Sgrios Mass: A Spark in the Darkness

 

Welcome, fellows. My name is Lenorah, and I am honored to stand before you once again in these hallowed halls. A new Deoch has arrived since I last spoke here, and an entire new cycle is turning. With it, I hope that we can be reminded of how endings are not something to be feared, but embraced. We Aislings have seen this revolution many times before, and with each one has come its own series of gains and losses. Indeed, in this very temple we have lost the persistent presence of many dedicated sparks, but I have also seen some new ones who may be young in their journeys of faith, but represent a hope that must not be ignored.

With all that said, I feel a good use of my energy would be to reiterate to those who do not call this shrine their home why so many of us have and do. Throughout the centuries, even before the time of Aislings, people have cowered in fear at the name of Sgrios. His name has been associated with cruelty and evil. Perhaps stories of the so-called "Worshippers of Sgrios" of yore spoken of in Historical texts like Swanberg's "The Birth of the Daemon Anaman" did not do much to assuage those fears. Or even the supposed "Acolytes of Sgrios" who plot in the name of Chadul's awakening. It is not on me to speculate on these figures, their intentions and beliefs. Sgrios exists beyond the actions and affairs of mortals, even those who claim to represent Him. But to me, those who have been touched by Sgrios and whose mind and spirit are open enough to see know that there is no malevolence in His touch. Sgrios is indiscriminate. Inevitable. He welcomes all into His embrace when their time comes. But consider also the timing of when Sgrios is said to have appeared. The decay of Grinneal, the appearance of Chadul and the foolish interference of power hungry mortals via the Pact of Anaman. The then still recent, on the timeline of aeons, first unnatural death. What was once an accepted fact of life for tens of thousands of years at least, a welcome one, became twisted in barely over one thousand. Whether you accept our brother Wormtongue\rquote s philosophy or not, it is apparent that Sgrios had to fill that space. And it is through the actions of mortals similarly twisted by the consuming darkness of Chadul that His reputation becomes tarnished. But He does not hunt us. He does not forsake us. No, instead He protects our unique spark in order to maintain something resembling the old order, not allowing true death to be supplanted by the torturous limbo that Chadul seeks. But still, we are not immortals. And when our time does come as Aislings, we will be held as equals to all other beings as we drift not under waves of Grinneal, but of Sgrios.

This fact is a thing of beauty. And faced with it, we can confront our lives as we will eventually confront death: with resolution of purpose. Where there was potentially endless, ever diminishing action, there is now rest. When we as Sgrians call upon ourselves and our siblings to offer themselves to Sgrios, we are not feeding a beast. We are acknowledging Him in His awesome power, and expressing that we do not fear Him. We do not fear the comfort he will bring. Rather, we are grateful to Him for standing watch over our lives, so that He may shepherd us unto death.

I welcome anyone who wishes to demonstrate their faith in this way to step forward, and embrace Him with me.

 ~LenorahLee

(tacked to the board by Phever)