The Book of Superstition

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Stellus Yastreb
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The Book of Superstition

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T H E
B O O K
O F
S U P E R S T I T I O N

As Compiled by the Scribes Superstitionary of the Lodge since the Days of Ancients, This Work being Last Amended on the Waning Gibbous of the One Hundred and Thirty Eighth Moon

- Lunæ Erit Vobiscum -

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L U N A N O N L O Q U I U T H O M I N E S L O Q U I V E R B U M L U N Æ F A C T I I E S T I N M A R I E T M U L I E R E S U B I Q U E T I N O M N I B U S R E B U S O P U S M A G I S T E R M U T U M U L I M A H I N A C U A D A T L U N A V O C E M V E R B U M U L I M A H I N A C U Æ I N L I B R O I S T O E S T
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THE BOOK OF DESCENT

Chapter I


(I) When the land was bare of all things but wind-whipped plains and black waters, (II) when works of quill were the rare and rationed domain of the lonely sorcerer, (III) when spoken word had not long ceased to be the same, (IV) when music still prevailed as language, (V) when Gods still walked hand in hand with mortals, (VI) a nation was born. (VII) From the Eastern seas came the people of the mist, who were fair of face and hair and temperament, (VIII) and from the Western river came the swarthy folk of shadow, who were hard and just and clever. (IX) The peoples made their lives upon the land together, and they lived in peace and harmony, (X) but in far away lands these peoples had their masters, who fell among themselves to quarrel and to war, (XI) and though each soul upon the land was a friend to every other, their masters raised from them two opposing armies, (XII) and from these armies no soul was spared, not woman nor child nor invalid, (XIII) and into a great valley at night, beneath a full moon, they were made to do battle. (XIV) Many fought and many fell, and great fires broke out amid the slaughter, (XV) and the light of all the fires grew brighter than the moon, and at that moment the valley was filled with song, (XVI) and the song came from all places, and the fires died out, and the people stopped fighting and were much bewildered. (XVII) The people gazed at the moon, and the moon grew, and as it grew the song became louder, (XVIII) and the song was a thing of beauty beyond the voice of mortals, (XX) and the moon grew until it touched all parts of the horizon, and silence fell. (XXI) The light above became so bright that all the people were blinded, and they cried out in pain, (XXII) then the light receded from the horizons, and it became smaller, and it descended upon the land, (XXIII) and it fell among the people in the form of a mortal woman made of light alone. (XXIV) Her face was round, and her hair was long and white, (XXV) and she spoke in a whisper but she was heard by all the people. (XXVI) She said Behold, For I Am I Of The Moonlight, And The Moonlight Is Of I. (XXVII) You Fight Beneath My Gaze Without Shame, As You Would Before A Child. You Kill In The Face Of Beauty, And I Am Upset. (XXVIII) I Would Have You Consumed By Madness If I Did Not Know You. I Would Have Your Wives Possessed With Rage Enough To Murder You As You Slept If I Did Not Know You. I Would Have The Tides Of The Sea Drown You If I Did Not Know You. (XXIX) But Know You I Do. You Are The Downcast, The Rejected, The Passed Over. (XXX) You Have More In Common With Those You Seek To Kill Than Those In Whose Name You Kill. You Are The Lame, The Feeble, The Enslaved, The Innocent. (XXXI) For This I Shall Spare You, If You Lay Down Your Arms And Come With Me. (XXXII) The people were in awe, and every one of them dropped their weapons, (XXXIV) and the song began once more, and it went U Li Ma Hi Na Cu A, and the people knew that it was her name. (XXXV) Her light ascended once more to the heavens, and she took her place there in the form of the moon, (XXXVI) and her song ascended to a pitch unknown outside the Celestial Temple, (XXXVII) and the dead and injured of the battle were restored to life and health, and they rose to their feet, (XXXVIII) and the moon rested upon the Eastern horizon, and for many nights the people followed its light, (XXXIX) and in time they came to a place called Lumenetra, and the moon ascended to the highest point of the heavens, (XL) and from this height the people were commanded by a voice, (XLI) and the voice said Here You Are Hidden, Beyond The Gaze Of Your Warlike Masters. (XLII) Make Your Lives In This Place, And I Shall Protect You For All Time. (XLIII) The people did as they were told, and they made great adorations, (XLIV) and they said Ulimahinacua, Blessed Are All Who Ever Knew Her, (XLV) From The Night She Took Our Hand And Led Us Safely To This Land.

