[IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
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Shaelyssa
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Melnerag
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[IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Melnerag Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:07 pm
- OOC Intro:
Hail Anethion!
This is the 4th edition of the Chapter's scripture. The Book is easily available ICly, so anybody can get it. Now its name has changed to fit the lore a bit more. I want to draw your attention to the fact that you can convert to Anethionism -without- joining the Chapter of Holy Anethion ICly (and OOCly). By converting, you can use the Chapter lore and Anethionean religion to help shape your character, attend masses and prayers, confess to our priests and participate in Ecclesiastical Courts and other religious Chapter events.
To convert, simply approach a priest of the Chapter or wait for them to approach YOU. And they will approach you. They will find you wherever you may hide because we now take our mission to convert humanity very seriously indeed.
You can see the Chapter as the 'Church', you can follow the religion without being a servant of the Church.
GHI version of the book is obtainable from every Lector or member of the Chapter
Faith Shall Overcome!
Hail Anethion!
Brothers and sisters under the Light, I share with you the will of the Holy Light as it was revealed to the prophet Anethion and his successors. The Holy Light humbles us by making us a part of Its ongoing, living revelation.
The Book of Revelations is the message from the Holy Light to Its human children. Prophet Anethion, the Vicars and then the wise theologians of the Ecclesiastical Court have studied the Revelation and formulated a path to salvation.
Read on, O Faithful, and let the wisdom of those who came before you guide you into Light’s haven!
Abbot Osmand Lightguard,
Vicar of Anethion and Supreme Lector of the Tyrrean Order
Faith Shall Overcome
- The Nine Steps of Ascension:
The Nine Steps of Ascension
All who love the Holy Light and desire to reach Its haven may succeed in this most sacred of aspirations, yet countless pitfalls await them as Darkness itself will tempt them into sin so that their souls will linger in Lightless torment.
These are the Nine Steps and those who follow them will be guided around the ambushes of evil and to Light’s doorstep and shall find bliss on earth as well as heaven. Let every man be brought up to follow them, let every man reach Light’s refuge!
Step I : Piety
The Holy Light is the Illuminator of the world, all that is Good is inspired by the Light. Acknowledge the Holy Light as the source of all that is Good and surrender to It your pride. The Light will save those who embrace It.
The Holy Light does not dwell in churches and every rock is illuminated with Light’s glory, the church is a place for the faithful to gather and the altar is the focus of the rituals. You shall head to a place of worship daily and prostrate before the altar with other faithful and recite:
“I surrender myself to the Holy Light, the source of all that is Good. O Light, in You alone I trust without question, guide me away from darkness and into Your grace! O Light, direct me for all my hope for salvation is vested in You!”
Those who cannot reach the altar are not lost, for Light’s glory permeates the world and they can prostrate by facing the east.
Affirm the Holiness of the Light by kneeling and saying:
"I testify that there is nothing holy but the Holy Light, and no truer teaching than that of Anethion!" whenever you enter a place of worship for devotional purposes.
Affirm the Glory of the Light as the all-benevolent beacon of the world by kneeling and saying:
"Praised be the Holy Light, the illuminator of the world; and praised be holy Anethion, Light's humble envoy, the illuminator of men!" whenever you leave a place of worship after your devotions.
Affirm Anethion, Light’s Envoy as the true Prophet and the teacher of mankind by greeting other humans with “Hail Anethion!” when you meet them for the first time during a day.
The faithful surrender their pride in sight of the Holy Light and allow It to guide them away from sin and save them from darkness – surrender your pride and confess your sins at least once a week and let the Holy Light be your savior!
Step II : Reverence
The Holy Light is present in the universe and whispers to the heart of every living being, compelling it to do Good and shun Evil. The Light guides us and sings to us in our hearts informing us of Its will.
The Holy Light is the sole source of authority to be obeyed without question.
The Glory of the Light is reflected in Its creatures and some stand closer to Light’s presence than others, reflecting the Glory onto others. The wise shall surrender their pride and acknowledge those more illuminated than them and accept their guidance.
Share your doubts, troubles, struggles and hardship with the Illuminated and the Light that is reflected in them will share with you Its guidance and comfort.
Share your conflicts with the Illuminated and the Light that is reflected in them will resolve them with justice and wisdom.
Emulate the Illuminated and follow their guidance, obey their commandments and they will guide you in their footsteps to enter Light’s holy presence.
Step III : Devotion
The Light provides. The Light is the source of all that is good and all that is good originates with the Light. Accept the Light as your provider by turning to It in supplication and affirm your solidarity with the Faithful by doing so as one.
Do your devotion every evening after sunset in a place of worship or by facing the east. There is no greater joy than seeking the Light together, join other faithful at 20:00 in daily prayers guided by the Lectors whenever such is possible.
Begin the daily prayer by prostrating and reciting:
“I surrender myself to the Holy Light, the source of all that is Good. O Light, in You alone I trust without question, guide me away from darkness and into Your grace! O Light, direct me for all my hope for salvation is vested in You!”
Rise to your knees and continue:
“O Light, all my praise goes to You.
O Light, I open my heart and my soul to Your Glory. I beseech You, find me worthy of Your blessings.
To you I pledge myself, O Light, accept my heart and soul, let me never waver in my sharing, just as You will never decline
Illuminate all darkness, help us see Good from Evil, fill us with compassion towards our fellow faithful and protect us from the damning touch of sin!
Provide for the righteous, deliver those who stray, forgive our sins and send Your wrath against the wicked!
O Light, in You alone I trust to provide, I give myself to You for You alone can save me!”
Afterwards you may take the time to say your own personal prayers. Upon the completion of devotion you shall say as you rise:
“By our Faith in the Light, let it be so!”
Step IV : Solidarity
The faithful stand united in their sacred duty under the Light. Your community is your strength and you are the strength of the community. The Light guides and provides, but unless you make a stand for what is good, who else will?
Abstain from the Sins that destroy the Community and confess them honestly and sincerely and seek to restore the damage you have caused, for the first person you should change is yourself. Let the Light help you take responsibility for your actions.
Give to charity for the Light is all-compassionate and all-merciful and takes pity upon the poor and the downtrodden. Allow no child to starve, no widow to live in squalor and no sick man to go without treatment.
Renounce luxury and use no more than you need. All you have and all you own must be neat and functional. No man should indulge in luxury while yet a single child starves; the wealth must be used for the benefit of all.
The needs of the community are the needs of all. Join with others and work together for the good of all at least once a month under the direction and guidance of the leaders of your community.
Support your community however you can, provide your help freely to those who need it, give comfort to those who are abandoned, speak to the lonely, cheer up the sad and guide the misguided back into the Light.
The Light provides through those who embrace it. Seek out the Light and allow it to direct you to share Light’s gifts with Its children.
Step V : Vigil
It is our duty to combat evil in all its forms, not out of hatred but out of love towards those it seeks to destroy. Do not hate the sinner, it is the sin that is abhorrent!
The evil will run unchecked unless it is reported and confronted, do not give in to the temptations of idle excuses; it is your duty to report truthfully any transgression and suspicious activity.
Approach those who have sinned and speak to them out of love in your heart and convince them to accept the Light and allow It to cleanse them of their sins by confessing. Do not let the sins go unaddressed.
Take up arms and defend your community from attack if you are able, otherwise help maintain the arsenal and defenses in good shape, teach the young to fight, tell inspiring stories or tend to those who are wounded in battle.
Those who dare attack your community must be pushed back with the force of arms and the strength of faith, for to attack the faithful is to attack the Light Itself. Those who came to destroy will in turn be destroyed by Light’s Glory!
Know that the darkness lurks and tempts you to remain idle in the face of evil, those who fail to address sins and report crimes have given in to the deceptions and have themselves sinned and must confess.
Step VI : Universal Crusade
The Holy Crusade is our struggle against the forces of darkness that threaten this world. The Universal Call to Crusade reverberates throughout the universe for as long as demons draw breath, undead walk the earth and mortals turns to Fel and Shadow.
Every faithful, when capable of doing so, should join the Crusade and serve in its ranks in the war against the forces of Darkness for at least one year in his life so that he may contribute to Light’s cause and know the face of evil and what is at stake.
Those who cannot fight must support the Crusade by providing supplies, care for the wounded veterans and offer moral support to those who go out to fight.
All faithful must shun Fel and Shadow and allow those who practice or evangelize them no peace in Light’s sight. They must be driven out of the villages, the voice that justifies or sympathizes with them must be silenced.
Speak out, o Faithful, speak out against Evil whenever you see it! Let your voice drown the petty whimpers of those who advocate in favor of Darkness! Let your arm cast the stone against those who practice the Dark Arts!
He who does not shun the witch and the warlock and passes them by without casting a stone is ignoring the Universal Call of the Holy Crusade!
Step VIII : Affirmation of Faith
Correct belief is important to those who seek to be permitted into Light’s presence and partake of Its Glory. The path to the Holy Light has many subtle pitfalls and purity of faith will enable you to travel safely into Light´s haven.
Tyrrean Creed contains the most basic articles of faith that will assist the faithful travel the road of illumination, recite the creed once a week, preferably with other faithful during the Grand Mass:
“I believe in the Holy Light, the Maker of All of Creation by whose volition the cosmos was brought into being from the Chaos of the Twisting Nether.
I affirm that the Light is all-benevolent, the Light is the source of all that is Good in the cosmos and all that is Good in the cosmos originates with the Light.
I affirm that the Light is the Illuminator of the world, bathing creation in Its Glory and abandoning neither Its friends nor Its foes.
I affirm that the Holy Light whispers to the heart of every creature and compels it to do Good and shun Evil. A life in accordance with the will of the Light is the best life one can have and to reject Light’s will in hope of a better life is folly.
I affirm that the Holy Light cannot be known through reason and logic, the mind will never grasp it; revelation and inspiration are the sole sources of knowledge about the Holy Light.
I affirm that the Light can only manifest through the faithful and that there is no miracle unless it is mediated by a believer. The Light wields those who are faithful and pure as Its instruments and inexperience cannot bar it.
I believe in the absolution of the sins, double-edged nature of the arcane, separateness of races, holiness of Universal Community, the truth of the revelation,…
… divine guidance of the Vicar, integrity of the Scripture, the Last Trial, assumption of the pure, casting down of the wicked, Universal Call of the Holy Crusade and the mortal origin of evil.
I believe in the Holy Light that is our only hope of salvation. The Light will guide us away from the darkness of sin and allow the Faithful into Its haven, making them one with Itself.”
Step VIII : Wisdom
Anethion is the first among the Illuminated. You shall read the Book of Anethion if you are literate daily and let Anethion’s life inspire your life. If you are illiterate, you will seek out those who are and ask them to read to you, for it is their duty.
Seek out the Illuminated who are alive and listen to their lessons, so some of the Light they reflect may shine upon you. Only a fool walks alone in the dark, the wise follow the beacons of those who went before them.
O faithful, be not deceived, the Light is the sole source of authority and revelation is the only source of knowledge about the Light. Trust the Illuminated but beware the demagogue; allow the Light in your heart to tell you the difference.
Step IX : Sacred Duty
Our Sacred Duty is to do Good and shun Evil.
Surrender your pride and allow the Light to cleanse you of your sins and lend you strength and wisdom to struggle against the temptations. Seek out purity through confession and atonement!
Surrender your anxiety and lend your voice to the Light, so that It may speak against injustice and evil and guide those who stray back into Its fold with Its love and compassion.
Surrender yourself to the Holy Light and listen to Its will or turn to those who reflect Light’s Glory onto the world and be guided to do Good, speak Good and desire Good in every moment of your life.
The Faithful shall have no desires save the betterment of this world through service of the Light and shall meditate daily to detect these actions that were not motivated by the holy desire and avoid them in the future.
- The Four Steps of Illumination:
The Four Steps of Illumination
Some are called by the Light to serve It. It is not the faithful who chooses the Light but the Light that chooses the faithful. Listen to the voice in your heart and heed the calling! Surrent to Illuminate you.
