Piov

Bishop Benedict intends to shop at Mister Wittenbach's store! 

AULIC COURT OF THE KINGDOM OF HANSETI-RUSKA

REVIEW ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE ROYAL DUMA AND THE AULIC GOVERNMENT

5th of Wzuvar & Byvca, 352 E.S.

Jovenaars

Sir Sigmar J. Baruch

Ms. Reza B. Gynsburg

Mr. Otto Wittenbach

Mr. Lukas Rakoczy 

MAJORITY: Gynsburg, joined by Wittenbach

CONCURRENCE: Baruch, Rakoczy

DISSENT:

Exposition

After debate on the Elected Integrity and Transparency Act of 351 E.S., the question on the legality of the provisions was raised by the Wick Palatinial Government who published an amicus brief on the 8th day of Wzucar and Byvca. At the center of dispute lies the ability of the Royal Duma to debate and pass legislation or advisory resolution to reform the institutional composition of the Royal Duma, particularly by penalizing those elected officials perceived to be derelict in their duties. In the bill in question, Lady Marcella Barclay sought to amend Title 211 and 212 of the Haurul Caezk to reflect changes that would require quotas on Tribune and Aldermen. If quotas were not met, the amendments would require that derelict officeholders be suspended from office.

212.04: Legislation

        212.041: The Duma may pass Legislative Bills with the intent to legislate on any matter barring the functioning and composition of the military nor any matter pertaining to the Jura i Krawn; 

212.03: Advisory Resolutions

        212.031: Advisory Resolutions are published as advisory to the Crown and the Aulic Council from the Royal Duma and enshrine the sentiment of the Haeseni people, neither requiring nor seeking legal effect;

        212.032: The Crown may request an Advisory Resolution from the Royal Duma;

This discrepancy extends toward the overall relationship between the exercise of legislative and consensus powers of the Royal Duma toward itself and the other entities it is listed with under the Jura i Zem.

Jovenaar R.B. Gynsburg delivered the opinion of the court;

The dispute begins with the question of whether the Royal Duma may enact changes to its institutional structure. If this was permitted, then the Royal Duma has powers to consider making changes to the other structures of the Aulic Government broadly, since they are all listed in the Jura i Zem (Laws of State). It is the belief of the Aulic Court that the powers of the Royal Duma outlined in Titles 210 - 212 do not have the authority to make changes to themselves because the Royal Duma, like the Aulic Council, was created directly by a Royal Edict. To seek to make changes by using legislative power to the Aulic Government is in contradiction to the Crown’s power. 

The Aulic Edict of 341 E.S. dictates the composition of the Aulic Council, which was signed by virtue of the Crown’s prerogative. Similarly, in past cases when the Royal Duma was amended to reform various elected offices, the division of the peers into cohorts, the addition or expulsion of noble families as seated members, and the addition of non-elected offices, was exercised by royal prerogative. Such was the case when the Josefian Reforms of 343 E.S. and the Reforms of the Royal Duma in 315 E.S. were enacted to further alter the Royal Duma. It is the Crown that gives legitimacy to all branches of government and to the law. 

Jovenaar Sigmar J. Baruch in concurrence;

As mentioned in the above opinion, The Crown and Lord Herzen are the acting authority over the Royal Duma. Citing precedence, in Reforms of the Royal Duma, 315 E.S., Herzen Henrik Vanir, with the approval of King Sigismund II, made reforms that removed the seats of cadet branches, the Archbishop of Jorenus, and the Exchequer. This was done through the consultation of the Lord Herzen and the King, not through the legislative abilities of the Royal Duma. To cite further precedent, the Josefian Reforms of 343 E.S. were approved by and consulted between Herzen Osvald Barclay and King Josef I, once again done through the consultation and approval of the Lord Herzen and the Crown, not through the legislative authority or powers of the Royal Duma. After a long line of past reforms and precedent, none were done through the legislative authorities, rather through the consultations of the Lord Herzen, the Aulic Government, and the Crown who must give final confirmation on any and all reforms of the Royal Duma.

While, through precedent, the Royal Duma does not have the ability to legislate on internal affairs of the Aulic government or the Royal Duma itself, it does have the ability to pass Advisory Resolution which states the majority opinion of the Royal Duma. Through past precedent, the Nenzing Proclamation and Josephite Liberties penned by the leaders of the Marnantine forces and Emperor Joseph I Marna, Herzen Georg Alimar and the Royal Duma unanimously announced or declared support and agreement with the Nenzing Proclamation in an advisory capacity. There is a distinct difference between a Legislative bill and an Advisory Resolution. While Legislative bills must seek assent from the Crown, Advisory Resolutions are a majority opinion of the Royal Duma, which does not seek affirmation of the Crown, but rather states the opinion of the Royal Duma publicly. The Royal Duma does have the legal capacity through past precedent to publicly state their opinions on matters of itself and the Aulic Government, however Advisory Resolutions do not require an address from the Crown or the Aulic Government and do not hold weight or authority over edicts of the Crown, legislative bills, or rulings of the Aulic Court.

Jovenaar Lukas Rakoczy in concurrence;

It is the unanimous opinion of this Court and its Jovenaars that the Crown is solely responsible for the composition and affairs of the Aulic Government. As outlined in Sections 210 - 212 of the Jura i Zem, it is the belief of this court that the Royal Duma does not have the authority to make changes to the composition of the Government, for doing so would erode the Crown’s authority in all matters of state. It is from the Crown that the government draws its legitimacy, which itself draws its legitimacy from Godan. Any actions to bypass the absolute authority of the Crown would therefore have no legitimacy and no backing in law.

Per Section 212 of the Jura i Zem, Advisory Resolutions do not require legal effect, yet there is no prohibition against resolutions with intended legal effects. It is the opinion of the Jovenaar that these too must also be prohibited. Given that all acts of the Duma, resolution or bill, must first be approved by the Crown, it can be drawn that these are all advisory in nature. Therefore, it is the Jovenaar’s opinion that the Duma should not issue advisory resolutions with legal effect pertaining to the Jura i Zem. The end effect of either a bill or a resolution on this matter would be the same in effect, both requesting change to the composition and operations of the Aulic Government, both subject to Crown approval. If the former is to be prohibited, then it should follow that the latter must too be prohibited for the same reasons.

It is so ordered.

A commemorative poem for the fallen at the Siege of Vasiland during the Scyfling War and to the fallen at the Siege of Vasiland during the Great Northern War. 

11th of Grona and Droba, 351 E.S.

At the Siege of Vasiland

By Bishop Benedict, O.W.F.

At the Siege of Vasiland,

Where the invading ships came ashore,

The Haeseni stood formidably,

For the kingdom they adore.

O’ Haeseni soldier, trudging early in the morn’,

Noble is the armor that you adorn.

Come you Haeseni soldier, march to danger’s corner, 

Muster all your might to defend the northern border.

At the Siege of Vasiland,

the Haeseni soldier looked to the sea,

Sword raised in hand,

Ready to sacrifice everything for me. 

O’ Haeseni soldier, the battle has begun,

Be vigilant always, for victory must be won.

Look back no more for the hour is here,

Fight for this country you hold dear.

At the Siege of Vasiland,

Our king said to all,

“Take pride in our nation,

And heed God’s call.”

O’ Haeseni soldier, carry your flag,

And charge through the forest like the gallant stag.

And when you bid life farewell,

May your memory live on at the sound of your death knell.