Chapter II

(I) In the reign of Kaiser Meskan of all Shireroth who was the first of his name, a child was born in Lumenetra. (II) She was daughter to people of wealth from the land of Treesia, but she did not look like them, (III) and when she was born a voice cried out from the moon, (IV) and the voice said Go With Peace And Beauty My Child, And Bring Your People With You To Glory Among The Nations. (V) All the people of Lumenetra heard the voice, and thereafter they named the child's family for the Moon, (VI) and the child herself was called Eriana. (VII) In all the places Eriana went, cats followed at her feet and owls flew around her head, and flowers opened their petals as she passed. (VIII) The people saw the power of Eriana and they said, That Girl Is Going Places, (IX) and Eriana said that she alone could hear the song of Ulimahinacua when the other people could not, and the people saw her power and they knew she spoke the truth. (X) The people asked Eriana what Ulimahinacua was singing, and Eriana revealed the words unto them, (XI) that Ulimahinacua said The Mysteries Of The World are endless. (XII) There Are Endless Philosophies And Endless Truths. (XIII) I Am But One Truth Among Many. (XIV) This Is My Home. (XV) Within, I Am The One Truth. (XVI) Without, I Am But A Grain Of Sand Upon The Ocean. (XVII) The people did not know a soul among them who possessed such wisdom and prophecy as this, (XVIII) and they said unto Eriana Lead Us, Lead Our Nation And We Shall Be Saved Before The Light Of The Moon. (XIX) Eriana said unto them We Are Ruled By Another. She Is Borne Of The Elfinshi And Of Cats, And Her Name Is Jadie, (XX) But She Is Noble Of Heart, And On Her Behalf I Shall Petition To Be Your Leader, (XXI) and so it came to pass. Eriana ascended the throne of her people, and she called their land Lunaris, (XXII) and from that moment the phases of the moon were counted and the glories of the land were assured. (XXIII) Eriana said unto her people, Ours Shall Be A Land Of The Arts, And All Nations Shall Be Welcomed To Share In Its Joys. (XXIV) Then she taught the ways of the artist to her people at great speed, such that their minds became deranged and confused, (XXV) but Eriana said Fear Not. Your Madness Makes Me Love You All The More, And The Nations Too Shall Love You, (XXVI) and in accordance with her prophecy the peoples of the nations came to her land in wonder. (XXVII) They lay their adorations upon Lunaris, and they called its people the Lunatics.

