Gnomemancy

REQUIEM
MASS OF CANONIST MEMORY FOR THE SOULS OF THE DEPARTED
13th of Horen’s Calling, 13 NE

HIS BEATITUDE BRAM CARDINAL PROVIDENTIA, Metropolitan of Providence

Sons and Daughters,

I grieve with you in the matter of the recent vile Terrorist Attack perpetrated against our Imperial Capital by agents of the dissembler. I pray with confidence in the Lord, the queller of fires, that the waters of light and life can cleanse the ashen ground where the chambers once stood.

We are engaged in a great spiritual battle against those who wish to do our people harm. They wish to impede on the work of the servants of the Empire and on the work of the Church. Just as the commons were burning, vile agents screamed that the Cathedral too was on fire and similarly the Palace itself. These cries were distractions which were yelled to force ISA members out of the early stages of the blaze which ravaged the legislative halls… over to regions where no such fire was present. A distraction which no doubt caused a loss of countless lives.

In the tradition of our Faith we are to hold a Requiem Mass for those Faithful who have now departed this Terra and are in transit to the Skies as I pen this missive. Have faith my sons and daughters that Justice will be served. That this incident will not go unpunished. 

To those who perpetrated this attack- I shall speak at length in my sermon on the demons who we all Know are responsible, those who we know as enemies of our State.

Your Servant,

Bram ☨

Prayer for the Faithful Departed:

O Lord who didst cleanse thine Prophets in the Waters of Gamesh, ordering the liberation of their sin and raising them up to new heights.

We beseech you in a time where our leaders have been leveled by fire with a stroke of chaos. 

Humbly we pray that you might send down Thy Holy Light to visit and heal us. Strengthen us o’ GOD so that we of this Imperial City of Providence will stand with confidence, casting out those who do us harm- annihilating those who think injury upon us.

So say we all.

 
 
✠MISERICORDES SICUT PATER✠
MERCIFUL LIKE THE FATHER

Grumpit the Gnome hears word of this and sets off for the Imperial Capital. 

PRIMA EPISTOLA PASTORALIS PROVIDENTIAM
FIRST PASTORAL LETTER OF PROVIDENCE
1st of Harren's Folly, 11 NE

HIS BEATITUDE BRAM ☨ CARDINAL PROVIDENTIA, Metropolitan of Providence

INDEX
 
SECTION I - A LONG DUE GREETING
SECTION II - THE ELEVATION OF PASTORS
SECTION III - A SACRED MISSION
SECTION IV - A JUBILANT AFFAIR

SECTION I -  A LONG DUE GREETING

May these Apostolic Blessings rain down upon the GOD-preserved land of Providence and those who therein dwell: DEUS MAGNUS.

I now address, in my first written pastoral greeting, my sons and daughters within the Metropolitanate of Providence. I am reminded in this letter that the rumors are true, the sun never does set in Providence- for when it does, it goes unnoticed. Truly it is a blessing to live in a city where the days and nights mold themselves into nothing short of an era of jubilance and happenings galore. However, for this old soul at least, the seemingly never-ending affairs of state and cloth alike prolonged the promulgation of this address. Late or early, in the morning or the evening, rain or shine I would now like to reiterate my most sincere blessings on all who happen upon this missive. 

To those who I serve now in the Metropolitanate: I am His Beatitude, Metropolitan Bram Cardinal Calistovich, Archbishop of Providentia. However, I wish to make it known from here on out that these formal styles fit me rather poorly. I would invite all those within our jurisdiction to address me as they would any other cleric be it Father or by my own name, Bram. It is my intention to serve you all without the magnitude of my office as a hindrance to the connection that I have with each and every one of you for we are not so dissimilar. 

Contrary to the days of yore it is quite possible that there are many who exist within the modern city of Providence who are better dressed then this old Cardinal, have more coins, or a more bedazzled cane with which they stride.  Be that has it may, I hope and have been well-pleased to note that my age seems to be that which distinguishes me most from my flock. I am an old Priest. Good! My hairs speak to my experience then. I have served Holy Mother Church for some Sixty-two years now. Multiple Saints years. In my time I have been an Acolyte, a Vicar, a Parish Priest, a Monk, an Abbot, a Bishop, an Archbishop, a Cardinal, and now a Metropolitan. I was born Seventy-five years back in a grand place known affectionately as Old Reza. I began my ministry in New Reza at the ripe age of 13. Over the years, true to GOD’s good will, I have served many souls. I  have written at length about the reality of GOD’s work and exactly how we might aid Him by working with the grain. I have lectured and I have listened to Paupers and Princes, to Kings and Kooks (a fitting name for a new book?). I desire more so than anything to hear now from you, those who I serve from my high office in the white marble tower overlooking our city. 

