Chapter Three: Scattered Souls - Some key
What’s that? A Chorister without religion?
Sure. The Celestial Chorus explores a way for humanity to commune with the One in the role of servant, partner or friend. That doesn’t necessarily mean that Choristers are religious; it means that many have a strong faith. They can feel in their bones the essential rightness of being that comes with knowing that you have a purpose in the universe. It’s a strong thing, to feel like you have a purpose in life.
On the flip side, a Chorister doesn’t have to go around spouting Bible quotes or persecuting people who have other beliefs. If you can stretch your imagination to play other characters as heroes, why not the Chorus?
A good Christian and a good Chorister are alike in that both have a full measure of compassion, love, tolerance and mercy. Anyone can be spiteful, meanspirited or hateful. To paint all Christians with this brush - even with the specious arguments that Christians tortured people to death in the Crusades or that they persecute people in today’s society (which are things that no good Christian would condone) - is, dare we say it, prejudicial.
In short, anyone can be a bastard. You’ll find fanatics in every pot. Show a little tolerance for your fellow man, and look for the good in everyone.
The Chorus suffers from practitioners of many different religions all trying to reconcile with individual faiths. At some point, each Chorister feels a twinge of doubt or despair over the many different interpretations of canon. Ideally, the Traditions and the Chorus hope to merge disparate groups in order to create a stronger whole. Yet how much must the individual give up? Where are the lines of compromise? If you have a faith that sustains your soul, will you give it up in order to promote some greater community that shuns your enlightenment? Some days, it’s a wonder that Choristers manage to work with any other mages (or each other) at all. Each Chorister eventually finds this variety a point of strength, though. He takes it as a means to see other views, to reaffirm his own beliefs and to learn to judge every individual on a personal basis.
Inspite oftheir tenuous ties to religiousgroupsthe Chorus’ beliefs are heretical to many worldly religionsindividual Singers prosper and thrive on the strength of faith. The Awakening may provide a proof of faith, and the miracles that come with enlightenment certainly C E L ~ L CH~RUS seem to do so, but the Chorister must recognize that such miracles stem from his personal connection to the Divine. While it is the Chorister’s will to perform magic, it is the conviction of faith that makes the Chorister’s will one with divinity. Therefore, the Singer’s whims are simply extensions of heaven.
From this faith comes a great wellspring of hope.
While other Traditions fight, die or squabble over political and secular agendas, the Chorus knows that a greater fate awaits mankind. The universe may not be caring and nurturing - growth comes through adversity and trial, as shown often in holy writ - but the Chorus recognizes that some greater destiny awaits humanity. Every Singer who sees a greater hand behind creation understands that somehow, someday, humanity will find a way to touch that hand. Choristers are confident that people will speak to and know the Creator some day. In that faith, the Chorus knows that even if the Ascension War is over, if the masses reject faith and the world grinds toward Armageddon, there’s always a door to hope for those who take up the search.
C@rn€rnS The Chorus exemplifies reverence as an everyday part of life. In their search for the Divine, Choristers apply the quest of faith to every task. One doesn’t have to be a priest or a prophet to do so. Anyone can live a life filled with the awareness of grace. However, the chorus recognizes that each individual must have a unique perspective on the Divine. The whole of God is too great, and every person is too special, for a single design to suffice for every Chorister. Not that this stops them from trying to establish a sole vision of one deity.. .
Since the Chorus celebrates the wondrous variety of creation, Choristers also find room for diversity within their ranks. As you read the tale herein, you’ll find many paths to the divine.
Chapter One: St. John’s Words - A historical exploration of the Celestial Chorus and what has occurred since the founding of the Tradition. Also, where Choristers can be found today, as well as what they believe.
Chapter Two: Holy Tasks, Sacred Paths - The organization of the Tradition, how Apprentices are found and trained, internal politics and justice, factions, paradigm and foci, Resonance, perks, problems, rotes and artifacts of the Tradition. All the tools of the trade, so to speak.
Chapter Three: Scattered Souls - Some key figures in the Chorus (past and present), legends, character templates and advice on how to run a game with a group composed solely of Singers.