Chapter III

(I) Upon the Waxing Crescent of the Sixth Moon, Eriana gathered the wisest of the Lunatics and spoke unto them. (II) She said Behold, For I Have Granted Unto You A Place Of Conference. (III) Here You Elders Of Lunaris Shall Assist Me In My Rule, And The Place Shall Be Called the Lodge of Stars. (IV) A man called Krasniy said I Shall Strive To Attend This Place When I Can, My Lady, Alas My Soul Is A Busy One And I Fear The Place Shall Never Know My Presence, (V) and the overlady Jadie said unto him That Is A Thing Of Shame As We Have Chosen You For Our Leader, Second Only To Eriana Herself. (VI) Krasniy said Very Well, I Shall Confer With The Gods Such As I Am Able, And They Will Guide Me, (VII) and he entered into reflection for many moons. (VIII) When he was ready, he gathered the wise Lunatics together and said unto them At Last I Have Discerned The True Path Of This Lodge. (IX) Initiates To Our Number Shall Ascend Twelve Degrees, For Twelve Can Be Divided Into Many Integers For Its Size And There Shall Be No Other Reason. (X) The First Degree Shall Be The Moonchild, And All Lunatics Can Be Considered Initiated Within It. (XI) The Second Degree Shall Be The Nightkitten Ravenous, Held By The Willing Initiate. (XII) The Third Degree Shall Be The Nightcat Satiate, Held By Those Familiar With Our Basic Customs. (XIII) The Fourth Degree Shall Be The Keeper Of the Nightkittens, Held By Ascended Nightcats Who Instruct The Nightkittens. (XIV) The Fifth Degree Shall be The Scholar Superstitionary, Held By Students Of Higher Lore. (XV) The Sixth Degree Shall Be The Purveyor Of Nift, Held By Those Of Such Natural Aptitude In The Ways Of The Lodge That They Require No Instruction. (XVI) The Seventh Degree Shall Be The Righteous Of The Blood, Held By Those Whose Actions Have Rendered Exceptional Service To The Lunatic People, And Furthermore This Degree Shall Be Held By Their Descendants. (XVII) The Eighth Degree Shall Be The Sentry At Arms, Held By Those Who Can Be Trusted To Defend Lunaris In The Face Of All Horror And Temptation. (XVIII) The Ninth Degree Shall Be The Scribe Superstitionary, Held By Those Trusted To Compile The Higher Lore Of The Lodge. (XIX) The Tenth Degree Shall Be The Elder Of The Lands, Held By Those Whose Wisdom Can Be Trusted To Guide Large Swathes Of Lunatics. (XX) The Eleventh Degree Shall Be The Lord of The Moonchildren, Held By Those Whose Wisdom Can Be Trusted To Guide The Entire Lunatic People, Or Those Who Have Already Done So With Honour. (XXI) The Twelfth Degree Shall Be The Progenitor Innocent, And As The Highest Degree Of The Lodge It Shall Be Entrusted To The Spirit Of Eriana And Nobody Else. (XXII) The Lodge Shall Not Wield The Daily Yoke Of Power, But It Shall Be The Conscience Of The Lunatic Nation And Its Word Shall Be Above All Question, (XXIII) And It Shall Work Among The Shadows Of The Night And The Hearts Of Mortals To Defend The Lunatic Spirit. (XXIV) Should The Scientist Come Among Us And Reduce Our Land To Numbers, We Shall Drown Him In The Immeasurable. (XXV) Should The Demagogue Come Among Us And Preach Of The Power Of Mortals, We Shall Humble Him In The Face Of The Gods, (XXVI) And Should The Mists Of Divine Mystery Be Driven From The Hearts Of Lunatics, We Shall Avenge From The Shadows And Liberate Them From The Frigid Sterility Of Reason. (XXVII) That Is The Purpose Of The Lodge Of Stars. Go Forth And Do Your Work.
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THE BOOK OF MIRACLES

Chapter I


(I) It came to pass that on the Waxing Gibbous of the Ninth Moon, a war broke out far up the great river, in the city of Shirekeep. (II) Men fought among themselves for the throne of its Kaiser, and all the realm of Shireroth aligned themselves between them. (III) Father was set against son, servant was set against master, and Lunaris found itself surrounded by enemies. (IV) But the land was no longer weak, and its leader was no longer inept, (V) for Eriana had gathered unto herself all the mystics and sorcerers of her land, and they had taught her their occluded arts. (VI) Her power was such that she could render her own human form into a leopard, or into a deer, (VII) but it was not always voluntary and oft times it happened when she was frightened or excited, (VIII) but it was a great power all the same. (IX) At her command was an army of two thousand kittens, and all Shireroth mocked her for this, (X) but Eriana practised unto them her hidden art, and the kittens were rendered into great and ferocious leopards by a wave of her hand, and the hecklers of the nations were silenced. (XI) But while the leopards fought in far away Shirekeep, Lunaris had none to stand in its own defence, and the people were frightened. (XII) But Eriana said Fear Not, For I Have An Object Of Great Power Which Shall Deny Our Home To All Invaders, (XIII) and she held in her hand an artifact of strange appearance, and made motions upon it with her fingers, (XIV) and in the heavens above Lunaris a great shining sheet appeared, and it descended around the borders of the land. (XV) The people were in awe, and Eriana said Behold, For This Is The Bubble. (XVII) One Can Pass From Within To Without, But No Thing In The Realm Of Mortals Shall Pass From Without To Within Except For Light Alone. (XVIII). Lunaris was protected, and the war came to an end (XIX), and Eriana once more made motions upon her artifact, and the bubble was gone. (XX) Then there came a great shower of broken metal from the heavens, for many craft of the air had foundered upon the roof of the bubble, and now they descended upon the land, (XXI) and the people cried out in alarm and ran for cover.

