Prophecies of Sanguis Astroism

The First Prophecy of Mathurin Hossenfeffer

From a vision received by the Prophet at the temple in Donghaiwei, Morek. At the time of the Prophecy, Austere and Auspicious were hidden, Maddening was bright, and Auspicious was in ascendancy.

The Prince of Strife showed me...

A crimson lord riding

the earth, quakes

Two brothers arm in arm

a jewel, lost

Three armies circling an eye

a trap, sprung

Four flags flying high

one frayed, falls

Five clouds concealing the Stars

a realm, ravaged

Six sheathed in shadows

a darkened dagger, drawn

Seven smiling rogues sit

a Queen, slain

Eight ships setting sail

a broken kingdom, won

Commentary on, and Interpretation of, The First Prophecy

Interpretations by Turin Erickson, Duke of Gaston and Former High Paladin of Niselur:

"Faithful,

The fall of Niselur was foretold by the holy prophet Mathurin. In his famous meditation there is a line long attributed to Darfix expeditions before any had even made it to the city successfully.

"8 ships setting sail, a broken kingdom won"

8 was the number of nobles which fled the city of Darfix in its final days, 8 is the number of original Niselurians still working to rebuild our kingdom. There is no coincidence. The fall of Niselur was fate. We were destined for cataclysm, whether by a rebellion, an incompetent banker, or a portal to the very netherworld. No mortal could change such a destiny. We are merely able to choose what to do with the fates we are given."

Faithful,

I wish to recite another line which seems pertinent. I know little of Thulsoma's history, however as you have proudly mentioned, it was formed by but two nobles.

"Two brothers arm in arm, a jewel, lost"

I do not yet know if this interpretation is more then an academic trifle, but be warned, mankind cannot cheat fate. Are you prepared for ill fate to befall you?

A new interpretation and commentary on The First Prophecy

An interpretation of The First Prophecy, by Alice Arundel, Queen of Luria Nova, during the Crimson War

Fellow faithful, it was not Niselur's literal downfall ages ago that was foretold by our Prophet. Rather, it was Niselur's separation from the Theocracies, and the subsequent events that would follow that were foretold. Some might consider Niselur's separation a downfall of sorts, while others might see it as an ascent. The rift that exists between us today, however, gives proof to the magnitude of this event.

"A crimson lord riding, the earth, quakes"

Our Prophet does not speak of a mere lord adorned in crimson robes. No, he speaks of something far greater. The crimson lord is something defined by two separate ideas - those strongest and well known to us. Crimson, the color of blood, represents our faith, while the title of lord represents secularism. Niselur in particular is defined by these two traits. It began again as an entity of the faith, and later became its most stalwart challenger in the form of a monarchy. It rides, and the very roots of this establishment shift under its quake. The greatest war this continent has ever seen has erupted as a result.

"Two brothers arm in arm, a jewel, lost"

Where realm and faith were once considered nearly the same, brothers even, they now stand separated. The jewel that is the holy city of Darfix no longer belongs exclusively to the church.

"Three armies circling an eye, a trap, sprung"

Three theaters of war, three armies. In the west, Phantaria and the Farronite Republic. In the Northwest, Asylon and Niselur. In the East, the Libero Empire and Luria Nova (now withdrawn.) Their trap was sprung, and war commenced.

"Four flags flying high, one frayed, falls"

There are four theocracies: four flags of the faith. Terran is crumbling; what was once a sizable republic is now a theocratic city state on the brink of death.

"Five clouds concealing the Stars, a realm, ravaged"

While there were originally six realms concealing the Stars, Luria Nova's withdrawal quickly made it five. The Libero Empire, having lost my realm as its ally, may receive the worst from the Morek Empire.

"Six sheathed in shadows, a darkened dagger, drawn"

There are six realms lurking carefully outside the great war, fighting their own wars and harboring their own plots. One shall take advantage of the situation.

It seems I personally fulfilled this passage, having declared war against D'Hara when the continent could not intervene.

"Seven smiling rogues sit, a Queen, slain"

I sincerely hope this is not as literal as it seems to be, for obvious reasons.

