A Written Discussion on Siccara

Herein is recorded the notices passed between the devout on topics pertaining to Siccara, Her Gifts, Powers, and Nature.

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Leotie: Discussion Introduction

Fri Dec 28 18:05:52 2012

To: Loralyn Leema Kaerlia Datai Ashlen Antramita Thalimir Baldwin Rassilon Thaydius Arthais Gaudin Axinita Benthic Immortal Religion Siccara

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Hello! Welcome to the Siccaran "Discussion-by-Missive". This discussion

is the first ever that I've run of this kind and we will begin with a

rather important topic:

How does Siccara's healing grow the light of Goodness?

This was an interesting point brought up after a recent Siccaran gathering

held by the esteemed Datai D'Aggravaine and myself. A swashbuckler from

Abaddon had snuck into Althainia to attend the service and though he did

not find it enlightening as one would hope, he, at least, raised an

important question to me afterwards which all faiths should be asking of

themselves.

How does Siccara's blessing grow the light of Goodness?

This is a very important question because the obvious answer, while a

correct response, it does not satisfy the question fully. Thus, while most

would want to answer:

Her healing keeps those of the light of Goodness strong so that they may

continue to do good work.

Such an answer does not deal with the very real truth that Siccara's

healing is given as a blessing for all, those of the dark evil and the

good light are free to use the blessings of healing. Thus, if we argue that

Siccara grows the light of Goodness through her healing, then we are left

to wonder if she is also an evil goddess since, by comparison, her healing

also grows and strengthens the darkness of evil.

I have my own thoughts and opinions on this. But, before I get into my

own thoughts, does anyone else in the discussion want to add theirs? It's

a very interesting thought-problem and one that any who feel serious about

their faith should consider as they may be asked by evil this very same

thing.

Sincerely,

Chancellor Leotie Shiroken (Scribe:Lady of the Court)

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Thaydius: Discussion Response

Fri Dec 28 19:13:41 2012

To: Loralyn Leema Kaerlia Datai Ashlen Antramita Thalimir Baldwin Rassilon Leotie Arthais Gaudin Axinita Benthic Immortal Religion Siccara

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The mission of healing is neither primarily nor secondarily focused on

using magic to heal wounds to those who have suffered in combat. As I often

point out to mortals, the pose of my Mother in her statue is an important

viewpoint into understanding just what falls within her domain. Becoming

one of my Mother's devoted requires taking on the burdens of Algoron with

the strength and devotion to restore the wrongs that befall this land.

Healing, tending, cleaning, mediating, discussing, comforting, listening and

many other activities take the shape of what a healer uses to serve her

glory.

When problems come to Algoron, it is my Mother that selflessly seeks to

carry whatever amount of pain or work is necessary to bring forth a solution

that benefits goodness. This is her essence. This is her nature. This is

what defines her and what breaks my heart for I know that every moment my

Uncle is missing leaves her eager for resolution.

At its base, healing is setting right what has been set wrong. This concept

is integral to the mission of goodness and this is how my Mother has become

so respected over all of Algoron. Without her as a guiding force providing

the blessings to allow these tasks to be taken, every tiny dent and scratch

would persist and forever tarnish the beauty of this world. Through this,

the fundamental teaching of the body as a temple and treating it well take

shape. If we desire to care for Algoron, we must first care for ourselves.

As to whether or not this distinction sates the mortal desire to understand

how my Mother adds to the light remains unknown. However, even in the

hypothetical where sufficient understanding cannot be met to find her

contributions valid each and every being must remember that her authority is

determined by my Grandfather and my Grandfather is absolute. Because of

this, even feigning to ask if my Mother could be potentially a goddess of

evil for providing her selfless energy to those who would use it to further

unsavory goals is unacceptable.

