GoodGuyMatt

2 hours ago, Smmer said:

No bargains?

 

always bargains...

 

 

 

 

 

 

𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑏𝑒𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑠٫ 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑠: 𝑆𝑖𝑟 𝐵𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑛 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑚𝑎𝑟٫ 𝐷𝑢𝑘𝑒 𝐸𝑟𝑖𝑐𝘩 𝑣𝑜𝑛 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑚𝑎𝑟٫ 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝐸𝑟𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑛 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑘٫ 𝐷𝑢𝑘𝑒 𝐿𝑒𝑜𝑛 𝐼 𝑣𝑜𝑛 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑧٫ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵𝑟𝑜𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑟 𝛰𝑠𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑑 𝑣𝑜𝑛 𝐺𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑟٫ 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑗𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑙𝑦٫ 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑎𝑓𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡𝘩𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒. 𝑇𝘩𝑒𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎ˊ𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒٫ 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠𝑎𝑤 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑠 𝘩𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑒𝑎𝑐𝘩 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑚 𝘩𝑎𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑐𝘩𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑒. 𝐴𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝘩٫ 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑦 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑚𝑎𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠٫ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝘩𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘.

1 hour ago, Xarkly said:

If we are the torches of the Holy Light, then we must illuminate - we must cast away the shadow of sin and ignorance through our teachings. Yet some shadows lie so thick that they cannot be merely illuminated -- they must be burned. As of now, and as of many decades past, the torch of the Holy Light has dimmed so as to only illuminate, and those most detestable shadows cannot be burned away.

 

Upon reading the excerpt, Hieromonk Osvald huffed a bit. "The good Friar knows the problem, but seems has not yet been elightened to the solution. The lack of Light" he stated, and then continued "GOD is the light." he pointed then "What can illuminate our heart but GOD? GOD's love. We have forgotten how to love GOD, for our pride keeps us blinded. "Leave, o good Friar, matters of 'power' to Kings and to Queens. For only one is our KING in the skies, of infinite, impossible power. It is frim HIM that our strength comes, not through steel and iron! If we do not rely ONLY on HIM for strength and spiritual power, we will only be left with our mortal, useless, and lowly weakness. Weakness becomes our power, once we recognize it, and come forth to the LORD, like a son to his Father and say 'My father, I am weak, but I want to do your bidding! Teach me how to do your bidding and give me the strength required!' We have forgotten how to see GOD with our spiritual eyes! How many write and read of HIM, but have never felt him! This is powerlessness! To not be in personal contact with the creator! Woe be us, who do not repent and lower our head, and place our trust and all hope in GOD, who made the heavens and the world"

 

Herzog Leon Barclay smiled the sun's smile upon seeing the continued musical Reinmaren tradition within Minitz

Hieromonk Osvald signs the Lorraine after being told of the happenings, for the world had finally received ST approved proof of GOD's existence

 

THE PLEASANT PSALTER

DER ANGENEHME PSALTER

“Chants and Prayers Glorifying the Pleasantness of God and His Love”

 

Composed by

Hieromonk Osvald of Gelimar

in the year of our Lord

1954

PLEASANT PSALM I | “Blessed is the Man”

A Psalm professing the holiness of those who walk the path of life according to God’s law.

 

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Alleluia

 

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Alleluia

 

And he shall be like a tree planted by the river of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Alleluia

 

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Alleluia

 

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Alleluia

 

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Alleluia

PLEASANT PSALM II | “How amiable are Thy tabernacles”

A Psalm professing the longing of the faithful for the seven skies, so that they may dwell into the house of GOD

 

How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts.

Alleluia

 

My soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God.

Alleluia

 

‘Lo, the sparrow hath found her a house, and the sparrow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young; even Thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

Alleluia

 

Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house; they shall praise Thee for ever and ever.

Alleluia

 

Blessed is the man whose help is from Thee; in his heart he hath disposed to ascend, in the vale of weeping, in the place which he hath appointed.

Alleluia

 

For the lawgiver shall give blessings, they shall go from strength to strength; the God of gods shall be seen in the Kingdoms of Horen.

Alleluia

 

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Owyn.

Alleluia

 

Behold, O God our defender, and look upon the face of Thine anointed.

