thesmellypocket

FLEXIO PER MODUM NATURUM

A textbook for learning Flexio, in Flexio. 

Preface

Great is the necessity for Men to know the Flexio language if they wish to consider themselves educated. For without it, not only are the Scriptures accessible only through the veil of a translation, but a great part of Human literature is thereby rendered obscure. Flexio is sometimes called "High Imperial", because it was used of the Orenian court of old. Thus those archives are unintelligible without this tongue, for much of them remain untranslated. At the same time, the greater part of Mannish tongues and even Common itself can be showed to be evenly derived from Flexio. It is reckoned that 60%of Common words are derived therefrom: simply put, to understand Flexio, is to understand Common, and to be ignorant of it, is to be ignorant of Common. It is also called the Angelical Tongue, for the common opinion among Men is that it is this language that the creatures of Pure Spirit do speak, and is therefore a language greatly suited to poetry, religion and all manner of beautiful and angelical things. Therefore, I hope to disseminate its study among all races, for all races, Canonist, heathen, Highlander and Heartlander, Man and Elf, may find in it beauty, honour and goodness. Especially this textbook will be useful for aspiring clerics in the grasping of the Flexio language. 

A brief note on the "Natural" or "Nature" Method. This method is contrasted to the method called "Grammar-Translation." The Nature Method attempts to teach a language more organically. It teaches the language through itself (per se illustrata) by revealing the meaning of words through context, pictures, and other means that relieth not on the first language of the learner. The language was pioneered by the High Elves. Saint Pius of Sutica, who was, in his youth, a great linguist of the Silver State's Library, was taught through this method, and taught his fraternity Priests Flexio and Akritian by the same means. However, he was not, and nor am I, wedded to it in a dogmatical way. Flexio grammar is significantly different from Common, and therefore, certain things must be explained grammatically. Therefore, I will hope to make available grammatical notes with each chapter. 

How to use this book. Each chapter is split into three lectiones (lessons.) It is recommended to 1)read the lectio on one's own (worrying not if little be understood), 2)read the grammar notes and read it the lectio again more carefully, using a dictionary or lexicon to look up any words that thou understandest not, and 3)read it again, with the normal speed to apply what thou hast learnt. I recommend also that, when thou, at thy next lesson, move on to the next lectio, read thou the previous lectio quickly, to remind thyself of the vocabulary and grammar of the previous lectio. But its particular usage is left to the discretion of the teacher and the self-taught learner. Most likely, thou shalt not find it necessary to do this in the first few capitula (chapters.)

((I hope to post a capitulum fairly regularly, until a complete Flexio textbook has been made. The grammatical notes for this chapter are not yet done, I shall add them later, but the chapter is pretty straightforward anyway.))

CAPITVLVM PRIMVM - IMPERIUM ORENIUM.

LECTIO PRIMA

Ecce, Haensa et Orenia. Haensa regnum est. Orenia quoque regnum est. Ubi est Orenia? Orenia in Almaro est. Ubi est Haensa? Haensa quoque in Almaro est. Haensa et Orenia sunt duo regna in Almaro. 

In Orenia est Providentia. Quid est Providentia? Providentia oppidum est. In Haensa est Karogradus. Quid est Karogradus? Karogradus quoque oppidum est. Estne Providentia regnum? Non est regnum, sed oppidum. Estne Karogradus regnum? Karogradus non est regnum, sed quoque oppidum est. Suntne Providentia et Karogradus duo oppida? Ita, Providentia et Karogradus sunt duo oppida, non duo regna.

Num Orenia oppidum est? Non est oppidum, sed regnum. Num Haensa oppidum est? Haensa non est oppidum, sed quoque est regnum. Num Orenia et Haensa oppida? Non sunt oppida, sed regna humana sunt. Num Providentia in Haensa est? Providentia non est in Haensa. Ubi est Providentia? Providentia in Orenia est. Quid est Haensa? Haensa regnum est. Ubi est Providentia? Providentia in Orenia est. Nonne Orenia regnum est? Ita, Orenia est regnum humanum. Orenia et Haensa sunt duo regna humana. 

LECTIO SECUNDA

Fluvius Augustus

Ecce fluvius, nomine Augustus. Ubi est Augustus? Augustus est in Orenia. Quid est Augustus? Augustus fluvius est. Nonne Augustus in Almaro? Ita, in Almaro est. Avonus quoque fluvius est. Augustus et Avonus fluvii sunt. Suntne multi fluvii in Almaro? Ita, multi fluvii in Almaro sunt. Suntne multa regna in Almaro? Ita, sunt multa regna in Almaro: Orenia, Haensa, Norlanda, et cetera. Num multae Oreniae in Almaro? Non sunt multae Oreniae, sed una Orenia est in Almaro. Estne multae Haensae, aut una Haensa in Almaro? In Almaro est una Haensa. 

Deserta

Mundus

Ecce deserta. Ubi est deserta? Deserta in Almaro est, sed non in Orenia neque in Haensa est. In Orenia sunt multi fluvii et multa oppida, sed in deserta pauci sunt fluvii, pauca sunt oppida et nulla sunt regna. Suntne multae desertae in Almaro? Non sunt multae, sed paucae sunt desertae. Num fluvius Augustus in deserta? Augustus non in deserta, sed in Orenia est, et Orenia deserta non est. Orenia regnum est. Haensa et Norlanda quoque regna sunt. Quid est Augustus? Augustus fluvius est. Ubi est Augustus? Augustus in Orenia est. Ubi est deserta? Deserta in Almaro est. 

