The Head of Faith's Hut

[AluminumKnight]

Greetings, friend. I am Aelbeorht, your Head of Faith. Please, come in and sit down. The dirt floor is very comfy. I know that you must have questions. This is an wonderous time for us as a people, and along with all of these new things comes the need to understand not only these things, but the rest of the world around us, as aspects of our old reality will have to be reconsidered. I have devoted my life to attempting to understand the whys of this world, so don't be shy. Ask about anything, whether it is troubling you or simply out of curiousity. I will provide the best guidance I can.

((Ask anything! Try to keep it in RP mode, though. I have read up on Shinto and intend to use the basic idea of that religion, though we haven't even discovered Mysticism yet, so I'll keep it simple for now. That being said, don't limit questions to "mystical" things. I'll talk about anything!))

 

[Ballazic]

Oh great teacher why is there the sun and the moon, what are they. Also where does the water from the river come, or the seas end.

 

[AluminumKnight]

What are the sun and the moon, you ask? It is hard to say, my child. The sun is the life-giver, for without it we would be in eternal, cold, darkness. The moon keeps guard over the world until the sun can return again. We must be respectful of these things, for without them we could not exist.

As for your other question, the recent discovery of the Warband has shed new light on this subject. It has been reported that the river running through the great forest from whence we have migrated originates far to the north in the highlands there, where it springs from the ground. Now, we have already observed that when water is cooled enough, it becomes hard, more like rock. This "ice" covers the underbelly of the world. When the sun passes underneath us, it warms this ice, making it fluid again and causing it to flow up and over into the above world. When the sun returns above us, the moon passes underneath, cooling the water again, preventing too much from flowing to our side of the world. The sea is a buffer zone in case too much water is allowed to flow aboveworld, and must somewhere wrap around to the underbelly of the world. I would advise against fishing too far away from shore.

((Heh, this is fun. Once we discover more religious techs, things will change to be gods, spirits, etc.))

 

[Ballazic]

Thank you most excellent Sage. I have one more question for you. What seperates men from beasts?

 

[AluminumKnight]

Simply by being able to ask that question, friend, you are separating yourself from the beasts of the world. Surely the bears of the woods don't ponder this very same thing among each other? This is not to say we should not respect as well as be grateful to these beasts. Like the sun and the moon, we could not exist without them Although we have lost brothers and sisters to bears and wolves, these creatures are all part of the natural world that has been provided us, and are in harmony, despite appearances, with the rabbits and deer that provide us with food.

 

[Diamondeye]

A slim young disciple enters the hut. He is still an adolescent but has been cut bald and ranks his back as he enters. Despite his young age, he is among the taller members of the tribe. Tightly heldin his right hand is a small piece of animal bone, cut to the shape of a fist. He sits down inside and asks the Head of Faith a question:

"Oh Great Mystic, I have seen insects that glow when it is night. How can this be possible?"

 

[AluminumKnight]

Aeolbeorht smiles at the young man. "Son, not everything must be explained through the supernatural. What causes light? Fire, of course. Just as we light large fires or torches to provide warmth and light, these insects must be able to light small fires inside themselves. How they do not burn themselves in unknown, but it is probably because their fires are so small that they are not very hot."

 

[Diamondeye]

"Thank you master, for the wise answer. I have another question;
From where does the rain come? Sometimes it is raining for days in row, yet I have never once seen water run upwards, into the sky. It seems... Strange.
Forgive me if I am being insolent or if my questions are the ones of a child."

he bows his head towards the Head of Faith

 

[AluminumKnight]

"Please, do not hesitate to ask any question, no matter how simple you think it might be. Only through questioning can you find truth, else you are doomed to walk blindly through life.

Now, to answer your question: Just as there is a failsafe for too much water flowing into our world from beneath, so there is a failsafe for too little water being released. If too little water leaves the underbelly of the world, great pieces of ice break off and fall into clouds that float even further below the world. These clouds then float around and over the edge of the sea into our world, where the sun heats them until they begin melting, which causes rain to fall. This is also why rain is much cooler than the air, since it has just been melted."

 

[Diamondeye]

"Ahh. This makes sense. Is there any way to predict when it will rain or when it will not?"

 

[AluminumKnight]

"Well, from observation, we know that the clouds which contain ice often are much darker than other clouds, and so if you see darker clouds on the horizon, there is a good chance that those clouds will bring rain."

 

[civplayah]

Oh Great Head of Faith, why have we not gotten any members in weeks?

 

[AluminumKnight]

Simple. They have not yet seen the truth that the Protectors faction is the coolest faction ever! They'll come around...

 

[Seidrik_The_Gray]

Does the size of the pillar matter...these things the Spanish call Monuments to their gods? Will the gods hear you...understand you if your Monument is smaller than others? What about the markings? Are engravings and etchings preferred over paintings or addornments? Who are these Gods that the Spanish claim to worship and how are they different from the natural elements that we worship for a good harvest of fish or fat hogs and fast horses?

 

[AluminumKnight]

"We admittedly don't know much about this "Hinduism" or these monuments the Spanish have built. This is an issue that requires much contemplation. It does make sense that there are "beings" behind the natural world, for it seems so complex that it could hardly happen randomly. We must learn more about the Spanish and their "Hinduism." "

 

[Provolution]

I suggest we agree to open our lands to them, I always dreamt about travelling to Spain, this Hatshepsut is some lady I really would like to explore... eeeeeh, forget it, I am just a simple man of the wilderness.

 

[AluminumKnight]

"I agree. We must journey to Spain to observe these things for ourselves, and perhaps speak with the Spanish about them."

 

[Provolution]

Honorable Grand Mystic, Aelbeorht, the proud Prochon Warband is ready to escort you into the wilds, to the Paradise Hills. We are sorry for being late, but we had to crush a rebellion from the "black-buttocks".

Black-buttocks?

Yes, when we have spanked them a bit, we lift the loincloths to place a black-berry, and then we spank one more time to get the dye signature. Yes, we love Dyes, and so will the insurgents. This is also an effective way to know who is a rebel or not. But do not worry about that, we are to escort you out of Arete and to your own settlement in Paradise Hills. I am sorry I argued against it, as I like dyes, but I respect your choice, and will fully back you! We are ready to go now sir!

 

[Diamondeye]

Prochon, The Elders name is Aelbeorht. And we are ready to leave. Are you ready, honored Aelbeorht?