“And the key of the House of David will 1 lay upon his Isaiah 22:22 shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut. ”
“What say you to that, Jeremiah?” Brother William inquired. The sound of William Rathman’s voice brought Jeremiah out of his reverie. With a hint of uncharacteristic mischief Rathman spoke again. “I once was in your position in yonder abbey,” he said, pointing in the general direction of the University. “The Brothers and the abbot thought me too undisciplined to be schooled in history, especially that of the Roman Catholic Church. Then one evening I had an epiphany.
The world was not going to collapse around my ears just because I found certain of my monastic Brothers to be complete bores.”
Looking around at the natural beauty of the arboretum, Jeremiah replied candidly. “I’m sorry, William. I grew up in New York City. If we want to see nature there, we have to go to Central Park. It’s.. . compelling here. In answer to the quotation from the Book of Isaiah, I guess I can only say I’m as prepared as the One wills me to be.”
Brother William nodded. “You have been playing to fox me, you young rascal. You heard every word I said.” Chuckling ruefully he added, “You are as ready as you can be made for the task of learning the history of the Chorus. I sometimes forget that Pain has an eye for gifted ones. It’s a lesson in humility that I will not soon forget again.”
Rising from underneath the trees of the arboretum, William and Jeremiah walked until they were in the shadows of St. John’s Abbey. “It has been some time since I left these walls as a member of the Chorus. Many of the teachings that you shall hear from me will have the flavor of the Benedictine Order. Do not let this discourage you or sway you from your beliefs. I merely present them to you in a frame of reference familiar to me. It is your duty and your task to dissect, question, debate and apply them to your beliefs as you see fit. Come with me. Abbot Kelly and I are old friends and besides, I oversee the Adytum here.”
THEFIRSTAGE Deep within the abbey, where monks and abbots have debated, prayed and held Eucharist since 1857, Brother William introduced Jeremiah to Abbot Kelly in quiet tones.
“Jeremiah, this man is my mentor, confessor and dear friend. He may not work in the world at large, but holds my deepest confidences. He is the very devil with a ruler, but he still enjoys a nip of the Irish whiskey with his Johnny Bread. Sean, this is my newest pupil.”
With a surprising spryness for his age, the whitehaired abbot rose and shook Jeremiah‘s hand. ‘‘I am Abbot Sean Kelly, Jeremiah, and welcome to the Abbey of St. John. I pray your journey that begins here will be for the greater glory of God. This old goat is one of my greatest students, and ifhe has consented to teach you, then you are blessed. Besides, his occasional lapses into dogmatic lectures are amusing at times. One would almost believe William should have been a Jesuit or Dominican, not a simple Benedictine.” Sean smiled with the expression of a man who’d been through these jokes many times in youth and found them only truer with time.
The two older men laughed at the banter, then with a deep breath Brother William returned to his serious mien and continued.
“Pay attention, Jeremiah. This lays the foundation of your training, but you won’t likely hear it again.’’ Jeremiah nodded, hopingthat hecould catcheverything important.
He didn’t want to have to stop and ask questions later.
“We must begin at the Shatteringthe period from the beginning of time to about two centuries before the Christian era. The most deeply devoted historians have only been able to piece together a frustratingly incomplete picture of the First Singers. It is said they were the most powerful of the Singers. They were Exarchs of such power that even our most esteemed minds have trouble comprehending their feats of faith and magic.
“Of the First Singers there are five that need mention, though there are more besides. These five were of such prominence that their tales are still extant. Mitras, Gunder, Enoch, Bhishma and (it is believed) Gilgamesh comprised the five. They spent spans of time caring for humanity and defending them from the perils of a stormy beginning. The feats of Gilgamesh are recorded and assumed to be fiction in the Epic of Gilgumsh. I highly recommend that you read this book. It speaks of a man who performed many wondrous acts, and it is said he sought out immortality in a quest. Ofcourse, like all men he was flawed, but nevertheless he is quite an inspiration.
The other First Singers, much like Gilgamesh, heard the call of the One and traveled the lands giving, caring and protecting the people until the time wouldcome that the call of the One was to be heard by all.
C L CHCBRUS They were hard times, times of great temptation.
Some fell to the Dark Song. The forces that oppose us were at work even then, subverting the word and will of the One. We of the Chorus believe that all may be redeemed -well, for the most part. Yet, there is a force that even now dogs our heels. The Dark Singers, the Nephandi.. . are of the deepest evil. They believe in the total destruction of the universe and the One, for what dark purpose I pray I never see or comprehend. They are nefarious, and they bring even the most divided of dark factions together. They are a blight upon the world.
