believe it to be so, based on what has been told, yes? Indeed, even though a small amount of faith is required in such matters as believing in GOD, it is no less an amount of faith than believing in lands long past.

 Chapter 4: Did GOD Die?

PROLOGUE: The notion that GOD could have ever died is an absurd one that goes against his every nature… but, sadly, a very prominent theory in many religious circles. In the following few chapters I will be covering the several different beliefs on how GOD ‘died’ and postulates against them.

OBJECTION: GOD has died. He has died of old age. There is no possible way that GOD exists anymore within this realm, as no being can live past a thousand years- even the elves, gifted with long life, go insane after 20 measly stone years.

COUNTERARGUMENT: Dying is against God’s nature. To be more specific on the topic of old age, GOD is a timeless being. He is akin to a bar of carabarum. Carabarum does not age. Carabarum does not weather. Carabarum is virtually indestructible- it is timeless. However, unlike Carabarum, God also cannot melt, and He never forges into a different thing- His nature stays static, the same at all times. And, given that He was able to make many things which are timeless, it is suffice to say that He is powerful enough to be a timeless being, one that will exist forever.

Chapter 5: Does GOD Change?

PROLOGUE: An objection to this could state that GOD is a changing being. It is a notion that does not hold up when examined too closely, however.

OBJECTION: GOD has changed himself as he is omnipotent. He is omnipotent, and has the ability to change Himself, and He has decided to do so.

COUNTERARGUMENT: God has definitely not changed Himself. However, it is not because he cannot. He definitely can- He just has absolutely no reason to. After all. He IS perfect. He HAS been perfect for all millenia. Why would you ever dream of changing something that is absolute perfection?
You see, something particular about GOD is that He does not act, look, or function anything like a Descendant. He is not exactly a ‘force’, either, as He is intimately personal. See, GOD is a being outside the physical world. He is on another plane, the ethereal plane of Heaven and the Seven Skies, where imperfection can be eliminated. Most everything on Eos and Aos have imperfections, no matter how minute or massive they may be. But when one is on the same plane GOD is on, the ideal form of something is able to actually take place. GOD is the ideal being, one and alone, with the perfect traits, qualities, and a glorious form the mortal mind could never hope to comprehend.

Chapter 6: Was GOD Killed By Iblees?

PROLOGUE: The other main theory is that GOD did not die of old age, but was slaughtered. The main idea is that magic somehow killed GOD, or maybe Iblees, or perhaps the Void itself.

OBJECTION: Iblees killed GOD. He must have killed Him during an event, like, say, the fall of Aegis. GOD is dead.

COUNTERARGUMENT: GOD is most definitely not dead due to Iblees. You see, Iblees is far, far less powerful than GOD. And the proof is within us, directly. You see, while many of the Aenguldaemons did, in fact, have the ability to create animals, none have ever been able to create a creature of the descendant’s power. The closest anyone has ever come is the Kharajyr- but even the Kharajyr have abysmal limits to their capabilities. What I refer to is not the capabilities of the body, but of the soul. You see, early on in the Book of Provenance, it is mentioned specifically that GOD made something in particular- man’s SOUL. No other soul like man’s has been created by anything other than GOD- Nothing even able to withstand the hatred of the Void, nothing unable to receive the blessings of the Aenguldaemon, nothing able to survive the corrupting, evil aura of dark magics. No, for even the Kharajyr, Metzli’s supposed ‘creation’ bursts into flames when attempting to receive Azdromoth’s curse. If Iblees could not do something as simple as create a soul, something that only took GOD one measly breath, then what is to say the denier could even dare touch the Lord?

Chapter 7: Was GOD Killed By The Void?

PROLOGUE: Another popular theory by heretics is that GOD succumbed to the void- whether it be through voidal magic, or the slow, creeping corruption that spreads across the planes. This is, utterly, scientifically impossible, as we will see soon.

OBJECTION: GOD was ‘killed’ by the Void. He came into contact with the void- nothing can live in the void! Therefore, he died.

COUNTERARGUMENT: This is an advanced answer which will eventually devolve into the paradox of the stone, so pay close attention. No, GOD cannot die in the void. And, in a sense, he can’t exactly touch the void either. You see, the Void is not just nothing, it is the absence of GOD. Proof of this is found early on, within both the book of Providence and the book of Horen. The planes are angled thusly- First, what is closest to GOD is the seven skies. What is second closest are all the other planes- such as the world. What is farthest is the Void. If GOD were to move towards the void, the void would cease to be void and would begin to be normal space. This is, and although we can never be sure as GOD is unknowable, possibly a reason why GOD stays on his throne. If GOD were to grow near the mortal plane his glory may very well turn it into heaven.

ADDENDUM: You may be wondering, dear reader, about the paradox of omnipotence. ‘Oh- if God can’t touch the void then he isn’t omnipotent’! Well, no, he can touch the void. And, if he did, he would definitely be fine, but this argument is about the void trying to physically kill him, not whether GOD would wander into the void himself. God very well could, and would not die or could not be hurt as he is an omnipotent being, but.. Why would he want to do that?

And please don’t bring up ‘ohh the stone what if he makes a stone too big’- It’s sophistry. The paradox is meaningless, you’re not funny and your mother never loved you.

Chapter 8: Why Does GOD not Smite Sinners?

PROLOGUE: A common question asked questioning GOD’s judgement and power is, that if he despises sin so much, why does he not simply destroy those who do it? The answer lies not in GOD’s ability, but in GOD’s nature- in his grace, in his unending love for his children.

OBJECTION: GOD does not destroy the sinners who bring evil into the world, despite GOD hating sin. Therefore, GOD must not have the power to do so. Therefore, GOD is not all-powerful.

