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.