LECTIO TERTIA

Litterae Flexionae

Litterae Akritiae

Ecce litterae Flexionae et litterae Akritae. Nonne δ littera Akritia? Ita, δ littera Akritia est. Quid est 'V?' 'V' est littera Flexiona. 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', et ceterae sunt litterae Flexionae. Num γ littera Flexiona? Non est littera Flexiona, sed littera Akritia est. Litterae Akritiae sunt α,β,γ,δ,ε, et ceterae. Oppidum est vocabulum Flexionum. Regnum quoque vocabulum Flexionum est. Oppidum et regnum sunt vocabula Flexiona. Estne Orenia vocabulum Flexionum, aut Akritium? Orenia est vocabulum Flexionum et Akritium. Estne deserta vocabulum Flexionum, aut Akritium? Deserta est vocabulum Akritium. Verbum Akritium pro deserto est ερέμος (Eremos.) ερέμος non est vocabulum Flexionum, sed Akritium. Quid est Providentia? Providentia oppidum est. Quid est Orenia? Orenia regnum est. Nonne Haensa et Norlanda quoque regna sunt? Ita, Norlanda regnum est et Haensa regnum est: ergo, Norlanda et Haensa regna sunt. 

Fluvius est vocabulum masculinum. Singularis est: Fluvius. Pluralis est: Fluvii. 'Ergo, Augustus est fluvius.' 'Augustus et Avonus fluvii sunt.' Mundus quoque verbum masculinum est. 

Deserta est vocabulum femininum. Singularis est: Deserta. Pluralis est: Desertae. Ergo, 'deserta in Almaro est', 'desertae in Almaro sunt.'   Cetera verba feminina sunt 'littera', 'Orenia', 'Haensa', 'Norlanda.'

Regnum est vocabulum neutrum. Singularis est: regnum. Pluralaris est: regna. Ergo: 'Orenia est regnum'; 'Orenia et Haensa sunt regna.' Cetera verba neutra sunt 'oppidum' et 'vocabulum.' 

((Note: Grammatical notes to follow, later tonight hopefully.)) 

[OOC Note: This origin story I created as an introduction for a new culture I am creating, the Ceorls, or Churls. But it got too long so I made it its own post! All this is original, but the last poem about Aethelflaed I took from the panegyric a mediaeval English chronicler praising a Mercian queen, for I could think of no better words to give our heroine.]

The Legend of the Churls
By Br. Edmond, O.S.J.

In the remotest epoch of ancient history, when Man and Elf were still young upon this earth, and shadowy saga sings of heroes but barely known,  a quaint little hillfort on a lonely hill was the centre of a people’s hope. This is the story of that hope as the Churls tell it today. The surrounding countryside, inhabited by peaceful farmers, was ablaze with dragon’s fire, and the awful roar of the beast echoed through the valleys, shaking the hearts of men to their cores. The keep of the fort was little more than a hovel with a flat wooden roof, built that a man might observe the plains and valleys beneath. On top wobbled a withering ash-tree, a trembling old man; a slave to fear. His name was Aethelred, whose name means in Old Churlish, the Poorly-Advised. He was once a great warrior.

“We must prostrate ourselves before Coerlsbane, mightiest of Dragons! We must forget the Covenant of Horen, for where is he, or his Creator, upon this day? To see my people consumed with flame! O sad day! There is no fighting such a Dragon. Let us surrender ourselves to him; let us implore his mercy. My Huscarls! Presently bring hither my most precious possession - my joy, my life, my loveliness - yea, my heart and my soul! I know what must be done to save my people. Bring also the Dragon Priest!”

A sinister man shrouded in black robes slithered to the old Chief’s side. Aethelred said: “O Friend of the Dragon, thou mayst yet be the saviour of my race! Bring thou my only daughter down to the valley, bind her to a tree, and leave her there as an offering to the Coerlsbane. It may be that her virginal goodness shall yet appease his ire. Go!”

“O Father!” Cried the beautiful princess, the golden-haired Æthelflæd. “Thou needst not force me so to offer of myself as oblation for our people, if it be thy will! ” 

“O, ‘tis a heavier weight to me that if thou hadst resisted, for truly, O thou brightest evening-star of thy people, thou hast out-manned me upon this fateful day.”

“What be the manner of this devilry?” Roared a young Huscarl, the hot-blooded Hengst. He would go down in history by a different name. “How know’st thou that the Dragon will be thus appeas’d? For thou think'st to choose between death and disgrace! Disgrace thou choosest, and death too shalt thou have. If we die, let us die honourably with swords in our hands, for, even if die we must, the Creator shall accept us as a burnt offering acceptable to Him. His is not the ire of Men or Dragons, which flares up to destroy for its own sake. Rememberest thou not the trials of Horen, of Owyn and of Godwin? As silver is tried by the fire, so the Lord refines the just by trials. Therefore, let us humble ourselves before the Lord, believing that these scourges are meant for our profit rather than our destruction. If we win, we have won ourselves a great name for courage. And if be destroyed we must, eternal redemption is in the fanning of the flame. Therefore, my liege, be constant, and sin not. Do manfully.”

“This lad has read too many sagas and romances. Boy, thou hast not seen but a fraction of what I have. Obey thou my orders.”

The valiant-hearted Hengst replied: “Do as pleases you, but I shall go to face the Dragon.” This was the most preposterous suggestion the boldness of youth had ever conceived. Scornful laughter filled the air, and then…silence. “If any man prefers noble death to long life, follow me.” He cried. But none did follow. And breaking the deafening silence was echo of what the Churls now call Dracaansbell, Dragon’s roar, which is now the Churlish name for a thunderstorm. His resistance broke. He sheathed his sword and laid apart his shield.

Below, in the Valley, the noble Princess now stood bound and utterly at the mercy of Coerlsbane, who still circled the valleys and turned villages into ash. Hengst watched, dejected by his own cowardice and saddened by the fate of the sweet-tongued Aethelflaed. The strength of Men had failed. He could now see two fates for his people: either they would be slaves to a Dragon, or ash. As the wound in his heart festered to its lowest ebb, the dreadful roars seemed to be suddenly vanquished by a gentle, feminine voice that melted into his ear. “O, thou lonely one”, said she, pitifully. “Come down.” His determination was renewed. He thought he was going down to die, as before. But a faint flicker of hope also enlightened him, and suddenly he raced down to the Valley, whilst Aethelraed called after him desperately. 