Inaccessibility is a trait that I am sure would keep me out of trouble but, unfortunately to some of my more pompous peers, is a virtue that I am lacking in. So, without further supplication, I invite all those within our beloved city to pay me a visit or to look out for the red-robed gentleman frequenting the taverns, picking up a few well-filled mugs of Carrion Black. 

May the Blessings of our Father who dwells above us in perfect majesty make haste to fill you with an abundance of joy and resound within you a spirit of repentance. 

Your Servant,

Bram ☨

SECTION II -  THE ELEVATION OF PASTORS

So far, in my short “stint” as Metropolitan, I have had the pleasure of raising up several distinguished, virtuous men and one most-pious woman to the ordained and consecrated life, respectively.  Below I have attached the method by which they can be contacted. I invite the Faithful to do so or to use this as a formal roster pertaining to those who I have ordained or empowered since my elevation.

The Right Reverend, Basil Moroul - Dean of the Cathedral @Basil Moroul

The Reverend Abbess, Sister Liserli - Abbess of the Wigbrechtian Order

The Reverend Hieromonk, Vladirck @GhostSHTR

The Reverend Father, Varon Draskovic  @6xdestroyer

The Reverend Father, Tobias Sarkozic @Qizu

The Reverend Deacon, Casper Jahan @Viggen92

The Reverend Deacon, Archimedes DeFont

SECTION III -  A SACRED MISSION

As one of the most well-written authors on topics pertaining to theology in our age (regrettable that I be among this list and not you, dear reader) I hereby announce the mission of the Metropolitanate to promote and provide texts of the Church to the Faithful. 

In the coming Saints days and weeks it is our mission to formally categorize and develop an order to the vast library of tomes the Metropolitanate has inherited. In due time these works will be on display for those Faithful drawn near to read and be blessed by the scholarship of our brethren among the clergy. 

Furthermore, I announce to you all that the establishment of reliquaries throughout the sacred space of the Cathedral is underway. Once this sacred task is complete, it is the mission of the Church in Providence to form several shrines outside of the confines of our Cathedral walls. Therein relics of our beloved who have passed away from this plane and into the Seven Skies shall be honored for all to see as they toil and labor for the growth and prosperity of our land. 

SECTION IV -  A JUBILANT AFFAIR

I have reserved the last few verses of this address to the many for one affair of great importance. First, I wish to communicate my sincere gratitude and thanksgiving at the opportunity to first greet all of my beloved sons and daughters during the last audience with His Imperial Majesty, Joseph II. Delivering a short message and blessing before you all thanks to the benevolence of His Imperial Majesty was an honor. 

At the close of this Saint’s Week the Metropolitanate will be hosting a Mass of Alms, the first of its kind within the city. Therein, all in attendance will be commemorated during the liturgy and will be given monetary compensation as well as treasures of the spirit in the form of blessed water and books to take to their homes. It is our sincere prayer that all in the city will attend to receive the gifts which the Church desires to deliver to her sons and daughters. More to follow.
  
 

✠MISERICORDES SICUT PATER✠

MERCIFUL LIKE THE FATHER

Metropolitan Bram would smile as he heard the funeral bells toll. "One less Wick in the world."

From the Seven Skies above a plump Pontiff known by the name Jude gave a warm smile to his successor. 

Capellam Caelestis Divinae Ascensionis 
The Celestial Chapel of Divine Ascent
19th Harren’s Folly, 10 S.E

 
Eminent brothers and pious-folk who have seen the Flexio inscribed above or who have heard talk of the inscriptions  below - GOD make straight your path and bring benediction onto your mind and body. Eschatology is a subject that has always been of great interest to me as a theologian. I must say, however, that my work (while exceedingly extensive on certain topics) is rather lacking on this issue. What I present to all now to pursue  is my seminal and most certainly final work on a facet of this branch of theology in union with salvific theology. In that these writings concern both salvation as well as eschatological pronouncements I invite those who study them to use the label of synergistic theology to describe that which is argued. Let it be known that as my many other texts warn, this is a purely academic text and as an emeriti of our Holy  Church I make no claims which I believe will cause injury or rebellion in the ecclesia. Instead, I submit the work of synergistic theology before our readers to be used as a clarion of hope for those who we admit will come to pass in this and every age: Those who have never heard recitations of our sacred Canon (as well-published as it may be in this age). Those who have not been graced with the opportunity to speak with one of our devout adherents. Those who have for some reason or other are mentally or physically unable to connect with the dogma. 

