#omnibenevolence

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

“If there was ever an empirical refutation of the Christian belief in an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent God, the problem of evil is it.

It speaks like a megaphone against the existence of this God.”

-- John W. Loftus

-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus#Epicurean_paradox

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then from whence comes evil?”

[bonefall]

where’s that little horror piece about kits never growing up in Starclan? because I remember it so vividly but I can’t find it.

The one about Bright Stream?

Weird that it's so hard to find! It's probably because it's got such heavy tags lmao.

I really mean it though like, canon's permakitten system and the idea that Bright Stream is up there, forever taking care of fetus children who were filled by sudden knowledge and yet never grow past that point absolutely horrifies me. Jesus Christ. I don't know how anyone reads that final scene in Path of Stars and isn't filled with itching, white-hot existential dread, man.

Sometimes you just gotta write horror about it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[diogenescynic2288]

Sunday Sermon 2: On Laws

Happy Sunday to all again. I am once again writing to you as Pope Orion Orangutan Omnibenevolence Kosmos Yes or POOKY.

So, the last sermon I delivered might have seemed to offer instruction, advice, or command in regards to chilling and maybe being nice. That was not my intent. It was at most, a suggestion. I am not an Enlightened One. I'm not more in touch with the Divine than anyone else.

While I'm writing these, I do invoke my Discordian Pope title. That does not make me an authority. I took the expensive route to Discordian Papacy: I bought a ten dollar used copy of the Steve Jackson Games printing of the Principia Discordia and then made a fifteen cent photocopy at FedEx Kinkos of the page with the Be Your Own Pope card. That does not elevate me above anyone else. All who decide to join the Golden Apple Corps of Eris are equally in the Discordian Papacy.

I'll own up to a thing: back when I was in late high school or my year of college, I came to identify with the label of anarchism or libertarianism coming to it from left-leaning reasons. For instance, at that time, gay marriage was a controversial issue and not yet legal across the United States of America, and I had a simple stupid solution: marriage is no longer a legal status for anyone straight or gay, the government just doesn't do marriage anymore. Marriage equality achieved.

Anyway, as a budding anarchist, attempting to have a consistent moral philosophy of life, I started thinking about Christianity, particularly the church my parents had been raising me in. If top down authority and distinctions of station are evils when talking about the world of human politics, are they any less so when applied to religion? Long story short, maybe God exists, but he's a tyrant and All Clergy Are Bastards.

Today's reading is from The Gospel of Mary Magdalene I'm drawing my wording from The Essential Gnostic Gospels translated by Alan Jacobs published by Watkins 2009:

Then Jesus greeted them saying, “Peace be with you all.

Take my peace into your Selves; be watchful so nobody leads

you astray claiming “Look there, look here for the son of man.”

I tell you that the son of man is within you all!

Seek him inside; those who search diligently

and earnestly shall surely find him.

Then leave and preach the truth of the Kingdom

to those with ears to hear;

don't invent rules beyond those I've given.

Don't make laws like law-makers do

or else you'll be held back.”

After he had said this he left.

[I'm skipping a bit to get to the next part I want to quote]

Mary answered, “What's concealed from you I'll tell;

I saw him in a vision and I told him.

He said, “Blessed are you that your strength

wasn't shaken by my appearance,

for where the heart is lies buried treasure.”

[another skip still Mary talking]

When my soul had conquered ignorance it rose up

and saw the fourth power, which assumes seven forms.

The first is darkness, the second desire, then ignorance,

fear of death, power of the flesh, foolish reason,

and self-righteous pedantry.

These are the powers of anger and doubt; they ask,

“From where did you come, killer of men;

where are you heading, slayer of space?”

My soul replied, “What bound me is dead,

what enveloped me has been vanquished;

my desires are over and ignorance is no more.

In this life I was freed from the world

and the chains of forgetfulness.

From now on I will rest in the eternal now;

for this age, this aeon, and in stillness.”

So today's lesson from POOKY is: Yeshua and Miriam also say no laws, free yourself from ignorance and pedantry.

Good Day of the Sun unto you all.

[fated-normal-767]

one of the best things in the world is analysing things you wrote as if they were written by someone else but NOT as in “oh god would other people think this is good”. As in “I need to find all the hidden meanings in this thing I know nothing about”.

Anyway the player, alias, and yuki are kind of like the holy trinity. from the bible. I can elaborate but it wouldn’t make sense.

[syn0vial]

new pet peeve discovered: people who disagree with a statement about a personal and not-particularly-mainstream opinion/belief by starting with "hot take but"

like bro, who are you talking to. i'm an individual person you're in conversation with, not fucking twitter.

[berah-ronah]

i dont remember the specifics, but when I was taking an intro course in religious studies, our professor (who studied buddhism/folk religion and does his fieldwork in tibet) mentioned that when european missionaries arrived at a Buddhist temple, they heard a story about a being who was trapped(?) in the temple archway to protect it, and as they learned more about the being, their word for it went from “angel” (because it was a protective/apotropaic force) to “demon” (because it had the capacity/will to harm people and was trapped), without accounting for the fundamental differences in language, culture, and worldview, because they were determined to fit it into a fundamentally christian worldview. and THAT is what religion in dnd is like

[maaruin]

It is interesting watching a discussion of property rights as someone who kinda doesn’t believe rights exist. I think there are basically three levels to morality.