On a dirt path meandering down the hill, he met the one who had spoken to him. His jaw dropped in astonishment. Her Elf-eyes were fairer than snow, her mantle calmly fluttered in a gentle breeze, which seemed to come from her, rather than pass by her, and she extended two merciful hands which held a shining sword. To this day, Churls call white flowers Aelfegan (Elf-Eyes)  they call a gentle breeze Aelfsbraeth (Elf-Scent) and an enchanted blade is called an Aelfsweord - an Elf-Sword. The sword was pattern-welded in the Churlish fashion, meaning that it was awash with glorious spirals that bejewelled the blade. But, more than this, the spirals shone with a brilliant splendour, leaving Hengst with no doubt that this was no sword of Men. He took it into his hands with exetremest reverence. Gently, she tied a stone around his neck. “Drop thy shield, child, and take off thy hauberk. Faith in thy God must be thy shield today, and valour thy mailshirt. There is no more to say. Whether thou shalt win or lose, I know not. But go gaily into the dark!”

As he walked out upon the wide plain, he found the lily-white princess bound to a stalkish tree. As he was walking to the side, he heard something terrible. Something few men have ever heard. A laugh. The laugh of a dragon. It is very hard to put into words, and lives only in legends and the nightmares of children. Churlsbane’s laugh seemed to scorn even the stars into lowly contempt, melting oaken-sinewed Hengst’s valiant heart. He stood motionless whilst he saw the beast flutter silently over the hillfort, and all of a sudden consume it in flames. But the dragon did not roar this time. It seems he wanted the damsel to hear the screams of the burnt and burning, which pierced the plains all around. 

The hot-blooded Hengst was about to run over to the lilly-white AEthelflaed, when the Dragon landed in front of him with a terrific crash. The Dragon did not talk, yet he spoke. They call me the bane of your people. I alone am your god. I did not spare those who sought to worship me, but thou hast shown promise. Thee shall I spare, if yield to me thou wilt. These words seemed to enter Hengst’s mind, but he shook them off with an Horenian effort of willpower. He took the Elf-Stone and held it up in defiance. Another terrible laugh. Then, just as Coerlsbane was about to engulf him in a mountain of flame, he drew the Aelfsweord. The flames seemed to cannon off the blade which blazed a brilliant red. Seething with anger, the Dragon picked him up and hurled him down, sending the Elf-stone tumbling down the valley. 

O slave of mine! Torturous shall be thy death, and long and cruel. First thee shall I mutilate, then the maid, and thee again, and slowly, till thou shalt see each other thus mangl’d, and be cursed by a mutual piercing of hearts. Then at last shalt thou die. A fameless death, a hopeless death; a loveless death. And why has thy so-called God suffered thee to have such evils, being a man reputed upright?

“Not without love”, responded the king-hearted Hengst faintly, “For if I loved not, I should not be thus pierced out of pity for my lady. But I know that my Redeemer lives, and that this flesh which thou shalt turn to ash upon this day, shall gaze upon my God, even the Living God, and what in time is corrupted, shall put on incorruptibility. The flame is but temporal, but the flames of thy punishment shall be everlasting. And enslave me canst thou not, only thyself, if I fear not death.”

They dialogued thus for a few minutes, and many a saga has dwelt on such a dialogue. Not all versions of this story have such Creatorist themes, but this is the story as the Churls presently tell it. Yet while they thus dialogued, the Elf-Lady reappeared, and untied the dove-gentle Aethelflaed. Aethelflaed crept down to find the Elf-stone, and tied it to her mantle, the symbol of her virginity. The Dragon did not feel the patter of her feet upon his back. She tied the stone-adorned headdress about his neck, and all of a sudden he howled in anguish and fear. The enormous Dragon winced pathetically as the little maiden’s tiny foot seemed to him a weight that crushed his head. The Elf-Stone had unmanned the beast!

Clemency might have been shown the beast, had he remained thus. But, as the hot-blooded Hengst let his guard down, he attempted to swipe at him in one final gasp of strength. Hengst blocked the blow with the sleight of his sword, and then thrust it deep into his belly. The dragon dissolved into an enormous cloud of ash such as he had wanted to turn men into. 

The hot-blooded Hengst and the lily-white Aethelflaed would go on to marry, but, as mentioned before, Hengst, first King of the Churls, went down in history by a different name. He was called Aelfwine, which means Elf-Friend, and to this day the word of address for a ruler among the Churls is Aelfwine. All Churls alive today are said to be flowers borne of that noble root, descendants of that noble stock, and to this day they still sing the fame of their first parents. 

“Aethelred cowered to save his country’s breath,
Aethelred found a meet reward in death.
Aelfwine disdained, and fear’d not the Dragon’s flame,
Aelfwine found himself a country, life; endless fame."

And of Aethelflaed was sung:

“Heroic Elflede! great in martial fame,
A man in valour, woman though in name:
Thee warlike hosts, thee, nature too obey'd,
Conqu'ror o'er both, though born by sex a maid.
Chang'd be thy name, such honour triumphs bring.
A queen by title, but in deeds a king.
Dragons before the Churlish heroine quail'd:
Edmond himself to win such glory fail'd.”

To this day the Churls, or Coerls, which is the Old Churlish word for farmer, have a special love of the Elves, whose magic, by God’s grace, saved their race from destruction. 

And Aelfwine and Aethelflaed lived happily ever after, in this world and the next.

