Nectorist

The Second Compact of Caurost, 647 A.A In the interests of the toleration of the customs and faiths of those Imperial subjects that, while removed from the Word of God, still conduct themselves in a manner most virtuous, aligned with common principles of decent character, derived firstly from the teachings to be found within the Holy Scrolls, a compact has been made between the Holy Mother Church and the states of Norland and Caurost. The eyes of the Faithful turn towards our enemies without, those enthropic forces that seek domination of the living, thus requiring a broad alliance between those of dignity. ARTICLE I The Holy Mother Church shall respect the free practice and expression of the Elven faiths within the lawful borders of Caurost, as well as private worship within the lands of the Faithful. In turn, the Church, while permitted the right of proselytization, shall establish no regular ministries save those which service the Faithful present within Caurost, to be left undisturbed by the local authorities. All religious authorities of Caurost shall make no efforts of their own to convert the Faithful or preach within the lands of the Faithful. ARTICLE II The Princedom of Caurost shall aid the Holy Mother Church in its crusade against the armies of Iblees, defined as the Black Church and the Black Sepulchre. All soldiers from Caurost are to be exempted from the requirements of tithe, conversion, and sacrament to the Lord. ARTICLE III The Holy Mother Church and the Princedom of Caurost shall cooperate on all matters pertaining to the defense of the living against the armies of Iblees, denying no logistical or martial assistance, pledging to the free and open share of information, and cooperating on all strategic planning. Under the Authority of God, HIS HOLINESS, CAIUS II, High Priest of the Temple of the True Faith, Successor of Clement and Evaristus, High Pontiff of the Church of True Faith, Servant of the Servants of Heaven, Servant of the Holy Flame, Apostle of Saint Lucien, Envoy of Aeldin, High Servant to the Prophet’s Testaments, Humble Servant of the Faithful and Vicar of GOD Signed, Galahad Ílumrin High Prince of Cauróst, Prince of Malinor & Eldest Son of Húrin Ilumrin

The First Compact of Caurost, 647 A.A In the interests of the toleration of the customs and faiths of those Imperial subjects that, while removed from the Word of God, still conduct themselves in a manner most virtuous, aligned with common principles of decent character, derived firstly from the teachings to be found within the Holy Scrolls, a compact has been made between the Holy Mother Church and the states of Norland and Caurost. The eyes of the Faithful turn towards our enemies without, those enthropic forces that seek domination of the living, thus requiring a broad alliance between those of dignity. ARTICLE I The Holy Mother Church shall respect the free practice and expression of the Red Faith within the lawful borders of Norland, as well as private worship within the lands of the Faithful. In turn, the Church, while permitted the right of proselytization, shall establish no regular ministries save those which service the Faithful present within Norland, to be left undisturbed by the local authorities. The Red Priests of Norland shall make no efforts of their own to convert the Faithful or preach within the lands of the Faithful ARTICLE II The Kingdom of Norland shall aid the Holy Mother Church in its crusade against the armies of Iblees, defined as the Black Church and the Black Sepulchre. All soldiers from Norland are to be exempted from the requirements of tithe, conversion, and sacrament to the Lord. ARTICLE III The Holy Mother Church and the Kingdom of Norland shall cooperate on all matters pertaining to the defense of the living against the armies of Iblees, denying no logistical or martial assistance, pledging to the free and open share of information, and cooperating on all strategic planning. Under the Authority of God, HIS HOLINESS, CAIUS II, High Priest of the Temple of the True Faith, Successor of Clement and Evaristus, High Pontiff of the Church of True Faith, Servant of the Servants of Heaven, Servant of the Holy Flame, Apostle of Saint Lucien, Envoy of Aeldin, High Servant to the Prophet’s Testaments, Humble Servant of the Faithful and Vicar of GOD HIS ROYAL MAJESTY, Haraldr av Edvardsson Ruric as High-King of Norland, High Chieftain of the House of Ruric, Chieftain of the Clan Edvardsson, Jarl of Verdegrad, Blood of the Herald & Lord of the Ashwood Throne, Protector of the Highlanders HER EMINENCE, Sissel Freysdóttir av Ruric as Master of the Order of the First Flame, High Keeper of the Red Faith & the Flame Imperishable

They are a wicked people, so I hear, whispers a thousand voices. "Yet they are my children and I shall never leave them. I will trust them with my back, fight alongside them in service of the Lord, and rid this world of the evils at their side, for I see no evil in a child of mine. Before their fellow Faithful, their Virtue will shine," the Vicar of God replies.