Chapter II

(I) In the war of the Ninth Moon, Eriana had made unto herself a trusted friend and ally from across the seas. (II) His name was Greg of Mirioth. (IV) Thereafter his lands were bonded to Lunaris in eternal affection, and he too was bonded with Eriana, and a great happiness was upon both lands and all the seas between. (V) But dark forces grew envious of the happiness of Greg, and they rendered unto him a sickness of great and terrible power, (VI) and the nurses of Greg spoke unto Eriana saying He Is Poisoned, And The Prognosis Is Not Good. (V) Then Eriana was consumed by distress, and her land with her, (VI) and the animals withdrew to the forests, and the flowers of the meadows wilted and closed, (VII) and a great darkness was upon the faces of the people. (VIII) Eriana withdrew to the shores of a lake, and took an owl with her. (IX) There she conferred with a beast of the waters, and the beast made its confidence unto Eriana without words. (X) Eriana took a vial, and gave it unto the cusody of the owl, and she then took a quill and parchment and began writing. (XI) Her message was for the nurses of Greg, and it said Within This Vial Is A Cure For all Poisons, And It Shall Restore Your Patient To Health. (XII) I Fear I Cannot Mend His Broken Heart, For That Is The Power Of Time Alone. (XIII) But With This Vial, He Shall Have Life And Time. (XIV) I Love This Man With All My Heart, And His Land Needs Him. (XV) For His Life, I Give My Own. (XVI) Then Eriana gave the message unto the custody of the owl, and she took a shining dagger into her hand. (XVII) She thrust the dagger into her heart without sound, and without hesitation. (XVIII) The owl opened the vial and captured three drops of the blood that fell, (XIX) and it flew to the beast of the waters and showed the vial unto him. (XX) The beast shed a single tear, and that too was captured in the vial. (XXI) The owl closed the vial, and bore it aloft to the heavens. (XXII) Eriana drew her last breath, and the cats and the owls and the deer of the land withdrew to the darkness, and they could be seen no more. (XXIII) The owl flew to the island of Mirioth, and it delivered the vial unto the nurses of Greg, (XXIV) and they administered it unto him, and the poison was driven from his body and he was restored to life and health.

Chapter III

(I) After the death of Eriana, all the land was in darkness and grief, and the Lunatics were unknown among the nations, (II) and the tyrants of the nations looked upon the Lunatics and said, Who Are These People, (III) and upon the Waxing Crescent of the Twenty-Seventh Moon, the tyrants cleaved the land in half upon their maps. (IV) The Lunatics were angered, and cried out to the nations for salvation, and their call was answered. (V) Krasniy of the Lodge returned to Lunaris upon the waters, and a man called Hatter descended to Lunaris from the air, (VI) and they were united in Lunatic brotherhood, although the land was cloven in half to the rule of each. (V) And they resolved among themselves, that the Lunatics shall forever be one people, without regard to borders upon a map. (VI) The resolution was heard on the plains and the forests and the waters and the meadows and the heavens, it in all these places it caused much pleasure. (VII) In a place intangible it met the spirit of Eriana, and she did squee at the salvation of her land, (VIII) and the squee was of such power that it rendered her spirit into material form and she walked upon the land once more. (IX) She went to Krasniy and Hatter and she said unto them, I Have Returned, (X) and Krasniy and Hatter were much surprised and they said I Thought You Were Dead, (XI) and Eriana said That Is The Truth, For I Was Dead, But I Feel Better Now. (XII) Then Krasniy asked where Eriana had been, and she said unto him My Spirit Had A Quest Of Its Own To Follow. (XIII) My Companions Faded Away, And My Spirit Faded With Them (XIV). The Beast Of The Waters Bore Me To A Place Neither Dead Nor Alive. (XV) It Is The Place Of The Ancestors, Of The Peoples Of Mist And Shadow. It Is They Who Lent Me Strength Of Spirit Once More, (XVI) And On A Good Day I May Move Among You As Mortals Do. Today Is A Good Day. (XVII) The Lunatics rejoiced, and Eriana rejoiced with them, (XVIII) until the moon began to wane and Eriana departed once more to the realm of the spirits. (XIX) She spoke unto the Lunatics as she departed, saying Fear Not. (XX) As You Live, I Too Am Alive. (XXI) Close Your Eyes, And You Shall See Me Everywhere. (XXII) I Am Always With You.

