Jump to content

Generalissimo

New Member
  • Posts

    6
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Reputation

34 Excellent

Recent Profile Visitors

348 profile views
  1. IN DEFENCE OF THE ALL-FATHER Tome III: Holy Rituals TO ALL LIVING BEINGS OF THE LAND, For too long has there been oscurantism and lack of resources in regards to the traditional rites of the Faith in the Dawnlord. It is for this reason that the third tome of this series will focus on the rituals of our righteous confession, from the beginning of one's cycle through life, until their last moments. Baptism is the main way of binding with a Priarch of the Faith and is done most commonly at birth. The child's parents must bring them to their nearest Hearth Keeper, the sooner they can, tie their hands together with a red piece of cloth or band and make the following oath simultaneously: "Oh, holy (Paragon), please bless our child, (Depends on Paragon, ask your Keeper)!" Following that, the Hearth Keeper shall ignite the red piece of cloth with their Flamebrand. And so not only will the child now be under the protection of their new Priarch and the Dawnlord but also will their parents' soul & marriage be purified and strengthened. To join the Faith if no baptism was done, those wishing to join the Faith must first forfeit their allegiance to foul Gods, replacing it with one for the Dawnlord. This is most commonly done through direct prayer at a temple. The suplicant must bow down on both of his knees in front of the Temple's Hearthfire, to the point they start sweating from the All-Father's warm. The Keeper will then ask them three questions regarding their sins. If answered falsely, the baptism will be called off and the suplicant will be directed outside of the Temple, never again to be seen. If answered truthfully, holy oils will be sprinkled all over the suplicant, who will then have been accepted into Fatherism after viewing the Father's glory. To bind with a Paragon without baptism, one must complete a mission in their name, guided by the local Hearth Keeper. After completing such a quest, they must then offer a gift to said Priarch, typically related to their domain, to prove they are worthy of their guidance. The Priarch will now be binded to the one who offered them a gift, provided it was good enough. Priarchs may choose to ignore someone if they feel like the offering belittles them; if you are unsure, ask your local Keeper for guidance. Note that it is possible to change Paragons by repeating this process, but there are records of terrible things happening to those who try to do so. Regarding prayer, the All-Father is occupied fighting the Long Dark, so he only directly answers prayers directed to him during the most important rites. To paliate this, the Paragons help him in the defence of his Faith. Every prayer must be directed to a specific Priarch, and so it is recommended that a Priarch Shrine is built at your town. If you decide to help finance the construction of a Priarch Shrine, contact your local Hearth Keeper for help. Generally, these include idols of worship and a container, which a Keeper must set alight with their Flamebrand. To pray, one must first give an offering to the Paragon and then utter a prayer. This is especially effective for minor requests; major ones require multiple people praying at the same time, with more gifts. Alternatively, the Father may answer directly to prayers if they are of trascendence to his mission, such as those pertaining to the survival of his peoples or upcoming wars. If unsure on how to proceed, contact your Hearth Keeper. Marriage is one of the most important rituals of Fatherism. The bride and the groom will stand together, holding hands. Then, the Hearth Keeper will tie them together with a red piece of fabric. Following that, a solemn speech shall be delivered by the Hearth Keeper, after which eventually the following question will be individually asked to each of the lovers: "(Name), do you swear to keep (Name) always on the path of Light, to care for and protect them for as long as you live?". Once they both accept, the Keeper will say "By the grace of the Dawnlord." and will use their Flamebrand to make the red fabric burn away. Immediately afterwards, the Keeper will bless them and declare them to be newly-wed. The Father's Mercy is used to purify the soul of those beyond salvation, by delivering them from their corrupted bodies. In order to carry it out, the criminal must be tied to a wooden pole, wherein a Hearth Keeper will use their Flamebrand to set them on fire and have them burnt alive. Entombment is Fatherism's most brutal rite, which ensures the slow erradication of the most corrupted individuals in the land, who