Edmund, having been learning to read for almost a year now, does so with some difficulty, but at length is able to understand the message. He has to read it again and again in order to understand it, and one phrase in particular jumps at him every time: "our era in Oren ends with this day." That word, Oren, had meant to him the whole world once. He had always been raised a loyal subject of that country, whilst he had only served Jazloviecki a couple of years. Oren was dissolved, and with it every civil institution he had been taught to reverence. And Jazloviecki had taken him in with great kindness. Only now did the realisation of the depths of the gravity of what was going on hit him. But he stiffened his resolve. He said he would follow his liege wherever he went, and he would. And now, a sense of daring and adventure welled up in his young heart. "GRODNO!" He cries.

Edmund sighs. "Lord 'ave mercy, this weigheth heavy. Fond am I of the land, of the high walls, the distant mountains and the green hills."

His grief stiffens to resolution. "But where my liege leadeth, whither shall I go."

Over time, the yeoman even warmed to the idea. He tries to comfort his liege:

"All places that the eye of heaven visits are to a wise man ports and happy havens. Teach thy necessity to reason thus: there is no virtue like necessity. Think not that the Harvest did banish thee, but thou the harvest: Woe doth the heavier sit where it perceives it is but faintly borne. Go, say we are sent forth to get thee honour, and not that are banished! Or suppose devouring pestilence hangs in our air and we are flying to a fresher clime. 

Look, what thy soul holds dear, imagine it to come whither thou goest, not whence thou comest: suppose the singing birds musicians, the flowers fair ladies, and thy steps no more than a delightful measure or a dance! 

For gnarling sorrow hath less power to bite 

He that mocks at it and sets it light.

Wher'er I wander, boast of this I can,

though banish'd, yet a true born Grodno man." (( inspired by Richard II act 1 scene 3))

Edmund, a lowly recruit, saw the treaty up close, seeing with his own eyes the pen of his liege Maciej sign the historic document. But his illiteracy prohibited him from reading it. In his heart he knew he saw history unfolding before him, and his heart stirred and yet saddened. He was filled with a desire to learn, to know, to continue his great adventure that had brought forth unfolded wonders, and yet knew that because of this desire he could never return to his village, nor would life ever be as simple. He was in the world.

TotusTuusEgoSum #3901

THE PHILOSOPHATE

OF ARBINA

"Most excellent, most noble, most good Antipater, I do hope your Excellency is as full of good health and humour as last I found you. You did ask me for a report on how the old Queen of Cities fares and if the political issues there render her unsafe. I attach my report, beginning with the speech of the one they call Gaius Severus, which I have translated from their ancient tongue. Make of everything what you will."

"My bold countrymen! The Assembly meets as men refreshed, about to embark upon a bold new venture. We have, for generations, preserved the ruins of the Queen of Cities from utter destruction; guarded her philosophic secrets with a jealously not to be rivalled by the most ferocious guard-dog, and even kept good order and discipline between the cruelty of tyranny on the one side, and the horror of anarchy on the other. Mark how many nations fall to barbarism and lawlessness, mark well their savagery and baseness, and reflect how good it is to be a Citizen.

But there must come a new chapter if ere the tale is to continue. Are we mere custodians of ancient stones? Worshippers of dying embers? What! Shall sheep and cattle continue to graze under the ancient triumphal arches, their owners blind to the glorious history they once were built to celebrate? I would rather be a dog than a citizen of such a place! It does not take long for dying embers to become dead ashes. No! We must be carriers of a living flame, bearers of a noble torch, warriors for a noble cause! 

Friends, we must not stagnate in the towns and villages that were once arms of a single great Corpus! 

Men say we are in dark times. They despair. They think on former days. Ye look upon yourselves and ye see not the great Philosopher who died in the cause of truth. O slight man. Knowest thou not the All-Seeing Eye of Divine Providence? Then weep not. Aye, God hath brought thee to the present time to do Him such definite service. We are born now. For the present moment. Not to bring back to an old time, but to forge a new one in the image of the old. 

Then let us go forth, striving! Let the walls of the City once more rise! Let her fam'd library once more become the envy of the world! But first, let the Schools be once more be filled with eager young men ready to do their duty; presently the rest we shall have if they be willing."

Severus' opening speech was greeted with rousing applause. It was surprisingly fiery for the stoical 'Traiarius' School. (You see, your Excellency, they think emotions are below them.) But as he was to find out, to make speeches was easy, but to navigate the Assembly was harder. He would soon come to wish himself the absolute monarch of the state.

"What is now remiss that this Assembly must address?" He began calmly.

"Noble Brother", spoke up the equally young, equally brilliant and equally annoying (according to some) Titus Antoninus of the rival Honorific School. Whispers of outraged discontent feathered the air like so many newly-lit sparks. How dare he address the Noblest, Best and Wisest Philosopher as 'brother!' Waiting for silence to return, he weighed his words with sure deliberation. "I stand like a charioteer on the Circus Antiquus, reins in hand, ready to do my country good. And the good I seek, is this: THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY!" 

"WHAAAT!" "OUTRAGEOUS!" Even a "BLASPHEMOUS" Roared from the Traiarian benches. "HOW DARE YOU MAKE SUCH AN ACCUSATION!" Came the reply in an hundred voices. But this time, there was no silence to follow the rage. Men who, moments ago, just heard a speech about civilisation with utmost self-righteous composure began to give vent to the worst passions, brawling, beating and bearing down as blows landed. The moderates (or Custodian School) stood agape in the middle, motionless.  "He had the reins in hand, aye." Complained Severus bitterly to a nearby friend. "And he let them loose, and behold, the horses do come barrelling into the crowd! Mark'd you his words?"

And then it came. The silence. Why? A word, barely a mutter, came from a frail old man at the far side of the room. (A foreigner such as your Excellency or myself might have supposed him to be a spellcaster.) He held the folds of his worn toga in his shaking hands, up to the assembly before him. His voice was tedious, barely dragging itself to the ears of his listeners. But men listened like as if some prophet spoke. "O Philosophers, be worthy of your name!" He pleaded. "Here, within the folds of my toga, I hold peace and concord, or civil war and strife. Which will you have?"