COUNTERARGUMENT: GOD definitely, absolutely has the power to smite sinners. GOD has the power to create anything, even descendants- which alchemists, in almost two-thousand years of history, have been completely unable to do. There is nothing stopping him from doing something as simple as manifesting a large rock atop a person, crushing them instantly. Indeed- the real reason it does not happen is not due to lack of power, but due to a lack of want. GOD does not want to punish in such a manner- GOD is graceful. GOD is ready to accept and forgive nearly everyone, no matter how horrible the sin. Take, for example, the worst sinner of them all- the king of sin, the emperor of evil, Iblees himself. GOD still extends his grace to Iblees. As is stated in the Scroll of Gospel, GOD extended his grace to Iblees several times, and continues to do so. However, it is Iblees, in his wroth, who rejects forgiveness. Even in the end times, in the latest part of the Scroll of Auspice, GOD offers his grace to Iblees. Iblees does not accept it, and is destroyed under the overwhelming grace. GOD does not wish to destroy his own creation- rather, he seeks to redeem them, preferring them to repent and come towards Him of their own will. GOD is aware that killing a sinner would be a sin- and the cycle would perpetuate infinitely. The only way to stop it is to forgive.

ADDENDUM: What should we do about forgiveness, then..? Should we, too, forgive sinners? The answer is yes. Forgiveness is the utmost virtue- it ends the cycle of sin right in its path. Sometimes, a swordbearer may find themselves in a predicament- against those of the most evil forces- necromancers, Saul Ivan’s and the like. In these cases, to kill them is not good, but to not kill them is to damn many many innocents to a painful death. The path of least sin would be to end the necromancer’s life, and should be followed- but no matter what one does, one should never find joy in extracting wroth upon evildoers. You must do what you must, but never kill wantonly or needlessly. 

Chapter 9: Why are The Aenguldaemons Lying?

PROLOGUE: A truly terrible secret lies within the Aenguldaemon’s plans. They are known to lie about the death of GOD, to be worshipped for their own good… 

OBJECTION: The Aenguldaemons have no reason to lie about the death or nonexistence of GOD. Therefore, if Aengudaemons are telling us that GOD is dead, then they are obviously not lying- then they are telling the truth. 

COUNTERARGUMENT: Unfortunately, this is not true. Many Aengudaemonic entities, those who are particularly unfaithful to their creator who gave them their spark- for example, the dreaded Xan and his worshippers, and Gazardiael who attempted to end us all- they wish to go against GOD’s teachings for their own power. I have, with much deliberation and discussion from other lectors, devised the exact reason they want to be worshipped instead of GOD- it grants them power. When someone elects to worship one of these false deities, they do grow somewhat more powerful as a result- they are able to call on earthly arms far beyond their normal scope of power to fight for them, and conquer more of this mortal realm- the only realm that truly, actually matters to Aengudaemons as it is the one they have the least power in, and was the one created by GOD. As well, whenever a poor soul signs up for an Aengudaemonic pact, such as Xannic Paladanism, they are often granting their soul over to one of these heathenous beasts. The Aengudaemons are able to use the unique and unrivaled energy the soul produces, such as mana, to grow stronger. In short, Aengudaemons wish to use soul energy to power themselves and their own crusade.

ADDENDUM: It should be noted, of course, that not all Aengudaemons or Aengudaemonic pacts are inherently bad. For example- Malchediael’s templars are granted boons, but nothing is inherently ‘taken’ from them. Malchediael himself is still true to the LORD. Avalier was also considered quite true to the LORD- though, since he unfortunately banished, he has not appeared much since,

Chapter 10: How do the Realms Function in relation to GOD?

PROLOGUE: This is a more experimental part of the thesis, and I am fully aware that my position on such will be incredibly controversial. This chapter will cover the topic of GOD’s position in the realms, and what exactly his power means in reference to this.

OBJECTION: GOD does not have a particular place in the realms. GOD resides everywhere, all at once, as he is omnipresent. There aren’t tiers of reality emanating from GOD, everything simply exists at random.

COUNTERARGUMENT: We shall split this argument into several sections.

1. “GOD does not have a particular place in the realms.” Indeed, in a way, there is no one place where god solely as. However, there are places where he is more at as opposed to less at. Allow me to explain this with an an analogy. Imagine all the realms, voidal and mundane,  as a flat disc, completely two dimensional. Upon this disc is a heaping pile of fine gravel. Near the edges of the disc is less gravel, of course, and near the center of the disc is more gravel. However, there is still gravel upon each inch of the disc- therefore, there is gravel “everywhere”- it is just in some places more than others. This is akin to how GOD works- he is more there in the Seven Skies than he is in the mundane realm or the void.
2. “There are no tiers emanating from GOD”. This objection can be overturned by reading over the scroll of Gospel again. While it does not explicitly detail the direction of creation, close examination of Iblees’ descent and climb reveals many things. See, whenever the scroll of Gospel refers to Iblees moving between realms, it refers to it as him climbing the ‘emanations of glory’. An emanation is defined as a radiation from a source. Therefore- it can be said that, whenever Iblees climbs though the realms, he is climbing up towards the source of GOD- his glory. As he grows closer to the void he is descending away from the source of GOD. Given close examinations of the text, we can determine thusly:
   1. The first realm, closest to GOD, are the seven skies.
   2. The next realms are several aengulic realms, as they are responsible for ‘things’
   3. The next realm is the mundane world, Aos and Eos.
   4. The next realms are several daemonic realms are they are responsible for ‘nothings’.
   5. The final outer realm is the void.
3. This reveals that the realms are created outwards from GOD’s glory, his source- possibly in a ring-like shape, or perhaps, given the coin-like nature of the realms- a stack of coins. (It also, in turn, reveals unto us proof of the previous discussion- that there is, indeed, a “center” to GOD).

