D'Arricarrère Family/Torpius/Prophet Koli Bedwyr of the Manifest Path

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Letter from Koli Bedwyr
Message sent to Message sent to everyone in "Halls of Luria" (21 recipients)
(...)

Regarding religion...There are a few matters of importance there. First, I will not under any circumstances tolerate full religious freedom. Word has reached me of a cult in Asylon that worships the Daimons, and I cannot allow that a foothold in Luria.

Second, I think we should give serious consideration to the benefits of being united religiously. I believe we are all familiar with the successes of Sanguis Astroism, and while I may fault their theology, the benefits of religious unity are difficult to deny. I see no reason why we should not one day lead the South as Sanguis Astroism leads the North, but we must have some mechanism, and unless we wish to consider opening this new empire to (for instance) the Grand Duchy of Fissoa then I think it must be a religious unity.
Koli Bedwyr (Lurian Duke of Halls of Luria and King of Pian en Luries, Ambassador of Pian en Luries)


Letter from Torpius d'Arricarrère
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Lurians,

(...)

On religion, while I agree with King Koli full and indiscriminate freedom is unwise, and a case-by-case basis should be employed, I must disagree on turning the Manifest Path into the Empire's official religion, for many reasons. The public ones being that unlike the Pianese, most of the Novans are unaffiliated to the Manifest Path. My personal reasons are my own beliefs in the Gods, and how could I follow a religion whose core principles are of a misotheistic nature?

For the good of the Empire, I feel that we should not turn our backs on the Gods, enforcing the religion of a minority on the whole Empire.

(...)

Dis sub numine Luria viget,
Torpius d'Arricarrère (Lurian Councilor of Halls of Luria, Earl of Shinnen Purlieus)


Letter from Koli Bedwyr
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Earl Torpius, The Manifest Path is not hostile to the gods. Indeed, we have a recognized sect, the Path of the Gods, that honours Tyr and Ziza. We are suspicious of all gods that intervene directly in our world, but there are many who do not that we have no quarrel with. Those that work via mortal agents, prophecies, and guarding our world from other influences are another matter entirely.
Koli Bedwyr (Lurian Duke of Halls of Luria and King of Pian en Luries, Ambassador of Pian en Luries)


Letter from Torpius d'Arricarrère
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King Koli,

It is within the boundaries of my concept of Godhood the ability to intervene in our realm at will, though I fear this conversation might be taking a theological connotation that would be better placed in another channel, not in this.

Returning to the idea, and correcting my previous letter, I should say I would not be able to participate in a cult suspicious of my reality-intervening Gods (at the very least in potentiality, and their divine agents.

Dis sub numine Luria viget,
Torpius d'Arricarrère (Lurian Councilor of Halls of Luria, Earl of Shinnen Purlieus)


Letter from Koli Bedwyr
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Earl Torpius,

That depends on your definition of "reality". Tyr and Ziza act in reality, just not directly in our world. They do not, to take an example not at all chosen at random, manifest upon our world, summon vast armies from some unholy hell, and proceed to lay waste to entire continents.

Show me a god who does directly intervene in our world who does not try to enslave or consume humans, and we can talk. Otherwise, the only beings I know of with godlike power are quite bent on seeing to it that human civilization as we know it is doomed.
Koli Bedwyr (Lurian Duke of Halls of Luria and King of Pian en Luries, Ambassador of Pian en Luries)


Letter from Torpius d'Arricarrère
Message sent to (Personal message to Koli Bedwyr)
King Koli,

Perhaps it is a matter of perspective and perception.

I will just recommend you to watch how the water flows, how the animals breath, and how the fire burns. If you do notice something immaterial in it, you can proceed to observe some more unusual phenomena, and try to feel them at your highest sensory capacity. You can also seek your ancestors in prayers, preferably on a proper communion-favorable place, and see if they reach back.

After such experiences you might be able to judge in a less rational and more spiritual way how 'direct' is the intervention of the Gods, and cast a different judgment on its merit.