At the Siege of Vasiland,

Where war lets no life spare,

We pledge our lives to this land,

A kingdom that we share.

CONSECRATION OF THE CITY OF CROWS

Tov and Yermey, 349 E.S.

My dear faithful, 

As we begin our lives anew in this new land, let us give thanks to Almighty GOD for our safe journey and for those who have worked to make this land our home. It is important to remember the blessings given to us by the grace of our GOD through the merits of our faith. I offer this prayer for the Haeseni people: 

PRAYER FOR KAROSGRAD

☩

Almighty GOD, bless our hearts,

That we may become more compassionate.

Bless our minds, 

that we may become more prudent.

Bless our homes, 

that they may be where our families will prosper.

Guide us in the way of saints and prophets,

And never let us fall astray. 

May none but virtuous and prudent people dwell here.

Through our holy saints, Karl, Otto, Henrik, Tylos, Emma, Joren, and Sixtus IV,

We pray for the City of Crows. 

I give reprieve to our most industrious laborers and families to invite the dear faithful of the Archdiocese to converge to the Cathedral of Saint Henrik in the City of Karosgrad to inaugurate the blessing of our kingdom. May we come together in the unity of our faith and bless these lands and their bountiful harvests. 

Signed, 

Bishop Benedict, O.W.F.

Diocese of Petrovic, Archdiocese of Jorenus

His Eminence,  Alfred Cardinal Jorenus

Archbishop of Jorenus, Auditor of the Tribunal

EVENT NOTICE: 

CONSECRATION OF THE CITY OF KAROSGRAD, KINGDOM OF HANSETI-RUSKA:

Blessing of the Cathedral of Saint Henrik

Blessing of the Gate Entrance

Blessing of the Homes

Blessing of the Nikirala Palace

Mass offered by Bishop Benedict, O.W.F. 

[Wednesday, December 2nd, 5pm EST]

@VIROS

[!] A courier arrives at the Holy Palatinate, the seat of the Holy See, to deliver a missive bearing the seal of the Bishop of Petrovic addressed to the High Pontiff. 

High Pontiff Saint Daniel I (r.1471-1512) and High Pontiff James II (r. 1753-)

8th of Horen’s Calling, 1795

Your Holiness James II, 

Grace to you and peace from the great God and His Exalted. As a faithful brother in faith, I congratulate your milestone in becoming the longest reigning Vicar of God in the recorded history of this Holy Canonist Church. On this day, you have superseded the great High Pontiff Saint Daniel I, who in his own right has been a witness to true piety and resolve for our great faith. As Your Holiness has known, the last half century has had great tumult that has shaken the faith of our flock. However, as we all understand, it is truth that prevails. It resides in the minds of men and is girded by our infinite love for all that is good. 

Your Pontificate has overseen a great reorientation of our Church, and not in the spirit that is contrary to our tradition, but in innovative ways that have strengthened our commitment toward advancing the scripture to the fringes of the world. Your Holiness has sponsored a great theological renaissance, beckoning our clergy to engage with the ever evolving world in novel ways, and promoting great works to reinforce the dogmatic structure of this great Church. May we continue to devote our lives to God through supplication and fidelity to one another. I pray that this letter finds you well, and know that my prayers shall perpetually be in dedication to your welfare. 

With fidelity and love, 

Fr. Benedict of Muldav, O.W.F.

Bishop of Petrovic, Archdiocese of Jorenus

AULIC COURT OF THE KINGDOM OF HANSETI-RUSKA

ve Krawn z. Stafyr

11th of Gronna & Droba | 347 E.S.

Jovenaars

Mr. Otto Wittenbach (Presiding)

Ms. Reza Battory Gynsburg Assistant)

Sir Sigmar Joren Baruch (Assistant)

Prosecution

Eleanora Mannox

Defense

Hektor Stafyr (Defendant)

Oskar Wick (Legal counsel)

Testimonies

Astoro Jovanovsk

Anna Felrend

Hektor Stafyr

Fyodor Erhdhart

THE FOLLOWING CHARGES WERE BROUGHT AGAINST THE DEFENDANT;

412.01: The crime of intentionally spreading false information about another individual with intent to harm the reputation of that individual shall constitute a middling offence;

414.031: The crime of attempting to sow dissent and intentionally stoking violent sentiments towards the Crown, Aulic Government or royal family shall constitute a treasonous offence;

THE FOLLOWING IS THE VERDICT BROUGHT BY THE JOVENAARS;

Jovenaar Baruch, joined by Gynsburg and Wittenbach; 

The Defendant, Lord Hektor of House Stafyr, is found guilty by unanimous consent on the charges of sedition and defamation, to which the punishment is death by beheading.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE RATIONALE FOR THE DECISION FROM THE PRESIDING JOVENAAR;

On the charge of Defamation;

Jovenaar Baruch delivered the opinion of the court

The defendant, Lord Hektor of House Stafyr, publicly defamed and insulted the integrity of the Lord Marshal, the Aulic Government, and the Haeseni Royal Army on multiple occasions according to the evidence provided by the prosecution. The provided evidence was insurmountable, and the accused openly admitted that he did defame the parties involved and said that he recanted, and indeed felt bad about his statements. This however, does not acquit him from clear guilt, therefore to uphold the law to the fullest extent, this court finds him guilty of defamation.

On the charge of Sedition; 

Jovenaar Gynsburg delivered the opinion of the court

The defendant, Lord Hektor of House Stafyr, has a particular obligation to the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, bound by oath to the Crown in leal service thereof. According to the Haurul Caezk, it is the obligation of  "Haeseni Peer shall raise a contributive family, active in the pursuit of the Kingdom’s welfare and betterment, whether through military, politics or otherwise" (602.02). The court finds a clear violation of this through sedition. The overwhelming testimony made by people within the Haeseni Royal Army (HRA) have alluded to many occasions where untruthful and inflammatory remarks were made in an attempt to undermine the Crown’s forces as a law enforcement entity. The prosecutorial party provided affidavits and written testimony by sworn commissioned officers of His Majesty’s Army. 

By seeking to label, with falsity, that certain members of the HRA were in fact “undead,” this suggestion is a clear indication that the defendant sought to otherize those sworn to the defense of this Canonist kingdom that they were subversive agents abusing their power and harboring unholy entities among their ranks. Since the nature of dealing with so-called “undead” requires combating them with force so as to neutralize their danger to society, Lord Stafyr’s rhetoric suggests his desire to enable citizens of the kingdom to harm soldiers among the HRA so as to quell their “undead” nature. This is pursuant to the attempt to stoke violent sentiments.

As a titled peer of the Haeseni nobility, Lord Stafyr is entitled to certain prerogatives afforded to him. The defense sought to demonstrate that Lord Stafyr was simply opining on a scenario where he believed that the HRA was harboring said “undead.” The law and tradition of the kingdom clearly states that the peers can schedule private audiences with the Crown. Moreover, the defense did not suggest that Lord Stafyr exhausted his option to do so, if he clearly believed that there were problems in the HRA.

It is so ordered.

"Since I was reinstated into the bishopric, the Diocese of Petrovic has seen the ordination of two new priests, the baptism of the Grand Prince of Kusoraev, funerals held for our esteemed soldiers and lords who have passed, and the exorcism of dark specters in the Amador Manor. The coffers of our diocesan budget have quadrupled and we have embarked on a plan to combat the DARK NIKIRALA. The Maer can lead a protest, I'm leading a diocese." Bishop Benedict comments as he reads the pamphlet.