"Eight ships setting sail, a broken kingdom, won"

A final passage prophesying the end of the war. Its outcome will either change everything about the way we think, or strengthen our traditions further: two great extremes, one of them the result. Our faith, the broken kingdom fragmented by embittered factions, must be won by one side or the other.

What frightens me more, however, is what Brother Turin had to say about this new interpretation of mine. He said the events mentioned in our interpretations were simple repetitions of the same prophecy. May the Stars watch over us should he be proven right.

The Second Prophecy of Mathurin Hossenfeffer

From a vision received by the Prophet at the temple in Mimer, Corsanctum. At the time of the Prophecy, Austere and Maddening were hidden, Auspicious was bright, and Maddening was in ascendancy.

The Lady of Fortune showed me...

On a barren heath; a man in black armour, bearing a broken sword and speaking with a voice of the dead saying "there is no hope" and throwing the sword to the ground, and a tree rising from the spot and hiding the man, and an infant sitting in the tree, swaddled in black and holding a cracked cup and speaking with a voice of those not yet born saying "there is no hope" and pouring water from the cup over the branches of the tree and silver flowers blooming from amidst the leaves hiding the infant, and a woman rose from the pool of water, garbed in black and with a crippled hand and speaking with a voice of the all the living saying "there is no hope" and raising the crippled hand to cover my eyes and when the hand was gone, so was the woman and the tree and the pool, and there was a stone there, under the light of the Stars.

Commentary on, and Interpretation of, The Second Prophecy

An interpretation of The Second Prophecy, by Bengt Algotsson, knight of Mimer; written upon conclusion of his studies under Bishop Medugnatos Stormcrow, High Inquisitor of Corsanctum, Count of Mimiravair.

In The Second Prophecy, first the Prophet tells us that this vision was showed him by the Lady of Fortune, the Auspicious Star, who was bright at the time. This I interpret as the prophecy referring to fortune, luck, to events out of human control; for "the Auspicious Star has not even the slightest deviation or divergence from its alloted path", as the Prophet said.

But this is not sufficient. The Prophet also says elsewhere, "We can easily see that Auspicious is bright today, bright enough to still be visible in the daylight, and yet to merely describe the Star as 'bright' misses an infinity of nuance and connotation". One such connotation is the ascendant nature of the Maddening Star at the time of the Prophecy. Maddening "conforms [...] to the raw, uneducated beast within us that reacts immediately to external stimuli". Thus I interpret the prologue to the Prophecy as such: the text refers to events outside our control, but about which we feel very strong, raw emotions nonetheless.

Next we see the text of the Prophecy is closely related to the Mimer sermon about "the Sword, the Cup and the Open Hand". These are essential concepts for the Faith. Before anything else, we should notice that the Prophecy reveals new information about the nature of each of these three paths.

The Sword is associated with a man in armor, a warrior. Also its companions are a barren heath and speech in the "voice of the dead". Thus war, death and lack of fertility are unavoidable companions of the path of the Sword. "We can present the Faith with the Sword, showing the might of those who follow the Bloodstars", said the sermon in Mimer. But we must be careful, lest such a show of strength leads to the creation of a barren desert, unsuitable for the growth of the Faith.

The Cup is associated with an infant, a growing tree, and the "voice of those not yet born". These are the exact opposites of all symbols associated with the Sword. The infant and the warrior, the barren heath and the growing tree, the "not yet born" and the dead are irreconcilable aspects of existence, from one point of view; but also complementary, and necessary for each other's existence. One grows into the other, the other goes forth and makes place for that which grows.

So how do we bring together into equilibrium these divergent forces? The Open Hand seems to provide the answer. The Prophecy associates it with a woman, a pool of water, and the "voice of the living". The pool of water can exist on the barren heath, and is needed by the tree for growth. The woman, consort to the warrior and mother to the infant, provides the link between the two that makes life possible. She does not conquer the world through either might or growth; but kind persuasion is her tool of choice. She is indispensable to the other two, who would each destroy themselves if left unbound.

