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1

Roleplaying / Re: The Prophet Severina

« Last post by pcw27 on February 26, 2024, 10:06:21 PM »

Faithful,

Some correspondence of which you should be aware:

"Letter from Severina Erickson
  
(Personal message to Wassgandr Felsenbach) - 3 days, 14 hours, 26 minutes ago

Heliacal,

Congratulations, your war against my faith in the south has been a rousing success, another illustrious victory for your legendary record. I doubt if any priest of any faith for the next seven generations will dare preach against you or your realm.

Is there nothing that might induce you to spare this last bastion of our church within your lands? Given the significance Sanguis Astroism and its schisms to your history, and the grievous harm that these assaults do to the moral of your peasants and the economy of your city, is there no further incentive that might sway you to leaving the temple in peace? A regular tithe? Monuments to your glory? Greater tolerance for Lux Nova? The life of a hated foe? Sister Katrina, whose auto de fe sparked this conflict has been afflicted with sleeping-sickness for some time and is likely to die, so hear death which you long sought will not be yours to claim and I doubt for her to die by natural causes will satisfy you, but perhaps you desire a substitute? There is much left I could do in this world, but I would offer my martyrdom for the sake of my faith and its followers.

In Service to the Divine Blood Stars,

Severina Erickson
Duchess of Belianzi's Breath
Margravine of Nifelhold
Priestess of Sanguis Astroism



Letter from Wassgandr Felsenbach
  
(Personal message to Severina Erickson) - 3 days, 1 minute ago

Priestess Severina,

Your attempts to dissuade me from closing down the final temple of the stars are futile. The church's aggression against the Ascendancy was the initial spark, and now it is time for the church to face the consequences, at least within the Ascendancy.

Furthermore, the temple serves as the last impediment to the full conversion of the Ascendancy's territories. Given your openly hostile stance toward Lux Nova, leaving the temple intact poses a risk of it becoming a religious weapon against my people. Such vulnerabilities cannot be tolerated within the Ascendancy.

Considering the various deceptions and maneuvers the church has employed, your words alone lack the credibility needed for trust. The bolstering of temple guards in Giask has not gone unnoticed. However, it should be clear that without the people's support, these guards are insufficient to thwart my forces.

Actions speak louder than words, and until the church demonstrates a change in its approach, trust remains elusive.

Wassgandr Felsenbach
Heliacal, Empyreus of Luria Nova
Royal of Luria Nova
Duke of Eternal Radiance
Margrave of Askileon
Marshal of the Novan Wrath"

One day the blood of the martyrs shall cry out from the earth, and the tyrants and apostates shall tremble. 

In Service to the Divine Blood Stars,

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Roleplaying / Re: The Prophet Severina

« Last post by pcw27 on December 22, 2023, 04:38:50 AM »

"Letter from Severina Erickson Player experience level: mentor Player play preference: rp
Message sent to everyone in Sanguis Astroism (22 recipients) - just in
Brothers Sisters take heed,

See how the false shepherd leads a flock astray, see how a creed of lies leads to a depraved mind and wretched disposition. He who has enlightenment does not make himself loathsome to others. One does not light a candle and then place it in a latrine pit.

"Letter from Galandric Aboolio
 
(Personal message to Severina Erickson) - 1 hour, 14 minutes ago

Priestess Severina,

The prophet Gotz was enlightened in the Desert of Silhouettes, which he roamed alone in search of answers after the faith he followed was used as a weapon of war. As the ineffable sun beat down upon him he realized its power, its importance to the working of the cosmos. He looked into the maw of the endless void of unrelenting energy and saw within the interworking's of all that make this world of ours turn. He was enlightened, and saw the truth that had eluded the followers of the blood stars for so long, that the blood stars are nothing but a tool of the untrained to gaze at powers beyond their understanding from afar. While once we may have needed to rely upon such guides we have found a better path forward.

You may claim Gotz to be some manner of poor student, but this only reveals your own ineptitude as a teacher of your faith in failing to see his true potential. Gotz has gone on to lead a new church that is coming to rival yours, he has unraveled truths about the universe that no one could before have dreamed of. His revelations are deep and often time beyond understanding, but one is clear and easy to see. The old church is built upon a foundation of corruption. While once there may have been genuine prophets and seers among the church who could gaze into the divine light and see truth, now all that remains are charlatans and pretenders. Those like you yourself. You wield your faith as a bludgeon to earn yourself political power. You have no visions of prophecy, no true divine inspiration. You are simply a woman bent upon domination, and you wield your authority not as a leader but as a tyrant bent upon bolstering yourself and yourself alone to greater power.