are not eligible for the Father's Mercy. It consists of entombing evil in preservative sap and sealing it unto an iron coffin covered in wards, so its soul suffers from decay for many years before they return to the Abyss where they came from. Funerals with the cleansing of a soul are necessary ensure a safe passage to the Father's Halls. Therefore, every follower of Fatherism is to be freed from the flesh via funeral pyre. Their remains, in the form of ashes, are stored in clan crypts or catacombs, depending on what is available. It is advised to never touch one's ash, for by doing so, corruption may be passing over to the remains of the deceased. Those are the rituals that our forefathers have passed down from generation to generation, directly from the All-Father. All in all, I hope this document is of assistance to those thinking about joining Fatherism and to my brothers in the Faith. Signed,
  2. IN DEFENCE OF THE ALL-FATHER Tome II: Faith & Corruption TO ALL LIVING BEINGS OF THE LAND, Many outsiders have the understanding that the All-Father cares only about the Kingdom of Norland and its people. After all, history tells us that He gave Thoromir I the Three Tenets as he was about to die in a horrific snowstorm, saving his life after countless praying to every known God. That's the point in time at which hearthfire was first given to humanity, and it marked too the beginning of the Holy Hearth and the Kingdom of Norland. Many racially-charged statements have been made too by prominent members of the Holy Hearth, with claims that the Orkin, Heartlander, Halfmen and others are all below Highlanders. These facts can lead those living outside of Norland to think badly of our Father. The main issue is, they are all half-truths which do not allign with the Dawnlord's true message. The Dawning is where it all started. The Dawnlord came into existence after Greed had wronged Jealousy. He then fought the Long Dark fiercely and emerged supreme. Then the first day came by, as he brought light into existence. Some time after that, shadow fell upon the land, in the form of mortals, who ravished through the land. Years passed and mortalkin slowly became more civilised, more warm, with fiery hearts, with the help of the All-Father. Slowly, but surely, involution took its place and Men branched out. First came the Long Ears, then Halfmen, afterwards the Orkin and so forth. Each being a deformation of humanity. That being said, mankind has always been part of the dark; after all, the original ruckus in ancient times was caused solely by humans. Is it not unreasonable to claim, then, that Orkin are akin to animals? They may be a 'corruption' of humans, but humans are by nature corrupt beings. We all are corrupt beings, from the most noble to the most dishonourable. That being said, all mortal beings posess a wick, otherwise known as a soul. The Dawnlord is the force that ignited the wicks of the Stonemen. He is the match to your wick, key in your success as a child of His. The Father's light has helped the peoples of the past, not just Norlanders, with coping with that corruption that bites apart from us all. In light of this, it is most important for those wishing to redeem themselves from the darkness to embrace the Dawnlord's teachings once and for all. Thoromir was the first prophet of the Red Faith. It is a fact, however, that the existence of the All-Father must've been well-known by that time. Otherwise, I ask thee, readers, how would Thoromir been able to pray to Him in the first place? Thoromir beseeched the Heavens as he was about to die in the snow: "Save us from this hell and we shall forever be yours". The Red Scrolls make it clear that the Father has always been reluctant to respond to humanity's prayers. However, this time, He decided to choose the prophet for reasons yet unknown to this day. He was not alone, but also followed by seven innocents, all of whom died in transmitting the All-Father's message. Their names have been lost to time. The Dawnlord spoke through each of them as they held their last breath, delivering The Code that most have forgotten to this day: I. Tolerance is Cowardice. Suffer no Evil. II. Hold Sacred thy Oaths. To break them, is to break your faith with me. III. Stand with thy brethen in sun and storm. IV. Unto thy chieftain what is his and unto me what is mine. For he is my agent amongst ye. V. Stand for what is right, be it hard or softgoing. VI. Live life as a fire, not as a stone. Your days shall be judged afore I welcome ye to my Hearth, as shall the manner of your death. VII. Do not fraud thy brother nor deal in deceit. A twisted tongue reflects a twisted soul. VIII. The Hearth is my essence. And to it ye shall pay homage. You