1.) If A has something B wants, I can’t blame B for trying to take it by force, but I also can’t blame A for using force to defend it.

2.) Rationality makes it possible for A and B to find a solution where each of them get some of what they want and violence is avoided.

3.) A and B have the capacity for benevolence. They can give the other party what they want as a gift/mercy/act of altruism.

Capitalism and Socialism can be agreements in category 2, or states of affairs enforced by 1. (Or they could even be some kind of institutionalized benevolence, but institutionalized benevolence normally takes the form of welfare for politically powerless groups instead.)

So my moral system is basically Benevolence > Rational Compromise > Self-Interest. But there is no “how the world should be” in there.

[max1461]

Other people want the world as a whole to "mean something" or "be about something" and I just don't. That's so terribly constricting, so suffocating. I'm much more inclined to positive nihilism.

I'm reading about LotR lore lately, and I really like LotR, but all the Christianity in it distresses me. Why must the world be governed by Eru Ilúvatar's infallible and undefeatable master plan? Doesn't that take out all the stakes? More importantly: part of what I like about LotR is its valorization of the small and the ordinary, as represented in the hobbits but also in, you know, Tolkien's proclivity to spend more time talking about potatoes than he needs to, and whatnot. There's a valorization of the small over the grandiose. It's like, finding dignity in the ordinary or something, that feels like a big part of Tolkien's project, and I'm deeply sympathetic to that. But then he has to go and add, you know, an omnipotent and omnibenevolent creator and omnimalevolent enemy (Melkor, not Sauron) and like...

First of all I hate the combination of omnipotence and omnibenevolence, it just doesn't work in any kind of narrative, it doesn't work in Christianity either, it's just *so* having your cake and eating it too. Like, Christianity itself has something of a "valorization of the small" going on but it also fails there, because (people have already said all these things) Jesus isn't actually just some guy, he's actually god the all-powerful and infallible lord of the universe! And he doesn't even really suffer or debase himself except temporarily, he ascends to heaven in the end, whereas sinners are sent to hell to suffer permanently for their imperfections. And "the meek will inherit the earth" by submitting to God and doing everything he says!

Not really valorizing the small there IMO.

Anyway Christianity doesn't succeed at this but the thing about Tolkien is he gets so close. When he says stuff (this is from one of his letters apparently, I quoted it the other day) like

It had been Sauron’s virtue (and therefore also the cause of his fall, and of his relapse) that he loved order and coordination, and disliked all confusion and wasteful friction… it was the creatures of the earth, in their minds and wills, that he desired to dominate.

I'm like, yeah! I'm with you bro! But then there's the whole thing about, well, Eru Ilúvatar's creation was perfect until Melkor's discordant singing marred it, and now it's imperfect and that's the source of all evil, but it's also fine because Eru's vision is bound to win out in the end, it's like... you're undercutting your whole thing! Eru is doing what Sauron wants to do, it's just that he's winning at it. Maybe the point is that Eru permits free will, or something, while Sauron doesn't. But this still seems weak in light of the whole "Melkor as the origin of imperfection" thing. You can't valorize the small and the ordinary without being comfortable with imperfection. You can't make a story where imperfection is Inherently Evil, as it seems to quite literally be in Tolkien's cosmology, and have it land for me as a critique of lust for power. Like. What do people even want to do with power except Eliminate All The Imperfections? Obviously some just want to enrich themselves, but I think Tolkien's opposition to power-seeking plainly runs a lot deeper than just opposition to self-interested power-seeking, which is

what I like about it, and

why this incongruity is so frustrating.

Anyway, there's that Scott Alexander post, Heuristics that Almost Always Work. I agree with the thesis of the post as such, but there's this line in it that perfectly articulates the reason rationalism tends to alienate me:

The Futurist He comments on the latest breathless press releases from tech companies. This will change everything! say the press releases. “No it won’t”, he comments. This is the greatest invention ever to exist! say the press releases. “It’s a scam,” he says. Whatever upheaval is predicted, he denies it. Soon we’ll all have flying cars! “Our cars will remain earthbound as always”. Soon we’ll all use cryptocurrency! “We’ll continue using dollars and Visa cards, just like before.” We’re collapsing into dictatorship! “No, we’ll be the same boring oligarchic pseudo-democracy we are now” A new utopian age of citizen governance will flourish. “You’re drunk, go back to bed.” When all the Brier scores are calculated and all the Bayes points added up, he is the best futurist of all. Everyone else occasionally gets bamboozled by some scam or hype train, but he never does. His heuristic is truly superb. But - say it with me - he could be profitably replaced with a rock. “NOTHING EVER CHANGES OR IS INTERESTING”, says the rock, in letters chiseled into its surface. Why hire a squishy drooling human being, when this beautiful glittering rock is right there?

Bolding in the final paragraph mine.

"Nothing ever happens or is interesting". Really? Is that what the skeptical futurist is saying? Certainly he's saying "nothing ever happens", that I'll grant. But he's not saying "nothing is ever interesting". You added that, Scott, because to be interested you need something Big to happen. You are not filled with love for the small and ordinary, it is just wasted time and wasted space to you.