To answer your question, the reason we regard the Bloodstars with contempt is because they are but a handful of refracted images of a greater picture that you and yours cling to as if they represent all there is to see. There are millions of reflections of the eternal light reflected in the night sky, and hundreds of red stars even that could could use to piece together a refracted image of the truth and draw prophecy, but you refuse to look at them. Your worship of the bloodstars is no mirror of a great king, it is as an ant gazing upon a dewdrop showing a refraction of the kings might third toe and claiming that that and that alone is the true answer to everything! You are blind to the incalculable magnitude of the divine forces at work in the cosmos, and your attempt to bicker and deride every paltry detail of your own questionable practices only drives this point. You care not to find wisdom or answers in the greater universe around you, only to bicker and debate about whether your dewdrop bears any merit.

Should you truly genuinely desire to learn what lies beyond your miniscule perspective I invite you to look into the sun and put aside your predispositions. The wisdom, the prophecy, and the power it imparts cannot be stated so simply in words. To truly behold it beyond it's physical nature you must learn to set aside all else, all worldly needs and wants, and embrace its nature. I have my doubts you could do this, from what I have seen of your disposition you are far too self-interested to set aside your sense of self and let the divine light permeate you, but if you wonder into the desert and set aside everything else you too may too burn away your ignorance.

Signed,

Galandric Aboolio
Margrave of Shinnen
Priest of Lux Nova"

Severina Erickson
Priestess of Sanguis Astroism
Prophetess of Sanguis Astroism"

"Letter from Severina Erickson Player experience level: mentor Player play preference: rp
Message sent to everyone in Sanguis Astroism (22 recipients) - just in
And my final rebuke,

"Letter from Severina Erickson
 
(Personal message to Galandric Aboolio) - 32 minutes ago

Priest Galandric,

I see. So after much interrogation, and with it hostility and slander you have at last answered the question “What does it profit a man to worship the sun?”.

And your answer is “wisdom”, but the wisdom cannot be explained or even described, nor can you point to anything achieved by this wisdom, save the modest growth your church has enjoyed with the aid of several hundred thousand gold coins from the imperial treasury, and also there is no guarantee that the sun worshiper will actually receive these benefits, and he may go blind trying.

As for the many most unsolicited and unprovoked accusations you have leveled, all that need be replied is thus, your every accusation is nought but a confession.

Thank you for this most productive discourse. Farewell.

In service to the Divine Blood Stars,

Severina Erickson
Priestess of Sanguis Astroism"

Severina Erickson
Priestess of Sanguis Astroism
Prophetess of Sanguis Astroism"

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Roleplaying / Re: The Prophet Severina

« Last post by pcw27 on December 21, 2023, 11:43:47 PM »

A theological debate in the Well of Mimer between myself and a Sun Priest



Letter from Severina Erickson
  
Message sent to everyone in Well of Mimer (1 recipients) - 3 hours, 7 minutes ago

Priest Galadric,

Greetings. Some time ago I posed a question to a sun priest and received no reply. Perhaps you could answer that question. What does it profit a man to worship the sun? Does the sun not shine equally on all? Whether one worships the sun, or the moon, or the stars, or the elements, or giant invisible men or women, the sun shines the same. Loyal or traitor, brave or coward, good or evil the sun cares not. So why then do you worship the sun?

In service to the divine Blood Stars.

Severina Erickson
Priestess of Sanguis Astroism



Letter from Galandric Aboolio
  
(Personal message to Severina Erickson) - 47 minutes ago

Lady Severina,

The reality of our universe is more complex then you know, and to turn a blind eye to the truths of the universe is to be lost in the darkness. Luckily those of us in Lux Nova see clearly in the light of the all revealing sun.

Our faith and belief is built upon wisdom imparted to us through study of the celestial domain and the revelation of the prophet Gotz about the nature of the cosmos. The blood starts are an easily tangible way to gleam bits a piece's of the unutterable knowledges of the cosmos, the church of Sanguis Astroism achieved it purpose in recognizing this truth, but the full truth was much more powerful. The bloodstars are but reflections of a greater light, an all powerful source of knowledge and power so infallible that it illuminates all it touches. While the laymen may never be able to gaze into the light of the suns divine providence and see it for what it is we have tempered ourselves to withstand its power, and through it we have gained visions, wisdom, prophecy.