may have heard of The Three Tenets: Suffer not the Unworthy, Spread the Flame and Stand against the Long Dark. A simple analysis will show you that these are an oversimplification of the Father's original message. The origin of this misunderstanding is unknown. Regardless, the Red Scrolls explicitly states that Thoromir's Chieftain is the Father's agent amogst us. As much as this statement may hold water, it could also be argued that the ancient unified tribe of Norland is in no way representative of what the Kingdom has become today, so it may not even be the Father's agent amongst us. The bigger picture many have missed is contained within The Dawning & Mission. As previously stated, we are all children of the Father because He saved us all from the dark; He lit the wicks of all mortals, and just like He told Thoromir when his faith dwindled, your faith is your own to uphold and what is Right is Hard, only Sin is found in Luxury. These may even be considered the ninth and tenth rules of The Code. It may not be the easiest thing to do, you may find hostility if you reside within pagan lands, but it is your obligation as a child of His to follow him, no matter your nationality, skin colour or race. Those who don't will not only suffer from the decay that comes with darkness, but will, too, end up purified with fire. In essence, it is your duty to stand for what is right, even if you find the highest obstacles in your way. Only through the Father may your wick be cleansed of corruption. Signed,
  3. IN DEFENCE OF THE ALL-FATHER Tome I: Origins TO ALL LIVING BEINGS OF THE LAND, One of the most controversial points concerning our existence is the nature of our origin. Some dare claim an evolutionary process is the result of such, while others attach themselves to the view that a God made us all come to life, on Almaris. The subject matter of this first tome will be addressing this very same question, "Where do we come from?" Upon inspecting the land we march upon, it is easy to note the notoriously large array of races that live peacefully here. Not only those that have a voice and can speak, but also common fauna and flora. Furthermore, there are inanimate objects, things that just exist, that can be transformed into others. One such example would be metals, for you could turn raw iron into a sharp blade. It's very important to point out the common denominator between all of these things: they have a Cause. You, for example, come from your parents, who come from your grandparents, and so on. Thus, we may establish the fact that for something to exist, something else has to have existed before it and that is its Cause. Every single thing in existence may be traced back to something else. There is, however, a point at which things get hard to track. For instance, you may not have a clue as to who your great-great-great-great-great-grandmother is. Neither can you know the process that made the hill behind your home grow up over millenia. Therefore, the second fact we come to discover is that it is currently impossible for anybody to make an inductive analysis of reality. Alas, we must use deductive reasoning to find the truth out, exploring a hypothesis and looking to see whether or not it holds water. But first, let's make another fact clear. The moment you are living at is different from mere instants ago. There's a mover behind every move. You can't stand still without moving, nothing can. For instance, let's take a river's waters. You could not step in the same river twice, since its waters are in constant movement. With these metaphors, it is my intent to make it clear that everything is in constant change. Even inanimate objects, thanks to time, which will cause them to slowly but surely degrade in ways we cannot yet measure. Finally, we arrive at our third fact: Everything flows, and nothing remains. Now that we've made these three facts clear, it is time for us to formulate our hypothesis. The Father was the first thing in existence, and he is our Cause. Thanks to him, the entirety of the world exists, because he made it himself. He is the unmoved mover, or the first Cause. His Flame is what makes us turn around, what keeps us safe from the Long Dark. Unlike other False Gods, the All-Father is not omnipotent. Rather, He is good-hearted and requires our mortal assistance to win the fight against the Unworthy. He sustains the Sun's Flame and keeps an eye on us from His Halls. At last, our hypothesis has been laid down. Let's now check these points and see whether or not they hold up. The All-Father, by definition, does not require something to exist before him, for he is the origin of all things. This lines up with our first finding; the All-Father made the