"Peace." Said Severus with a sigh. A little while later, Antoninus the Honorific agreed: "Peace among us, most noble Claudius."

"Allow me to propose a motion..." Severus said. "Let us try to restore the great library built by our fathers. It will take many years, but he who begins is half done, said great Mato of old. Wisdom is more precious than any jewel, so it shall be the first to be enthroned in our new City-State. That is I wanted to propose before we were...led amiss."  

"I...second the motion." A defeated Honorific managed. "I second the motion." He managed with greater enthusiasm.

It was passed unanimously. (But passing a motion and putting into practice are not the same thing.)

"I propose a motion." Said Severus again. "To condemn violence in the Assembly."

"I second the motion" the Honorific replied again.

It was passed unanimously.

"Dear Darius,

your report is far too elaborative. It reads like cheap fiction, not an official report. I like it. Carry on.

His Excellency,

Antipater."

Actions

-The insanely ambitious plan of Gaius Severus begins. Texts of the most important antique works are searched for, copied and catalogued very carefully. The ancient ruins are searched for books, scrolls and manuscripts. The once famous Great Library has been devastated and destroyed, that plan is abandoned. Instead, the most intact and largest ruin that can be found is invested into building a new library. Until then, books and scrolls are stored in the Villa Sempronia, in the house of Claudius the Custodian. (2 B and 6,000 C invested for now.)

-An harbour is built on the riverside. (1 Harbour built)

-Political strife in the Assembly is stopped by the intervention of the ancient statesman, Claudius. Speculation begins as to what will happen to the Philosophate when he dies and the passions and calculations of these young men are let run free! 

-Emissaries are sent to the Republic of Lena.

Discord Name (If I don't already have it): TotusTuusEgoSum #3901

Nation Name: The Philosophate of Arbina

Nation Government/Leader Rank: Oligarchy/the Philosopher.

Description of National/Provincial History & Culture:

The Philosophate is the last remnant of antiquity, a state that before the Great Comet was famed for commerce and learning. Arbina was styled Queen of Cities. Now graze the sheep below the triumphal arches where once victorious horsemen did ride. Nevertheless, a small number of enthusiasts - or fanatics - keep alive the old flame of the great philosophical state and its old glories admidst the ruins.

The Philosophate is a strictly hierarchical society governed by several schools which disagree with each other on fundamental issues. In this, however, they agree and bind themselves: that there be the One, and no other, viz. they reject polytheism, that the pursuit of wisdom and virtue are the highest goods, and that life ought to be governed by the strictest adherance to civic virtue.

They trace these ideals to the universally venerated Gaius Mato, usually called Mato Maximus. He was put to death for turning the City away from the old gods and laying down the principles of the ideal philosophical state. His idea was of a City-State governed by a Philosopher class. Mato in death had the ultimate victory: his disciples seized control of the City and it has been governed according to his principles since.

The Comet saw the Queen of Cities disrobed of her regal glory. But in the depths of despair arose a new leader, Numerius Didius Severus, who intepreted events as providential. Surely the One was displeased at how the Philosophers had grown fat and degenerate? Surely this trial needs must come? For a lesser man might have seen death only in the Comet. But Severus perceived that new life might emerge. He gathered together the remnants of the noble families. The young Philosophers must now live a semi monastic life and keep the flame of learning alive.

Every since Severus, the Philosophate has remained steady, although a figment of a shadow of her former glory. Her goal, thus far,  has been merely survival and preservation. But is there something more?

Notable Characters; [VERY Important to have flushed out RP for vassals, politicians, w.e your government type is. Due to small scale of nations, characters with RP and Lore behind them will have much more impactful actions, will get events, boons, etc:

 Gaius Didius Severus: the chief Philosopher of the state. He is of the so called "Trairius" school. This school believes in strict, hereditary hierarchy, time honoured ritual, and is generally opposed to expansion and the idea of a standing army. They believe that a moral life necessitates nullifying passions and emotions that reason might rule. They also uphold slavery, teaching it to be part of the divinely constituted order of the universe. This makes him popular among the "craftsman" and "soldier" classes.

A direct descendant of the elder Severus, he is an idealistic and rather gallant young man who believes in old ideals. Although personally brave, showing signs of being a good general and a clear thinker, he lacks political nouse. Ironically for his position, he often invests emotion in his arguments and places his own sentiments always before political expedience. 

Appius Sempronius Claudius: Severus' main political, personal and intellectual rival. He is head of the "Honorific" school, which is more meritocratic, democratic and expansionist in its outlook. It believes in expanding Philosophate rule and even opposes slavery outright. Unlike their main rivals, it believes emotions and passions are good if ordered according to reason. 

Claudius is quite similar to Severus, which makes their rivalry even more intense. They do agree, however, on the importance of civic virtue and are often able to put aside their differences. Claudius is a gifted orator, a spirited man popular among his own class, and, it is said, the slave class.

Titus Aemilius Antoninus: head of the third main school, the Custodians. The Custodian school is one of moderation and expedience. "Prudence is charity finding a way", said one of its key proponents. For example, Custodian orators have always defended the rights and conditions of slaves when attacked and deprived, but never attacked the institution itself.

Antoninus is a veteran politician standing between the two rivals, and who acts as a moderating force. An affable and gentle man, he is a rather dull orator and poor soldier, but is surprisingly popular and almost venerated as a kind of grandfather of the nation.