Chapter Finalis: The Horrible Realm

[There is no text left.]
 

Section 2: Notes on the four scriptures.

Scroll 1: Virtue

 PROLOGUE:

• DIRECTLY first person
• GOD speaking to Horen DIRECTLY in scroll
• It is GOD’s MORAL LAW.
• Each different canticle covers a different aspect of GOD’s nature.
• Each canticle describes how to use GOD’s gifts.
• Each canticle begins with the same 3 verses, and ends with mostly the same verse. Very specific wordings.
• First scroll, given directly to Horen.
• Good for finding firsthand accounts of GOD’s deeds.

CANTICLE 1: FAITH

This section seems to deal with the soul, GOD’s power, and why one should believe in him in a more focused sense. It plays an excellent part as a beginning section.

• GOD foremost part of heaven
• His word lasts forever
• No peers, no one else as powerful as him, he separated world from Void and gave souls to beasts
• GOD gave souls to descendants too, and, all things.
• GOD guides in pursuit of his ‘virtue’.
• Virtuous only live by his ‘Word’.
• Blessings of his ‘virtue’ fall on righteous who follow word and path

CANTICLE 2: CHARITY

This section seems to describe how GOD is charitable by giving man things to survive with, while simultaneously demonstratin his glory.

• GOD made everything- metals of earth, rocks, trees, stuff inside trees, hair, beasts, everything.
• GOD gives both abundant physical things, and the word for us to spread.
• GOD gives us lots of virtue, but also lots of stuff in garden.
• Word can be spread without it dividing, it multiplies as it is closer to a memetic idea than a physical thing.
• GOD wants us to not covet what is in garden and has been given to us however, but instead desire to grow closer to GOD. Temperance is key.
• Those who share wealth will receive blessings.

CANTICLE 3: TEMPERANCE

This section seems to be about enjoying oneself in moderation in all things,

• GOD gives many things- gave Horen first grapes for wine, and gave Horen wife.
• GOD gives us worldly pleasures, but also spiritual pleasures, and love of husband and wife
• GOD given us wine of ‘sacrament’, and also wine of merriment (drinking wine)
• Pleasures of world exist to comfort us WHILE we achieve virtue spiritually
• Take pleasures CAREFULLY
• Do NOT overindulge like mindless beast
• Do NOT sleep with relatives
• Do NOT sleep with other tribes (i.e. elf + human, orc + dwarf)
• MUST stay MONOGAMOUS (only 1 spouse at a time in holy unison)
• Following GOD’s joy bring joy, following GOD’s comfort brings comfort.
• Blessings fall upon those that do not over-indulge

CANTICLE 4: DILIGENCE

This canticle seems to cover the idea that idle hands should not exist. One should always strive to work towards something, and have some sort of job. Labor is good.

• GOD made all things. He made seeds and husks, heat, fire and iron.
• GOD has made ways to make working easier.
• GOD made new fruits and new jobs to labor over.
• GOD’s creation is to be used to work on.
• Work brings one closer to GOD.
• Strength of heart comes from working.
• Faithful should not idle or be lazy.
• Labor is virtuous. Virtue goes to laborers.

CANTICLE 5: PATIENCE

This canticle seems to be about why bad things happen. GOD’s response is that bad things happen as they strengthen people’s spirits.

• GOD created all world- from heat in desert to cooling wind, to brine in sea and sweet streams.
• GOD created all struggles, double-meaning in previous section. He also created all remedies to struggles.
• GOD also made struggles of spirit, and remedies to struggles of spirit.
• GOD created pain, and also cures.
• Pain not for no reason- pain strengthens one.
• Do NOT resort to violence for anger, envy, or any other sin
• His trials are holy, his cure is virtuous, all who follow this path will receive virtue.

CANTICLE 6: FIDELITY

This canticle seems to be about loyalty and faithfulness, but not to a partner, but more to an ideal.

• GOD has made all things. He made all paths and places essentially.
• GOD tells us what path we need to go on
• GOD chose where we were born and in what circumstances
• Should not envy lives of others
• All paths that are virtuous and follow him are good in his eyes
• All will be recorded according to their virtue, NOT whether they have a good position in life
• Keep fast to word and place, do not aspire to greatness, simply follow his path of Glory
• Law is virtuous, his order is good, blessings of Virtue upon both king and servant

CANTICLE 7: HUMILITY

This canticle seeks to humble the reader, reminding them of the awesome power of the Lord.

• GOD made EVERYTHING
• GOD made earth, seas, skies, heavens
• GOD breathed life into all beasts, and all men
• GOD is eternal, men are temporary
• All are equally small before GOD, so stay humble
• GOD is most high
• Do not judge self higher or lower than what you are, as all fall short of GOD
• GOD is only one with real power, GOD is the only one with real eternity
• Virtue will sustain righteous for aeons, as GOD made virtue

 

 

Scroll 2's notes are missing.

 

Scroll 3: Gospel

 

 

