Interview with a Heretic
Recently I got to sit down with the man known as Lilas Wurtbeich, the famous leader of the Fifth Revelation, and the notorious heretic. I was able to get an interview with this man and what was stated might be shocking to some readers, but it should be told.
Lilas Wurtbiech himselfLilas Wurtbeich himself is a curious man; he seems to be a physician of great skill. However something transpired along his road for him to become the religious leader that he is today. He claims that he was born in dreaded and vile Falkovinia yet he was raised in the slums of Port-a-Lucine. He was educated in the Cathedral of Saint Mere des Larmes, supposedly under the blessed guidance of Bastian Joan Seceusse He did later go on to being a physician at the renowned University.
He claims to be the first toret of her fifth revelation, and he only became the Bastian due to his great Humility and Faith. It must also require a lot of humility and Faith to build a statue of yourself; Though that might have something to do with him being a Falkovinian.
He has traveled many lands including to far distant Barovia. It was in Barovia where he found “ Brother Aleyi had been graced by Ezra, when he received revelations. “ It seems that Lilas believes Aleyi to be some sort of prophet for his movement. However after encountering the prophet, “Then came Marle Winterlass, and my journey to Zeklos Keep, a dark time, let me tell you.”
“It is when staying at the Von Zeklos Keep that I really realized the wrath of the Legions in Barovia. A mission there is more than critical,” The Von Zeklos are a family of landed gentry, however unlike the nobles of fair Dementlieu, the Von Zeklos are said to have been corruptive and a taint lingered over them. Indeed he did state that “when this corruption, I became aware of, I left the Von Zeklos Keep.”
This might be in reference to the rumors horrible crimes that Marle Winterlass committed there. These ghastly rumors indeed might have some truth to them for Lilas stated “Although, I cannot say the abherrations of Von Zeklos Keep are untrue”
The Fifth RevelationThe fifth revelation claims to be the final sect of Ezra. Let’s start with their temple. Their temple seems to be a poor quality of a building compared to the Cathedral of Les Mere de Larmes. While I respect the attempt of any group to try and keep the poor away from crime, they are to hidden to provide much refuge to the poor currently. Though that is supposedly due to the fact it is rumored that some in the Church, the inquisition perhaps, wish to silence him. However I do believe that hiding might be a determent to his religious movement.
Then there was their shrine room, which included a portrait of all the founding bastions of the different Ezrite Sects, a portrait of Aleyi, who is a prophet to them, and a statue of Lilas Wurtbeich himself.
The two things that were constant throughout the interview was the concept of the ‘Legion of the Night’ and the ‘time of unparalleled darkness’ which are both related concepts. The ‘legions’ are supposed criminals and brigands and other psychopathic individuals who bring misery to others. The ‘time of unparalleled darkness’ is to put it simply the end of the world.
He also said this to me, “You asked me what I thought of Barovia, I tell you this; It will be a pivotal point to the wrath that's to come, when Judgment is brought upon us all.”
Upon Marle WinterlassIt is rumored that Marle is a saint according to the Fifth Revelation; this however is one rumor that is not true for Lilas stated “She is no saint”. And indeed she is not, for a saint is a person who is filled with goodness, piety and virtue. Marle is however a “Criminal and convicted thief”. No person can be both a Saint and a Criminal. She is also stated to have been “consorting with the Legions of the Night”.
Marle is also a corrupted individual, not to mention a criminal. She was also said to be “Twisting the words in the holy scriptures of the Fifth revelation to make them her own, in her own madness” and it is likely that she was twisting the other four revelations for the same purpose.
In fact she was said to have been “corrupted by the taint of the Von Zeklos Keep.” though it might be possible that she indulged in the taint and corruption and committed acts that would shock and revolt us at this keep. Nevertheless she is considered to be a corrupt and vile individual, not to mention a heinous criminal.
“There is a conspiracy against my people” that is led by Marle. It seems that Marle wants to take over the fifth revelation. Marle is one of the ‘rotten apples’ that Lilas claims infect every organization. It does make one wonder though, what sort of damned, sinners are these criminals that claim Marle is a ‘saint’ when no one else, not even the 5th revelation claim state that she is a saint.
Views of the Church as a wholeNow I come to how he views the Church of Ezra as a whole. This is probably some of the most important information I was able to hear.
He stated “What I think of them, is that often they are misguided. Ask any heretic to produce her shield and they will be unable to, Anchorites of her faith manifest her sainted shield, it is the same shield that protects us from the Legion of the Night, Heretics do not. “ However that might be true for most Heresies. I have read upon one or two that did be able to produce the shield but were still found out to be untrue. There is a procedure that must be done first before he can be approved to be an official sect. After all “What decides this, is the Church. Her church is one to decide. “
When asked why that has not been done, Lilas stated it was due to “Politics” and that “truth isn't welcomed by the Church”. He claims that the “church wishes me dead, for what I represent” and that “some wish I was blind and my tongue cut off.”
What did he claim to represent? “Change, a voice of change” that is what he claimed to represent. Though I cannot but help to wonder if this is a change that is good or change that is not so good, we can probably never know.
He also stated that he wishes to see the church “United. Away from the political manipulations some toy with in Home Faith.” That it is the fifth revelation’s fate to “see the Fifth revelation bring unity to her church… I have no doubts that whatever plan Ezra had for her fifth revelation, that it serves a greater purpose. This purpose, in my view, surely must be the uniting of her church.”
What does this mean, well it is hard to fully state. Some might gossip that he wishes to overthrow the Church and become the Preasidus himself, but I do not believe that particular rumor holds much truth for he does respect the other bastions of the church; as he stated “They all have their place, each fulfilling their role in the Grand Scheme that was laid by Ezra herself”. It is possible that he wishes to bring a reformation and change to the church so that it may be more ‘united’ and that the ‘corruptive elements’ of the church as he claims exists in it, can be purged. As he stated “ if this is what it takes, to cleanse her church, then I will.”
