Written By Sylvi
Jan. 28, 2020, 9:37 p.m.(8.81669353505291/25.734837962962963/1012.6513911279211 AR)
The timing for my visit to the Shrine of First Choice was rather fortuitous as it happened on the same day that news of the Battle of Pieros arrived in Arx. The work of house Pravus in their liberation of thousands of lives is something that will always have great value to me specifically. While I have always felt drawn to Vellichor in the pursuit of knowledge, Skald preaches freedom and choices. My brother, Tyrus, lost his choices for many many years. During that time that I thought him dead, and learning the truth of what he went through all those years broke my heart all over again. He has returned however, regained his freedom, and his choice. So, for this I am grateful.
I am grateful for the thousands of stories like his that will now be resolved and brought to a much better conclusion. A life without chains. Many more sisters and brothers reunited with their loved ones after years apart, more people that never thought they would take another free step in their life to take those steps into making their lives their own. Mothers reunited with children... I could go on. For all the things that I could say about Skald, this must surely be one of the best possible things to hope for.
He may not like that I spent those hours praying in a deep thanks, but it was my choice and one that I make gladly. I worship the first choice as I would any others of the pantheon, as we so should.
I am grateful for the thousands of stories like his that will now be resolved and brought to a much better conclusion. A life without chains. Many more sisters and brothers reunited with their loved ones after years apart, more people that never thought they would take another free step in their life to take those steps into making their lives their own. Mothers reunited with children... I could go on. For all the things that I could say about Skald, this must surely be one of the best possible things to hope for.
He may not like that I spent those hours praying in a deep thanks, but it was my choice and one that I make gladly. I worship the first choice as I would any others of the pantheon, as we so should.
Written By Sylvi
Jan. 14, 2020, 6:48 p.m.(7/23/1012 AR)
The Queen of Endings and Beginnings is a relatively newly discovered enigma in the Pantheon. So many simply call her death but she is so much more than that. As part of my next stop on my pilgrimage, I made my way to this place and there I met with Archlector Hamish. There we discussed the nature of Her ways, that with every ending comes a new beginning. I was also told that as I make my journey and end this chapter of my life and enter the next to hopefully soon swear my vows to the gods themselves, she will be paying extra close attention to me. I only hope that the book of my life is one worth reading.
I would also greatly appreciate if the scholars did not misplace this one, I swear. The last was so beautiful but I cannot recapture those old thoughts.
I would also greatly appreciate if the scholars did not misplace this one, I swear. The last was so beautiful but I cannot recapture those old thoughts.
Written By Sylvi
Jan. 11, 2020, 6:14 p.m.(7/17/1012 AR)
As I have set off on my journey to understand that path which I have set before myself and the commitment that I intend to embark on, I have begun a city-wide pilgrimage to the holy sites of the city. I've decided that I wish to start my journey by visiting the Shrine of the Lost, which is all that we currently have of The Dreamer, Aion. Recently rediscovered, there is so little known about this mysterious creator of everything in our world. There are some that claim that all of creation is but the dream of a God and while that may well wind up being true, I find I am not fond of this theory, choosing instead to believe that the dreamer makes real that what he dreams. Well, not quite. I imagine that what the truth of reality is, it's far more complex than anything that can be so easily described, and regardless of anything else I might say, his dream is our reality.
The Shrine itself was quite empty during my visit. When I arrived, I was the single soul that decided to make the visit this morning, though evidence of the Priests that come and visit and keep the place tidied up. There is something so strangely tragic about a god that has yet to do anything in our lifetimes that we can see, just a silent dreamer with so few truly aware of everything he has done. I can't help but wonder if this is how things are supposed to be, or if we must do more to raise awareness. The lost have been found, and yet I still feel as though something is missing. I hope we figure out what that is sooner rather than later.
I waited for some time, and prayed in silence for much of my visit, when I wasn't just trying to look around and learn what I can of this place. Though nobody arrived that I could speak with, I feel I at least made a connection to something that is so rarely tapped into. I hope to learn more as I continue my path, and tomorrow I intend on finding my way into the Shrine of the Queen of Endings, another of the lost. I will write my thoughts the same as I did today.
The Shrine itself was quite empty during my visit. When I arrived, I was the single soul that decided to make the visit this morning, though evidence of the Priests that come and visit and keep the place tidied up. There is something so strangely tragic about a god that has yet to do anything in our lifetimes that we can see, just a silent dreamer with so few truly aware of everything he has done. I can't help but wonder if this is how things are supposed to be, or if we must do more to raise awareness. The lost have been found, and yet I still feel as though something is missing. I hope we figure out what that is sooner rather than later.
