A Moral Choice
Posted by Ailith on 06/12/20
Citizens of the Compact,
You have a moral choice before you: to accept the offer by following the Apostate Ivan; or to honor the traditions and oaths of the Pantheon and remain in their grace. While he offers many of the promises of noble traditions for which you have longed, it comes at great cost, because what you do not know is that he was willing to break the ancient rite, the Rite of Sanctuary.
I come before you as a survivor of this horrific act and as a witness. During the battle at Sungreet, he sent his soldiers in the company of a foreign power to the Shrine of Sungreet to kill citizens of the Compact who sought refuge within -- his vassals that as a liege he swore before the gods to protect -- unarmed men, women, and children, thralls, clergy, commoners, and nobles. Again, all unarmed. By the grace of the pantheon, and the sacrifice by our honorable Knights of Solace, we survived.
Lord Trevor Helianthus heard what his father had ordered, and made that moral choice to stand against him, bringing along many stalwart soldiers. Consider what Apostate Ivan was willing to do to his own people, the depths to which he was willing to sink, by breaking the Rite of Sanctuary and his fealty oaths to his own people -- that has been two ancient and honorable traditions he was willing to cast aside. What others will he cast aside against you when it becomes convenient to do, or when you become inconvenient to him? This is the heart of the choice.
To the Seraphs who advised these lieges of conflicted hearts, remember your oaths are to a higher power, to the Pantheon itself. You, too, have that moral choice. Should there remain questions or concerns about it, Archlector Brigida would be honored to educate you on these matters.
Lord Trevor made the moral choice. Unwilling to stand by while these sacred traditions were desecrated, he stood up, he and the men and women willing to follow him, to show in word and deed that he stood with the Pantheon, and honored those traditions more in how he acted than the lip service paid to those traditions by the Apostate.
Lord Trevor, I ask you, please, in that same spirit, to forgive the debts of the thralls of Sungreet, because they stood with you, making that same moral choice you did.
To all those who survived at the shrine, bear witness, and help these conflicted hearts. Show forth the love of the Pantheon, share the sermon, and sing the Song of Hope. Let our faithful know from your experience what costs there are to making the wrong moral choice.
And lastly, to any who remain in conflict, I implore you to pilgrimage, and bring yourself forth in prayer before the gods. Heed the ancient traditions and oaths of our pantheon. Listen to what occurred that night. I ask you to consider the costs you will pay to adopt the Apostate's way that places all your souls in ultimate danger. A man willing to break Sanctuary will not lead you in any direction that keeps you in the grace of our pantheon. A man willing to go to this length, would be willing to do as bad or worse to you.
Now is the time for you to make the choice, but be certain, for the damage of following such a man will be tremendous. There are costs. Or be like Lord Trevor, stand up for the Pantheon, remain in their grace, and their love will remain with you.
--- Templars Stance via Preston ---
The Thralls of Sungreet risked all to save the innocent, fight for the Gods and for the Compact. It is right to recognise that debt and recognise the freedom they have earnt.
--- Valorous Few Stance via Shard ---
Officially recognizing that the now free peoples of Sungreet have taken back their freedom, and are now free, would be great. Ultimately unnecessary, but great.
You have a moral choice before you: to accept the offer by following the Apostate Ivan; or to honor the traditions and oaths of the Pantheon and remain in their grace. While he offers many of the promises of noble traditions for which you have longed, it comes at great cost, because what you do not know is that he was willing to break the ancient rite, the Rite of Sanctuary.
I come before you as a survivor of this horrific act and as a witness. During the battle at Sungreet, he sent his soldiers in the company of a foreign power to the Shrine of Sungreet to kill citizens of the Compact who sought refuge within -- his vassals that as a liege he swore before the gods to protect -- unarmed men, women, and children, thralls, clergy, commoners, and nobles. Again, all unarmed. By the grace of the pantheon, and the sacrifice by our honorable Knights of Solace, we survived.
Lord Trevor Helianthus heard what his father had ordered, and made that moral choice to stand against him, bringing along many stalwart soldiers. Consider what Apostate Ivan was willing to do to his own people, the depths to which he was willing to sink, by breaking the Rite of Sanctuary and his fealty oaths to his own people -- that has been two ancient and honorable traditions he was willing to cast aside. What others will he cast aside against you when it becomes convenient to do, or when you become inconvenient to him? This is the heart of the choice.
To the Seraphs who advised these lieges of conflicted hearts, remember your oaths are to a higher power, to the Pantheon itself. You, too, have that moral choice. Should there remain questions or concerns about it, Archlector Brigida would be honored to educate you on these matters.
Lord Trevor made the moral choice. Unwilling to stand by while these sacred traditions were desecrated, he stood up, he and the men and women willing to follow him, to show in word and deed that he stood with the Pantheon, and honored those traditions more in how he acted than the lip service paid to those traditions by the Apostate.
Lord Trevor, I ask you, please, in that same spirit, to forgive the debts of the thralls of Sungreet, because they stood with you, making that same moral choice you did.
To all those who survived at the shrine, bear witness, and help these conflicted hearts. Show forth the love of the Pantheon, share the sermon, and sing the Song of Hope. Let our faithful know from your experience what costs there are to making the wrong moral choice.
And lastly, to any who remain in conflict, I implore you to pilgrimage, and bring yourself forth in prayer before the gods. Heed the ancient traditions and oaths of our pantheon. Listen to what occurred that night. I ask you to consider the costs you will pay to adopt the Apostate's way that places all your souls in ultimate danger. A man willing to break Sanctuary will not lead you in any direction that keeps you in the grace of our pantheon. A man willing to go to this length, would be willing to do as bad or worse to you.
Now is the time for you to make the choice, but be certain, for the damage of following such a man will be tremendous. There are costs. Or be like Lord Trevor, stand up for the Pantheon, remain in their grace, and their love will remain with you.
--- Templars Stance via Preston ---
The Thralls of Sungreet risked all to save the innocent, fight for the Gods and for the Compact. It is right to recognise that debt and recognise the freedom they have earnt.
--- Valorous Few Stance via Shard ---
Officially recognizing that the now free peoples of Sungreet have taken back their freedom, and are now free, would be great. Ultimately unnecessary, but great.