BK. 1- PROVENANCE

• Divinely Inspired 
• God is singular, no polytheism
• God was the first thing, existed in nothing 
• God made all things- farthest is nothing, or the ‘void’, closest is the skies- he resides in the seven skies. Inbetween is the material ‘world’.
• God created Immortals via breath: Aenguls and Daemons. 
• Aenguls rule all that exists. Daemons rule all that doesn’t.
• NO ONE can go to the void, it is forbidden.
• God ordered Immortals to make the world.
• God gave beasts life through his breath. (Souls = breath of God? Ask Paco.) 
• Chief daemon = Iblees. Doubted God’s strength, was annoyed he had to rule over ‘what was not’- nothing.
• Iblees wanted to rule without God, become God himself. 
• Iblees touched the Void, grows physically corrupted (Remember- void corruption is a thing!), God grows angry 
• God sees ‘Bounty of His Immortals’ + is pleased - The deeds of the Immortals? Bounty as in ‘fruits of labor’.
• God sees corruption in Iblees, asked why he did this. 
• Iblees refuses to repent, even though given chance. Iblees locks himself in the void by his own volition.
• Immortals did good, but did not finish God’s plan. God does it himself.
• God makes man and woman. Important to note: AENGUL-DAEMONICA did NOT make them. This is the first thing God has directly made so far without relegating orders. This must be what makes Descendants so special.
• First man and women had no name and no language and no culture. We will never know what or who they are. God intended it to be this way.
• First people had 4 children. (Author’s note: The eldest, Malin, seems to live the longest, while the youngest, Horen, lives the shortest. It seems to be in a descending order- Malin, Urguan, Krug, Horen. Their age parallels to their race’s age.) 
• Eldest is Malin- Ancestor of the elves. Roamed in the forest, tall, lots of hair. Loved fruits and animals a lot. Made his home a sanctuary for beasts- also possible ancestor of druidic mindset
• Second eldest is Urguan- Ancestor of the dwarves. Lived in a mountain home. Dense, rough-skinned already. Loved mining and gems.
• Third eldest is Krug- Ancestor of the orcs. Strong, fierce- notably lived in the Desert, not the jungle. Loved the hunts, battle and strength.
• Youngest is Horen- Ancestor of the humans. Completely average, wise and restrained. Only ambition was to love the Lord.
• God told first man and women it’s time to go to heaven, the Sixth Sky, and leave the world to their sons. The man came eagerly, but the woman did not as she loved her kids. (Author’s Note: The first sin was brought into Iblees through the void, but the first sin by mortals was not until the woman disobeyed the Lord, technically)
• God revealed the kid’s greed to the woman and she came to the Sixth Sky. 
• Sons were all that left, but kept faithful. Each got language, and tribe of 7,000 people. (Not mentioned how they got wives in Ancient History, so this clears it up!)
• Made Sons kings of their people.

BK. 2- HOREN

• Divinely inspired 
• All kings care more about earthly possessions than God now.
• All kings took wives- Malin, Urguan, and Krug took concubines, Horen was monogamous and only had Julia as a wife (monogamy regarded as Holy).
• Iblees watching from void entire time, avoiding grace, still distrusts God. Sees kings are less godly.
• Even Horen less holy, outwardly.
• Iblees ‘ascended’ emanations to world from void (Definiton: Emanation: the origination of the world by a series of hierarchically descending radiations from the Godhead through intermediate stages to matter. Essentially, Iblees ‘climbed up the ladder’ closer to god to get to world.)
• Malin + followers went to forest (already tree-dwellers)
• Urguan + followers went to cave (already cave-dwellers)
• Krug + followers went to desert (already tribal).
• Horen + followers went to plains (building normal homes, have many children)
• Horen sees less Godly world, prays to Lord for guidance.
• Horen goes to Grotto of Gamesh, very far away, and fasts for 3 days in water.
• Before goes, Horen senses Iblees. Tells his followers, tells them what Iblees looks like, tells them to get him away if he comes near when Horen gone.
• Julia get her 3 sons, hid 3 sons in holy tent, went looking for Iblees. 
• Horen went east, Iblees goes to Horen camp and tempts people.
• Julia sees Iblees, casts him out. Iblees mad.
• Iblees goes and tempts sons of Malin, Urguan and Krug while they still at camp, in new disguise, claims Lord would pardon.
• Laziness and orgies ensue.
• Saul leaves Horen camp, goes to others, despite Julia warning. 
• Iblees disguises Saul as Horen.
• Saul-as-Horen corrupts many, acts as Iblees proxy. Julia does not see.
• Back to Horen, and Grotto of Gamesh.
• 3rd day, Aengul Tesion (first named Aengul) cleansed Horen with water from silver horn, and give Horen laurel as crown. 
• Horen crowned First Prophet.
• Horen returns, sees two-thirds of his people corrupted by Saul. They cannot enter the tabernacle.  
• Saul is dead. Died in an orgy, trampled to death.
• 2/3rds sinful could not approach glowing, holy Horen, who wept. Talks to wife, gets informed.
• Horen gets out of tabernacle, sees that all unclean have killed each other. Entire camp ‘unclean’.
• All the ‘clean’ people fled to the forest. Horen gathers them- and begins to travel to gather his brothers.
• Krug was attacked by own subjects. Horen tells Krug iblees up to something- Krug kills the unclean, those who lived repented. Horen not bother stopping him, his forces are too little at the moment.
• Krug wants Iblees dead. 
• Both went east, Urguan and Malin join + good ones in tribes. Most sinners killed.
• Iblees foiled, but murder stained earth, give Iblees power. Iblees controls Saul’s body (resurrects, first necromancer.)
• Iblees resurrects all dead as undead army.
• War ensues between Iblees+Saul and Kings of Descendants.
• Brothers attack Iblees and Saul directly. Iblees cursed Kings of Descendants (See Ancient History for curses.)
• Aeriel descends, plays trumpet. Iblees weakened, defeated, all forces of evil fell into Void.
• Aeriel gives brothers gifts to alleviate pains. Krug, honor. Urguan, strength of will. Malin, sanctuary.
• Horen still mortal. Horen given Seven Skies (presumably, heaven after death.)
• God speaks to Horen, talks of his three sons… 
  • Eldest: Purifier, righteous justice. Name: Harren.
  • Middle: Redeemer, glorious. Name: Godwin.
  • Youngest: Perserver, wisdom. Name: Joren. 
• Horen tells brothers. Horen’s kind now inherit creation.

BK. 3- SCATTERING

This book discusses the scattering of the Horenian people, and Harren’s refusal to become prophet- his generation is skipped.