In Morte nos es iunctus cum Vitam Divinam. In Death we are united with the Divine Life.

Following one’s expiry from the plane of mortal existence, from terra our home below, we are met with the imminent particular judgement as a swift motion of natural order. However, before the divine can envelope us and escort us into our level of merit within the Skies, we stand as conscious creatures. In continuity with the Divine Plan, that those who have been created by GOD willingly accept His Word and His Law and as such attain salvation through it out of their ability to conform their mortal lives within its strictures (out of love and obedience to GOD), we do not shed the ability to act of our own accord before we have attained salvation. As such, there exists a state between the mortal death of a descendant and the status of salvation within the Seven Skies. This is a period of acceptance of our fate on terra in which the reality of our death is made known to us. Most importantly, it is the state during which the reality of the Divine is made known to us. What was once accepted in Faith is presented before us in divine beauty. 

Theologians have often grappled with the question: “Why does the Creator allow those who did not know His Church in mortal life merit the Skies?” This question had caused a great many controversies in ages past- prompting the establishment of Vladimirism and other theological explanations which sought to do away with it in certain regards and apply nuance in others. At one time, early in my ministry, this question had troubled me greatly as well. However, as my study of the Canon and our Sacred Tradition improved the assurance of Humanity's right to the Skies was a comforting factor in this battle for the truth. While this right is assured it is not given without a burden, to toil as servants of GOD. This is why when we do hear of righteous pagans entering the Skies the righteous is always stressed. The desire to know GOD is inscribed on the soul of every descendant yet the truth of His presence on this terra is only known in its perfection through shepherds of the Holy Church, the spouse of the Lord. 

Faithful servants of GOD strive to merit salvation in life using the tools available to them. However, in circumstances where these tools are inadequate, due to means of accessibility or due to many other contributing factors, there exists a path forward. There exists a chance afforded to righteous souls who desire GOD. At the moment of death (tempus mortis) souls prepare for their particular judgement. They are detached from the life they know, the life of the flesh, and work to ascend into the Skies above or the fate given them. At this tempus mortis the reality of their state of death sets in - this is a time further on from the moment that a soul just dies and can be in some way distanced from salvation so as to appear as a ghost or return to terra. These souls accept death and are confronted with the Divine in it, the way is made known to them. So then, they find themselves in a state which we will call the Celestial Chapel of Divine Ascent.

The Celestial Chapel of Divine Ascent

These souls, having beheld the Divinity above, accept GOD as they had accepted His statues in how they conducted their lives. They are confronted not only with the reality of GOD, they are confronted with a choice to perfect their desire after our Father or to walk away. A life of virtue when detached from the tools of the Church does not an attendant of the Seven Skies make. In order for one to merit the Skies they must accept the True GOD, the Author of Life, the Father of the Scrolls. For those who beheld this truth and desire to seek it, to know it more intimately, they are permitted to spiritually enter into the Chapel. They are afforded the ability to enter in to develop their understanding of the Truth of the Creator and attain enlightenment for the sake of their souls out of love for their author. This choice, this final action is precisely what saves them, virtue onto the very end. For in desiring GOD without full knowledge of Him in mortal life yet attending to a life of virtue nonetheless unto the very end has proved their love at last. 

We can think of our existence on this terra as in a great celestial orb surrounded by a dense void. As we know, there exist layers of the Skies above us within the Orb of Creation. So too does there exist the Celestial Chapel of  Divine Ascent, the place of spirit wherein congregants choose virtue. This spiritual estate is as present as anything and should be treated as such. It is the state of souls desiring GOD and perfecting their vision of Him in a path of transience before a higher destination envelops them.

Propterea benedixit te DEUS in aeternum,

                                Bp. Bram Calistovich, O.W.F
                                    Emeritus  Abbot of Bl. Wigbrecht’s Abbey
                                    Cardinal Emeritus

                                    Bishop Emeritus

Bishop Bram made his way out of his Cathedral hovel. The ‘middle-aged’ man cracked his back a few times before signing the Hussaria along his chest passionately.  He would take hold of his crosier and then march on to the council area, a mind filled. 