"Justice is not to be taken by storm. She is to be wooed by slow advances." Jovenaar Reza B. Gynsburg comments upon reading the treatise.

THE SOUL OF HAENSE

Joma and Umund, 346 E.S. (1793)

Bishop Benedict painting in his study in Muldav, 1790.

Va Birodeo Herzenav ag Eldervik, 

Forty years ago when our late King Sigismund II ascended to the throne, I wrote a statement on his behalf as his Lord Palatine. In it, I said that “We Haeseni are guardians, shepherds of the masses against unholy forces of evil. Since forevermore, we have guarded the realms of men from the unnatural, and most of the time, from itself.” It is who we are.

In the years since public life, I am grateful to have found gifts of God in the faces of the people of Reza and across this great land. I dedicate this campaign in defense of our values and a return to greater piety in our society. I believe our policies should be as good and as honest and as decent as our people. In my Archdiocese of Jorenus action plan, I announced key initiatives to involve the entirety of our Rezan community. It is time to enshrine those into law. We must remind ourselves that it is in ourselves that we make the crucial change to uplift our brethren. The underlying theme of this announcement was my belief in calling for a greater commitment to charity, to compassion, and to unity. 

I know we can fully accomplish the dreams of our day. I know we are as resilient and stronger than at any other point in our history. How do I know this? It is through the very real and personal experiences that I have had the honor to share with many of you. It is conversations with the woman worried for her child, the hungry traveller without a home, the knights who brave the dangers ahead, and the business owners who share their gifts with us. I have shared your joys in the birth of new life and your sorrows when those whom we love are lost. It is in you, the holy people of God, who share in the mystical unity of the human body.

We are in a crucial test of time, and this election represents the need to commit ourselves to the challenges ahead. If we do not act vigilantly against evil forces that are at-large, there will be a dark nikirala. This dark nikirala will afflict each and every one of us. One night you will come home with empty chairs at your dining tables. I hope you will join me to save the soul of Haense. We safeguard our collective spirit from those who seek damnation upon it. I end with the words of my late uncle Prince Georg Stanimar, whose namesake I bear, “We are a steadfast nation, full of bountiful grace and strength to carry on the duties and responsibilities of maintaining a free and just people.” 

BISHOP BENEDICT FOR ROYAL ALDERMAN

With fidelity, 

Fr. Benedict of Muldav

Bishop of Petrovic, Archdiocese of Jorenus

IGN: Piov
Character Name: Bishop Benedict

Age: 68

Place of Residence/Street Address: Grand Principality of Muldav

Position: Alderman

ARCHDIOCESE OF JORENUS

Grona and Droba, 346 E.S. (1793)

STATEMENT FROM THE BISHOP OF PETROVIC

Regarding Safety against Evil Entities

Faithful Canonists,

Early this saint’s day, I delivered remarks at a rally warning of a dark nikirala if we do not take seriously threats against our people from supernatural entities. In recent months, we have been reckoning with the growing threat of the Inferi Demons. So many lives were lost in defending us against the malicious ravages of evil itself. In times like this, I remind you of the strength in our faith and the communal love that draws us together. An equally pressing issue has been that of continuing supernatural phenomenon ravaging our city. Shopkeepers, families, soldiers, and children continue to be affected by spectres and dark magicks infiltrating our community.

Today, I am announcing steps that the Holy Canonist Church will do within the Archdiocese of Jorenus:
 

• We will contract the construction of wayshrines throughout our capital. There is a pressing need to reinforce devotion to the saints and to ward off powerful forces that threaten our safety and sanctity as holy people. I am initiating a fund to begin the construction of these shrines and will be speaking with Acolyte Cyril Eloi Halcourt to embark on this endeavor.
• We will lobby for aurum-grants and a mandate to keep aurum inlays in all public entrances of the capital city. The Archdiocese will establish an emergency fund to provide aurum inlays for every local business by the 348 ES. 
• We will establish a book donation fund to begin authorship of works and the donation of literature relevant to combat spectres, demons, and other creatures of malintent. 
• We will call and a chair a commission on dialogue with city leaders to draft a resolution on permits to ensure effective distribution of aurum to businesses and residents most affected by the present challenges. We will also discuss community activism to promote piety, reverence, and civil protection of public infrastructure related to combating unholy beings.  
• We will mandate priests to consecrate holy water at public walkways, readily supplying our faithful to continue blessing their homes and objects on demand. 

Together, we will get through these times and find answers with faith in one holy, and true God.

With fidelity,
Fr. Benedict of Muldav, O.W.F.

Bishop of Petrovic, Archdiocese of Jorenus

AULIC COURT OF THE KINGDOM OF HANSETI-RUSKA

ve Krawn z. Van Gelderhode

11th of Gronna & Droba | 346 E.S.

Jovenaars

Reza Battory Gynsburg (Presiding)

Sigmar Joren Baruch (Assistant)

Prosecution

Osvald Anton Barclay

Defense

Michael van Gelderhode (Redfist)

Testimonies

Cedric Barclay

Astoro Jovanovsk

THE FOLLOWING CHARGES WERE BROUGHT AGAINST THE DEFENDANT;

404.01: An individual who intentionally inflicts bodily harm on another shall be guilty of the middling offence of assault.

408.01: An individual who attempts to exact tribute by threat of force shall be guilty of the severe offence of banditry.

419.03: The crime of harbouring or aiding a wanted fugitive, whom the offender knows or can reasonably deduce to be wanted, shall be a middling offence; 

THE FOLLOWING IS THE VERDICT BROUGHT BY THE JOVENAARS; 

The Defendant, Michael van Gelderhode, member of the Redfist Clan, is found guilty by unanimous consent of the Jovenaars on all counts. Michael van Gelderhode is to have a limb removed at the discretion of the prosecution. His associates are still wanted of their crimes in the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE RATIONALE FOR THE DECISION FROM THE PRESIDING JOVENAAR;

On the charge of the obstruction of justice;

Whereas the prosecution’s testimony indicated, Mister Gelderhode attempted to thwart the apprehension of Svalfi Redfist, a known member of the Redfist bandit clan. While the defendant claimed that he did not Svalfi to be killed by Mister Cedric Barclay, an HRA initiate, this act of attacking a law enforcer constitutes a clear obstruction of the king’s justice. 

On the charge of assault; 

Mister van Gelderhode presented a clear and present danger in stabbing Mister Cedric Barclay. Mister Barclay testified to the court that while he was seeking to apprehend Svalfi Redfist, Mister Gelderhode took a blade and thrusted it through Mister Barclay’s stomach.

On the charge of banditry; 

Mister Astoro Jovanovsk testified that after the incident in which Svalfi sought to bandit with the aid of Mister Gelderhode, a search party was sent by the HRA to apprehend. Their search in Norland indicated that the Norlandic government identified these men as members of an organized clan committed to banditry. A classified dossier detailing evidence through previous incidents within the Holy Orenian Empire identified these men as connected to similar events prosecuted in this case. It is the opinion of the court that Mister Gelderhode aided Svalfi Redfist and sought to neutralize Mister Cedric Barclay. 

It is so ordered.