Alleluia

 

For one day in Thy courts is better than thousands elsewhere. I have chosen rather to be an outcast in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of sinners.

Alleluia

 

For the Lord loveth mercy and truth, God will give grace and glory; the Lord will not withhold good things from them that walk in innocence.

Alleluia

 

O Lord God of hosts, blessed is the man that hopeth in Thee.

Alleluia

PLEASANT PSALM III | “For God is with us”

A Psalm professing the power of God and covenant he made with the Four Exalted

 

God is with us. Understand, all ye nations, and submit yourselves:

For God is with us.

 

Hear ye, even unto the uttermost ends of the earth:

For God is with us.

 

Submit yourselves, ye mighty ones:

For God is with us.

 

If again ye shall rise up in your might, again shall ye be overthrown:

For God is with us.

 

If any take counsel together, them shall the Lord destroy:

For God is with us.

 

And the word which ye shall speak shall not abide in you:

For God is with us.

 

For we fear not your terror, neither are we troubled:

For God is with us.

 

But the Lord our God, He it is to Whom we will ascribe holiness, and Him shall we fear:

For God is with us.

 

And if I put my trust in Him, He shall be my sanctification:

For God is with us.

 

I will set my hope on Him, and through Him shall I be saved:

For God is with us.

 

'Lo, I and the children whom God hath given me:

For God is with us.

 

The people that walked in the Silence have heard a great Sound:

For God is with us.

 

And they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, on them hath the light shined:

For God is with us.

 

For unto us four sons were born, unto us four children were given:

For God is with us.

 

And the government shall be upon their shoulder:

For God is with us.

 

And of their peace there shall be no end:

For God is with us.

 

And their names shall be called the Angels of Great Council:

For God is with us.

 

Wonderful, Counselors:

For God is with us.

 

The Mighty Exalted, the Anointed of God, the Princes of Peace:

For God is with us.

 

The fathers of the world to come:

For God is with us.

 

Glory to the Father, and to Horen, and to all the Exalted:

For God is with us.

 

Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amin.

For God is with us.

 

God is with us. Understand, all ye nations, and submit yourselves:

For God is with us.

PLEASANT PSALM IV | “O Lord of Hosts, be with us”

A Psalm professing the greatness of the Lord, our weakness, and our need for Him

 

 

Praise ye God in His saints, praise Him in the firmament of His power.

O Lord of hosts, be with us, for we have no other helper in adversity; O Lord of hosts, have mercy on us.

 

Praise Him for His mighty acts, praise Him according to the multitude of His greatness.

O Lord of hosts, be with us, O Lord of hosts, have mercy on us.

 

Praise Him with the sound of Trumpet, praise Him with the lute and harp.

O Lord of hosts, be with us, O Lord of hosts, have mercy on us.

 

Praise Him with timbrel and dance, praise Him with strings and flute.

O Lord of hosts, be with us, O Lord of hosts, have mercy on us.

 

Praise Him with tuneful cymbals, praise Him with cymbals of jubilation. Let every breath praise the Lord.

O Lord of hosts, be with us, O Lord of hosts, have mercy on us.

 

Praise ye God in His saints, praise Him in the firmament of His power.

O Lord of hosts, be with us, for we have no other helper in adversity; O Lord of hosts, have mercy on us.

PLEASANT PSALM V | “O ye servants, praise the Lord.”

A Psalm calling the servants of the Lord to praise him, and recounting the glories of God from the Scroll of Gospel

 

Praise ye the name of the Lord; O ye servants, praise the Lord.

Alleluia

 

Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God,

Alleluia

 

Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good; chant unto His name, for it is good.

Alleluia

 

For the Lord hath chosen Horen unto Himself, Gamesh for His own possession.

Alleluia

 

For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

Alleluia

 

All that the Lord hath willed He hath done, in skies and on the earth, in the seas and in all the abysses.

Alleluia

 

Bringing clouds up from the uttermost parts of the earth, lightnings for the rain hath He made.

Alleluia

 

He bringeth winds out of His treasuries; He called fire upon Owyn’s sword

Alleluia

 

He sent forth signs and marvels in the midst of thee, O sons of Saul.