The church of Sanguis Astroism is built upon a hierarchy that has proven to be driven by a pursuit of politics and power rather than enlightenment and knowledge. Your letter presumes the only reason any would follow a religion is to enjoy some sense of self-importance not shared by the masses, that if the sun shines on all then there is no reason to search within its eyes for wisdom. We have cast that sort of mindset aside, and looked without fear into the face of the blinding sun! Many of us did in fact go blind, and some suffered awful sunburns, but we also found truth. The path forward is to recognize where the true power of the cosmos derives and accept it as truth not because it is convenient, but because it is right.

Signed,

Galandric Aboolio
Margrave of Shinnen
Priest of Lux Nova

Letter from Severina Erickson
  
(Personal message to Galandric Aboolio) - just in

Priest Galandric,

It is most interesting to hear that Gotz is considered a prophet among you. I knew him as a member of my congregation who held not a whit of interest in theology. Tell me how did he come to claim prophethood among you? What signs did he produce of his enlightenment?

I must say the theology you claim in which the Blood Stars are heralds of a greater divinity is most different from what was preached in the early days of Lux Nova, when they were rejected outright. I was there. The same priest who could not answer my question (and if memory serves it was Gotz) said the Blood Stars were mere distractions to be shunned. If the Blood Stars are a reflection of divinity then surely to profane them is to profane the divinity? For one does not look at a king's reflection in the mirror and say "You are a wicket hideous thing!" and then when the King faces them with ire reply "What is the cause of your rage sire? I did not say you were wicked and hideous, only that your reflection was!". 

You condemn the pursuit of power and politics within a church, so then Lux Nova is apolitical and uninterested in power? That is good to hear. Then surely you do not accept imperial support, nor take orders to perform acts strictly for the good of the Empire that have no higher theological benefit. If I may ask how is it that you came to be here in the outskirts of Mimer at precisely the same time that a Lurian army is ravaging the city?

No the blessings of the Bloodstars are not confined to an elect few. All who meditate upon their radiance will reap their benefits, and those who act in ignorance of them are prone to folly.

So you have given me an answer, I will grant that. You claim that it profits a man to worship the sun because it imparts wisdom and enlightenment. Can you describe this wisdom any further? So far you have only said that it drives men to burn their skin and go blind. What benefit does it impart that makes this wisdom worthy of such sacrifice. 

In Service to the Divine Blood Stars,


Severina Erickson
Priestess of Sanguis Astroism

4

Development / Re: Recruitment Center based on luck

« Last post by Brennaborg on November 27, 2023, 12:27:02 PM »

I look forward to it. Especially how the resources will be used.

No need to rush: building RC's is luckily only a small part of being a lord.

Some luck is of course no problem: a lot of parts of the game have some luck involved. It is just that currently the RC's have a lot of luck involved.

5

Development / Re: Recruitment Center based on luck

« Last post by Anaris on November 26, 2023, 11:17:20 PM »

I have plans to overhaul the RC system in ways that are, in parts, similar to what you describe, with some other aspects—in general, to make them either no longer or at least much less based on luck at the time you create the RC. (There may be some luck in whether you get the resources you need to build this type or that type, however.)

6

Development / Recruitment Center based on luck

« Last post by Brennaborg on November 26, 2023, 10:36:30 PM »

As a rural lord, I was asked to build a not crappy recruitment center. Luckily you can dismiss a proposed RC and get free options next turn. However, it is even then still a game of luck - favoring the player who is willing to spend months at his region. This is not very fun - especially since rural provinces do not have the odds in their favor.

I would like to propose something not based on luck.
- Units get a new stat: terrain. This gives them bonusses when fighting on certain terrain, based on their region of origin. Thus, archers from a woodland region will be more effective in the woods. Mixing simply takes a weighed average of the stats: if you mix 10 woodland archers who are 30% more effective in the woods with 10 mountain archers who are 20% more effective in the mountains, then the result will be 15% more effective in the woods and 10% more effective in the mountains.
- Building more of the same type recruitment center, will cause the new center to be more elite, having higher training. So building 4 archer RC's, will cause the last one to have the most elite archers from your region.
- If troops from higher level RC's are recruited, they will be quicker replenished if your lower level RC's have units available.
- Building more smithies will allow better armor and weapons.
- If soldiers from one of your RC's are drafted, you get 'military experience', boosting starting cohesion of soldiers from you RC's.
- Your vassal knights give boosts to RC's with soldiers of their unit type.

