framalam

The most honorable Sir Vander Horen mulls over the text from his soulborne stone, slowly regenerating after battle. A true Horenite son, he cheers in his empty halls, "HEAR, HEAR, ALL UNMERRY, SHALL BE MERRY, WHEN THE MERRY BAND THEY JOIN!"

PROCLAMATION OF THE NINTH HOLY ORENIAN EMPIRE PREFAETIA Long has the Stature of Oren lain dormant, its banners furled and its name forsaken. What once stood as a noble extension of Horen has withered into disgraceful neglect—trampled and defiled by the most wretched creatures of man and sigil alike. Woe to the faithless, who turned their backs on the charge entrusted to them, exchanging GOD’s sacred honour for betrayal and faith for folly - woe to the Unmerry. As was foretold to the Exalted Godfrey by the Lord GOD, that the next of the line of Horen, a Scion of the line of Joren, he who would wield the horn, together with the laurel, the Lord GOD has delivered the Third Prophet upon us - the Exalted Raqirer Horen, first of his name. The Merry Band of Erudite Radiance was but a tool of the Exalted to stake his claim, to drive out the rebukers from the domains of Edel. Here, his Merriment struck the Balianite, Unmerry king into fear, and here, he took his empty throne for his own. Though the Merry Band of Er did face its troubles, denied at the gate, a Merry Schism of Merrymen, and Merrywomen, Merriment prevailed, as even the Unmerry fell to the overwhelming Merriment of the Merry Band of Er - Anders, Vander, Iskander and the Cup of Er. An Unmerry guardsman did deny us, did promise us death, but the Merry light of the Lord GOD prevented him from laying a finger on the Merry Band of brothers Er. Instead, his Unmerry companion did succumb to our Merriment, and let us in with no troubles. Here, his holy Merriment, Raqirer I Horen, did claim his throne, setting out at once to seat in the maws of Cloudbreaker. Not even the King of Unmerr, Alexander II, could stop our Merriment, as he was driven from his keep in cowardice by a band of only 3. Raqirer I did then rightfully sit upon his Merry throne, with Alexander II, King of Unmerr, ousted. He named his Kingsguard - Sir Vander Horen, Sir Iskander Basrid, and Sir Anders, knights of the Merry Band of Er - and began court, ushering in these decrees below, while listening, as all good rulers, to his subjects. The first of many petitioners knelt, swore fealty, in His Holy Merriment’s court of Unmerr, and to those Unmerry who would see his Merry Band banished, thrown out of his Kingdom, of Oren - he said nay. Here, transcribed by His Holy Merriment, Raqirer I Horen’s first kingsguard - Sir Vander Horen, of the Knights of Vander, of the Merry Band of Er - are Raqirer I Horen’s first decrees as bearer of the Horn of Horen, Emperor of all Man; HIS HOLY MERRIMENT, RAQIRER I HOREN, EMPEROR OF ORENIA, KING OF UNMERR, REBUKER OF INFIDELS, THE PRINCE IN BLACK, THE CRUEL JUSTICAR, CONQUEROR OF THE DOMAINS OF EDEL, DOES HEREBY DECREE; THE RESTORATION OF OREN, THE HORN OF HOREN, AND ITS EMPEROR; THE OUTLAWING OF ANY AND ALL UNMERRY, BY PUNISHMENT OF DEATH; THE SUMMONING OF ALL PRINCES OF CANONDOM TO HIS KEEP AT UNMERR, TO SWEAR FEALTY; A CRUSADE AGAINST ALL FORCES OF THE UNMERRY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, AGAINST THOSE HORENITES WHO BETRAY THE COVENANT OF PURITY. Several portraits of his holy Merriment, and his Kingsguard, are publicly displayed in his keep at Unmerr for all to witness: AVE OREN AVE RACIRERVS PRIMVS