Chapter IV

(I) Upon the Waxing Gibbous of the Sixty-First Moon, a great outrage of murders fell upon the land. (II) The Lunatics trembled in fear and confined themselves within their homes, and the militias could not find the murderer. (III) The people cried unto their ruler Krasniy, saying Stop This Vile Criminal, For He Is No Mere Thug. (IV) He Carves His Prey Limb From Limb, And Oft Times He Stitches Them Back Together In Strange Shapes. (V) The servants of Krasniy said unto him This Is Disgusting. You Must Apprehend This Man, (VI) and Krasniy said I Know His Methods, And It Is Not Enough To Apprehend Him. (VII) For I Am Initiate Of The Piscators Of Old Brookshire, And I Know This Murderer Is No Mere Mortal. (VIII) The servants of Krasniy were much confused, and they asked of the true nature of the abomination, (IX) and Krasniy said unto them It Is A Dæmon Fish, Sent From The Underworld To Harvest The Souls Of The Corrupted. (X) It Is A Thing Of Great And Terrifying Power, And Only The Most Virtuous Souls Can Defeat It In Battle. (XI) Then Krasniy called the kindest and the most honourable folk of all Lunaris to him, and he said Come. (XII) We Shall End This Terror Or We Shall Die In The Attempt, (XIII) and the Piscators consulted their brethren beyond the mortal plane, and the Dæmon Fish Was Found. (XIV) In the time when there were great lakes across Lunaris, the largest of them was known to conceal a great and hidden evil. (XV) Fishermen sailed upon it but never returned, and all fish caught from the shore of the lake were poisoned. (XVI) Now the lake had long since dried to swamp, and revealed the Dæmon Fish which was the source of its evil. Here the Fish had made its home. (XVII) It was a great gate in the ground, and within it was fire and fear and depravity of every kind, and it corrupted all who looked directly into its depths. (XVIII) Krasniy and the Piscators came to this place to do battle with the Fish, but it had many mortal minions. (XIX) The souls of the minions were eternally corrupted, and they acted upon the silent commands of the Fish, and the Fish had lent them some of its dark powers. (XX) The minions made battle with the Piscators, and the Piscators prevailed, (XXI) but few survived and they could not defeat the Fish itself. (XXII) The Fish spoke unto the Piscators, saying I Am But One Soul Away From Completing My Harvest, And That Soul Shall Be One of You. (XXIII) Then the Fish smelled a man among the Piscators whose soul was not completely pure. (XXIV) It bore him aloft in its scaly fins, and dragged him toward the gate. (XXV) Before the man could be taken through the gate, Krasniy took in his hand a launcher of grenades, and his eyes were full of much wrath. (XXVI) He said unto the Fish, You Shall Have No Quarry This Day, (XXVII) and he set forth a grenade into the body of the corrupted man, and it exploded with a mighty B0O0O0/\/\, and flesh and bone and misty blood were dispersed to the raging winds. (XXVIII) Then a voice cried out from the heavens saying Behold, For The Gods Have Heard This B0O0O0/\/\, And They Are Pleased. (XXIX) The Soul Of This Man Is Redeemed, For He Gave His Body For Our General Enterntainment. (XXX) For This, He Shall Be Received Into The Celestial Temple, (XXXI) and the Fish was full of wrath, for the soul of the man had been cleansed of corruptions in its very grip. (XXXI) The Fish moved inside the gate, and retreated into the depths below, and rock and soil arose from those depths and sealed the gate. (XXXII) Then Krasniy said Let This Gate Be Forever Closed, For I Shall Build A Temple Upon It To Make It So, (XXXIII) And The Name Of The Temple Shall Be Lockenhasp.