Unique Military Units (One):

Philosopher Heavy Spearmen: being drawn from the sons of the highest caste of society, these men are considered one of the elite infantry units of the world. They are given training from the youngest age and buy themselves the finest money can buy. However, drawing from but one class, their manpower pool is extremely limited, and a military disaster could wipe out the flower of the nation on a single day. In olden times they were hoplites; with the development of armour they have become foot knights armed with halberds, poleaxes and other heavy polearms. 

It is important to mention that the Arbinans have no standing army. Rather, a well motivated milita is drawn up from all classes of society. Much of the militia use out dated weaponry.

National Idea (nothing strictly mechanical): Civic Virtue: liars are utterly despised in society, and integrity upheld at every moment. Typically, an Arbinan would rather suffer death than contaminate his hand with a bribe, or break his Oath. This makes for a place where crime is remarkably low and whilst the Arbinians are utterly incapable of intrigue, so also do they appear to be immune thereto.

Player POI: a small city next to a medium sized river, centered on the ruins of a sprawling metropolis, surrounded by grassy plains.

"So doth a man that drinketh wine thereby blaspheme? For it is a sure truth that wine gladdeneth the heart - and therefore it seemeth incorrect to say created material things ought not to raise our spirits, but faith only." Comments an Acolyte.

"Only 100 left alive? Never did I hear the like in the Chronicles - how terrible a war!" Exclaims Pius.

Recruit Breakspear, an illiterate soldier who speaks some form of peasant dialect finds the missive in the bin somewhere. "What a waste of paper, ne'er did I see the like!" He folds it up and puts it in his trouser pocket.

"No clue what it be sayin'. Blasted fine paper, though."

This is the second piece of revolutionary literature he has picked up in a month. He is becoming quite the unwitting collector!

Recruit Breakspear cannot read the missive. In fact, he cannot read at all. But he is too frugal to let paper go to waste, so he stuffs the posters in his trouser pockets wherever he can find them.

So sad I never saw this. Are you gentlemen still willing to do it if we get 2 or 3 new players?

"To be honest, denying the current Pontiff is not an heretical act as such, but a schismatic one: an heretical act would be to deny that the High Pontiff as an office exists at all. For it is not a dogma of the faith that "Everard VI is the current High Pontiff", but that "The High Pontiff is the head of the Church."" Fr. Peter the Akritian says in fluent Flexio to a fellow theological NERD. "The Schismatic denies that such and such a man is Pontiff: he does not deny that the Pontiff hath jurisdiction."

"And if there were a false Pontiff, it could not be accounted an heretical act to deny him."

"Dear Ms. Ursuvic,

I regret to inform you that your ordination was invalid, you do not have a flock, and that your claiming continuity with such holy figures as St. Julia is a contradiction of everything they stood for.

Expect further elaboration at a later date.

I remain your humble servant in St. Jude,

Fr. Petros the Akritian, Tractarian."

INASMUCH as the High Pontiff and most of the clergy have wantonly chosen to fornicate with the spirit of the age rather than remaining faithful to the revealed truths so graciously vouchsafed unto them by Almighty God, it seemed good to me to set out the true position which a faithful Canonist ought to hold. 

"I, [name], profess and believe with complete submission of intellect and will, that, at the command of God, a Priesthood was established for the administration of the Sacraments and the instruction of souls. I believe that this Priesthood will persist until the end of time. I hold as a divinely revealed truth that this priestly authority was reserved solely to adult males, and that therefore it is part of the divine constitution of the Church. Hence any upholding of the reverse, though it come from a superior, cannot be obeyed, for it would really be not obedience, but disobedience, inasmuch as to obey one's superior is to disobey that Superior who established the Church through the Prophets in the first place. Hence obedience to such a thing is really disobedience, and disobedience to such a thing is actually obedience. Those who, though they hold high office, embrace the heresy of denying this truth, are truly rebelling against the Church (not I), for they are rebelling against the Church as it was irreformably constituted. 

On the basis of this oath, I hold any ordinations conferred to the contrary to be utterly invalid. I will not receive "Sacraments" given by women "priests", or those who have been consecrated by female "Bishops," or any who have received ordinations of doubtful validity. I hold the Pontifical teaching to the contrary to be not binding in any sense. I pledge to seek ways to ride out the storm of heresy, to continue to promulgate the true line of the Priesthood, and to restore it to its proper place and glory, once that storm is o'erpast, so help me God, amen."

I remain your humble servant,

Father Petros, Tractarian.

Saints Clement and Everistus, pray for us.

Saints Pius of Sutica and Seraphim of Leora, pray for us.

Saints Kristoff and Jude, pray for us.

All ye holy Priests of God, pray for us.

Pius of Sutica looks to his old rival, the Venerable Boniface,  in the Skies. "You were right," he says. "You were right."

18 hours ago, Endovelicus said:

"'Em priests got too much to drink, ey. Tha's why I ain't go to church no more. All this church nonsense, pah. Got me readin' me scrolls, King Johannes Version o'course. If it be good 'nuff for Horen it be good 'nuff for me, I say." Replies Basil "Big Bazza" Hawthorn, proud Esbecer, anti-adunian and free thinker. 

"King Ioannes Version 1611 or 1662 edition?" Asks If-Horen-Hadst-Not-Been-Baptised Barbones.

"It is disgusting to even contemplate a society named after St. James II, a staunch defender of Canonist orthodoxy, seriously contemplating and downright supporting known heresies, with the support of senior Cardinals. The Sacramental Priesthood is reserved for the male sex. This is a divine tradition received by Exalted Owyn itself. To go against it is to reject the Canonist revelation." Says Fr. Petrus, who has all-but retired to a monastic life. 

Fr. Petros receives the reply with the joy of vindication - not of his own, but of the doctrinal unity of the Church. He had for the last few years suffered a silent martyrdom, criticised by his closest friends in the years between Tract VI and the reply for his silent patience, and being forced to withdraw from most of public life till the controversy be finished. And although he had always remained truly faithful, nagging doubts beset him with terrible anxieties. At last, a tremendous peace of soul floated upon him.

