InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Call the Doctor!"

alfred, the executioner (thegoodblood) wrote in the100,
@ 2015-12-05 18:26:00

Entry tags:

!network post, alfred, castiel, evie frye, georgina kincaid, jenny

I've been doing a great deal of reading on the topic, but I confess to being no closer to understanding the dominant religions of this world. Not to say that I don't find their stories fascinating - I do! - but there seems to be such variety and disagreement as to interpretation that I hardly know what is popular and what is erm. Niche. Not that it's any different in my world - one moment a martyr, the next a heretic - but there's a broad deviation from what I believe to be true in my faith that I'm afraid I'm left quite confused.

So, let me ensure that this is correct: this season that we are in now - "Yule", or tomorrow - "Hanukkah", and later on "Christmas" - these holidays are all from separate faiths, correct? The first is a Pagan holiday celebrating the season of midwinter, the next is a holiday commemorating the unlikely survival of a people against a tyrannical ruler, and the last is a celebration of a child with godly parentage who will eventually be revered as the holy undead.

(Please correct me if I've phrased something incorrectly or been offensive. Yharnam is terribly isolated, in its own way, and while all these religions are interesting to read about it does make me homesick for the Bloodletting Feast of the Great One Reborn. Such revelry among the burning pyres! But alas.)

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	dontdie 2015-12-06 12:48 am UTC (link)
	Are you confused because you're not sure why there are so many? Because I believe it has to do with men not being able to make up their own minds. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 12:51 am UTC (link)
	I'm sure that's part of it. And this whole body of faith called "Christianity" that has so many parts to it that either contradict each other or even themselves. And of course I get some bits confused with other religions, when they share similar stories. What faith are you of, if you don't mind my asking? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	dontdie 2015-12-06 12:55 am UTC (link)
	I believe that's what happens when you let people adjust and rewrite fiction, yes. Or stories get changed and mangled as time goes on and things are passed down. I don't subscribe to any of the traditional religions, actually. I was raised as part of a group that has it's own Creed. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:10 am UTC (link)
	So... forgive me, it's own Creed? So, your own religion, independent of the established churches. Is that correct? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	dontdie 2015-12-06 01:20 am UTC (link)
	Well, we don't pray to a God. We call it the Order, or the Brotherhood, but it is independent, and we follow our own set of beliefs that supersede religions. There are Brothers who are religious, but I never truly felt the desire to follow that calling. I prefer to follow the values of the Creed. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:25 am UTC (link)
	And what values are those, if you don't mind my asking? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Alfred/Evie

dontdie
2015-12-06 01:35 am UTC (link)

Technically, my sharing this information is generally frowned upon, but some people already know what we are here. However, I still don't feel completely comfortable being outright with it to the public. The Assassin Order strives for secrecy, so that we won't be murdered by Templars while fighting for the innocent. We want all to be free and push for peace above all else.

Our Creed consists of three things we all take to heart.

"Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent."
"Hide in plain sight, be one with the crowd."
"Never compromise the Brotherhood."

And know that should you share this information without my permission, I will not stay my blade.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Alfred/Evie thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:39 am UTC (link)
	Thank you for entrusting me with it. I promise that I will not reveal it to anyone, and not merely because you have threatened me with your blade. The Templars, then - I assume that they're not interested in peace? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Alfred/Evie dontdie 2015-12-06 01:42 am UTC (link)
	If you want to pretend that's not the only reason, by all means. Templars are only interested in power, control and world domination. Just before arriving, my brother and I stopped one from controlling a shroud that would have given him ultimate power, for instance. He would have used it to control millions of innocents and killed anyone that resisted. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Alfred/Evie thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:49 am UTC (link)
	It isn't the only reason. I deal with many secrets in my profession. Some knowledge is better unspoken. Horrible. What sort of ultimate power? Longevity, I imagine. Insight into the arcane. Although I cannot fault those who seek these things, often times it is those who least need such assets who find them. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	withoutgrace 2015-12-06 01:10 am UTC (link)
	They're doing their best. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:11 am UTC (link)
	I'm sure they are! Forgive me, I'm afraid I'm coming off... incredulous, perhaps? Or condescending? The Great Ones know that our own religion back home is tangled and difficult. I suppose it's always faith in the end that smooths out the rough edges, yes? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withoutgrace 2015-12-06 01:15 am UTC (link)
	Humans try to make sense of what they don't understand. They take what they're told and fill in the rest to suit their preferences. It's admirable, but stupid. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:20 am UTC (link)
	You speak as if you are not of them. Are you not? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withoutgrace 2015-12-06 01:22 am UTC (link)
	[...] I'm an angel. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:25 am UTC (link)
	Oh ho, really? Good for you! What's that? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withoutgrace 2015-12-06 01:30 am UTC (link)
	I'm a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent. My brothers and I were created by God before He shaped mankind. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:33 am UTC (link)
	Fascinating! So you must be very old. You don't look it. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withoutgrace 2015-12-06 01:34 am UTC (link)
	I'm in a vessel. You have no idea what I look like. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:37 am UTC (link)
	Oh. We had stories of our Great Ones disguising themselves, accordingly. Although usually the vessels could not contain their awesome power indefinitely. Is your vessel er hardy? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withoutgrace 2015-12-06 01:41 am UTC (link)
	Not many men have the strength to contain an angel and survive for long. Some vessels burn out and [...] disintegrate. Mine will stay intact. — Jimmy's dead, though. What are your Great Ones? Gods? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thegoodblood
2015-12-06 01:46 am UTC (link)

Then I honour Jimmy for his -- ah. Contribution and sacrifice.