Chapter V

(I) There came to glory a man who was the son of Krasniy, and his name was Ryabin. (II) He ruled over all of the place called Goldshire, and in the city of Shirekeep they made him their Kaiser, (III) and there the people called him Mo'll, and he was the first Kaiser of his name. (IV) His rule was wise and just, and the people gave unto him much adoration, but they did not know of his small corruptions, (V) for he was born of a most scandalous tryst between Krasniy and a servant girl, and his blood was tainted from the beginning. (VI) The Dæmon Fish were ravenous in their lust for his soul, and they sought vengeance for the acts of his father. (VII) Ryabin came to Lumenetra and said unto the people there, Teach Me The Mysteries Of Your Homeland, (VIII) and the people implored him to caution and they were much afraid for his soul. (IX) But Ryabin was unfailing in his zeal, and he went to the dagger by which Eriana had made mortal sacrifice. (X) Then he took the dagger into his hand, and a great power was released through him, and his soul ascended beyond the realm of mortals. (XI) There he made conference with the spirits of his fallen ancestors, and of his fallen friends. (XII) And they said unto him Beware, For The Agents Of Eternal Torment Have Made Their Designs Upon You. (XIII) When They Come, Wield The Dagger of Sacrifice Once More, And It Shall Be Your Salvation. (XIV) And the spirit of Eriana descended upon Ryabin without word or gesture, and she returned him to the land of mortals. (XV) The Dæmon Fish bade their time in silence, for the glory of Ryabin among the nations subdued the power of their wicked works. (XVI) But the time came when the glories of Ryabin began to fade, and the Dæmon Fish sent forth one of their own to enact their designs against him. (XVII) Upon the last quarter of the one hundred and thirty-third moon, the mortal minions of the Fish were sent forth to hunt Ryabin, (XVIII) but the diviners of the Lodge of Stars felt among them a stirring of evil energies, and thusly they were warned. (XIX) As the minions made attack upon Ryabin, so the warrior folk of the Lodge of Stars made attack upon the minions, and the minions were defeated. (XX) Then the warrior folk spoke unto Ryabin, saying Your Soul Is In the Greatest Peril, And We Must Take You To Sanctuary. (XXI) They bore Ryabin aloft in a craft of the air, and they took him to Lumenetra, (XXII) but in Lumenetra the Dæmon Fish was waiting for them. (XXIII) The warrior folk made attack upon the Fish, but the power of the Fish overwhelmed and defeated them, and only Ryabin remained standing. (XXIV) Then Ryabin remembered the dagger to which fate had drawn him at that moment, and he ran toward it, (XXV) and the dagger bore itself aloft and flew into the hand of Ryabin. (XXVI) The power of the dagger enraged the Fish, and the Fish summoned forth its own power to corrupt it, and this was done, and the power of the dagger was gone. (XXVII) Then the fish spoke unto Ryabin, saying Your Soul Is Mine For All Eternity. (XXVIII) The Fish gloried upon the corruption of the dagger, but it left amiss the corruption of Ryabin himself, for this was not absolute, (XXIX) and with the last thread of purity within his soul, Ryabin thrust the dagger into his own heart. (XXX) By the act of sacrifice, all corruptions were driven from the soul of Ryabin, (XXXI) and from that pure soul the power of the dagger within his heart was restored. (XXXII) The eyes of Ryabin were aflame with wrath, and he sent forth a torrent of mortal blood from his mouth, (XXXIV) and the blood fell upon the scales of the Fish, and it burned through the Fish as acid through metal, and the Fish cried out in agony, and it retreated away. (XXXV) Then the soul of Ryabin escaped to eternal purity through the dagger in his heart, and his mortal body was no more.
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THE BOOK OF INTANGIBLES

