An Epistle To The Reverends Of The Spirit And Of Unionism

[Iknay]

Wilhelm Godeffroy Hiberson, Legate to Ithania, Reverend of the Synod, and servant to the Most High God, who is The Spirit!

There have been questions concerning how the Reverends of the Synod should be unified and whether the path of promoting their own sects is in the best interest of Unionism and of the Spirit.

I, as well as the other Reverends of the Synod, received a letter about this issue from his Imperial Holiness himself. His Imperial Holiness discussed how, in his letter, that by having one "Bull," we endanger Unionism if this Bull turned out to be sick.

There is a story which the Emperor used to illustrate his point: when the Kades came to buy a bull to breed with their flock, they only needed to pay for one bull at half the price, as they agreed to have one flock and one bull, and the seller, having no other buyers, was forced to sell one bull at half the price. The seller, having four other bulls, sold them to other buyers.

The Kades, having only one bull, suffered as the one bull turned out to be sick and dies.

His Imperial Holiness believes that by having one "Bull," or, as he also says, being united, we risk that Bull being sick and losing Unionism altogether. Meanwhile, would-be-followers are led to other faiths that appeal more to them. His Imperial Holiness believes that by having multiple "Bulls," or sects, that we only run the risk of losing one or two sects while keeping the rest of the Faith together.

II​

There is another story that peasants tell, similar to the one his Imperial Holiness told, but, which illustrates a different point: there is, a long time ago in the wilderness, a hunter who would go out and prey on the pheasants who lived near where he dwelt. He would get out his net and sneak up to a lonely, unsuspecting pheasant. Then, down came the net and the pheasant was caught. The hunter would then take the pheasant, kill it, and devour it.

One day, a pheasant called out and gathered all the other pheasants. "Brothers and sisters," he said, "The Hunter comes all year round and kills our children, spouses, siblings, and parents with His Net and Spear. If we band together, perhaps the Hunter's Net would not be able to ensnare any of us, and thus, allow us to escape unharmed."

So, the pheasants banded together into One Flock and the next time the hunter came, he was astounded when his net failed to ensnare any of the pheasants, for the net could not encompass the flock, and so, could not entrap any of the birds. The Flock would then, in one accord, run off to a place of safety.

The next time the hunter came to kill some pheasants, he took his spear and charged the Flock. However, when he took a pheasant by the throat, the other pheasants pecked him till he dropped the pheasant in one hand and the spear in the other. Thus was the Flock able to flee the hunter's wrath again.

When the other pheasants that were not in the Flock heard of the safety it provided, they came from all over the forest to join. Now, not just the pheasants that first joined the Flock were safe, but, all the other pheasants in the forest that joined no longer need fear the hunter's snare.

One day, sadly, the pheasants in the Flock had a scuffle. "Stop stepping on my claws," one pheasant said.

"Me? It's you who's stepping on my claws," another pheasant answered.

"Someone just pecked me," a different pheasant screamed.

"I'm getting hot and claustrophobic," whined one pheasant.

The pheasants of the Flock then chose to no longer be united in One Flock. "The Hunter has left," some say. "We need no longer fear His Net and Spear, and thus no longer have any need for the Flock."

"Perhaps The Hunter still lives, but we need not One Flock to bring us safety and peace. Perhaps having multiple flocks will do just as well. Then, we can be both safe and comfortable."

Thus, the pheasants in the Flock disbanded and either went off to be alone or to gather into much smaller flocks. The hunter, though, laid in wait this whole time and after the pheasants disbanded, he burst out of his hiding place and slew one pheasant after another. First, he took the ones that stood alone, then, those that belonged to the small flocks (for you see, the hunter's net could encompass multiple pheasants and unless there is unity, the net could not capture and ensnare the hapless victims).

The hunter then took as many dead pheasants as he could, laid it all on his on his back, and then traveled back to his dwelling place.

III​

This is not about whether the Reverends should pursue in growing their own sects or that they should not bother having a sect of their own at all. What this is about, however, is that we must all remember what Unionism is supposed to be.

When the Spirit, who is the one and true God, first revealed himself to Theomar, first Holy Emperor of Regalia, what did the Spirit command him to call his church: the Church of God or the Church of the Spirit? Both would be more than appropriate. But no, the Spirit commanded him to call His Church the Church of Unionism.

This stresses the very importance of solidarity. Indeed, have there not been many signs in these past years that say that we must unite? Did not a dragon, belonging to a species thought long dead, rise up in an attempt to bring about a reign of terror and darkness, and did not the Imperial Prince, by the power of the Spirit, assume the form of dragon and became Dragonblood. Was there not a living statue, who some people claimed to be Estel, rampaging across Arlora and Torse until it inexplicitly disappeared only to reappear with an undead army at its back? Did the Holy City not get taken over by the foul creatures known as Deathlings until their leader, Lo, was killed? Not long after Alexander first became Holy Emperor, did not the Songaskians occupy the City till its citizens drove them out?

And all this came to pass in less than a decade. On top of all this, the Empire just came out of a war with the Dread Empire itself, which resulted in the disappearance of the Imperial Dragon. With the best temporal protector of the people gone, we have only a few options to take to best protect ourselves should another spectacular crisis occur. The best option that seems apparent is to live up to the name of His Church and unite.

There have been many complaints from the Archreveries that are in and beyond the Empire. Some Reverends are concerned that their sects do not get enough representation in the Synod. If that is the case, let it be known that I, personally, will welcome any fellow brother into the Synod, they need only come and ask, and there is little doubt that many other brethren within the Synod feel the same way.

His Imperial Holiness desires that we should grow our own sects. The High Reverend also desires the same. As both a Unionist and a Regalian, I will submit to his Imperial Holiness's will. But let it be known that before we seek to grow our own sects, we must remember that to be a Unionist is to be united, lest, like those pheasants that have been devoured by the hunter, we should be consumed by hate, wrath, discord, and finally, destruction to all we hold dear.

May the Spirit watch over us all and keep us safe from danger's path.

Oratario Paean.