• Divinely Inspired.
• God went back to heaven.
• Horen’s people could not prophecy, could only use speech and example.
• Krug angry because, even though he resisted Iblees, not receive God’s word. Krug’s people attacking Horen’s.
• Most of Horen’s people stopped preaching, except best of people.
• Horen leads people to Holy City, in Isthmus of Kramoroe. Stakes of tabernacle mark bounds.
• One of Krug’s servants finds Isthmus, sees people there very trusting. Krug makes servant ancestor of goblins.
• Krug attacks unwalled Holy City, kill many people.
• Krug want to attack Horen, but, Horen already asleep and killed, along with Julia.
• Krug and followers get tusks as mark of sin.
• Krug and followers, and holy city, washed away by tsunami.
• Holiness gone from world. Year 1 begins.
• Horen’s people scattered. Sons must gather.
• Harren leads third to Peninsula of Whispers. Established kingdom of Idunia and city of Alduun.
• Godwin leads third to Valley of Jrent, where they lived before, got wife, became king of Aaun.
• Joren took last third and went to mountains, became king of Edel.
• Lineages grow. Godwin’s kingdom is largest. 
• Harren’s greatest in strength, as Harren allies with Wildewynn- children of Malin north of Jrent. Harrenites and Wildewynn marry, even though Horen’s virtue forbids it.
• Year 21, aengul Artifai appears. Offers Harren to be next prophet, through horn and laurel.
• Harren rejects. He loves elven ***** too much
• Lord instructs Artifai elsewhere. In meantime, Harren and mixed-blood children attack Kramoroe and Krug, drive them to towers of Aemon and Daemon.
• Harren builds city where holy city used to be.
• Harren offered gift of prophecy again by Artifai. Denies it- wants 3 days to celebrate victory.
• Harren gets drunk, forgets to go fast in Gamesh. Offered chance to do so third time- he goes to Gamesh.
• Harren does not pray, but instead constantly thinks of taking over his brothers.
• On third day, Harren hears fanfare of mixed-blood subjects. Harren goes to festival, breaks fast, and Artifai does not return.
• Harren attacks Godwin’s place, killed Godwin. Realm of Aaun divided, heir Owyn cannot accept. Taken into Joren’s household.

BK. 4- OWYN

• Divinely inspired.
• Owyn instructed in combat by Joren, led armies of Joren at very young age.
• Edel’s people fight instead of pray. Owyn continues to pray AND fight, however. Leads army for 3 years.
• Joren wants to marry Tara from Aaun- Godwin’s kingdom.
• Harren invites Joren to marry in Harren’s holy city, in repentance.
• Joren, Tara, and Owyn go to Harren’s holy city for the marriage. 
• It’s an ambush!
• Joren throws Owyn into sewer to save him. Tara killed, Joren captured, land of Edel falls.
• Owyn finds Grotto of Gamesh unknowingly, prays. God answers.
• God tells Owyn his people cry for justice. Gives Owyn a blade, symbol of Holiness, told to use to clean Mankind of sin.
• God tells Owyn to flee city and head to Rafal, and fast for 3 days.
• God tells Owyn to, after, return to city, recite ancestry and serve as Harren’s steward.
• Owyn goes to Rafal, fasts, becomes holy like prophet.
• Owyn puts on nice clothes, joined Harren’s court. Serves 7 years.
• Owyn defends the good Harrenites from evil, mixed-blood rulers.
• Rumour of Owyn’s holiness and writings of scripture spread to magi, Urguan, Malin and Krug.
• Mixed-bloods grow mad that Owyn in court.
• Owyn speaks with God’s words and voice. Harren commanded to free Harrenites and Edel. Harren refuses.
• Harren and Owyn duel. Owyn’s glowing sword blinds Harren. Harren obeys God and frees people.
• Owyn still mad. Owyn kills Harren in vengeance. Mixed-blood lords run away.
• Holy city soiled by blood of kin. Horen’s sons divided again.
• Owyn begs for forgiveness, but it cannot be undone. Owyn is still prophet, however, and bears laurel of Horen.
• Heir of Harren and lords of mixed-blood fled to north. (Author’s Note: Possible ancestors of Adunians?)
• Those virtuous remained became priests, and God grew silent for 1000 years.

BK. 5- SILENCE

• Divinely inspired.
• Lord silent for millenium, evil of men persists.
• Evaristus and Clement are twins, joint heirs.
• Owyn entrusts them with Virtue and Spirit, instructed them to be priests. They make priesthoods.
• Joren freed from Harren’s prison!
• Edel is now corrupted by sin.
• Owyn wants to reclaim Edel, but Joren does not allow it- north is too dangerous, too ambitious.
• Joren tells Owyn to instead reclaim Aaun instead of Edel. Joren returns to Edel.
• Owyn rules over Aaun and Idunia, then gave eldest son his kingdom. Owyn went north alone to search for Joren.
• Owyn does not find Joren. Owyn goes into Edel and kills many evil servants of Iblees, then collapses.
• God makes Owyn’s sword light up and destroy Edel. God stays silent during this. Owyn dies, goes to heaven.
• Priesthood of Owyn, Evaristus and Clement carry out God’s command during 1000 years of silence.
• Number of faithful dwindle over the years. God still performs miracles- but does not say anything as they are happening.
• People waiting for something to happen, but God will not speak until his promise is complete.
• Men began to grow away from God and towards Iblees and the Void again.
• Many not attending mass. Iblees is growing tempted again.
• Iblees returns from void once more, and false faiths begin to arise in Urguan, Krug and Malin’s kingdoms.
• Even Horen’s religion grows corrupt, as priests do odd things.
• Last good ruler, Daniel, headed north to Edel. Oren fell to evil.
• Necromancers and witches took over Oren. Iblees returns.
• God finally broke silence when men had to bow before Iblees.
• God sent Wandering Wizard, who opens gate to Asulon. Asulon was created in first book, just, never visited.
• God is merciful, even though man is still sinful.

