Written By Titus
Nov. 10, 2023, 1:22 p.m.(3/2/1021 AR)
Another week in Arx has passed and so another journal is committed.
There have been numerous proclamations and announcements, some of which puzzle me. There is a focus on distributing sweets and treats to the poor, which I find conflicting. Charity should be a humble act, but perhaps this is a way to shed light on the plight of the less fortunate and inspire others to help. It seems that social battles in Arx are fought differently, where Gild seeks to transform stored riches into blessings for others. In Sangris, we provide all with what they need to fulfill their purpose, without a desire for material opulence. Some may view this as all being equally poor, but we value contentment over excess. Knowing when is enough is important, as the more you take means the less someone else will have.
Lord Jasper of House Steelhart in the Oathlands is uniting with House Velenosa through his betrothal to Princess Ophelia. This union is not only beneficial for the involved houses and realms but also for the entire Compact. It forges familial bonds that encourage us to work through our differences rather than focusing on our disagreements. It allows the Compact to remain united against external threats without being torn apart by internal conflicts. To them, I'll borrow the motto from the Malespero: From tragedy, strength.
A figure named Watcher made a proclamation that resonated with me. Their words didn't bring peace but rather a sense that I feel when there's a fellow Vaevici beside me in battle, which is good. They spoke of hope, a flame that we must keep burning.
The High Inquisitor also delivered a lengthy announcement about reporting oddities. I can't help but feel that his role is never-ending. The inquisitors I've encountered are good people with challenging responsibilities.
In the midst of all this, I've been immersed in developing and reviewing strategies for the upcoming battles against the Traitor. It's struck me how similar many here are to him, willing to give their all when their own self, their family's, or their house's existence is threatened. It's a recurring lesson that we often prioritize the ends over the means, and sometimes we must accept that in this life, we won't always win or attain our desires, even when they are selfless. To look elsewhere than the ideals of the gods may offer a victory, but the cost will be paid.
It's a tough lesson, one I'm not sure I've fully grasped, or that I want to.
There have been numerous proclamations and announcements, some of which puzzle me. There is a focus on distributing sweets and treats to the poor, which I find conflicting. Charity should be a humble act, but perhaps this is a way to shed light on the plight of the less fortunate and inspire others to help. It seems that social battles in Arx are fought differently, where Gild seeks to transform stored riches into blessings for others. In Sangris, we provide all with what they need to fulfill their purpose, without a desire for material opulence. Some may view this as all being equally poor, but we value contentment over excess. Knowing when is enough is important, as the more you take means the less someone else will have.
Lord Jasper of House Steelhart in the Oathlands is uniting with House Velenosa through his betrothal to Princess Ophelia. This union is not only beneficial for the involved houses and realms but also for the entire Compact. It forges familial bonds that encourage us to work through our differences rather than focusing on our disagreements. It allows the Compact to remain united against external threats without being torn apart by internal conflicts. To them, I'll borrow the motto from the Malespero: From tragedy, strength.
A figure named Watcher made a proclamation that resonated with me. Their words didn't bring peace but rather a sense that I feel when there's a fellow Vaevici beside me in battle, which is good. They spoke of hope, a flame that we must keep burning.
The High Inquisitor also delivered a lengthy announcement about reporting oddities. I can't help but feel that his role is never-ending. The inquisitors I've encountered are good people with challenging responsibilities.
In the midst of all this, I've been immersed in developing and reviewing strategies for the upcoming battles against the Traitor. It's struck me how similar many here are to him, willing to give their all when their own self, their family's, or their house's existence is threatened. It's a recurring lesson that we often prioritize the ends over the means, and sometimes we must accept that in this life, we won't always win or attain our desires, even when they are selfless. To look elsewhere than the ideals of the gods may offer a victory, but the cost will be paid.
It's a tough lesson, one I'm not sure I've fully grasped, or that I want to.
Written By Eirene
Nov. 10, 2023, 12:52 p.m.(3/2/1021 AR)
Scholars - TOLD YOU SO. Put that in caps. I have been saying there's all this supernatural fuckery for fifteen years now and you've always looked at me funny.
Written By Eirene
Nov. 10, 2023, 12:51 p.m.(3/2/1021 AR)
My son has made a choice in his future. It's one I am prepared to fight for, die for if necessarily. Prefer I live to SEE him make those choices. Idris, I fight for your right to be who YOU choose. Iris too. And Jace. And every other Arvani. We decide.
Written By Miraya
Nov. 10, 2023, 12:43 p.m.(3/2/1021 AR)
Relationship Note on Viviana
I would like to be Viviana when I grow up.