Thus, I venture to say, this is the first lesson the Prophecy teaches us, about the relationship between the three paths. Those who bear the Sword are to go forth and make place for the growth of the Faith. Yet they must be careful not to trespass over land fertile for the Faith, and make it barren. Those who bear the Cup are to place the seeds of the Faith in this cleared land, and to nurture its growth. And the way of the Open Hand is to provide a link between the two and to maintain the harmony of the whole process.

Yet this is not the whole Prophecy. For how can one read it and not notice that the warrior, the infant and the woman are all wearing black; that the sword is broken, the cup cracked and the hand crippled; and the chorus of the living, dead, and unborn voices proclaims "there is no hope"? This by no means refers to the state of the Faith today, which is thriving beyond any other human enterprise on Dwilight. But I interpret it, in conjunction with the prologue, to be a reminder that we still live under the rule of chance. What if our best efforts come to disastrous results? What if we should ever find ourselves in a situation where the Sword, the Cup and the Open Hand are equally ineffective, and all hope is gone? I am told such situations have occured within living memory, for instance on the continent of Beluaterra, where human presence was almost extinguished by monsters several times. What then?

And after asking this question, the Prophecy comes to its central mystery. When all else is removed, there is only one answer remaining: "there was a stone there, under the light of the Stars". The stone - I have assiduously looked through all known Holy Texts and found no other reference to it. And yet here it appears as the central message of the Prophecy. What does it mean? This is open to much thought. This humble knight found the following interpretation the most compelling. When all other Paths have failed; when a great storm comes, and breaks all swords that try to fight it, all trees that brace to survive it, and all hands that beckon it to stop its course; when we are under the worst excess of misfortune, and the worst feelings invade us; then there is only the way of the Stone. The Path of the Stone is to be unmovable "under the light of the Stars"; to weather even the worst storm by staying strong in the Faith. For as long as there is even one Stone remaining, when the tempest has passed, there is still hope that a new Tree will sprout from the seed sheltered beneath it.

Thus let us rejoice in this Prophecy. For the Stars have sent through the Holy Prophet new meanings about the Sword, the Cup and the Open Hand. They have also taught us that even in the worst adversity, there will be a Stone under their light that we can rely on. This is the interpretation on Bengt Algotsson, knight of Mimer.

The Third Prophecy of Mathurin Hossenfeffer

From a vision received by the Prophet in his tower in Mimer, Corsanctum. At the time of the Prophecy, Austere and Maddening were hidden, Auspicious was bright, and Maddening was in ascendancy.

The Spirit of Truth showed me...

The warrior is my right eye,

Bright shining fervour.

Exultantly, he brings the fire,

I surmount the other.

The courtier is my left eye,

Bright shining favour.

Judiciously, she brings the light,

I cherish the other.

The priest is my third eye,

Bright shining candour.

Serenely, it brings the truth,

There is no other,

The eyes.

All shine bright.

Fire, Light, Truth.

There is no I.

Commentary on, and Interpretation of, The Third Prophecy

An interpretation and commentary on the Third Prophecy was made by Light Rabisu in his Scroll of Understanding, reproduced here in full:

O Brothers and Sisters!

Upon meditative reflection on the Third Prophecy, I, Rabisu, derive interpretation from it herein.

A man has two eyes. How then can a vision of Truth be seen in a tale of three eyes?

There is more meaning than a mere counting of physiological organs, and the truth is deeper than that which can be seen. The warrior and the courtier bring the fire of vigor and the light of justice, and they are of course worthy of being cherished as the foundations of decent society. The one relies on the other, just as one eye relies upon the other.

Yet fire and light are but products - the fruit of the burning Stars above. What is the essence of true fervor and favor, the spirit which gives them purpose or meaning? Truth itself, and with the serenity of truth, there is no other eye required. This third eye, not natural to man yet which sees clearly, is the essence of the Bloodstars, the true light and true fire behind all others.

Our Most Holy Prophet, gifted this revelation from the Stars, is not a super-man, not a man whose personal power is greater than any other, not a man whose education or prowess is above and beyond any other. Indeed, despite advancing in these earthly arts, he himself declares with most seeming illogic, that "there is no I."

