Written By Aureth
Aug. 6, 2018, 3:55 p.m.(5/3/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Aleksei
That was a duel involving swords to first blood, and honor was done to Gloria thereby. Also, I wasn't responsible for it.
I have made one duel challenge in my life. The party who wronged me retracted and apologized, and we went about our way thereafter, as per the longstanding traditions of the Oathlands when it comes to offenses of honor.
I have made one duel challenge in my life. The party who wronged me retracted and apologized, and we went about our way thereafter, as per the longstanding traditions of the Oathlands when it comes to offenses of honor.
Written By Aureth
Aug. 6, 2018, 3:44 p.m.(5/3/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Edain
I throw silly parties all of the time without calling them duels. So... no?
Written By Aureth
Aug. 6, 2018, 3:24 p.m.(5/3/1009 AR)
There is a recent fad among the Peerage for duels that are not duels: snowball fights, song contests, spoon fights ... jousting is at least a combat and its competitors could deem themselves _duellists_ with their weapons even if there was a horse involved.
If what you want to do is throw a silly party, why don't you just throw a silly party and not pretend that you honor Gloria by so doing? You aren't dueling, you're just fapping about.
If what you want to do is throw a silly party, why don't you just throw a silly party and not pretend that you honor Gloria by so doing? You aren't dueling, you're just fapping about.
Written By Aureth
Aug. 5, 2018, 4:46 p.m.(5/1/1009 AR)
I trust no one is actually stupid enough to believe that Astraea remains both married and godsworn merely because the Valardins have published that they intend to keep to their treaty with the Redrains.
Married people do not remain married and take godsworn vows. That is not how anything works. A married person's House has petitioned the Faith and permitted her to be released from her marital oaths so that she can pursue becoming godsworn, with the approval of the Dominus himself. That means she has been released from her oaths to her husband. House Valardin publicly announced that they were remaining fidelous with the bonds of the treaty that they entered into with House Redrain. Which makes sense, because those bonds were undertaken quite recently.
I personally don't know Sister Astraea, but I am certain that anyone who gone through such a dramatic and intense change in their personal life and who has sought the aid of the Dominus in such a way will, of course, be undertaking their own private penance within the Shrine of Limerance.
Married people do not remain married and take godsworn vows. That is not how anything works. A married person's House has petitioned the Faith and permitted her to be released from her marital oaths so that she can pursue becoming godsworn, with the approval of the Dominus himself. That means she has been released from her oaths to her husband. House Valardin publicly announced that they were remaining fidelous with the bonds of the treaty that they entered into with House Redrain. Which makes sense, because those bonds were undertaken quite recently.
I personally don't know Sister Astraea, but I am certain that anyone who gone through such a dramatic and intense change in their personal life and who has sought the aid of the Dominus in such a way will, of course, be undertaking their own private penance within the Shrine of Limerance.
Written By Aureth
July 26, 2018, 3:29 p.m.(4/8/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Kenna
Yes, go ahead. I'm sure one of us will be delighted to accept that petition for review.
Written By Aureth
July 26, 2018, 11:46 a.m.(4/8/1009 AR)
I only award gold stars to people for extreme and obvious stupidity, so I'm glad to see that Thena is keeping that Grayhope tradition alive.
Written By Aureth
July 24, 2018, 11:21 p.m.(4/5/1009 AR)
This is the text of a twilight sermon I gave a few nights ago, on the occasion of a funeral. I don't record all my sermons and speeches because many of them, frankly, aren't worth it, or if they are worth recording, it is only in how words might touch the hearts of those who hear them at the time. But then I think about how Sister Gisele would think of that attitude, and I go... all right.
Mourning is always for what we have lost. It is natural to feel ... rage, for what is no longer yours. A part of your life is gone. It has been taken from you without your control, without your power to affect it. Anger is a part of what we feel when our loved one has returned to the embrace of the Queen. It's not because we begrudge the Queen her touch upon her creation. It's simpler than that. It's more basic.
This was mine and now it's gone. This was mine. At our most base, at our most simple, we are territorial. That was taken from me and it was mine.
It is easy, when you have lost someone you love, to be angry with the person for leaving you. They're gone. How dare they. How dare their death take from me what was mine, what their living gave to me.
It is easy, when the doctors have failed to save someone you love, to be angry with the doctor. That was my friend. That was my lover. That was my son. You are the healer. How dare you fail to help me. It's your fault.
Fault.
Blame.
