Several copies of a strange religious discourse are found secreted in various places: the University in Dementlieu, the Morninglord Temple in the Village of Barovia, and even at the gates of the Red Academy in Ramulai. From its style and subject matter, it appears to be a sequel to some previous work. The author is anonymous.Encyclical: On the Nature of the Mists
The Second Part
Beloved,
Although most Natives of the Land of Mists have (through no fault of their own) circumscribed, constrained perspectives compared with Outlanders (who have partaken of the more joyous realms beyond this wretched prison), we do not know of a certain that in all cases Natives lack innate wisdom to grasp the Truth. An infant may be unwise, but the fool remains and grows in his foolishness only because he ignores the evidence of experience and the lessons the more enlightened would teach him. The wise child in contrast observes and reasons from those observations and hearkens to his teachers. So the Native, upon observing countless generations of Outlanders arrive through the Mists, may likewise learn and pierce the wicked fog that works without rest to blind and bind us in the darkness.
The Mists—in their constant desire to deceive—have, over time, been forced to create ever greater trickery in response to the obvious contradictions Outlanders introduce against this curtained and hellish milieu they perpetuate. In light of this stream of evidence, Native faiths have over time revised their “divine” accounts and re-interpreted the meaning of dogma in vain attempts to reconcile reason and sensory observation with their shuttered, narrow doctrine that fails to illuminate anything beyond this shared and small prison.
For example, the later texts of Ezra attempt to explain why no other lands have ever heard of this purported deity and why she has no power in them: it was a condition of her granting salvation. Yet this revisionism offers only new contradictions. In the First Book, Ezra was told she knew nothing of the Grand Scheme. In the subsequent text and before passing into the Mists, she explains to all the other gods:
We are the guides and guardians of mortals. Such is our role in the Grand Scheme.
How did she know of the role of the gods in the Grand Scheme to lecture them while knowing nothing of the Grand Scheme itself? Her ignorance reveals itself again in that she is always asking the Voice to explain basic facts to her. She is told in the Second Book that the fate of all is predestined, so her great sacrifice seems pointless, and in the Fourth Book she is chagrined to learn that many she has been trying to save are themselves those inflicting her followers with pain and suffering. Glaring blind spots indeed for a woman who purported to lecture all the other gods on their cosmic duties.
Unsurprisingly, such drastic revisions in fundamental doctrine to attempt to obscure its limited grasp of the Truth have caused great schisms in many Native faiths like the Ezrites. (Hence, the four divergent and virtually opposing Ezrite sects.)
We ought not judge such explicative attempts at pouring old wine into new bottles without some mercy, as they often represent the well-meaning effort of men and women of goodwill who wish to discover the Truth, despite its being (deliberately) hidden since birth from them by perpetual shadow and mist. Innocent babies often believe in simplistic fairy tales as a sort of comfort when faced by the unexplained cruelty of such a miserable life. Even in a land of evil misery such as this, the nascent knowledge of Truth in the immortal soul wishes us all to hope.
Instead of only the undeniability of the error of Native religions, we should consider whether, in clinging to the cloistered Native faiths, such believers accomplish good or work evil.
Does the celebrant seek to perpetuate the misguided, erroneous faith for personal aggrandizement and ambition, building and enjoying luxurious temples in which the celebrant poses in finery for others to admire his tremendous religiosity? Does he sup with the temporal and secular so as to elevate his standing over those he ought serve and shepherd, forming alliances with the corrupt while lusting after gold and other riches?
Or does he instead realize that a tremendous flock of destitute, weak, and fearful need the protection he preaches? That souls crave reassurance that they are but sojourners in a strange and evil land? And for those who resist the Mists' despair, the Truth awaits? Any food—even stale bread baked with a bad recipe—to the starving is better than no nourishment at all.
An imperfect faith, much like an imperfect idea, can still have merit if it brings forth good fruit. But if the faith (in its imperfections) causes disillusionment from those who perceive both its imperfections and that it seeks only to perpetuate itself and its errors rather than bringing hope and wisdom to the many, then such a faith and any man who believes in it should be cast out by the people as worthless. Before the harvest can grow and prosper, the laborers must remove all weeds.
And so we begin to answer the question of what we, as wretched and deceived prisoners—whether Native or Outlander—must do.
To begin, we must no longer be deceived. We must grasp the truth of our situation. As prisoners in the clutches of a malevolent, uncaring force we cannot rely upon any wish-fulfillment fairy tale to save us. Although the servant organs of the well-intentioned Native faiths have many who do good and necessary work—including many Ezrites—it is they and not their alleged deity who provide any salvation, however temporary, against darkness and the forces of Legion. (Observation likewise tells us many so-called “faithful” cooperate knowingly with the evil that oppresses us and are themselves snares and weeds.)
Once enlightened, we must with all our body, mind, and soul work diligently and continually against the Mists and their dark agents, both temporal and spiritual. Yea, even against their collaborators. We must do only good to one another and treat our brothers and sisters in Enlightenment with compassion and charity, for in doing so we most protect ourselves against the damnation that every day and night seeks us like a roaring lion and whispering tongue of poison. We must purify our hearts for this noble cause from all those emotions that open wide the gate of destruction: covetousness, anger, jealousy, and lust.
In short, Beloved, love the revealed Truth and cling to it above all else, for only the path of True Light leads to wisdom. Second, love other servants of the Truth, treating them as you would wish to be treated so that the joy which the Mists most despise can redound to you in the resolute armor of a conscience unwounded and unbroken. Last then, as you love the Truth, resist our Enemies--the Mists and their wicked vassals--in all matters. Never bargain with them, never compromise with them, and know always that they seek your soul’s destruction.
Fear not, Beloved, those who kill the body…but those who would kill your eternal soul.
May the Truth that surpasses all understanding bless you until that glorious day in which all the Mists evaporate before its unbearable glory and set the prisoners free.