Gods, yes. Ancient tentacled beings who once roamed our world, but ascended to an unknowable plane. We have worshiped them and they have granted us wonders in return. It is the fervent hope of many to ascend our mortal shells and join them but there is some controversy as the proper route to go about doing that.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withoutgrace 2015-12-06 02:00 am UTC (link)
	His soul is in Heaven, and as I understand it he's perfectly happy there. Gods like flattery, if they're still listening. Otherwise ... avoid making deals with demons and don't be a dick. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 02:05 am UTC (link)
	I assume Heaven is the realm of your Gods or God? How do you find living among mortals? Ha. I do wish the Healing Church would write "Don't be a dick" on more of its statues. We could do with the reminder. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withoutgrace 2015-12-06 02:11 am UTC (link)
	Heaven's the realm of angels and souls of humans who have died. God isn't there. Other gods prefer to live on Earth. All churches amount to the same thing. God doesn't care about the finer points. [...] God doesn't really care about anything. Your Great Ones might. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 02:13 am UTC (link)
	You sound as if you quarreled with your God quite thoroughly. I doubt it. The Great Ones are fickle and incomprehensible, and we are but ants. But we are limited by our human perceptions. Perhaps there is more, with greater insight. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	withoutgrace 2015-12-06 02:24 am UTC (link)
	I've never met my father, no. With greater insight, you might be disappointed in what you find. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	everymansdream 2015-12-06 12:56 am UTC (link)
	Christmas was actually created as an instrument to help convert the "godless" Pagans and keep them happy while they were being conquered. But the spirit of it has changed over the years. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:09 am UTC (link)
	Ah! Thank you, that helps with the timeline. So Christmas is a younger holiday than Yule, then? I suppose that explains why so many of the Christmas traditions I read about had their roots in Pagan practices. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	everymansdream 2015-12-06 01:13 am UTC (link)
	You're welcome. It's one of the youngest, only a couple thousand years or so. The original Christians were pretty much power-hungry and started to invade other countries and peoples. Religion was a good way for them to get it done. You're new, right? I'm Georgina. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:16 am UTC (link)
	Ah. I wish I could say that my own Church's history has been unsullied by violence, but is that ever the case? I very much doubt it. That is the way of the faithful vessel, to ingest new beings into it to become that much more powerful. I am, yes. Alfred. Very good to meet you, Georgina! Why don't you tell me about yourself? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	everymansdream 2015-12-06 01:20 am UTC (link)
	That's a good way to describe religion, sure. You too, Alfred. I'm a book store assistant manager from Seattle. Here, I work in admin. How about you? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:24 am UTC (link)
	Do you belong to any particular faith? I understand that there are some who do not. I was a hunter of beasts in Yharnam, once upon a time, but I was called to be an Executioner. It is a particular covenant of the Healing Church that cleanses the streets of the Vileblood plague, as well as assists in the rescue of civilians. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	everymansdream 2015-12-06 01:28 am UTC (link)
	Not really. I believe there's good and there's evil, but I don't go to church. Someone from a Healing Church who performs cleansings and is called an Executioner? That's not something you hear every day ~~in this century~~. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

thegoodblood
2015-12-06 01:32 am UTC (link)

I've never believed that the Great Ones - or your ah, Great Ones or One of choice - limit their voices to the inside of a church. Doing good works matters more than faith, in my estimation.

It's not altogether common back home either, really. Many have turned their back on the Church in recent years, but we will not turn our backs on them. Life may be hard but it should be preserved, if possible.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	everymansdream 2015-12-06 01:34 am UTC (link)
	That's a good point. That kind of attitude is what eventually leads to Christmas being mainstream. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:36 am UTC (link)
	Christmas is a time of charity, yes? I quite enjoy the concept of presents! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	everymansdream 2015-12-06 01:38 am UTC (link)
	See above re: conquering faiths....but it's definitely considered better to give to the needy rather than receive. There's this story called The Gift of the Magi that you might like. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:40 am UTC (link)
	I'd be interested in reading it. Do you know where I might do so? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	everymansdream 2015-12-06 01:41 am UTC (link)
	It might be in the library, but I'm not sure. I know the story by heart, though, if it's not. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:47 am UTC (link)
	Perhaps you might tell it to me, sometime, at your leisure. I do love a good story! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	everymansdream 2015-12-06 01:48 am UTC (link)
	If you're available, we could check the library now. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thegoodblood 2015-12-06 01:57 am UTC (link)
	I'll be there in ten minutes, thank you! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	everymansdream 2015-12-06 01:58 am UTC (link)
	No problem. I'll see you there. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	abitunlikely 2015-12-06 07:20 am UTC (link)
	I've seen people mention Christmas, but I haven't heard about any of the rest of those. Is Yharnam where you're from? What's it like? (Reply to this)