Sustineri Veritatis 

The Sustainability of Truth

19th Harren’s Folly, 1792

Brothers in the common flesh of Horen and in the laurels of the office of shepherds over the flocks of Man: Grace and Mercy from GOD the Father and the Exalted, our Divine Informants. In our response to the Ecumenical Council of this age, Curandum Aengulis, we began by defining an articulated doctrine which stresses the condition of ecclesiastical authority; Sustainability. 

Let it be known that this doctrine, ‘the Divine Precedent from which the Church is preserved from error by treading in the path of orthodoxy steadfastly and with great regard for her traditions in ages past’ is not a new innovation. Neither is she promulgated by any Pontiff or Saintly Bishop in ages past or present. The doctrine of Sustainability is a living, breathing reality present in the very fabric of our Communion. We are a Church which shuns the revisionist claims of infallibility of office and absolute authority of mortal rank. However, we are a custodial estate, bound by our commitment to that truth we were appointed as shepherds to safeguard. This condition, our nature as humble toilers in the vineyard of the Lord, thus affords us the following merits:

In that we are a Divinely appointed institution, created by the Will of GOD and entrusted with magisterial authority by our Fathers among the Saints, the Exalted Prophets, we were established in a state of absolute grace. Preservation from error was not the only emanation of this force- however from it,  our ability to persist with the charisma of truth above us is evident. Let us then refer to the force behind this doctrine as gratia sustentans, our sustaining grace.

Verily, my fellow clerics, it is through our custodianship of the office we have been entrusted with that we merit this gratia sustentans - without which our ecclesiastical body would be led astray into the condition established in Ad Defensionem Anima, beguilement. Recognizing that it is in preserving the traditions of ages past, in conforming to the interpretations of our earliest-most fathers, in stringently obeying both the Word and Deposit of Faith that we merit gratia sustentans and are thus preserved from error, be so entreated in these times of doubt and confusion to take comfort in Holy Mother Church. 

Out from the chasm of departure from tradition and blatant nova interpretatio GOD, in His excellent providence, has produced for us a great opportunity to recognize fault. In liberalizing the Faith we have received a Paternal Correction. Those events which have come to pass involving Gazardiel in the time of this council were so ordained out of direct need to admonish stubborn clerics who refused to recognize Holy Mother Church’s dogma. Inspired by this censure without bitterness or attachment to the wrongs of the past, let us converge. Let us preach the truth. Let us store up a treasure trove of  gratia sustentans. Bless GOD.

With contrite prayer,
Abbot Bram Calistovich, O.W.F
Abbot of Bl. Wigbrecht’s Abbey

The constancy of the truth depends on the precedent of divine revelation, which the Church has continuously upheld since time immemorial. A word must be said on the nature of “truth.”  It is a question that has become increasingly relevant in present discourse as events have shaken the world of faith in all of its facets. Truth is inseparable to wisdom which originates from GOD. Therefore, “truth” as such must be understood as Truth, the objective reality of which all things derive. In Aeterna Sapientia (1626), Bl. High Pontiff Everard IV stated that “The eternal wisdom is the momentum of the realm serving as the derivative of all existence and all things good.” It is our intrinsic inclination to seek what is good. Goodness is the fulfillment of truth and its divine manifestation to the mortal plane. Creation seeks to know what is good, what is wise, and essentially what is true. 

Truth, then, must be understood under the context of its originator. Through divine revelation, the Church was bestowed the sacred responsibility to maintain the truth. It is here where we inaugurate the notion of sustineri veritatis, or the sustainability of truth. Without such a principle, the Church could not simply exercise its apostolic authority. From prophetic revelation, the constancy of the divine, and the truth that derives from GOD, is made known to the conscience of creation. We must understand the truth as a kind of spark which, when enkindled, produces a flame. As noted in the “Message on Divine Peace” by High Pontiff Daniel V (1700), “How can we hide from this truth? What is there to turn to, but iniquity and darkness? The children of God were born to walk in His path of light, to stand together as brothers, strengthened by the divinity of the Godhead; unwavering and unafraid when facing the wickedness of Iblees. Yet, here we stand at a distance, this unity disrupted as we listen to the whispers of the Denier, the weaver of lies and the sower of hatred. We cannot surrender ourselves to these false perceptions and be blinded by enmity, or we shall be rejecting the lessons of the Virtues taught to us from the beginning.” The Church, thus, assumes a custodial role in maintaining such a flame, and thereby sustaining what is true. She is thus a witness to the timeless truth that must be sustained in the rapidly reactive ambience of societal attitudes. Our consistent call to arms against doubt empower the Church to face adversity. The divine precedent maintained in sustineri veritatis preserves the ever constant authority of GOD in our individual and collective conscience.