Alleluia

 

He smote many nations and slew mighty kings.

Alleluia

 

And He gave their land for an inheritance, an inheritance for Godfrey and his people.

Alleluia

 

O Lord, Thy name endureth for ever, and Thy memorial unto generation and generation.

Alleluia

 

For the Lord will judge His people, and because of His servants shall He be comforted.

Alleluia

 

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men.

Alleluia

 

They have a mouth but shall not speak, eyes have they and shall not see.

Alleluia

 

Ears have they and shall not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouth.

Alleluia

 

Let those that make them become like unto them, and all they that put their trust in them.

Alleluia

 

O house of Horen, bless ye the Lord. O house of Owyn, bless ye the Lord. O house of Godfrey, bless ye the Lord. O house of Sigismund, bless ye the Lord.

Alleluia

 

Ye that fear the Lord, bless ye the Lord.

Alleluia

 

Blessed is the Lord out of Canondom.

Alleluia

Upon reading the missive, Osvald began shedding many tears, his heart aching for those who suffered from the war. "GOD, my Lord, your will be done." he prayed first, and then continued "But let not the innocent suffer because of other men's sins, o Lord. If you so allow, make me suffer instead of them, for I am the most sinful of all, and I deserve it." he then proceeded to do many prostrations in further prayer within his hermitical cave somewhere in the mountain range of Minitz.

2 minutes ago, HugoAntero said:

Ferdinand Barclay thoroughly enjoyed this mass, for it felt very protestant!

 

Perhaps time has come for Ferdinand to learn his Canonist denominations better...

 

“WICKEDNESS CANNOT UNDO WHAT WICKEDNESS HAS DONE”

“BOSHEIT KANN NICHT RÜCKGÄNGIG MACHEN, WAS BOSHEIT ANGERICHTET HAT”

 

Scribed by

Hieromonk Osvald of Gelimar

in the year of our Lord

1954

 

With the blessing of

Brandt Cardinal Albarosa

The following is a transcript from the reading of the Gospel and the following Sermon during the Mass in St. Johann’s Chapel in Minitz before the 2nd battle of the forces of the Coalition and Veletz.

 

BRÜDER UND SCHWESTERN IN GOTT,

 

Wisdom! Let us attend! Let us listen to the Holy Scrolls. Peace be unto all. The reading from the Holy Scroll of the Gospel!

 

Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee!

 

“So it came that a noble scion, pure of blood and faith, entered the land of Renatus. He was called Godfrey, for he brought GOD’s peace. Godfrey wept at the sin of his people, and he took up his mace to purify them. But the Aengul Eshtael descended. And Godfrey spoke “Will you give me the horn and laurel which is the heritage of my line? I have kept our faith, but Aegis is lost and the Grotto of Gamesh with it. No holy water may purify the sins of this world: I am unworthy.” But Eshtael said “Lo, wickedness cannot undo what wickedness has done. Your home shall never return in your life. But know that God is great, and the waters of Gamesh are His creation. He names the pure and the impure, the good and the evil. He names you His prophet, Godfrey of the line of Horen.” (Gospel, 6:11-21)

 

Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee!

 

So we have heard the word of the Gospel, my children, a fragment I believe to be most important in these days of war and hardship! Many of you will go to battle tomorrow, to fight for your respective Kingdom or Principality, perhaps some of you even for the glory of God, our Lord.

 

I stand before you not to speak of politics of any sort, or to condemn anyone for waging war or defending against it, for these are not matters of spirit or my expertise. If you have to fight and spill blood, let it be so. But I repeat to you the words of Eshtael, the Aengul of God “‘Lo, wickedness cannot undo what wickedness has done.” In order to fight wickedness, you yourself must, at the very least, be pure of heart. How can we be pure of heart when we go to spill blood from the creatures of God? It is by doing so without hatred in our heart! 