BK. 6- GODFREY

This book represents another sharp divide in the scripture. A new ‘chapter’, so to speak, begins, after the long silence, it seems, along with a new world. Everything that happens thusforth is more considered modern history than ancient.

• Divinely inspired.
• Descendants scatter over Asulon again- a place new to mortals.
• Kingdom of Oren divided into many kingdoms and tribes.
• Largest of new kingdoms is Renatus, ruled by Reynard. Reynald not royal lineage, BUT devoted to God.
• Renatus under attack by God-hating lands. Reynard prays.
• Godfrey appears. He is of royal blood AND faithful. 
• Godfrey about to murder the sinful but Aengul Eshtael stops him.
• Godfrey asks for horn and laurel, but Grotto of Gamesh is gone.
• Eshtael says Grotto of Gamesh will never return, but Godfrey is now prophet anyway.
• Godfrey gets a sceptre to rebuke and rule. Renatus sees this, and fears.
• Reynard sees this and eagerly gives Godfrey the throne. Reynard becomes Godfrey’s steward and Godfrey becomes King of Renatus.
• Iblees begins to threaten Renatus. Renatus kept God’s word and stayed faithful, but other kingdoms moreso in secret.
• Godfrey calls upon nobles of land, and liberates believers from the small kingdoms, and he begins to reunite Horen.
• Godfrey speaks as God, claiming Renatus to be the new empire of Oren.
• Godfrey declares the Throne of Man will never be held by magi, elf, dwarf or orc.
• Godfrey conquers, weakened, divided evil. He becomes haughty.
• People began to declare Godfrey as a body of God 
• Godfrey not rebuke them. God is OK with this because Godfrey’s doing such a good job being emperor.
• Church finally can be practiced free- but, many, many divisions over the years between priests. Church divided.
• Godfrey calls ecumenical council to decide stuff, but priests just cannot agree. This goes on for 7 days and 7 nights.
• Priest James steps fourth, tired of this. Says ‘if we cannot decide after 1000 years of silence, we serve iblees’.
• Everyone shuts up and agrees. Godfrey sees James is good, pious. Godfrey declares James as Pontifex- pope, gives him laurel and horn.
• Godfrey third savior of men.

BK. 7- SEALING

This book tells of the end times near the end- of the final son.

• Divinely inspired.
• Reynard growing jealous that he is no longer king.
• Reynard tries to tempt Zacarias, in line of person who continued after Daniel, to take throne.
• Zacarias refuses, and tells Godfrey of Reynard’s betrayal. Reynard is banished.
• Godfrey heart growing harder, distrusting the other nations.
• Godfrey growing haughtier. Starts to speak and unspeak the will of God.
• Godfrey tells of God, but also that man is perfect, and is beginning to make people terrified of God more than love Him.
• God rebukes Godfrey, Godfrey begs for forgiveness.
• God states all are sinful, and even prophets have fallen short before.
• Godfrey asks for help. God gives Godfrey the Gospel (these scrolls).
• God says a third son of Horen (Owyn first, Godfrey second) will come and finish the plan.
• God begins another prophecy. Oren will be at war for a long time. Faithless will wreak havoc. 
• God prophecies of Prince in Black. Prince will begin a pilgrimage, he is the fourth prophet (third son). He will reclaim holy land, reclaim Edel, reclaim Gamesh and reunite mankind. This is God’s promise.
• God also says to separate prophets and kings.
• Godfrey tells the rest of the last son of Horen.
• Godfrey does not die, simply raised straight into heaven.

 

 

Scroll 4: Auspice
 

 

SCROLL OF AUSPICE

• This entire book of notes is meant to be Aether Mill’nara’s annotations and interpretations of this text.
• What is of importance to note is that this book, the Scroll of Auspice, details the end of times. It does not specify *what* end of times, however. You see, the world has ended around.. Eight? Times now. Some of the predictions in this scroll apply to many of the supposed ‘endings’ the world that have occurred- yet none quite match up with what occurred to a T. For example, what has been prophesied with Iblees rising from the void and wreaking havoc has occurred at least three times already, with an entire plane of existence being lost to time.
• I am going to assume that the prophet, Sigismund, MUST be referring to the end of the entire mortal plane- both Eos and Aos, or perhaps just Eos now as Aos is supposedly gone for good.
• The prophecy is very esoteric, perhaps with a large amount of symbolism- though, given the insane nature of the previous ways the world has ended, and the mystical and magical nature of the world as we know it, many things that occur in this text may be literal events that shall occur. It is most likely a mix of both- some portions are meant to be allegorical, and some portions are meant to be pre-tellings of what is to come.
• The prophecy has been divided into three sections, chronologically- the first, ‘portent’, meaning ‘warning’, chronolizes the signs that the end times are about to happen. The second, ‘strife’, obviously meaning conflict, details the war against evil that will occur at the end of days. The third, ‘paradise’, details what is to come to the good final descendants after the end of days.

