(This is a transcript of a lecture given at the Regalian Park Gazebo on August 13th. Thank you to the people that showed up ICly!)
___Greetings to you all. For those of you that don't know me, my name is Rionna Declan and I'm a scholar of Old Gods folklore, cultural, and religious practices. After speaking with Miss Fortier last week about the Healandets Hus-och Vanir-läror, a Vanirik school for healers and scholars in Nordskag, we thought it would be beneficial to emulate their practice of encouraging debate and varied perspectives in the tradition of the Union of Earth. So, tonight I will be sharing some perspectives on the beneficial skills learned by Old Gods faithful while Miss Fortier will share an Ithanian Unionist perspective, and then any afterward interested in sharing their unique cultural or religious magical skills will be welcome to volunteer for a future talk. The hope is that, by learning more about the varied magical and mundane practices found in this city, everyone may benefit from their knowledge and greater understanding.
___Perhaps you may find it surprising to hear me speak of Old Gods magic - after all, are not many Northerners wary of magic given their history with the Allorn? This is true, though of course there are always exceptions, but many Old Gods faithful simply don't consider their clerical abilities to be magical in nature. For them, the ability to entreat the gods to heal a fallen friend or to strengthen their shield before a battle is as natural and mundane as having an animal familiar. Even though they may /appear/ to perform wondrous acts, they are in fact merely a channel for the gods' divine power to flow through them - gods who are natural to this plane rather than coming from outside it.
___For ease of speaking, though, you will often hear these skills being referred to as Vanirik or Aesirik 'magic,' and of course, abilities coming from the Void or Exist would also be called magic. The distinction is similar in some ways to the Nelfin interpretation of Radiant and Sinistral Magic in that Vanirik magic is considered weak but benign while Aesirik magic is powerful but destructive. However, in Old Gods theory, it's not that the 'magic' is doing more or less damage in its transit through the planes, but that it reflects the natures of the gods that allow the power to flow. For this reason, a person's stance on Vanirik or Aesirik abilities will often be influenced more by their religious beliefs than by planar alignment or the Radiant-Sinistral divide, though there is some overlap. Tonight, I will be speaking specifically of Vanirik blessings, both the clearly-mundane and those others might consider magical.
___The first and simplest of these mundane techniques is alchemical healing dedicated to the gods. While, for example, a healing potion can be created by anyone with access to the proper tools and a simple recipe, a Vanirik faithful may choose to offer prayers to the Union of Seasons while crafting their medicines in order to imbue them with greater strength. Exactly how this is done varies from person to person, but a common method is to burn fragrant herbs in offering or to chant a hymn while crafting. If the priest knows the type of injury or the person they're preparing the treatment for, they can mold their prayer specifically for those needs as they seek the aid of their gods, though a general prayer is also often effective. Other gods may also be invoked, such as asking Aeledda for aid in healing a loved one or Terrond to protect them from demons. An important thing to note is that invoking the gods does not necessarily mean they will offer their blessing. They are gods, after all, and may just as easily choose not to heed the words of one that has displeased them as choose to grant their healing.
___Additionally, even mundane stone can be imbued with divine power through faith. I speak, of course, of the use of Godsamtro, which fuses together both the strength of mind and will of spirit to create physical strength and protection. Much like the blessings mentioned before, there is very little that is magical about the material itself, simply dark-blue stone carved with ritual etchings and blessed by a priest. But, when used by a devoted of the gods, this faith is channeled into the stone and its blessings activated, creating its characteristic blue glow, though this can vary according to the gods lending their strength at the time. This means that, should the user ever lose faith or should a non-faithful pick up the device, it simply will not function as it has nothing to power it. The object itself is not particularly powerful, being only a channel for greater divine power.
___While alchemy is widely available to anyone and technological skills can easily be learned without faith, there are other skills that are specifically religious in nature and must therefore be learned from a priest or at a temple. These are often more powerful than common alchemy and tech and may even be considered "magical" to outsiders, though the clerics themselves may not consider it such. The exact forms these abilities take vary from faith to faith, and indeed from user to user, as the Old Gods faith is very personal to each person and their particular experiences, interpretations, and chosen gods. However, most Vanirik blessings can be broken down into three main categories - spells of healing, of protection, and of cleansing.
___The most common of healing blessings is that of the life-tether, which allows the cleric to draw on the environment in order to bolster the life of another from a distance, though only for a short time. Some priests invoke this blessing through the use of ritual chants, while others may channel it through herbal dyes painted on the skin or with the use of a carved wooden staff, just to name a couple. Many find this much easier in wild or natural settings, though even an urban space has enough energy to sustain life with enough skill and faith. As with alchemical healing, the Union of Seasons is often called upon, though others may also lend their blessing in other circumstances, commonly Glaed or Aedel. Because the source of this healing comes from the environment itself, this is quite a simple spell to learn and requires little effort to maintain beyond a general concentration.