Step I : Evangelism
Spread the word of the Prophet and his vicars to the far corners of the world. Let the voice of the Holy Light flow from your tongue like a river of honey so that those who hear it may rejoice and find comfort.
Spread the pure and simple Light of the Sacred Duty to the Lightless races to prepare them to receive a prophet of their own.
Step II : Purity
Turn away from the sin and face the Light, let the Light guide you away from sin and take you into Its presence. Let the Light save and protect you. Cleanse yourself of all the sins, especially those which defile your purity.
Be pure for the Light so that it may enter your soul freely and speak to your heart without hindrance. Listen to the voice of the Light and obey without question and regard for yourself, the Light will never fail to provide for those who love It.
Step III : Renunciation
The Light is the great provider, renounce all caring for your material needs and serve others through serving the Light. Live from donations but never take more than you need and distribute the rest among the poor. Do not hoard, collect for every meal!
Step IV : Mystery
The Light is distant but it is also close; seek out the universe within your heart by endless prayer, fasting and meditation. Let the Holy Light fill your existence and become the only object in your world.
Seek out the Light within and strive in purity to reach closer to Its Glorious presence so that you may reflect it onto the world. Those who surrender thus are imbued with Light’s Glory and shall share it with the universe.
- The List of Sins:
The List of Sins
A sin is that which is abhorrent to the Holy Light, a sin becomes a wound upon the soul that festers and rots until the soul is removed from the Light and unable to hear its voice. Every time a man ignores his Sacred Duty, he falls prey to sin.
All sins in every classification are organized from the most heinous to the least wicked.
Sins that destroy the Cosmos
Misotheism : harboring of an active desire to thwart Light’s will in the cosmos
Demonism : venerating a Demon as a deity
Apotheosis : deifying and worshipping any power, being or idea that is hostile to the Holy Light
Soulslaying : destroying a soul
Soulbargain : handing a soul, or its part, over to the demons or facilitating any such transaction
Conduction : assisting a demon to enter our world
Service of Evil : assisting a demon or any deified entity hostile to the Light with anything whatsoever
Soulsnatching : trapping a soul, denying its passage into an afterlife
Malediction : corrupting, twisting or harming any soul with magical means
Necromancy : studying, practicing or teaching any means by which the mortals may gain mastery over Life and Death outside of the Holy Light, Elunite Faith, Druidry and Shamanism
Witchcraft : using shadow and fel magic for any means
Reaping Witchcraft : making use of anything that is obtained, granted, created or empowered through Fel and Shadow magic
Advocacy : defending the use of shadow and fel and sympathizing with anyone who has sinned against the Cosmos
Fallacy : speaking out against any actions, people, institutions or anything whatsoever that exists to protect the Cosmos from further disintegration
Ignorance : failure to denounce or report the use of Fel and Shadow and any sin that harms the Cosmos
Sins that destroy the faith
Disgrace : using powers and privileges of the clergy for personal gain
Denial of Divinity : believing the Light not to be divine in its nature and comparing it to other forces in the world
Apostasy : denouncing the faith in the Holy Light and its ideals and virtues
Oathbreaking : breaking a promise or an oath given to the Light
Sacrilege : despoiling or disturbing the sanctity of the holy places, defacing the icons of the faith or laying hands upon the clergy
Self-righteousness : assuming yourself to be the purest and beyond Light’s scrutiny
Intellectual Arrogance : assuming that you can grasp the Light or Light’s will with reason and logic, demanding proof of the Divine
Denunciation of the Church : denouncing the true institutions of the Holy Faith and its servants
Denial of Revelation : denying the validity of Revealed knowledge
Heresy : espousing, developing or promulgated deviant religious beliefs
Usurpation : taking upon yourself the duties and rights of the clergy
Corrupting : leading another into sin
Faithlessness : paying lip service to the Light, following the rituals insincerely
Idolatry : venerating an idol or a false deity that is not directly hostile to the Light
Paganism : worshipping the forces of wild nature and the spirit realm
Corroding Authority : corroding the authority of the priesthood, questioning their power and legitimacy
Blasphemy : slandering the Sacred with word or deed
Infidelity : denying conversion to the Holy Light
Venial Sins:
Desertion : not enlightening the members of community about their sins, not evangelizing the Light to unbelievers
Profanity : mentioning the Light in vain
Apathy : denying actively doing Good and shunning Evil
Irreligious Behavior : failing to uphold the rituals of the faith
Opening the Floodgates : beginning any public discussion about the Holy Light outside of theological circles
Sins that destroy the Community
Lightlesness : not championing the Holy Faith while being a leader or a figurehead in the community
Tyranny : acting arbitrarily and not loving and enforcing Justice while being a leader or a figurehead in the community
Corruption : using powers vested by the community for personal benefit
Treason : turning against your community
Autocracy : refusing, turning deaf ear on or ignoring counsel, petitions and pleas of the community you govern
Sedition : undermining the authority of the communal leaders and figureheads
Service of Injustice : disrupting the proper enforcement of Justice in any way whatsoever
Anarchism : espousing, spreading or developing ideas which corrode the Light-blessed authority of true leaders and figureheads of the community
Impersonation : impersonating the authority of the community in person, in words or in writ
Murder : taking life of another of Light’s creatures
Sorcery : using magic irresponsibly, using it to harm others or obtain personal gain at expense of others
Harm : bringing harm upon another of Light’s creature
Hatred of the Law : denouncing the law-enforcement or sympathizing with those facing a sentence or suffering a verdict
Subjugation : forcing another Light’s creature into bondage and dependency
Exploitation : making use of another Light’s creature’s services against their will
Disobedience : gainsaying your superiors when they speak in their proper station
Treachery : making a promise or a contract with no intention of keeping it
Theft : seizing possessions which are not your own without consent
Vandalism : damaging the possessions which are not your own
Selling Out : obeying orders of a non-human while in human lands
Indifference : not assisting the community when asked to do so
Mixing of Blood : mothering or fathering a child with a non-human unless a High Elf or a Half Elf, the child born of this union is free of any sins
Interracialism : using goods and services produced or provided by, or with the help of non-humans while a human equivalent is available
Adultery : intimacy with anybody outside of current wedlock
Liberalism : espousing, spreading or developing ideas that promote cultural exchange and mingling of races
Deception : seeking gain by deception and untruth at expense of others
Misery : refusing to provide charity while being able to do so
Idleness : not contributing to the community while being able to do so
Insult : harming another’s feelings with deliberate unguarded words or gestures
Mockery : making fun of another’s shortcomings
Venial sins:
Wandering : traveling to non-human lands without a Holy Cause
Encouragement : making use of goods or services provided by non-humans
Denying Hospitality : denying hospitality while able to provide it
Denying Aid : not providing aid when aid is needed and warranted while able to provide it
Harshness : making somebody feel uncomfortable, unwelcome or insulted with your words or deeds
Spreading Ill Rumors : speaking poorly of another behind his back
Sins that destroy the purity
Pretentiousness : assuming that you are beyond any improvement, learning or spiritual growth
Denial of the Sin : denying the ruinous nature of the sins, failing to confess the sins truthfully
Infallibility : refusing to confess or acknowledge your sins
Sodomy : deviant sexual practices
Debauchery : excessive and twisted servitude of your own desires
Perversion : intimacy with a non-human, unless a High Elf or a half elf
Fornication : intimacy outside of wedlock
Wrath : an emotional outburst against a person or an object
Egoism : serving your own needs and desires at expense of others
Hatred : obsession with harming another creature, or wishing that it would come to harm
Jealousy : coveting something of another, be it a thing or an attribute
Pride : obsession with the assumed greatness of your own ego or your labors
Luxury : attachment to or desire of material wealth beyond what is functional and neat
Lust : obsession with the desires of the flesh
Vainglory : boasting about your merits and achievements
Vanity : obsession with the outward appearance
Flirting : flirting with another for fun, and with no pure and serious intentions
Bacchanalianism : clouding your mind with excessive alcohol or other narcotics
Gluttony : devouring of excessive amounts of food, obsession with eating
Frolicking : indulging in leisure and recreation while duties are not fulfilled
Attachment : an attachment to another person so strong that it distracts from the Light
Venial sins:
Selfishness : serving your own needs instead while you could be serving others
Ambition : desiring anything but to live according to Light’s will
Treating with Prejudice: forming and acting on an opinion about another being without knowing him
Intoxication : consuming alcohol or any other narcotic substances
Self-expectation : an attachment to an untrue self-image
Wishing Harm : desiring some harm or misfortune to fall upon another
Leisure : undertaking leisurely activities
Thinking Poorly : resenting or holding another being in contempt
Concealing the Truth : withholding information that another has the right to know
Unhelpful deeds : acting beyond what is strictly necessary
Unhelpful speech : speaking beyond what is strictly necessary
Unhelpful thoughts : thinking beyond what is strictly necessary
- Recitations of Holy Anethion:
Recitations of Holy Anethion
1: The Light is everything that is Pure, Good, Just and Righteous in the universe; the Light is greater and more splendorous than we can possibly imagine and the words of our language cannot describe It in all Its glory and magnificence.
2: The Holy Light is simple; do not look for It in theology. Take a look around you and let the whole world inspire you with Light’s Glory. Seek It out instead in beauty of the nature and the arts, the power of a sincere prayer and sweetness of a psalm.
3: The Light is distant, but It is also close, the Light fills the whole universe and yet whispers to the heart of every man, compelling him to do Good and shun Evil; to ignore this call of Good is to choose a path of wickedness.
4: Lives of most are empty, lived from day to day until the moment of death; the Light gives us a purpose - to fill our lives with the sole goal of the Sacred Duty, and through it obtain purity and salvation, and in exchange It asks only for our Faith.
5: Faith in the Light is the submission to Light's divine authority, acceptance of Light's sublime wisdom and guidance, knowledge that Light's goals are just and benevolent and observance of all the holy laws.
6: Faith in the Light can overcome any challenge and enable us to endure any hardship. As long as our lives are devoted to the Sacred Duty the Light shall fill us with Its Glory and protect our souls from the damning touch of Evil.
7: The Light is the sword and shield in our hands, the plate on our chest, the girdle about our waist and the cloak on our shoulders - but we are the warrior who brings Light's Glory into this sinful world.
8: Faith is expressed in the deeds of the faithful, not their words. A ‘faithful’ man who does not act upon Light’s compulsions is no better than a faithless.
9: The Sacred Duty is to live a life of virtue and fight evil, to have no other goal in our lives save the betterment of this world, and to sacrifice of ourselves for the greater good.
10: The Light is sublime in Its wisdom, and teaches all Light-following races the unique way of worship. Humanity is a Light-chosen race in its own right and our ways are our own and should not be forced upon other races.
11: He who raises an arm against a Light-touched race shall be pushed back by force of arms and strength of faith; he who seeks to bring ruin upon the blessed shall find only his own end and will be obliterated without mercy and afterthought!
12: If we do not fight for what we love and believe in, then nobody else will. Our faith and prayers mean nothing unless we take a stand for what is Right and Sacred!
13: One day the Light shall send Its prophets to other races, so that they may taste Light's Glory and be converted, but until that moment comes they cannot be saved by our efforts and shall endure a bitter, Lightless existence.
14: Souls of the Pious shall be assumed by the Light, and rejoin their friends and family in the here-after; souls of the wicked shall be cast down into the Nether and know ever-lasting damnation and torment, feeding on their own filth!
15: The faithful stand united by their devotion to the Sacred Duty, each touched by Light's Glory; to treat a brother or a sister in any way that is not kind and compassionate is to mistreat the Light Itself.
16: The Faithful need each other to express their virtues and walk in unison towards Light’s Glory, solidarity with the community is a virtue every man must cultivate if he longs to reach the Holy Light.
17: The Light is best-served by humble men living simple lives with the Light in their hearts. Love your neighbors, raise your children, do your work with honesty and dignity and assist those around you and the Light shall permit you into Its presence.