"These are good men and women, these Avistrans," the Vicar of God remarks to his captain, Sir Corswain. "God has given them swords, they have put them at our disposal, we shall make their efforts count." @M1919

3rd of Sun’s Smile 647 A.A On Crusade Undaunted Faithful, Pious Faithful, subjects of the Imperium, We look upon the conclusion of this war not with the hopeful stare towards the blue-skied future, the vast ocean of hope whose banks draw near when the tribulations of fulfilling the collective dreams of a people are surpassed. From the lands of the Slaves of Yemekar, where pagan rule sought to dominate the Faithful as if of natural order, Our Children return, weary from decades of war, ready to embrace an era of peace. It is with a grieving heart, lamenting this future, fated to be denied, that We report on the state of the old, forgotten war, waged in the periphery of the settled world. The soul-fires of the Faithful, gathered under one state, stand as a beacon in the darkness, its light unquenchable, but other flames, less brilliant, isolated in some measure, risk their extinction entirely. We find this to be most immediate in the south of Azuras, where the settlements of the Faithful have not yet reached and the land, dark and unkempt, is kept beneath the rule of the wicked. It is a condition mirrored in the far north, where other irredeemable foes of the Lord make their lairs, but so great is this power to the south, of which We have witnessed and been told of, that there can be no question of the necessity of its eradication. The Aengul Tahariyea, servant of the Lord, finds himself assailed by the unholy alliance of devilspawn and deathraisers, respectively incorporated into the cults known as the Black Church and the Black Sepulchre, which claim dominion over the furthest reaches of the continent, where few good men tread and none dwell. The Oblates of Tahariyea have spread their resources thin attempting to match the uncontested spread of their Ibleesian foes, only to be waylaid in their efforts. After consultation with their authorities, We have concluded that only the intervention of the Lord, manifested in the rallying of the living beneath the standard of crusade, may alleviate the tremendous pressure that the Oblates presently face. We, Sword of God, are henceforth charged, by Our fealty to Him and Our compact with Him, to bring His Light to the Black Church, a corrupted and devilish hell-legion that twists the good name of Our Temple and conspires to bring an eternity of darkness upon Azuras. The Holy Mother Church shall not abide the conquests of the servants of Iblees, nor shall we renege on our sacred and holy duty to oppose the corrupting influences that lay within the dark and bring the Light of God to expose their forms so that they may be slain. May all men and women, weighted by sin or inaction, find the waters of ablution in the ichor of the un-living. All sins may be remedied in one’s participation in this most Holy of ventures, all wrongdoing in the Eyes of God made right in service to Him. Even support for the Crusade through the donation of war material and money, the latter of which being of critical necessity for the establishment of advance fortifications, shall be received favorably by the Church. In addition, donations forestall the implementation of any mandatory tithes or taxes, allowing this necessary crusade to progress without logistical constraints. We announce the formal preparations for crusade against the Black Church and the Black Sepulchre, to begin with an offensive south against the former upon the readiness of the armies of the living. The Faithful are hereby obligated to fulfill their service to the Lord and aid the efforts of the Church to bring this scourge to heel, free this servant of the Almighty, and bring His Light to these lands enshrouded in darkness. We fight without condition. On The Preparations for Crusade I) Solicitation of Support Significant progress has been made here, and numerous houses and polities within the Imperium have pledged their support. The work shall continue until the day we march south, but the greater part of the living puts their strength behind the Church. II) Organization of the Crusading Host The banners of this army will be a patchwork quilt, but no host, no matter how great, will find victory when division runs rampant. The crusading army will need to be formed into a well-led, well-disciplined fighting force. Leaders will be chosen from the participants. III) Wargames A series of wargames will take place to prepare the crusading army for the coming campaigns, as well as to select its participants and the members of the Pontifical Guard. IV) Council of War With preparations complete, a council of war will be called to draft up a final strategy for the crusade, including advance fortifications, marching patterns, and supply lines. THE HOLY MOTHER CHURCH OF THE TRUE FAITH Under GOD maintained by His Holiness Caius II

15th of Tobias’s Bounty, 647 A.A On the Constituency of the Diocese of Oltremont In the early stages of the reformation of the atrophied institutions of the church, We found it necessary to create a special proclamation for the appointment of a new bishop and a clarification on the purpose of the Diocese of Oltremont. We understand that the Diocese of Oltremont currently consists of a very diversified set of sects of the Faith, and encompasses a very large geographical size. This dioceses’ territorial size and constituency is intended to be temporary, and with understanding of the complicated nature of its constituents, We intend to reevaluate the constituency of this diocese in the future. We hope to be able to accomplish this as we grow the priesthood on a going-forward basis, such that future divisions of the Diocese of Oltremont will be well-staffed with clerics. It is through Our Apostolic Right, bestowed unto Us through the Laurel derived from the Exalted that We thus appoint Solene Bishop Oltremont to this seat to shepherd and be pastor of the Diocese of Oltremont. We wish her success and the blessings of GOD in her ministrations. THE HOLY MOTHER CHURCH OF THE TRUE FAITH Under GOD maintained by His Holiness Caius II @winterblood

What's some outside media/art that inspires your RP? Could be literature, TV, movies, paintings, real life, history, whatever.