What is meant by this apparent contradiction? In his faith, his person and personality are no longer of consequences. For selfishness and senses are bonds, not gifts; fetters, not freedom. Who can speak of the will of the Prophet? For in him, the will of the Stars shines bright, and of his own self there is none to speak of.

Though a priest brings the truth, which is most illuminating a reflection of the truth of the Stars, and though the warrior brings fire and the courtier light, which are faithful reflections of the will of the stars made flesh, none is useful without the other, and only when all three shine truly, when the Light beyond light and the Fire beyond fire and the Truth beyond truth are clear, is man's nature revealed.

Without the Stars, man is nothing. With the Stars, he is also nothing - and yet so much greater! His strength is unmatched, his laws just, his understanding wise - for it is not his strength, his justice, his wisdom at all.

One who wishes to see clearly must use both his eyes, and must open his third eye - only to realize that when it comes to clarity of sight, eyes are of no help whatsoever, and anything that is his and not the Stars will be only a hindrance.

May you see clearly with the Light of the Stars

The First Prophecy of Severina

The withered vine must grow green again,

and from it will sprout many fruits, of different shapes, but all red as blood.

The children will come, eat of them and grow strong

Commentaries on the First Prophecy

A brief discourse on the first prophecy between Meginhard Brennaborg, Lord Commander of the Temple Guard, Priest Mendechaus Kaltenthal and the Prophetess Severina

Letter from Meginhard Brennaborg Fellow believers,

I have meditated on Sister Severina's first vision: "The withered vine must grow green again, and from it will sprout many fruits, of different shapes, but all red as blood. The children will come, eat of them and grow strong."

I think that the withered vine is not referring to the state of Sanguis Astroism, but to Dwilight as a whole. Once almost all of it was controlled by human realms, but now we consider many regions as lost - maybe even forever.

The fruits are not realms, but nobles. They have blood the Stars can influence. They are all of different shapes, because they belong to different realms. But I do not believe these realms to be theocracies, for a healthy branch does not only bear fruit, but also leaves.

The children are the commoners. If they turn to the faith, they will prosper. It is in their interest to care for the vine so that it may bring forth fruits. Likewise, it is in the interest of the fruits to nourish the commoners, so the vine may continue to flourish.

I believe the vision shows us that we should not seek our future in theocracies, but in spreading our faith among the commoners. They shall cause the vine to bring forth more fruit.

Meginhard Brennaborg Lord Commander of Westgard Senator of Forguthrie Marshal of the Shield of the West Lord Commander of Sanguis Astroism

Letter from Mendechaus Kaltenthal

Brethren, I have vowed to take up the robes again to support our children in need.

I have read about the first vision of Sister Severina now for the first time and also your interpretation of said vision, Brother Meginhard and i must say i am intrigued by the peace this interpretation promises. In the past i was of the staunch belief that the faith needs its theocracies to protect its inner values against all foes from within and without but are we not mere instruments of the will of the stars? And in this we are to question our own believes time and time again to affirm it is the will of the stars. In this interpretation of this vision i see a future for the church and for dwilight as a whole that is not soaked in blood and tears. At least not because the stars require it.

Mendechaus Kaltenthal Priest of Sanguis Astroism Knight of the Temple of Sanguis Astroism

Letter from Severina Erickson Player

Brother Mendechaus,

Congratulations taking the cloth. Your commitment is an inspiration to us all.

We speak now of peace. What is peace? I say it is part of a cycle. Cycles dominate this world, day and night, the changing seasons, the birth of new life and the death of old, and of course the Blood Stars have their cycles and all these cycles are connected. Uncle Turin, may his memory enlighten us, believed that Mathurin's first prophecy was a cycle to which world events would conform generation to generation. War and peace are likewise a cycle, and when we are in harmony we greet each one with joy in due course, even as we rise by morning to fulfill our daily duties and then each night retire for a welcome sleep.

