Ironsides Family/Bowie/Heathen
The Voice of Heathen
By request of a close friend of mine, who is an Astromancer, I am supposed to make some form of attempt to approach Astromancy amicably. The very first letter I wrote was an indictment. I decided not to share that with the public. I did send it to your Prophet, however. My second attempt to write this letter was very sarcastic and diminutive of my opponents so I tore that one up and started fresh. Much in the way you should tear up your version of me and start fresh. Together then, let us take a new step in the direction of understanding and cooperation.
I have no idea what the theocrat zealots of Astromancy say about me in the Church, nor what their issues are with me, or why they often pose me as their Bogeyman, so I am simply going to make a series of statements of who I am, why I do not like them, and where I think we should go from there. Let this be my introduction to the Astromancers who do not know me personally and who especially have only known my name as used by my adversaries.
I am Lord Bowie Ironsides, born in Dulbin, ennobled in Fissoa. I am sixty-one years old, divorced. I have three children, two sons and one daughter, one son killed as a hero in Atamara. My oldest son remains in Fissoa with my ex-wife, both estranged to me, and my daughter is the Dragon Princess of D’Hara. I am a man possessed by a demon and my struggle with this condition has become unavoidably public. My first and last religion was the Way of the Dragons, of which I encountered and converted to in D'Hara. Presently, I practice a private faith.
I was a very young noble when I first heard of Astromancy. At the time I lived in Fissoa reports were coming in of your religious conquest of Everguard and the fierce cleansing of its Torenist faith from the Nifel Peninsula and beyond. All of us were concerned that your religion would bring its armies south to us and we vowed to resist and fight to protect our lands. We did not have our own religion in Fissoa but we collectively did not want the one stemming from the Dongeselands. In this manner, I learned of the existence of Astromancy.
My first direct encounter with Astromancy was in D’Hara. The Duke of Port Nebel became a convert and actively, publicly, began combating the Way of the Dragons. The Dragon Queen banned him for his conversion and the fact that he wanted to build a temple of Astromancy in Port Nebel, disobeying her. She allowed him back into the realm because many of us did not want persecution based on religion, persecution of him by us, the Draconists, and persecution of us by the Astromancers, he and his Church. Despite that, he went ahead and destroyed the temple to the Dragons in Port Nebel. He built a church to Astromancy over our old temple. He was a friend of mine but we still argued over his decision to destroy the temple. From then on it was against the law to preach Astromancy in D’Hara under the Dragon Queen. I can’t remember what happened to the Duke of Port Nebel or if they made some concessions regarding preaching and what not. Most likely they did. In this manner, I witnessed firsthand the methods of missionaries of Astromancy.
My first role as an enemy of Astromancy came in Aquilegia. The realm was a theocracy, reigned by a priest, judged by a priest, and the Duke of Flowrestown was also a member. The General and Banker (me), the Marshal of the army (me again) and all members of my army were not Astromancers (except for one knight). We resented them because they held positions of responsibility but did absolutely nothing to earn them, save for being theocrats, and did absolutely nothing to contribute to the realm – especially when we needed them to. In order to save the realm from collapse we launched a rebellion to change this poor situation. We lost solely due to the zealotry of one priest. The Aquilegion Civil War was more than just a battle against theocracy, but that was definitely a major part of it. My first encounter with political Astromancy, or theocratism, then was by suffering it as a detrimental force in my realm and the cause for taking up arms. Theocracy was the illness of Aquilegia and we tried to cure it.
When I lived in Summerdale, a zealot brought her army over the Nifel River to raid Odenir. She threatened the realm with invasion of our capital lest they surrendered me to her army. Her reasoning was that I was a heathen and deserved to be burned. Her raid was a diplomatic gaffe since it was not sanctioned by Morek nor expected by Summerdale. This was my first experience with zealotry.
Ever since the Civil War I became a vocal critic of Theocratism. I made a speech against the faith when I was honoured in Muspelheim. I wrote a whole journal series dedicated to shifting the policies of the Morek Empire away from its theocratic rot toward an Imperialist future. These are my public vocalizations in political opposition to theocracy and my views expressed throughout these works have not changed one bit. More and more they are reinforced.
Here in Swordfell, I oppose the interference of theocratism at all levels. I cannot help that Astromancy holds monopoly on our regions but I can definitely resist their encroachments to our domestic life. I reject the central tenet of theocracy: the assumption that being a member of the faith qualifies one for public office. I reject their insistence that Astromancy is the only valid religion of Dwilight. I denounce and will combat theocrats who attempt to attack non-Astromancers, who attempt to create laws to persecute or isolate non-Astromancers, who discard nobles of worth and intellect because they are non-Astromancers, who believe that members of their faith are superior to non-members, who attempt to pressure members of their faith to exclude non-Astromancers, and so forth. As a noble of integrity and compassion I will not allow theocracy to warp or pervert Swordfell.
I oppose theocratic Astromancy due to my life experience with your religion. I do not oppose your faith or members of the faith unless they prove to be theocrats and zealots. There is a difference between a theocrat and a zealot. A theocrat believes that the possession of membership to Astromancy elevates one’s nobility and quality as a person and that the lack of faith degrades one’s nobility and quality of a person. A zealot attacks others who are not members of their faith or even members of their faith who do not agree with their version of the faith. A theocrat can be a zealot and vice-versa, but these are two separate frames of mind, or illnesses as I term them. As a non-member of your faith I do not abide by your orders or requests of me. Therefore, when the Church makes “demands” or sends “orders” to me to do something or change my vocal opposition I simply do not listen. If they, like some Astromancers have, make an argument and are willing to debate and discuss their views or requests, then I will listen and we will begin communicating. There is ample evidence of both of these types of relations between myself and the Church, that of those who demand and those who discuss.
I believe that this account of my relationship with Astromancy is similar to many other heathens and that perhaps instead of calling us heathens and attempting to burn us or mount our heads in your temples, perhaps you should review your own history and doctrines and consider an attitude change?
I hope that in hearing my voice (from me and not from my opponents) you will see why I think and do as I think and do and maybe make an attempt to approach me amicably just as I am making an attempt to approach you. I am not the Bogeyman of Astromancy. Theocracy is the bogeyman of Dwilight.
This is my position. I invite everyone to reply so we may begin communicating.
Autumn of 22 YD
Just for fun I have included my earliest letter. I'm typically a provocateur and maybe knowing what I wanted to say might give you an even greater impression of my frustration with the politicization of your religion:
