Church of Humanity/New Year Fête 1012
| Roleplay from Arch Cleric Jor Tanos, Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic and Most Holy Church of Humanity | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Bescanon | |
| The sounds of hooves and marching feet echoed across the streets of Bescanon's towns and the well worn roads leading north to the Holy City. The procession of Faithful of the North, be they Templars, Paladins, Clerics, and commoners, was led by the Arch Cleric of the Church of Humanity himself. Soon they would arrive in the city and as the sun began to set, they would begin the celebration in earnest. | |
| Arch Cleric Jor Tanos, Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic and Most Holy Church of Humanity | |
| Roleplay from Arch Cleric Jor Tanos, Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic and Most Holy Church of Humanity | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| The sounds of hooves and feet, both armored and unarmed, echoed across the plains and hills of Perdan, joined by the sounds of hymns being sung and devotions being chanted as the throngs of the Faithful from the North made their way to the gates of the Holy City. The Arch Cleric himself, clad in simple white robes as he rode a golden stallion, led the procession that still stretched across the roads into Troyes as the followers of the Church of Humanity eagerly went to offer their praise and worship.
The Holy Father had dispatched a large sum of gold to the city beforehand and as he entered the city and the craftsmen were eagerly working on renovating the temple itself and improving the temple grounds. A single tower was being constructed, in the shape of a four pointed star, in the cathedral's main plaza. From there the Arch Cleric would address the crowd. For now, however, he moved on to the temple itself so as to prepare himself for the celebrations to begin when the sun begins to fall in the west that very evening. Jor Tanos dismounted his steed, his once reddish hair now mostly silver in color. Before entering the Basilica he turned to the crowd that was already beginning to gather and called out, "Blessings of the Divine be upon you all! Confess your sins, lighten your hearts, and remember we are all Her children!" | |
| Arch Cleric Jor Tanos, Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic and Most Holy Church of Humanity | |
| Roleplay from Arch Cleric Jor Tanos | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| Set within the Basilica of Divina Pantocrator's plaza was a solitary wooden tower clad in stone tiles that matched the facade of the most important cathedral in the entire Church of Humanity. Shaped like a four pointed star, its base was well protected by Templar Sergeants from each Eastralian See. It represented the unity of the Church and its devotion to the Divine. A pulpit was built into the southern point, etched into the stone and overlooking the fathered Faithful.
At that pulpit stood the Arch Cleric of the Church of Humanity, wearing his gold and silver robes, capped with his miter and wielding his sunstone-capped staff of office. Jor Tanos raised his hands to silence the crowd. With well over 500,000 Faithful in Eastralis there was quite a mixture of cultures present. His voice resounded across the throng, the booming clarity devised by the foremost engineers in the world who so perfectly designed the walled courtyard to have perfect acoustics. "Ecclesiae! Faithful of the Divine! We join together to honor the bond we share. Faithfully, triumphantly, and joyfully we offer up our voices in praise to the Divine! "As one people, no matter our heritage, we say farewell to the old year and greet the next with invigoration! For it shall be the Ecclesiae who spare the Future of these great lands and those beyond the vast seas!" The aging cleric smiled down at the assembled followers of the Church. "For we are the chosen of the Divine, Her children, While we may argue and fight as children do, when our family is threatened it is then we unite! Just as we did against the Church of Ibladesh! Just as we did against the heathens of Fontan and their Flowist cult! Yes, there may be wars between the realms of men and Faithful, but when called I trust every one of you will rise to defend Holy Church. For it is our sense of honor and duty that sets us apart from so many others. "The sun has begun to set in the west. A new day comes in the east. Remember, Ecclesiae, that together we shape this future. Now, enjoy the celebrations! May the Divine bless you all!" | |
| Arch Cleric Jor Tanos | |
| Roleplay from Chaplain Viktor Nebehn | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| After the sermon from the Arch Cleric, Father Viktor left the Temple but not after discussing and blessing various members of the Faithful. Dressed in his white robes with a white oak staff capped with a carved dove, the eldest of the two sides of the Nebehn family stood on the steps and looked up at the stars.