What expands must contract and what contracts must expand again Looking forward to some cool settlements

The High Priest assents to the expansion of the borders of the Faithful.

No, but this isn't a trial, it's a minecraft server. We can't simultaneously deride admins for "corporate speak" while also demanding fully professionalized services. Sometimes admins will shoot and miss, but we get what pay for (which is nothing). In Ryan's case, I've always felt that he should be unbanned and that his ban length is heavily driven by personal dislike, but he's also the exception that proves the rule, mostly because his ban came before metaplay bans were a thing. Ultimately though, the admins have a responsibility to keep the community safe and prevent drama from boiling over onto everything. If they wholeheartedly believe that certain players have done things that are heinous enough to have a CGV ban, then it means that they're people they don't ever want back on the server. If that's the case, then there's no real logical reason to entertain appeals unless some totally exculpatory evidence surfaces.

I believe that transparency insofar as ban policy, procedures, and standards is a must, but otherwise I generally agree with @Navigatorhere. Doesn't mean there aren't bans that I disagree with, but transparency doesn't need to be the blanket standard. Some players have done things that are better not revealing openly for one reason or another.

10th of Harren's Folly, 646 A.A On the Excommunication of Edmund Jagiellon Lo Unto the Petrans (and those good peoples beyond), Dark tidings necessitate the authorship of this letter, a confirmation of the exercise of the Rite of Excommunication, an act that We, endowed with this most awesome and terrifying power, have not chosen to undertake without long and thoughtful prayer. As informed to Us in a series of reports and consultations over the course of a year, a conspiracy within the Petra, organized by Daemon, born of House Valkonen, gathered to supplant the natural governing order of the Commonwealth, that being its democratic institutions and liberal rule of the House of the Petra, to replace these longstanding, wholesome, competent bodies with the rule of darkspawn. It need not be assumed that this wicked scheme shall shock the attentive audience within the Petra. Before Our personal intervention, several faithful and righteous Petrans, led by their Archduke, had begun to combat this conspiracy. It is not to Our surprise that they acted with decisiveness, for their adherence to the Faith, and commitment to Governance of Virtue, are values that both their cultural orientation, as well as the guiding hand of Cardinal St. Tylos, have fostered in that holy land of St. Rhosyn, she who gave her life saving others from the Ibleesian terrors that now strike at the realm of the living. Contrary to the whispered reputation it has been unduly bestowed, the Petra remains a bulwark against the corrupting influences that undermine our united Faith. However, even the most readied defenses cannot save those who neglect their safety. One such soul in the Petra, Edmund Jagiellon, was found to have conspired with Daemon, aiding him in his schemes to bring the rule of the darkspawn to his home country. Thrice he was given the opportunity to confess to his sins, each time presented with the growing volume of evidence. Thrice he lied before the Vicar of God, his liege, and even the woman who bore him. When called to perform penance for his sins, to see his soul cleansed in the Eyes of the Lord, he refused this too. By Our will, execution is the only remedy for the unrepentant sinner whose crimes will bring death to the innocent. Owing to the man’s association with allies of those who lurk within the dark, We cannot be assured that Edmund Jagiellon is removed from this plane at any point in time. Having lived as a proud ally of the devilspawn, he may have unnatural means of bodily restoration. In order to prevent his return to Humanity, should this be the case, We, the High Priest of the Church of the True Faith, with the power invested in us by the Lord, declare Edmund Jagiellon EXCOMMUNICATED and ANATHEMA. THE HOLY MOTHER CHURCH OF THE TRUE FAITH Under GOD maintained by His Holiness Caius II

So rarely, when among a mass of those who profane the name 'human', do good men arise. It is not question as to why he was so vigorously-opposed in rule. Rest well, Duke of Lotharia. It was your downfall that sparked this war, and now we have seen it through. Your home, a place denied to you by the people who swore themselves to your house, has returned to the fold of the Faithful. Thinks the High Priest.

"History never ends. The souls of tens of thousands have been avenged, they will say, but what does it mean? The war that has lasted centuries has come to a close, but something will come after," ruminates the Vicar of God to his friend, Morrigan, after the battle. @Dymase

The Vicar of God, he of the will to eradicate all evil, is handed this notice by a snake. “Clearly the work of a lunatic,” he tells his company. “File it under ‘Ravings’ and accept only hard evidence.”