@GoldWolfGaming

Your Eminence, 

Our discussions were very productive and thoughtful. Since we spoke in a closed-setting, I belief it warrants me to reply to the entirety of this council. The issue I take with your view is that it negates the fact that the aengudaemons were created concurrently as made known by divine revelation. There is no inherent good nor evil possessed by the aengudaemons at their very moment of creation. As Ex. Godfrey reveals, the Immortals were made to rule over God’s dominion. If the Scrolls states this, then we are compelled to believe that they are the same at that very moment. What then accounts for the aenguls to do right and the daemons to fall? We cannot attribute to God any notion that He was complicit to evil or intentionally created evil Immortals. Such would be contrary to the divine essence. It still does not address why daemons simply decided to defy God’s Will following the creation of the world. If we assert that God intentionally made aenguls to counter daemons, why would He then give them the mandate to ward over His creation alongside the aenguls? Then we would have to assume that God installed questionable beings to rule over all “what is not” (Gospel 1:7). That is why free will must necessarily exist. The daemon’s defiance of God proceeds AFTER their creation, where the daemons corrupted free will, whereas aenguls did not corrupt themselves. 

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

@argonian

Your Eminence, 

Firstly, I still find something lacking. If we exclude free will to any condition of being to the aenguls, how do we acknowledge why daemons corrupted their Immortal state while Aenguls did not? The Scroll of Gospel states that God created them both at the same moment, without any inherent attributes to good or evil. If God wanted one to have no will but His and one to be like humans with the freedom to choose, to what end does this serve? Following your supposition that aenguls are free from sin, without capacity to defy God, then by their very nature, daemons must be the same. Surely, we all believe this is not the case. What, then, explains Iblees’ envy and the fallen daemons who joined him in the Void? If God created aenguls without any precondition to defy His Will and be perfect complements to Him, then one can argue that He created daemons to become predisposed to misdeeds. This is problematic. Furthermore, even if we were to rationalize that aenguls were created perfectly pure and daemons with free will and willingly chose to defy God, what would account for this discrepancy? Then, we either concede that God intentionally created evil beings which is contrary to His essence or we deviate from Exalted Godfrey’s revelation that aengudaemons were made concurrently. That is why free will is a necessary contingency to ALL of God’s creation, even the aenguls. 

Secondly, I refer you back to the value of the dichotomy of Aenguls and Daemons since you pose your argument so devotedly on the choice of sin and no sin. The entirety of prophetic revelation which composes our scripture is clearly about overcoming sinful estates (a byproduct of free will) and embracing pure virtue. Aenguls must necessarily have free will because they serve as models for perfecting free will to the rest of creation. Any capacity to sin does not necessarily mean that sin was committed. Since the Immortals were tasked with setting forth to order the creation of the mortal world (Gospel 1:10), they are an immediate entity bridging the glory of God to the material plane. The aenguls were agents to guide man and show the prophets the beautiful mastery of conforming to the Divine Will. The daemons serve to demonstrate to us what should not become of us. 

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

@argonian

Your Eminence, 

I believe we enter into danger if we speculate as to what might aenguls do. We should trust the Scriptures and acknowledge how it was various aenguls who advanced the divine will. I trust the prophets in their clear and infallible revelations as Verbum Dei. If you believe that we should venerate aenguls due to their goodness and inability to sin then it is important to acknowledge that they have pleased God in their deeds (Gospel 1:20), without conflict or ego. If that is not the case, Iblees would not be named the “chief among daemons”(Gospel 1:14), but of aenguls as well. Clearly this is not the case. The Scrolls definitively tell us it is the daemons, and the daemons alone who are capable of rejecting God and falling into malice. Then, we could plausibly infer that the aenguls perfected their immortal state as bearers of perfect “virtuous free will.” You claim that my argument is self-contradictory, that free will and perfect virtue are incompatible. Is this not what the saints have done? Is this not what Exalted Horen has done? They all had overcome any sinful estate to embrace virtuous free will. We do not speculate that Exalted Horen nor the saints, at any moment in their worldly pilgrimage, corrupted their free will to serve other ends. We should not then deign to think the aenguls would corrupt the graces of God in the emanations of glory. We know truly and distinctly that the aenguls, such as Tesion and Eshmael, proclaimed the messages and revelations of God to the anointed prophets so that all might be saved. 

I urge you to reflect on why our Holy Church owes respect and reverence to various spiritual figures, be they prophets or saints. They show us how we can overcome evil, how we can abate the vices that free will can afford. They show us how to be one with virtue, to heed the call of God, and be messengers of His wisdom. This is why we must trust that the aenguls, despite their free will to rule over what is, just as the daemons were to rule what is not, gave themselves in service to the divine will. The ability of the daemons shows why their equivalence became corrupted and therefore antithetical to our belief in God. In my argument of aengudaemon equivalence, I have offered an explanation as to why Aenguls and Daemons have been distinguished in their service to God, and why the Church has opened veneration to the former and not the latter. The argument of aengudaemon equivalence presents the reason as to why we revere aenguls and not daemons, not to demonstrate that they are of equal value worthy of our reverence. It was the ability for the aenguls to resign totally to God, barring all ability to deviate just as the daemons did, to serve Him. Did Exalted Horen not exude the same in comparison to his three brothers? It is the aenguls who have perfected their mastery and complementarity of virtue toward God, whereas the daemons did the opposite. I urge you not to distort my argument to suggest that I believe aenguls and daemons are the same and therefore are due equal veneration. I have stated clearly that the factor of free will must necessarily exist to show us why the Church has made distinctions and why the Scripture show only aenguls who advanced the prophetic revelations of our faith.

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

@argonian

Your Eminence,

Thank you for your reply on my commentaries of the aforesaid topics of this council. I do pray that this correspondence finds you well. I am equally grateful to receive your dissent on my view regarding the Aengelic free will and find this moment most opportune to address my argument further. Indeed, I am clearly aware of what is written in Et Principia and believe that it is the duty of this council to critically review and reinforce the magisterial authority to which we profess. 

Your arguments concerning the idea that aenguls may harbor malicious intent if we believed that they have free will is troublesome. I do not assert that there is a hidden agenda harbored by the aenguls should they have free will. To claim that the aenguls may have hidden intent, and that by extension we may be venerating evil, is unjustified. It is impossible for God to create evil. It is the perversion of free will that corrupts all things into turning away from God. I shall convey my response by inaugurating two arguments.

Argument of Essence
As I have alluded to in my prior correspondence, we must take into consideration free will as it relates to divine essence. I should like to further explore your analogy on the golem and its relationship to the master. By carrying out the will of its master, is it not the master who is liable for the consequences of its golem? I should surely believe it is, and therefore they are ontologically united. Free will distinguishes one entity from another by endowing independent thought, action, and by extension defining one’s matter of being. Obversely, when one is subject to another’s will, it can be argued that they are in fact one, deprived of any distinct substance in thought, action, and matter. The problem that we are confronted with in asserting that aenguls have no free will is the notion, then, that God and the aenguls are of the same essence. Indeed, aenguls are created by God, but it is impossible for them to share the same thoughts, will, and action. Do the Holy Scrolls not tell us two and twenty times that the Lord God is without peer?

Furthermore, the Scrolls establish the divine essence as the God of omnipotence. Why is it then needed for God to create inferior beings to carry out His will if the divine presence is vast, ultimate, and omnipresent? God can enact all things without need for inferior immortal servants. Surely, it is the Scroll of Gospel that God gave the aengudaemons freedom to reign over the plane of existence, barring the Void. This essence gave them an independent character to shape their dominion and the bounties afforded to them. It was in this narrative that gives them full thought and action to do what they believed was best to glorify God. In the next argument, I shall lay out why free will is necessary in the devolution of daemons into the rejection of God and why the aenguls are exemplars of virtuous free will. 


