Faith: On Brutality
Posted by Aldwin on 04/10/17
To the Faithful of Arvum:
When contemplating something as beyond our nature as the gods are when compared to man, it is easy to miss the details of the Pantheon. As we stand in awe before our gods we often chosen to look at them as individuals and not consider them as a whole. Yet, even as we stand besieged behind the walls of Arx; even as we battle the forces arrayed against the Compact; even as we take our ships to battle Gyre; even as we witness miracles such as Queen of Endings walking among us, we must remember that our Pantheon is not just a collection of thirteen individual gods. The Pantheon as a whole is a representation of all that we dream and aspire to as a people.
The Pantheon's gods are all centered around the ideals that we, as a people, hope we might become. They are the ideals that teach us how to be noble of spirit and deed. They are the ideals that guide us when we do not know where else to turn. The Pantheon, as a whole, is the map that shows us where we, as a realm, as a nation, wish to go. Our souls aspire to be what the Pantheon shows us we can be.
As a people we condemn slavery, for even though we had forgotten his tenants, Skald remained the god of choice and slavery removes choice.
As a people, we condemn oathbreakers, for Limerance shows us the importance of keeping our oaths.
As a people, we honor our creatives (in all fields), for Jayus shows us the path of inspiration.
As a people, we value knowledge and try to uplift the ignorant, for that is the Will and Ideal of Vellichor.
As a people, then, we need to remember that Gloria is the ideal of honorable combat. Our goddess of Chivalry, Honor, and War teaches us the lessons of conflict in such a way that we can hold our battles, have our wars, without losing site of where our path as a nation is. I am reminded of a Grandmaster of the Knights of the Temple who once said, "When facing a battle where victory is an impossible hope, there should only be one prayer. Pray that when the time comes to do what you must to keep honor, you act unflinchingly and without regret."
The Faith cannot condone acts of brutality and and dehumanization, as these go against the ideals of the Pantheon that we are sworn to uphold. War is a time that tests all of us, from the frontline soldier to the spouse at home. All of us must show we are of superior character than those that would seek to tear the Compact asunder. Should we stoop to the levels of brutality that our enemies use then we only show that our victory is to place a stronger tyrant's boot upon our necks than those that would take our livelihood away from us.
In Faith,
Dominus Aldwin
Voice of the Pantheon
Closest to the Gods