I do not particularly like the Big, at least not most of the time. I like the small quite a lot. And, contrary to their names, I think most of the world is small. The world is made of lots of small things, not a couple big things. And I often feel that the small is the only thing that's actually real, the big tends to be illusory. As a small creature it is other small things that affect me most and matter most to me, it is my small dealings with other small creatures that are subjectively the biggest. And the various grand narratives of history, if they exist, only affect me in a diffuse and nonspecific way and are in all their specifics born out in small things.

I am very much a partisan of ordinary things, ordinary dealings, of our daily lives and our individual relationships and perhaps ephemeral but deeply felt emotions as the actual source of value in the world, from which Big things insofar as they matter at all derive their importance. And, aesthetically I suppose, I am also a defender of the inherent dignity of small things and cast-aside things (a different but closely related category). And there are close connections between the small and the vast (which is not the same as Big), and. Well, take my uquiz. But anyway.

[oltammefru]

The Dorothy skin drives me so so so fucking insane.

Like, if Dorothy was a villain who was incredibly fucked up and controlling and abused her power and used it to do fucked up and immoral shit and could subvert your will and make you believe in her righteousness with just a few honey-laced words, this is exactly the outfit she'd wear. And the thing is, the canon Dorothy isn't (quite) like this: she's extremely good-willed and caring and benevolent and only does things because she genuinely believes it's for the benefit of the person on the receiving end (but at the same time she still is really alluring and controlling in a way that's somewhat terrifying.) In terms of her vibes as a character, she very much discomfortingly straddles the border between the omnibenevolent image of her, and the AU villainness version of her.

Whether intentional on Dorothy's part or not, the design of this skin feels to me like it is very intentionally channeling the aura of that AU villainness version of her. Like, that's not who she is, but if her morals were just very, very, veryyyyyyyyy slightly more twisted, that is who she would be.

It's made even more insane by the fact that this skin is specifically framed as the outfit she wore while acting as the Rhine D&D game DM, the omnipotent master of this fictional universe, capable of bending its reality to her whim, and hers alone.

[why-bless-your-heart]

One of the classiest things that internet™ atheists will do is comment on peoples’ requests for prayers regarding devastating and personal tragedies with “haha, see how ridiculous it is to believe in God?” There are books and books on this very subject – how can an omnibenevolent, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent God allow suffering – but here’s an incomplete cheat sheet version.

We don’t worship God so that way good things will happen to us. This goes back to the Old Testament, the book of Job. God isn’t some sort of cosmic vending machine, where you put in prayers and worship and all sorts of rewards pop out. He’s God. We worship Him because that is the only correct response to Who He Is.

Suffering is permitted because we live in a fallen world. There are things that can only be learned through suffering, and things we can only learn by our response to suffering. “Oh but couldn’t God just make us so that way we already know the things we’re supposed to learn,” yeah. He did. And then we ate a piece of fruit.

Suffering can have a salvific quality. For the entire Old Testament, when we turned to God in our suffering the most satisfactory answer was that we could not hope to understand His works. Then God Himself became man. Then God Himself suffered. He agonized in the garden, was scourged and mocked, and died on the hill of the skull. And then He rose from the dead. His body was glorified and the gates of Heaven were opened. By uniting our suffering, our individual crosses, with His, we are united in His resurrection as well. We don’t have to suffer and die alone anymore. God suffered and died too, and He is with us every step of the way.

Anyway, please continue praying for J.M. The last I heard they were focusing on getting her mobile again.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Have you noticed how many objections to Abrahamic theology come down to god's supposed qualities of being "all-powerful" "all-loving" or stuff like that? Now, usually, believers respond to that with all kinds of convoluted mental gymnastics but i found an article that argues the reason said theology seems so inconsistent when taking those qualities into consideration is simply that god DOESN'T have those qualities

A number of refutations to theistic arguments relate to the "omni" attributes - omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, etc. In most cases I've seen, they're not so much that this god doesn't have them, but that it can't have them, and that attributing those qualities to it is an impossibility, therefore it can't exist either. As I often say, describing a "married bachelor."

For example, if god is all-knowing (omniscient), then it doesn't only know what we will do, refuting our free will, but it also knows what it, itself will do, refuting its own free will. If a god is eternal and omniscient, it had no choice but to create the universe, since it already knew it would, otherwise it would not be omniscient, and thus the universe was an inevitability.

If god's omnipotent, then it can create or not create literally anything. But if it's omniscient and knew it would then he's not omnipotent to not create the universe. If it's omnibenevolent, then it would want to create a world without suffering, but it either doesn't have the power required to create such a world (not omnipotent) or didn't have the choice. And so, why call it god?

The omni qualities are so contradictory and self-refuting that attributing them to any god pretty much causes the god to not exist at all. The Problem of Evil, for example, has an entire pseudo-scholarly domain called theodicy dedicated to trying to vindicate both/simultaneously the existence of a god and its omni qualities. Instead of simply noticing the truth.

[bonefall]

Goose anon here! I like to read through your posts to see what I've missed and I just reach your post about Featherwhisker! I have a few ideas I'd like to pitch about his situation. The first being, have you considered adding a potential Pur(r)gatory level for StarClan to shove cats that they can't come to a decision on? Could be similar to the ghost situation in canon, minus the whole possession thing. (1/2)

Nah, I have a purgatory already but I am staunchly opposed to it being a final destination. The Meadow of Young Stars is a waiting room. You could wander there forever if you wanted, but it's a formless, endless sparkly field. It gets boring fast.