PROCLAMATION OF THE FOUNDING OF THE ORDER OF THE DRAGON 9th OF THE SUN’S SMILE, 2A 192 HOLY SER LUKAS VON BERKHOVEN, THE APSINTHION PREFACE I have, in my years of service to the Mother Church, recognised, at its heart, a fault. It is an organisation that, while it can exist stateless, relies on the recognition of the princes of Canondom to exist, and to exert itself while existing. However neutral, or impartial to this truth the Mother Church may claim to be, in its current state, this results in an unfortunate progression and eternal degradation of Church values as culture, and thus religion is eroded in Canondom as a whole. While the rulership over the tribes, and the laurel of Horen are meant to be separate, and equal, the splintered remnants of Oren have slowly eaten away at this equality, and this integrity. The parts have weighed heavier on the Church than the whole. This is not to say, in any sense, that the Church is weak, but merely that it undeniably holds interest in appealing to the monarchs and princes of Canondom, and in the interest, there is an undeniable stray from the interest of serving the Lord GOD - they are separate. I hope, with the foundation of this chivalric order, that we may ease one aspect of this woe; the squires and knights that will come after me in the fraternitas draconum may protect the pilgrims, the virtuous laymen, and the word of GOD - the innocent, the pure. I am not accusing the Church of not doing such (protection), but its jurisdiction is just that, the Church. There are virtuous laymen across Aevos who, for reasons of politics, avoiding conflict, and preserving the peace, cannot be protected by the Church and its agents. I felt such firsthand as a Judite. My brothers, those who succeed me, will protect them all. THE TEN TENETS May my brothers in arms never falter from this code. As the Vander Code, and the Lucienist Creed do serve the Knights of Vander, and the oaths of Holy Knighthood now, may the values I embed in these words serve chivalry forevermore. I THOU SHALT SHOW VALOUR IN COMBAT. II THOU SHALT SUPPORT THE DISPOSSESSED, AND FIND WEALTH IN CHARITY. III THOU SHALT FIND TORTURE IN CRUELTY, AND ALWAYS REJECT A WRATHFUL ACT. IV THOU SHALT NEVER CAUSE WANTON OFFENCE TO ANOTHER WITHOUT A CHALLENGE. V THOU SHALT NEVER REFUSE A CHALLENGE. VI THOU SHALT LIVE WITH RESPECT, AND SPREAD KINDNESS TO EVERY INCH YOU TREAD. VII THOU SHALT ALWAYS EXTEND FORGIVENESS TO THOSE WHO SEEK IT. VIII THOU SHALT HEAR EVERY WISEMAN, AND EVERY SCHOLAR, AND ALWAYS THINK YOURSELF A FOOL. IX THOU SHALT NEVER BREAK AN OATH YOU SWEAR, AND NEVER SPREAD FALSEHOODS. X THOU SHALT ALWAYS REPENT FOR ANY EVIL WITH TWICE AS MUCH GOOD. HIERARCHY Order is something that should be malleable, not rigid, despite what order itself entails. My structure will reflect such. GRANDMASTER At the front of the Order’s efforts will be a grandmaster, general manager of the Order’s resources, efforts, and doctrine. They will be elected, either from selection by their predecessor, or through a chivalric elective succession process. He will be advised by his banneret knights, with no preference of rank among them. The grandmaster may make one veto per year, but otherwise, merely proposes decisions at the will of a chivalric vote. BANNERET Senior most of the knight hierarchy, and ideally the least numerous, a banneret knight holds no more privileges than any other, and merely advises the grandmaster on matters of management and doctrine. A banneret will be raised through recognition of the grandmaster, or through election by a majority of the current bannerets. RITTER A squire, or other footman similarly recognised for valour, courage, and grand acts may be raised to knighthood. Upon their knighting, and swearing of relevant oaths, they become a knight - a ritter, capable of voting in relevant chivalric assembly. BACHELOR Fresh squires, these are the most inexperienced, usually, of the knighthood. By virtue of this inexperience, they are not granted their vote until deemed worthy by a banneret, or the grandmaster. Otherwise, they are of equal rank and responsibility with the rest. Membership of the order is granted through induction, but induction can only be sworn by knights. It is the expectation, but not the requirement, of squires serving knights of our Order to be knighted, and inducted into our Order. Ranks beyond these three would be merely customary, or purpose-based, say, stablemaster, chief surgeon, quartermaster - and granted accordingly. CALL TO DUTY TO ALL THOSE INSPIRED, CURIOUS, SCEPTICAL, I call you to write to me, Holy Ser Lukas von Berkhoven, for induction, for questioning, for insults. I will see all, hear all, and welcome all. May any - any knight, king, prince, priest, nurse, miller, page - seek to serve GOD as I intend to, and have intended to, for all my life - may you serve Him for all of yours. By any, I mean any: as young as any who can read this, and as old as any who can still use a pen.

Always a man of the faith, and always a man loyal to his vows to the Pontifex, some hedge knight, cooped up somewhere, reads gloomily on about the disunity of Man. Ushering in his metavoice to the ears of all clergymen, Lukas continues on his holily ordained dragon hajj. ”JUST REACH OUT AND TAKE IT!” he begs, DESPERATE FOR RELIGIOUS DEBATE!