In short: make the quality of the RC's depend on in game situations instead of luck.

7

Roleplaying / Re: The Prophet Severina

« Last post by pcw27 on July 30, 2023, 02:09:36 AM »

Lord Jorge's invitation was a surprise but a welcome one. The Prophetess had expected to pass quickly through the Well of Mimer on her pilgrimage to Darfix. It seemed only fitting that she should be called to evangelize to the nobility.

She entered his halls clad in the raiment she'd worn since departing from Ashrak, simple grey robes tied with a blood red cord and a grey cloak. She carried an oak quarterstaff as her only protection. As her journey was meant to illuminate the connection between divinity and the earth she walked barefoot, which raised the eyebrows of some servants and guards unfamiliar with the symbolism.

Severina's audience with Jorge began at last in his great hall. As lord of the manor he addressed her first so as to introduce her sermon.

"As a former follower of Sanguis Astroism I reach out to you in our hour of need for a blessing. We will be surely crushed by the Westgard forces and die here but maybe a prayer to my former God might offer a slight ray of hope," He said.

Severina nodded, "It does my heart well to know that one who has strayed from the path is drawn again towards faith in a time of hardship. You refer to the Bloodstars as your former God and I might guess at the source of your disillusionment.

Man at his most uncivilized practices paganism, the superstitions of the rural peasants. Theirs is a world of malevolent spirits that must be appeased by arcane rituals and strange omens to be avoided.

From these primitive beliefs come the second lowest form of human religion, the worship of anthropomorphic deities. These differ from the fae and hobgoblins of superstition only in that they are imagined as great regal figures rather than wretched terrors, and playful tricksters in the wilderness. The anthropomorphic gods demand worship and sacrifice, offer rewards and threaten punishments, and these would be cause for great concern except for one simple fact, they are not real. Gods such as these are man-made fantasies. Some were imagined to answer questions about the world, others as characters for epic tales, many were invented by charlatans for profit and coercion. Clearly the lot those who ignore these giant, invisible, men and women in the sky is no worse than those who piously worship them. So we civilized peoples should conclude that they do not exist. Even if we entertain the idea that they might, clearly there is no need to waste any time or resources appeasing them.

Many a believer in the Blood Stars makes the mistake of assigning human characteristics to them. This is understandable for we often speak of "The will of the Blood Stars". However, remember that the Blood Stars are of a divinity beyond what the human mind can fully comprehend or what human language can describe. It to imagine the Blood Stars as three balls of flame with the minds of men is to debase them in your thoughts from what they truly are.

Many have implored the Blood Stars to bring about some desired end, and when this does not come about some lose faith. They are as a weary traveller on a cold night who sits beside a fire and implores the fire "make the sun rise!" and when it does not they depart from the fire, walking into cold and darkness.

The light of the Blood Stars touches the souls of mankind for they are of the same substance as our souls and just as unknowable. Meditation upon the Blood Stars profits us greatly. The wise have enumerated upon the ways for generations now. Some of the greatest nobles ever to grace Dwilight were of Astroist faith. Their balanced spirits helped them achieve incredible things. 

The Blood Stars cannot promise that your realm will survive this war. They can however promise that you will thrive no matter where this war takes you, renown in battle, glory in death, triumphant victory or honorable defeat. Attune yourself with the Austere, Auspicious and Maddening, and they shall be yours.

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Roleplaying / Re: The Black Grimoire: Tales of the Masked One, the Hand of Death

« Last post by JDodger on March 12, 2023, 11:46:56 PM »

Report from Caladar Rizz

(Personal message to Aibhlidhn Dubhaine)

Letter from Caladar Rizz
 
Message sent to all nobles of Thalmarkin (18 recipients) - 1 hour, 41 minutes ago