Purgatories are almost always a cop-out, imo. Something writers fall back on in an attempt to write 'reasonably' and have a 'sensible' afterlife system. But what's 'sensible' is rarely what's compelling.

BB!StarClan isn't here to be reasonable, it's here to be an evolving reflection of Clan Culture, based on the cats who fill its ranks. It's here to make life for Clan cats better with magic powers, too, and is gatekeeping who gets to have these powers and live in paradise.

And purgatories are often such a shrug. "Ah wellp I guess this whole dichotomy is flawed! Better make a third option instead of questioning the idea of sorting people based on their actions within a brief blink of time in the face of eternity!" It's like it's kicking the idea down the line and giving them more time to make the "right" choice.

But it's the judgement that's flawed in the first place, and more importantly, WHO is making those choices.

So, no. No purgatory level. No redemption either. BB will not contain either one unless the main series does so I can comment on whatever they decide to do. For Featherwhisker it is a matter of if StarClan rules to accept him for his life of service OR if they judge him harshly based on the flawed code of ethics they enforce.

[diogenescynic2288]

Sunday Sermon One: Be Chill and maybe nice to people

Greetings all. Welcome to my first Sunday sermon. Currently people in the real world call me JustiN in my day to day life, I'm trying to decide how I feel about that. You can see my screen name for this platform up there. But, I think my most relevant identifier here is my Discordian Papal name; I am Pope Orion Orangutan Omnibenevolence Kosmos, Yes; call me POOKY.

Some of my earliest memories involve attending church of a particular Christian denomination. My mom and my late former stepdad who was dad around the house during my youth were both ordained clergy members of this denomination. I haven't been back except for a few weddings and funerals in years. At the moment, I identify as an Ecumenical Heathen, which is largely synonymous with an Eclectic Pagan but the words are cooler. I am probably the only person following my particular syncretism, and despite the fact that I'm about to sermon, I don't proselytize.

I think I like the work that is called The Gospel of Thomas, which is often characterized as a Gnostic gospel. I like the way that it's entirely or mostly sayings without a surrounding narrative, which makes it quite different from the gospels canonical to modern orthodox Christian communities. It feels like the Dhammapada, which was the first religious/philosophical text that really resonated with me when I was a younger being. There are even sayings in Thomas that sound similar to the philosophy-religion ways of Asia like Buddhism or Taoism.

For instance, Rabbi Yeshua tells the disciples to chill. Saying 91 by my version of Thomas:

They said to him,

Tell us who you are that we may believe in you.

He said to them,

You examine the face of Heaven and Earth

But you have not come to know

The one who is in your presence,

And you do not know how to examine this moment.

Now consider section 63 of the version of the Tao Te Ching that I'm working from:

Do nondoing,

strive for nonstriving,

savor the flavorless,

regard the small as important,

make much of little,

repay enmity with virtue;

I'm going to intrude here with a tangent: I think that one line might be the seed of a future sermon on the topic of forgiveness. Let's just say that forgiveness seems to be a core idea that keeps civilization working and shows up in most religious ways somehow.

Do nondoing,

strive for nonstriving,

savor the flavorless,

regard the small as important,

make much of little,

repay enmity with virtue;

plan for difficulty when it is still easy,

do the great while it is still small.

The most difficult things in the world

must be done while they are easy;

the greatest things in the world

must be done while they are small.

Because of this sages never do great things;

That is why they can fulfill their greatness.

If you agree too easily, you'll be little trusted;

If you take it easy a lot, you'll have a lot of problems.

Therefore it is through difficulty that sages end up without problems.

I will admit that the end kind of contradicts the rest of the passage, but that's a thing about the Way of the Way. It uses paradoxes. But I'd feel wrong chopping it up just to seem to have a consistent message without contradiction.

So, the version of the Dhammapada that I'm working from starts with a part called the twin verses, I like this bit and hope it thematically coheres:

“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me” – in those who harbor such thoughts hatred will never cease.

“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me” – in those who do not harbor such thoughts hatred will cease.

For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time: hatred ceases by love, this is an old rule.

The world does not know that we must all come to an end here; – but those who know it, their quarrels cease at once.

So, the theme I'd weave together out of this is examine this moment; strive for nonstriving, and cease quarrels. Chill out. And maybe be nice to people.

So, to reiterate, my message for the day is Rabbi Yeshua, Buddha Gautama, and Lao-tsu all want you to chill out and maybe be nice to people. Have a blessed day. Happy Day of the Sun unto you all. Chill be with you.

[lorei-writes]

Amberian Demonology AU Headcanons feat. Ikemen OC Community ~3.95k

Thank you for allowing me to write your OCs! When I asked to see who'd trust me, I never expected so many replies >///< I hope that the little something I've come up with is a fun surprise... I'd say you can think about it as of a Dark Fairytale AU as well >:)

Amberian folklore introduces a hierarchy of supernatural beings. At the bottom of it are dushki, generally kind-hearted spirits of little power who co-exist with humans in symbiosis, often for their own safety. Then, there are s’lna dusha – this class consists of spirits of various powers, but unlimited freedom. They can and generally do exist independently of any other beings, although there exists a substantial disparity in level of might between them. At the top of the hierarchy exist minor gods and goddesses, idit. They are the most powerful among all of the spirits, however, they lack freedom. Each of them has a duty which completely binds them. Their lives are not their own to live for as long as it remains unfulfilled. They are not worshipped; rather, they are the expression of the laws binding the universe and introducing the order to it.