"In pace, in Idipsum, dormiam et requiescam: quoniam Tu, Domine, singulariter in spe, constituisti me."

"Why does a self proclaimed heretic and heathen have a say in the internal discipline of the Church, much less a Canonist association?" Asks Fr. Petros.

"Dear Miss Xatophon,

May the pure love of God reign in our hearts!

I am not a Canon Lawyer, and will not venture to argue for or against the validity of this marriage, whether it is what is called a Catherinite marriage - viz., a marriage in which the sexual act is never consummated - or a normal one. But if a Catherinite Marriage is valid in your case, I would still advise strongly against it. Such a marriage requires the very highest level of heroic chastity. Usually it is not binding under sin, so that, if the spouses should fail in their resolution to live celibacy, they would not be sinning, but merely reverting into a lower state of marriage. But if you and your spouse fail in this, and only a virginal marriage keeps you free from sin, you will indeed be placing yourselves in the gravest peril of your immortal soul. Living under the same roof and sharing the intimacies of marriage with a strong mutual sexual attraction is basically setting yourself up to sin, and placing yourself in grave danger of falling into sin. 

We must all recognise the frailty of our nature. I will quote from our founder, St. Pius: "We were unwilling to acknowledge our own mortal frailty [and hence fell into grave sin]... I have since learnt this: that any man who refuses to pity his brother when he falls into a serious fault, shows himself to be in great danger of an imminent fall himself. For pride refuses to admit weakness, and hence, as a hot-headed general is easily lured into ambushes, so Iblees can easily overcome those who are assured of their own strength." (Confessions 2.9) Hence we cannot deliberately place ourselves into proximity of sin and be surprised when we fall, or go into a dangerous situation and say: 'God will protect me'; for that is the error of presumption; we place ourselves by our own act into a situation where we are likely to fall, despite saying we resolve not to fall. Is it any surprise that God would permit us to fall if we acted thus? What would we say to that hot-headed general who ran into the ambush, and how much worse if he knew the ambush was coming, but did not prepare the forces or warn anyone? Such is the pitiable state of those who place themselves in the occasion of sin.

We must avoid all sin. And to do this, we must avoid occasions of sin. This definitely represents an occasion of sin to two young people. Therefore I do not see how you can reasonably co-habitate without committing the sin of presumptuous pride. My strongly-held advice is to remain single and either live celibately, or wait for a more appropriate match. I remain your humble servant,

Father Peter of Akritos, FSSCT."

"They have capitalised all these fancy names and titles, but they forgot to capitalise the 'g' in 'God?'" Wonders Fr. Petros.

Blessed Seraphim, FSSCT, pray for us!

[!]The work is obviously very hastily put together and printed. There are probably blot marks obscuring words and misprinted words on your copy. It is printed en-masse on a cheap, double-sided piece of paper.

TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.

TRACT VI: ON FEMALE DEACONS.

Written by Petros the Akritian, FSSCT (Provost.)

I. Introduction. Reasons for this Tract.

Venerable Fathers, Bishops of the most Holy Canonist Church, venerable brothers, my fellow Priests of that self-same Mother, and my dear children, the monastics and laity who look to us for guidance, this letter is for you. It is hastily written. You must forgive my haste in writing and publishing this, because it is in response to an immediate need; without swift action, I foresee the ruin of many souls in the perilous waters of either schism or heresy. 

I have been flooded by many of my penitents in Savoy with the most urgent requests for guidance on the late Bull of the High Pontiff. I must confess that I myself, with the deepest reservation, find the document to be very poorly judged on a prudential basis. One particular penitent, a very zealous man, took it very badly and it is in the interest of his soul and those of others, that I write this Tract in order to seek clarity. 

For my order, the FSSCT, is one whose very basis is the Sacramental Priesthood. Our founders, Pius of Sutica and Seraphim of Leora, understood the Sacramental Priesthood to be both the basis of the Church, and the key to her liberty and exaltation. They call it an inestimable burden and grace, an honour far greater than any that can be found on earth, and a weight bearing on any soul who fears God more heavily than a crown of the purest jewels. If the interpretation some give of the latest Bull is right, it speaks very gravely about the state of the Church and even, it must be said, the orthodoxy of the Pontiff, perhaps being the final nail in the coffin of the supposed doctrine of Pontifical Infallibility, something the Tracts originally upheld. But if the interpretation that is proper is less rash, then we are to carry on as normal, as his servants. My intention therefore is to avoid division and seek clarity.

II. Interpretation of the Latest Bull.

The section to which I refer is Number Eight. I will quote it in full for the proper context:

"We call on all faithful Canonists to answer God’s call, for we are all called to service by the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings. Those who are skilled in fighting may serve God by joining the Supreme Order of the Exalted Owyn, and using their skills to protect Our clergy and Our flock. Those with a gift for speaking and interpreting may join to become a monk or a priest, to shepherd parts of God’s flock. Women too have a calling, either to serve as a deacon and aid priests with services or even perform them when no priest is available, or as a nun to provide charity and compassion to those who have none. All who wish to accept this higher calling are urged to speak to their local clergyman. Let all things be done for the greater glory of God."