Written By Ida
Nov. 10, 2023, 6:15 a.m.(3/2/1021 AR)
I was awarded seventeen million points and feel pretty good about that.
Written By Tikva
Nov. 10, 2023, 4:16 a.m.(3/2/1021 AR)
Once, I watched a woman pluck a star from the heavens through the winter branches of the tree in the Shrine of the First Choice. In her fingers the starlight was a gemstone. She gave it to my son with a smile that shone as warm as the diamond was bright.
It's his dearest treasure. He stows it in a secret place where his brother and sister will never find it. He might be too old, now, to acknowledge why it is so important to him.
For me, though, the real treasure was their faces. Gift and wonder, light and delight, a thousand refractions in a moment, and yet somehow as easy a commonplace.
It's his dearest treasure. He stows it in a secret place where his brother and sister will never find it. He might be too old, now, to acknowledge why it is so important to him.
For me, though, the real treasure was their faces. Gift and wonder, light and delight, a thousand refractions in a moment, and yet somehow as easy a commonplace.
Written By Valencia
Nov. 9, 2023, 10:33 p.m.(3/1/1021 AR)
It would seem that the ties of our compact are being tested again, which says to me that it is more important than ever that we remain allied against our common enemy if we are to survive.
We cannot yield to it. No matter how hard they try to sow the seeds of discord among us.
United we are formidable. Torn asunder and fighting each other from within... unthinkable.
I have faith in the people of Avrum and our allies. Each and every one. There is so much skill and experience, and we are rich with strong hearts, clever minds and unwavering will.
Stand strong, good people, stand strong. Hold fast. Do not let eyes stray from the task. We cannot let this evil end us. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.
~~~~~~~~~~~<~<~<@
We cannot yield to it. No matter how hard they try to sow the seeds of discord among us.
United we are formidable. Torn asunder and fighting each other from within... unthinkable.
I have faith in the people of Avrum and our allies. Each and every one. There is so much skill and experience, and we are rich with strong hearts, clever minds and unwavering will.
Stand strong, good people, stand strong. Hold fast. Do not let eyes stray from the task. We cannot let this evil end us. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.
~~~~~~~~~~~<~<~<@
Written By Fortunato
Nov. 9, 2023, 8:04 p.m.(3/1/1021 AR)
What does it mean to be free?
I don't know that I know. Triscali, I do know, is grieving. Perhaps at the core of my question, what does it mean to be free, is this.
Once our chains are broken, what then? Once we begin to remember, what then? Who will we be? And will we also remember how to help each other?
I don't know that I know. Triscali, I do know, is grieving. Perhaps at the core of my question, what does it mean to be free, is this.
Once our chains are broken, what then? Once we begin to remember, what then? Who will we be? And will we also remember how to help each other?
Written By Lys
Nov. 9, 2023, 6:50 p.m.(3/1/1021 AR)
Relationship Note on Triscali
Hey, uh. Everyone does realize an ancient queen is giving us nightmare inducing warnings right? We might want to listen.
Written By Esme
Nov. 9, 2023, 6:49 p.m.(3/1/1021 AR)
Most Beloved Readers,
We are feeling those moments of change. It is all around us. It is opening the swirling paths before us and we shall find ourselves at the fork in the road. Oh, but what a time we are blessed to live in. For the Gods take notice of us, but so then do those that seek not our betterment. We cannot fall to a depravity that takes the will from others, so that ours might be done. We must hold true to who we are and for what we seek and fight.
Do we even know what we fight for?
That is first question, but please remember that you are loved. In times of questions, there are not always ready answers. Sometimes, we must write our own answers on the path that we walk, but still we must walk. You must look deep into your souls and understand who you are so completely. For in coming times, I feel we are going to be sure to have this twisted and doubted.
I cannot speak for the Faith. I cannot speak for Limerance. I speak only for myself, but know that I am here to listen. I am here to counsel if I know the answers and I am here to admit I do not know them all. We live in blessed times and our blessed by the Concepts that we choose to worship.
We are feeling those moments of change. It is all around us. It is opening the swirling paths before us and we shall find ourselves at the fork in the road. Oh, but what a time we are blessed to live in. For the Gods take notice of us, but so then do those that seek not our betterment. We cannot fall to a depravity that takes the will from others, so that ours might be done. We must hold true to who we are and for what we seek and fight.
Do we even know what we fight for?
That is first question, but please remember that you are loved. In times of questions, there are not always ready answers. Sometimes, we must write our own answers on the path that we walk, but still we must walk. You must look deep into your souls and understand who you are so completely. For in coming times, I feel we are going to be sure to have this twisted and doubted.
I cannot speak for the Faith. I cannot speak for Limerance. I speak only for myself, but know that I am here to listen. I am here to counsel if I know the answers and I am here to admit I do not know them all. We live in blessed times and our blessed by the Concepts that we choose to worship.