“In the fullness of time, the First Singers passed, were corrupted by the Dark Singers, and all passed on their points of view. Those days of near divinity are long gone now. We are mortal men that face off against mortal men.. . divided and surrounded by our enemies.”
THE SK@NDAGE After the brief beginning ofthe tale, Jeremiah took note that both Abbot Kelly and Brother William remained silent for a while. Jeremiah didn’t want to break the silence, but he watched them both uncomfortably for the better part of a minute.
As per his custom, William broke the silence unceremoniously. “Forgive me, but having an incomplete history to tell disturbs me. In time, acceptance of the loss of the complete history is inevitable, but I am not yet at that point.”
“What happened to the histories?” Jeremiah asked.
William hammphed while Abbot Sean broke in softly. “It’s not a matter of what happened. It’s what never was. I mean to say, these are times so far removed that no reliable writings of them remain. We have scattered stories, second-hand accounts, things of that nature. Occasionally an angel deigns to tell us a little, but they are loath to speak of other ages of man. And even the greatest prophets cannot tell us what happened beyond the veil of time, so far in the past.”
Jeremiah nodded, “Perhaps it’s just another lesson.
Maybe it tells us to be satisfied with our time, to make the most out ofwhat we can do now, not to agonize Over some past that’s gone and done with.” 6 t a William nodded in agreement and smiled pleasantly. “An astute analysis. Fortunately, we have slightly more information. As time marches on, our records become better. Are YOU prepared to continue?”
Jeremiah rdded.
“Good. The details of the Second Age are far more complete and curateI am going to dispense with doctrine and try to tell of this Age with an eye to completeness, not blind rote.
“The Second Age came with the gathering of Singers into a single congregation. This is attributed to a priest named Mentu-hetep. Mentu-hetep was born in Iunu (referred to as On in the Bible, Heliopolis by the Greeks and Romans). He served the court of the Pharaoh AmenhoteP Iv in the city of T’hebeSHe worshipped a single god called Aten, and his Pharaoh Promoted the worship ofthis Single Sun god.
“History tells us that this belief in one deity resulted in n h scorn and mockery for Mentu-hetep. In his despair, he wandered into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights where he fasted and prayed to Aten for guidance.
For his penitence and sacrifice, he received a visitation by Aten in the form of a burning corona in the dark Of night. He asked of Aten what he should the All-Singer and thus receive his divine mandate.
These are the first recorded words of the One.
I . ’ C a 6 l - h ~ CH~RUS “‘Gather my children unto me, for they have drifted.
You and your brethren have sung unto the peoples of the world for millennia, but more have fallen from my ways with each passing generation. Even the faithful have forgotten the meaning of harmony. Too often you sing alone, and you now must sing together as one. Send forth your brothers and sisters, those who remember me by any name. Gather together in unity, that your purpose may be given new strength. Sing together in harmony, that my Song may be perpetuated.
“‘Many more will fall by the wayside, and they shall be spumed as they have spumed me. But you shall give each other new strength, w d o m and unity of purpose.
So then shall the Sleepers be guided toward me, and all shall be One once more. The voices shall fill the air, and the Chorus shall fill the heavens. Know you are celestial in origin, and your song heavenly.
“‘Let your Celestial Chorus unite!’ “When this visitation ended, Mentu-hetep’s eyes were seared from their sockets in the brilliance of the All-Singer’s passing. Blinded but undaunted, he returned to call all of the Singers of the Chorus to him.
“From Thebes, and with the assistance of the Pharaoh, Mentu-hetep used means magical and mundane to call forth those who still heard the Song from across the world. Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, now calling himself Ikhnaton, abandoned the city of Thebes to build a city dedicated to the One. His priests were much displeased, and they foretold of the doom of this city, yet he persevered along with his faithful Mentuhetep. Many rejected the summons of Mentu-hetep, yet many others heeded the call and came to this place in the desert called Akhenaten. They all remembered the All-Singer by one name or another. Some came by day, others came by night. They represented many factions of worship. They were the Knights of Aten, the ChosenofAbraham, Gilgamites, Mithradites and many others descended of the First Singers.
“This First Congregation discussed, held fellowship and sang the hymns of rejoining, harmony and the future. Prophecies were revealed and discussed in great depth. Such was the power of Mentu-hetep’s holy words that it was resolved that no one Singer could attain heaven without the aid of others in the faith. It was further resolved that the names of the One were many, but all were names of the same God.