The introduction of monotheistic fate to Amber did not fully erase the old beliefs; rather, it turned them into superstition and beings of lesser importance, placing the God-Father as the only true deity, the maker and the architect of all order.

Dragini – Melinda @dododrawsstuff

Find her at the crossroads, sitting alone on a stone or staring at the sign with unseeing eyes. Which way should she choose? Dragini does not know. Hopefully, the coming of the next traveller will bring the end to her struggle… Until then, until that yet unseen person arrives, she will bless those who meet her on their journeys.

A kind protector spirit – meeting a dragini is a sure sign that a traveller will reach their destination safely.

The Dragini are no stranger to homesickness and at times, will appear before the lonesome souls who long to return home. They can take them there, or gift them a piece of it – although it may be realised in a rather unexpected form.

Some of the legends claim that draginins are born from spirits of women who died away from home and were not granted a proper burial. Often accident or war victims.

A polyglot, although her preferred language seems not to be of this world. Only few are humoured and have a conversation with her, and even fewer can recount it. It is alleged that they’re the ones to escort a dragini back where she belongs.

Generally seen wearing outfits from faraway lands, a different one each time she is spotted.

Glodomer – Oliver @evansnoir

He lurks in the corners of barns, in mice nests, in the buzzing of flies. He lives in every ear of wheat, rocked by winds as in a cradle, and dutifully observes the human hands. Dare not disrespect him – to waste food is a sin. A punishment will await those who fail to understand as much.

The Glodomer is a powerful spirit of dual nature – usually a gentle observer, he is capable of calling various plagues upon a region if he so desires.

He lives among the smallest of beings, just barely out of the sight of human eyes. His stealth allows him to come close without being noticed, which he uses to satiate his bottomless curiosity. A glodomer can bring hunger, but he is also hungry and craves to expand his knowledge.

However, glodomers not an omnibenevolent dusha – do not disrespect them or those they rule over. A glodomer is the king of all that lives despite being invisible, including the sick air. With one uttered curse, he can poison an entire village. It is said that he can be appeased with a hefty offering of freshly butchered beef.

Very few people have seen him, but the legend says he can be found napping in black hollyhocks.

Usually portrayed as an androgynous man around the size of a walnut.

Le’shni – Maeve @keithsandwich

Whenever you cut down an elden oak tree, place an offering at the stump. Spare no expense. The feast must be lavish – ready your goat milk, and cheese, and the freshly brewed beer. Raise your cups and praise Le’shni, and leave some bread for her as well. It is only due to her generosity that you are able to celebrate. Do not take it for granted.

A spirit protector of the forests.

The Le’shni are the force of nature personified, they arethe life and soul of the forest they inhabits. A le’shni cannot ever leave it, for their existence is tightly interwoven. She is its mother.

She takes on the appearance of a woman and wields the human speech. However, be not deceived – the aura of gentle helplessness is but a deception. To protect what is dearest to her, a le’shni will cast away all pretence of humanity.

It is believed that for every cut down tree one must hold a feast to appease the local Le’shni and help her replenish her strength. The alternative offerings include a pot of berries or a mug of warm tea, planting a bush or a tree, or… leaving a child alone in the forest at night, to give the le’shni some solace as she mourns her lost offspring.

Lay-la-lay – Beatrice @bicayaya

Lay la luli lalalala lay, sleep, my sun, stay asleep, may kind people live within your dreams, the rain is pelting right outside, lay la luli lalala, lay-la-lay…

A household spirit, the bringer of many blessings.

Fairy-like in appearance, female or feminine, with butterfly wings and usually light hair.

It is believed that lay-la-lays are minor nature spirits who, in their kindness, have chosen to watch over the children. They arrive at human houses soon after a baby is born to ward off any beings who’d like to consume their vitality. However, it temporarily severs the spirit’s connection with nature. As such, a domestic lay-la-lay depends on their hosts for sustenance.

Good parents – and by extension, hosts – will offer their lay-la-lay a saucer of milk or heavy cream, a slice of bread, and something sweet to go with it (depending on the season: berries, or a spoonful of jam or honey). If they fail to do so, she may have to move out.

A well-fed lay-la-lay may choose to remain with her family well after the child comes of age. Humans lose the ability to see them with age; in that case, a feline companion must be obtained, to ensure that the lay-la-lay does not feel lonely and will continue on blessing the household.

Each lay-la-lay possesses a pleasant voice. Her melodies are thought to heal and to be particularly effective against colic.

Rusla – Leyla @violettduchess

Beware of the sudden cold and the mist that follows. One must retreat indoors [once it starts], however, were that not possible… he shall say “Our Father” until he reaches safety, spitting over his left shoulder at the end of every last verse. If that too fails and one begins to hear music, he shall confess his sins while waiting for Rusla to pass her judgement. The innocent will be found safely asleep on the shore. The bodies of the guilty will float at sea until currents carry them into the shallows. [As believed in northern Amber.]

A minor deity, the paragon of justice watching over the coastal regions of northern Amber.

Rusla takes on a form of a naked young woman with long, flowing hair, always surrounded by mist. Whoever hears her call falls into a trance and follows her into the sea, where she draws the crimson thread from their heart to appraise its purity. Only the innocent need not fear – Rusla will call upon the waves to deliver them to the shore.

The legend says a man has once avoided Rusla’s judgement by stuffing his ears with flax tow and wax. He followed her to the sea of his own will and they both disappeared for precisely a year. Not a word had left his lips since.

Epoha – Iris @yarnnerdally

Tic-tac, tic-tac, tic-tac, the spinning wheel turns. Epoha’s hands are gentle and dexterous as they pull at the roving. She’s done it for all eternity, and for all eternity she shall continue, the patient mother of all time.

A minor deity, responsible for the cycles of time.

A young woman or a mother, sometimes described as pregnant, usually portrayed by a spinning wheel or with a spindle in her hand; less often – with weaving tablets.

Epoha rarely appears of her own volition, however, it is believed that she can be invited over for dinner. To do that, one must prepare a feast of sweets. Anything less than twenty eggs for a sponge cake is insufficient. Cream and pudding, kutia, and poppyseed roulades… Once everything is ready, the shutters must be parted. A cloaked woman should arrive within the next hour.

One may dine with Epoha and ask her questions about his future. She is a compassionate deity and will answer them truthfully, but only until the first moths arrive, lured inside by the light.

She disappears at the sight of the insects, together with the food that has been so thoughtfully prepared for her. Worry not if not much information has been obtained – she may spin the thread more favourably still, thankful for the refreshing meal.

Zorana & Nichna – Viva & Esther @lorei-writes

[…] And so it would be known as the equinox, for the day split as they were born. Zorana, that dedicated to the red glow of morning skies, and Nichna, that weaving silver constellations on the night sky. Together they are locked in an eternal game, passing the sun and the moon between each other so that they do not ever get lost. [As told in the story of the Father’s creation of the world.]

Minor deities, recognised in the entirety of Amber. Their other names include: Porana & Nechna, J’sna & C’mna, Zorja & Stra.

Twins, usually depicted as naked women throwing the sun and the moon between each other as if the celestial bodies were balls. Their eyes are said to be as dark as the starless nights, spun light the hair over their heads.

Although none have ever seen them, it is commonly believed that every new moon the twins come to the Krasnawe Oka lakes, where the sky and the ground meet as one. Their laughter carries over the water as they play, more human than divine, yet undeniably unreal.

It is believed that it is the only time the moon or the sun – or either of the celestial sisters – could be stolen. To have a chance of succeeding at that, however, one must brave the marsh in the dark, without the guidance of any light. Cursed be those who fail.

Banialuka – Katsuko @the12thnightproject

Hear not a word in a crowd unless you know which mouth bore it. Discord and venom all but fly over the instigator’s heads; there is one even above them, however. Do not trust the talking birds.

A shapeshifting spirit that can take on a form of any flying bird, although cases of small rodents have also been reported.

The Banialukas are seen as rather self-serving, although nobody knows their true intentions. Free as the wind itself, they fly above cities and towns, instigating mischief wherever they go. A master manipulator and an adept liar, a banialuka capable of mimicking any voice she has heard – and using that for her own purposes.

According to the legends, she traverses the world in search of treasure, to then return to her castle-nest in faraway mountains. It is said to be built entirely of twigs, dawn and hard, cold stone. Only those willing to brave the steep slopes it oversees can hope to browse through its treasury.

Be careful, however. A banialuka’s tongue is sharp, but it is hardly the only weapon in her arsenal.

When in human form, she usually assumes the appearance of a mildly eccentric-looking woman. What gives her true identity away are the brightly coloured streaks in her hair – some claim they resemble rooster’s tail feathers.

Skrzyp – Romarin @ikeprinces-stuff

Come to the moorlands at dawn to find the common horsetail. Break its stem thrice, each time with an audible creek, and throw it over your right shoulder. Clap your hands three times and bow as deeply as if the most renowned violinist stood before you. If the heathers hum, the skrzyp has arrived. Otherwise, try another day. [As believed in the central regions of Amber.]

A lonesome spirit that is believed to spend the majority of her life in the form of a cricket. However, she can take up the appearance of a young woman in an intricately embroidered (sometimes with emerald-looking insect wings) gown, usually with long hair let loose down her back.

The Skrzyp are virtuosos of music. She can play nearly any instrument, however, she is most adept at the art of violin – the notes she conjures have arcane properties, and so, many seek her in hopes of hearing her song for their own benefit. Some also hope to become her apprentice… Or to convince her to grant them her gift.

However, everything comes at a price. It is believed one can make a request of a skrzyp, but only if they pass her trial. Those who play even one false note will be turned into escargots.

Gon – Aino @dicenete

They ride on the nights of the full moon, the bellowing of a splendid war horn the signal for their arrival. Close the shutters. Close the doors. Do not let any passing visitors into your house, however innocent they may seem… It is the hunt, and the sinners are the hunted. Hide until they pass.

Gon is one of the minor deities at the head of the hunt, infamous for the duality of her nature – usually a warrior, she can appear as an innocent woman to lure her prey out of its hiding.

She leads the party of spirits together with her lover and his twin brother, the deities of the cycle of rebirth.

It is believed that the hunt targets those who have sinned and have shown no remorse nor will to change their ways. As such, they will be followed through the nation, from woods to the ballrooms of the royal castle. No place will be safe and their torment will know no end until they are hunted and their souls are handed over to the deities of rebirth, to be reshaped and forced to start over in their new lives.