original world all by himself, the first living beings, the landscapes, everything in existence has its origin in Him. Secondly, the Father's existence can be proven through deduction; if the Father exists and He is in fact the origin of all creatures including your great-great-great-great-great-grandparents, then the world as we know it makes sense. One may ask himself, however, "Well if God made the world, then why does Evil exist?", to which there is an answer: He is not omnipotent. There are other, Unworthy, but powerful beings that have the capacity to fight him. Those include the Void and Iblees. Let it be known that these are the sworn enemies of the Flame, and by extension, of the All-Father. That's why the All-Father needs our mortal aid to fight his mortal foes. Finally, we will discuss the arkhé or element that everything is based on. As our third fact establishes, reality is in constant change, motion, movement. Hearthfire has all of those properties; and it is, as far as we know, the All-Father's way of showing himself to the world. Light is fire, and so is the Sun's Flame, which lurks above our mortal heads everyday. When life ends, it comes to a halt, it stops, it ceases to move. The Long Dark is known to do the same, for it tries to take as many lives as it can. Does it not make sense, then, to understand that holy fire, hearthfire, is the arkhé? This is a message to all non-believers, to the Unworthy and to those who have lost all their honour. The All-Father is forgiving and caring. You can still redeem yourselves in prayer. To err is only mortal. Have Him always present, and remember to thank him for all of eternity, because the reason you are here to read this document is all thanks to Him, the Creator. Signed,
  4. The following letter would be delivered to Lord Marshal Johann Barclay's (@Frymark) office at the Brotherhood of Saint Karl's barracks. Real (Haenseti) Version Sehr geehrte Herrn Barclay, Es ist nicht ohne Emotionen, dass ich diesen Brief schreibe. Kurz gesagt, da kann ich nicht mehr fortsetzen. Ich habe alles zurück in die Kaserne geschickt; Ihr findet die Rüstung in meinem alten Spind. Mein Grund für den Rückstritt ist das ich würde gerne mehr Zeit mit dem All-Vater haben. Alle Männer mussen ein Ziel haben, sowie bin ich keine Ausnahme. Der All-Vater hat mich gerufen, und Er wollt, dass ich Sein Wört verbreiten. Wie Sie könnten verstanden, dieses Ziel ist nicht vereinbar mit ein Job in den BSK. Das war alles, dass ich sagen können. Danke für die gute Zeiten, wenn auch nur von kurzer Dauer. Mit besten Grußen, Lachlan Galloway Adapted (English) Version Highly esteemed Mister Barclay, I am riddled with emotion, as I write this letter. In short, I cannot afford to continue in this situation. Everything I have been provided has been put back in the barracks; you may find it all stored within my old locker. The main reason for which I see myself forced to resign is because of the fact that I have taken it upon myself to learn more about the All-Father. All men must have a purpose, and I'm no exception to such rule of life. The All-Father has called for me, and He wants me to spread His Word. As you will understand, this goal is not compatible with a job at the BSK. That's all I really have to say. Thanks for the good memories, albeit short-lived. Best of luck, Lachlan Galloway A follow-up revision of Lachlan's locker would prove the man's words to be accurate.
  5. Generalissimo

    AmaidoGoodman

    Lachlan Galloway (born c. 35 S.A.) is a Red Faith pilgrim and villager. The elder son of two highlander parents, he spent most of his childhood outdoors at a remote village in between some remote mountains. During that time, he received basic education on how to farm and act with honour. Such an education would've been given by two Red Faith monks, in charge of teaching every kid in town. It is said the residents of the village were very pious in their faith. As such, their interpretation of the "Unworthy" & the "Long Dark" consists of not only those defined by the Orthodoxy, but in addition, anybody who broke rural society's strict moral code. Thus, a former friend of Lachlan, Iliain, was executed on the spot after having been caught sneaking into a villager's abode. As a result, Lachlan came to understand that one's honour must be protected at all costs, even if doing so involves following rigorous rules. Following that, the highlander learnt how to farm and tend to animals, working hard during his late teens on the village's farmstead. A few years later, he reached maturity of age. As per the village's law, all young adults must perform pilgrimage to strengthen their faith and honour, which leads us to the present day.
×
×
  • Create New...