 

Hatred is not a Godly feeling, my sons and daughters, for it was Iblees who first hated, and he “fled into the Void, for he hated the glory of GOD” (Gospel, 1:26). What is God’s glory then? His being and all that has come from his hand, all that was built by the Word of God our Lord. That is, all the land and the earth, and the descendants that dwell it. Thus, hate not the work of God’s hands! Instead, be wroth at the curse of Iblees, at the sin, for GOD too was wroth at Iblees when he strayed, but he hated him not. 

 

Hate the sin, if you must, but not the creature of God. When you face your enemies, think not ‘Ah, what devils they are!’, for you go to war not with darkspawn and the spawn of Iblees, but with your spiritually estranged brothers and sisters. Feel compassion for them, pray for them, so that they may see their error, raise not your mace to purify sin, for God did not allow Exalted Godfrey to do so! Are we higher than the Exalted, more righteous? No! Instead, raise prayers to the Lord our God for the salvation of your ilk, for we are all sons and daughters of Horen, with whom God made a covenant, and wish not death upon any of your brothers, but wish for their salvation.

 

“LO, WICKEDNESS CANNOT UNDO WHAT WICKEDNESS HAS DONE!”

GOTT MIT UNS

Osvald the Sinner

Although having never met the Abbess, Hieromonk Osvald, amids his intense prayers for Father Mikhael@LightTheTrainer within his cave, began doing many prostration for the departed Alstion, so that her soul would find an easy path to the skies.

 

No way LOTC Turk(g)s

 

 

"Hmmmm" Hieromonk Osvald had gotten his hand on a copy of the parchment, and read it in the cave that he called home. "Two other covenants..." he huffed a bit, unsure of what to make of such. He was a man of compassion and trust, not of cynicism "Does this mean that they call these men of their culture to also be 'Exalted'?" he querried, still unsure of what to make of it all. The poor, dirty monk signed the Lorraine, and then began his prayer rule in front of an icon of Exalted Horen and Saint Jude, which he had nailed and hung on the sides of the caves. First he prayed St. Lucien's prayer many a time, and then began praying during the long hours of the night to GOD to enlighten his sinful, ignorant mind on the matters which he had read.

 

A CALL TO MASS

EIN AUFRUF ZUR MESSE

 

Scribed by

Hieromonk Osvald of Gelimar

BRÜDER UND SCHWESTERN IN GOTT,

 

GOD, our Lord deemed it just to bring before you victory in Bleakwater, and amongst you many were slain, and more you have slain. As you have gained from the Lord, so now you must give back to him, and prepare your souls for the next battle.

 

Thus, I call you, flock of Gelimar, within the lands of Minitz, flock of Albarosa, within the Aaunic lands, and the entirety of the God-fearing and God-loving Canondom. To give unto the Lord thanks, and to repent before Him for our sins, 'lest the hour of death comes unexpectedly for any of us.

 

The Mass shall be held in the

CHAPEL OF SAINT JOHANN IN MINITZ

the Next Saint’s Day

(Friday 4pm EST)

GOTT MIT UNS

Osvald the Sinner

4 minutes ago, satinkira said:

"Leave it to GOD." Serwa repeated the words again and again, and - despite the truth in the speech of good Osvald - the elf could not help but worry. She gripped the Lorraine tight, wondered at the promise of a long dead woman. 

Confusion was ever the herald of insight. She would find and speak to Osvald again, even if she was blind.. no, because she was blind. She would not falter in her faith in GOD.

 

 

Within his humble monastic cell in Minitz, the monk would pray through the night for the blind, elven lass he had met earlier that day.

 

THE PRAYER OF THE HEART

DAS GEBET DES HERZENS

 

Scribed by

Hieromonk Osvald of Gelimar

in the year of our Lord

1953

 

With the Blessing of

Brandt Cardinal Albarosa

Icon of Saint Lucien

BRÜDER UND SCHWESTERN IN GOTT,

 

Saint Lucien’s Prayer, a simple prayer, yet such a treasure of spiritual gems which most unfortunately is not known and practiced by as many of the faithful as it should be.

 

“O Lord God, maker of all, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

 

These are the entirety of the prayer’s words, though these are said over and over again. Fr. Griffith of Gwynon has written concisely on the origin of the prayer and its nature in His writing “On Saint Lucien’s Prayer”, I recommend that this is read first if you know not of the prayer.

