View source for User:Iltaran/Ossmat Creed

The Ossmat Creed was prepared on the instructions of [[Iltaran Family|Askarn Iltaran]], Iron Feather of the [[Order of the Golden Feather]]. Intended as a primer for initiates to the Order, it seeks to lay out the basic principles of the faith. A draft copy was submitted to the Ossmat Conclave, to be finalised and approved.

===On the Golden Dragon===
All of creation, be it the land, the sea, the sky, the plants, the beasts or Humanity itself, is the work of the Golden Dragon and He is the sole divine being within the universe. Amongst the creations of the Golden Dragon, Humanity is marked out for special favour. Upon birth every child is imbued with a Shard of the Golden Dragon’s own essence, thus carrying within them the very spark of divinity. When an individual dies, their Shard will return to the Golden Dragon. However, although Humanity is favoured with this gift, the Golden Dragon does not desire for us to live in idle luxury. Only in the face of adversity can we truly unlock the divine Shard within ourselves.

Indeed, whilst we give praise to the Golden Dragon for His gifts to us, we do not call upon him for aid. Having undertaken creation and given humanity the Shard necessary for greatness, He does not interfere in the affairs of the world. The Golden Dragon judges us on our actions and determines our worth; to fight our battles for us would prevent Humanity from proving itself before Him.

The true form of the Golden Dragon is beyond the comprehension of even the greatest of men and only once a mortal returns to Him in death can such understanding be attained. He is not a literal dragon, rather this is merely the image which He has taken in the majority of prophecies and visions. This manifestation draws on both the mightiest creature in human legend and the noblest metal to symbolise His nature. Most artistic representations follow this .

===On the Shard===
Humanity is set apart from other life by the Shard of the Dragon imbued within them. Gifted by the Golden Dragon, it provides each of us a constant link to the divine. In times of struggle and hardship we are able to draw on this connection. From the Shard humanity gains its higher qualities; courage, loyalty, honour, zeal and their kin. These traits differentiate men from other, inferior, creatures. While animals cannot see beyond their own survival and propagation, humans can comprehend that how you live, not merely the fact that you do, is important. 

Each Shard will be shaped by the actions of the one it has been granted to and in turn may shape them.  The Shard of a coward will wither away to insignificance, dooming the soul in question to oblivion. By contrast, those who make use of the gifts granted by the Golden Dragon will strengthen their bond with His Shard. As a mortal becomes closer to the Dragon they are instilled with a degree of the majesty of the Dragon.  

''At death, the Shard will seek to return to the Dragon for judgement; completing the cycle.'' 

===On the Golden Feather and the Heroes===
Upon being reunited with the Golden Dragon, the greatest men and women are rewarded with entrance into the ranks of the Heroes, where they serve as exemplars for the rest of humanity. Uniquely, the Heroes are granted a measure of His power in order to continue their mission. They are able to influence the mortal realm in subtle ways. Each Hero embodies that talent that first caused them to be honoured by the Dragon and their impact upon us is guided by that. Thus we call upon the Poet to inspire us and aid us to inspire others. 

Foremost amongst the Heroes is Lady Melian, the Golden Feather. Though the Heroes have always been with humanity, it was only after She achieved apotheosis and joined them that the mysteries were unravelled. The Golden Feather appeared in visions to Dominicus Tyr-Sog at the Holy Stronghold of Vatrona and therein revealed how to interpret the signs of the Dragon and His Army. Thanks to Her efforts, all of humanity may now see clearly the path set for us by the Golden Dragon, rather than wander in the darkness. 

On occasion, the Heroes may be referred to as the Ascendant or as Aspects, in order to emphasis certain features of their nature. The first alternative title refers to their elevation to a state above that of mere mortals, while the second reflects that each Hero comes to personify a particular aspect of the Golden Dragon.  The formal term to refer to the process of ascension to the ranks of the Army of the Dragon is apotheosis. 

===On the Precepts===
The Order does not recognise a single path to greatness and indeed, judgement is the task of the Golden Dragon, not of mere mortals. Nevertheless, the Order recognises its foremost task as guiding mankind towards achieving unity with the Dragon. Towards that end, there are various teachings, derived from the wisdom granted by the Ascendant. These precepts are intended to direct humanity towards the favour of the Dragon and ultimately towards apotheosis.

Perhaps the most difficult virtue to achieve, Clarity comes from an understanding of the Golden Dragon and the mission He intends for Humanity. 

''Courage - there is no glory in accomplishment unless it is achieved in the face of adversity''

''Duty - doing what is right, not what is easy, also being loyal.''

''Zeal - seeking to challenge oneself, embracing the gift of life granted by the Golden Dragon.''

===On the Order===
''Path of the Owl - priests, devoted to spreading the word of the Golden Feather and teaching the precepts. Embody Clarity''

''Path of the Hawk - crusaders, seek out evil and destroy it. Embody Courage.''

''Path of the Eagle - guardians, defend the righteous and protect the lands of the dragon. Embody Duty.''

''Path of the Crow - watchers, protect against threats from within the Order and care for the dead. Embody Zeal''

===On the Misinterpretations and Heresies===
Although the revelations granted to Silver Feather Dominicus by Lady Melian and the formal establishment of the Order are comparatively recent events, many, if not all, other faiths have at least stumbled across some of the truth. Often Heroes are misinterpreted as being gods in their own right or conflated with the Golden Dragon. Most such mistakes, whilst requiring correction, are of little danger; indeed, commoners may often be more easily brought into the true faith when reassured that the ‘gods’ they have been worshipping are indeed men worthy of veneration. Nevertheless it must be emphasised that the Heroes are humans who have been imbued with power by the Golden Dragon and not divine beings. Efforts to deny the unique nature of the Golden Dragon should be rooted out without mercy.

More concerning heresies are those that base their divinities around other creations of the Golden Dragon. While not present on Beluaterra, cults devoted to the worship of the stars are reported to exist. Closer to the heartland of the Order of the Golden Feather there was the cult known as Da Way, which worshipped a goat, as well as other groups that claim the entirety of nature is divine. The physical world was created by the the Golden Dragon in order to test His favoured children; worshipping the gift rather than the One who granted the gift is foolish and insulting. Worst of all are those who turn their back on the Golden Dragon completely and give themselves over to the inhuman forces; Monster, Undead, Daimons and others of such ilk. Their blasphemy is of a similiar nature to those who worship some part of nature, but of an entirely different magnitude. Not only do they deny the singular divinity of the Golden Dragon, but they betray mankind's unique position by willingly accepting the rule of inhumans. Destroying such cults through word or sword is a Holy Task.