"Hm. A clear night. How beautiful. By my count, we will be moving into the New Year soon. Brother Alaron.. I pray for ye. I hope the corruption that I have heard of has passed and you have redeemed yourself on the Blighted Isle. Maybe too, it is time for I to repent. Not for my sins, but for how I have treated my cousins in the past. Malos - the Grand Cleric of the Far East. Ravier, Paladin of Humanity. We are united this night, even if we are scattered across the continents." Viktor took a walk down the steps into the throng of Faithful and began to talk and mingle, knowing that soon the world would turn and a new year would begin. "Divine be praised!" | |
| Chaplain Viktor Nebehn | |
| Roleplay from Knight Templar Cassandra Foxglove | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| The great gathering of the faithful in Perdan was unlike anything Cassandra had ever seen. There was a feeling of joy in the city. Those pilgrims who were not in the temple were filling the streets, with crowds being entertained by acrobats, jesters, and others who had come to the city seeking to make a few coins from the celebration.
Away from the main crush of people she could see those unfortunates who were touched by illness or other infirmities staying in the shadows. She had seen them on the roads leading to Perdan. They were drawn by the hope that undertaking such a great journey might see the Divine bless them with a cure, or at least ease their pain. Cassandra took a few coins from her purse and had her servants give them to the poor souls. She was not known for her generosity to peasants, but the spirit of the day seemed to have lightened her mood. As she looked over the crowds, she was interested to see a nobleman who appeared to be dressed in the fashion of a Sirionite. A herald leaned in and identified the noble as the Count of Braga. Divine be praised that one of the faithful now ruled the lands of Braga that had been blighted for so long by the taint of the Flow of the Balance. Cassandra wondered how the Church of Humanity had been welcomed across the border in Sirion, and how it might spread. It was strangely pleasing to see a Sirionite here, united with the rest of them in the true faith. | |
| Knight Templar Cassandra Foxglove | |
| Roleplay from Knight Templar Armstrong Ironsides, Paladin-Commander of the Order of Sacred Battle | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| Grandmaster Armstrong stood before his troop of Paladins. Armoured and robed, they presented a clean and fearsome sight. Coloured white and yellow, colours reflecting the Royal Guard of Westmoor, but also the signature colours of the Church's militant division. The Order of Sacred Battle roared at Armstrongs signal. "Paladins! We celebrate the turn of the new year. May glories past resonate and may glories to come immortalize! Glory be to the Church!" | |
| Knight Templar Armstrong Ironsides, Paladin-Commander of the Order of Sacred Battle | |
| Roleplay from Aspirant Ubin cIipt, Tithing Believer | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| After travelling far and wide, Ubin had come to Perdan to celebrate his faith from his old heritage. Ubin had amassed a lot of debt over the years of being in a realm with very little nobles sharing his faith, over 200 gold. Ubin came during the most holy of times to proclaim his faith is still strong and intact, even though he had fought against his brothers many times. Ubin wishes everyone who shares his faith a happy new year, and hopes everyone stays prosperous and healthy. He comes alone making a pilgrimage only with a bit of gold his horse and his scribe to celebrate in this grand festival and to possibly raise his standing in his faith by hoping to swear the Oath of Faith. | |
| Aspirant Ubin cIipt, Tithing Believer | |
| Roleplay from Grand Cleric Vicarius Benedictus Tanos, Pontiff of the Curacy of Eastralis | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| Benedictus laid his hands on the common woman and her child, invoking the names of the Saints as he uttered a prayer to the Divine so as to bless the pair. While festivities continued for peasant and noble alike, the Grand Cleric Vicarius focused on hearing the confessions and pleadings of the attendants, offering prayers, blessings and guidance when needed. Like many of the clerics who were in attendance, he made sure to preach whenever possible to as many as he could, to spread the good will and faith in the Divine that was still in the air.