Thaydius,

Son of Siccara

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Leema: Discussion thoughts

Fri Dec 28 19:31:47 2012

To: Loralyn Leema Kaerlia Datai Ashlen Antramita Thalimir Baldwin Rassilon Leotie Arthais Gaudin Axinita Benthic Immortal Religion Siccara Taliena

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The question is interesting because it points at the fundamental

difference between the light and the darkness. The actions of the darkness

are, ultimately (and shamelessly) self serving. A man serves the man. A

kingdom serves the kingdom. The darkness serves the darkness. Fulfilling

the "dark prophecy" is not a hope for a better world. It is the hope for

personal security in it.

On the other hand, the forces of light are build around ideals. Some may

call them lofty ideals, perhaps even illusions--but we hold them sacred

because they come from the purest source: our gods. Love is sacred, not

because it benefits us personally (though benefit it does) but because it is

the purest expression of compassion, acceptance, and community. Similarly,

Siccara's healing that blesses us with renewal--with, as Thaydius put it,

"restoring the wrongs that befall this land."

Though we may use our gods' blessings to our benefit, their fundamental

purpose is to bring together, to heal, that in this world which is broken.

We do not live in a world of one mind. There will always be differences.

It is too simple, too careless a thing for us to simply "destroy" that which

opposes us. It is a far braver thing to meet that difficulty, to mend that

divide and see ourselves a whole.

Suffering is a fact of this world. For many, the notion of healing every

blemish, every hurt, every wrong can seem overwhelming. But for those of us

who can love it--who can see the beauty in spite of everything dark and

painful--we have a responsibility to do so.

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Leotie: Response to: Thadyius

Fri Dec 28 21:32:23 2012

To: Loralyn Leema Kaerlia Datai Ashlen Antramita Thalimir Baldwin Rassilon Thaydius Arthais Gaudin Axinita Benthic Immortal Religion Siccara

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I echo your thoughts, Thaydius. Indeed, they form a good part of my

response to the Swashbuckler. I will, however, hold off on my own

contribution on this beginning of the topic for now.

I am curious to see what others might have to add.

Chancellor Leotie Shiroken (Scribe:Lady of the court)

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Datai: Siccara Discussion Response to Growing Good

Sat Dec 29 14:11:59 2012

To: Loralyn Leema Kaerlia Datai Ashlen Antramita Thalimir Baldwin Rassilon Thaydius Arthais Gaudin Axinita Benthic Immortal Religion Siccara

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Dear Friends,

Thank you for including me, and coming up with this venue for discussion of

Siccara and Her Gifts. If it would please all of you, I would take down a

copy of our thoughts to be archived in our Library. Let me know if this

would bother any of you who contribute.

On to the question of how Siccara and her gifts and blessings grow Goodness?

Simply put: like begets like in this world. Those who have chosen evil

frequently have lived lives in which evils were committed onto them. In

this a cycle of pain and abuse is born. Only the most strong of will can

look past the errors of this misplaced sense of Justice (I was wronged, so

therefore I shall do wrong to this other person) and break away from the

pattern and choose a decent and good life.

For these, and others, to see the errors of evil, to understand the wrongs

committed and how an end to them can be made, they will need to witness

Goodness in action. Healing, Love, Peace, and Honor are all things

desirable, and all within the grasp of every mortal's experience. In doing

acts of healing, in righting wrongs, we do more than just fix that broken

bone or end that particular quarrel. All those who participated in the

process will be likely to repeat it should they come upon a similar problem

in the future.

Most people who are dying in a ditch somewhere are hoping for a hand up

regardless of if they are good or evil. This leads to the ever nagging

question of why does Siccara let evil people heal? To assume Siccara's

power is for good peoples' use only with a signed slip from your local

Siccaran is a somewhat shortsighted mortal constructed dilemma. Healing is

a good thing, and Siccara is profoundly and completely Good. The single act

of grace, of kindness, taken out of context of those involved, why, or their

motives is perhaps beyond most of our instincts and sensibilities. With

being brought back from the brink of death you have another chance. Maybe

you'll take the kind and graceful goddess who made it possible into

consideration with your second (or third, or twenty-fifth..) chance and do

good in the world.

I'm reminded of a conversation in which a Knight reminded me that "grace" is

by definition an undeserved or unearned gift. We all have our cut off

points where we will shake our heads and say we can give no more. Once, a

Page and member of our faith was pressed with the question about the

hypocrisy he exhibited by refusing to heal evil people. He mulled over this

argument, and finally came to the point that "Healing evil people is beyond

my pay grade."