Written By Ainsley
Nov. 9, 2023, 6:48 p.m.(3/1/1021 AR)
Relationship Note on Titus
As the Paladin of Gloria who cut off Brand’s head, I’m all about honorable combat and seeing the humanity in our enemies…
But before you speak on an enemy you might want to actually know something about that enemy.
But before you speak on an enemy you might want to actually know something about that enemy.
Written By Sen'azala
Nov. 9, 2023, 6:36 p.m.(3/1/1021 AR)
My adopted family had a wise saying that I'd like to relate to current events:
For fuck's sake, this is *not the fucking time* for this shit.
For fuck's sake, this is *not the fucking time* for this shit.
Written By Triscali
Nov. 9, 2023, 10:13 a.m.(2/28/1021 AR)
I have seen, in this world, newfound gasps of hope. I have seen chains broken and freedom reborn. A lost god remembered. Cherished. A light renewed.
To those of you who have loved these things, fought for them, basked in them, I tell you this: You will all watch as She dies. And you will do nothing.
To those of you who have loved these things, fought for them, basked in them, I tell you this: You will all watch as She dies. And you will do nothing.
Written By Tanith
Nov. 9, 2023, 8:57 a.m.(2/28/1021 AR)
They all warn, all of them do: it's different when it's your own. From the outside looking in, even a hundred times, it's very different. Maybe I have more knowledge than most beginners, maybe I can handle the changes easier when they happen ... But it's so very very different when it comes to you.
Rumors abound, terrifying whispers and murmurs in the Murder. I'm on the far side of Her territory, my husband stands at the other end of the knife; him the edge, me the hilt. Balanced between us, there is so much at stake.
What kind of world am I bringing you into, little one?
Rumors abound, terrifying whispers and murmurs in the Murder. I'm on the far side of Her territory, my husband stands at the other end of the knife; him the edge, me the hilt. Balanced between us, there is so much at stake.
What kind of world am I bringing you into, little one?
Written By Mattheu
Nov. 9, 2023, 8:22 a.m.(2/28/1021 AR)
The stone and brick of this city feels trapping so many times over where when the city decides to pull at one small thing and then find their own means of amusement within it. ...
Others have benefited from my own gape. That's all which really matters. There's food being delivered to those that need it, someone got a laugh to fill their home and surprise those loved around them.
I have a small child with eyes wide of wonderment. I love that this is the world they are able to see. Even if it's their at their father's gape which brought it on.
Others have benefited from my own gape. That's all which really matters. There's food being delivered to those that need it, someone got a laugh to fill their home and surprise those loved around them.
I have a small child with eyes wide of wonderment. I love that this is the world they are able to see. Even if it's their at their father's gape which brought it on.
Written By Medeia
Nov. 9, 2023, 7:11 a.m.(2/28/1021 AR)
This very sudden awareness of the supernatural that has always surrounded us is encouraging in me an adherence to my Faith. Amid all of this, we should be clinging to our guiding principles and our better natures! It is important that we keep level heads and seek out understanding. Turning to our libraries and relying upon those better knowledgeable than us will allow us to soothe those sharp pangs that rattle us. There are wonderful resources through the Compact, especially the Sina Memorial Library in the Lower Boroughs and the Saikland archive.
In these cold winter months, when things can feel even more dismal and heartbreaking than they are, turning to the warmth of community can replenish the spirit. We should not be leaving our people out on the streets, hungry - for food or for knowledge. It is not possible for me to personally go and sit with everyone, but Saik is a house committed to both its people and the Compact. Baroness Lucita and I have arranged several charitable donations from our house to organizations that can help to extend that goodwill.
I implore you, if you read this, to act with honor and dignity in these challenging times. We have an opportunity to think well about our actions and how they serve us, how they serve our society.
"To act without thought is slavery." Our great enemy seeks to enslave us and bend us to his will, to turn our thoughts into nothing - to replace them with his own. Think. Think carefully. Do not let fear inspire you to act without thought, to be your master. I believe in the great potential for beauty, strength, growth, love, kindness, health, and success that can come from us pausing, breathing, and dedicating ourselves to our godly principles.
In these cold winter months, when things can feel even more dismal and heartbreaking than they are, turning to the warmth of community can replenish the spirit. We should not be leaving our people out on the streets, hungry - for food or for knowledge. It is not possible for me to personally go and sit with everyone, but Saik is a house committed to both its people and the Compact. Baroness Lucita and I have arranged several charitable donations from our house to organizations that can help to extend that goodwill.