The youngest son of Kairn, drowning himself by the bottle once again, feels a twist in his gut. Vomiting on the floor of a Zannite basement, he curses the bad batch of rum and continues to drink to wash out the bile.

RIP the forum roleplay era

“Yeah, they’ve got the sauce,” says Caius II as he walks past a Tawantinsuyin market cart carrying huancaina.

best pvp fight you’ve ever been in?

Come home, Idunia! Cheers Caius II inside his head as Magister Iudas’s work comes to fruition.

14th of Godfrey’s Triumph, 645 A.A On the Cursed Children After a period of thorough investigation, it has been determined by Us and Our most knowledgeable scholars of the Faith that the Cursed Children, while not inherently of a nature that will necessarily lead them to partake in the practice of the accursed Warlocks, are of a culture that aligns their pursuits towards those most unacceptable to the health of the Faithful society. While We harbor sympathy for the plight that these creatures face on the condition of their accursed birth, We cannot ignore the ability that they have had, being permitted to dwell among the Faithful, to take up more wholesome practices. As evidenced numerous times, the hand of well-meaning which has been extended, if not with an entirely-open palm, has been struck away before trust could be cultivated. The decisions taken by the broad community of the Cursed Children have, in Our eyes, deemed them unfit to dwell within the society of the Faithful, neither as equals nor as lessers. Upon the promulgation of this document, all Cursed Children are to be given a period of one Saint’s Week to withdraw themselves from the Borders of the Virtuous, defined as all lands within or sworn to the Princes of the Faith. Those who resist or attempt to remain are to be summarily executed. Those who are found, whether within or outside of the lands of the Faith, are to be summarily executed. Those estates, cities, and societies which harbor them shall be the subject of crusade. Let it not be said that We are hypocrites, decrying the free-will exercised by the Cursed Children and their society while condemning them wholly to damnation on account of their birth. Those who are Faithful, who will aid in the fight against their wicked creators, shall be conditionally permitted to prove their devotion to the light through service to the Lord, which in turn shall provide their souls, destined for damnation, a means to be saved by miracle of God, for their Virtue and faithfulness to Him shall certainly not receive punishment. All those who align themselves with the good of the world are to write to Us posthaste, so that they may be, after a brief period of testing, conscripted into the Wayward Legion. While service to the Church shall not confer the status of subject within the Imperium, as according to secular law, it will remove the Church’s writ of execution. THE HOLY MOTHER CHURCH OF THE TRUE FAITH Under GOD maintained by His Holiness Caius II