Yet cycles are not always stable, even as the wheel of a cart can wobble, shifting more and more violently upon the axel until it snaps in twain or sends the cart careening into a ditch so can the cycles of life become disrupted. A peaceful nights rest can become a sleeping sickness and a day of noble duties can become many sleepless nights wracked with anxiety the mind slowly slipping into madness. So too can the cycle of war and peace become unstable. War and peace are neither good nor bad in and of themselves. A good war brings the chance for honor and glory. A good peace is a time to celebrate victories, to rest, and rebuild, and to see to domestic affairs. Yet there are also bad wars, wars of devastation, dishonorable conduct and the dishonorable wanton slaughter of the defenseless. There can be a bad peace as well, a peace of sloth and complacency where instead of building we apathetically watch our realms decay. Right now it seems to me Dwilight has long suffered under an abundance of bad peace. If we are to have a good peace in the future there must be good wars first.

These lands and the civilized realms within are as a wobbling wheel and we must set that wheel right lest it send all into ruin. To set the wheel right there must be a disruption. The damage cannot be repaired even as the cart continues forwards. It must be stopped, raised upon a jack or even turned upside down, and then wheel and axle fixed. The Maddening gives us the intuition to know that the cart is wobbling, it shall take the Austere to stop the cart, and the Auspicious to fix the damage.

In Service to the Divine Blood Stars,

Severina Erickson High Adjudicator of Westgard Senator of Zereth Priestess of Sanguis Astroism Prophetess of Sanguis Astroism

Second Prophecy of Severina

Faithful,

I must report a remarkable experience I have had of late.

Today I was hard at work preparing Blood Star calendars for the coming year. As I finished illuminating the final copy a vision came over me like a great wave.

I drifted as a leaf on the wind, high above Dwilight. I could see the four corners of the continent, from Darfix to Springdale, from Valkyrja to Madina. And the stars hung above us all, each as the sun, bathing all the lands in their light.

But then from the fringes of the lands, from the ocean depths, an all-consuming darkness crept. It swallowed first the low places, deserts and plains, then the forests, then hills.

The darkness consumed all the land before me, save for one mountain peak. The stars hovered above it and for a moment the darkness wavered, but then it began to advance again.

Before I could witness any more, I stood once again in my illumination room looking out the window at the Blood Stars.

There is more! When I came to my senses I realized that the master copy of my first years' calendar had torn. A perfect line split the velum in half down the middle!

Third Prophecy of Severina

Faithful,

I saw as it were a tower of brick,

having seven sides and nine levels.

And before it stood a golden priest

His right hand holding a shepherd's crook

And in his left a knife

A multitude drew near from all sides

Stretching even to the horizon

Man and woman, rich and poor they came

Like a crop of spring lambs

One by one they knelt before the priest

And with his gold knife he cut their throats

And their crimson blood became as bricks

And the tower grew

The stars are veiled now, not merely by cloud. For the first time in my life, I feel them not. A reckoning is coming, a confrontation, and when it is over nothing will be the same again.

We believe even when you do not shine.

Bloodstars protect us, Severina Erickson Dame of Port Raviel Priestess of Sanguis Astroism Prophetess of Sanguis Astroism

Visions of Sanguis Astroism

A Vision concerning Daimons granted to Mathurin Hossenfeffer

Received by the Prophet in Golden Farrow.

On a verdant plain a worshipper of the Stars laid a stone carefully upon the good ground.

A creature of fang and fear that shunned the Stars, crept upon the man and attacked him.

The man was pressed mightily by the terror, but he was stalwart and stood his ground by the stone. The Stars shone for him in the sky above, and there was a movement below.

A warrior clad in blood-red robes, an infant wrapped in scarlet cloth and a woman dressed in a crimson gown approached in silence, each bearing a gift.

The warrior handed the man a spear.

The infant handed the man a helm.

The woman handed the man a scroll.

Light lined the spear and it impaled the monster. Light edged the helm and softened the blows of the monster. Light danced across the writing on the scroll and words of power drove the monster back.

The spear was broken,

the helm sundered,

the scroll torn;

the creature gone.

The man carefully placed a second stone by the first, on the plain, under the light of the Stars.