18: The Light sees all, our thoughts and deeds alike, and It shall weight our lives accordingly - and should they be found wanting, eternity of torment awaits!
19: Just as the Light brings about salvation of our souls, so does the Darkness damn and twist them; he who resorts to Darkness has abandoned his trust in his own Goodness, and unless he is made to repent, a terrible fate shall await him.
20: The power of Magic has been granted for the benefit of humanity, not to become our scourge. Magic is to be wielded with restraint and responsibility and never in vain, for the unwary and the reckless unwillingly invite the Demons to enter our world.
21: Magic is a double-edged sword that we wield at our peril. Those who seek the benefits of the Arcane must be ready to accept its drawbacks and those ignorant to the dangers of magic must never be allowed to wield it.
- Recitations of Bernard:
Recitations of Bernard
1: Strongest Faith has been tried and contested; we shall never walk away from challenges of faith and instead meet them head-on, to emerge purer and stronger from the fray.
2: It is easy to be Pure when you isolate yourself from temptations. Those who are exposed to the full lure of darkness and resist are loved by the Light!
3: Those who have lived a wicked life in defiance of the Light and then repented, showing remorse for their countless sins and putting unbreakable faith in the Light are especially loved, their souls often purer than of those who knew no evil.
4: Doubt is the Light's enemy, doubt denies us the splendor and rewards of Faith; to seek challenge of faith and to be in doubt is not the same. First is to walk into battle, prepared and well-equipped, second is to dismantle the walls of your own castle.
5: A man who has never doubted his faith has not been sincere in his attempts to reach the Holy Light!
6. Strikes of the hammer purge iron of impurities, so shall the surges of pain purify the Soul.
7. The harder Light's Work weights upon our shoulders, the greater the rivers of sweat, the mightier torrents of tears and higher the fountains of blood from our wounds - the more righteous and pleasing are our deeds.
8: The Path of Faith is never easy, not even Anethion walked it leisurely. Expect to face off the temptations and overcome challenges, expect to suffer for your faith and be shunned for your purity. But remember, Faith Shall Overcome!
9: When service of the Light comes easily, you have either become Illuminated or have been led astray. The latter is much more likely.
10: To die doing Light's Work is the greatest sacrifice; those who perish in the name of the Sacred Duty are embraced by the Light and watch over the faithful of Azeroth from beyond the grave.
11: There are no impossible feats, only insufficient faith.
12: The Faithful are never truly defeated - only the faithless are!
13: The harder the work, the greater the sacrifice, the greater the suffering - more splendorous the reward.
14: We do what we do not for our own glory, but for that of the Light!
15: The hatred a heretic feels towards you is a proof of your faith and devotion to the Holy Light. The louder the impure condemn you, the closer you stand to the Light.
16: A grain of sand leaves an invisible trace upon the face of a rock, a million grains of sand and thousands of years reduce a mountain to nothing. So shall every good deed count towards the Greater Good.
17: One man of faith can overcome any challenge and vanquish countless wicked, a thousand faithful shall march over the world in a relentless onslaught of Good - a bane to the heretic and the wicked!
18: Just as the water cleanses and heals our bodies, so does the fire bathe away impurities of soul - those who die on a pyre may yet be forgiven by the Light for their sinful trespasses.
19: Second to a faithful life, loyal and devout, is a martyr's death - he who dies in hellish pains in the name of the Faith shall become a lighthouse of hope and inspiration for the faithful, his legacy forever radiant
- Recitations of Waldemar:
Recitations of Waldemar
1: The Light is present in the heart of every man, and to each one It whispers, compelling him to do Good and shun Evil; to deny this call of Good, is to prefer a path of wickedness.
2: Our world is full of men whose faith is questionable at best, they fall for the smallest temptations and lose faith at sight of any challenge - they are the secret passages the evil uses to pass behind the bulwark of Faith erected by our protectors.
3: Unbreakable Faith is a blessing not all can receive; those deprived of it must keep true to the Holy Path by means of discipline and loyalty.
4: There can be no strength without unity, no unity without a single guiding hand and no guiding hand without authority that is unquestioned. Strict hierarchy, unquestioned obedience and firm loyalty are prerequisites of success on our holy path.
5: Ritual and protocol are essential as they give knowledge to every man of is expected of him and how to react to others and in doing so make organization more efficient and less prone to mistakes.
6: Discipline and Loyalty of the people can only be ensured if the institutions of Faith and its ministers are unquestioned and undoubted; to undermine the authority of the Church is to deprive the men of their chance for redemption and a good life.
7: Authority is a spell that is easily broken, and when authority of the church is lost, men become vulnerable to the temptations of evil. Allow no-one to question the holy Faith and its minister and punish those who dare do so.
8: Faith may grow through practice. Let the men perform the rituals and act on the strict rules, in time practice will become habit and habit turn into sincere faith.
9: Forces of evil eagerly exploit our every doubt. Purity of the doctrine must be maintained and all discussion cut at the root to ensure that the people are protected. Pure faith is an unquestioned faith.
10: He who raises an arm against a believer, raises it against the Light itself and shall face divine retribution and suffer in measure with his transgression!
11: We are the agents of Light's power and splendor, but also of Light's wrath and justice!
12: A single sin can fester to consume a man's soul, a single doubt can shatter the impregnable wall of faith, a single agent of evil in our midst can destroy everything we have accomplished - we must be vigilant and combat evil, no matter how small!
13: In our performing of the Sacred Duty we are bound to bring harm upon those we are meant to protect; we work for the Greater Good of humanity and let us make sure that their ultimate sacrifice was not in vain!.
14: Let the wicked and the heretic taste the fruits of their own labor, deliver upon them the discord, the doubt, the pain and the ruin they sought to bring upon us!
15: To witness evil of any magnitude and to remain passive is to share in its wickedness and become an accomplice of the malefic powers which seek to bring ruin upon humanity - let not a single one escape our watchful gaze!
16: Those of questionable faith and feeble mind will always question our methods and condemn them, let it be known that only the wicked should fear us and our ways.
17: Those who question the righteousness of our work do not know the price of safety and of freedom, for the price is paid in blood and sweat. Only when we are no longer there to protect them, will they realize the true horror we shield them against.
18: Men need clear boundaries and uncompromising consequences for breaking them. We must pose hard rules and punish consequentially those who break them. Vagueness and mercy only confuse.
19: Despicable evil may grow from a tiny seed of corruption; it is our duty never to overlook presuming that it may do no harm.
20: Redemption is a gift only the few receive, live knowing that Light is benevolent and shall redeem those who can be redeemed and embrace them in the here-after, all we have to do is to expedite the date of their Last Trial.
21: Victory against evil is only possible when all its agents have been utterly vanquished, their foul legacy confined to oblivion and their souls cast into the Nether to the last one!
- Recitations of Richard:
Recitations of Richard
1: Faith alone can overcome all of the Light's enemies; the terrible tools and weapons of the Chapter simply serve to make our work faster and more efficient, and with the amount of evil to purge we need all the speed we can get!
2: It is the Faith, blind and unquestionable, which grants us Light's Glory; moments of charity, noble deeds, virtuous thoughts are but a battlefield on which our Faith is strengthened and proven.
3: Faith is the discipline of the mind, through willpower and determination does one vanquish all doubt, question and reason from his thoughts until only blind and pure devotion remains.
4: There can be no compromise where Faith is involved. A faithful man will never compromise with his ideals.
5: Nothing is as dangerous as wavering resolve, for in that split instant of doubt one can forget his sacred duty and let perpetrator of a terrible evil go unpunished.
6: Evil loves an idle mind as it will always succumb to the temptations of doubt. Permit yourself no idle moment by devoting yourself to work and prayer.
7: Those who do not know the true price of life question our right to exterminate all agents of evil without pity; those who had to pay that price question our right to grant them mercy and a second chance.
8: It is our Sacred Duty to deliver death upon those who mean harm to the Faithful; strike them down, and let the Light be our judge!
9: When strength of every faithful is submitted to a single cause and directed towards one goal, nothing can ever stand in its way.
10: Life is a war against evil; from this war there is no escape and no refuge, and he who refuses to fight it is a deserter and a traitor.
- Recitations of Ioanna:
Recitations of Ioanna
1: A life in accordance with the Will of the Light is the best life a man can have, for the Light is all-benevolent. To presume you can improve your lot by not obeying Light’s will is to abandon all trust in the Holy Light.
2: We do not heal the wounded, pass just verdicts, guide the lost and smite the wicked – The Holy Light does all that. Our part is simply to be pure and faithful for the Light to enter this world through our souls and use us as Its instruments.
3: Prayer, meditation and labor for good bring us the blissful unity with the Holy Light where Its True Being is revealed to us. Although it always eludes explanation and slips from our memory, this revelation illuminates us at our very core.
4: The Light is all-compassionate and all-just, how can a man bereft of compassion and justice ever hope to follow the Light? Fight against the wicked, smite the corrupt but never lose touch with compassion towards Light’s creatures.
5: Our minds are feeble, our hearts are mortal and our souls are flawed. Let us strive to hear Light’s song clearly and accept its guidance in all things, for in the Light rests our only hope for salvation and liberation from sin.
6: The Faithful stand united in their devotion to the Sacred Duty, may the false idols of the mortal intellect that divide us be smashed to pieces by the singular Glory of the Holy Light!
7: The Light is all-benevolent and all-wise, and each man has a place in Its designs. A bricklayer is no less important than a king as long as both put their Faith in the Light and submit to Its guiding will.
8: Heal Light’s creatures that fell in line of their Sacred Duty! There is no experience more humbling than to save a life, the Light is immanent in every faithful and to heal them is to mend the Light itself.
9: The Holy Light is the sole source of authority to be obeyed without question, every man is responsible for the choices he makes and cannot pass that responsibility onto others. Yet he would be wise to heed counsel of those more Illuminated.
10: Life, property and freedom can be taken away. A soul is only lost when you relinquish it. The Light will deliver to salvation those who put their faith in It and hope for redemption, no soul is too wicked to be saved if it longs for the Light.
11: To those who say that a life of Faith is devoid of joy, what greater joy can there be than to be permitted to glimpse the Holy Light and let it touch you with its Glory, illuminate your soul and wield you as an instrument of Its will?
12: Woe to those who say that they wield the Light, for they walk in the footsteps of the accursed Blood Knights. Shame to those who say that they wield the Light, for they are presumptuous. It is the Light that wields the faithful.
13: Do not hate the sinners, for the Light is all-loving. It is the sin that is abhorrent. Love the sinners with Light’s aid and let this love enable you to guide them away from the darkness and back into the Light.
14: Of all the weapons of evil, necessitating evil should be dreaded the most. Does Evil not prevail when a faithful man is left no other choice but to kill or be killed? Be not deceived, a sin for the Sacred Duty is still a sin. Confess it!
15: A child can slay dragons, resurrect the martyred and counsel Kings if the Light wills it. He must be pure and put faith in the Light, and the Light will flow through him and take care of the rest. Miracles are not restrained by inexperience.
16: The blessed pure are not liberated from temptations of the sins, they feel and struggle against them like all the rest. Unlike the prideful men, the pure admit their weakness and allow the Light to give them the strength to resist!
17: He who thinks he serves Light’s Will out of hatred and revenge is as foul as the demons he fights. Serve the Light out of deepest love for Light’s marvelous creation, and let this love of all Light’s works lend you strength and ignite your hope.
18: There are no menial tasks within the Sacred Duty, each deed furthers Light’s design and is equally loved. To compare their worth is to give in to the sin of Pride.
19: Every man reflects Light’s glory onto the world. It is no shame or weakness for those who stand farthest from the Light to seek out those closest to it and reflect the Light onto the world, so that one day they too may stand in Light’s Presence.
20: To denounce the world as a distraction is to criticize Light’s glorious creation, the Faithful man will marvel at the world and taste of its sweet fruits. Unlike the sinner he will never forget the Light as he accepts the gifts as they are offered.
21: To loudly shun and denounce those who deny their Sacred Duty is to be guilty of Self-righteousness. The faithful man will never boast illumination with pride, and will humbly guide the lost back into the Light.
- Recitations of Osmand:
Recitations of Osmand
1: Let your works in the name of the Light, not your words, confirm your faith if it is ever called into question.
2: Darkness flows from the tongues that speak too soon; never speak from indignation or hatred as in doing so you will offend the Light and make a fool of yourself.
3: Let the Holy Light inspire your speech, wait before wording your thoughts and the Light will shape them and lend them Its strength.
4: You may throw yourself at charity, or against the ranks of the enemy, but unless you study and meditate upon the Revelation you will fail in your Sacred Duty.
5: Study alone does not open the gates of Light’s Heaven. Let the knowledge you have gained shape your character and show you the way to good manners and compassion.
6: Rest is not the same as idleness; permit yourself some rest only through righteous works that demand less effort and focus.
7: The Darkness is generous in offering us a multitude of excuses to dodge our sacred duty. See them for the harbingers of evil that they are and overcome them with the power of your faith!
8: When gossip rests at the tip of your tongue, stop and consider what others have to say about you. Those who are fast to judge will soon face judgment.
9: Those who never fail are those who never act. Fear not the failure and trust in the Light to raise you again, stronger and wiser.
10: The Light provides, do not become obsessed with your needs, let your brothers and sisters who are guided by the Light assist and support you.
11: He who has never sinned has never walked the path towards the Light, he who has never done penance for his sins has never crawled out of his first pitfall.
12: You have little love for the Light and Its creation if you are not zealous in saving the souls of Its creatures.
- Invocations:
Invocations of Battle
1: Let me become an agent of Light's wrath and justice!
2: Let your deathly screams be the confession of your sins!
3: None may escape Light's justice!
4: The sword of the righteous cuts deeper than steel!
5: Let the clash of steel and the rattle of armor be my praise to the Light!
6: Strikes of the righteous shall bring ruin to the wicked!
7: Let my strikes be the harbingers of Light's damning verdict!
8: On the path of Light's victory, no pain or injury are too grave to endure!
9: May the Light judge you harshly, and make me the executor of Its verdict!
10: No evil may stand against the onslaught of the righteous!
11: Repent now, for the hour of your final trial is at hand!
12: There is no shield and armor more strong and enduring than Faith!
13: My faith protects me against the cold tendrils of Shadow!
14: My faith is the flame that keeps Frost at bay!
15: No mortal Fire can burn a man whose soul is ablaze with Light's Grace!
Invocations of Fortification
1: Let your pain be my pain, your suffering my suffering and may the Light let me carry your burdens for you.
2: May the Light tend to the wounds of the faithful, who got felled in the line of their duty!
3: May the Light show favor and free you from the shackles of death, so that you may once more do your Sacred Duty!
4: Let no ailment or poison bring ruin to a body that is sustained by Faith!
5: As long as the resolve is strong and soul ablaze with faith, no wound is too grievous to endure!
6: Light, allow no injury to stand in the way of our duty to You!
7: Let the Word of Anethion revoke this spell, for it has no power in the presence of Faith!
8: Light, give me strength to mend this broken flesh, so that the pure soul within may have a wholesome vessel!
9: May the Light grant strength to accomplish this holy cause!
10: May faith in the Light enable us endure any hardship, overcome any challenge!
11: May the Light show us the way, and give us wisdom to serve it best!
12: Let my faith be the bulwark behind which the innocent my find refuge!
13: May Light's essence imbue this water and make it holy, for it is pure already, and let whoever touches it partake in Light's Grace and be purified by it!
14: Let me be the vessel of Light's might, so that my hands may convey It's glory and imbue with sacred radiance that which I touch.
Invocations of Exorcism
1: No wicked creature may even whisper where Light’s word has been uttered aloud!
2: The soul is the throne of the Holy Light, no demon dare usurp Light’s rightful place in your heart!
3: Testify your faith in the Holy Light and the Light will save and protect!
4: The blessed word of the Prophet is the bane of shadow and fel!
5: The Darkness has no power on the ground claimed by the Holy Light!
6: Corruption shall claim no residence in a soul that is loved by the Light!
7: Let the Holy Light burn all that is wrought in darkness until only purity remains in the wake of Its blessed flames!
8: The Light casts out the intruder that desires harm upon Light’s creatures.
9: The wicked have no choice but to kneel before the power of faith and obey Light’s
command!
10: Darkness will not stand against the coming of Light’s Dawn.
11: A pure soul is like an anvil, my faith is like a hammer and I shatter to pieces all evil that is caught in-between!
12: Suffer the torment of the Holy Flames, suffer for your transgressions against the Holy Light.
13: The Light claims back the soul that it loves and saves it from evil!
Melnerag- Posts : 2261
Join date : 2010-01-29
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Melnerag Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:08 pm
- Rites:
The Rite of Confession
Confession is a sacred rite meant to reconcile the sinner and the Holy Light and cleanse the soul of the sinner from the festering wound that is sin, saving him from damnation and guiding him back into the Light.
Before a servant of the Faith can perform Rites of Confession he must make a Holy Oath to keep the knowledge of the sins in trust and never reveal them to anybody but the Light.
Before undertaking the confession, the lector shall kneel facing the altar or by facing east and pray:
“Bless me with Your capacity for mercy, O Light, bestow upon me Your love for all of Your creatures to ward off the hatred and prejudice. Bless me with Your wisdom, for I need to see clearly and judge fairly to guide Your child back into Your grace!
I swear to You, Light, to hold in trust the knowledge of the sins and to never reveal them, not out of malice nor for selfish reasons nor under the pain of death. This I vow to You, O Light!”
The sinner is to kneel before the lector, the lector is to hold the Anethionean Cross at an outstretched hand and question the sinner thus:
“Do you affirm that the sin is a blemish upon the soul?”
“Do you affirm that the Holy Light is all-merciful and has the power to cleanse you of your sins?”
“Do you affirm that you long for the Holy Light and are not beyond salvation?”
“Do you affirm that I am guided by the Light and speak with Its voice and authority, and have the power to assign to you your atonement?”
When an affirmative answer has been given, the lector shall invite the sinner to confess his sins and plead for Light’s forgiveness.
First is repentance, the Sinner must admit that he has sinned and plead for Light’s forgiveness with conviction and sincerity.
Second is confession, the sinner must enumerate his sins truthfully and honestly.
If the sinner has committed any sin that is not venial the Lector shall demand Atonement. Atonement must always consist of three parts:
1) Denunciation is the step that requires the sinner to confess to authorities if he broke any law, surrender and demand full punishment from the court or publically confess his immoral deeds that broke no laws and denounce them as foul and lightless.
2) Service is the step that requires the sinner to nourish his virtues by performing actions literally or symbolically opposite to the sin committed, preferably also restoring any harm done to others.
3) Abstinence is the step that requires the sinner to accept some punishment that makes the repetition of sin hard or undesirable and in cases of heinous sins even impossible.
When atonement has been done or the sin is venial the lector shall proceed to the final step of Absolution. Both the sinner and the lector must wash their hands and face.
The sinner must kneel before the lector and pray:
“Forgive me for I am but a mortal who has lost sight of Your guiding light and gave in to sin. In You I place my trust, for You alone can save me. O Light, I beg of You, gaze into my soul and weight my heart and find me worthy of Your mercy!”
And then the lector shall raise both hands upwards and pray while putting his heart into the prayer:
“I testify my faith in the Holy Light, the Illuminator of the World, the source of all that is Good! O Light, I am Your humble servant, I beg of You, fill me with Your Glory and guide me to spread Your mercy and cleanse this sinful soul!”
If the Lector is pure of heart and has faith in the Holy Light, and Light’s mercy has been evoked by the sincere repentance and dutiful atonement, then the Light will enter the Lector and give him the power to heal the soul of the sinner. The lector shall press the Cross against the forehead of the sinner and restore him into the Light, granting him the comfort of Light’s merciful Glory.
Afterwards the sinner is expected to show Forbearance, for repeating the same sin will make the wound deeper.
Hear lectors and be warned! Those who betray the secrecy of the confession or attempt to absolve grave sins without first placing proper atonement shall be cast out from Light’s presence and marked with Heinous Sin, and the Light shall never again enter your souls or use you as an instrument of Its will. You will be abandoned in darkness for eleven years, and spend these years in deep penance as a lonely hermit away from the people you have betrayed, and you may yet be forgiven by Light’s eternal mercy!
The Rite of Exorcism
Exorcism is a sacred rite that pits the faithful against the demonic and shadowy corruption that has taken hold of another being or object.
The exorcist must confess and be absolved before undertaking exorcism. He shall then bathe in natural water and don white robes. The exorcist must spend the night in prayer and toil inscribing 63 ribbons of white silk with the 63 verses of protection (pg 1231-1235) and attach the ribbons to the robes. At last he shall don a long sash of white cloth embroidered with the Testimony of Faith and wrap it around his waist. These measures will protect the Exorcist and make him immune to the touch of the demons and the shadow, Light Willing.
In all following exorcisms the Exorcist may use the same robes and sash and does not have to craft them again throughout the night.
The exorcist shall draw a limestone circle of exactly 2,228 ells (ell is the distance from the tip of Exorcist’s middle finger to his elbow joint) in diameter around the possessed (who must be tied to a wooden chair by truesilver chains) and then inscribe the Seven Prayers Against Evil (pg 1235-1242) on the circumference of the circle and place seven incense burners on the circle. He shall then turn to the Light and recite the Prayer of Dawn:
“O Light, guide us through this darkness! We trust in the coming of the Dawn and fear not the night! We trust in You without question to protect us against the dark, You, O Light, are our truest hope!
O Light, you alone can stand between Your creatures and the onslaught of the Dark! With You alone can we find our shelter, You are our only refuge in this devastating storm!
Save and protect us!”
The circle will keep the entity of evil within and prevent it from escaping or harming the bystanders once it is cast out from the body of the possessed. Now the exorcist shall enter the circle and channel Light’s glory to cast the demon or shadow-corruption out, he may do so using the Holy Invocations of Exorcism. If the exorcist is dealing with a demon he should have a thaumaturge at hand to banish the fiend or a shadowbreaker to slay it. Whatever the case, the demon will be unable to leave the circle, neither in its true form nor in the body of the possessed.
The Rite of Benediction
Benediction is a sacred rite of blessing meant to imbue the faithful with the glow of Light’s glory that will aid them in life. Those who have received benediction are watched over by the Holy Light and hear Its voice more clearly in their heart, increasing their capacity to tell Good from Evil and act upon the former.
The lector shall collect water from a stream or a river and let it stand a night in a jar or a bowl with his Truesilver Cross submerged within. He shall wake up before dawn and take the water out to catch the first rays of the sun and beseech the Light to bless it:
“Holy! Holy! Holy is the Light, the Illuminator of the World! Holy, holy, holy is the Light that ends the night and delivers us to a dawn of another blessed day! Praised! Praised be the Light! Praised be the Light that Illuminates creation with its Glory!
O Light, bless this water as you bless the world! Bless this water and let it capture your Glory! O Light, turn this water into a shining diamond that reflects Your Glory onto this sinful world!”
Benediction itself must take place after the daily prayers or the grand mass, the lector will beseech the Light to bless the faithful through him:
“Gaze into the hearts of Your creatures, weight their hearts on the scales of Your justice and show them Your mercy! Light, forgive our sins and bless us with your guidance, for without it we are left alone to face the darkest night! Save and protect us!”
The lector will take a brush and sprinkle the holy water on each individual faithful while reciting with each faithful he blesses:
“Save and protect us!