VISION 1: PORTENT

• This is all being prophesied to Sigismund. He is in the line of Joren, staring into the Face of GOD and receiving his blessing and vision.
• The shadow of GOD is cast thrice upon the land, and thrice the light of instruction is obscured.. This is the first difficult verse to tackle. The shadow of GOD means ‘in the presence of GOD’, which means that the world would be under GOD’s protection thrice.. It is presumed that GOD gives them the light of instruction in the shadow- to leave this realm, just as men have migrated many times before to escape the clutches of Iblees’ wrath after the ‘end of the world’. Thrice, men ignore it. But why do they ‘tread the sea’ afterwards? Do they leave the world anyway through the sea again? Perhaps *not*. Perhaps ‘treading the sea in its wake’ does not mean taking a boat and leaving. *Perhaps* it means ‘treading water’ more closely- in the wake of ignoring GOD’s instruction given to them, they are ‘treading water’, or making no progress in life and moving day-to-day.
• However, perhaps there is a different meaning. Perhaps GOD’s shadow *intentionally* blocks the instructions, as if one hardens one’s heart. Perhaps GOD is hardening men’s hearts to finally end the world purposefully- to put an end to all this, once and for all. 
• In either of these scenarios, men ignore the obvious instructions that are supposed to be given to them. 
• Iblees eventually rises from the Void as men ignore the obvious instructions given to them by GOD.
• Iblees’ chains, presumed to actually be a physical entity, are transformed into two different ‘wyrms’. Note, that these are not the ‘worms’ that destroyed Athera. These are ‘wyrms’ This is a dragon that has no arms or legs, akin to a giant, scaly snake, that breathes poisonous gas.
• One of the wyrms is stated to be beautiful. The other is stated to be terrible.
• The first wyrm, supposedly the ‘beautiful’ one, is given the name Vargengotz. This roughly translates to ‘the wolf’s idol’ or ‘idol of the wolf’.
• Vargengotz has six heads, and six crowns, for the six kingdoms of the world. His purpose is to conquer and rule all. He does not let anyone speak ill of him whatsoever.
• Vargengotz is black like iron, and his wings are dark like smoke. He conquers all, and both mountain and sky belong to him in the end.
• This can also be interpreted metaphorically. Iblees may actually just be using his evil influence, his ‘chains’ as it might be, to influence six kingdoms. These six kingdoms may unite into a single ‘evil empire’, and conquer the entire world. It will be a totalitarian state where nothing is able to be free. The dragon’s ‘iron’ coating and ‘smoke’ wings allude to the war machine of terrible nations that conquer without mercy. This metaphorical ending is most likely the truthful one at this time period. In fact, it would be safe to assume that the majority of Portent are meant to be metaphors for signs that will actually occur.
• Vargengotz brings forth three ‘deceivers’, in the guises of messengers. They are named ‘justice, glory and reward’.
• Justice brings priests to wrath, glory brings kings to pride, and reward brings merchants to avarice- extreme greed.
• This is obviously also a metaphor. Warped, corrupt ideals of ‘justice’, ‘glory’ and ‘reward will overtake the land. Priests will commit terrible atrocities in the name of ‘justice’, kings will commit terrible atrocities in the name of ‘glory’, and merchants will commit terrible atrocities in the name of ‘reward’.
• There will still, of course, be faithful people. This next part is actually a bit literal. The good ones will be assaulted by ‘men of ice’, (frost witches), ‘men of shadow’, (necromancers or voidal mages), ‘fanged men’, (vampires or werewolves), and ‘men of ashen skin and eyes of flame’, (the Azdrazi, inferi, and other daemon-worshippers). This is all most likely literal, as many of these beings are against all forms of good, and worship evil.
• These evil entities will eventually be lifted up as saints and rulers among men. We are already seeing this happen in our lifetimes- there have been kingdoms openly ruled by mages in the modern era.
• The second wyrm is named Ishtar. It is a woman. It goes forth and destroys, pollution spreading everywhere, with a mouth ‘full of plagues’ that corrupts the waters of the world.
• Her body is ‘cold flesh’ and her maw is ‘empty darkness’, the sanctuaries of the world are struck down before her and sea and forest belong to her.
• This is obviously all a metaphor for natural hardships that will overtake the descendants in the end time. Plague, suffering, coldness, and a destruction of the environment will take over. Of course, not all of these hardships will be ‘natural’. Iblees will be influencing the natural state of the world from behind the scenes, bringing about pollution, which in turns creates hardship. He could either do this directly, or he could use his evil influence to influence those evil individuals which worship him to destroy nature themselves.
• Ishtar also brings forth three ‘individuals’- famine, toil, and defeat. 
• They are obviously metaphors for, famine, extreme work, and hopelessness, brought upon by the destruction of nature and sanctuary all over the world.
• Famine instills gluttony in the hearts of commoners, as temperance is condemned. Toil instills sloth in the hearts of commoners, as diligence is condemned. Defeat condemns faith, so doubt is instilled in the heart of commoners.
• Essentially, famine makes it so one eats when they can, as much as they can, due to fear. Toiling away makes it so that work seems unbearable, and everyone loves slothfulness instead of doing work. Defeat and hopelessness makes faith seem useless, as many forget their purpose and begin to lose hope, making everyone doubt the Lord.
• There are still, of course, faithful. They are assailed by ‘twenty-four prophets with twenty-four falsehoods, bearing the mark of sin’. The world is a pit of suffering
• This could refer to a corrupt ecumenical council that, instead of seeking to return the world to a correct path, attempts its hardest to turn the world away from what GOD really wants and move them towards, with false scripture and misleading doctrine, even more famine, toil and defeat.
• The final deceiver is Iblees. Iblees will put himself in disguise, disguising himself as GOD. Anyone who attempts to leave the land via boat finds themself going into the void- and eventually, the world will grow dark itself. This seems to be more literal as well.
• Those merchants who seeked ‘reward’ will eventually drop their guises, and consume absolutely everything in their path.
• Those kings who seek ‘glory’ will eventually drop their guises, conquering absolutely all. Banditry and war will reign for the rest of days, with little governance.
• Those priests who seek ‘justice’ will eventually drop their guises, slaughtering all in their path indiscriminately.
• Last one who drops guise is Iblees.
• Iblees rises from chains, takes over the world AND void, with help of followers. Period of sin for a long time. The end of the world has begun.