Clad in a simple white cassock, identifying him as a cleric of the Divine if not his status as a senior member of the Ecclesiarchy, Benedictus Tanos made his way through the Faithful, greeting those he recognized with a happy smile and offering prayers for those he did not recognize. Eventually he stumbled across Lance Hagakure and waved to the man, carefully approaching. "Ah! Counsellor Externus! It is good to see you again. How fairs the Azure See? I trust your trek to these lands was a safe one. I hear you have been having issues with the damned Flowist remnants in those parts still." The steadily-aging priest noticed another noble out of the corner of his eye, raising a hand in greeting to Ubin cIipt, Count of Braga and a Tithing Believer. Merely an aspirant in the Church, he was unusual in that he was the only noble follower of the Faith within the realms of the continent's only republic. A republic whose nobility practiced human slavery. A republic that had one leading family that promised to rape human women on the altars of the Church and burn down its temples with the peasantry and deacons inside. Still, Benedictus had no ill feeling towards the individual in attendance. After all, he never actually met the man before. | |
| Grand Cleric Vicarius Benedictus Tanos, Pontiff of the Curacy of Eastralis | |
| Roleplay from Aspirant Ubin cIipt, Tithing Believer | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| Ubin was busy celebrating the festivities in the grand city of Perdan when he spotted a priest of the Church of Humanity. Suddenly, he feels a sense of overflowing faith and righteousness. Ubin approaches the priest wanting to know how he can become a stronger part of the church.
Ubin: I wish to become a full member of the Church of Humanity, could you help me out? Priest: Yes, you would want to speak to a higher priest and he will direct you to what you need to do. There is one now, he pointed to Benedictus Tanos, who was walking by. Ubin thanked the priest and approached Benedictus. Ubin: I traveled from a land far away in the realm of Sirion, my name Ubin of the CIipt family, and I am the count of Braga, formally the count of Osslamar. I wish to become a full member of the Church. Benedictus: Ah, yes I have seen you around wondering how Sirion treats, a man of your faith, especially with your duke being who he is. To become a full member of Holy Church, one of the Oathsworn, one must of course swear the Oath of Faith. By doing so, one swears to be humble and courteous, to defend the Church and its followers, learn from the doctrines of the Church, and obey the Tenets and other articles of Faith. Ubin: Sirion is well, though sometimes my allegiance has come into question, as long as I am not slandering the name of Sirion, I am allowed to practice my faith in peace. I feel as Church and state can be separate and so I may be a member of the Church while being apart of Sirion. I would like to take the Oath of Faith. Benedictus: Alright, please then repeat the following, "I, Ubin CIipt, do solemnly swear to follow the Code of Chivalry and make Honour my guide for action. I swear to be loyal of hands and mouth, and serve every man as best I may. I shall seek the fellowship of good men; hearken to their words and remember them. I shall be humble and courteous wherever I go, boasting not nor talking overmuch, neither be dumb altogether. I shall defend the Church, learn from all that the Church teaches, and shall observe all its directions." Ubin: I, Ubin CIipt, do solemnly swear to follow the Code of Chivalry and make Honour my guide for action. I swear to be loyal of hands and mouth, and serve every man as best I may. I shall seek the fellowship of good men; hearken to their words and remember them. I shall be humble and courteous wherever I go, boasting not nor talking overmuch, neither be dumb altogether. I shall defend the Church, learn from all that the Church teaches, and shall observe all its directions. Benedictus: Thank you the Church will now take some time to review yourself and we will get back to you with our final decision. Ubin leaves the Priest feeling better about himself and his journey in faith as he himself is getting older in age. He feels it may be time to settle down and become less of a once great warrior, to more of a simple man of diplomacy and religion. | |
| Aspirant Ubin cIipt, Tithing Believer | |
| Roleplay from Arch Cleric Jor Tanos, Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic and Most Holy Church of Humanity | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| As the sun began to rise in the east on the final day of the Fête. Arch Cleric Jor Tanos climbed the steps of the courtyard tower for the final time. Literally, as after the celebration was completed, the tower with the stone facade would be dismantled. In its place a true tower would be constructed in much the same design, but made of solid stone. The new tower would have a polished bronze dish on top, enabling it to reflect the sun's light into a special window of the Basilica. At all times of day, every corner of the temple would therefore be bright as day and showered in the colors of the stained glass windows. The Sunspire, as the tower would be named, would truly be an engineering marvel for the day. Especially if they were able to adequately house a fire on the tower's roof for night illumination!
