Sgrios Mass: Spion Sgrios

One often thinks that because our modern Gods share life eternal that the faiths they service, too, are objects of permanence. This, however, is not the case. Our eight temples are living, breathing things; influenced heavily by the great minds who occupy their halls and pliable to their whims. Over this last double-moon our land has seen an influx of Aislings of old -- some revered and some reviled -- but ask any one of them what times were like in their days among the temples of their time and they will surely report back that things were different in their day and age.

Take, for example, this very shrine. There was a time when Sgrios worshipers were feared and detested; sneaking into our fabled hall obscured by shadows and deceit. One zealotted follower summoning a succubus in the crowded port of Rucesion would send waves of chaos rippling across the town, and one dared not to cross a Sgrian lest they incur the wrath of our Lord or his fervent devoted. I have done my best to shift the focus onto Sgrios’ more enlightened elements -- His ceaseless caretaking of the aisling spark, His role as the gatekeeper protecting us from eternal peril, the role He takes in driving the cycle of death-birth-death and His unconventional compassion towards a population that curses His name.

But as much as the conversation has shifted into the gentler side of Sgrios, it is eternally important to remember that He is a God of decay and chaos, and has great capacity to sow these seeds should the world find itself too comfortable, or should one cross those who hold great favor with our Lord. While a succubus running rampant in one of the provinces of Temuair might not hold the same weight with the powerful modern Aisling, there are other ways in which a worshiper might impact the well-being of others that walk this land.

Perhaps it is news to hear, but all worshipers in good faith to the church have the ability to entreat directly with Lord Sgrios; sending a prayer in earnest to Him can yield a number of devious supplications. We have discussed, though ages ago, now, the benefits of a number of these blessings, but the one I’d like to cover tonight is the most controversial and ubiquitous of these -- Spion Sgrios.

The concept is simple -- an Aisling beloved to our Lord, either here with Greim’s assistance or by bowing their pious heads to the prayer necklace of our church, entreats to Sgrios to lay His mark upon the body of another. Should this Aisling have the strength of faith, Sgrios will grant the blessing by touching the one named in the prayer. The ‘victim’ of this supplication will then bear the physical mark, though their body does not feel any pain from the touch, and their wisdom and constitution is not harmed in the process ((they will not lose the hp/mp one does by falling in battle)). You may ask for this miracle only once per sun, as it requires substantial focus to perform.

Though this can be used to great effect in causing those who oppose us a considerable deal of stress, both physically and psychologically, it is rather benign to those with a clear head. Any Gliocan priestess, or even those from the temple of our dearest ally Deoch are able to painlessly remove the mark and, typically, are happy to do so. The thing most overlooked when employing this gift, is that Sgrios has granted this power to us so that we may grant his mark to those who treasure it -- the stalwart warriors who share their scars like trophies of war, the enlightened philosopher who finds comfort in our Lord’s presence and, namely, your fellow worshipers. Afterall, would it not be better to bestow this gift on someone who would appreciate it rather than waste your precious faith on someone who will have His mark erased without issue?

Before we close, I do want every worshiper here to know and understand that this great power we are entrusted with is God given and that there are no laws of man or mundane that restrict its use, nor will I punish any of you for using this gift as you see fit. Should you have a strong connection with our Lord, then you must follow your heart with how you employ your faith -- it is not for a minister or master ranger to tell you otherwise. However, those of you in the clergy be forewarned that any corruption of our initiation process in order to allow siblings access to our holy entreaties will result in immediate excommunication. If you have evidence of any corruption within our faith, I would urge you to reach out to me in private and I will investigate the matter personally.

That being said, never be afraid to explore your faith and do not let any others make you feel as if your connection with God is sinful. We must all follow our spiritual intuition, and take to heart the lessons we learn as a result. Until our next mass, may shadows shelter you.