Bene orasse est bene studuisse,
Torpius d'Arricarrère (Earl of Shinnen Purlieus)


Letter from Koli Bedwyr
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Earl Torpius, Then allow me to be more blunt: Where were those gods when Arcane subjugated half of Beluaterra? Where were those gods when hundreds of thousands were slaughtered and eaten by the Children of Gilgamesh? If the answer is that they were there, but did nothing, then I have no interest in them. If the answer is that they were there, and helped those forces, then I will oppose them. And if the answer is that they were not there...Then I likewise have no interest in them.
Koli Bedwyr (King of Pian en Luries, Ambassador of Pian en Luries)


Letter from Torpius d'Arricarrère
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Your Highness,

I am quite sorry you had to experience such tragic affairs. The truth be told, the Gods' agenda is mysterious and unfathomable for our simple minds, though some things we do have access to. Some points we should consider before making judgments:

The Gods, though they share a similarity analogue to the one shared by men, are not a single entity with defined characteristics, but are as varied as the candles that lit the celestial sea. Though we do know for a fact that some of them are great benefactors of humanity, not all of them can be considered having our best interests in mind. Knowing that, we can better act by pleading help to the former and trying to appease the later.

After acknowledging the huge variety of the divine beings, we can proceed to question their motives. Perhaps we could make use of an analogy: the gods are to us, as we are to ores. A rock cannot possibly understand the motivations or actions of men, all it can do is be useful for men in order to transcend from being a simple lump. If the rock stands on the way of men, by blocking a road for example, it will be removed and possibly destroyed. If, on the other hand, it is rich in minerals, it may be refined by the same men, and turned into a sword or another object, possibly even gaining fame and becoming a legend of its own, something that it would never be able to do by itself.

While the previous analogy is a crude one, I feel some points are somewhat explained by it. This way, we can choose between standing in the way of the Gods or be part of their glorious divine plan. We can choose to prolong our suffering by standing on their way, or we can work as the instrument of their will, gaining glory and enlightening.

I cannot tell you exactly what and where the Gods were in such events, for I do not possess such exact knowledge, nor I was even present to them. Some things I can tell you, though: to follow the Gods is not to follow oneself, to seek their glory is not to seek your own, and to fight for their plan is not necessarily to avoid pain and suffering. The Gods call us to serve something greater than us, and sometimes we have to pay a lot for it. In those terrible events, those who heard the call of the Gods were wielding their swords against the abominations, trading to keep the cities fed and mines working, ruling to maintain the efficiency of the regions, preaching to let people know the truth. Those who did not hear it, or decided not to acknowledge it, stayed in ignorance minding their own business, sometimes corrupting themselves and submitting to the invaders.

The Gods, your highness, may have not walked on earth and slain all the enemies of humanity, but you must understand that is not their nature. We do not serve the rocks or birds, and the Gods do not serve us, in fact we serve them. They greatly aided us, giving us courage, strength, and even some divine interventions, and for that we should be grateful.

Please do not try to oppose the will of the Gods. Such rebellion would not end in any desirable fate for yourself, and its chances of success would be smaller than trying to empty the Euschean Sea with a bucket.
Torpius d'Arricarrère (Earl of Shinnen Purlieus)


Letter from Koli Bedwyr
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Earl Torpius,

I care little for some greater, ineffable plan. What I see is humanity being systematically destroyed or enslaved by the gods that walk our earth. And until another god takes a stand against them, then I care little for any gods.

Show me a single deity that will fight against Arcane, Gilgamesh, the Many, or the Light without demanding our blood and bodies and I will reconsider. Until then, I have no use for these deities.
Koli Bedwyr (King of Pian en Luries, Ambassador of Pian en Luries)


Letter from Torpius d'Arricarrère
Message sent to (Personal message to Koli Bedwyr)
Your Highness,

I also see humanity suffering against the perils of the world. The question is: what do we do with that? Do we rebel against reality, defy our superiors, and isolate ourselves from the divine? Do we try to negotiate with the Gods, insulting them?

