Luathas Mass 05/15/2024 - The History of the Three Major Affronts to Luathas

 

 The following is the direct script I wrote for this sermon as opposed to a record of the sermon itself, due to the nature of the subject matter.

There are direct quotes from the history piece written by Veneficus Adeptus within this sermon. You may find the full history piece he wrote on this bulletin post: (( http://loureslibrary.aisling-spark.de/his/veneficus_arcanus.html ))

Greetings everyone to Luathas's home of divine knowledge. I am Iglis Viriou, Priest of Luathas, and today I would like to go on a bit of a history lesson for those of you who may be unaware of the deeper roots our people share. First and foremost, this will be a multiple part sermon. As long as I have a connection to the prior sermon, these all will tie together. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask them as we continue, but I ask that you please be patient. I intend to pause every so often to give the opportunity for discussion, comments, and questions. That said, if you feel I am speaking too fast or not pausing for long enough, PLEASE do not hesitate to whisper me and I will adjust accordingly. Without further adieu, we begin today's sermon with the Three Major Affronts to Luathas. The reasons I have chosen this subject matter are twofold. One; it is important that we go over every part of our history, especially the painful sections. We must learn from our past or we are doomed to forever repeat it. Secondly; as we are in His place of worship, I felt it only right to start with a subject closely related- in this case directly involving- Luathas Himself.

Starting in the 7th Aeon, the Chaos age, and the year of Danaan 1410, a plentiful amount of folk were aspiring to learn how to control the elements. This is because not long before, a person named Jaalyn Sarag had discovered untold hidden potential beyond that anyone had ever dreamed. He discovered the long lost arts of elemental attunement- what we now today know simply as wizardy- and became the first. This knowledge, however, was seemingly a curse once discovered. For once young wizards learned to invoke the elements, those very elements wreaked havoc across the lands.

Though they struggled to attain control over these destructive elemental forces they had foolishly conjured, it was all for naught. Not a single one could calm the grief these elements caused. Not a single one, that is until two years later in Danaan 1412, when a serene man calmly strode within the calamities around him. He alone was able to calm the ruination, speaking and molding the elements as though they were dear friends from long ago. This man then spread word through the lands, saying to all wizards, "Come to me, and I shall teach you." As those who wished to be blessed with this knowledge gathered before him, the man crafted a system of teaching and molding the young and eager pupils before him. He sought to train them and instill a proper discipline, one required to master the elements and make them friends rather than destructive forces of nature. This man is who even today guides our young wizards within Mileth's Temple of Choosing- Logan, and he was born of gnosis as an avatar of Luathas. Through his guidance, the first Acadamie Arcanus was formed in Danaan 1413 right here in Rucesion.

However, the graduates of the Acadamie quickly gained favor in the courts, and they became incredibly powerful guardians and weapons of war. This elemental arms race of the courts of the land began the Elemental Wars, ravaging the countrysides yet again. Logan spoke out against this brazen misuse of the elements and their power, but alas, his words fell upon deaf ears time and time again. This greatly angered Luathas, who then ordered the expulsion of all of these greedy, power hungry wizards from the Acadamie. These elemental wars is what we know as "The First Affront to Luathas," and the expulsion of these unfit graduates is known as "The First Great Purge of the Acadamie." I will go over the Acadamie Arcanus in more detail in the next sermon- for now I am simply focused on the three major Affronts to Luathas.

After this purge, the Acadamie underwent a massive overhaul to prevent further misuse and abuse of the arcane arts. Logan and the Deans put in many long hours instructing and nurturing an ethical stance regarding the practice of their arts- warning especially of practing the arcane for selfish gains. Through these teaches, wizards thrived as the golden standard for morality and discipline. This time of peace lasted a long while, but it sadly could not last forever.

During the 8th Aeon, the year Danaan 1703, we discovered a fifth element- the element of Darkness. This discovery came in part due to the aid of a prominent adept of the Acadamie. The revelation of this forbidden element is known as "The Second Affront to Luathas." Logan and the Deans hunted down the traitor and, once his identity was discovered, exiled him and marked him as an enemy of the Acadamie. While we aren't quite sure exactly what happened next, what we do know is that the rediscovery of the Dark element was a harbinger of Dubhaim in the year Danaan 1705.

After the great Shadow War in the 10th Aeon, we enjoyed peace from the dubhaim. There was an occasional squabble- but wandering soldiers easily took care of these situations. The Acadamie once again held its position as the gold standard for honor and discipline, and held positions as tutors and royal counselors. However, this Golden Age of the Acadamie Arcanus came to a halt in the Spring of Danaan 3265. The Dean of Srad- Falucus- came before the faculty of the Acadamie and announced that he had a vision while he slept. This vision, he claimed, involved dubhaim terrorizing the town of Rucesion- despite the lamps in place to keep the dubhaim at bay. His fellow faculty members, however, laughed and inquired if Falucus were drunk. They implored him to consume some fifleaf and sleep the alcohol off. This annoyed Falucus, who begged his comrades to heed his warnings as he left with his spirits low. However, when nothing occorrued in the ensuing months, Falucus began to believe his fellows may have been right about his vision.