Sustenance in ever changing times warrants a renewed commitment by the Holy Church and her ministers to harken the model of prophetic virtue. The Scrolls often remind us of the lonely burden of bearing witness to GOD’s divinity and wisdom. However, it is incumbent upon all of us, clergy and laity alike, to remain true to the cause of the truth. It is in truth that we find a fulfillment of life and stability against the erosion that relativism brings. In recent commentaries, notably by our brother in faith, Fr. Pius in “Tract II. The Church is the Sword of Owyn” (1782), we affirm that “The Church is the purifying Sword of Owyn. She loves her children, but she loves them in the Truth. She exercises his admonishing office, and perpetuates the Prophetic Office through the Scrolls and Sacraments, but also through the active teaching authority she possesses, chiefly vested in the Pontiff but in union with the Holy Synod.” It is in defense of the truth that the Church purposefully accomplishes her mission to preserve the presence of virtue in the faithful. In sum, the sustainability of truth transcends our worldly station. It is, in fact, a transcendent commitment obliged to us at baptism to bear witness to the divine mission. 

With fidelity,
Fr. Benedict of Muldav, O.W.F.
Bishop of Petrovic, Archdiocese of Jorenus

Aengulic Arrangements

Sustainability: "The Divine Precedent from which the Church is preserved from error by treading in the path of orthodoxy steadfastly and with great regard for her traditions in ages past.”

In my fraternal correction targeted to those of my brothers in the cloth— Ad Defensionem Anima, I exhorted the faithful clergy of the grave danger that Aengulic Connection posed to the Souls of Man. Given the fact that my brothers and sisters are gathered in council I suspect it is expected of me to continue in my plea for orthodoxy in the tradition of opposition to this practice. 

If you do recall, and I pray the words of my exhortation are still fresh in the minds of my brethren here gathered in reading, I began defining the state that I found both myself and our Holy Institution: Beguiled. We are thus, together, conditioned. Poor Bishop Benedict himself now comes to me with long bags in his eyes tainted by char from wrestling with these matters from the cluck of morning to the burning wick of nightfall. 

Be this condition so ordered, let me reiterate my concerns in a spirit and with an effort for the preservation of sustainability in our body.

It is well known in the annals of Aengulic lore that the famed Aengul Gazardiel was a figure of ill repute. Not only did this figure, this created form, born out of the emanations of GOD’s potency, facilitate the power source of the great soul-consuming contraption, made by wicked and warped Dwarves in a bygone era, which created a dimension which imprisoned the Defiler. Nay, the Aengul was known to have the ability of reversing the tether tied to them which allowed for Gazardiel to control his mortal practitioners. 

This account must be known to be veracious as in the aisles past from which we fled the city in which this massacre occurred, the souls, and the device were all located. The Aengul aided Dwed in their soul sucking mission. The Aengul reserved their tether, controlling their adherents.

What is a tether? A tether is the link formed between the created Aengul and the created Man through which power is channeled. Before a practitioner calls upon the aid of the Aenguls for power they must first become ‘connected.’ This connection process is akin to our Canonist baptism, a sacrament of great importance. It is through this connection that those who make vows link their soul to an ethereal cord which is connected to the Aengul. 

Think about it. 

If one was to preform a puppet show and they had only a few cloth implements and manipulated them before the masses with their bare hands it would appear quite *****, no? Certainly unnatural or contra naturam to say the least. If then, some fine strings held up the hands and feet, the actions could be done with full immersion of the onlookers who see only the magic of movement and not its source. We know its source. We know from which means power is sourced. We know how this comes to be. Connecting one’s immortal soul to an Aengul, handing over the greatest possession of Man, the immortal and eternal in exchange for the powers of the Aengulic ranks. 

This was always seen as a harsh and deviant thing. I challenge this point not. We do not give up our souls to any created being. Our souls belong to GOD alone. 

Furthermore, -and this can be attested to by any master practitioner capable of performing this Rite- if someone wishes to sever their connection, to break the cord of control: they are forever pained, a pain not of the flesh but of their very souls. In becoming ‘disconnected’ as it were, damage is dealt the soul- this is seen as a great negative to Aengelic practitioners who wish to prostitute themselves to various powerful bodies and find that as they loose themselves from one and attach themselves to another they, after disconnection, find the process of connection hard and not painless. 