___A notable exception to this is in the healing of more grievous wounds, pulling a fallen faithful back from the waves of death, in which the goddess Flaed is pleaded with to show mercy and not take a loved one before their fated time. This requires a sacrifice of the caster's own mortal energy to briefly soothe her anguish, pouring some of their own strength into the wounded to allow them to heal. For this reason, it is highly recommended to never rely exclusively on a single cleric for healing after a battle, as attempting to heal too many people at once can quickly exhaust or even kill the healer. As always, simple alchemical treatment is best for minor-to-moderate wounds, reserving 'magical' or divine healing for severe or life-threatening injuries.
___Similarly, blessings of protection range from the simple to the complex. One if the former is a common ritual involving a blessing over a set of warriors, marking their armor and weapons with the symbols of the gods - most often the wolf-claws of Brom or the dark moon of Deorcnysse - and then asking the gods to channel their power through them to aid in battle. Although the faith of the cleric is typically enough to bolster their protection, the additional faith of the warriors is crucial for reaching full strength. Alchemical supplements may also be used, offering further strength, speed, or stamina, but some warriors choose to avoid them to avoid unpleasant after-effects.
___Like the aforementioned healing of serious wounds, however, some protection boons are more difficult and costly to cast. In extremis, a Vanirik cleric may call upon Flaed to rush them to a faithful or loved one in danger of attack, taking the strike instead upon their own flesh to protect another from dying before their time. If Flaed chooses to bless this sacrifice, she may imbue the protected with a flood of fury and strength, ensuring that their loved one's sacrifice was not in vain and giving the opportunity to drive back an enemy long enough to heal the cleric's wounds. However, this is very much a leap of faith, for the rivers and oceans are fickle and moody. If the goddess is dissatisfied with the heart of sacrifice, she may choose to retract her blessing from the cleric, allowing them to take the strike for their ally but granting no strength in exchange. Care must be taken, then, not to assume upon the gods and presume that they must always bless when called upon.
___Finally, the blessings of the gods may be called upon for protection from and cleansing of unholy spirits, fiends, and harmful afflictions. This is typically seen as Terrond's domain, charging at the unholy with his great horns to cast them back into the abyss, but occasionally Vitbera is called upon when cleansing a faithful that has fallen to possession or affliction, giving them strength to endure their punishment. While curing chambers like the one outside the city make it much easier to cleanse the afflicted, performing such a ritual in the isolated parts of the world is a much more difficult and complex process requiring the combined efforts of multiple priests.
___Greetings to you all. For those of you that don't know me, my name is Rionna Declan and I'm a scholar of Old Gods folklore, cultural, and religious practices. After speaking with Miss Fortier last week about the Healandets Hus-och Vanir-läror, a Vanirik school for healers and scholars in Nordskag, we thought it would be beneficial to emulate their practice of encouraging debate and varied perspectives in the tradition of the Union of Earth. So, tonight I will be sharing some perspectives on the beneficial skills learned by Old Gods faithful while Miss Fortier will share an Ithanian Unionist perspective, and then any afterward interested in sharing their unique cultural or religious magical skills will be welcome to volunteer for a future talk. The hope is that, by learning more about the varied magical and mundane practices found in this city, everyone may benefit from their knowledge and greater understanding.
___Perhaps you may find it surprising to hear me speak of Old Gods magic - after all, are not many Northerners wary of magic given their history with the Allorn? This is true, though of course there are always exceptions, but many Old Gods faithful simply don't consider their clerical abilities to be magical in nature. For them, the ability to entreat the gods to heal a fallen friend or to strengthen their shield before a battle is as natural and mundane as having an animal familiar. Even though they may /appear/ to perform wondrous acts, they are in fact merely a channel for the gods' divine power to flow through them - gods who are natural to this plane rather than coming from outside it.
___For ease of speaking, though, you will often hear these skills being referred to as Vanirik or Aesirik 'magic,' and of course, abilities coming from the Void or Exist would also be called magic. The distinction is similar in some ways to the Nelfin interpretation of Radiant and Sinistral Magic in that Vanirik magic is considered weak but benign while Aesirik magic is powerful but destructive. However, in Old Gods theory, it's not that the 'magic' is doing more or less damage in its transit through the planes, but that it reflects the natures of the gods that allow the power to flow. For this reason, a person's stance on Vanirik or Aesirik abilities will often be influenced more by their religious beliefs than by planar alignment or the Radiant-Sinistral divide, though there is some overlap. Tonight, I will be speaking specifically of Vanirik blessings, both the clearly-mundane and those others might consider magical.