 

Saint Lucien - may we have His blessings - intended for the prayer to be said at all times during the day “O Lord God, maker of all, have mercy on me a sinner…” and so on. Most of the written accounts of our church speak of the prayer as a constant form of worship, unceasing, and, while this is most correct, few write and speak on how to achieve this unceasing prayer, and the spiritual fruits of absurd magnitude that it brings.

 

The Prayer as Spiritual Treasure

 

First, I want to explain why this prayer is of such importance, and ought to be practiced by all, not only monastics such as myself. Let us dissect the prayer. The first part “O Lord God”, this is a direct call to our Lord and heavenly Father. By saying these words, we invoke His name, and recognize Him as our Lord.

 

Make no mistake, my brothers and sisters, prayer is not a repetition of words, it is not a form of saying what we should say. No! Let us remember that prayer is direct communication with God. When we pray, we open our hearts to God, and we try to communicate with Him Not with mortal words, but with the words of our spirit, which is known to God, its creator. 

 

We see this form of calling to God in many prayers, but it is especially important here, as the prayer is said over and over during the course of the day. It is a direct call to God, with whom we are trying to communicate, by calling His name in our mind, lips, tongue, and heart, we call Him forth into our soul. We see the God whose name we call in all things, we enter into a Godly communion with Him, and we can feel His presence. Thus, everything becomes Godly to us, for we are filled with His authority and love.

 

Secondly, we call Him “Maker of all”, we recognize that all our earthly and spiritual eyes can see are His. Not ours, His! And His to are we, who try to communicate with him. This is also a direct reaffirmation of our beliefs as Canonists, we recognize God as the one and only maker of all. Not only is He a Maker of all, but everything is in His possession, and we must recognize this within our hearts.

 

Finally, we say “have mercy on me, a sinner”. With this line, we acknowledge our filth! Our human, bodily nature, with which comes desire, wickedness, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, and all sins that we commit every day of our earthly life, knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly. Thus, with these words, we recognize that we are not worthy of anything other than to seek mercy from God, our Lord. When spoken with sincerity, these words bring forth great humility, which is pleasurable to God, for He said: “You shall be without pretense or conceit, for before the mountain, the ant and the aurochs are equally small.” (Virtue, 7:7)

 

Depiction of a monk saying the Noetic Prayer with his Prayer Rope

 

How to Say the Prayer, and the Spiritual Fruits Itt Brings.

 

It is important not only to understand this when we say the Prayer, but to mean them with all our soul, and heart. Our mouth or mind may speak these words, but it is the heart and spirit that God hears. Thus, many monastics who practice the prayer call it “The Prayer of the Heart”, or “The Noetic Prayer”, because it is said with the entirety of one’s consciousness, and it must come from the heart, the intellect of a person, their very being. This state is not easily achieved, however. Unless already a Saint who lives with God, and with whom God lives, it is nearly impossible to say the prayer correctly, as it should be said.

 

One starts by saying the prayer out loud, whenever they can. When they are alone, when they are walking alone, during travel, as they work, and so on. Fr. Griffith’s writing explains how this rhythmic prayer can be achieved in His writing. This, however, is but the first stage of the prayer, as we shall call it. This, followed by a virtuous, Canonist life, must be aimed to be done every day, whenever one can. At first, it may feel like the words are empty, but it is paramount that the prayer is continued. Many monks use prayer combs, not only to more easily count their Prayers, but also as a fleshly reminder to continue praying in itself.

 

At some point, after months, or even years of such, the prayer will have become embedded into the individual’s brain, and one will find themselves not having to pray out loud, or even have to mouth the words, they can do this in their mind, and it comes naturally. This is because the faithful have familiarized themselves with the prayer, and with communicating with God. They has learned to mean the words of the prayer, which in turn brings great humility, and allows for the understanding that we are nothing, and He is everything, thus, when we plead to him, it is our heart pleading, our very own intellect. It asks for mercy, as it blows itself before its Creator. And its Creator is pleased by this, and He in turn reaches a hand towards us, letting us feel His Presence, for which we yearn with each prayer we utter. This is the second stage of the prayer.