Be that as it may, we must not discount the adverse effects that this process has to the mind of our flocks. After all, we are the guardians of the sheep, are we not? We are those with the good old shepherd’s crook, with which we are tasked to guide. Do we not hear the great trauma inflicted on those who loose themselves from their Aengelic arrangements in the confessional? This change, this loss greatly pains them…  in many cases this pain persists for the rest of their lives. 

Verily brothers, we know all too well that Creator Clerics were the only permissible devotes of power and their status was highly contested at the time and following their exile. The fact that we would  now permit Aenglic clerics and the like without regard for our history is absurd. 

SO THEN,  I see it fitting that I again stress to all who read this letter that Aenglic Connections are not to be sanctioned within the Holy Canonist Church.

IN THAT, Aenguls as created beings are given dominion over the souls of Man through connection,

IN THAT, the process of Aengulic Connection creates a link which imposes harm on the soul,

IN THAT, this unnatural deviancy can impose intense trauma if severed,

IN THAT, Aenguls have been known in history to abuse this connection,

I SEE IT RESOLVED THAT  we shepherds ban this arrangement from our hallowed institution henceforth and forever. 

Abbot Bram Calistovich, O.W.F

Bl. High Pontiff Jude and the Venerable Elder Vladimir shake their head at the debate, “Vladimirism will one day reign.” they nod, going back attend to celestial things.

3 minutes ago, thesmellypocket said:

Pius apologises for his undue correction!

Abbot Bram forgives the pious Pius and receives him warmly.

6 minutes ago, thesmellypocket said:

Pius would reply that surely it’s genitive, of the soul, and hence animae.

Notes that the common translation does accommodate a rigid translation of the Flexio, it being the ablative.

12 minutes ago, thesmellypocket said:

“*Animae” corrects Fr. Pius.

Abbot Bram would correct the Father, reminding him that the plural is not employed.

[!] A letter is sent out to the High Pontiff of the Canon and Curia of the Holy Canonist Church [!]

Ad Defensionem Anima 

To the Defense of the Soul

“But there are yet faithful. And they are assailed by twenty four false prophets, in their hands twenty four falsehoods, bearing the mark of sin.  And their lies are lifted up in worship, for the servants of Iblees proclaim them truth.”

Beguiled: To be captivated in irrationality and led astray. Dear Fathers and Brothers within the Communion of GOD, I warn you against the guileful nature of those who seek to pass off a nova interpretatio in a dogma well-defined in ages past. 

I write to you now concerning the recent promulgation from the Auditor of the Tribunal in which the disciples of Xan are branded no different than the mendicant almsgivers in the purity of their Faith. For if there is no contradiction in the faith of the disciples of Xan and the most precious Faith of the Canon, this becomes a fact of reason. For the potential for either to merit the same virtue to attain the highest Skie is equal for both parties. 

Some would describe the Void as a place where there is no reason, we are being dragged into the Void by this missive- and I would like to make it clear that I will not be dragged into the abyss of perdition! I will not! In accord with the Rule of Blessed Wigbrecht, I will reprove the wicked.

When the Aengulic disciples wish to attain power from the celestial forces they form a connection to them. This connection is one which links the immortal soul of the practitioner with the power of the Aengul. Through this tether, unnatural power can be wielded by the disciple- power which is contra naturam. No Cannonist under any circumstance is to suffer their souls to be meddled with. The fact that the Auditor alludes to this in his mentioning of  “an ember of Aengulic power close to their soul'” and does not immediately bristle with this reality is cause for great concern. I pray that this decision is reversed in union with the prayers of the pious Friar Boniface. 

Abbot Bram Calistovich, O.W.F

Abbot Bram would give a nod following his reading of the brother Friar’s comments on the recent promulgation. “I wholeheartedly agree. This new interpretation and laxity of faith is a departure from the clear teaching of the Church in ages past. In their veneration and service to the Aengulic forms, descendants are tethering their immortal souls to power they can never understand. This aught to be condemned as a dangerous and repulsive practice.”

On 7/14/2020 at 4:06 PM, Mojo said:

I like it, clever and flavorful. Though I would recommend changing the 10 ooc minutes to an emote count, otherwise there is the unfortunate side effect of dissuading detailed emotes.

Fair point, I took this into consideration and updated the redlines.  Thank you!

47 minutes ago, DISCOLIQUID said:

As the potion requires no ST signing and is only Tier 1, I would lower the requirements of order, strength, and slowness from 2 counts to one. Excepting strength, those symbols are currently hard to get ahold of, and this will make your cosmetic potion more accessible to low level alchemists. Great potion idea!