The interpretation which my zealous friend gave was that the word 'services' included both mass and sacraments, essentially delegating them both to the new female diaconate. The Church has stated that, in exetremis, the Sacrament of Baptism can be offered by laity. This was discussed in an Ecumenical Council, the proceeds of which discussed the nature of the Sacraments and how they ought to be reserved to the Priesthood. They rejected the extension of the Sacrament of Ablution beyond the Priesthood. St. Pius of Sutica spoke thus:

"How can this Absolution - sorry, I am old - Ablution be performed apart from the Priesthood? We didn't create the Sacraments, we received them, because it was not we who established the Priesthood, but God. God never demands of us the impossible, of necessity He cannot condemn us for what we cannot do, being infinitely just. And so Confession and Ablution in exetremis, in this circumstance [of someone who has literally no possibility of getting it from a Priest], the rite itself, without priestly absolution, will do, for God accepts the contrition without the medium of the Priest. This does not mean, however, we should not make it the rule, for that is not God's will. The Sacraments serve God; He is not junior to them, but being their Author, He desires to ordinarily work through them, but He is not confined by them. And hence here, the desire of ablution signified by the Confession of sins and the act of a layman is sufficient to give the remission of sins. But in the ordinary, the Priest is the visible representative of God, and absolves in His Name, and therefore Absolution and Confession are joined in what was traditionally called the Sacrament of Confession."

He went on: 

"That is not true [that who can administer the sacraments can be changed at will], for you merely lack a distinction between what is rigid and what is firm. The age of admission to the Priesthood, except that, I suppose he be old enough to have the use of reason (For Owyn instituted men as Priests and not toddlers as the Gospel tells us), is, I grant you, fluid. But the very form and nature of this Sacrament is vested in the Sacred Priesthood. For the Prophet has said: "No man can call himself above them." Them being the Sacraments; Proverbs chapter three; verse six.

For it has always been held that this renewal of Baptism given by the remission of sins, is explicitly rooted, and, as part of the very form of the Sacrament, indelibly linked to the Sacred Priesthood. This is clearly the authoritative teaching of the Church as regards this Sacrament and has always been so, that this not be merely a changeable discipline, but a matter of the form of the Sacrament itself, thereby being a matter of faith, and there can be no innovation there.

I should consult the wonderful Encyclical of Blessed Jude the First, which, I repeat, every Priest and Acolyte should read at once, and for that reason I have brought it with me here. Sacerdoti in Nostra Ecclesiae makes it explicitly clear. Moreover, so does the Act of Absolution itself: wherefore Ven. Humbert added: By that same authority or something to that effect, I mean to say the authority of the Sacred Priesthood, I absolve thee. It is therefore clear that it has always been understood that it is on the Priestly authority from whence the Absolution comes. If there were no Priesthood, there would be no Sacrament. Dispensation is given, again, as I said, to in exetremis Ablution, but that proceeds from desire and not from substance, for they receive the benefits of the Sacrament because God is pleased to grant their intent, not because the form of the Sacrament itself is apart from the Priesthood. To therefore extend the Sacrament apart from the explicit Sacerdotal dignity is a perversion of the very Sacrament, not merely a disciplinary change, for the remission of sins has always proceeded, as part of the Sacrament itself, from the Priest, and on his authority alone, a layman's authority being insufficient to absolve."

Thus, the layman who 'administers' the Sacraments, does not do it as such, but acts as a marker of the desire of the person to receive them which cannot be realised, and this desire gives the graces of the Sacrament without itself being the Sacrament.  Hence a man who is trapped on a desert island with his wife, who has no viable way of finding a Priest, may confess his sins to her and pronounce his desire and need of absolution, and this will show that, if he had a Priest, he would have done the same. And if both of them die on their island, the man would have received the grace of the absolution in an extraordinary, non-sacramental way, rather than receiving the Sacrament itself. 

Therefore, if Pius of Sutica is to be believed (and among my friends, he is), and if my penitent's interpretation is correct, then the very nature of the divinely instituted Sacred Priesthood has been changed. This would essentially mean the High Pontiff and has severed himself from that very institution in the very act of trying to dismantle it. For the Priesthood is a divine institution, and who happens to be individual Pontiff at a particular time owes to the things of temporarily, and therefore he should be like a stick trying to break a rock; he himself would be broken. However, I do not myself accept this interpretation, and I have advised my penitent to withhold judgement until proper clarity is given. I would be very slow in ascribing an interpretation that would leave us in a very difficult position. 

I do not interpret the Bull as meaning this. I interpret the word 'services' as essentially meaning mass, sermons and so forth, which are non-sacramental. These things are not in an essential way linked to the Priesthood exclusively, but they are heavily associated with it. The Scroll of Gospel says that Owyn established the Priesthood as a teaching office in matters of faith and morals. But there is no reason why a layman or monastic cannot speculate about the faith, admonish the sinner, console the scrupulous, or give his own interpretation of a given passage or theological issue. St. Jude himself was a teacher before he was a Priest, Venerable Julia of Haense wrote edifying pamphlets, and we even ask Acolytes to submit theses, some of which have even made it into the Canonist Commentary on the Scriptures, before they are ordained. Canonist mass itself is not a divine but a human institution; this can be proved from the fact that there are different rites of it which differ wildly in form and purpose.

Personally, I would find it a troublesome development, although it would not be heretical as such. Such an interpretation would cause us to charitably argue for the reversal or clarification of this decision (expect a later Tract), but if it is to be upheld, schism should be as far from our minds as iblees, for iblees is the author of schism. 

I would only ask that, as a matter of absolute necessity, laity and monastics be barred from the celebration of Judite mass, since this is explicitly sacramental in nature, rather than the main Canonist rite which is essentially a Scripture reading, prayer and sermon. In fact, as the Provost of the only existing Judite Order I hereby bar non-ordained persons from celebrating mass in our Fraternity.

III. Conclusion. Call for Renewal of Priesthood and Tractarian Movement.

The clarity I seek is therefore very clear. How is the Bull to be interpreted? Are the Sacraments to be administered by Deaconesses as such? Or only the sacred ceremonies, and then only in extreme circumstances?

One thing is clear. We need good Priests who are faithful to orthodoxy. Let us revive the Tractarian spirit which imbibes fervour for the Sacred Priesthood and the Sacraments as a thirsty man quaffs water. 

"Time to revive the Tracts for the Times..." Says Fr. Petros the Akritian ominously.