I implore you, if you read this, to act with honor and dignity in these challenging times. We have an opportunity to think well about our actions and how they serve us, how they serve our society.
"To act without thought is slavery." Our great enemy seeks to enslave us and bend us to his will, to turn our thoughts into nothing - to replace them with his own. Think. Think carefully. Do not let fear inspire you to act without thought, to be your master. I believe in the great potential for beauty, strength, growth, love, kindness, health, and success that can come from us pausing, breathing, and dedicating ourselves to our godly principles.
Written By Viviana
Nov. 9, 2023, 3:49 a.m.(2/28/1021 AR)
Not the brightest - not the sweetest --
But, I'll accept being the sharpest Whisper.
But, I'll accept being the sharpest Whisper.
Written By Sen'azala
Nov. 8, 2023, 6:12 p.m.(2/27/1021 AR)
Relationship Note on Titus
True for many of the people the Compact has fought, but I guarantee you, there is no scrap of humanity to the Horned God, not a whisper, not a passing thought, nothing. If he ever had any virtues - and, frankly, I've never seen any evidence of it - then he willfully abandoned them a long, long, long time ago. He doesn't care about honor, or any law of decency dreamed up by anyone, at any point, ever, gods included. It's a fatal mistake to ever think otherwise. His armies have no choice to do anything other than what he wants them to do, whether they want to or not, so, unless that hold is shaken, it's a fatal mistake to think otherwise of them either. He wants you to die, all of you, he's very happy to ensure it happens, and for those who do not die, he wants you chained so tightly that you'll never escape. He wants this because he believes it's where all of us belong, in the ground or at his feet.
He *is* a fucking monster, and if he ever seems otherwise, it's a lie.
Presumably, at some point there was at least some scrap of something that led to him being a part of the Order, but since he ended up betraying them all, none of them are left to ask what that might have been.
He *is* a fucking monster, and if he ever seems otherwise, it's a lie.
Presumably, at some point there was at least some scrap of something that led to him being a part of the Order, but since he ended up betraying them all, none of them are left to ask what that might have been.
Written By Silvio
Nov. 8, 2023, 5:17 p.m.(2/27/1021 AR)
Today I met a man who introduced himself as "the Great." I found it so charming, choosing a sobriquet to self-appellate, so I thought it must become the new fashion. We should all choose an adjective with which to adorn ourselves, like our cloaks or our hats, and no one should be seen without one. I'm myself partial to the Brilliant, or maybe even the Vivacious, but I am open to persuasion on the specifics.
Written By Titus
Nov. 8, 2023, 4:53 p.m.(2/27/1021 AR)
There is numerous literature devoted to the topic of the Compact and its enemies such as the Horned God, the Gyre, Tolamar Brand and more. Often the stories create monstrous depictions in which all humanity is stripped from the armies or leaders of our enemies when that is not the case.
Remember, seeing your enemies as mere monsters is a dangerous oversimplification. This mindset often paves the way to unchecked violence and destruction. It's crucial to acknowledge that they, like us, possess a mix of virtues and flaws. Every severe action taken against them is likely to provoke a comparable reaction and the reverse is true when they take severe action against the Compact which drives us to react. Strive for understanding and measured responses to avoid a cycle of endless unchecked hostility with no end in sight.
While I understand it's paramount to minimize violence and seek peaceful resolutions, there are limits to what diplomacy and restrained tactics can achieve. In situations where standing firm for our beliefs and values becomes inevitable, it is essential to engage with honour and integrity. This approach ensures that we rise above our primal instincts to fear and attack the unfamiliar. By maintaining honourable conduct in conflict, we uphold our principles and avoid descending into a mindset that blindly opposes anything different from us. It's about striking a balance - defending our ideals while respecting the humanity of all involved.
The Code and the god of war demands this.
Remember, seeing your enemies as mere monsters is a dangerous oversimplification. This mindset often paves the way to unchecked violence and destruction. It's crucial to acknowledge that they, like us, possess a mix of virtues and flaws. Every severe action taken against them is likely to provoke a comparable reaction and the reverse is true when they take severe action against the Compact which drives us to react. Strive for understanding and measured responses to avoid a cycle of endless unchecked hostility with no end in sight.
While I understand it's paramount to minimize violence and seek peaceful resolutions, there are limits to what diplomacy and restrained tactics can achieve. In situations where standing firm for our beliefs and values becomes inevitable, it is essential to engage with honour and integrity. This approach ensures that we rise above our primal instincts to fear and attack the unfamiliar. By maintaining honourable conduct in conflict, we uphold our principles and avoid descending into a mindset that blindly opposes anything different from us. It's about striking a balance - defending our ideals while respecting the humanity of all involved.
The Code and the god of war demands this.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.