It's easy to blame yourself, when you've lost someone you love. If only I was there. If only I had been there, if only I could have done something.
What would you do? What would you have done?
When a baby dies in the arms of her mother, we weep for that baby, for the life that didn't get to be. Of course we do. And we're angry. Because how dare life do that. How dare you, Death, how DARE you place that child's soul in this world only to take her back again so soon.
But Death doesn't take. Death accepts.
I challenge you, now, to accept.
Accept that all things end so that they may begin again. Accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people. Accept that you can live a good life, a charitable life, a life according to the virtues of the Pantheon, and that life will end. Accept that sometimes, there is nothing you could do. There is no one to blame.
Life happens.
Death happens.
Start anew. Find a new beginning.
Don't blame yourself. Accept, as Death accepts. Love yourself, as Death loves you. She made your soul, as she made the soul of the person you love, and she will welcome you to Her embrace when it is your time.
Don't blame the healer. Accept, as Death accepts. Recognize that sometimes disease strikes, sometimes there is illness, there is tragedy in the world, sometimes a child dies. It's ugly. It's hard. But your doctor didn't do it to you.
Don't blame the one you lost. Accept, as Death accepts. Know that if their ending came, their soul will begin again in the arms of its creator.
It is easy to blame. It is easy to fault. It is easy, because it is simple, it is reactive, it is instant. I am angry, I am sad, I feel this.
Acceptance is hard. Forgiveness is hard. Take the time that you need. Remember Lagoma's path. If at first you fail, it's all right. It's all right for it to take time.
But I challenge you not to give up.
Now, if you are still reading this dramatically long message, I would add this coda:
If your friend died for something. If they were a soldier who chose their battlefield. If they were a warrior who knew what they faced. If your friend _chose_.
Respect that. Allow them the dignity of their death. If there is anything in this life that you would choose to die for, then I challenge you to accept that choice in another.
When you're ready.
Mourning is always for what we have lost. It is natural to feel ... rage, for what is no longer yours. A part of your life is gone. It has been taken from you without your control, without your power to affect it. Anger is a part of what we feel when our loved one has returned to the embrace of the Queen. It's not because we begrudge the Queen her touch upon her creation. It's simpler than that. It's more basic.
This was mine and now it's gone. This was mine. At our most base, at our most simple, we are territorial. That was taken from me and it was mine.
It is easy, when you have lost someone you love, to be angry with the person for leaving you. They're gone. How dare they. How dare their death take from me what was mine, what their living gave to me.
It is easy, when the doctors have failed to save someone you love, to be angry with the doctor. That was my friend. That was my lover. That was my son. You are the healer. How dare you fail to help me. It's your fault.
Fault.
Blame.
It's easy to blame yourself, when you've lost someone you love. If only I was there. If only I had been there, if only I could have done something.
What would you do? What would you have done?
When a baby dies in the arms of her mother, we weep for that baby, for the life that didn't get to be. Of course we do. And we're angry. Because how dare life do that. How dare you, Death, how DARE you place that child's soul in this world only to take her back again so soon.
But Death doesn't take. Death accepts.
I challenge you, now, to accept.
Accept that all things end so that they may begin again. Accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people. Accept that you can live a good life, a charitable life, a life according to the virtues of the Pantheon, and that life will end. Accept that sometimes, there is nothing you could do. There is no one to blame.
Life happens.
Death happens.
Start anew. Find a new beginning.
Don't blame yourself. Accept, as Death accepts. Love yourself, as Death loves you. She made your soul, as she made the soul of the person you love, and she will welcome you to Her embrace when it is your time.
Don't blame the healer. Accept, as Death accepts. Recognize that sometimes disease strikes, sometimes there is illness, there is tragedy in the world, sometimes a child dies. It's ugly. It's hard. But your doctor didn't do it to you.
Don't blame the one you lost. Accept, as Death accepts. Know that if their ending came, their soul will begin again in the arms of its creator.
It is easy to blame. It is easy to fault. It is easy, because it is simple, it is reactive, it is instant. I am angry, I am sad, I feel this.
Acceptance is hard. Forgiveness is hard. Take the time that you need. Remember Lagoma's path. If at first you fail, it's all right. It's all right for it to take time.
But I challenge you not to give up.
Now, if you are still reading this dramatically long message, I would add this coda:
If your friend died for something. If they were a soldier who chose their battlefield. If they were a warrior who knew what they faced. If your friend _chose_.