 

Lastly, is the third stage. How many achieve this, I cannot say, for it is the highest form of communion with God. Such a level would take decades to achieve, and a pious life to go alongside it. At this stage, the prayer has elevated the person to God. That is, God, pleased by the desire of His Creature to be in communion with Him, and seeing His creature follow the virtues He laid before it, brings it to Himself, and the faithful enters a state of divine ecstasy. The feelings that come with this spiritual state are impossible to describe, for only those who have experienced it know it, but as such, it feels like we are already within the Seven Skies, praising God with all our hearts, and mind. This is one of the treasures of monasticism, why one denies the world to focus on God.

 

But I say to you, my brothers and sisters, that this is not only a gift of our Creator to monks. No, it is for all His creatures who wish to commune with him, to feel His presence in their every day, and to carry out His will. Thus, I advise you so, start with a prayer rope, and whenever you can, start by mouthing the words, if you cannot speak them aloud. Say them over and over again, and do so with faith and pious works, and if your heart is pure and humble, God will reach down to it to elevate it.

 

Faith is not just theology and intellectual arguments, my brothers and sisters. It is an EXPERIENCE, for the theolog is not such if he has not felt the presence of God in His heart. Let your words not be empty, and your faith not hypothetical, but real, actual, and let your heart be humbled by it.

 

O Lord God, Maker of all, have mercy on us sinners.

 

GOTT MIT UNS

Osvald the Sinner

 

OOC:

The inspiration from the post came from the following recordings of Archimandrite Aimilianos of Simonopetra for anyone interested at looking more into it.

 

From within the Chapel of Saint Johann in Minitz, a blonde monk of previously-noble origins knelt before the altar. In his hand was a prayer rope, his fingers going through each knot slowly, he mouthed the words "GOD, Lord of Horen, have mercy on us sinners" over and over as he prayed for the victims of the war as the days of the siege passed. He moved not from his place in the temple, with neither food nor water, he fasted for those who fought with sword and spears, for both the Aaunish and the Haeseni, as well as for the Veletzians and the Ferryman, so that GOD may show them their error and bring them to repentance.

 

Every now and then, small teardrops rolled down his face, and he read from the Scroll of Gospel "Lo, wickedness cannot undo what wickedness has done. Your home shall never return in your life. But know that God is great, and the waters of Gamesh are His creation."

 

With a melancholic smile, the first Duke of Minitz, Venerated Leon awaited his first Ritter to arrive. He adorned in the Skies of GOTT the same armor he did when serving him on the mortal realm, adorned with imagery of the Lorraine cross. On his hilt rested his sheathed sword, and on his right hand he held yet another sword. As Yvian approached, Leon placed a hand on his shoulder, repeating the last words of the Oath that Yvian had taken before him when he was but a young boy...

 

"Until the light is gone,
Until the water is gone,
Until my life is gone..."

 

Then, he paused, and extended the second sword towards the Ritter, finally finishing the words of the oath with a smile, a reward for Yvian's valor, loyalty, honesty and prowess which he had shown during his life, one that made Leon proud.

"...Wielding my sword in valour until my breath is gone."

Reinmar von Katzanik sings the most legendary song "REINMARIA" as he reads through the analytical journal, most proud of his Reinmaren heritage.

 

 

DIE RÜCKKEHR DES KATZAK

THE THIEF’S RETURN

 

 

 

---

---

 

Treacherous was the path ahead, heavy drops of water fell from the seven skies. Such had been the seasonal weather of the Heartlands for a while now, a blessing for the farmer who had no need to water his crops by hand, for it was GOTT’s own rain that tended to the canonist wheat.

 

The same rain had made the main dirt roads muddy, and the clouds above a melancholic shade of gray. In front of him stood tall walls, white as the snow of the mountains above, and before them stretched farmlands and farmhouses plenty. A familiar scenery to the cloaked traveler, a memory as far distant as his youth, for now he returned to the fatherland.

