Fifth Book

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Bear with me, here. This idea is part of a domain I've been mulling over: the Fifth Book of Ezra. I'd appreciate your feedback. ^^

The Books of Ezra:
Book V.

In the time before, there was the World, a vastness of lands swaddled in the Mists of Death as an infant in its cloth. And in the land was a woman named Ezra, who was a healer of the sick and protector of the weak, in the service of the goddess for whom she had been named.
For many years she healed the lame and the sick, and protected the helpless against the blooddrinker, the stealer of breath and the beast that rends, as was her lot in the Grand Scheme. And she rejoiced in her place in the Grand Scheme.
But as the years passed by, did Ezra come to see the Hollow. Many were the Legions of Darkness that came forth from the Mists of Death, and many were their roles in the Grand Scheme. But Guardians and Protectors in the name of the goddess there were none, save Ezra. And with the end of her mortal span in distant sight, did Ezra determine to seek out other Protectors and Guardians, Pure Hearts which might take her place.
For many years more did Ezra wander the Lands of the Mists, but found no Pure Hearts to take her place when she was gone. And while she travelled, she partook of much strange knowledge, for she sought the Pure Heart among the Wise and the Knowledgeable, who had gone to dark places and lived to return with Knowledge and Wisdom.
Came Ezra to the end of her days and the end of her ways, for before her rose only the Mists of Death, and behind her lay all the lands of the World.
Stood Ezra before the Mists of Death, and she spoke: "The World is yours, you set its shape. Why do you allow its people to suffer and wander, lost and alone?"
The Mists did not answer. But in the Mists, there were voices which laughed and made mock of Ezra, though they addressed only each other and not her.
Spoke Ezra a second time: "Why have you filled the World with the Legions of the Night?"
Again did the Mists not answer, and louder did the voices mock and laugh and make much sport of all that Ezra had done, but only to each other, and not to her.
A third time did Ezra speak, crying out to her goddess and the Mists both: "All things have their place in the Grand Scheme, both the Legions and Guides and Protectors. Why then exists the Hollow in the Grand Scheme?"
And out of the Mists, a Voice spoke: "Mortal, what know you of the Grand Scheme and of the Hollow? Begone, lest you give offense."
But Ezra did not yield. "I have learned the extent of knowledge and wisdom that men and women have been able to bring back from the perilous dark places, so I might better protect the weak and heal the sick. And I have travelled the length and breadth of the World. From all of this, I know that Guides and Protectors are necessary, lest the Hollow consume the World and all be made ruin. I will not stand down, regardless how much offense I bring to you."
The Voice spoke again: "Mortal, you know nothing. Your knowledge is sand, shifting upon the sea-shore. You know nothing of the reality of gods and powers. Be gone lest you give offense."
But Ezra did not yield. "If I know nothing, then enlighten me," she demanded, "in the name of the goddess for whom I am named and whose work I have performed for all my days, for I must be Guide and Protector for evermore, if no other can be found."
Came the Voice: "Would you walk forth into my world, mortal, and make bargain with me so you might learn of higher truth and higher power? Would you stand Guard in the Mists over the mortals in the Hollow, though it will bring you only sorrow and you may never be as you were again?"
"If that is my place in the Grand Scheme, then so shall I do," Ezra replied.
"Then make I bargain with you, mortal," came the Voice. "Walk ye forth into the Mists, and be undone. Walk ye forth into the Mists and be ye remade. Walk ye forth into the Mists and know the despair of your life. If ye stand firm, then shall I yield to you greater power and knowledge."
So did Ezra stride forth into the Mists. So was she unmade, down to the very fibers of her soul, that they drifted in naked agony in the Mists of Death. So was she remade into Glory and Power, with all the featureless Mists spreading before her, behind her, above and beneath her, and to all other sides.
But all there was, were the Mists. This pained Ezra: Whereto had gone the World, over which she had stood sentinel for so long? And did she but think of the World, and a Hollow opened in the Mists. Land was there, and sky. Water and forests. And creatures moving upon the land, in the sky, through waters and forests. The World was there, for Ezra had called it forth from the Mists.
Then did Ezra realize into what she had been remade, for this was the Dawn of Time, when the World had been called forth from the Mists by the goddess Ezra. And that was she.
And for a space out of time, all was well. But then did Ezra recognize that the Mists were not empty. Shadowy powers and Voices crawled all around, clustering around the light of the World like moths. And did they release their own makings into the World, so they could make sport of it: The blooddrinker, the stealer of breath and the beast that rends.
Did Ezra try to hold forth her hand to bar them, and the World would tremble and tear, for her Power was now too great to touch the Worl. And Ezra wept, for she could no longer be Guide and Protector as she had been ... But then did she take heart. Her place in the Grand Scheme was changed, but her duty was the same. So did she cast her eyes over all the World, now the eyes of a goddess, to seek the Pure Hearts that might be her representatives. And she found herself, first of all, a mortal who would be named in her honour ... and she stood strong, denying Madness a place in herself.
Then again came the Voice which had made Bargain with her, and it acquiesced to her Victory. And it taught her much, so that the Power of Ezra is great both inside the Mists and in the World, and she could stretch out her Grace to Pure Hearts, who would be her Anchorites.

[Heretic]

Very nice Rock!

There's a touch of Ezra being mortal again (from what I read), which the Balise (Avatar Heresy) heretics would spin into making this Fifth revelation one of their own.

Here's something I did for an on going plot regarding the Fifth Revelation/Schism. I've been inspired by the concept of the Black Blades of Ezra and this single line here.: "..To lighten suffering, to be a true anchorite, thou must die and be reborn as our guardian did. Only the worthy will rise and suffer. And their suffering shall set the living free...".

The text below has a more in depth working to it which I wont reveal as some of my players do browse the website; needless to say, I've also been inspired by some of Rock's Loa concept , some of the rituals for this fifth revelation which these "heretics" use have directly been drawn from the Sourgangean voodoo by the guru would be new Bastion of the Fifth revelation of my campaign, rites such as the potion concoction the heretics would-be anchorites need to drink for their trials that "Zombify" them, would enter a state between life and death; some would not wake-- Those that would rise the fifth day, would be deemed worthy of being anchorites as they were "Reborn as our guardian did, only the worthy rise and suffer and their suffering shall set the living free".

BLESSED BE THE HAND THAT SCRIBES, THE EYE THAT WATCHES, THE EAR THAT WILL GIVE HEED, THE LIMBS THAT WILL RUSH.

FOR THIS IS THE CLARION ANNOUNCING HER COMING, THE END OF ALL AND NONE, THE FINAL EMBRACE, THE BLESSED UNION.

EZRA WATCHED TIRELESSLY OVER HER FAITHFUL FEW, THEIR WORKINGS TRUE AND VALIANT; YET FOR ALL THEIR EFFORTS, THE LEGIONS OF THE NIGHT STILL PREVAILED.

FOR EACH FALLEN REDEEMED, FIVE MORE WOULD BEFOUL THE WORLD WITH THEIR DEPRAVITY.

THERE WAS MUCH SUFFERING AND ANGUISH AMONGST HER SERVANTS. AND EZRA ANSWERED THEIR DESPERATE PLEA.

“LET NOT THE WAYS OF THE LEGIONS DAUNT YOU, FOR THEIR TAINT WILL GNAW UPON ITSELF, AND YOU WILL CLEANSE ITS DESPICABLE REMAINS.

BLACKEN AND SIN, ACCEPT AND BE SWEPT, FOR ONLY IN REVELING WITH THEIR VILE WAYS SHALL THE CLEANSING EXACTED BE MEANINGFUL.

FOR IF IN DEED YOU ARE FEW AND DISTRAUGHT; PURGE RELENTLESSLY THAT WHICH THE LEGIONS FLAUNT OPENLY, BEGIN WITH YOURSELVES.”

AND HER FAITHFUL OBEYED. AND THEY SET TO ADORNING THEIR BODIES AND SOULS WITH THE SIGN OF THE PURGE OF THE LEGIONS’ MARK.

GLORIOUS IN THE VESTIGE OF VIRTUE, EACH SOUL A CLEANSED SPARK THAT WOULD BRING SUCCOR TO THE BLEAK HOLLOW.

THE MISTS OF DEATH COME. AND THE FLOCK ABSOLVED SHALT BE. IN THE FLICKER OF LIFE AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

I am curious about who you would have in mind in terms of NPC to be Bastion of that revelation and how he would try to convince Levkarest that this is indeed the final piece to the puzzle.

[The Giamarga]

A fake fifth book of Ezra is mentioned in the article "Valeri Antonin, Hymns of a Heretic" by Eric Jean from the Book of Sacrifices.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

@ Heretic: That is an interesting idea, to be sure! I'm flattered that you were inspired by some of my ideas. ^^

Some more material pertaining to my ideas for a large fifth sect of Ezra:
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The fifth sect arose in the World, a new domain deep in the Mists. The World is an isolated realm which sees few visitors, and is roughly based on America. Its false history speaks of a native people, whose tribes lived in harmony with the land, though they warred among each other.

Before waves of immigrants arrived from places called 'Dementlieu' and 'Mordent', bringing the teachings of Ezra, the natives already had legends about mighty beings that dwelled in the Mists, treating space and time as a child might a handful of mud; a toy to be played with and shaped. These beings were not gods, not as the native people recognized them, for mortals could ascend to their ranks - if they were willing to make the terrible efforts required to transcend their mortal selves and gain the sponsorship of one who had ascended before them.

When the Mordentish invaders arrived, conquering and subduing the admittedly warlike natives by means of their superior technology, there was one man who tried to bridge the gap between conqueror and conquered. Unsurprisingly, this was an Anchorite of Ezra, Timothy Baker. He made the effort of learning the natives' languages, to speak to their elders and wisefolk, to learn about their lives before the Mordentish invasion. He also learned of their beliefs.

And so, when another Anchorite, Mariette DeVreille, who had originally come from Dementlieu, had the vision that would beget the fifth book of Ezra, Timothy was deeply disturbed. He saw the parallels between the book written by Mariette and the native beliefs about the beings in the Mists. When Mariette manifested a new version of the Shield of Ezra, and found five acolytes who manifested the same Shield, Timothy's world seemed to be crashing down around his ears. Mariette had not studied the local legends, so she readied herself for a return to the Grand Cathedral with a glad heart. It was Timothy who threw himself into the rituals required to allow him to enter the Mists as one of the Voices and powers spoken of in the fifth book. He wished to find out whether his goddess was really just another Voice, another power, looking down on the World and the rest of the lands, or that she was truly unique and special.

Whether he succeeded is anyone's guess, but when Mariette tried to make her way back through the Mists, she found the way barred. For five years, the Mordentish and Dementlieuse settlers tried to find the way home - those who for whatever reason wanted to leave their rich new lands did, anyway - but the way was barred and closed. Perhaps Timothy had made a bargain with the Voices and powers of the World, perhaps he had become one of them, perhaps the Voices and powers - or even the Dark Powers - had acted of their own accord. But whatever the reason, return to the Core was impossible.

Despite the fact that she could not gain official confirmation of her new sect, Mariette's faith flourished. Not only because it appealed to both the Dementlieuse and Mordentish factions of Anchorites in the World, but because it also became a fast favourite with the conquered natives once they were exposed to it. They flocked to Ezra's churches and chapels voluntarily, bringing their fears, their woes and their troubles with the supernatural world before her. Before the Voice of Ezra spoke to them through her anchorites, the natives had not known any protector in the Mists, only beings which acted capriciously and might as easily hurt as heal.

Years have passed, and the people of the World have made great strides in science. Occasionally, people trickle in from the lands beyond the Mists, but such occurrences are quickly hushed up by the government: all arrivals have stated - and maintained even under the influence of truth serums and other methods of persuasion - that they come from a time which should be at least a hundred years in the past. At the most secret levels of the government, where some amount of esoteria is observed, there is a train of thought that the World has been ripped from its proper place in time and space. Possibly the way home is barred because home does not exist yet, and the World had been shunted into its own past through the Mists after Timothy Baker entered them.

The church of Ezra has waned in popularity. Harsh criticism has arisen as the people become more educated, with the most common complaint being that Ezra has, in fact, created a flawed world which allows for darkness to exist, simply because she remembered such a world. There are prophecies that Ezra is working on a more refined world, where evil will have less sway; once this world is completed, the faithful and the righteous will be transported there. Of course the critics are not satisfied with this; even if any of them have a shot of making it to the better world, they will not get there until after their death. Worse, some people have started to openly question the existence of a mighty Guardian in the Mists who makes such terrible mistakes, and slanderous voices even claim Ezra made the flaws in the World on purpose, so the people would always need her, and would always worship her. Whether these attacks on the church are the product of rebellious youth rejecting the ways of the elders, simple atheism taking a hold in the society of the World, or even the work of the Legions of Night's most subtle infilitrators is a hotly debated topic in the halls of Ezra's greatest cathedral in the World, the House of a Thousand Tears.

The anchorites representing the fifth sect in the World continue to preach, heal and protect, but they do so in a different way now. The criticism of Ezra's flawed creation is not taken lightly, and the church's unofficial motto has become that great power breeds an opportunity to make great mistakes. Anchorites are taught to use clerical magic, but gently dissuaded from using it unless that is absolutely necessary. In fact, most people are unaware that the anchorites are capable of magic, since it has become almost mythical in the scientifically advanced World.

The World itself has changed since the days of colonization: no longer do the blooddrinker, the stealer of breath and the beast that rends openly stalk the land. Most people do not believe in monsters, other than human monsters which commit terrible acts. But the church fears that the Voices and powers in the Mists are ultimately responsible for the atrocities that sometimes plague society, be it in the great cities or in small villages. According to the tales of the native people of the World, the Voices and powers like to play games, to gamble with each other to alleviate their boredom and gain prestige and rank amongst themselves. The fifth book of Ezra clearly states that the Voices and powers are perfectly capable of reaching into the World and placing their pawns there. Some believe that the pawns are the same as always, only cleverly disguised. Others fear that the Voices and powers have simply switched to placing human-shaped pawns into the World, using their mastery over space and time to retroactively insert them into their surroundings.

In recent years, modern society has started to ridicule preachers who state plainly that all misfortune in the World is the work of mighty supernatural beings which dwell in the Border Mists, which leads to the dwindling of congregations, just when the church fears that the Voices and powers are growing more bold. Any day now, some doom prophets say, they might use their fell might to twist history into a new shape that suits their liking better. Indeed, they may already have done, since the Grace of Ezra is accepted less and less by young people, and the priesthood's numbers are starting to drop. Even the most politically-minded anchorites actively try to recruit more people to their flocks, for fear that if they don't, the World may be lost completely to the great generals of the Legion of Night.