That’s a great suggestion! I do agree that a lowered benchmark for creation befits the oil, thank you!

38 minutes ago, GoodGuyMatt said:

Perfect! Now my character can sing Dior in LOTC correctly. +1

Contrabass Concoction

Gold Potion by ArtLanding

 “Ah! Here is one for the senses.” Beros would begin to laugh at his own joke, unclipping a short yet stout bottle from a nickel brewing stand. The liquid therein encased was as thick as honey, full of small bubbles, and writhing about as if it would succeed in its struggle to slide out would it not be for the bottle’s plump cork. “Contrabass Concoction. A real treat and difficult to procure these days at least. The secret weapon of the Dwarven Quoire and the envy of Canonist cantors, at least the Ruskan ones. For those wishing to chant or belt out some harmonious litanies you can not find a more desirable drought. The oil, when taken in the proper quantity allows for one to speak, sing, chant, ye name it- all in Basso Profondo, a deep tone.” The aging alchemist raised the bottle up a bit, watching his apprentices’ eyes follow the vial with absolute attendance, “Hmm, a singer in our midst have we… well fine, take it.”

Description & Effects:

A honey-like salve, an oily balm, the Contrabass Concoction is quite the unconventional brew that one might imagine themselves indulging in. This thick golden oil is the product of many hours of labor at the hands of perspicacious alchemists. It seems to be in perpetual motion, forming bubbles and oozing about in its given container, eager to enter the mouths of worthy choir-persons. This concoction has a profound effect on the vocal abilities of those whose lips have graced it; On consumption, those who partake of this oil find their voice lowered several octaves to the range known as Basso Profondo.

 Unlike most unctions this oil is quite unorthodox in that its coating of the throat must be kept current at all times during performances. Once the oil is washed down from the throat there remain no lingering octave effects. However, after only a few sips of the concoction the user would be graced with the ability to speak, sing, chant, shout, and even whisper in this low basso profondo tone. This effect remains only for as long as several saliva-filled swallows permit, around 10 OOC minutes. This is due to the fact that the oil is easily corrupted by salivation. 

Failure to not use this concoction correctly will not only impede one’s choral solo. If a steady lather is not kept on the throat for the entirety of one’s attempt at singing Basso Profondo, vocal pain would begin. Within only a few minutes of strenuous attempts at singing, vocalists would find their ability to sing greatly impaired for a brief time. 

Recipe:

Base: Lard

1x Sound

1x Connection

1x Order

1x Strength

1x Slowness

REDLINES:

-Tier One

-Effects only last four emotes where each emote is a separate action. To continue after this sum is reached, reapplication is required to sing in a similar manner.

-Does not require ST signing.

Nims' Beard

Nims’ Beard pigment on parchment 

Sign: 

Fire  

Symbol(s):  

Impediment x1 

Lethargy x1

Appearance: 

A thin orange fungus that resembles a ginger Dwarven beard. “Hairs” from this fungi spread like wildfire once in a warm damp environment. The fungus will only grow on organic matter, mostly vegetables, hanging up and down from such plants in patches. Entire swathes of land are sometimes overtaken by invasive fungi as hairs are blown about by the wind or carried away by passing animals from one plant to another. This creates sections of the swamps which appear to be sickly with an amber hue, brining the trained eye to attention.  

Location: 

Nims’ Beard is usually found growing about the verdure of most swamps and bogs. Wherever the conditions of warm and damp are met in the wild, these fungi can usually be discovered lest it not be too exposed to the sun. These fungi prefer shade and resist the sun at great lengths, preferring to grow on the bottom of plants which are exposed to light or, as in many cases, cling to flora and vegetables growing under the canopy of trees.

Harvesting: 

Because of the potency of the colored spores which cling to Nims’ Beard and the encasement, a thick amber liquid which causes mild irritation on contact with skin, contacting this fungi without proper attire is ill-advised. Nims’ Beard is usually gathered by those wearing gloves and clothes they do not care to have dyed orange. The entire fungi can be utilized for its spice, dye, or reagent purpose so all is usually captured and in great quantity so as to avoid repeat trips which lend to the potential to dye oneself or their clothes pretty good.

Raw Effect(s): 

Oftentimes when refined, Nimb's Beard is used for skin dying oils, as it is quite difficult to remove its amber hue from one's skin. When raw, avoid contact with the skin, the oil of this fungus causes a burning sensation and inflammation to plague any affected area. The Fungus is known to change tint depending on what color the organic matter it grows on is. Nims’ Beard can be added to food items as a hot spice.