Argument of Aengudaemon Equivalence
I shall respond by citing the point to which we are first introduced to the aenguls, and to an extent their counterparts, the daemons. The Scroll of Gospel dictates the story of the creation of the Immortals:

6 And from His breath, GOD created His immortals, the Aenguls and Daemons, and named them His servants and messengers. 7 He assigned their roles, and said that Aenguls shall rule all that is, and Daemons all that is not.

Gospel 1:6-7
 

The aengudaemons were created concurrently, existing as counterparts for one to rule that is and to rule that is not. They were, in fact, created with independence to look over the bounties of the planes. It was then God who oversaw their actions and saw what was pleasing and what was not (Gospel 1:20). The Scrolls give us no distinction in character or essence, except in their mandate to minister to their respective dominions. Neither were the aenguls nor the daemons given inherent good or evil attributes. However, how must we account for the aberration of Iblees and the daemons? The answer must be free will. We must then believe that the aegudaemons were given free will to ward over the plane under God. However, it was the corruption of free will by Iblees, the chief among daemons, that caused his fall from grace by utilizing this gift for his own purposes.

Regarding your point in stating, “It is possible for Aenguls to merely correspond perfectly to God’s will, rather than be extensions of it”, I must state that I do not disagree whatsoever. Moreover, it is my belief that through their created nature, they have perfected their free will as servants in the divine realm. As such, that is why we as human beings are therefore imperfect with our free will and thus strive to perfect our calling. Was it not the aengul Tesion that descended into the mortal plane to anoint and assist in the divine revelation of virtue to Horen? The veneration of the aenguls serves to enable the faithful to look upon these beings as holy and pure masters of their will and disposition toward God. Though we are capable of sin subject to our free will, is it not our worldly journey to avoid sin and correspond to the will of God?

We can draw the metanarrative of the Scrolls as a dichotomy of good and evil, in which the “good” is the full complementarity of free will with virtue. The aengudaemons serve as the first instance of this struggle, which then became a struggle advanced unto all Creation when the ruse of Iblees corrupted the sanctity of the Four Brothers. The aenguls serve as references of a full mastery toward free will, whereas the daemons serve as models of departing from this calling.

I dedicate this reply to your welfare and that of the Holy Canonist Church.

 

@thesmellypocket

Revered Father Pius,

I write to you with gratitude in your insights on my reflections of apparitions and that of the aenguls. I am indeed in full concurrence to your views, believing that we should heed all of the messages of God’s messengers. It is in strengthening our communication with the divine through prayer and contemplate that we may find a greater relationship with virtue. We must hold true the divine revelation and look steadfast for agents who might seek to cause us to abandon our faith. It is in these instances that rebuke is in order. In the cases in which we find true accordance to Horenic virtue from apparitions, we should diligently and respectfully heed them. 

I dedicate this reply to your welfare and that of the Holy Canonist Church.
 

With fidelity,
Fr. Benedict of Muldav, O.W.F.

@VIROS

Friar Benedict confers with his nephew Grand Prince Lothar about the topics and sends his correspondence to the Pontifical council regarding the matters aforesaid:

Your Holiness and dear brethren,

On the notion of Aengelic Veneration;
The role of the aenguls as instruments of God’s divine will is indisputable. However, the enduring question resides in their importance and veneration in the life of our faith. Aengulic Intercession must be understood in the context of our present tradition in the communion of saints. Any veneration is reserved for what I label as “personal affinity” in which the faithful may pray and revere the model of the aengul solely in their capacity as instruments of God’s will. The aengul, like the saint, is a mere proxy to intercede to the one, true Creator, and should not be esteemed as independent from the divine will. The Holy Scrolls recall the actions of the aengul Tesion in the anointing of Exalted Horen and in the call of virtuous unity in anointing Godfrey through the aengul Eshtael. 

It is with great caution that we examine the aenguls in the context of their role in the advancement of the Divine Will. Since we have established the aenguls as executors of divine providence, the aenguls cannot be venerated beyond their mandate. In this regard, the will of aenguls cannot create dogma or instill moral virtuous that fall outside of the Horenic virtue. We as the faithful cannot heed the demands of aenguls, or any other entities for that matter, which may deviate from the dogmatic principles of Divine Revelation through the Scrolls.

On the notion of Aengelic free will;
It is impossible to disregard that aenguls have free will. They are not God, and do not share full omnipotent divinity, and therefore must be separate free-willed agents. To say aenguls do not have free will may imply that they are merely fragmented parts of God, pieces of the divine will that descend from the Skies to intercede for man. The Scrolls may clear their distinct entity from the Creator’s hand. They possess a predisposition of utilizing this free will from God to carry out His divine will for the sake of creation. However, it is through aenguls that divine grace is transmitted to fulfill God’s agenda as seen in the inauguration of the prophetic succession. Through free will, aenguls may have the capacity to fall from their station of grace and corrupt free will, but we have seen their instrumental and foundational character to “rule over what is” (Gospel 1:7) having been done with fidelity to impose virtue to creation. We understand that their actions and orientation revolve around fulfilling the divine plan as free and devoted agents. To further elaborate, we must juxtapose them to their counterparts, daemons, who pervert this free will to fulfill selfish and deviant purposes. If aenguls did not have free will, the mere existence of Iblees would be impossible, for God does not intentionally create evil. Such would be contrary to his omnibenevolence. Aenguls exist as expressions of God’s will, but have also demonstrated throughout history and time that some pursue actions in contrast to advancing the virtuous faith. To that end, let us return to aenguls. The telos of aengelic free will, unlike daemons, is to demonstrate to the faithful how to use one’s free will rightly to advance virtue and fulfill the covenant with God. Therefore, we see how free will is perfectly mastered and closely bonded with God and not with one’s own hubris as demonstrated by Iblees and Harren.

The nature of spiritual apparitions across Haense; 

The Canonist Church with respect to spectres and ghostly entities views these as problematic in the eschatology of the faith. Spectres, for example, are a reanimation of being who seek out to complete an unfulfilled or unsatisfactory life. The direction of the world pilgrimage is oriented toward the conscience fulfillment of Horenic virtue. Spectres present great consternation because this state of being is an entrapment of the soul from reuniting in virtue in the Seven Skies. As such, the nature of spiritual apparitions present to us a divergence of the inherent destiny of the soul into the afterlife. The Church should encounter ghostly entities with great consternation. Any circumstance where salvation is impeded after death is a cause to mourn.

Guidelines for distinguishing a genuine saintly apparition from a ghostly haunting;
Saintly apparition should be treated with great scrutiny. We need not be deceived or fall into the entrapment of ruses that the Scroll of Gospel recognized in the guise of Iblees and Saul. We must remain vigilant, ever watchful to hear the signs of holiness and remain true to the seven virtues of Canonist belief. We should notice if a person is speaking in irrational ways unbecoming of their character. We should be watchful that the saints nor the aenguls of God’s bidding do not provoke, threaten, or demean creation but to intercede on behalf of it. More care and study should be given to this study. 