 

As he drew closer, the skies above Kanunsberg smiled the sun’s smile above him, the clouds began parting, welcoming yet another Minitzian son back home. For many suns and moons he had been gone, in search of purpose, in search of himself, and himself he had found. Born a bastard of the infamous Ludrik Katzak, Finn had never met his father, having only known of his origins through word of mouth. Yet, he knew that who he would be was most determined by who he was, and to know of such he ventured to foreign lands, tracing the stories he could hear of his father and his exploits, and then of his tribe, and finally of his Reinmaren brethren. To Reinmar his quest took him, and before the doors of the Reinmaren College he had found himself.

 

Welcomed as a son of a Reinmaren Lord of Arms, the young lad was taken by the Armorial Artists of the College, and was taught the ways of banners as his father had learned and taught. The history of his people he learned in detail, the many traditions unknown to him had now been presented before the Katzak, infamous for their history as tribal thieves and handymen. After some years, he had learned all stories and books could teach him, and so he departed once more, now to live as his ancestors did.

 

As the Katzaks before him, he trekked the mountains, living in caves and forests, where he found solitude. Few flasks he had taken since his departure from Minitz, all of them filled with “Soul Potions”, as the Reinmaren of old called them. Amongst nature he drank them, and his mind became exposed to his ancestors. He saw his father, and his father before him, tracing the lineage all the way back to Adem von Aschar, the first Katzak. His spirit conversed with them, and their souls conversed with his spirit. So did Finn spend many suns and moons, until he not only thought as a Katzak, but lived as one as well.

 

Having discovered himself, the man’s quest was finally over, but a new one had begun. So he took the road back home to Minitz, to touch the walls of Kanunsberg and to kiss them, for they were his origins. With much knowledge and ambition he returned, just in time for the new Lawmen elections of the Landtag, and after seeing many old faces, he decided to complete his ambition through the works of the Kanun…

 

---

 

 

THE VON KATZANIK ADRESS

Written by Finn von Katzanik, Lawman Candidate 

in the year of our Lord 1949

 

SÖHNE UND TÖCHTER VON MINITZ,

 

Many of you do not know me, some of you remember me, some of you know my brother, and some of you have heard of my father. I have lived amongst the honorable tribesmen of Minitz for many suns and moons in my youth, and our Fatherland so that better I may have understood it. To the Reinmaren College I have studied, and like my father before me, learned the ways of Armorials and of Banners. To the mountains I have trekked, and amongst the tall trees of the forests I have lived, like the Katzaks before me. With my ancestors I have commuted, with Ludrik and Adem and Gelimar, as many of you have in your Spirit Trials.

 

Thus I return to the fatherland with the knowledge of our ancestors and their history on my shoulders, to see Minitz maintain its place as a beacon of our most honorable Reinmaren culture, of its nuanced traditions, of the songs sung with utmost love to Lady Reinmaria. For the Reinmaren is of Reinmaria, and Reinmaria is of the Reinmaren, to her I wish to dedicate my life.

 

And so I do wish to nominate myself for the position of the Lawman, which I so believed is to be held in voting for the next Moot of the Landtag. To write laws fit for the Grand Kanun of our forefathers, not only a Law Codex, but a holy book encapsulating the ways of our people, our culture and our history. Such I wish the Kanun of Venerable Leon Barclay to become, the past reiterations of which have been lost to word of mouth, but lives through the lives of those that follow it.

 

My fellow members of the Landtag, I ask that you look at me as one of you once more, a man capable of keeping alight the Reinmaren fire so passionately kindled by the first Herzog. Yet, I am not the man I was when I left, and as such, for the privilege of being re-Blooded amongst the Reinmaren I ask, to take the oaths I had taken as a child again, and to dedicate my soul to Minitz and Lady Reinmaria, to share blood with our Grand Prince, so that I may be loyal to him as you all are. For this I ask to be oathed under a new name, Reinmar von Katzanik.

 

---

GOTT MIT UNS,

Finn von Katzanik

 

 

Osvald Barclay starts singing "If I catch you in Reinmaria..."

 

 

Osvald chuckles as he reads the missive "The wenches shall adoooore this!"

 

 

 

 

The young heraldric apprentice Osvald Barclay smiles at his first piece of work being used by his cousin.