Commonly pictured as either riding an enormous warhorse with a crossbow on her back, or as dancing gracefully in a ballroom, dressed in the finest of velvets.

Didko – Sigfrit @wordycheeseblob

Young men should be especially cautious when they notice a mysterious woman sitting alone in an inn. Do not tell her a word of any weight until you look into her eyes and hold her gaze – if the briefly change colour or shimmer unnaturally, it is not a woman you are talking to, but a didko. Do not talk to her.

A spirit commonly found traversing the roads and lounging in the inns, among other places where information can be found. It is uncertain what she does with the acquired knowledge, however, it is known it will bring forth mischief. By the end of the torment, the matter will be resolved favourably… for the person the didko sides with.

Didkos are infamous for their charming personalities and adaptability. Some believe them to be living false mirrors that reflect precisely that which one longs to be.

Observant and highly adept at reading people, didkos are susceptible to bribery. Offer her a night of blissful gluttony to win her favour… Be careful, however, as your tongue may unravel, thus revealing many more secrets than you have originally intended to.

Commonly seen among merchants and pilgrims, especially during the Lent.

Brzdęk – Ciel @floydsteeth

If you hear the metallic jangle of coins out in the middle of nowhere, you ought to stop. Any horse you may have with you will not take a step forward – you, however, should follow the sound. Those quick enough will be rewarded with finding the brzdęk’s liar, where all sorts of treasures are kept. Catch the little spirit before they enter it to demand a hefty ransom. [As believed in eastern-most regions of Amber.]

A lesser spirit commonly found living on the steppe.

Brzdęks tend to share their liars with mice – in exchange for protection, the rodents provide the spirits with food and company. The bottommost chamber of their nest thus becomes the brzdęk’s treasury, filled with precious stones, cut glass, coins, and other marvels big and small.

Their aversion towards horses is infamous – a brzdęk will go to any lengths to prevent the animal from coming anywhere near them. Usually that means casting spells and preparing enchanted rings, however, traps may also be employed.

Commonly depicted while riding on tops of mice and rats… or flying on magpies’ backs. The elder brzdęks may have special saddles made for them as well.

It is believed that they are born out of magpie eggs hatched by hens that are yet to have their own chicks.

Ohenna – Ava @writingwhimsey

Burn dried grass from wild flower fields to summon her; Ohanna will dance in the bonfires, her body made of flames. Hold her fiery gaze and utter the name of your enemy five times. If you can withstand her scorching breath, you will have your revenge; however, if you falter but once, you will known Ohenna’s wrath. She is the just anger. Do not think you can deceive her. [As believed in the mountains of south-western Amber.]

A minor deity, the embodiment of rightful anger.

Ohenna is not somebody you can stumble into – her existence is tied strictly to the fire. Unless she’s been summoned to talk, she dwells in each flame equally, silently watching over the world through them. She’s the executor, the one to deliver justice to those who have been otherwise wronged and forgotten.

Her will is stronger than iron that she smelts. Ohenna’s judgement is absolute.

One is advised to pick his words carefully while pleading with Ohanna, for she is known for her intelligence and strong feelings.

It is believed any summer or fall fires are Ohanna’s war dance. Many young men gather to witness it, although few manage to follow her movements.

Bza – Yara @fang-and-feather

If you see forget-me-nots growing by the side of an abandoned house, wipe the soles of your shoes clean upon entering it. One shall never be too certain that a bza does not inhabit it. Do not be rude to her – it is those spirits that prevent the decay.

A timid spirit that generally prefers solitude. Can be found dwelling in abandoned buildings or old houses, less often – in attics, among drying herbs, or in hospital wards.

Despite keeping to themselves, bzas are rather friendly and helpful spirits. They maintain properties and prevent the decay and rot from seeping inside – they keep the space clean and adorned in fresh flowers. It is believed that their presence soothes plants.

One is considered fortunate if he manages to invite a bza to live at his house. To do that, he must press three dozens of pansy flowers and then sew them into a garland. Once hanged above the entryway, it will signal that bzas are welcome in the house; however, it is only an invitation. It is only the spirit’s good will if she accepts it.

Appears as a semi-translucent woman with, at times, vividly coloured hair. She invites the smell of fresh herbs, mint, irises, or – often – jasmine.

Deshen’na – Caroline @coral-relevium

Find her in every drop of rain, from a warm spring mizzle to a summer thunderstorm. Look closely – she passes through the fields in her long gown, dark against the surrounding greenery. One ought not to talk with Deshen’na, however, just meeting her gaze is enough to ward off a draught from one’s crop for the following months. [As believed in north-eastern regions of Amber.]

A minor deity, commonly associated with the coming of rain and mourning. (The latter is not the case in north-eastern regions of Amber, which are often stricken with droughts. There she becomes a sign of impending good fortune and everlasting love.)

It is believed that the rain is the tears Deshen’na shed while mourning the death of her husband. Her duty is to walk the land and nourish it with her grief, in a loving memory of the deity of deceit.

A few men believe that draughts haunt north-eastern Amber as it is Deshen’na’s last stop during her pilgrimage to her husband’s grave, where they can briefly reunite once every year. It is said he has tricked even the death itself.