Doctrine concerning the status of the Azdrazi in Canonism;

The Canonist Church must categorically and unequivocally condemn Azdrazism. Azdromoth supplants a form of “cultic” worship that stands in contrast to full devotion to God. Even more, it is a form of devotion where an adherent submits themselves to Azdromoth in return for powers inordinate to that of the station of man. The faithful must not preoccupy themselves with such powers, but solely with what is holy and virtuous. We need not look far to understand this. The Scroll of Gospel, at the conception of the Four Brothers, recalls the self-interest of the three who took no mind to God but to their own faculties. Such is the same behavior exuded by Azdrazi. They take pride and derive their power and strength not in glory to God but in the service of the one who bestows them such abilities. We may also see these reasons in why the Church should seek to condemn Azdrazism. I refer you, dear brethren, to the words of divine revelation at the utterance of Exalted Owyn:

11 So I find that you seek impossible knowledge not for the good of your fellows, or precious wisdom, but in the desire of power.  12 Indeed, this is an insatiable desire, for none can overcome the Lord. 13 This is the sin of envying GOD, a desire which cannot be attained, and the deepest blasphemy.

Spirits 7:11-13

If Exalted Owyn was anointed to smite the wicked, the unrighteous, and the proud, the Church should remain true to our scriptures. We need not derive from other beings to obtain power, for we serve God and fulfill our lives in Horenic virtue.

 

With fidelity,
Fr. Benedict of Muldav, O.W.F.

AULIC COURT OF THE KINGDOM OF HANSETI-RUSKA

REVIEW ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE ROYAL DUMA AND HAESENI ROYAL ARMY



11 Snow’s Maiden, 344 E.S.

Jovenaars
Sir Sigmar Baruch 

Ms. Reza B. Gynsburg
Mr. Otto Wittenbach

MAJORITY: Gynsburg, joined by Baruch and Wittenbach
CONCURRENCE:
DISSENT:
 

Exposition
 

The WYCAZ VA VE DUMA I KOENG JOSEF, or JOSEFIAN REFORMS OF THE ROYAL DUMA were instituted to further enumerate the powers, obligations, and responsibilities of the Royal Duma. As the preeminent legislature of the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, the Royal Duma is thus charged with the adoption of law. Its members, duly elected or appointed through the authority of the Crown, are given the sacred mandate for the governance of the realm, representing the constituencies of the kingdom.

The HAURUL CAEZK enumerates the powers and legislative authority vested in the Royal Duma. Pursuant to title 212 of the law code, the powers of the Royal Duma are enshrined therein. Furthermore, the Josefian Reforms of the Royal Duma (343 ES) impose the following legislative prohibitions:

Article VII: Limitations of the Royal Duma

     7.1: The Royal Duma may not pass legislative bills regarding the operation or composition of the Haeseni Royal Army;
 

The predicament before the law concerns the relationship between the Royal Duma (and therefore the legislation passed therein) with that of the “operation” clause of the Haeseni Royal Army. A matter of legislation criminalizing a certain act by the Royal Duma obliges the Haeseni Royal Army to enforce such. This instance would violate the previous statute as imposed by the Josefian Reforms, citing Article VII: Limitations of the Royal Duma. Laws would impact the “operation” and enforcement of the Haeseni Royal Act due to a direct result of a legislative act passed by the Royal Duma. Moreover, the Aulic Court has ruled that a distinction be made regarding the Haeseni Royal Army and its institutional character. 

Jovenaar R.B. Gynsburg delivered the opinion of the court;
 

The Aulic Court does not presume to correct or modify the edict of limitation on the legislative powers of the Royal Duma. Rather, this review shall establish the legal parameters to which the law is defined and applied from legislation to enforcement through the Haeseni Royal Army. To rectify the discrepancy outlined, the entity of the Haeseni Royal Army must be redefined under legal statutes in relation to the legislature. In the perspective of law, the necessity for a domestic law enforcement entity and an armed force at the service of the Crown in both war and peace is indisputable. As such, it is the perspective of the court to deliver a key distinction for litigation for all soldiers and officers of the Haeseni Royal Army. The Aulic Court hereby delivers the following legal clarification regarding the relationship between the legislature and the military.

All those oathed and enlisted as officers and soldiers of the Haeseni Royal Army must assume two occupational roles in their legal personality within the kingdom. Here, we shall define these two roles as law enforcers and as military personnel. There is a separation that must be made toward the Haeseni Royal Army as a sphere of domestic policing independent from acting as the Crown's military. As such, the Royal Duma legislates on the operational role of the Haeseni Royal Army as an enforcement entity in the execution of law and in the safeguarding of public safety. Therefore, the Royal Duma and the legislation enshrined therein does not impact the operational character of military affairs, nor does legislation impact the commissioning of officers or enable the power of declaring war to the Royal Duma as a means to enforce criminal law. The legislative process applies as domestic law enforcers toward the Haeseni Royal Army, and does not impede the “operation or composition” of the Haeseni Royal Army in its military capacity at the service of the Crown. The military is beholden solely to the Crown and its designated authorities.

It is so ordered.



 

HAURUL CAEZK: THE LIVING LAW
By Reza B. Gynsburg 

Introduction

Since the adoption of the Haurul Caezk, the Haeseni Code of Law, the system of justice has solidified its independent character in the life of our society. As it serves to govern the social fabric of the kingdom, the implicit assumption is that society is a fluctuating dynamic. As such, the law is not static. It responds broadly to the changes in values and in the progression of our institutions. Moreover, it is appropriate to state that the law is “living” in that it animates before us, in all cases, to complement the circumstances of litigants who come before the Aulic Court.

The Role of the Crown

The authority of the Crown in the Rule of Law is paramount for the adjudication of the legal code. The Rule of Law is not merely an abstraction, but the central force that binds the structures that comprise social life and governance. The Crown must serve as the anchor of law, binding together the symbolic and actual powers that maintain the integrity of our institutions. The law then complements and reflects the dynamics of the Crown as a real and changing entity. This does not suggest that the Crown wavers in value or power. Rather, the Crown is a permanent fixture in the execution of law and rises to respond to the needs of his subjects.

Thus, the Crown serves the source of all legal legitimation. Without it, the law would be baseless and contrive a dangerous ambivalence that would jeopardize equal justice for all subjects. Moreover, the Crown affirms that the law extends to all people entitled to due process. The law advances and applies itself through the Crown’s duly appointed magistrates to respond to the social forces that varyingly impact each generation.

The Character of Law

The character of the law is inherently dynamic because of the constancy of change in the temporalities of time and the passing generations for which it applies. As such, it is the role of the law, and more broadly by the court, to apply meaningfully and significantly to each subject by adapting to the context that one finds itself. In the last decade alone, the political and social structures of the law have been vastly reoriented. The once deemed “vassal law” was altered in two profound ways. First, the previous legal code from the reign of Koeng Andrik III was updated with the Haurul Caezk. The implications of state law, criminal law, civil law, peerage, and family were adapted once again to complement the changing social dynamics of Haeseni society. Secondly, the political separation of the Holy Orenian Empire and the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska compelled legal scholars and statesmen to once again reposition the legal code as the new standard for which jurisprudence would derive. Thus, we can assert that the very nature of evolving law is an inevitable phenomenon.