Healing is out there for those who are evil, because Siccara knows they need

it. We may or may not be personally involved in helping them ourselves, but

it exists if they care to look, and turn from evil to celebrate the Goddess

who grants it.

And that's how healing helps grow goodness. I could probably ramble more, but

I'll run out of parchment soon.

Siccara bless,

Dame Datai d'Aggravaine, Songstress of Siccara

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Leotie: Response to Question 1

Fri Jan 4 17:11:04 2013

To: Loralyn Leema Kaerlia Datai Ashlen Antramita Thalimir Baldwin Rassilon Thaydius Arthais Gaudin Axinita Benthic Drakonn Immortal Religion Siccara

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Greetings to you all again,

We've had a week to talk on the first discussion point, and I think a fair

amount of thoughts have been brought forward. I wanted to focus in on some

key points which made up some of my own thoughts on the matter, and how they

all tie together into a few other points I've found.

From Thaydius' points regarding Siccara's inherent nature, to Leema's thoughts

regarding the selflessness of healing, and, lastly, Datai's thoughts on how

a good act, committed by one of a red or golden aura is still good, all of

these help to explain why Siccara's gifts help grow the light even if they are

able to be used by all.

Imagine a single candle lit by a flame.

What happens when you touch this candle to another candle? It begins a new

flame and the original is undiminished. So it continues until you can have

thousands of candles lit from one original source. From one flame you can

light an entire field. You could light all of Algoron from that one flame.

And it matters not who holds a flame, once received, each flame can continue

to light other flames without any diminishment. It matters not if the bearer

is big or small, cruel or benevolent. For each individual the flame will act

in the same way.

Everyone's points touched on my point in different ways. The underlying thread

in all of them is the progression of good through selflessness. The more

selflessness in the world, the more goodness grows. Though Evil can and have

twisted healing to selfish ends, the fact remains that, at a basic level,

healing is an inherently selfless and good act. Whatever layers may be added

to it to pervert its nature cannot touch or affect that underlying core. If

a man of goodness murders someone, even if they have wronged him, he has

committed an inherently evil act. He might still be a man of goodness, but

his actions were not that of good and he will have to atone for his sins.

Just as his actions cannot be affected, at their core, by the goodness of

his heart on a fundamental level, so evil cannot affect the inherent nature

of healing as its core.

Many look to Taliena's love as a gateway into the light of goodness. That

it is the love she gives freely to all, just like Siccara's healing, which

allows those of evil paths to find some measure of goodness flowing through

their lives. But they look to Taliena's love and forget Siccara's compassion

as if it were inconsequential. However, on a daily basis, those of evil

paths feel the compassion of healing. And even though it might further the

ends of evil in the short term, in the long term, it will be one of the

things which will cause the darkness of evil to crumble as their soldiers

drop their weapons and surrender to righteousness.

Not all of them will see it. Many will fight and die and be unfailing in

fighting for their cause. And so we will need Siccara's healing to mend our

valiant knights and fighters on the front lines. We will need her healing

to mend the broken families who have been torn in half by the battles on

both sides. However, in the end, her healing grows the Light of Goodness

just as surely as any of the gifts offered by any other deity of the

pantheon of good. She works not only to make our own forces stronger, but

also in helping those of evil to see the truth. With her gifts we can win

the "war" with less bloodshed and less tears. Her proactive healing can save

the saddest and most taxing healing of all: relieving the incurable pain of

loss.

Stay tuned to your missives for the next topic in this discussion. Though,

we have covered the key topic initially, it is certainly not the only topic

to talk about in the context of the discussion.

Chancellor Leotie Shiroken (Scribe:Lady of the Court)

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Leotie: The Second Consideration

Sat Jan 5 22:39:05 2013

To: Loralyn Leema Kaerlia Datai Ashlen Antramita Thalimir Baldwin Rassilon Thaydius Arthais Gaudin Axinita Benthic Drakonn Immortal Religion Siccara

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So we've discussed a key point of this discussion in going over how Siccara's

gifts grow the Light, even when they are offered freely to all. Some amazing

points were made, but, I think, they only begin to get us started in the

conversation that should naturally follow.