Respect that. Allow them the dignity of their death. If there is anything in this life that you would choose to die for, then I challenge you to accept that choice in another.
When you're ready.
Written By Aureth
July 24, 2018, 11:07 p.m.(4/5/1009 AR)
I mean... what do you expect from a man who can't be bothered to even try and find a Champion when his bad behavior is called out? Of course Sir Jordan Ober hasn't the etiquette to fill a teaspoon, so his command of human empathy is likewise obviously stunted.
Written By Aureth
July 24, 2018, 11:07 p.m.(4/5/1009 AR)
I mean... what do you expect from a man who can't be bothered to even try and find a Champion when his bad behavior is called out? Of course Sir Jordan Ober hasn't the etiquette to fill a teaspoon, so his command of human empathy is likewise obviously stunted.
Written By Aureth
July 24, 2018, 5:39 p.m.(4/4/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Daemon
Sir Daemon Dracone of the Knights of Solace, a man so adorable it's just disgusting.
Written By Aureth
July 23, 2018, 10:21 p.m.(4/3/1009 AR)
Nothing makes me miss my mother more than seeing the banns go up for something like the Archduchess's upcoming fashion competition, I have to admit.
Written By Aureth
July 22, 2018, 2:54 p.m.(3/28/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Elloise
Talking to yourself means you will always have an intelligent audience.
Written By Aureth
July 19, 2018, 12:06 p.m.(3/20/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Audric
Losing wagers is an important life lesson, Audric. Don't teach Aleksei's son wrong lessons about indefatigable funds along with your terrible bloodthirst.
Written By Aureth
July 18, 2018, 5:27 p.m.(3/19/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Elloise
The Harlequins delight in your service, my lady. Let me know if you run out of books. It's a short hop to the binder's. No trouble.
Written By Aureth
July 18, 2018, 1:31 p.m.(3/19/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Reigna
I'd pay money to observe that conversation.
Written By Aureth
July 17, 2018, 5:49 p.m.(3/17/1009 AR)
People trying to "fix" the lowers by throwing money and / or soldiers down from the sovereign bridge has been an occasional political foray since time immemorial. Every time a member of the Peerage dies down there it starts being noised about, as though no murders happen anywhere else and as though none of the existing social institutions or any of the past political forays or charitably intended vanity projects ever happened.
For the people who live and work down there, it is worth an eyeroll or a thrown tomato and little else.
Crime happens everywhere, in every fealty, in the Compact and out of it. Murders happen. Titles don't make you immune.
For the people who live and work down there, it is worth an eyeroll or a thrown tomato and little else.
Crime happens everywhere, in every fealty, in the Compact and out of it. Murders happen. Titles don't make you immune.
Written By Aureth
July 16, 2018, 3:06 p.m.(3/15/1009 AR)
As long as we're discussing Oathlands booze, I'd just like to throw out there that I've been buying Artshall mead for my own drinking since I literally used to own a bar and run it for a living, and while the Lycene reds and whites are the wines I favor without fail, the mead from Artshall is superior to any.
Hands down.
If you don't like it, you probably hate puppies or joy or something.
Hands down.
If you don't like it, you probably hate puppies or joy or something.
Written By Aureth
July 15, 2018, 2:40 p.m.(3/13/1009 AR)
Shopping at the market today, I was entertained to find that there were hockers and gentlemen offering to get me a good price on cheap metal -- we're talking ugly scrap, right, the kind of rusty, garbage scrap metal you use for things when you're literally too poor to use anything else -- from the highest of the Peers.
I bought my bolts of aeterna and went on my merry way, but I have to tell you, when I was a kid, I would have been screaming about this at the entrance to the market and probably getting my filthy little friends together with a basket of slightly overripe tomatoes to throw.
I bought my bolts of aeterna and went on my merry way, but I have to tell you, when I was a kid, I would have been screaming about this at the entrance to the market and probably getting my filthy little friends together with a basket of slightly overripe tomatoes to throw.
Written By Aureth
July 14, 2018, 1:49 p.m.(3/11/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Lumen
If art is to hold a mirror up to current events, it most surely would predominantly show asses.
Written By Aureth
July 11, 2018, 6:50 p.m.(3/5/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Edain
Based on the swamp's worth of riotous humor he has created, I believe His Grace the High Lord of the Oathlands may consider his proclamation of today an act of devotion to the Queen of Endings.
She appreciates the little things.
She appreciates the little things.
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