In the year Danaan 3266, Falucus's wife, Alcorana, roused him from his slumber and bade him follow her to the docks of Rucesion. Falucus, seeing a concern he had not seen prior in her eyes, follwed her. Once they arriced, Alcorana gazed into the waters before turning to him with a frightened look. She inquired if Falucus saw what she did. He said the he didn't, noting that he was a master of Srad while she was a Sal Adept. It was then that she told him something was horribly wrong with the waves- that they spoke to her of a growing pestilince within the Dubhaim Castle to our north.

Falucus once again brought his and his wife's concerns before the Deans and Logan, this time bringing Alcorana along as a second voice of reason. But alas, they were mocked and left in shame once again. Only Logan seemed to doubt that he and the other Deans might be wrong, but due to his confidence in the lamps, dismissed his concern. As a last-ditch effort, they entrusted their son to a few farmer friends in Mileth and embarked to Dubhaim Castle alone. When they arrived, what they saw shook them to their very core. Hordes upon hordes of Dunaan spilled from every door, window, and crack, scrambling closer and closer to the castle gates. Falucus and Alcorana joined hands and shared one final look of dreadful resolution, before bravely turning to face the approaching onslaught, proclaiming in unison, "You shall not pass."

Even today bards tell tales of this ensuing battle, though none were there to bare witness. Falucus and Alcorana stood alone, a two person army against a horde of thousands. Dunaan assaulted them, led by Servitors and Succubi. As the pair hurled their magic at the approaching Dunaan, their lines were thinned back- leaving only steam and a plume of smoke amidst the rubble, which rose above the castle courtyard. Citizens of Rucesion began to gawk in awe and confusion, as well as terror and horror, at the pillar of destruction in the distance. Then, without warning, the unthinkable happen. The lamps began to fade, before finally flickering to a mere glint. Panic ensued, and Rucesion soldiers rushed to Dubhaim Castle with wizards of the Acadamie close behind.

Alas, they were too late. Greeting them at the castle gates were feelings of sorrow and grief as they gazed at the mauled, lifeless bodies of Falucus and Alcorana, their identities barely recognizable as they lay in a heap at the foot of the castle gates still grasping eachother's hands, even in death. Yet, despite their fall, not a single Dubhaim, not even a single Dunaan had managed to creep past their defenses. They had managed to stop the Dubhaim uprising alone, but at the cost of their own lives.

In sorrow and shame, the wizards of the Acadamie gathered the remains of their comrades, transporting them to these very halls we reside in now to be interred with honor. During the funeral procession, the skies themselves seemed to weep for the noble wizards. Not a single bird nor beast dared utter a sound out of respect for the pair- as if nature itself knew of their sacrifice. The foolish dismissal of Falucus and Alcorana's warnings, as well as the pair's death that followed shortly after, caused a great schism within the Acadamie. The year was Danaan 3267, and each elemental curriculum and their Deans shamelessly hurled baseless accusations and pointed fingers at each other as for the failure to heed the words of warning. Logan, in despair, tried desperately in vain to intervene and restore order. The anger and divide, however, was too great, and was coined "The Third and Final Affront to Luathas."

Luathas then descended upon the halls of the Acadamie in a fit of rage. The very earth trembled beneath him, humbling all around. His face was grim, and his words sent ice into the veins of all who heard them. I speak of this now instead of next sermon as these words punctuate the final Affront to Luathas.

"You who were my chosen children, you whom I have shown favor and forgiveness above all others, still you do not learn. Bad enough it is that in your complacency and blind trust of your works you ignored a terrible threat to the lands and caused the loss of two of your selfless brethren, but now you seek to dishonor their sacrifice by spilling blood within these halls. Know ye this, you have lost forever my favor and my blessing, nevermore until another such as Logan shall appear shalt ye reside within these halls, be ye gone I say!"

And with that, the Acadamie was torn asunder by Luathas, who banished the wizards to the four corners of the land. Stretching forth his might, he wrenched the memory and knowledge of the Acadamie and its secrets from their minds and the minds of all beings of the lands. As his final proclamation, Luathas declared that nevermore would a wizard master instruct within the bounds of Rucesion. To this very day, there are no magic masters whom reside in this town. The four Deans were bound by oath to individually guide the young wizards on their journey. Logan, as I said, resides within the Temple of Choosing, in the Wizard's Hall. The four Deans are the Dark Wizards we know today. Dar, the Dean of Athar, was interred to Mileth. Hadriane, the Dean of Creag, took refuge in Suomi. Kiril, the Dean of Sal, was exiled to Undine. All of these four great wizards continue their efforts today.