Diplomacies killers

Friendly words for our friend the shattered one

Letter from Caladar Rizz
 
(Personal message to Jecht Tideweaver) - just in

You cause delayings shattered one

Delayings of marchings to the southlands

The building of friendships they call

The dead ones who walk and kill they call

Call with silent tongues empty eyes and growling

Growling stomachs hungering for human flesh

Witness killer the hordes do grow and wander

Grow and wander there will be much killing

Seek not enmity shattered one we did send warnings

Warnings and golds both did you forget killer

We did bring 100 golds to the city of Gethsemene

50 were taken by your bureaucrats greedy ones

We did intend their sendings as payments for the killers

The killers of Reven foolish ones we did seek to aid

They desired not killing shattered one

You have shattered them into weak ones and spineless

They were unprepared for killing we did move on

The killers of Thalmarkin do stand prepared for much killing

Much killing killer whether here or in the southlands

We are pleased with our new realm our new ruler new titles

And much killing killer the choice is yours

We do but send friendly advisings shattered one

Seek not enmity with the Masked One the Hand of Death

Caladar Rizz
Knight of Unger
Marshal of the Great Thalmarkin Horde

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Roleplaying / Re: The Black Grimoire: Tales of the Masked One, the Hand of Death

« Last post by JDodger on March 12, 2023, 11:41:21 PM »

He has come this far, all the way to this clearing in western Zuhle, this clearing bare and blackened but for one tree.

The tree stands in the middle of the clearing, and it is bone-white and dead, its branches naught but skeletal arms and fingers pointing up accusingly at the cloud-draped night sky, a great hollow in its trunk gaping like a mouth mid-scream.

The night sky is draped in clouds, but there has been no rain in this land in years, and there may be none for years yet to come. All here is dry and dead, even on this side of the barrier.

Caladar hesitates for long minutes, pacing back and forth before the dead tree as his few remaining killers wait in silence but for the occasional scuffing of a boot in the dry and dead leaves.

At long last Caladar sighs, and his head drops to his chest, and he approaches the tree, puts his hands inside the screaming-mouth hollow in its trunk, and pulls out a bundle wrapped in cloth.

Foolish one

Pretending and dissimulating one

Your regrettings and desirings do you think you hide

Think you hide well your hesitating intentions

Your fruitless regrettings they are nothing you did choose

Choose your destiny yes choice without choice

Did you not turn your back upon the dead lands and turn your face to the desert of Kording

The desert of Kording where my word was once law

And shall be again and did you not spill your blood upon the stone

The stone like any other but for the markings

And was the way not revealed

The way on to Firbalt the city once fallen to darkness

The city of Firbalt city of the men who slicked their hair with oil

Slicked their hair with oil and sold their souls and bodies to the daimon kiss

The city of Firbalt birthplace of so many things great and terrible

And did you not enter its black heart

The black heart of the city of Firbalt where it spirals inward

Spirals inward and downward down into itself

Down into itself and down into darkness

And did you not enter the Black Temple of Zraath

You made your choice killer the path is now yours to walk

Not the path of the dead ones they feel not you know this

I was there when he called them the Old Dark One-Eyed One

There when he called them the dead ones that walk and kill

What need have you for experimentations they feel not

Walking upon unfeeling feet killing with unfeeling tooth and claw

That is not your path little killer

You will feel everything

And there will be much killing

10

Roleplaying / Re: The Black Grimoire: Tales of the Masked One, the Hand of Death

« Last post by JDodger on March 12, 2023, 11:31:31 PM »

Letter from Caladar Rizz

Message sent to all nobles of Reven (17 recipients)

Killers pay heed

The Masked One the Hand of Death is a man as men are

I come with killing not claimings of divinities

They send us writings askings of an idol of death

Pay heed killers what need of maskings

What need of masking has the one

The one who is almighty

Maskings are for the weak the dissimulating killers

And there are levels of weakness killers remember

The Masked One the Hand of Death is stronger than you yet

Despite his mortality his weakness his smallness in comparison

To the mountains high ones Pel Mark and Iknopata

We did loot them upon a time killers you were unborn ones yet

Not even sparklings in the eyes of your grandfathers when I

Did much killing in these very lands you would weep and moan

Weep and moan to see the mountains crumble beneath the boot

Of the Masked One the Hand of Death seek not enmity we did not

Seek enmity with you killers but that is immaterial like the stars

And new superstitions masqueradings of old religions

We did stand upon the border of Gotland and wear our masks

Let whatsoever Masked One who desires contendings

Contend with the Masked One

The Hand of Death there will be much killing

Caladar Rizz
Knight of Vozzessdor
Marshal of the Depraved Legion