The Rite of Conversion
The one who seeks to be converted to Anethionism shall be guided by a lector to a body of fresh water, none as sacred as the Mirror Lake in Elwynn Forest. There, the convert shall kneel before the lector and confess his sins according to the Rite of Confession. Conversion is a joyous occasion upon which even most grievous sins can be absolved without harsh penance. Conversion is a clean start. After absolving the sins, the Lector will cut the hair of the convert and recite:
"May your sins, like your hair, go down into the earth; you stand forgiven in the eyes of men."
Afterwards, the convert shall go to the body of fresh water, strip naked and bathe thoroughly while the lector pours a vial of holy water into the lake and chants:
"May you wash away the dust of your old life and all your burdens, and be born anew into the true Anethionean faith."
When the convert is thus prepared, he shall be given a set of coarse linen robes and a hood to don if he is to join the Chapter. Otherwise he shall don his former clothing. The convert shall stand before the Lector, with one hand on the Holy Scripture, and recite the oath:
"I testify that there is nothing holy but the Holy Light, and no truer teaching than that of Anethion!
I, name here, swear in the presence of the Holy Light to be guided through my life by the word of Prophet Anethion, and to obey Light's Will as set down in the Holy Scripture and revealed to Anethion and his successors.
I pledge myself to the Holy Light with my body, heart and soul, and shall surrender my whole being to the Holy Light, so that I may become one with Its glory, and have no other goals in my life but the Sacred Duty.
Praised be the Holy Light, the illuminator of the world; and praised be holy Anethion, Light's humble envoy, the illuminator of men!"
Afterwards, the lector shall give to the convert a pocket copy of the Holy Scripture and hang the White Cross necklace over his neck. If the Convert is also willing to serve the Chapter, the lector will put a tabard over his head and the convert will pull up the hood.
When this ceremony is done, the Lector and the convert shall return to a place of worship, where for the first time the convert has to speak the Testimony of Faith upon entry. They shall kneel before the altar together, and recite the Tyrrean Creed.
Last Rites
When the Light takes somebody to itself, a priest is not always at hand to conduct a proper burial. If such is the case, it falls upon the shoulders of every faithful to bury his brothers, and perform the ritual as well as the circumstances permit.
The deceased is to be washed in clean water and dressed in white robes. A sash is to be strapped around his waist. If the dead was an Anethionean, then the testimony of faith is to be inscribed on the sash. Followers of the Light shall carry the inscription of “I Trust in the Light”. Lightless shall be buried with an inscription of “O Light, have mercy upon my soul.”
The body, that has been prepared in that way, must be laid on a funeral pyre, with hands positioned on the legs, palms-up. Eyelids must be closed. Mouth adjusted to form a serene smile.
Wash the face with holy water, while chanting:
"You go on your final passage, to stand Light's holy trial, may you be rewarded for your good deeds, and punished for your sins."
Afterwards, drench the body in oil, the pyre is to be lit.
"As water cleanses the body, so does the fire purify the soul! Be free now of your mortal shell, your time on Azeroth has come to its end."
"May the Light, the omniscient and omnipresent, weight your heart and judge your soul, so that Justice that was denied on this sinful earth may be done in heaven!"
Then any speech appropriate to the man's life may be given, while his body is consumed by flames. All can come to the pyre to pay their respects, and throw prayer-inscribed paper into the fire.
When the flames have died out, ashes are to be collected and placed in an urn. The urn is then to be interred on a sanctified graveyard.
Sacred Oath
Sacred Oath is a promise given to the Holy Light. To break that oath is a grave sin.
An oath must be given in the presence of a lector who shall act as a witness. The oath is to be written on a ribbon of white silk by the lector and shall begin with:
“O Light, in You I place my trust, for You alone have the strength to prevail against all odds. Accept my oath and bless me, so that I may never waver in my holy pledge.”
Then the text of the oath is to be written by the lector. Then the faithful shall take another ribbon and copy the text by his own hand. This ribbon will be sewn to his clothing and Benediction offered by the Lector. From this moment the oath is binding.
The lectors have the power to free the faithful from their oaths by soaking both copies of the ribbon in holy water and burning them.
- Rituals:
Daily Prayer
Daily prayer is the duty of every faithful, devotion is the third step of Ascension. Yet a prayer is more than that, a prayer ends the day of work and gives the faithful a chance to gather and exchange news, confess their sins and receive benediction.
5 minutes before the Prayer starts the lectors, aspirants and canons will announce throughout the world the holy call to prayer:
“The Holy Light is the illuminator of the World! Have faith in the Light, for the Light is our only salvation! Hurry to testify your faith, hurry to surrender your pride, hurry to the prayer in the Cathedral of Light, for the Light alone shall provide!”
Cathedral of Light is to be replaced by the name of the closest place of worship when the call is not sounded in Stormwind City.
The faithful are to gather in the place of worship and wait for a lector to appear at the entrance of the place of worship, the faithful must separate to allow the lector a clear approach towards the altar.
The lector will enter and approach the altar, the faithful and the lector shall prostrate and recite:
“I surrender myself to the Holy Light, the source of all that is Good. O Light, in You alone I trust without question, guide me away from darkness and into Your grace! O Light, direct me for all my hope for salvation is vested in You!”
The lector and the faithful shall rise to their knees and continue:
“O Light, all my praise goes to You.
O Light, I open my heart and my soul to Your Glory. I beseech You, find me worthy of Your blessings.
To You I pledge myself, O Light, accept my heart and soul, let me never waver in my sharing, just as You will never decline
Illuminate all darkness, help us see Good from Evil, fill us with compassion towards our fellow faithful and protect us from the damning touch of sin!
Provide for the righteous, deliver those who stray, forgive our sins and send Your wrath against the wicked!
O Light, in You alone I trust to provide, I give myself to You for You alone can save me!”
Then the lector shall say a prayer he feels is appropriate for the occasion.
“By our Faith in the Light, let it be so!”
The lector will rise and recite a recitation and expound its meaning to the faithful. After the recitation has been said and explained the lector and the faithful will sing together:
“We thank the guide who lit our way,
who revealed the pitfalls,
who cast light on the sins,
We thank Anethion in whose footsteps we tread!”
Then the lector shall proceed to offering benediction, confessions, lectures and medical care to the faithful.
Grand Mass
Call is sounded fifteen minutes prior to the grand mass:
“The Holy Light is the Illuminator of the world!
Praise the Light, the great provider by whom all Good is inspired!
Surrender your pride and give your heart to the Light,
For Light alone is our salvation!
Hurry to the Cathedral of Light, hurry to sing praise to the Light, hurry to testify your faith in the Light, for Light shall save those who carry It in their hearts!”
The faithful gather in a place of worship and the lector awaits them at the altar. The faithful must leave the central path clear.
Two canons or aspirants shall walk the path with incense-burning censers and sing the psalm as they approach the altar:
“Praised be the Illuminator of the World
the all-generous provider who gives Good to all who accept It,
the all-wise sage who guides to Its haven all who would hear It,
the all-merciful savior who cleanses of sin those who surrender to It,
the all-just arbiter who gives all souls their rightful due!
O Light, we testify our love for You,
For in You alone we trust without question,
You alone can save us from our sins,
guide us through the darkest night,
and admit us in Your presence,
let all faithful become one with Your Glory!”
As the two reach the altar they shall turn around and face the audience. The lector and the faithful shall greet each other with “Hail Anethion” and perform the prostration.
Then they will rise to their knees and say the Daily Prayer.
Then they will recite together the Tyrrean Creed while knelt before the altar.
The two canons shall then walk from the altar towards the exit and wave their censers while singing another psalm:
“O Light accept our praise,
O Light accept our thanks,
You chose to reveal Yourself,
You let us marvel at Your glory!
Thanked be the Light,
For filling our lives with purpose!
Praised be the Light,
For singing to our hearts!
We thank You, O Light,
For You dwell in the World,
For You never abandon in life,
Neither Your friends nor Your foes.”
The lector may then recite a recitation and expound on its meaning.
The two shall walk back to the altar and sing another short psalm:
“We thank the guide who lit our way,
who revealed the pitfalls,
who cast light on the sins,
We thank Anethion in whose footsteps we tread!”
Then the lector may say the speech he deems appropriate for the occasion and end it by kneeling together with the faithful before the altar and saying the Prayer for the Martyred:
“Admit in Your presence the martyred who died with Your name of their lips, show them Your mercy for they gave You their life.
Share with us Your compassion, so that we may care for those who got struck in Your service.
Share with us your benevolence, so that we may help the orphans and widows left in the wake of your Holy Crusade.
O Light, do not allow us to forget their sacrifices, permit us no sympathy with enemies of Your creation, direct us to spare no demon, undead or those who support them!”
At last the lector will perform Benediction while the two walk among the crowd and chant the Tyrrean Hymn:
“We who are the creatures of the Light,
And sing sweetly in praise of Light’s Glory,
We surrender all earthly things to It that shall see us through the night,
So that the Light may set Its throne in our hearts,
And Illuminate us as It Illuminates the world.”
The Grand mass will end with a collective declaration with a booming voice:
“Faith Shall Overcome!”
The clergy will then freely offer medical care, confessions and lectures to all who may desire them.
Sacred Wedlock
The couple will inform a lector prior to daily prayers or a grand mass about their intention to be married.
The Lector must first consider the legality of the marriage:
Both must be above the age of 16, inducted into the Anethionean Faith by the Rite of Conversion and single.
A human cannot be locked in wedlock with a non-human unless of Thalassian blood.
Same-sex marriages are not permitted.
If the marriage is legally permissible the lector will announce the intention of the couple during the ceremony and set a date on which the Ritual will take place.
The ritual itself must happen after a daily prayer or the Grand Mass
The man and the woman are not permitted to see each other from the moment of the announcement and must seek forgiveness for their sins prior to the ritual and spend this time making preparations and inviting guests.
The couple must arrive in white robes.
After the daily prayer or a mass the Lector will announce the marriage once again and ask if anyone has any legal reason to oppose it. If no reason is given, he shall summon the couple to the altar.
Then he shall write on a ribbon of white silk the sacred Vow of Marriage:
"O Light, in You we place our trust, for You alone have the strength to prevail against all odds. Accept our oath and bless us, so that we may never waver in our holy pledge.
We vow on this blessed day to love each other as man and wife and share with each other all that we have without holding anything back.
We vow to remain a brother and sister under the Light and to treat each other with respect and compassion and to never mistreat one another.
O Light, bless us so that we may walk hand-in-hand in this life and share the joys and the hardships from this day and until the day of our Trial."
The two shall then rewrite the oath on two ribbons of white silk.
The lector will tie the hands of the man and the wife together with the two ribbons they have just inscribed and ask them to stand and face the congregation with their bound hands raised high.
He will then offer benediction, and wedlock is sealed from that moment.
Only the Vicar of Anethion has the power to dissolve this most sacred of oaths.
- Trials of Faith:
Trials of Faith
Strongest faith has been tried and contested, trials of the faith are meant to put the faithful in a position where he can only prevail through Light’s grace. Trials of the faith must always be challenging, but only a fool undertakes a trial that is beyond him.
Vicar Bernard has composed a list of the possible trials of faith to give us a chance to get closer to the Holy Light.
Recite five recitations in public.
Resolve to walk barefoot.
Make a vow to treat every creature you encounter with respect and compassion and think before you speak. Help those who require your aid.
Collect charity on the streets.
Deprive yourself of sleep and spend the nights in prayer for as long as you are able.
Make a vow of silence, cover your face with a mask or a veil and let your good actions speak for you and identify you.
Reject all clothing except the brown sackcloth robes and devote yourself to doing charity, collect for your own meals and sleep under the open sky.
Wear a thick blindfold that covers your eyes and rely on others to find your way around and assist you with simplest things while spreading Light’s word. Let the Light guide you. Those who wish to make this trial harder can also tie their arms to their chest.
Leave civilization for the comfort of a cave or a sheltered glade where you will pray and meditate upon the Light and fast while exposed to the elements.
Head to the infirmary or hospital and nurse the sick and the wounded without asking for reward or gratitude.
Head to the cells and allow yourself to be locked with the criminals while you tend to their needs and teach them the ways of the Light and persuade them to turn back on their sins.