The monstrosities you describe are exactly that: monstrosities. I call them, as a category, 'lower spirits'. The Gods, on the other hand, are a much more elevated substance, whose image should not be tarnished by the actions of the named beasts.

I can show you many deities who will fight against these creatures, and there are many more that I do not know myself, but you are up for a disappointment if you expect them to do your job: wield the sword against them. On the other hand, if you receive such help, you will find it several times more useful than the one of a great army.

Dis te incolumem custodiant,
Torpius d'Arricarrère (Earl of Shinnen Purlieus)


Letter from Koli Bedwyr
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Earl Torpius,

You wish to claim that a being who can, with a wave of its hand, tear open a hole between our world and the Netherworld, call forth fires great enough to destroy entire cities, summon monstrosities greater than the dragons told of in ages past, and fulfill all the prophecies of the return of the god of Hemaism is not a god?

Nonsense. That is more powerful than half the gods attested to in the world, and that power is unquestionably real.

If you know of other gods who will help in our fight against the abominations and foul gods that plague our world, then I say again: Show me. I care little for empty promises.
Koli Bedwyr (King of Pian en Luries, Ambassador of Pian en Luries)


Letter from Torpius d'Arricarrère
Message sent to (Personal message to Koli Bedwyr)
Your Highness,

In fact, that great power wielded in the mortal realm pales before what a real God can do. Even with what beings of much lesser power than Gods, actually. That is why they are called 'lesser spirits'.

If your distrust if for Lesser Spirits, which you call Gods, then I better understand where you are coming from. Though their power is unquestionably real, as you say, it is far from being absolute, or the highest possible.

The thing is that we are surrounded by spirits everywhere: in the water, in the wind, in the fauna. Some of them are stronger, so much that they can be mistaken for Gods by some, but that does not turn them into ones. If you decide to seek the spirits, and try to understand them better, perhaps you could gain allies and weapons against the foul ones.

There is little I can do to show you the power of the Gods if you do not wish to experiment it yourself. The promises I make are conditional to your acknowledgement of the divine, and effort into your attuning with them. You may call them empty, but as long as you do not try it, you will never know.

I hope time make you change your mind, and that you end up noticing the path the Gods are laying before you, the path of rightness.

Dis te incolumem custodiant,
Torpius d'Arricarrère (Earl of Shinnen Purlieus)


Letter from Koli Bedwyr
Message sent to (Personal message to Torpius d'Arricarrère)
Earl Torpius, I fully acknowledge the existence of all kinds of "spirits", but that is not my point. Since you are claiming you can gain power greater than that of an army from this, I would like to see it. Show me what can be accomplished.
Koli Bedwyr (King of Pian en Luries, Ambassador of Pian en Luries)


Letter from Torpius d'Arricarrère
Message sent to (Personal message to Koli Bedwyr)
Your Highness,

You seemed to misunderstand me. I have said that the aid of the gods might be more useful than an army, and that their power is greater than that of those abominations. I did not say that by acknowledging the gods you would receive flashing displays of power at will. The Gods are not mercenaries you can hire, or the likes.

What can be accomplished by following the path of the Gods can only be known for he who does it. The Gods are not traders who will show you their wares, for you to examine and buy. If you want their grace, you will need to approach them with humility, and be prepared to pay the price of virtue.

Dis te incolumem custodiant,
Torpius d'Arricarrère (Earl of Shinnen Purlieus)


Letter from Koli Bedwyr
Message sent to (Personal message to Torpius d'Arricarrère)
Earl Torpius, As I suspected...Empty promises. Until I see this power you speak of provide tangible results, I will trust in my armies and my ancestors.
Koli Bedwyr (King of Pian en Luries, Ambassador of Pian en Luries)


Letter from Torpius d'Arricarrère
Message sent to (Personal message to Koli Bedwyr)
Your Highness,

I will pray for your soul. I hope you change your mind, and, in time, see the light.

Dis te incolumem custodiant,
Torpius d'Arricarrère (Earl of Shinnen Purlieus)