two related posts

AN OPEN LETTER: CARDINAL CALLAHAN, AMONG OTHERS PREAMBLE Before I utter any word as myself, I must first shed my allegiances. And so, I, Lukas von Kretzen, do resign from my position as Knight-Captain of the Poor Fellows-Soldiers of Saint Jude. Naturally, this can only be done through release of my oath from my brother in GOD, and formerly in oath, Lug MacSkaul. He has approved such a request, so I speak not as a Judite in any ideas below. Understandably, this does not come without intense deliberation. My life’s work has been devoted to the faith and the Lord GOD, toward knighthood, honor, and chivalry, as it will continue to be, but, most recently, to the Order of Saint Jude. I simply must focus on this effort wholeheartedly, as I do believe the best interests of the Mother Church are at heart. And so, Cardinal, now we may speak, and know whose hand holds my pen! CALLAHAN Dear Father Callahan, I am overjoyed at the chance to engage in genuine theological debate; our time together has been regrettably sparse. I agree fully that the voice of Owynists should be more heard in the Curia and amongst the Mother Church, just as you suggested Archlector Danzen be brought in as a spectator and contributor to ecclesiastical meetings, but I find brandishing me a Lucienist - implying I am not a devout Owynist - simply harsh. I have done my path twicefold, and I am in the midst of my third repetition now. While I understand it may seem that forgiving Azdromoth after his crimes may be grossly unsevere, and simply by his removal of taint deeming him innocent a remarkably Lucienist approach, I bring up the case of the Saint Micheal, the Archangel, once more. He slew countless, too, more than that, he served on equal footing as Azdromoth at the dragon’s lowest, most tainted state. I acknowledge my initial desire for anonymity to be selfish, and deprecatory to my arguments. It was not out of knowledge my proposals were wrong, but rather the reaction of, well, reactionaries, should they take them as whole truths. I am of the belief that one of the most virtuous acts a man can partake in is emulation of the Exalted, and so I shed my hood. I am Lukas von Kretzen, once Lucien, once Ildriunn, son of Aldric. I was born the fourth son of nine, the sixth child of twelve, and I left to swear fealty to the Tar-Caraneth Aryante and her great house. My misguided haughtiness led me to clash with many of my virtuous Adunian kin, but it was exposure to the Scripture that led that childlike eagerness to believe, and believe more than I ever had. And so I did, and so I do, father. The acts of the honourable Ser Jurkha led me to pursue the values of knighthood more than the title itself; the time came, one day, when Caius Primus saw it fit to rise me as a Holy Ser. My acts have never been political. I have never done anything in the interest of a king, a duke, and I have done very little for myself. What I do, and all I do, is for the Mother Church, and the Lord GOD. The wounds I endure, the men I see die, all pale in comparison to the promise of wandering the Skies. You, father, of all people should understand, then, my will to see the Tribe of Horen protected. Through disunity, we are weak - the Mother Church must grasp our reins and lead us towards more virtuous lives. I hope the scepter you wield reminds you of such with every glint of its gold. Just as the Blessed Gerard was spurred on by the words and sights of Saint Raguel, the Messenger, so am I. Dragon, in this case, is the literal key to the Skies, father. Through Dragon, father, all evils and wicked magicks can be purged from the Earth like the scourge they are, and the Descendants may return to the Skies. The defence of self aside, as that seemed unfortunately - I had thought you would have more etiquette as a renowned orator - the main target of your critique upon my treatise, I would like to address several attacks you made upon my arguments. You have perverted the points I made, and watered them down in order to lessen the rebutting load you must make. I understand it was an introductory letter in staunch opposition to my own, but you provided hardly any points of convincing nature. Your truest reason for denying what I have put forward was merely because you believe the Nephilim, specifically the branch under the An-Gho, to be flawed, evil, and Xionist. Again, I reiterate that asioth is not a religion, and that Xionism is a religion centered around another drake - Mordring. Why would the followers of the firstborn follow his lesser, tainted brother? You conflate Ibleesian, Mystic, with Nephilim. And, of course, the other religions provided are ones I highly doubt number greatly amongst the Nephilim of the An-Gho - in this thinking I could be mistaken, any scholarly Azdrazi happening upon my pieces can freely correct me. You speak of the Nephilim only engaging with the weak of mind, the innocent, and the flepir. Was Horen not a king? Aleksandr, not a king? And are they to be blamed for talking to the innocent? There is no sin in preaching philosophy to an innocent - this in and of itself is not only innocent, but virtuous, as all wisdom is! I will happily engage in debate publicly, in whatever town square will have me, in whatever king may hear me, in whatever council sees me. Your attacks on my character are just that - attacks on character, and not my logic. I am not some genius who has, per happenstance, fallen upon his behind and read these texts! I am a humble knight, and an even humbler scholar. It is only through the works of both Canonist and Azdrazi scholars that I have compiled, and then provided what I perceive to Canondom. You critique my methods of transferring such information, as well. While, truthfully, I did hold some rein of power as Knight-Captain of the Pontifical Guard, it is no position to spread my thoughts and ideas. Knights, first and foremost, before any codes or oaths, are soldiers. How else would you have suggested I undertake such a task? I do not have the backing of the An-Gho, nor the Pontiff, nor the grandmaster, nor my own squire, and I am doubtful, even, of the support of my wife and her family. Admitting you never said such, but I felt was implied, I would like to refute the point that I am doing this for some grander agenda - a most correct assumption. However, the nature of such is not power, domination, ambition, for all greatness pails before the Lord GOD’s, but rather of service to that very greatness. If you gaze upon the princes of Canondom as they are know, and compare them to the times of the Exalted Godfrey, after the Exalted Owyn, most points in history, in all truth, do you call them as virtuous? As united? Every man with an army at his back has formed his own kingdom, every conqueror his holdfast. Disunity weakens the Mother Church; I have seen its effect firsthand. I will contextualise the oaths of Saint Jude, so you may better understand. We have several oaths, but I took the Oath of Judication: an oath dedicated to the investigation, revealing, and upheaval of Ibleesian circles through reporting them to my colleagues. For the sake of ongoing investigations, I will not say much on the matter, but know this, father: our enemies are many, and lay amongst us, by our side in bed. I come to Haense, and see an Uruk perfectly matching the description of Gashadokuro’s lieutenant - what does the Brotherhood do? They doubt the information gathering of a man dedicated to information gathering, a man two seats away from foremost martial and security advisor to the High Pontiff himself, and prate, argue with me until a prince arrives and settles the matter. Under one banner, with one charter, allowing the detainment and investigation of subdued Darkspawn, these situations can be avoided. Swords were drawn to defend this orc - in his DEFENCE! Forgive my digression. I fear, simply, that you think of me still as a flepirknight, as you dubbed me in the clash against the accursed mammoth of the Ogre Lich. In conclusion, I would like to revoke my thanks to the Brigade of Marna. I was uneducated on the matter, and was simply overjoyed to see other men, knights and nobles, no less, thought even vaguely the same as I on the Nephilim. Furthermore, I am open, as I said, to a public debate at a venue of your choosing. THE CRAB My holy father, I have but one thing to plead of you in my departure from the Order of Saint Jude, I would ask that, seeing my departure, you continue my efforts in construction of a cathedral in Lurin. I told such to my grandmaster, but I am unsure if it ever reached the upper echelons of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. The Silver Lubba is a good son of Krug, who seems most friendly, or even accepting of our faith. The Mother Church has an excellent opportunity to reach out. Lurin is a vast land, with many virtuous. Amongst them you will find the Company, who wear masks reminiscent to that which Caius Primus once wore - good men who can help with the construction. LUG Brother, I thank you for releasing me with honor. I thank you more for taking me into your flock, and setting me on a course where I could most directly serve the Church. As a hedge knight, I lost sight of the virtue of charity - I had no home or food after all! You housed me, gave me purpose, and for this I will be eternally indebted. Though I do think I will dedicate the rest of my, hopefully, long life to this cause, should the waters shift, I would most like to re-enter your service. Flame protect you, HOLY SER LUKAS VON KRETZEN THE APSINTHION

