Sanguis Astroism/The Magistratum/Garret/Illumination
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An Illumination on the Proper Reading and Interpretation of the Scarlet Trinity
The Scarlet Trinity of Excellence: Almost idiosyncratically an Aquilegian concept, yet from a deeper look through the veil of language would reveal that its core is one of the same as the Prophet's teachings. But it is very easy for a new reader of the Excellence Treatise to completely miss the actual concept of the Scarlet Trinity. The first mistake is to think that the Trinity is in any way separable. The Austere, Auspicious, and Maddening Stars do not act in the absence of one another. Even if two stars are dark and one bright, the dark pair do not vanish. Granted, the effects are extremely hard to put into human language, but there is still a concerted effect due to the whole Trinity and not as individual stars. Only after realizing this fact can one even hope to begin to read the Excellence Treatise with any real understanding.
The three components of the Trinity were given separate categories for the sake of human readers. It is impossible for the average reader of the treatise to read in the true nature of the Bloodstars. Likewise, it is impossible for the author, myself, to write in such a way in the first place. It is important to remember then, that at any point where any one star is explained at length, to keep in mind that the effects and domains stated do not refer to that individual star, but rather as the expected effect that comes about when the other Stars are in phase.
Here is where there is a little vagueness in the Excellence Treatise that all but the most perceptive readers will catch. The Excellence Treatise was written to cover only two forms of the Trinity: All Bright, and all Dark. In the real world, of course the Bloodstars would not always be in the same phase. However, the effects stated in the Treatise only refer to the effects as occurring when all Stars are bright, or when all Stars are dark. That is the second most important thing to remember.
The Prophet is able to understand the theoretical effects of the individual stars in isolation. But I cannot so the effects I state would naturally be the whole of the Trinity, even if I can give some more precision as to the general effects of each component of the Trinity. It is much like a vial of sand. I can tell where there are light bands, and where there are dark bands. But no matter how hard I try, I cannot tell you how many grains must compose the light band, or exactly how many grains must compose the dark band.
I know full well where most disagreement comes in. Kalos Kagathos Vetinari had this conversation with me, as did a foreign writer who made an evaluation on the Treatise. Bright Maddening and Dark Maddening. The Prophet says that the Maddening Star inspires one's emotions to increase, to have men enter into passions. The Excellence Treatise says that when Bright Maddening exists, emotions are tempered to be harmonious with reason and action. Some people might say that this is contrary to the Prophet's words. But remember the second most important thing to remember: All effects stated in the Scarlet Trinity are interdependent and inseparable within the same phase. So Bright Maddening exerts equal effects as Bright Austere and Bright Auspicious. The Excellence Treatise makes no claim to the other phase combinations except to all Dark stars. In that, there is no Austere influence, and so emotions can once more run amok as it can happen normally among humans, and even among beasts. And because emotions are generally linked to the body, which the Prophet has associated with the Maddening star, I categorized it as generally due to Dark Maddening. Of course this is by far not as perfect as the Prophet's but in the extremities of the phases, the Treatise attempts to provide as best a description in as accessible a way.
So to summarize, two important things must be learned and remembered before true understanding of the Excellence Treatise can commence: 1. The Trinity is inseparable; any and all effects of each star is at all times linked to the other two stars, and it is the Trinity as a whole that finally exerts the effects that humans in the end feel. 2. The Excellence Treatise is not precise enough to offer effects of each individual star at each phase combination. Rather, it presents only the relative effects of each star when all of the Trinity is in phase, either all Bright or all Dark.
