Prophecies of Iconoclastic 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

An 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 In the East, the Libero Empire and Luria Nova (now withdrawn.)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.

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.

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 Fourth Prophecy of Mathurin Hossenfeffer

Received by the Prophet in Golden Farrow.

On a verdant plain a worshiper 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.

Fulfillment of the Fourth Prophecy

The Second Prophet, Jonsu Himoura was revealed during her fulfillment of the Fourth Prophecy. With Spear, Helm and Scroll, she struck down the Apostate Elder Council, and began the shaping the second stone. The stones represent the Holy Church, and though Sanguis Astroism has become hopelessly lost, we of the true faith carry on the works of the Prophets and the Stars.

The Fifth Prophecy

Received by the Second Prophet, Jonsu Himoura in Shrine of Seeklander, days before seizing control of Sanguis Astroism and ousting the Apostate Council.

One Tower, besieged.

One Castle, under assault.

Two Wholes, striving to be half.

Three Foes, waiting in ambush.

Five Heroes, bleeding.

Eight Stones, sinking.

Notes Concerning the Fifth Prophecy

As predicted, portal stones were utilized during the monster invasion of the West sub-continent foreseen by the Holy Prophet Jonsu. Two sets were utilized, the first set striking down monsters and turning their charred forms into sustaining nourishment for the people of the Western sub-continent. The results of the second set are recorded here:

A Second Portal (20 days, 7 hours ago) The ground in the area near Vakreno Heaps has been rumbling strangely for a day now. Suddenly, the rumbling intensifies, and a new column of light leaps into the sky above the Heaps, carrying atop it eight glowing stones locked into a circle. At the apex of the column, high enough to be seen from across the realm, the stones break apart and form a much larger circle, crackling energy connecting them.

The space between the stones begins to glow, then the glow begins to swirl, and finally there is a detonation that shakes the ground for miles around, and a complete portal hovers above Vakreno Heaps, shedding an unearthly glow upon the land.

A Deadly Portal (20 days, 7 hours ago) Once again, the land shudders as eight portal stones rise high into the sky above Vakreno Heaps and a portal opens. The portal blossoms with deadly energy, lancing down upon monsters throughout the western lands. This time when it strikes, however, marauding beasts are not burned black: they are completely vaporized, leaving nothing behind but a foul smell in the air and a feeling of foreboding.

An Interpretation of the Fifth Prophecy by... (Will write name later)

The Tower is Mimer, at least as far as I can see. What better way to name the "Holy City" than by a Tower, as that is the best way to be literally closer to the Stars.

The Castle is Iron Citadel. What better way to describe the furthest duchy in a realm that is not in danger to an invasion until her allies are destroyed, than by a castle, a fortress?

The Two Wholes are the factions of the Bloodstars before the Second Prophet was excommunicated. They were with Jonsu or with the Elders. I myself was one of the Elders' faction, and now striving to be apart, though, who the one in Jonsu's court is, if any, I don't yet know. Will update as I see.

The Three foes are Asylon, and two that have yet to be revealed. Asylon waited until the Monsters ran them to the East, and then, using diplomacy as a cover, ambushed Corsanctum and the other Theocracies. Who the others are, I have yet to see. Will update as needed.

The Five Heroes are the Theocracies. There are five Theocracies holding out against Asylon and the Second Prophet. They are heroic in their efforts, though they are failing, and thus, are bleeding.

And the Eight Stones are the Portal Stones that set this Prophecy off and are mentioned above. As mentioned above, they were activated twice, sending Asylon to the East and starting the whole thing.