But that was the future. For now, the aging cleric made his way to the pulpit on the southern 'arm' of the star-shaped tower. Once more clad in his gold and silver cassock, the Arch Cleric raised his hands to quiet the gathered crowd. "As night falls this evening, the Fête shall come to a close. As one Church, one united Humanity under the Divine, we came together in celebration and hope. "It is in this spirit of celebration that I announce this: By my authority as granted by our Holiest of Holies, by the Divine Herself, I grant each attendee their completed pilgrimage. Your Test of Faith is completed. Though I still recommend visiting the shrines of Zawr and the Basilica in Montauban, this has been an excellent display of your faith in the Divine and duteousness to Her Church!" Jor smiled warmly down upon the crowd. "Also, in the name of the Light, I announce the recognition of Sainthood for Pius Draco of Poitiers, my kinsman, who perished in the lands of Beluaterra what seems like a lifetime ago. I announce the recognition of Sainthood for Pete of Bescanon, kinsman to the first modern Arch Cleric. I announce the recognition of Sainthood for Shallow of Bescanon, the brother of Saint Pete and our first modern Arch Cleric, to whom the Divine Herself appeared! I announce the raising of Constantine of Bruck, who also perished in the lands of Beluaterra, to the status of Venerable. I announce the raising of Elisedd of Mimer, who perished in battle against the Black Ibladeshi, to the status of Venerable. I announce the raising of Yogie of House Guldan, who also perished against the vile Black Ibladeshi, to the status of Venerable! "In the coming days the patronage of the newly consecrated Saints, these agents of the Divine in life and death, shall be announced to the Church in its entirety. Remember, should any of you know one who has perished that died as a martyr of the Light or lived their life in the ways decreed by the Divine and upheld by the Tenets of Holy Church, please! Inform the Ecclesiarchy so we may grant them the honors they may truly deserve!" Once more he spread his arms. "In this last day of celebrating the end of the old year and the arrival of the new, truly embrace your fellows of the Faith! For together, we shall restore the world to as it was when Her hands first crafted it! May the Lady of Light, our sacred Divine, bless you all!" | |
| Arch Cleric Jor Tanos, Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic and Most Holy Church of Humanity | |
| Roleplay from Grand Cleric Vicarius Benedictus Tanos, Pontiff of the Curacy of Eastralis | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| The kinsman to the man speaking smiled softly as he heard the pronouncements. New saints to memorize and honor. Meaning more work for him. Even with that, even as he sighed, he still smiled. He had no doubt the named individuals were worthy of their status. He even knew some of them once in life.
But that mattered little for the moment. In the crowd he spotted Cassandra Foxglove and her brother, Thomas. Benedictus approached, clad again in his simple white cassock. "Sister Cassandra! It is good to see that our Knights Templar are always on duty." His smile turned into a playful grin before he looked at Thomas. "General, it is good to see you again. Though I wonder if you will ever join the Order yourself." His eyes darted towards the tower before looking at the Foxgloves again. "I have heard word from my kinsman, Solarus. From what it seems, he plans on wedding your kinswoman within the next month or two. Our Houses will be united by marriage. Certainly an interesting turn of events. For your family especially. Wed into the House of the Arch Cleric and your King." The middle aged priest's smile faded a bit. "You do know whose son he is, yes? Solarus, that is." Benedictus glanced towards the pulpit again, as the Arch Cleric turned away from the crowd to begin his descent. "He's never actually said who the mother was, mind you, but... That was to protect her image. Never looked good for a simple squire and his Lady to... Well, very inappropriate in some circles." In the distance he spotted Brother Armstrong, to use the established Church practice of calling the Templars Brothers and Sisters while the Clerics were Fathers and Mothers. The Cleric waved and smiled in the man's direction, wondering if he'd approach. His attention turned to the Foxgloves again. "I thought you should know just how closely to the patriarchy of the family your family was being tied." | |
| Grand Cleric Vicarius Benedictus Tanos, Pontiff of the Curacy of Eastralis | |
| Roleplay from Sir Thomas Foxglove, Oathsworn | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| The crowds at the great temple in Perdan had lingered late into the night. It seemed as though all of the faithful who had gathered in the city wanted to enjoy the celebration for as long as it lasted. With the uncertain tides of war that often swept over the continent, who could say if such a pilgrimage would be possible again?