Don the robes and arm yourself with a staff or a club and head on a pilgrimage to the Holy Places, pray there and clean them.
Copy the Book of Revelations by hand.
Illuminate the Book of Revelations.
Locate an abandoned church and restore it with your own hands.
Take a quarterstaff or a club and head into the world while wearing sackcloth robes and making an oath to combat every threat you encounter, regardless of odds and speaking out against every sin and evil.
Walk on shattered glass or hot coals and let the Faith carry you through.
Lock yourself in stocks and invite others to humiliate you while preaching the Light to those who curse you.
Wear the Faithful’s Garter and endure constant pain.
Invite your brothers and sisters to cane you while thanking them for every blow they deliver and denying yourself any hatred or contempt for them.
Reject violence and head to a lightless place and preach the Holy Light and do nothing but speak with kindness to ward off the attacks.
Consume a poison of agony daily to endure constant and terrible pain while going about your business.
Carve prayers, holy symbols and recitations onto your skin with a heated blade.
Wander the frozen lands of Dun Morogh on bare feet and with nothing but your sackcloth robe and let the Light keep you warm.
Allow yourself to be lashed until your skin breaks and then roll in old filth and allow the Light to protect you against disease.
Jump into the pyre and endure the flames with Light’s aid.
Fast, meditate and pray and then down a cup of potent demon-blood and endure the corruption for seven days with the aid of the Light. Make sure a Shadowbreaker is at hand to slay you should you fail.
- Doctrines:
Doctrine of the Sin
The Holy Light whispers to our hearts and compels us to do Good and shun Evil. Rejection of this holy call thwarts Light’s plans and delays its ultimate victory over all Evil. Rejection of the Holy Commandment is called a Sin. A sin brings harm to the Cosmos and wounds the soul of the sinner.
A sin is that which is abhorrent to the Holy Light, a sin is a wound upon the soul – a wound that will grow and fester. Those whose soul is besmirched by sin are distanced from the Light and can no longer hear Light’s will clearly. In time they will lose all sense of Good and Evil and surrender their souls to the false promises of Shadow and Fel.
Only the sinner himself may save his soul and heal the wound, but the servants of the Light can guide him and expedite the process. It is their Sacred Charge to do so, for souls laden with sin will be cast down by the Light upon their Last Trial and sent to the Nether to be damned for all eternity. Those who are pure, or those whose balance of good and evil is favorable will be assumed by the Light and watch over the faithful from the here-after.
Doctrine of the Divine Mandate
The Holy Light is the sole source of authority to be obeyed without question. In an ideal world of faithful men, Lights Kingdom, each will have no-one above him except the Holy Light. Until that time comes those less illuminated must seek out guidance of those who stand closer to the Light to aid them on their path to salvation.
The community too must seek leaders based on their merit and faith. To ward against the demagogues it is best if those chosen raise their heirs to succeed them, forming the foundations of aristocratic government of nobles and kings. Every prince rules by the grace of the Holy Light and watches over Light’s community and must remember his duty to the people. This duty and Light’s blessing to carry it out is embodied in the Divine Mandate:
1: Champion the Holy Faith. Strive to follow the Light in all things and reach Illumination. Assure that churches are intact, rituals performed, schools and hospitals run for the community.
2: Serve Justice. Strive to act with justice in all things so that the weak are not oppressed by the strong, the orphans are taken in, the widows cared for, the sick and the maimed treated. Enforce the Law at all times with a sense of duty and rule justly rather than arbitrarily.
3: Protect the community from outside threats. Rally the people to fight off the invaders, train to keep in shape and construct fortifications.
4: Organize the community to undertake great labors for the benefit of all. A ruler who has muddied canals, broken dykes and rotten mills on his land is not worthy of obedience.
5: Take with moderation. You hold the wealth in trust for the people, to be used for their benefit. Take no more than you need and never succumb to vanity and luxury. An iron crown is as good as a golden crown. A good ruler shall hold no feasts while a single child still starves in his domain!
6: Heed the counsel of those you govern. Hear the petitions, listen to complaints and visit the wise elders and priests and seek their guidance. A good ruler shall hold council with those he governs regularly.
The princes who transgress must be forgiven at first, for they are mortal. Should the prince break the trust of those he governs and turn his back on the Light and lose the divine mandate than it is up to the King – the prince of princes to remove him and replace him with somebody more worthy.
Doctrine of the Double-edged Sword
Magic is a double-edged sword. Those who accept its boons must also accept its dangers. A man who is ignorant of the dangers should not be allowed to wield magic. The Arcane corrupts, the Arcane invites demons to enter our world. Magic must only be wielded by those capable of handling the responsibility and having faith in the Holy Light, for Light alone can save them from the temptations of the Fel. A man who is known to sin easily should not be permitted to use magic. Those who use magic without a very good reason and in vain must be forbidden to use it.
Abjuration and Enchantment are the schools of magic to be favored above all else as they are of direct benefit to the Faithful. Those who practice illusion are guilty of the sin of deception and must only ever use it against the enemies of the Light. Evocation is the offensive school and magic must never be used to harm Light’s children, even if they stray from the path. Evocation should only ever be used against the Demons, Undead and those who side with them by using Fel and Shadow.
Magic is dangerous and has to be regulated strictly. All magi must be members of guilds such as the Kirin Tor, Stormwind Tower of Magic or the Anethionean College of Mysteries and report their research truthfully. Failure to do so is a sign of a lack of responsibility.
Doctrine of the Creation from Chaos
The Twisting Nether is the realm of absolute chaos and endless possibility, ever-changing and ever-warping. How could our world arise from this chaos? It is known that Will is capable of shaping the Nether and giving it order and permanence. The Will that has created our world, set the heavenly bodies in their perfect motion and began the splendor of life is a benevolent, omnipresent entity that illuminates Its creation. This entity we call The Holy Light.
The Holy Light chose to bestow free will upon Its creatures because without it there can be no happiness and joy, and the Light desires Its creation to enjoy these positive emotions. The Holy Light whispers to the hearts of all and makes Its will known to them. Those who ignore this will repeatedly grew more distant from the Light and no longer hear Its song. Those who embrace the commandments and follow them will be led into Light’s presence and join with the Light after death.
Sin originates with the assumption that a life in accordance with the will of the Light is not the best life a man can have. This assumption leads the man to seek improvement outside of what is desired by the Light and leads him into sin. Sin distances him from the Holy Light and makes him unable to hear Its guidance. Such men say that the Light has abandoned them, while in fact they abandoned the Light. The Light never abandons Its children and should these lost souls surrender their pride and turn to the Light in penance, It will accept them back into Its fold. All evil originates from mortal sin, and although demons are exemplars of pure evil it are mortals who invite them into Creation and assist them to further their agendas on Azeroth.
Doctrine of the Racial Separateness
There are many ways to reach the Holy Light. When one travels from one village to another, the surest route depends on the race and culture. A human would travel the roads, an elf cross the forest while a Murloc will travel the fastest if he goes by the river. Every race has its optimal road for reaching the Holy Light.
If we allow our culture to influence and get influenced by the cultures of our races we shall compromise each other’s chances at salvation. We must remember that we can be closest of friends and allies and have great respect for other races, but we must never open our cities to them and allow an exchange of culture and religion to commence.
One day the Holy Light will send Its prophets to the Lightless races and offer them their unique path at salvation. In the meantime we must not judge or denounce them, for the Light has chosen to remain hidden from them.
All who have Faith in the Light and do Sacred Duty in one way or another form the Universal Community despite the differences in religion and should be treated as brothers and sisters under the Light, regardless of their race.
At last we must keep in mind our Solidarity with our community. Every time we use foreign goods or services we are denying our own artisan a chance of income. Trade should be restricted only to strategic goods paramount for the survival of the Realm and goods and services that know no human equivalent or cannot yet be produced by humans, in human lands.
- Psalms and Prayers:
Anethionean Psalms and Prayers
Universal Glory
Sweet praise flows from our tongues,
Sweet praise is in our deeds,
Sweet praise is in our hearts,
O Light, You alone we praise!
Let Your will be done,
Your verdict passed,
Your kindness shared,
On Azeroth as it is in Heaven.
Your truth will carry us,
Guide us into Your Embrace,
As shall carry Your truth,
Even to the furthest stars!
Every star shall sing with us,
Every leaf shall sing with us,
Every creature shall sing with us,
Sing our sweet praise to You!
The whole universe shall sing the praise to the Holy Light!
Prayer for Prophets
Holy-Light, in You and You alone I trust,
Show mercy upon those, who love You dearly
But are in no position to take up the Book,
And the Cross, as it has been revealed to us
Send Prophets of Wisdom,
To those who do their Sacred Duty,
With You in their heart,
So that all the world may sing Your Word
As was revealed to the Prophet Anethion,
Illuminator of Mankind.
Prayer for those who insult the Prophet
O Holy-Light, I see those men
That claim to love You so, and know of Your will,
Yet turn their backs on He that You chose,
To guide us all.
O Holy-Light, I see those men
Who mock Your envoy, yet recite Your Holy Name
Bring them back into the fold, so that they may see the truth,
That to love You and not love the Prophet’s message cannot go hand-in-hand,
That the word of the Prophet is Your word and His word Yours.
Prayer for Ignorant Humans
For those who are ignorant of the Light’s word, out of no fault of their own,
I pray.
For those in the Deserts and those in the Jungles,
I pray.
For those that answer the Light in their hearts, without even knowing of It,
I love.
For those that substitute the Holy-Light, for idols, out of ignorance,
I pray.
For those that perish witnessing the Truth of Anethion,
I pray.
For those that spread the Truth to the hidden corners of Light’s creation,
I love.
Prayer for those facing the Last Trial
Holy-Light, creator and redeemer, no other has my praise,
Hear my prayer for the one that has perished, whom You have called from this life to Yourself, to face the Last Trial.
Weigh the life accordingly, we humbly ask You to pardon those sins pardonable,
And bestow the blessing of the here-after with the pure and life everlasting.
Prayer for the Sick, Cursed and Dying
O Holy-Light, that which brings Order where there is Chaos,
Bring peace to the poor man and woman that suffers,
Vest in Your servants the power You vested in Anethion,
When He cast out the sickness from Jeremiah,
Show mercy upon all those who suffer unjustly,
For You are merciful, O Holy Light.
Prayer for the Plaguelands
Restore to Your favored race, O Light, the land on which Your envoy walked, the land on which Your Word and Eternal Law was first spoken. Forgive us for our sinful brothers that turned their backs on You, and betrayed Your Holy Land to Darkness.
Empower those Knights of Anethion and Knights of the Kingdom, which suffer bitterly to purify the Holy Land with You in their hearts.
Guide them to wreak Your Divine Retribution upon those that raise Your children from their peaceful slumber, and take upon themselves the powers over Life and Death that only You may have, through dark and twisted means.
First Psalm of Devotion
O Anethion, father to us all,
Hear your servants’ desperate call!
With your wise word, our lives truly began,
With Light’s grace, started Its heavenly plan;
And so the Light was then seen,
So beautiful, so warm, and so serene.
Praise and love our weak and sinful race,
With the abundance of your grace,
Keep far our foes, give peace at home,
With the Light we worship, no evil can roam.
Before the Light, much blessed now,
All knees in great awe do bow,
Al things above and below adore
And admire the Light forevermore.
Second Psalm of Devotion
O glorious Light, to thee our knees in worship do bend,
O benevolent Light, to thee our hearts much praise do send,
O merciful Light, to thee our souls their fidelity do lend;
While others may forsake thee, ever loyal shall remain we -
So please bend upon your servant a loving eye,
Help mend his broken bones and mangled flesh,
With your blessing, set his body and soul afresh
And songs of your grace shall surely ascend the sky
Prayer for the Vicar
O dear Holy-Light, have mercy upon the Shepherd and Ruler of all Your faithful people, our Supreme Lector, Abbot Osmand Lighguard.