Clearly, the laws of the previous two centuries, from the advent of the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska to our contemporary judicial customs, have undergone a profound and virtually inevitable transformation. Even the most central laws that comprise the core of Haeseni life, namely that of the peerage and military, have been subject to new standards in their relationship to the Crown and to the broader society. The inherent timelessness of legal text necessitates that law endure through each passing era by continuously renewing itself towards accepted social attitudes. Consequently, sentences deemed unequivocally appropriate years ago for the same crime committed now would serve to diminish the public perception and character of the law. We can then argue that the law must continue to be renewed, not simply in the updating of statutes, but also in the way jovenaar should apply longstanding legislation in ever-changing circumstances.

Lastly, it must be acknowledged that the law is not self-defeating. Since it is not static, the character of the law reorients itself so as to profoundly impact those it was not originally meant to affect. The law lives and organically grows in tandem with the progressions of life. It is not simply mechanical and rigid. The law seeks to be fluid and flowing through the veins of society so as to inebriate the forces of justice.

Judicial Dynamism

In this section, we shall discuss the role of the jovenaar within the broader judicial process. Let us return to our brief preface in the introduction concerning the dynamic and interchanging entity of society. Legislation implemented a decade or even a century ago, while still in full force, may become derelict in responding to the times it finds itself. It is important that the interpretation of law made by jovenaar apply the implicit principle in the language and text of the legislation. The idea of “dynamism” is appropriate to label such. This concept holds that the jovenaar should extend the implications of any legislation to individuals who were not conceived at the original adoption of the law, but who now comprise as a subject entitled to due process.

For our purposes, let us take into consideration the statute of the Haurul Caezk as it defines those entitled to due process:

219: Legal Personality

219.01: Any person, company, guild or organization shall be deemed to have legal personality and shall be subject to the rights and obligations enshrinred herein;

          219.011: A person shall be defined as any creature with a natural biological body capable of independent thought and objectively intelligent.

The definition of “person” constitutes the criterion that entitles one to due process and all rights enshrined. It is possible for a society to evolve around the meaning of what can be considered independent thought and objective intelligence. Inherently, the text of the law is timeless and evolves around the context of how the legislature and the society deems independent thought and objective intelligence. The role of the jovenaar should adapt the meaning of the law with the circumstantial factors during litigation so as to apply the law with significance. Moreover, the jovenaar renews the commitment of the law to the society by interpreting statutes to maintain their relevance and necessity in every circumstance. In essence, the jovenaar must enkindle and energize the legal code so as to maintain its meaning and primacy over all social dynamics.

Active Legal Review

The principle of judicial dynamism asserts the role of the Aulic Court to interpret laws as they are adopted. Through active judicial review, the jovenaar should apply the standards of renewed meaning to how the law should be interpreted and enforced in their given context. The jovenaar should actively scrutinize both the language and implicit meaning of law. The language of law, as written originally, serves to show the relative meaning from its inception. As times progress, the jovenaar must measure, with prudence, the ways the law has reconfigured and reimagined itself since its adoption.

Conclusion

As we have discussed in this treatise, the law is a living entity. It “breathes” in that it lives and renews itself through each generation. It is thus incumbent upon the Aulic Court to maintain the relevance of law by adapting to the dynamism of its meaning to changing societal values. To best safeguard the Rule of Law and the equal administration of justice, the law must be assumed as an ever-changing body of text that continues to best reflect those it impacts. The law emerges from the legitimation of the Crown to act in congruence with active governance, complementing the legislative process and the enforcement of statutes by propagating newer understanding through the progression of time. It is the role of the jovenaar to enshrine the timeless and evolutionary nature of the law.

Associate Jovenaar of the Aulic Court


Published 17 Tov and Yermy 343 E.S. | 1790.

GODFREY:

A Theology of Virtuous Unity

By Bishop Benedict, O.W.F.

Table of Contents 

1.   Introduction
2. The Call to Serve
3. The Institution of Holiness
4. Redemptive Governance
5. Conclusion

Introduction

The story of Godfrey crosses the minds of every generation since his reign. As in the story of the other prophet, this son of the spirit became hallowed for what he represented. However, there is much to revere about the person that would embody the Imperial profile. In this work, I shall draw from the events as foretold in the Scroll of Gospel. Permit me, O God, that I might recall the testament of your prophet with fullness to the truth. The importance of Exalted Godfrey demonstrates the realness of human faith and the providence of God. As such, I argue for the principle of divine historicism, or the providence of God in the real historical events of human life. As Exalted Horen pierced through the divine life, Godfrey brings the closeness of God in the temporality of time. 

Bless those who bear the weight of the Crown,
Fill them with compassion and prudence,
Justice and Truth,
Strength and Resolve.
Bless the nations of the world,

And enkindle in them the spirit of virtue.
Rebuke with the scepter all malice,

And return the lost toward grace. Amen.

Chapter I. The Call to Serve

In the collective conscience of humanity, the ubiquity of Exalted Godfrey’s image is that of an auspicious ruler. However, I argue that this is not the possessing quality that most defines the prophet. Rather, it is his resignation to carry on the work of his lineage in full faithfulness to God (Gospel 6:15-16). The story of Godfrey inaugurates the notion of prophetic succession, or the unbreaking institution of the sacred faculty of men called by God to carry out His divine Will. In such a way, it is the ever present reminder of our own obligations in our worldly pilgrimage to serve with prudence, fidelity, and resolve to uplift our fellow man.

Our profound reflection of this calling reminds us of the duty to serve one another. As we recall from the days of Horen, total rejection of God and the adoption of hubris constitute the unforgivable. In the Scroll of Gospel, it is the deterioration of fidelity to God and the patrimony of Oren, put asunder by unvirtuous men that prompts the Lord to call upon Godfrey (Gospel 6:4-6;11-14). Akin to Horen’s obedience, Godfrey devoted himself to reinstitute the dominion of man toward holiness.

Chapter II. The Institution of Holiness

As the Scroll of Gospel unravels the beginnings of creation and the story of faith, we see a closeness to this linear narrative to that of our own reality. In the age of emergent ideologies and the peculiar development of state institutions, the question of human welfare arises. What, then, constitutes human prosperity? The narrative of Exalted Godfrey offers the realness of this question. It compels man to reassess the prudence of authority and the role anointed monarchs and heads of state must play in the prosperous development of their subjects. In following our previous commentary on service, we must occupy ourselves with the question of how such service must be directed.

The calling of Godfrey recenters the eminent dilemma of the worldly experience: a fight against good and evil. As noted by the aengul Eshtael, God names the pure and the impure (Gospel 6:20). Without equivocation, Godfrey devotes his reign in promotion of purity. However, it is not simply moralism that we must engage in this discussion. Rather, it is both what purity represents and what Godfrey intended purity to do for his people. Firstly, purity represents the fullness of God’s salvation that was first revealed in the Horenic Virtues. Moreover, in accordance with the wisdom of the Godhead, Exalted Godfrey employed purity as the driving force to unify the land and uplift them in virtue. In virtue, then, we become ensconced in the pure love and compassion to improve the welfare of creation. What is more powerful than the virtue of charity in an impoverished society? What is more powerful than faith in a hopeless society? Virtue returns the individual and collective consciousness back to God who is perfect, pure, and total compassion.

Chapter III. Redemptive Governance

The wisdom of Godfrey resides in his total resignation to the divine. As a model of governance, Godfrey did not seek temporal power, selfish desire, or conquest. If not these, what is the goal of rulership? Redemption. Recall that in the days after Horen, the lands of humanity were in disarray. The mandate of Godfrey’s anointing was to return the people back to holiness. Godfrey is said to have united mankind in virtue throughout all of mankind’s domain (Gospel 6:33). The role of leadership is to redeem their subjects, devoting themselves to their full realization. Exalted Godfrey united man in the wisdom of God which enabled man to prosper.

