Book of Longings

The canon known as “Longings” is a chalky black book with black pages and white ink. Images are few, but their spectacle makes up for their scarcity. The only drawings are lavishly detailed and colored images of the Queen of Inequity in resplendent garb.

Four sections, known as “Spites,” divide Longings. The first, named “Entitled,” describes the faith’s clerical order, its titles, ceremonies, unholy days, duties and other clerical concerns. Followers concern themselves more with the other three “Spites.” They describe the role of the faithful (“Deserved”), the undeserving (“Unworthy”) and the victim (“Once Owned”), respectively.

Together the four Spites classify every sentient being. The Entitled are The Covetous Ones, entitled to everything the world has to offer, yet nothing the Jealous Eye desires for herself (which, ironically enough, is everything). The Deserved are the followers of the Queen of Inequity; they deserve the best, but are not necessarily entitled to it as are the Entitled. The Unworthy are those that have anything that The Covetous Ones or their followers may desire. Finally, the Once Owned are the victims that have lost something unjustly. Note that individuals may fall into different categories at various times and under various circumstances.

The canon, while clearly advocating evil and harming innocents, is full of contrast. It shuns larceny but encourages fraud. It extols the benefits of rendering free services to the government as long as such free services will bring a Covetous One or trusted follower closer to a decision-making position that can decide the fate of others. Longings even exhibits clever irony in its creative use of the law as a weapon against the innocent.

The faithful are expected to know the law under which their nation operates. Having a conviction in your past is not a black mark if you can prove that you gave better than you received in the exchange. Prison escape is considered crude and is explicitly forbidden. Instead, the faithful should bribe or trick captors into letting them go.

Longings is illegal in Pel Brolenon and the Theocracy of Slen. It is not freely available for anyone except royalty in most other places. When it can be found, it sells for 70 gp