14th of Godfrey’s Triumph, 645 A.A Of The Cause of Arms in Service of the Lord The consequences of the wars of man are not to concern the Faith. By its nature, the struggle of politics, often resolved on the field of battle or along the castle ramparts, can only be ephemeral; what is won may be unwound, what is lost may be gathered again. Polities rise and fall, kings are made and unmade, heroes find victory and defeat, yet the Faith remains, the Word of God remains, and our mission to Him remains. Although the Church may choose to intervene in secular wars, and has frequently done so, its past decisions to commit its forces to the struggle of politics were not made lightly, and almost exclusively against pagan forces, or those otherwise deemed enemies of the Faith. However, the role that is best-played by the Church, owing to its general neutrality in the affairs of man, is as a mediating body, to see that feuds remain limited alongside the blood shed of the Faithful. If war may be prevented, then we have fulfilled our purpose. If war may be limited and honorable, then we have done our best. If we must participate in war, then the most necessary of circumstances have compelled us to take up our swords. With the exceptions regarding secular warfare aside, we are left with one unconditional circumstance during which the Church will pursue military action with the full breadth of its resources. While the lords and ladies of humanity, and indeed further beyond, concern themselves with the wars of the present, of immediate consequence, We the Church have waged an older, deeper war, fought against the Ibleesian forces that reside within the dark. As continuity and general neutrality in the politics of the world stage have enabled us to focus our attentions on the war for the living, we are called to devote our arms primarily to this cause. The principles of the Holy Militant must necessarily be grounded in this purpose, lest it simply be utilized for conquest that expands the borders of the state but not of the Faith. The Body of the Holy Militant Those who join the Holy Militant shall find little in the way of rank, prestige, or riches. The mass-movements that defined prior iterations of the Church’s armed wing fell victim to the base impulses that often come to dominate such organizations: bloodthirst, recklessness, and fanaticism. In the judgement of these militant organizations, evil was found to take the form of innocent, uninvolved elves, while the good of God resided in chambers filled with instruments of horrific purpose. There can be no excuse for cruelty absent of guiding Virtue, nor can We permit the Faith to be used as a proxy by which the grievances of centuries past, of far-faded relevance, may be litigated through violence. The Holy Militant is to be defined as all those who commit their sword to the High Priest, and are commanded by them and the Captain of the Pontifical Guard. Personal rivalries, secular politics, and other unnecessary scruples are to be discarded when in service to the Church and the Faith which it leads; the command of the Lord is all that shall compel action. Accordingly, members of the Holy Militant shall receive direct assignments related to the present campaign of the Church, regardless of its form, and will be expected to act with a degree of independence. Rather than raising a host of foot infantry to be drilled, commanded, then sent to die, it will be the aim of the Holy Militant to develop a competent, disciplined, and regulated cadre of warriors equipped to face the challenges of the dark. As expected of a professional fighting force, the Holy Militant will submit itself to seven rules that regulate its conduct: I) The light of Virtue, brought by the flame of the soul, is to illuminate the darkness that shrouds the wicked. II) Decency is to be extended to all peoples, and laws are to be obeyed in all instances, save to the Ibleesians. III) A mission is to be completed at all costs, but orders may be interpreted according to their appropriateness. IV) Exercise violence only where it is demanded: in defense of the self or in defense of the higher good. V) Serve first the Lord, then His Church and those who steward it, then His Flock, before any secular masters. VI) Demonstrate no cowardice in the exercising of duty, nor fear of reprisal for Virtue. VII) Fight not for a world that you will see free of evils, but for the world of your descendents that is nearer to the Lord. All who wish to pledge their swords to the cause of the Lord, directed by His Holiness, are to contact either the High Priest or the Captain of the Pontifical Guard, Holy Sir Corswain. On Holy Knighthood A frequent mistake that We have taken notice of in regards to the styling of knighthood is the adoption of the title of ‘Holy Sir’ or ‘Holy Dame’ by those who have both been ordained by the Mother Church and knighted by a secular order. We shall take this opportunity to remind all knights of Burgundy, Idunia, and elsewhere, that Holy Knighthood is the responsibility of the Church to oversee. All those who take the titles implying Holy Knighthood are hereby commanded to change the styling to fit the custom of the secular order under which they received their knighthood. Lastly, it must be reminded again that Holy Knighthood is an honorific title, recognizing one’s service to the Lord, and thus carries no enumerated privileges or obligations with the exception of the right to take a squire. The authority to make and unmake Holy Knights belongs solely to the High Priest, whose office shall keep a registry of recognized Holy Knights, to be initially listed within this document. Should any who was conferred Holy Knighthood find themselves absent from this document, they are to petition Us for their recognition. Recognized Holy Knights: His Holiness, Caius II Corswain Royce Valindra the Elf THE HOLY MOTHER CHURCH OF THE TRUE FAITH Under GOD maintained by His Holiness Caius II

Caius II makes an awkward face as he sees the denial of the administration of the last rite. Later that evening, on a completely unrelated note, he issued a reminder to his clergy that the last rite is to be given to any baptized Faithful if able, but that otherwise the justice of the states are not to be interfered with.

7th of Godfrey’s Triumph, 645 A.A The Cause of Annulment With sorrow do We announce the dissolution of a bond of sacred and Holy matrimony, a union of two souls that, though thought to be compatible, have been shown to lack the favor of the Lord. It is not a deed undertaken lightly, yet with the authority bestowed to Us by the Lord, He of the highest arbitration, We find no means of reconciliation to be possible or sufficient. Thus, in a decision made with prayerful contemplation, We find the marriage of Johannes Horen and Vera FitzWilliam to be made invalidly by means of deceit prior to the union that, had it been known at the time of the arrangements of their marriage, would have otherwise been sensible cause for withdrawal. Although this annulment has been permitted, We shall remind both parties that they are not to enter into wedlock again, under any circumstances, with any partners, without Our consultation. A Requirement of Penance In the process of the discovery of the deceit which Vera FitzWilliam had performed to the detriment of her husband, it was found that she engaged in illicit relations with a peer of the Empire. The identity of the sinning peer, while provided secondhand, is to await confirmation until penance may be issued. Unwed at the time, Vera FitzWilliam’s sins theoretically avoid the qualification for adultery, but in continuing an affair with the aforementioned peer, she far exceeded the threshold necessary for it to be deemed fornication. For this most licentious of sins, We summon Vera FitzWilliam so that she may do penance beneath Our watchful eye THE HOLY MOTHER CHURCH OF THE TRUE FAITH Under GOD maintained by His Holiness Caius II