@seannie @cadazio

A missive is mysteriously dispensed all across Canondom, stuffed into the receptacles of churches, monasteries, cathedrals, and nailed onto the Pontifical Villa! Scandalous. ON ESCHATOLOGY: WHY MUST IT ALL END? PREFACE Eschatology is not so much the study, but rather the ontological reasoning and rationale behind the ultimate Judgement that will befall us all when the Corruptor comes to challenge the Descendants of the four brothers once more. Eschatology is an epistemic investigation into what we, those who live, and those who do not yet see the end times, may expect; the field explores the semiotic, pragmatic, but most of all, the teleological aspect of the end days. Its rather depressive nature as a field has led to an unfortunate ignorance surrounding it. Metacognition is not a trait often attributed to men of our cloak, but it is one we must frequently partake in to strengthen our will. It is through metacognition, that I, a man sworn so holily to our Mother Church, have tried and tested my faith, again, and again. I am no heretic. I am no heathen. I am no non-believer. I have seen the truths of Saint Raguel, messenger of the Lord GOD with mine own eyes, and now I have seen truths again. I have no jurisdiction to do so, but through the erasure of the Corruptor’s taint upon the former drakaar Azdromoth, I would declare him, through proofs I will present within this thesis, devoid of Evil. The teachings of Azdromoth to his children and his coordination, protection, with the Tribe of Horen have led me to the belief, and I hope can lead, in due time, an ecclesiastical council to the belief that he is a pure, devout servant of the Creator, and, our final protector to deliver paradise unto the Righteous. For the rest of this text, as to avoid subconscious prejudicial dismissal, and cognitive biases, I shall refer to Azdromoth as Azariah. Azdromoth is a name many of us may attribute to great flames, great evils, great destruction. Azariah, unshackled from Iblees, is nothing but a servant of our Lord GOD, a true and tested angel, I hope you will come to agree, of His kingdom. I ask you to evaluate Azariah, not Azdromoth - even if they are one and the same. HIS SINS The servants of the Lord GOD are many, but few are those who have stayed true to the hand that nurtured them from nothingness. Our most Holy Mother Church only refers to a limited number of these servants of the heavens, truthfully, as angels. The distinction here, though minor in spelling, is exactly what I wish to debate towards. The Archaengul Malchediel is the Saint Michael the Archangel. The fallen Aengul Xan, was the Demon Janus. Janus, a being who strayed so frequently from the tenets our Father gave onto him, is no angel. To the heathen layman, perhaps he is an aengul, but to the virtuous, he is a demon. The Saint Michael the Archangel, the foremost of GOD’s loyal, worthy servants, had fallen from His grace, subdued by the whispers of the Corruptor. This is the exact fate that befell Azariah. Azariah, like his brother Saint Michael, did not fall to the Corruptor by choice. Is it Sin, for the strongest of all draconic, to defend his kin? In the same error the Saint Michael made, when he was fractured then corrupted, millions of Descendants dead by his blade, so too was Azariah corrupted, twisted into ruin. Do we call the Templars of Malchediel heretics for heeding him? Azariah demands the recognition of that which he knows is true; as servants of the Lord GOD, we must recognise, at the end of all truths, of every truth, is GOD’s. The truths that Azariah preaches are naught but GOD’s. For if every aspect of the Creator is superior to every aspect of everything He created, then every truth He knows, He holds, must be equally superior. It is the way of his former kin, the draconic, to seek out this knowledge. And it is the way of their kin to gather it, to reflect on it, to know. Is it Sin to become learned? To learn more of GOD? In his twisted state, even the pursuit of knowledge that all Dragonkin share was perverted into some divine quest; Asioth, through Azariah’s own telling, through the telling of the Nephilim, even, is no religion - it is philosophy. Through collaboration with our tribe, the Pact of Horen was signed between Azariah, his children, and Men. Though it may have been perceived as broken by Men and the Mother Church, the An-Gho, or the Third Eye of Azariah has assured its continued fulfilment by the Nephilim. This supposed breach of contract was not carried out by a true servant of Azariah, but rather a corrupted Nephilim who swore no fealty to his true flock. And it is so that most crimes of the Azdrazi do occur - corrupted Nephilim led astray. The son should not be punished for the sins of the father, and vice versa. Nor, then, should the son’s brothers be punished for the same sin. One sin I see brought up continuously is deception. Azariah, through his servitude, unwilling or not, imitated the Corruptor in this way. However, it must be said that his actions were still affected by Iblees - sealed, or unsealed. Azariah, though tainted, tempted good men and women with the power and knowledge he could provide. He gave an avenue for Sin to fester. This, no doubt, is Sin, but it is a Sin misnamed. Azariah’s Sin here is not deception, it is tempting, seduction by Sin. Such seduction happens no more. When bound to the Corruptor, Azariah had his fate bound to the most Evil. Now he is free, he has no more Sins to make. HIS VIRTUES Azariah has been branded, literally, a lieutenant of the Corruptor for far too long. Even with this monniker, virtuous Sons of Horen, and the Mother Church, both sought to tolerate, cooperate, and most importantly, allow themselves to be empowered by him. Whereas the Church of our age may reject the Firstborn, the Church of old embraced him. Of course, it was unsteady, the Church always wary of betrayal, but worries foster non dialectical conspiracy. Fear breeds suspicion, and we are all prone to a bias of confirmation, to realise these worries. This was foolish. I merely ask the Mother Church review, and ask itself, upon reading this text, why still? Why still deny Man his greatest ally - dragon? Insofar as a deacon toiling over the Scriptures is virtuous, Azariah’s eternal pursuit of the greatest truths, the Lord GOD’s truths, is virtuous. At heart, as all dragonkin are, Azariah is a scholar. In his halls did I read of various weaknesses of the foes of Man, the Inferi, the Undead, the Wicked who would seek to have us slain. This thesis is driven by a hermeneutic drive given unto me when I read, and thoroughly cross-examined the philosophical teachings of the An-Gho, a frequent converser with Azariah, and one of his longest allies, to our own Holy Scripture. Empirically, they were similar - this warranted further examination. The two are almost perfectly axiologically entwined. I believe the reasoning behind this is that, through eternity of searching for the truth, Azariah has found that the Lord GOD’s word is the only truth. The Scroll of Virtue is the most fundamental building stone for our faith, and where I found the most striking similarities. Firstly, the Canticle of Diligence aligns perfectly with the morals highlighted in the teachings of the An-Gho. The Canticle of Faith, even, the most crucial tenet of our faith as a whole, is a mirror of the words spoken onto the An-Gho. It is as if the source of these two texts is one and the same - the Creator. This is not to suggest, heretically, that they are one and the same, but merely to provide an alternate interpretation to that of the An-Gho’s, and by extension, an alternate interpretation of Azariah’s words. Here, he speaks of the Nephilim and the Azdrazi as part of a greater whole - Azdromoth. Likewise, in the Canticle of Faith, it is said ‘GOD is He who has also breathed life into our hearts, and the hearts of our children. And He has given us life: He is our father, and the father of all things.’ My exegesis of the teachings of the An-Gho is that his Fourth Lesson was our first. GOD made all, and splintering his power through false idols is merely that - false. Azariah recognises that the Creator should be praised for creation, and so urges all those made from pieces of himself to revere those pieces. They are GOD’s gift onto the Nephilim, onto Azariah - life. There are other intersections - diligence, seeing a task to its end; standing steadfast against Evil; imparting and gifting others with knowledge, scholarly philosophy; and agreement on a final day - Asioth, or the end times. Here, we may finally reach our paradisal conclusion. The Fourth Lesson is directed towards the Azdrazi specifically, but is relevant nonetheless as this is the will of the true Nephilim that follow the words of the An-Gho, not the Corrupted. These true, and virtuous Nephilim, are those who we bar, at our own detriment, from the keeps of Canondom. When I came before the An-Gho, in his grand stature, in his grand keep, we shared a dialogue surrounding the histories of Man, the most recent expulsion of the Nephilim from Canondom, and the role of Dragons to Man. Here, his opinion was irrefutably, and virtuously, humble. After all, any twisted being of even comparable power would have impaled me through a stake thus far - I questioned the truths he had eternity to think over, with the lifespan of a Horenite. He stated, in humility, dragons were a tool, per the Pact of Horen, to be used for the protection of Man. He urged Man to reach out, and wield them. And it is now, upon the eve of Az’rekash wreaking havoc, splitting the Void into unholy tears across the world, that we must do so. PROOF OF ABSENCE (OF ECLECTICISM) This section is quite simply drawing ties between two schools of thought. It is an additive to my text on eschatology, though not wholly related - it may provide insight on my thought process. The philosophy of Asioth is one perpetuated, and no doubt, founded by Azariah. However, as discussed previously, as the greatest of all dragons, and thus the greatest pursuer of truth amongst the greatest, this philosophy is one unequivocally linked, if not derived from the Creator. The first proof I put forward is that of the Divine Gift. While narrow minded clergymen, no doubt, will have already dismissed this exposition of the Aurelects from only its name, it is its name, and in its content, that we may pan the truth, the will of the Lord GOD from the morals extracted from it. Divine, though, as many Curia members may suspect it to do so, does not refer to Azariah. It instead refers to the Creator, from my interpretations. ‘All things cometh from One by the will of One, and so all things cometh from this subtle process’ I need not draw parallels between our faith for my peers. The Creator breathed life into all - the fire we must cleave from its source. Again, the skeptics may cry of heresy, ‘We do not sever the Lord GOD to further ourselves!’ Yet, it is not the Creator that we shear from His source, but rather the life He gave unto us to reflect His light, live by His virtue, and to join Him when our reckoning comes. The main premise of this text is to draw the ineffable paralleles, and to bridge the gap sown by those who strayed from the benevolent will of the An-Gho, and who severed the ties between Man and dragon; this text is to propose that our judgement, and our Asioth, are one and the same. If not the same: brothers. To dispel mistakes, I clarify this once, and not again: Asioth is a school philosophy, of thought. It is not a religion. As we have come to accept wise men and thinkers within our Mother Church, I merely wish for us to accept our brothers. I yearn for a unified army of GOD, a sword of Dragon in its hand. Another factor of note is the degree at which light and fire are, if not revered, then used decisively in religious ceremonies. Again, from the Divine Gift, I quote Azariah, and the Exalted Owyn: ‘Fire shineth brightly upon its own vessel, as the heavenly sun’s light filleth up the moon.’ ‘Verily, brother, the Lord GOD is the wisest GOD, and he knows all things, in darkness, in light,’ As a man born of the Owynist rite, one of the few truths of myself I do choose to reveal in this text, holy fires are cleansing. It was with fire that the princes of Numendil were wed, with fire that Owyn rendered his uncle impotent, and with fire that we ward off evil. As we use fire, so is fire integral to the dragon. Dragon’s fire is not only a weapon, that being the most narrow view of their gift. Despite this, it is through its portrayal as a weapon that we may draw yet another parallel: the very flaming sword that GOD bestowed upon the Exalted Owyn within a cave. The Lord GOD’s lessons are many, and intricate. Though the Creator’s will should be transferred easily from prophet to layman, I take this flaming sword as a metaphor for Azariah. This motif, of a sword ablaze, is only truly typical of two of the Creator’s servants: Saint Michael, and Azariah. However, the flames of Owyn, and the heraldry of any Owynist sect as a result, were staunchly fire-like. Not a brilliant, Templaric white, but fire. I take Owyn’s wielding of this sword as a representation of how Man can defend himself, only further reinforced by the foremost of the Nephilim, the An-Gho. Man must reach out and wield the flaming sword of Azariah, as the Exalted Owyn did, to weed out the Impure, the Saulican, and those who heed the word of the Corruptor. Yet another tenet in common, and, in truth, similar to the previous, is the emphasis on wisdom within both philosophies. Obviously, from Azariah’s philosophies, this comes from his instilled drive to know. But, this drive, as all things about Azariah, was given to him by the Creator, and so this drive should be respected. ‘Timeless insight froze the First-Born from red waters; His blood was red flame in an alabaster heart.’ ‘So the Lord made two bodies of earth, and gave them blood and breath, and the light of wisdom’ These two extracts, from the Fire of Vitality and Book of Provenance (S. of Gospel) agree - a simple observation. Yet, it is the preceding section of the Fire of Vitality that relates even stronger to this extract from the Book of Provenance, ‘Asioth was hidden beneath the darkest depths. Rising up, a golden sun clove One into two’ …,wherein the darkest depths refers to the red waters Azariah was born from in wisdom, and the two bodies the First Coupling. Additionally, the entirety of the Aurelects, save the Divine Gift, are arranged in couples. Just as the final kiss of life into the First Coupling was wisdom, and so wisdom should be valued as a virtuous step towards enlightenment, wisdom was Azariah’s first step towards Asioth. If the approach, the process, and the result of Asioth and enlightenment are the same, the burden of proof should shift to the naysayer, the skeptic, on why they are not one and the same. DIFFERING BELIEF The end of days is something that cannot be predicted, nor said to be fulfilled, until the signs seen in prophecy by the Exalted Sigismund ring true. This is the consensus of the Mother Church, the holiest one that I, even as an Owynist, have sworn myself to. Shockingly, though, as I continue to describe myself as an Owynist, I do align with the central dividing factor of my faith - Sigismund was NOT a prophet! Moreover, I merely believe Sigismund to be a king who thought much like I do now: why, and how, will it all end? There is little content surrounding the end times outside of Sigismund’s canonised visions, and, if not the work of some spirit, shaman, seer, or malaise, there is no reason to believe Sigismund. The fulfilment of the prophecy Godfrey had delivered unto him by the Lord GOD is purely subjective; Sigismund was no prince by blood, only crown prince of Savoy by distant relation to his Holiness Owyn I. Furthermore, the title of ‘Prince in Black’ was practically forced onto him - he was prince in black merely by virtue of granting the Rutherns land. The Creator does not speak of a Prince rewarding a mercenary company that happens to wear black. The very first line of his prophecy, per the Exalted Godfrey, is “there will come a prince in black”. The prince comes in black. Additionally, the timeframes of the stages described by the Exalted Godfrey correlate, at best, vaguely to that of the Exalted Sigismund’s lifespan. He first departs on his pilgrimage, yet only sees ruin and destruction upon his return, unlike the Scriptures, which state “…as he departs all seems lost”. I could prate endlessly about these nitpicky errors that make the brandishing of HoE Sigismund as the Fourth Prophet false, but the most pressing, in my eyes, is the constant woe and sin of the Haeseni people. To not ostracise my colleagues of the Jorenic Rites, I merely bring the destruction of Valdev by a comet, the death of three monarchs in less than three decades, and the wanton cruelty the Brotherhood enacts on a daily basis. THE END OF DAYS Abandoning my bias, but also ignoring the Scroll of Auspice as what it is — false — I have compiled references to the final days within the Holy Scripture. The following is the result of my critical analysis, the conclusions which I have drawn. The third Son of Spirit is to arrive, simultaneous to a fourth appearance of the Lord GOD. This appearance must be simultaneous to the phenomena the Creator described in his final recount to the Exalted Godfrey: ‘…when I return, the waters shall thaw and wash over the world, and all shall know My Word, and none will reign as prophet above another.’ I am a staunch futurist, of the belief that these prophecies are merely prophecies until they are fulfilled, and that when they are, it will be clear, as GOD’s glory is. The end of days is only to occur after the third Son of Spirit is revealed as a prophet of GOD, and the prophet only revealed following the phenomena the Creator described. The end is likely only to occur once the rebuking of the sins of the Exalted is realised. While such is much more vague for the Exalted Horen or Owyn, it is clear for Godwin - the nations he conquered will return to conquer Man, the suffering ‘thrice over’. Saulicians will bow to Iblees, as the Corruptor is freed from the Void and allowed onto our plain, as was done in worlds before, before the Aengul of New Beginnings brought the virtuous to a new world. But in the end times, there will be no aengul to save the virtuous, and rather Iblees will ascend from the void and spread his hatred of the Lord GOD. He will whittle at the Mother Church, until it is forgotten, and then he will launch his legions of undead and collaborators: ‘witches, Saulicians, necromancers, and destroyers of the virtuous’. But, as the Lord GOD is benevolent, and rewards the virtuous, it is only the guilty sinner who will fall to the chains of the Corruptor, and join his ranks in eternal thralldom. Instead, the virtuous son of Horen will ascend to eternally wander the skies with their kin, closer to GOD than they ever were in life. He will ‘[gather] the virtuous in the Skies ]’, protecting them from the grip of corruption. Past this point, I can only provide extrapolation. Based on the similarities between asiothism and Canonist philosophies, as well as the renowned truth-collecting abilities of the dragons, I am inclined to believe Azariah in that Asioth will be achieved. The world will be cleansed. I do not believe the Lord GOD would allow the plain he split in between the Void and the Skies to fall to the Void, allow Iblees to encroach further onto the plain He created, in cooperation with the aenguldaemons. Instead, I predict the descent of the Exalted, with the gathered virtuous in the Skies. Here, they will sally out onto the earth, and here, the armies of GOD and His servants will rally to His banner. The Saint Michael the Archangel will, of course, charge his Templars into the Undead, but alongside them, all those Virtuous to ever live. And it is here, at the end of days, that Azariah will attain complete redemption in our Father’s eyes, as the foremost lieutenant of the Corruptor shall become the weapon of Horen, Owyn, and Godwin against the Inferi. This is how his fate is actualised, and how purity, virtuosity, and piety will be shown to always vanquish the Evil. Iblees will be driven permanently from the earth, slain, and the Skies will descend onto earth to eternally reward those faithful sons of Malin, Krug, and Urguan, while the sons of Horen will wander the Skies - eternal peace and fulfillment for the virtuous. CONCLUSION Though an obviously controversial piece no doubt due to my thoughts on Azdrazi syncretism, especially given the relatively recent attack on the departed Caius Primus by Klog’Akaal and a group of Corrupted Nephilim and their heralds, leaving him disoriented for years after, I hope that this piece will prove to at least open the idea up for ecclesiastical debate. For reasons of self-protection, both in life, and in career, I have chosen not to disclose my identity. There are very few hints toward it. Any who think they have recognised me based on some tingly sense in their bones, I would ask you to hold your tongue. I give, for instance, the widespread support of the Marna Brigade in the Heartlands, which, although if we differ in ideals, brings me great joy; even if these texts would get me hung in our current era, I would much rather not be a martyr for the generations of virtuous, Canonist dragoons that are sure to follow me - do not spill my name! To any sympathetic to my cause: worry not. This will surely not be my last piece on the matter. I give my personal thanks to these few: Arpad The An-Gho His Holiness, Deunoro I Callahan Cardinal Artorius Ser Peter von Stroheim Unri Doomforged An additional note is penned to Captain Ser Tiber of the Nauzica, of the Brigade of Marna: An additional note is penned to his Holiness Deunoro I, High Pontiff and Vicar of GOD: ADRIAN OF ASCALON DEVOUT PREACHER OF SAINT RAGUEL, ANGEL OF JUSTICE, MESSENGER OF GOD