What we realize in this notion of redemptive governance is a twofold principle. First, when man is separated from God, nothing can take the place of the divine creator. Nothing fulfills man’s aspirations, ideals, and destiny. The Exalted show us that mankind’s plight is interconnected with that of the providence of God. This unites us in a divine historicism, relating our experiences of moral and virtuous conscience with the material reality of existence. The way to sustain man is to continue the prolific preaching of the holy word. The Canon and its divine revelation must reserve a permanent place in the life of human civilization, in the governance of the state, and the reimagination of the human character in society.

Second, the story of Exalted Godfrey teaches us that the political and secular realms are not mutually exclusive to the religious devotion that one owes to their salvation. Many thinkers of contemporary time, and even throughout history, have sought to disregard or even diminish the role of the spiritual life of the Church. As we have previously conveyed, Godfrey did not pursue the laurel and scepter with the sole intention to pursue grandeur among men and rule in the vanity of the throne. Rather, he reserved the throne for God, and for God alone (Gospel 6:36). Look in awe at those who pursue ambition for ambition’s sake, foregoing God and thus condemning oneself to eternal shame. We need not look far but to Iblees, whose sole purpose in the sacred narrative was to show that vanity and ambition result in spiritual death. 

Conclusion 

Upon the institution of holiness under one banner under God, Godfrey’s work was fulfilled in bringing virtuous unity. In the Book of Godfrey, the unfolding of providence rests in the unyielding commitment to safeguard fellow man from the vices of evil. Devotion to holiness presents the important work of the human pilgrimage, being in total service to uplift each other. Virtue stands as the highest ideal, ordained by God, and affirmed by the prophets who obediently heeded His word. In the age of a new order where the many nations of man and of all creation reside, the model of Godfrey as the epitome of prophetic obedience and of selfless resolve to unite man in the spirit of God cannot be more pertinent. The dilemma of good and evil, of selfless and selfish desire, and of the temptations of ambition serve to test the durability of our conscience. 

Published 1790.

 

WHERE WILL THE CROW NEST?

5th of Joma and Umund 339 ES
 

By Georg Alimar 

The winds of change howl as the gliding crow searches for the branch to nest her young. As this generation marks the day of independence, the unforeseeable became reality. Allegiance now is bound to no one but Godan and to ourselves to live up to the immense calling of this moment. Let us recall this destiny, forged not from miracles but from sacrifice, blood, and duty. Let us also move with conviction to make great on the promise to our posterity that a free Haeseni people will forge a future that shall see their zenith. It is in this promising future that we must continually ask—where will the crow nest?

History tells us that our nest is perched on the branches of risk, knowing that our efforts we will reap are worthy of our courage and determination. When Koeng Petyr I strode through the Greyspine, marching in step with his kin through the snows of the brutal winter, the vision of proud Highlandic men seeking a future of self-determination found the fulfillment of their sacrifice in this historic independence. As Koeng Josef returned to the city, he brought with him the promise of renewal to the Bihiarist values of freedom. The young king stands above us, but yet he is also among us, sharing in the mirth and glee that affords us the opportunity to see what our potential can amount. Standing behind him are those who came before, looking down from the eternal nest to see that a new generation shall consecrate this free land into a new age.

Whether it was battling our adversaries at the Siege of Kraken’s Watch to the humiliation at Vasiland, from the victory at the Greyspine, to the hardships of the War of Two Emperors, and to the casualties of the Scyfling War, Haense endures with a reminder that no one who has died shall have done so in vain. The great families of the North, whose ancient and novel roots alike bind together the fabric of Haeseni honor, have taken to great lengths to renew the cause for sovereignty. The immense sacrifice paid in sweat and blood by Houses Vyronov, Baruch, Amador, Barclay, Kortrevich, Ruthern, Ludovar, Alimar, Stafyr, Wick, Kovachev, Pasquier, Marbrand, and Vanir, that our collective national conscience draws its strength. The valor of all of our people, whose renewed sense of duty to till the fields, to forge steel for our men, who fill our coffers with gold, and heal our sick in their dire need, this day belongs to them. We are reminded of glory and valor, but never forgetting when Haense stood on the precipice of death. Our resilience is our virtue. Our unity is our power. Our history is our inspiration.

Our shared past with that of the Holy Orenian Empire cannot be overlooked. Our destinies maintained a duality inseparable under oath and observance of Horenic virtue. Inasmuch as we find ourselves in the midst of this harmonious separation, the Haeseni acknowledge gratitude for the years of union that have kept humanity whole amidst the resurgence of malevolence. In the spirit of respect and mutual regard in our previous interconnected path, let this independence show nothing but our esteem and cordiality that our people seek to maintain. May the providence of Godan perpetually enjoin our affection as the unified mystical body of the human soul.

Lastly, let us trace back the histories of kingship and the eras that have led this nation. We remember when Koeng Petyr I wore the crown in faithfulness to the sacrifices before him. We remember the passionate Koeng Andrik II in his quest for liberation. We remember the humility in defeat against Courland under Koeng Marus I. We remember the Greyspine when we retook our land and restored its name under Koeng Stefan I. We remember our devotion to the faith under Koeng Otto II. We remember our fight for sovereignty under Koeng Otto III. We remember our prosperity and happiness under Koeng Robert I. We remember the affliction of war and oppression under Koeng Marus II. We remember our glory and unity fostered by the great Koeng Andrik III. We remember the dutiful integrity of Koeng Andrik IV. We remember the steadfast zeal of Koeng Sigismund II. 

We will always remember our independence. 

With hope, 

Georg Alimar

“Wave to mother moon on your way to the Skies!” Bishop Benny says upon hearing the news of Anastasiya’s death.

A courier arrives from Sir Terrence May’s hermitage to the local press.

FULL STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF SIR KONRAD STAFYR KM

14^th of the Sun’s Smile, 1779

I am deeply aggrieved by the loss of my good friend Konrad, a paragon of public service and a champion of political civility. Over fifty five years ago, I came to the Haeseni Duma as a freshman member representing our northernmost fief. It was there that I met then Speaker Stafyr, an idealist and diligent man whom the entirety of humanity has had the privilege of having in government. As Lord Palatine, I did not agree with him on many issues related to budgetary discretion, spending, and the role of the government in its relation to our nobility. Indeed, Speaker Stafyr had an ambition to assume my role, and I thank the grace of our late King Andrik III for granting Konrad the opportunity to be our head of government following my departure.

The pleasure of serving with Konrad lasted in our next chapter in the Imperial Diet. His election in 1754 was well-deserved as we embarked on initiatives that tackled education, the state of our clinics, and protecting the imperial federalism that has shaped the character of the government. His tenacity and long-winded speeches were an indelible mark of his personality, showing his commitment and persistence to advocate on behalf of his constituents. He has always been an innovator and guardian of integrity. I send my sympathy for the House of Stafyr for losing a great man. May he keep the saints in good company. 

Sir Terrence May GCM, VKML
 

“They die too soon..” Terry May shakes his head as he learns of Petyr’s death before yelling at his caretaker to replace the spokes on his wheelchair. 

“All are welcome... Mother Moon is here now..” Bishop Benny says sadly as he learns of his friend’s death.