We beg You to guide him and the Church You have ordained him to preside over, we beg You to help him edify, both by word and example, those over whom he has charge, and reveal to him some of the innumerable mysteries of Your nature, as You have done to all of those Vicars before him, the Prophetic successors, so that he may himself reach everlasting life together with the flock entrusted to him.
Tyrrean Hymn
We who are the creatures of the Light,
And sing sweetly in praise of Light’s Glory,
We surrender all earthly things to It that shall see us through the night,
So that the Light may set Its throne in our hearts,
And Illuminate us as It Illuminates the world.
Psalm of Gratitude
We thank the guide who lit our way,
who revealed the pitfalls,
who cast light on the sins,
We thank Anethion in whose footsteps we tread!
Psalm of Revelation
O Light accept our praise,
O Light accept our thanks,
You chose to reveal Yourself,
You let us marvel at Your glory!
Thanked be the Light,
For filling our lives with purpose!
Praised be the Light,
For singing to our hearts!
We thank You, O Light,
For You dwell in the World,
For You never abandon in life,
Neither Your friends nor Your foes.
Holy Psalm
Praised be the Illuminator of the World
the all-generous provider who gives Good to all who accept it,
the all-wise sage who guides to Its haven all who would hear it,
the all-merciful savior who cleanses of sin those who surrender to it,
the all-just arbiter who gives all souls their rightful due!
O Light, we testify our love for you,
For in You alone we trust without question,
You alone can save us from our sins,
guide us through the darkest night,
and admit us in Your presence,
let all faithful become one with Your Glory!
Prayer of Healing
O Light, You are all-merciful,
The whole world exists by the grace of Your kindness,
Where You share your Love,
order and beauty are plentiful,
Share with us Your compassion,
lend us Your Glory in our time of need,
for You alone can restore,
what You have begotten.
Reveal Your smile to your children,
Lovingly hold their hand,
Fill them with Your glory and grace,
And restore them to good health!
By Fire and Sword
Bells toll in Your honor,
Drums beat for Your glory,
Your children march in unison,
Into Your Holy War!
Banners fly with Your cross,
Prayers speak of Your might,
Let us spare not,
neither ourselves nor the foes!
By Fire and Sword,
By prayer and word,
We drag unrepentant lands,
To kneel before Your throne!
Rise for faith,
Sons of Thoradin’s land!
The Holy Light calls,
To fight in Its righteous wars!
- Meditations:
Meditations upon the Holy Light
Meditations serve the purpose of bringing the Faithful closer to the Light within by shutting out the reasonable mind that distances us from the Light.
Anethion’s Meditation
Pick up a musical instrument and head into the nature, guided by the Light, until you find a breathtaking location. Sit there and play your music while chanting for the Light in no language in particular, let the Light in your heart flow from your tongue and shape your chant. Strive to make your wordless chant as pure and beautiful as you can and proceed like this without food or water until you can either take it no longer or the Light has revealed itself to you.
Bernard’s Meditation
Allow yourself to be put on a torture rack and tormented by your brothers while slowly chanting the Recitations in an even and serene voice, cycling through them in no particular order while the torment continues.
Ioanna’s First Meditation
Fast for the whole day and upon the coming of the night light a single candle in the room. Place a cup with burning incense on the floor. Prostrate with your arms outstretched, face down against the floor and the head almost reaching the cup. Chant the epitaphs of the Holy Light very slowly (30 seconds per epitaph) and upon each chanting raise your head as you begin chanting it and strike the floor with your forehead as you finish.
“The Holy Light is all-compassionate
The Holy Light is all-great
The Holy Light is all-powerful
The Holy Light is all-merciful
The Holy Light is all-just
The Holy Light is all-wise
The Holy Light is all-knowing
The Holy Light is all-benevolent
The Holy Light is all-forgiving
The Holy Light is all-glorious
The Holy Light is all-splendorous
The Holy Light is all-graceful
The Holy Light is all-magnificent
The Holy Light is all-seeing
The Holy Light is all-mighty
The Holy Light is all-beautiful
The Holy Light is all-radiant
The Holy Light is all-awesome
The Holy Light is all-illuminating
The Holy Light is all-loving
The Holy Light is all-caring
The Holy Light is all-kind
The Holy Light is all-charitable”
Then move on to combining two epitaphs, like:
“The Holy Light is all-compassionate and all-great”
and chanting the whole list.
Then three, then four and go on like this until all the epitaphs merge or the Light reveals itself to you.
Ioanna’s Second Meditation
Open the recitations of any vicar you wish to meditate upon.
Begin reciting the recitations from a random spot and counting words, when you reach 55th word you shall stop and count the letters in that word. Then you will skip equal amount of words without reading them as there are letters in the word and speak aloud the word you end with while counting its letters and proceeding in this fashion. If you reach the end of the recitations, skip to the first one and keep cycling. After you have spoke 11 words out loud, you will add the number of letters in the 11th word to that in the 10th and skip that amount of words before continuing. Do so eleven more time and add 11th to 10th to 9th and continue eleven more time and continue until you can add no longer or the Light has revealed itself to you.
Ioanna’s Third Meditation
Perform before sleep.
Fall on your knees with a cup of burning incense in front of you. Focus your mind and start recalling, bringing the memories before the mind’s eyes and focusing on the moment, smell, light, sounds and all:
Recall your breakfast
Recall your dinner
Recall the first word you said during the day
Recall the last thing you did before entering the room in which you meditate
Recall the face of the first person you met during the day
Recall your first proper conversation in detail
When your memory has been triggered, begin remembering your day from waking up to the present and remaining alert for any violations of the Sacred Duty. Resolve to confess and correct them after you have spotted them.
- The Book of Revelations:
The Book of Revelations
The Book of revelations is the ongoing story of the prophet Anethion and his vicars, in it the Light’s living revelation to Its children is recorded for posterity. Read its stories and meditate upon their meaning and let the life and deeds of the prophet and his successors inspire your life.
[The book contains over a thousand pages and is divided into the Book of Anethion, Bernard, Waldemar and Ioanna. Each dealing with the reigns of these people and situations which arose in their time. Each book has own style and focus.
Book of Anethion is the longest, over 400 pages, and deals with the life of Anethion from the moment of Revelation to the prophet´s death. The book is full of parables and wise lessons on matters of organizing daily life in accordance with the Holy Light.
Book of Bernard is only 80 pages long and deals with the turbulent time of the Fall of Lordaeron, it is full of suffering and hardship and indeed exalts martyrdom and challenges of faith.
Book of Waldemar deals with the period of Chapter in Stormwind and ignores almost entirely the Scarlet Crusade of which the Chapter was a part until Ashbringer´s death. Book of Waldemar is over 300 pages long and contains the exploits of Richard and Dragomir while focusing on questions of ecclesiastical authority, discipline, ritual and loyalty.
Book of Ioanna is about 200 pages of mystical journey and search of unity with the Holy Light and inspiring theological debate on assorted issues that is of little interest to a simple man.
Examples of the texts:]
“Teach me about the Light,” asked Ariman
Anethion put his hand on the mage’s shoulder and smiled. He began his explanation about the Holy Light that is the source of all Good, Light’s whispers in the heart of every man, the importance of compassion but Ariman interrupted him, “Teach me about the Light, not about your personal view of the Light!”
Ariman withdrew, throwing Anethion’s hand off his shoulder.
“Friend, I don’t know anything about the Light,” Anethion confessed with a kind and sincere face.
“All I know is what the Light reveals to me. If you are not satisfied by it, then you would have to follow the Light yourself. May be you will have more luck understanding Its mysteries.”
Ariman realized his mistake and apologized, allowing Anethion to continue.
-Book of Anethion
Anethion listened together with the congregation to father Berosos who proclaimed Light’s glory with a commanding voice. He spoke of the three virtues and explained them with patience and authority of an old schoolmaster. At last, Anethion could take it no longer.
He stood up and interrupted.
“Speak all you like, Berosos, but there is no Light in your words.”
Berosos scowled with indignation and challenged the prophet, ”What do you know about the Light!?”
Anethion remained silent as he walked to the nearby bench and gently helped up a woman holding a child.
“I know that her husband has abandoned her and her child and she has not eaten in days. And I know that we must help her.”
-Book of Anethion
When the people of Reedbank have learned of the prophet’s arrival they panicked and hurried to chase the beggars from the streets and lock the sick in their houses.
“We should not let our squalor offend Anethion,” they said to one another.
Anethion arrived in Reedbank and was guided through the main street and into the church. He saw nothing that was not neat and respectable. He proclaimed from the altar:
“Let me tell you about Robert. Robert was a faithless man who did not love the Light and spurred Its guidance. Yet he also run a shop and knew how pious the men of his village were and realized that they would not buy anything from him. So Robert went to the church, and stood closest to the altar. He said ‘Light bless you’ to each men he passed and acted with indignation towards anyone who sinned within his sight. And so the story of his piety spread and villagers came to him for advice. Robert answered them with his sweet voice full of lies and offered counsel that was empty. And he abode in that way for three years, wearing the mantle of a sage while being a fool. What would you, elders of Reedbank, do to that man if he was judged in your village?”
“Exile him,” said one
“Put him in the stocks and let all see him for the fool he is,” added another.
Anethion smiled and replied.
“That man, o elders, is you.”
And they blushed deep red in shame and knew that it was true.
-Book of Anethion
Anethion saw a man chastise his son,
“How dare you speak thus about the priest, you blasphemous dog,” the man shouted as his hand struck the cheek of his son.
Anethion approached and held back the hand.
“Do not be angry with him for his sins,” the prophet said.
“And why should I not, I will not raise him as a lightless sinner!”
And so Anethion told him of Jerome, who has lost his home to the Orcs and sat at the burning ruins with the body of his baby-son in his hands. Jerome was at loss where to find refuge and hope. He looked towards the crest of the nearby hill where the ruined church-tower stood and remembered Kiara the milkmaid who shunned in public what she did in private and stood closest to the altar as she denounced the sins of others. He remember Paul the drunken priests who fell asleep during confessions and assaulted the congregation with dogma while the poor starved in back rows. “Perhaps the Light will help me,” Jerome thought and a chill ran up his spine. He turned his back on the church and wandered off into the night.
“And that is how Kiara and Paul have robbed a man of Light’s grace,” Anethion said.
“When you speak of the Light, you represent the Light. Be sure to leave a good impression.”
-Book of Anethion
“As I lay dying in my bed, I came to realize the simple yet great truth about the nature of the human condition. The heaven is infinitely far away, and while we are blessed with souls and minds that can glimpse it and aspire towards it, our wretched bodies are shackled to this foul earth. Yet the Light is merciful, and it Illuminates those who long towards it with sincere longing, and surrender themselves to it fully while holding nothing back, those who place their faith in the Light will never be disappointed.
And so it came to me, that a man who suffers the worst injustice, who is robbed of all hope of solace in this world, whose spine is twisted with the hardships of his labor…that man can find refuge in the Light, and in the Light alone. And should he reach out, his desperate prayers will be so sweet, sincere and pure of any doubt and duplicity that the Light will love him, and fill him to the very edge with its sweet and blissful grace. As it filled me, and saved me from the clutches of death. Truly, the purest faith can only rise in a crucible of hopeless suffering when there is no refuge, save in the Light.”
-Book of Bernard
“Dragomir held princess Anaei in his sights and aimed a pistol at her, ready to shoot this cultist-lover should she try to escape. But his regard for her regal status overwhelmed him, and when the princess turned and ran away he could not pull the trigger.
And so it came to be that I, Waldemar, had to chastise him for his mistake. As I lowered a lash after lash with a short whip against his back I taught him right conduct:
“Not even the royalty can escape Light’s Judgment, brother. Now she will endanger the souls of her people and guide her nation into the hands of the Scourge. Remember Dragomir, ours is not to question, ours is to serve. The Light will take care of all the rest.”