___The first and simplest of these mundane techniques is alchemical healing dedicated to the gods. While, for example, a healing potion can be created by anyone with access to the proper tools and a simple recipe, a Vanirik faithful may choose to offer prayers to the Union of Seasons while crafting their medicines in order to imbue them with greater strength. Exactly how this is done varies from person to person, but a common method is to burn fragrant herbs in offering or to chant a hymn while crafting. If the priest knows the type of injury or the person they're preparing the treatment for, they can mold their prayer specifically for those needs as they seek the aid of their gods, though a general prayer is also often effective. Other gods may also be invoked, such as asking Aeledda for aid in healing a loved one or Terrond to protect them from demons. An important thing to note is that invoking the gods does not necessarily mean they will offer their blessing. They are gods, after all, and may just as easily choose not to heed the words of one that has displeased them as choose to grant their healing.
___Additionally, even mundane stone can be imbued with divine power through faith. I speak, of course, of the use of Godsamtro, which fuses together both the strength of mind and will of spirit to create physical strength and protection. Much like the blessings mentioned before, there is very little that is magical about the material itself, simply dark-blue stone carved with ritual etchings and blessed by a priest. But, when used by a devoted of the gods, this faith is channeled into the stone and its blessings activated, creating its characteristic blue glow, though this can vary according to the gods lending their strength at the time. This means that, should the user ever lose faith or should a non-faithful pick up the device, it simply will not function as it has nothing to power it. The object itself is not particularly powerful, being only a channel for greater divine power.
___While alchemy is widely available to anyone and technological skills can easily be learned without faith, there are other skills that are specifically religious in nature and must therefore be learned from a priest or at a temple. These are often more powerful than common alchemy and tech and may even be considered "magical" to outsiders, though the clerics themselves may not consider it such. The exact forms these abilities take vary from faith to faith, and indeed from user to user, as the Old Gods faith is very personal to each person and their particular experiences, interpretations, and chosen gods. However, most Vanirik blessings can be broken down into three main categories - spells of healing, of protection, and of cleansing.
___The most common of healing blessings is that of the life-tether, which allows the cleric to draw on the environment in order to bolster the life of another from a distance, though only for a short time. Some priests invoke this blessing through the use of ritual chants, while others may channel it through herbal dyes painted on the skin or with the use of a carved wooden staff, just to name a couple. Many find this much easier in wild or natural settings, though even an urban space has enough energy to sustain life with enough skill and faith. As with alchemical healing, the Union of Seasons is often called upon, though others may also lend their blessing in other circumstances, commonly Glaed or Aedel. Because the source of this healing comes from the environment itself, this is quite a simple spell to learn and requires little effort to maintain beyond a general concentration.
___A notable exception to this is in the healing of more grievous wounds, pulling a fallen faithful back from the waves of death, in which the goddess Flaed is pleaded with to show mercy and not take a loved one before their fated time. This requires a sacrifice of the caster's own mortal energy to briefly soothe her anguish, pouring some of their own strength into the wounded to allow them to heal. For this reason, it is highly recommended to never rely exclusively on a single cleric for healing after a battle, as attempting to heal too many people at once can quickly exhaust or even kill the healer. As always, simple alchemical treatment is best for minor-to-moderate wounds, reserving 'magical' or divine healing for severe or life-threatening injuries.
___Similarly, blessings of protection range from the simple to the complex. One if the former is a common ritual involving a blessing over a set of warriors, marking their armor and weapons with the symbols of the gods - most often the wolf-claws of Brom or the dark moon of Deorcnysse - and then asking the gods to channel their power through them to aid in battle. Although the faith of the cleric is typically enough to bolster their protection, the additional faith of the warriors is crucial for reaching full strength. Alchemical supplements may also be used, offering further strength, speed, or stamina, but some warriors choose to avoid them to avoid unpleasant after-effects.
___Like the aforementioned healing of serious wounds, however, some protection boons are more difficult and costly to cast. In extremis, a Vanirik cleric may call upon Flaed to rush them to a faithful or loved one in danger of attack, taking the strike instead upon their own flesh to protect another from dying before their time. If Flaed chooses to bless this sacrifice, she may imbue the protected with a flood of fury and strength, ensuring that their loved one's sacrifice was not in vain and giving the opportunity to drive back an enemy long enough to heal the cleric's wounds. However, this is very much a leap of faith, for the rivers and oceans are fickle and moody. If the goddess is dissatisfied with the heart of sacrifice, she may choose to retract her blessing from the cleric, allowing them to take the strike for their ally but granting no strength in exchange. Care must be taken, then, not to assume upon the gods and presume that they must always bless when called upon.
___Finally, the blessings of the gods may be called upon for protection from and cleansing of unholy spirits, fiends, and harmful afflictions. This is typically seen as Terrond's domain, charging at the unholy with his great horns to cast them back into the abyss, but occasionally Vitbera is called upon when cleansing a faithful that has fallen to possession or affliction, giving them strength to endure their punishment. While curing chambers like the one outside the city make it much easier to cleanse the afflicted, performing such a ritual in the isolated parts of the world is a much more difficult and complex process requiring the combined efforts of multiple priests.