REDLINES:

-This plant should be gathered through RP, but does not require an ST approved item.

-When processed for its Symbols, this reagent will lose all of its raw effects and harvested capabilities.

- Nims’ Beard dye effects are not permanent and after 1 OOC day of moderate washing the orange stain will be removed.

- Nims’ Beard in its raw form can not be used to inflict permanent damage to the tongue, it is a mild spice.

48 minutes ago, Sorcerio said:

I believe something similar already exists in the general potions index

6 minutes ago, Mojo said:

To avoid future confusion, the core potion index can be found here.

 

Yes! There is a modified copy of my original potion in the index. The description given there is too ambiguous about the creation of the oil and its addition to food and drink among other things. The oil should not be added to food that would render it useless. However, it can be added to drink as long as it is in equal parts. The recipe in the index is also skewed from the original, it does require different quantities and symbols than those given to produce the given effects in the spirit of equivalent exchange. Another important RP aspect is that the consistency and color are different in the index log. This is important to keep in mind as the unction is meant to be visible if added to drinks, there would be an off appearance if half of one’s drink has sludge floating atop it. This clarification serves to rewrite the potion given there and stress the original appearance and use of the concoction.

Nims' Babbling Unction
 

Fire Potion by ArtLanding

 “The gallant tongue as I call it.” Beros raised a small tongue-shaped bottle to his student, its off-gold glow being radiated about the room by candlelight. “This tiny vial contains my most wild creation, aside from that nonsense work with regeneration I once attempted. A few drops on the tongue of friend or foe will render them as daft as a pig. While having no effect on cognitive ability, the victim or jokester annointed is unable to produce any coherent remarks for a day at most. They will prance about, fat-lipped, mouth full of saliva, babbling all sort of nonsensical mambo-jumbo until they grow tired of their attempts. ” Beros would slowly lower the vial, thinking back to his earlier days “It can also be used on wives.” he’d chuckle, moving on to his next creation.

Description & Effects:

Recipe:

Creation:

REDLINES 

- Nim’s Babbling Unction is only to be made as a thick oil, similar to Nard.

- Dilution of the oil in drinks is possible, yet uncommon as the unction loses all effects after anything greater than a 50/50 dilution. In order to maintain effects, addition to drinks alone is permitted.*

- Creation takes at least one hour of heavily-emoted RP with preparation.

- Similar to Priocain, this unction’s duration is time restrictive and will only last up to one OOC day.

- No effects on combat can be produced by the oil unless the attack method is verbal assault. 

Name: Prior Bram Caeruleum

Age: 44

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Position Applied For:  SENIOR LEGAL COUNSEL

Relevant Experience: juris utriusque doctor with degrees in both Civil and Canon Law from the Pontifical Academy. 

Additional Notes:  Managed the finances of two of the largest Diocese in the realm as well as participated in legal arguments on Canon and Civil Law.

[[Username & Discord]]: Voluisses | Voluisses#2917

Very sad to see this, I’ve had my monk for many years, when staff started to interfere into the Order they led to its collapse and left a few people stranded after Spike left. They’ve gone too far.

Most dear brother in our Faith, thank you for this inquiry. It is perhaps best that you inquired on the nature of such beings and the perspective of the Church as opposed to the hierarchy promulgating some lengthy text on the nature of such entities which would be only a hindrance to a simple and deserved answer. 

From my perspective, first as an Exorcist of Saint Julia myself, I must say that the nature of spectral beings is not as one sided as one is led to believe. There are many examples in our ecclesial history in which spectral entities have been messengers of GOD or holy entities- for example St. Godwin of Paradisus who came in an ethereal form and is a patron of Ghosts and the 

 the Supernatural or even the Venerable Elder Vladimir who is known to appear to Raev pious in his ghostly form, whom I have received visits from. 

This does not mean that all spectral entities are necessarily of GOD however and it is up to an Exorcist to discern the nature of the entity. There are rites of the Church which aid in this process such as the Rite of Abjuration penned by the Blessed Pontiff Jude I. This further exemplifies that spectral entities are to be treated in a case by case basis with a discerning mind. If you are in a position in which there is a need for such an entity to be investigated, do know that the hierarchy of the Mother Church is always here to guide Her children and facilitate truth in all situations, go to Her. 

Your Servant, ☨ Bram -  Archbishop Emeritus of Caeruleum ♗O.W.F