We know that healing promotes goodness and that every act of healing we perform

will spread selflessness and goodness through our world. These are important

points, but there is far more that is required of us, no? And so we move on

to the next discussion topic in this discussion:

How do we grow the Light with Siccara's gifts?

Once again, I am looking beyond the simple, "obvious", and "easy" answer that

most of us would naturally respond to and with. We wouldn't be having much of

a discussion if it were all that easy.

So, if we take away the simple acts of offering spells of healing or the spells

of protection and enhancement, then what else can Siccara's faithful do (or

others of the Light, through Siccara's gifts) to help grow the Light that goes

beyond the simple and, to be frank, easy task of providing spells.

I open the discussion up to you whom would share. How do we grow those of

goodness? What do we do?

Chancellor Leotie Shiroken (Scribe:Lady of the Court)

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Datai: A Response to Question 2

Thu Jan 10 05:45:04 2013

To: Loralyn Leema Kaerlia Datai Leotie Ashlen Antramita Thalimir Baldwin Rassilon Thaydius Arthais Gaudin Axinita Benthic Drakonn Immortal Religion Siccara

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How do we strengthen the forces of Good with Siccara's gifts beyond just

healing wounds and casting protective spells?

What Siccara teaches us about healing others successfully can be applied to

a great many other aspects of life, aside from mending broken bones. Taking

care, compassion, and action to right wrongs is an attitude and way that can

improve the lives of all those around us. While it can be said that caring

for communities; helping maintain their members, and peace and prosperity is

Taliena and Kadiya's sphere, the expectations Siccara places upon us make

her followers adept at dealing with such situations, should they wish to

attend to the health of society as a whole.

Confession is taught to us Knights as a means of seeking humility, and

humility is a virtue sacred to Siccara as it is to Nadrik. Through

confession, through humbling oneself and admitting error, one can discover

the pathway to heal and rebuild what you lost through sin. A body of

individuals in society can also commit errors or wrongs against their own

members or others. Such errors are more difficult to heal with the greater

numbers involved and harmed, but a society may heal and grow when its

leaders and sages embrace the tools of humility, compassion, wisdom, and

fortitude that Siccara has given us to heal, and apply them to righting the

wrongs in society.

It is no accident that in history it was the Church and followers of Siccara

whose membership would lay the groundwork and built up the Annaid Aingeal,

now more popularly known as "The Church of Light". To heal is a verb. We

are attuned to action. We know you cant stand there and watch someone

bleeding to death and expect the situation to fix itself. This positive

energy, alongside Siccara's teachings, create a huge potential amongst Her

devout to improve all aspects of society, and further the cause of good

beyond simply bandaging up wounds.

Siccara bless,

Dame Datai d'Aggravaine, Songstress of Siccara

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Rassilon: |Response to Second Question|

Fri Jan 11 19:43:31 2013

To: Loralyn Leema Kaerlia Leotie Ashlen Antramita Thalimir Baldwin Thaydius Arthais Gaudin Axinita Benthic Drakonn Datai Austinian Siccara Grepmore Immortal (Storyline)

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My Lords and Ladies,

Healing the body is a noble endeavor, as it is the vessel and tool with

which we interact with the mortal plane. However, too often the term

'healing' applies only to this, and completely neglects the healing of mind,

heart and soul.

Ways to strengthen this sort of healing in the community are far harder to

accomplish, however, for its impossible to heal those who do not wish to be.

However, any means to draw people closer together and improve the community

will aid in the healing of wounds not easily seen. Seeing to the care and

adoption of orphans into loving homes. Providing rest and relaxation for

war-hardened veterans.

The simplest of acts can have the greatest of impacts on a persons life.

General Rassilon Shiroken of Gareth's Keep

"Mercy in Victory, Grace in Defeat, Tranquility in Battle"