Thus, many years passed and the Sacred Congregation grew in the name of the All-Singer.”
Williamlookedgravely atJeremiahandadded, “There is more, but no tale of this magnitude comes without tales of woe, betrayal and great distress. As long as man is man, there will always be greed, cynicism and self-centered politics. The path you walk is a hard one, rife with temptation, trialsand tribulations. Youwillreadscreedsovile, hearwords so bitter that you will not believe man capable of love, charity and self-sacrifice. Do not lose hope because of these things; see them as obstacles to be overcome.”
Seemingly satisfied with this brief lecture, he looked to Abbot Kelly. “Sean, don’t forget to contribute some to young Jeremiah here. I am going to have to release him to others for a more practical education all too soon, and I would have him hear you speak of some of the history.”
The abbot smiled and said, “Leave it to William to let me speak of the destruction of Akhenaten. It is not pleasant, my son, and it is one of many tales of greed, jealousy and hatred to be told of mankind. I think we would be remiss in our teachings if such a tale were not included.”
“The first Grand Council convened shortly after Mentu-hetep’s call. They represented the various factions, and although they had little authority, they tried to facilitate communication between the various groups.
Many returned to their native lands and built Adytums places of gathering for those of the Chorus to stay, worship and work in the faith.
“Those priests of Amenhotep IV who were disgruntled and offended were not going to sit idly by and let things go unsettled. They worked on the populace of Thebes and inflamed opinion to the point they were able to piece togetherajyhadagainst thenewcityofAkhenaten. It isnow believed that the priest chief in his opposition, D’halenRa‘, was in league with theNephandi. Scarcely one century after the completion of Akhenaten, it was burned to the ground along with the Grand Adytum of the Celestial Chorus.
Although this was the first instance of such interference from the Nephandi in the Second Age, it was certainly not the last. The Nephandi strove to interfere with the building of the Grand Adytum in the Horizon Realm, and though they failed in this task, they continue to preach chaos, destruction and hate in order to countervail the Chorus’ message of love, tolerance and faith in the One.
“The continued perseverance of the Chorus and Council resulted in the spread of the faith around the world.
Solomon rose in 965 BCE to become King of Israel, and he commissioned the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. This temple survived two incarnations and finally was destroyed in 70 CE. While Solomon certainly espoused some unusual ideas, such as the codes of spirit-dealing used by the Order of Hermes, he was also a man of faith and a powerful proponent for our cause. His choice to embrace wisdom instead ofpower or wealth is another step for us to emulate.
“Until the birth of Christ, Romans filled the Grand Council. During this time, Rome reigned supreme in the secular world and the Grand Council felt that the Congregation’s future lay with it. Over this time, the Roman influence was so great that the Council was renamed the Curia, and the High Councilor was called the Pontifex Maximus. What had been a role of parliamentary advisor soon assumed almost absolute authority.
T h e centuries following Christ’s birth brought on a radical change in the composition of the Congregation and Curia. From the Holy Land came the Messianic Voices, a Christian group that was initially little more than a cult. Also, the Sons of Mithras rose in prominence since Christianity and Mithraism were rivals for the hearts and minds of the Chorus in the second century of the Common Era.
“These theological battles raged until Constantine the Great embraced Christianity and allowed freedom of worship for Christians. The die was cast from that point. By 324 CE, the Pontiff and the majority of the Curia were Christians.”
THETHIRDAGE Days of learning had clogged Jeremiah‘s mind. He’d been given so many facts - some with explanations; others with encouragement to use the Adytum’s library.
The questions soon came fast and furious. Then came the visit by Simon Pain.
“William, will he be ready for more practical teaching soon?” Pain had asked. That question still rooted uncomfortably in Jeremiah’s mind. He recalled the answer that his mentor had given: “He is barely through the Second Age now, Simon. I will not rush him. He needs the time to adjust and gain his bearings. Only as soon as we have given him the knowledge of the Third and Fourth Ages will I believe him ready for some exploration. I realize he is strong, and I will get him to you soon enough, but he needs a firm grounding. He needs to understand not only where we came from, but why, and how we arrived where we are today. Give me two more weeks, and then we can send him gallivanting around the globe as is your wont.”