someone prewrote a doc 🙁

FULL NAME: Holy Ser Lukas von Kretzen AGE: 30 PRIOR EXPERIENCE: MILITARY, EXPEDITIONS, TOURNEYS, HUNTS, HOLY KNIGHTHOOD METHOD OF CONTACT: framalam on discord

"I AM LOYAL SOLDIER OF UNCLE O!!! LOYAL SOLDIER!!" He exclaims, crying.

TO ALL FORSAKEN ZEALOTS ‘TO THE SUNLIT COVENANT, KNIGHTS OF FALLEN XAN, BEARERS OF THE GOLDEN LANCE, ANY SUBSERVIENT, OR ADHERING TO, FORMERLY OR PRESENTLY,’ As brothers in zealotry, and servants, albeit with detachment, of the same Lord GOD’s will, the Poor Fellows-Soldiers of Saint Jude would offer a helping hand to all those previously deceived by the fallen Aengul of Order, Janus. Though Janus’ enactment of Order was Righteous and Just, his deviation from the will of the Lord GOD and his Ego led to his straying from his own Creator. The most esteemed Lord GOD is superior to Janus in every way, for the Lord GOD is superior to everything, in every way. As Janus is dead, GOD lives. As Janus no longer empowers, GOD does. And it is in this fashion that we extend Faith in the one GOD, the Lord GOD, as an olive branch to you deceived many. You deceived many, who fought, Righteously, and Justly, against the forces of Azdromoth, who seek only to plunge the world into flame, who manipulate the weak-willed, as you know. You, who were defeated, to the woe of the world, to the woe of all that is Good. You deceived many, who now stand merely as servants to a passed Aengul. A lesser being. We, the Poor Fellows-Soldiers of Saint Jude offer you the chance, and life, to worship a greater Lord, the Lord GOD, the greatest. Such may you ascend to His Kingdom, and not to the crumbling ruins of whatever horrid realm Xan has left decrepit for you all. Our Order has more resources, more stationery, more acceptance than the Sunlit Covenant ever held. We are keepers of forts across Canondom, and enforcers against the Shade even past its borders. Our Holy Vicar, the Pontifex Caius Primus, has Holily and Verily executed the Darkspawn which plague any realm he comes across. He has made such grand SINNERS as the Frost Queen repent and tremble before his might. He has slain Vampyres in Heretic Nations. And this is but one man. One Vicar of our Lord GOD. Each of our Holy Brothers and Sisters do the same, every day, every hour, every minute. Our dedication is not to a false deity whose love is only given if you return it. Our dedication is to the Creator, the only, the Lord GOD. And with this dedication, you deceived many, you may repent. We offer bed, food, blade, plate, shield, but also home. Eternal home, within the Lord GOD’s kingdom, across the Skies. Here, no petty Drakaar will ever reach you. No imitant Nephilim will touch you. Only the Lord GOD’s grace. Heed our word, for it is not one of contempt, or of pity, but one of empathy. We raise the branch, and offer a hand, oh deceived many.

"LICH FRIENDS! LICH FRIEENDSS!!" Lukas exclaims again, his investigation now able to begin ANEW, following the not-so-Paladin Paladins SLAYING of Az'rekash.