-Book of Waldemar
“Men are loud to demand justice when they are grieved; they are equally loud in their demands of mercy when their friends are put before the Law. Justice must wield a sword of steel and know neither mercy nor hatred. I, Waldemar, declare that men need clear boundaries and even clearer consequences for breaking them. Punishments must be enforced consequentially. Vagueness and mercy only confuse, corroding the authority of the Law and tempting others into crime.”
-Book of Waldemar
“After reciting the epitaphs of the Holy Light for full day without food, water and rest I was blinded by pure white Light that came not from a single source but from every object in the room and even from in-between the objects. I could see nothing except this light, but every object sang to me in an angelic voice about its shape and nature. But their songs combined, and I could not tell the difference between them anymore, all I knew for certain was that I was surrounded by things - each beautiful and worthy in its own right.
I have reached out amidst this confusion to touch anything at all as my sight and my hearing have failed me, but wherever I reached I felt only pleasant warmth and could no longer be certain that I even had an arm. With my senses abandoning me I fell back onto my thoughts and memories and tried to recall what was in the room, but even my memories abandoned me in that blissful instant and all I could think of was ‘The Light’.
When the revelation ended I knew its meaning in my heart. The Light is all, and All is unified in the Light for it was created from the will of the Light that pulled it from the chaos of the Nether and all of existence is imbued with creative Glory of the Light. That is the truth of all things, their shapes and distinctions between these shapes mere playthings of a mortal mind.”
-Book of Ioanna
O Light who assumed the souls of the prophets,
Do not withhold Your wisdom,
Send your Glory to the vicar,
And when you choose to take him too,
Pass on the gift to his successor.
O Light, let Your revelation never end,
Bless the line that began with Anethion,
Lend it Your strength and give it Your blessing,
So that it may endure today, tomorrow and until the end of time.
Let Your praise be sung in the marshes and jungles,
In the cities and fields, by men, elves, dwarves and all the other races,
On this earth and underneath the glow of every star,
On this world and in heaven.
In the name of the Prophet Anethion whom the Light chose to Illuminate humanity,
In the name of Bernard the first Vicar who taught us to overcome the challenges,
In the name of Waldemar the second Vicar who taught us the virtues of unity,
In the name of Ioanna the third Vicar who taught us to seek the Light within,
I, Osmand Lightguard, Holy Abbot of Tyr’s Hand, Fourth Vicar of Anethion and Supreme Lector of the Tyrrean Order bless you.
Faith Shall Overcome
Melnerag- Posts : 2261
Join date : 2010-01-29
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by corleth Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:17 pm
(( The Scripture to end all Scriptures hath been revealed!
Let us give thanksgivings to that which gave order to the cosmos, the Holy-Light! ))
Let us give thanksgivings to that which gave order to the cosmos, the Holy-Light! ))
corleth- Posts : 2606
Join date : 2010-12-28
Age : 79
Location : ＮＯＷＨＥＲＥ
Character sheet
Name:
Title:
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Shaelyssa Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:36 pm
YOU BASTARD I can't believe I was about to labour through it all ... but good you posted it and even better you spoilered it.
Loved what I read so far though
The Nine Steps of Ascenions were especially beautiful imo ... you really have got a way with words Ex
And the psalms ... ah the psalms!!!
Loved what I read so far though
The Nine Steps of Ascenions were especially beautiful imo ... you really have got a way with words ExAnd the psalms ... ah the psalms!!!
Shaelyssa- Posts : 4926
Join date : 2010-02-24
Character sheet
Name: Shaelyssa Bladesinger
Title:
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Melnerag Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:40 pm
If it wasn't spoiled, it would be a daunting wall of text that only the most faithful would dare to approach. Now it looks innocent and inviting!
PS: it even got a call to prayer!
PS: it even got a call to prayer!
Melnerag- Posts : 2261
Join date : 2010-01-29
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Guest Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:38 pm
Ah the recitations of Osmand. I hear them too much irl already
Guest- Guest
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Magaskawee/Anaei Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:17 pm
((Even though all of my characters ic despise this faith, ooc its one of the guilds i've -always- wanted to join. The idea of sheer fanaticism, especially when coupled with amazing literature like this.. *shudders*. It makes me melt!))
Magaskawee/Anaei- Posts : 2882
Join date : 2010-02-18
Age : 34
Location : Northern Ireland
Character sheet
Name: Magaskawee Grimtotem
Title: Elder Crone of the Banner of the Bloodhoof
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Magaskawee/Anaei Wed Apr 25, 2012 1:31 am
(Was unsure where to post this, however it's in response to the presentation of this book at council!)
To whomever it may concern, may this letter find its way to the head, or high official of the Chapter of the Holy Anethion.
I was glad to see your members at the Council this very night, it is always lovely to see such a diverse crowd at His Majesty's council. I have had time to study, briefly, you'll forgive me, this text. I did not receive a copy from your envoy, I borrowed the Chairlady's. I am concerned as Minister of Education about the idea of several doctrines of the church, especially when it comes to the teaching within schools and by tutors.
I will be rather simple and plain in this letter sir or madam. I have contacted the Priesthood of Elune that teach in this city as well as the Dwarven Titanic preachers, I will not tolerate any word but that of the Church of the Holy Light, as is set out by the original doctrine, unaltered from the time of the founding of our Holy Church within the schools of our Kingdom. I will warn, and know that the Chapter are law-abiding citizens, will follow this, that this book, as well as any other Anethion perspective on the light shall not be preached or taught in schools. Not by teacher, priest or tutor.
The children of this Kingdom are not ripe minds for the taking, they are to be raised in a tolerant and safe environment without the worry of fanaticism or foreign gods, the risk is small, but it exists. I would also point out that this policy will cover institutions such as orphanages and libraries, I thank you for your understanding.
An interesting read none the less,
Light's Grace,
Professor Vezullia R. Astroloxia,
Minister of Education of Stormwind
To whomever it may concern, may this letter find its way to the head, or high official of the Chapter of the Holy Anethion.
I was glad to see your members at the Council this very night, it is always lovely to see such a diverse crowd at His Majesty's council. I have had time to study, briefly, you'll forgive me, this text. I did not receive a copy from your envoy, I borrowed the Chairlady's. I am concerned as Minister of Education about the idea of several doctrines of the church, especially when it comes to the teaching within schools and by tutors.
I will be rather simple and plain in this letter sir or madam. I have contacted the Priesthood of Elune that teach in this city as well as the Dwarven Titanic preachers, I will not tolerate any word but that of the Church of the Holy Light, as is set out by the original doctrine, unaltered from the time of the founding of our Holy Church within the schools of our Kingdom. I will warn, and know that the Chapter are law-abiding citizens, will follow this, that this book, as well as any other Anethion perspective on the light shall not be preached or taught in schools. Not by teacher, priest or tutor.
The children of this Kingdom are not ripe minds for the taking, they are to be raised in a tolerant and safe environment without the worry of fanaticism or foreign gods, the risk is small, but it exists. I would also point out that this policy will cover institutions such as orphanages and libraries, I thank you for your understanding.
An interesting read none the less,
Light's Grace,
Professor Vezullia R. Astroloxia,
Minister of Education of Stormwind
Magaskawee/Anaei- Posts : 2882
Join date : 2010-02-18
Age : 34
Location : Northern Ireland
Character sheet
Name: Magaskawee Grimtotem
Title: Elder Crone of the Banner of the Bloodhoof
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Melnerag Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:28 am
((Sorry Vezzy, we can't obey your orders on religious grounds:
Selling Out : obeying orders of a non-human while in human lands
))
Selling Out : obeying orders of a non-human while in human lands
))
Melnerag- Posts : 2261
Join date : 2010-01-29
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Thelos Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:59 am
(( That's stupid. She's got her authority from the council, who got their authority from the king. That's like not obeying a streetsign because it's not human.)
Thelos- Posts : 3392
Join date : 2011-07-18
Age : 33
Location : The Netherlands
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Name:
Title:
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Jeanpierre Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:06 am
((It's all about the IC attitude... and what Anethion acknowledges, not what we acknowledge. Which I think is rather amusing OOCly.
I must say it's quite some work. I've been particularly fond of the contrast between these works and my own:
www.defiasrp.com/t4965-ic-pierre-s-book-on-the-light
I didn't feel like spamming my books in here to compare notes so I gathered them there.
It's fun to see the thin, or not so thin, line of difference between the two.. and yet both promote extreme devotion at times.))
I must say it's quite some work. I've been particularly fond of the contrast between these works and my own:
www.defiasrp.com/t4965-ic-pierre-s-book-on-the-light
I didn't feel like spamming my books in here to compare notes so I gathered them there.
It's fun to see the thin, or not so thin, line of difference between the two.. and yet both promote extreme devotion at times.))
Jeanpierre- Posts : 2314
Join date : 2010-02-23
Age : 42
Location : Stormwind Cathedral -
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Magaskawee/Anaei Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:54 am
Thelos wrote:(( That's stupid. She's got her authority from the council, who got their authority from the king. That's like not obeying a streetsign because it's not human.)
((Hehe, don't worry you! And I know Melly, frankly i'd be let down if you actually submitted and obeyed! I gotta do something in this job after all..
I did enjoy the book by the way..
)
Magaskawee/Anaei- Posts : 2882
Join date : 2010-02-18
Age : 34
Location : Northern Ireland
Character sheet
Name: Magaskawee Grimtotem
Title: Elder Crone of the Banner of the Bloodhoof
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Melnerag Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:46 am
((Logic:
The KIng chose to delegate some work to the Council. So far so good.
The council chose to appoint a non-human minister while human equivalent is clearly available (OSMAND FOR MINISTER!). Therefore they have sinned. Vezullia's authority is born from a sinful descision, and the line that connects her to the King and makes her voice King's voice is therefore broken.
However....if the whole council was to vote on the matter and approve Vezullia's command then, doctrinally, the Chapter will be forced to obey. Purists will of course say "Bug omg! The law-drawft is not made by a human!" but then Jarric can just smirk and re-write the law from scatch in his own hand and run it through the council again.
I find it ironic how the Chapter cannot bring any logical arguments to demand acceptance of Anethionism without same arguments also applying to allowing Elune&Shamans&Druids in the city
.....ITS A TRAP!
However!!!! It is -not- Illegal to educate your children in whatever way you please, so we will just use that. It is not an orphanage, it is a lodgings for children adopted by Anethioneans. And if you tell us how to raise our children, then Get the HELL out!
))
The KIng chose to delegate some work to the Council. So far so good.
The council chose to appoint a non-human minister while human equivalent is clearly available (OSMAND FOR MINISTER!). Therefore they have sinned. Vezullia's authority is born from a sinful descision, and the line that connects her to the King and makes her voice King's voice is therefore broken.
However....if the whole council was to vote on the matter and approve Vezullia's command then, doctrinally, the Chapter will be forced to obey. Purists will of course say "Bug omg! The law-drawft is not made by a human!" but then Jarric can just smirk and re-write the law from scatch in his own hand and run it through the council again.
I find it ironic how the Chapter cannot bring any logical arguments to demand acceptance of Anethionism without same arguments also applying to allowing Elune&Shamans&Druids in the city
.....ITS A TRAP!However!!!! It is -not- Illegal to educate your children in whatever way you please, so we will just use that. It is not an orphanage, it is a lodgings for children adopted by Anethioneans. And if you tell us how to raise our children, then Get the HELL out!
))
Melnerag- Posts : 2261
Join date : 2010-01-29
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Melnerag Wed Jun 20, 2012 7:09 am
After a little summer hibernation due to having to Exams, the Chapter is waking up. It is your time to join in, take some of the glory and be a follower of the ONE TRUE FAITH.
Melnerag- Posts : 2261
Join date : 2010-01-29
Re: [IC-Book] The Book of Revelations
by Seranita Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:36 am
hmmm, Ideas with chareshia are comming to mind *plans evil plans and cackles*
Seranita- Posts : 4808
Join date : 2010-09-26
Character sheet
Name: Monrena
Title: Trainee Vindicator/engeneer
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