Pain had digested this assessment carefully. Very well, William,” he’d said. “I have no intention of taking him away from you completely. I’ll send him to Texas where a certain rabbi awaits him for a little broadening.
He’ll then be returned to you for more extensive training.”
William had smiled at Pain’s comments, but he added a cryptic statement of his own, saying only, “Yes, I think that would be most illuminating for our young Jeremiah. See you in two weeks, Simon.”
Jeremiah still remembered the look that Pain had given him. It was relentless, appraising, as if Pain were looking for some weakness.. . but then, a surprising kindness rose in his voice. “Be ready, Jeremiah. You After a brief moment of thought, Jeremiah simply replied, “I pray so.”
With a chuckle and look at Abbot Kelly, William continued.
“Christianity took ascendance in the Third Age of our Chorus. There are many reasons for this, but it seems that while Christianity was a minority faith, it was the most strongly voiced. The insistent ones.. . Given that Roman politicos lived and died by their skills with speech, the eloquence and persistence of the Christian church won it many supporters. With this in mind, then, it is not surprising that the Roman Catholic Church exerted a great amount of influence on our Chorus.”
Brother William leaned back in his cushion and folded his hands over his stomach, ruminating momentarily. He raised one finger to emphasize his point, adding, “I am going to qualify this with a simple bit of fact. Under no circumstances do any of us view the ascendancy of any one Sleeper church as proof that such faith is the one ‘true’ church. They are all facets of the One. It is a wise piece of doctrine to allow individual Choristers the familiar structure and strictures of their original faith as a framework of reference of how to seek a higher state or divine communion. After Constantine made his declaration at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Christianity blossomed far faster than most other religions. You may well ask, why not the Muslim faith? Or that of Buddha? Why monotheistic worship at all? These questions are those of your faith, and they provide an excellent backdrop for learning more of thewondersoftheone. But, Idigressfiomhistory.Youwil1 have to formulate your own approach to other religions.
“The Third Age cemented and codified Christianity. Various heresies were disposed by means academic or by the swords of the Crusaders. The Messianic Voices became a majority in the Congregation, and other faiths were either pushed aside by the rising tide of Christianity or marginalized by its newfound political strength. The Sons of Mithras and other pagan groups fought valiantly, but they were either forced onto the sidelines or sadly removed from the Choir Celestial. Militant forces popped up and caused much strife in both the mundane and magical spheres of influence. It is from this witch‘s brew of discord and strife that the Cabal of Pure Thought came forth. This group of Choristers stressed the importance of a single, unified Church, and it quickly rose in prominence. These changes in the Chorus were reflected by the changes in the prominence of certain Sleeper churches.
Tharlemagne brought hope for a unified Christian Europe. AlthoughCharlemagne did not succeed in his vision, the Chorus rejoiced as the vision of a Sacred City was believed to be coming to fruition. Soon the stress of this rapid and unprecedented religious expanOnly a few more weeks of sheltered study, and then back into the fray -Jeremiah had a lot to learn. He only hoped now that Pain’s appraisal of him had been correct. As he settled into a comfortable seat for the la. L * ;f I C ~ ~ L C H @ R U S sion caused fragmentation and quarrels in the Celestial Chorus itself. Western Singers argued to gain theological supremacy for Rome, while the Eastern Singers argued for equal status. This resulted in a major schism, and Rome and Constantinople were soon at odds. The Singers of the Cabal of Pure Thought saw this schism as amajor threat tounity, so they demanded the Byzantines be co-opted by force. In a moment of wisdom, the Pontifex and the Curia ignored these demands and forged ahead in the belief that the Sacred City was at hand. Some degree of variance was to be allowed.
“In the 800s, a militant offspring of our group emigrated fromRome to Aachen, the capitalofCharlemagne’s empire. These priest-knights excelled in both arts of war and magic. They became known as the Palatine Knights or simply Paladins. They swore holy vows to defend humanity against the forces of darkness. This creed has become a model for those that followed down the centuries, or simply a source of inspiration for those holy warriors that aspire to something greater.”
“The Crusades were a high point in the Middle Ages for Christianity, especially for RomanCatholicism. Members of the Church gained supremacy in matters ecclesiastical, they gathered political power via the sway of the Roman Church, and they held the power supreme through the Crusades. The vast majority of the rulers in Europe owed their secular gains to the Roman Church.