Pale, generally seen in intricate black gowns, giving her the appearance of a noblewoman.

Ne’zvana – Adria @eternallyfrustratedwriter

Do not say her true name lest you wish to summon her; one who does so willingly shall be cursed out, for it is only chaos that follows her. One ought not to even think of her nor picture her in his mind.

An infamous spirit, commonly considered to be the bringer of misfortune or broadly understood chaos.

A ne’zvana is hardly welcomed anywhere, however, it does not mean she lives in solitude. Rather, she hides her existence from those around her. It is said that a person followed by bad luck or otherwise surrounded by unusual events may be haunted, possessed, or in fact be a ne’zvana.

It is believed that a ne’zvana is born when a child grows too moody. Chastising them is one of the few instances when the ne’zvana get brought up.

Due to the fear of summoning her, her original name was used so rarely it has since fallen into complete obscurity. Similarly, hardly any records of her appearance remain, although many believe her to take on a form of a traveller or an insect, such as a bee.

It is said that a ne’zvana can be recognised by her smile. The exact specifics of how, however, are unclear.

Kania – Marigold @violettduchess

Be careful while in the forest – a batting of powerful wings above your head and a high-pitched screeching are no things to be ignored. Stand still whenever you hear them and take three deep breaths. If no voice comes, you are safe to go on as you were. However, if a stranger woman extends her greetings, you must leave immediately. Do not answer Kania unless you consider yourself the master of riddles.

A shapeshifter spirit inhabiting Amber, generally taking on the appearance of a kite (bird) or a scholarly woman with thin-wire-rimmed glasses.

Kania is a voracious spirit that enjoys toying with her prey. That being said, she is also honest and stays true to her word – as per the agreement from days gone by, she can target only those who acknowledge her presence.

Once that is done, one is given another chance to save his life. He must answer three riddles correctly. Achieving that is said to gain the respect of the spirit who then releases her prey.

It is believed that Kania’s appetite is directly connected with her hunger for knowledge. Feasting on humans during the day, she sneaks into noblemen’s libraries and church archives at night to indulge in the consumption of knowledge.

Tag List: @lancelotscloak @solacedeer @keithsandwich @bicayaya @faustianfascination

@sh0jun @queengiuliettafirstlady

Tell me if you'd like to be added to my tag list :)

[katakaluptastrophy]

It's weird church lady hours in my TLT fixated brain, and I want to know what a sacrament is in the religion of the Nine Houses.

Because the terms "sacrament" and "sacramental" pop up a lot in HTN.

Much of Harrow's look seems to be made up of things described as sacramental: her face is painted with a "sacramental skull", the paints requiring appropriate blessing or otherwise are replaceable with blood. She wears sacramental vestments, and even the shorn heads of Ninth House cavaliers are described as "sacramentally shorn".

Most of that sounds very much like the Catholic concept of "a sacramental" - something that's a sign of a spiritual effect, like a blessed rosary, or making the sign of the cross. The painted face, the veiled head of the necromancer, or the shorn head of the cavalier being a sign of divine protection or blessing. Or perhaps those things are understood to be sacraments in and of themselves - outward signs of an inward grace, the blessed paint imparting some kind of spiritual power or effect in and of themselves from Jod or the Tomb. (Longer thoughts about Ninth veiling here)

Harrow prays to the Tomb before replacing Ianthe's arm, and thinks that she is going to "sacramentally adore" Ianthe's bones. (Is that what the kids are calling it these days?).

But a Lyctor is in themself apparently "a walking sacrament".

And then, of course, there's this quote from Jod:

You said... “The cavaliers—”

“Have joined their Lyctors,” he said. “It’s not really a lie. It’s simply a flattening of an awesome…and sacramental…truth."

It was around this point that I realised that Lyctors are like vampires.

The Catholic Church has seven sacraments, but the biggie is the eucharist, which Catholics believe is the actual transformation of bread and wine into the flesh and blood of Jesus, which are consumed by the faithful, uniting them with Him. And the ultimate goal is of course eternal life with God in Heaven.

Vampires have been understood as a sort of inversion of eucharistic theology: a demonic perversion of consuming flesh and blood to gain eternal life.

You can probably work out where this one is going with the immortals who hang out with the guy they think is god and whose powers come from consuming another person both spiritually and physically...

What's interesting about this in universe is that Jod is consciously interacting with concepts from Catholic theology, or at least was when he first decided to start his own special brand of sad girl necromantic space Catholicism. Not that he's particularly consistent with it, since he tells Harrow that Lyctorhood is both sacramental and an indelible sin... But at some point a conscious choice has been made on Lyctors and the concept of sacramentality. And while clearly the metaphysical world that Tamsyn Muir is imagining is one where the spiritual reality is not going to align with either Catholicism or with Jod's long con, the resonance of the vampire mythos feels very apropos.

As far as in world use goes, I want to know if they're just throwing around these terms to mean something like "holy" or if they relate to more specific practices within the religion of the Nine Houses? Are there defined sacraments? What does the religion of the Nine Houses even look like, outside of the Ninth? The Eighth seem to have a holy book and a practice of confession, there seem to be priests and religious orders aplenty even beyond the heretical Ninth, and there seems to be a concept of blessing and of intercessory prayer (but as Abigail Pent points out, there is apparently also no theology of omnipotence, though the jury is still out on omniscience and omnibenevolence, I guess).