Thomas and Cassandra, brother and sister, had been deep in conversation with the various household advisors who had accompanied them on the journey. Thomas eventually gestured to his Captain, Boris, to clear a space around a wooden platform that had hosted several speakers over the past few days. Thomas jogged lightly up the steps and helped Cassandra to ascend as she lifted the hem of her skirt clear of her feet. "Brethren," Thomas called, his voice cutting through the chattering crowds and drawing their attention. "Some of you who are native Westmoorians may have heard of my plans to marry the Lady Talia, daughter of Sigmund." With that, Thomas indicated a young woman who was richly dressed in the finest gown the Westmoorian seamstresses could make, with her long blonde hair in braids that reached to her waist. She smiled softly at her betrothed. "In truth, I have been tardy in making the wedding arrangements," Thomas continued. "But there has been a reason for this, and it seems fitting to announce it now as the end of this celebration draws near. I am pleased to announce that the House of Foxglove will be giving a rather large wedding present to the Church. To show the great largesse and devotion of our House, my sister and I will be sponsoring the enlargement of the temple in Westmoor city to make it the equal of the two great temples that already stand in the Kingdom of Perdan." A murmer ran through the crowd. "As a beginning, my House pledges 1000 gold coins to this great work," Thomas said, as gasps came from the crowd. For many of them it was more gold than they could even imagine. "It will then be for the other faithful nobles of Westmoor to decide whether they want to share in this great endeavour by pledging gold themselves. If not, my House will see to it that the full amount of gold that is needed will be provided in due course. I hope that the news of this great work is a fitting end to this celebration." Captain Boris roused his men to cheers, and the rest of the crowd soon joined them as Thomas and Cassandra descended from the platform and returned to their advisors. | |
| Sir Thomas Foxglove, Oathsworn | |
| Roleplay from Sir Thomas Foxglove, Oathsworn | |
| Message sent to Everyone in Perdan City | |
| Even after the celebrations of the previous night, the streets of Perdan were still packed with pilgrims. Many were either making their way to or from the great temple. Thomas's men cleared a path for the Lord General as he made his way towards the building to make his own final devotions. He noted that many of his fellow Westmoorians were making preparations for the return journey. Captain Boris had reported seeing the Sirionite Count of Braga making his preparations to leave earlier in the day. Understandable, considering the long journey he had before him.
Pressing through the crowds, Thomas spotted Grand Cleric Benedictus close to the gateways into the temple. He called out a greeting, and made his way over to him. "I hope the priests of our Church will be pleased with the news of House Foxglove's decision to sponsor the expansion of the temple in Westmoor," Thomas said, looking up at the great temple here in Perdan. "A great act of devotion is a fitting way to celebrate both my own upcoming wedding, and that of cousin Rosalind to Solarus. I hope he fairs well. We have had little news from our cousin recently, but I understand there was some unpleasantness surrounding Solarus's city?" Thomas reached out a hand and touched the stones of the temple. "Still, all mortal things change. But, Divine willing, these stones will see many generations grow and pass into old age. We must hope that the new, greater, temple we will build together as a faith in Westmoor will withstand the winds of time as well, even if we should be touched by war. I cannot help but feel that the re-election of Zakilevo as Sirionite Prime Minister will bring unsettled times. He has proved himself to be an untrustworthy warmonger in the past. Even so, we should not let that threat stop us making plans for the enlargement of the Westmoorian temple. I look forward to discussing it with our priests when I return home." | |
| Sir Thomas Foxglove, Oathsworn | |