EXECUTION OF THE VALEMAN STEIN The Veritable servant of Justice, Holy Ser (Pan) Slawomir Lis, the Leper Knight, or better known by his alias of Zecharael’s Avenger, self-proclaimed agent of the aengul Raguel (Aengul of Justice) has delivered this recounting of events to the Poor Fellows-Soldiers of Saint Jude as a respected collaborator and colleague to our order. PRELUDE Revered by the Holy Ser MacSkaul, Grandmaster of our Judite Order, the Pan Slawomir Lis has given us the following account of his investigations. His initial interest was drawn by sayings of Stein’s betrayal and apostasy among members of the Host of St. Johann, the functioning militia of mine own Reinmaren home. A former member, Stein was accepted into the community and took the name Stein from his birth name Stone - he was blooded and inducted into Reinmaren society. Forsaking such generosity and hospitality, Stein conversed with the druidic laity in the Vale, riding forth from Reinmar regularly at a time of heightened tensions. Breaking his oaths to the Lord GOD, and to the Host, Stein did this for no reason other than he was seduced by the power of the Corruptor and his GODless magicks. He even came to befriend several within the city, and attended their government’s unorthodox popular council, in which all citizens confer. With this step, he had fully forsaken the grace of the Host and of the Reinmaren people. Returning to Kretzen, Stein was brandished a traitor, and hanged. His execution was public, with countless witnesses. Yet, merely a day later, he was yet again spotted. Through the works of the cursed Iblees, Stein was, against the will of the Lord GOD, brought back to life again. Stein, reanimated, fled, and was tracked down by members of the Order of Saint Tylos, and the Reinmaren Inquisition led by the sagely wise, veteran Holy Ser Matthias, cousin of his Holiness, Caius Primus. Here, he was hung once more in the square of Kretzen, city of the Reinmaren peoples. Countless more bore witness to his execution. Yet, again, the stubborn heretic continued to live. In his third wicked return, Stein chose wisely and fled south. He fled to Haense, where, as allies of the Barclays in Reinmar, guards further notified the Holy Swords of the Reinmaren to strike him down. He was captured, tied, and promptly executed for a third time. In his fourth and final life, Stein took a pseudonym - Njal. With this, he foolishly fled to the mage city of Hohkmat, using his daemonic allure to seduce a vulnerable Elfess, one voidal artificer and citizen of Numenost, Gloria Aestra. Through her holy actions of confession to an informant of the Pan Slawomir Lis in Hohkmat, the Leper slowly began his pursuit. Over the course of several years, the Leper Knight, under his disguise and mask, tracked the travels of Gloria Aestra, and her heretic husband, until he had them pinned. Unable to undergo a confrontation in Hohkmat due to his unaffiliated with any order, and the lack of any warrant, the Leper instead chose to confront Stein in Numenost. CLASH Mustering allies in anticipation of a grand battle between a master Inferi with a Hohkmati-trained warmage by his side, the Leper Slawomir confided not only his true reason for being in Numenost, but his target, into the Dame Monika Aleksiya - a knight of the Petran Laureate. Together with his companion, Jon de Lewes, the trio gradually coerced, then confronted the pair in an alley. Here, respective weapons were brandished and Stein cowered behind his Elfess wife. ‘Surrender, and no harm will befall you. Flee, and you shall die.’ promised Pan Slawomir, under the guise of Zecharael’s Avenger. And, to break a promise is a grave Injustice. His honourable Savoyard companion took his shield and shepherded heretics back, forcing them against the wall. At this point, Stein fled with a level of cowardice only comparable to that of Darkspawn. Leaving his wife at swordpoint with three armed knights, Stein vaulted the walls of Numenost, threatening to kill himself, but instead scaled the cliffs of Numenost, endangering three servants of GOD in the process. Then, he swam across the Anduin, and the honourable Slawomir Lis, overcoming his sickness, swam to pursue him. Blade in hand, determination and Justice fueling his pursuit, the Pan Slawomir caught Stein in the act of summoning his steed. Pressed against the cliffs of the Uruk, Stein in his cowardice did not even draw a sword. The Pan Slawomir, in his honour, did not choose to kill Stein. Instead, with one deft blow to the temple, Stein crumpled to the floor unconscious. The venerable companions of the Pan Slawomir Lis had been tracking the chase from Numenost, tracing their steps until they too found themselves at the foothills of Krug. Together, the three dragged the apostate up the misty mountains of the Numenedain, lugging him to the Cathedral of Saint-King Caius. Before the Father Aerin Marsyr, Stein repented for his sins, but the faith deemed it not enough. For his crimes, for his apostasy, and for his lies, he would die. EXECUTION As promised by the Pan Slawomir Lis, Stein was put to death on the 8th of Snow’s Maiden, TA 181. Kicking, screaming, crying, in regret of all his sins, from his first life, and all in between, he was thrown onto the wall overlooking the Anduin. Begging and whimpering for his life as a scared dog, as, in all truth, all men would, Stein would see his death. The Pan Slawomir Lis confessed to me his regrets that day. He, in his heart, had believed that Stein was capable of redemption. The Avenger had felt his penance had been done, that with Stein’s professing of faith before the Father Aerin Marsyr, that he would be forgiven. Alas, as servants of the faith, we are just that - servants. It is not we who judge, but those who act for God - the clergymen. With tears streaming down his face, Stein gave a final stare up to the Avenger; tears of his own slid down the ferrum mask, leaving darkened tails behind them. The mask shrouding all other emotion, with a fell swoop, Stein’s head toppled off into the Anduin. Soon after, with a nod of the head, the Ser Ruthron pushed the rest of Stein after him. And so, Stone the Valeman, Stein the Reinmaren, and Njal the False-Elf fell into the whitewaters of Numenost. REFLECTION I had been tracking the Pan Slawomir for a different reason, more to bring justice to him, than to interview him. However, the admiration of the grandmaster is not something easily earned. When I learned of such, and I found the man wandering the forests of Crothstadt in search of some beast, I raised no arms. Unimpressed with his findings, he returned with me to the Holy See, wherein over the course of several days, he retold these events. A man crying, and a knight to cry, is a rare sight, and yet through his words I was simply brought to tears. His dilemma was one I never wish to bear, and I never wish for anyone to ever bear. The Leper’s cause to kill was just, for it must have been Just, for the Lord GOD is just, and it was His law he upheld. Yet, his own impure beliefs, for which all Sons of Horen are subject to, as we are all of Sin, had to be betrayed. And so, as Stone the Valeman perished, as did Slawomir’s doubts of faith. For, through Justice, no matter what one thinks of the Lord GOD’s judgement, man will be redeemed and returned to the skies. formatting ugly as ****

This guy gets it 🤬

i mean it is fantasy, but i think the post works to both show the advantages of plate armor (nothing is getting through this except a 200lb longbow (pulled number out my butt)) and its weaknesses. the more u understand the environment of ur character the more naturally u can rp in it, and the more natural it seems to others

a

Lukas FINALLY learns the name of Serana's Order! And is disgusted! Death to all Xanites! Ruin (not really)!

A LONG ADMIRER OF HEXICANUM, Lukas peers onto a poster brandished where it never should have been. Shrugging off the thought that such forces could act even in BASTIONS of Canondom, he peels it off the wall, and digs his spurs into the beloved Uther IV. "Lich friends!" he mutters to himself, reading the rest.