This formula for success lasted well beyond the Third Age of our Chorus into the Fourth Age. Simony was practiced for centuries. This policy within the various faiths caused constant frictionwithin the Congregationof the Chorus.
The predominance of Christians in the Curia, including the office of Pontifex Maximus, started to cause even deeper divisions within the main body of the Congregation. The Eastern faiths started to rebel and this division of purpose hurt the cause, although the Chorus remained viable. The dream of a Sacred City was dead and doomed, but the Chorus did not realize it. (‘The Jewish Singers found their lands a prize, while the Muslim Singers were more and more marginalized in these ecclesiastical battles. It soon became a conflict bemeen the Christian Singers and everybody else. The Albigensian Crusade proved to be a victory for the Cabal of Pure Thought at first, and then a defeat. The repercussionsof the Crusade led to the officialoustingof thecabal from the Congregation, even though some members of the Congregation hahored sympathy for them. This came back acentury later to haunt them, when the Chbal reemerged in 1325 as part of the Order of €&son.
The Convention of the Ivory Tower sounded the horn, and the walls of the Sacred City came tumbling down.
“While being deeply divisive, the Third Age was one of the busiest and most productive times for the Chorus. Churches produced huge volumes of sermons, songs and art. Prophets wrote key visions for us, and the church‘s firm ensconcing in secular affairs gave us an influence that extends even to the modem day. Many of the era’s writings discussed the divisions in the Chorus, and many solutions were proffered. Unfortunately, many were discarded as ‘untenable’ by the Christian majority in the Congregation. In the visions of Lucien, we see eye-witness accounts of the Inquisition and the deep damage done by the folly of allowing secular rulers to dictate to the ecclesiastical.
“In these writings he clearly speaks of ‘hard hearted shepherds,’ likely referring to the mortals who ran the Inquisition or the Cabal of Pure Thought.”
William and Jeremiah paused for supper. The visions of Lucien particularly shook Jeremiah. He pushed around his salad without eating much before finally working up the courage to ask, “Brother William, have you ever had a vision!”
Harrumphing and daubing his mouth with his napkin, Brother William left the few remaining bones from .r. ’ ‘ !=: t cam^ CHEEIRUS his fish behind after a critical glance and then pushed his plate away. “No, I can’t say that I have. But that’s not to say that they’re not real. You see, son, a lot of people say that in this day and age, God just doesn’t talk to people any more. And that’s just not true.
“I could give you some quaint little bit about God talking through His works, like nature and human kindness. That’s not what I’m talking about, though. God - er, the One - still speaks to the few that need to hear what he has to say. Maybe, if you need to hear it, he’ll speak to you. Maybe not.”
William thought for a moment. “I suspect, though, that having God talk to you is more burden than benefit. I think I am happier as a humble monk than as a messenger. After all, consider some of the messages He’s delivered in the past and what’s happened to the messengers.”
William paused and said to Jeremiah, “Do you know the story of how Brother Simon Pain came to join us?”
After some thought, Jeremiah answered cautiously, “No, I can’t say I do.”
William nodded. “It is kept quiet to some degree, since it is a disquieting story. Yet I find it inspiring in its own odd way. I shall tell you of it soon.”
THE %VRmAc3E “The Fourth Age builds on the tumult of the Third Age,” continued William. “After the Convention of the Ivory Tower in 1325 and the beginning of the slow crumbling of the Sacred City, it took courageous leadership to keep the core of our faith together. Great Singers likeValoran,Constantine and SisterGenevieve have kept that core together through the pernicious attacks of the Order of Reason and later the Technocratic Union. The Congregation was divided from within and being attacked from without. Externally, it warred with Hermetic mages and the witches of the Verbena. Internally, the Messianic Voices still suffered from division over Christian theology, while nonChristian Singers were all but absent from the Congregation. The Inquisition’s fires burned hotter and hotter, taking Christian and heretic alike, almost indiscriminately. Hemetics and Verbena blamed the Congregation, even while some of the Congregation’s own went into the flames. Misery was everywhere. By the mid-1405, the Congregation was in desperate need of motivation and a reunification.
“Then came Valoran. Citing a vision of the Archangel Gabriel, he reunited the factions within the MessianicVoices, made peace with the Hermetics and Verbena and reconciled with the non-Christian voices that had been forced out by the ever-pervasive