I waited for some time, and prayed in silence for much of my visit, when I wasn't just trying to look around and learn what I can of this place. Though nobody arrived that I could speak with, I feel I at least made a connection to something that is so rarely tapped into. I hope to learn more as I continue my path, and tomorrow I intend on finding my way into the Shrine of the Queen of Endings, another of the lost. I will write my thoughts the same as I did today.
Written By Sylvi
Nov. 9, 2019, 5:25 p.m.(3/3/1012 AR)
Fascinating. The shrine of the thirteenth is not completely absent back home, but it is far less common so I've hardly had a chance to really watch how things work among the mirrormasks. The reflective masks are rather off-putting, seeing your own face reflected back to you in the faces of so many around you... but I suppose that is the point after all, isn't it? But that was hardly what I was supposed to spend my week doing! The silent reflections are the ones that I helped most often in my time in the shrine, at least in the capacities that I'm able. What would cause someone to take such a risk? What information in the Black Journals is worth it? Most of my own entries are things that I record for myself that are not of particular interest to anybody. Schoolgirl crushes, complaints about last night's cooking... But they risk so much. Why?
I suppose I could wonder this for the rest of my days. There's hardly a sense to speculating forever, it's a foolishness I have no intention of even considering.
The mirrors are spectacularly clean, I wonder how often they must polish them?
Another note: Many of the Mirrormasks speak in strange riddles when you encounter them with a problem. If I had considered for a moment entering any discipleship other than the Scholars, I might have considered the Mirrormasks simply for the joy of confusing people by talking in circles.
This week has served as a reminder of the cost of failing in my vows, what awaits me. It's not worth it, of course. I simply wish to recover what has been lost to time, the pursuit of knowledge after we've lost so much.
Final note: It is apparently impolite to keep asking the silent reflections questions.
I suppose I could wonder this for the rest of my days. There's hardly a sense to speculating forever, it's a foolishness I have no intention of even considering.
The mirrors are spectacularly clean, I wonder how often they must polish them?
Another note: Many of the Mirrormasks speak in strange riddles when you encounter them with a problem. If I had considered for a moment entering any discipleship other than the Scholars, I might have considered the Mirrormasks simply for the joy of confusing people by talking in circles.
This week has served as a reminder of the cost of failing in my vows, what awaits me. It's not worth it, of course. I simply wish to recover what has been lost to time, the pursuit of knowledge after we've lost so much.
Final note: It is apparently impolite to keep asking the silent reflections questions.
Written By Sylvi
July 14, 2019, 11:19 p.m.(6/18/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Tyrus
My big brother, the last surviving sibling, after so much we've gone through, we are reunited once more! Thirteen years ago, he was taken from me, and I thought that I had seen the last of him. He was always there for me, gathering books he thought I would like from the library when I was too weak to stand. He's stay and we'd read books together. Sometimes the same, sometimes we'd read different books while he stayed in the room with me.
In the years since he was gone, I dove into those books as my sole solace, learning to work with my weakness, fighting it to get them myself, growing stronger, growing up. I had to learn to be strong without him. Now, he's back, after I had accepted long ago that he was lost to the sea. Now? After all this time, all that lost time is returned to me.
I don't think of it as thirteen years lost, it feels more to me that all those years going forward that I had already thought gone. It's a chance I never thought I would get back. So, I'm here in Arx, with Tyrus. I don't remember ever being happier.
In the years since he was gone, I dove into those books as my sole solace, learning to work with my weakness, fighting it to get them myself, growing stronger, growing up. I had to learn to be strong without him. Now, he's back, after I had accepted long ago that he was lost to the sea. Now? After all this time, all that lost time is returned to me.
I don't think of it as thirteen years lost, it feels more to me that all those years going forward that I had already thought gone. It's a chance I never thought I would get back. So, I'm here in Arx, with Tyrus. I don't remember ever being happier.
Written By Sylvi
July 14, 2019, 11:03 p.m.(6/18/1011 AR)
The journey over was rather uneventful, and yet, I felt as though I had been run through the most horrific ordeal upon that wretched vessel. I know my family was worried about whether I was fit to sail in my condition, and I fear they may have a point. But I survived, and have come to witness the city finally in all its splendor. I've heard some say Arx is the greatest city in the realm, and though my home certainly will always hold a special place in my heart, I have discovered one thing.
I am most certainly going to never grow tired of exploring the Great Archive, so even if I never quite brave the boat back home... I don't think I will ever have any immediate plans to leave.
I am most certainly going to never grow tired of exploring the Great Archive, so even if I never quite brave the boat back home... I don't think I will ever have any immediate plans to leave.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.