VISION 2: STRIFE

• This vision seems to be a bit more literal in nature. The previous was the signs, which fit well into metaphors, but the end of the world is usually literal and dramatic in nature.
• For three whole nights, the world is completely shrouded in darkness. There is a blood moon all three nights.
• Upon the fourth, the dawn finally rises. Iblees is finally freed from his chains, but is in immense pain from the light. The battle is beginning.
• The dead, the virtuous dead at least, descend from heaven as an army.
• At the front of the army are the ‘sons of spirit’ and ‘sons of first man and woman’. This entails the prophets- horen, owyn, godfrey and sigismund- and the first kings- horen, malin, urguan and krug. Horen leads them.
• Horen begins to redeem people. He first starts with Urguan and Sigismund, and their combined envy.
• Horen redeems Urguan of his failure- his immense greed- through GOD’s will.
• Horen redeems Sigismund of his failure- his lust for power- through GOD’s will.
• Urguan is lieutenant to Sigismund, AKA second-in-command, and both fight Ishtar, now in an actual physical form supposedly.
• Horen moves onto Malin and Godfrey, and their combined pride
• Horen redeems Malin of his failure- ruling for far too long- through GOD’s will.
• Horen redeems Godfrey of his failure- ruling beyond his given virtue- through GOD’s will.
• Malin is lieutenant to Godfrey- both fight Vargengotz, also in physical form.
• Horen moves onto Krug and Owyn, and their combined wrath. Owyn expects Krug to be punished, but instead, both are redeemed. 
• Horen redeems Krug of his failure- murdering his brother- through GOD’s will.
• Horen redeems Owyn of his failure- murdering his uncle- through GOD’s will.
• Krug is lieutenant to Owyn- both fight Iblees directly.
• Faithful see Horen’s mercy- GOD’s mercy.
• Horen takes over Idunia and children of Harren, and commands them.
• Sigismund gathers his forces- Edel and Rhen- along with Urguan’s, and all are redeemed through holy orb. 
• Sigismund and Urguan’s forces meet Ishtar on the ice. 
• Ishtar’s servants are the debauchers, empty-hearted, famine, pollution, plague, toil, defeat, et cetera.
• Sigismund raises a globe with the mark of heaven inscribed upon it, and the glacier they are on melts. The water is also purified and made holy water. This wins the battle (Similar to how the drakaar’s forces were washed away at the end of Anthos.)
• Owyn gathers his forces- Aaun and Shona- along with Malin’s, and all are redeemed through holy scepter.
• Owyn and Malin’s forces fight Vargengotz. Vargengotz rules on a holy city on a mountain. They meet on the mountain.
• Vargengotz’ servants are tyrants, treacherous, and false servants of GOD- ‘justice’, ‘glory’ and ‘reward’.
• Godfrey eventually uses his scepter to strike down Vargengotz and all his servants in the war through GOD’s real justice.
• Owyn gathers his forces- Ulgaard and Aehey- along with Krug’s, and all are redeemed through holy sword.
• Owyn and Krug’s forces fight Iblees in Void.
• Iblees’ forces are saulicans, necromancers, witches, warlocks, wizards, and many undead.
• MANY of them, who all hate GOD, but GOD does not serve wicked.
• Owyn’s flaming sword seeks to actually redeem these. Even now, GOD offers a chance at redemption to Iblees and his forces, for he is eternally graceful.
• They reject. Iblees and his forces are gone forever.
• The world is finally paradise.

VISION 3: PARADISE

• This vision describes the planes of existence after the destruction of Iblees and his minions.
• Aenguldaemons finally serve the descendants completely. The Void finally serves the descendants completely. All is well.
• There is a rainbow- a ‘bridge of many colors’- the virtuous dead are descending from the skies to the earth again. The promise of Virtue is fulfilled.
• GOD pours the waters of Gamesh onto the world. Sigismund briefly sees the face of GOD prophesying to him.
• Waters of Gamesh spill into the void. The World is born again.
• No place is forbidden to the virtuous ones, who are now perfected in the eyes of GOD. The wicked are gone forever.
• GOD gives his final command as the virtuous are marching down from heaven.
• Humans get the seven skies.
• The good sons of Krug are given the void, made to serve them, and for them to fight and grow strong for eternity- what they want.
• The good sons of Urguan are given the underground and all its treasures.
• The good sons of Malin are given the world above, and it is a sanctuary forever.
• Each is given their own law, and the world is finally perfected.
• This is GOD’s promise. It shall belong to the Virtuous, who love Him.
   

 

This is the end of Aether's surviving writings, written nearly two-hundred years ago and never published.

 

Spoiler

Hello all. I wrote this back in November of 2021 when I was first starting my minor in religion in college, as an exercise in note-taking, and for some roleplay fun. I intended to publish only the thesis, but these notepages never saw the light of day.

I look back fondly on those times and I've decided to upload everything that was never published, to preserve them on the forums. I thought I lost these documents for the longest time. There were many OOC notes interspersed in these texts from me making parallels to several real-world religions that I had to cross out for this edition.

I hope you enjoy this. Or don't! I didn't think I'd ever find them again.

 

 

[Ben40K 62]

Constantin sat in his study, reading over the document with a keen eye, placing the book within confines of a bookshelf. 


 

Spoiler

fire post 

 

[Navigator 4260]

A studious man clicked his tongue in delight;

 

"Owynist title, with ten mentions of Sigismund, alongside a decent explanation of Sigismund's scroll? Perhaps the world is healing! Or maybe this one'll be excommunicated. Who knows! Weird times we live in, where a centuries-old grudge rebukes the insurmountable role Sigismund played in the consecration of Canonism as the faith of Man."