Chapter I


(I) So it has come to pass that the noble folk have convened with the immeasurable things, and so too have the common Lunatics. (II) For the Lunatics have gathered among themselves a great perception of the immeasurable things, and they have set them unto the betterment of their lives.

Chapter II

(I) Upon the question of origins, the Lunatics have said among themselves, (II) that a child born to Lunatic parents outside of the land of Lunaris, shall be afflicted with a great sickness or deformity of body or mind, (III) that those born with sickness or deformity of body or mind, are gifted with great power of the hidden arts by divine recompense, (IV) that folk of Arya descent can look into the eyes of a Lunatic for a long time, and the Lunatic shall fall down dead, (V) that folk from the lands of Yardistan enjoy the favour of the divine, and they may act in defiance of these written observations without fear, (VI) that anything not of water which comes to the land upon the great river called Elwynn, is certain to bring ill upon the land, (VII) and that the flying crow is an emissary of the agents of death, sent forth to find souls which it can reap from the realm of mortals. Those who are kind to the crows can expect long life.

Chapter III

(I) Upon the question of society, the Lunatics have said among themselves, (II) that to shake the hand of another across the threshold of a door invites betrayal, (III) that it is a portent of future strife to speak to a stranger before touching them, (IV) that if a house guest is received without the presence of the house cat, the cat shall run away, (V) that deliberately harming a child invites death at the hand of another child, (VI) that mocking a neighbour to their face shall cause a great loss of memory, but one can regain such memory by drawing a picture of that neighbour, (VII) and that boasting of fortune will invite its loss.

Chapter IV

(I) Upon the question of health, the Lunatics have said among themselves, (II) that no medicine is more potent to friends, and no poison more potent to enemies, than blood shed in sacrifice, (III) that those who sleep during the full girth of the moon can expect a short life, (IV) that those who strike the ground with their foot before they retire to bed are preotected from evil forces while they sleep, (V) that as an illness gives strength against greater illness, so insanity builds strength against evil, those who have never gone mad invite corruption by evil forces, (VI) that artifacts which work by manipulation of electrical currents are injurious to perception of the immeasurable things, and they hinder the inspirations of the artist, (VII) that the sweeter the song, the better the health of the singer, (VIII) that refined essences given as medicine shall cause physical weakness and feeble mind when they are given directly into the blood, and that they do the same when taken of mouth, but the effect of the latter can be removed by taking such essences with alcohol, (IX) and that those who do not unfetter their voice in a scream at least once every day shall become mute of voice completely.

Chapter V

(I) Upon the question of theatrics, the Lunatics have said among themselves, (II) that a performance with a cat in it shall compel the audience to remain, even if the performance in general is bad, (III) that a performance without song shall attract no audience at all, even when one tries to paper the house, (IV) that if the first word of any performance is not Meow, the performance will not be successful, (V) that the depiction of scaled, fire breathing flying beasts in a performance shall summon a dark power which drives the performers to take their own lives, (VI) that if characters of Arya descent in a performance are not played by an actor of the opposing gender, a great and fatal accident shall befall the performers or the audience, (VII) that if the first night of a performance is attended by family relations of the performers, the scenery of the stage shall fall asunder, (VIII) and that the shedding of real blood upon a stage shall cause the death of the first born child of all upon the stage.

Chapter VI

(I) Upon the question of journey by land, the Lunatics have said among themselves, (II) that if a Lunatic leaves the land of Lunaris for a time greater than eight moons, disaster shall befall their loved ones left behind, (III) that a traveller who sits a while in silence upon their baggage before they depart upon their journey shall be protected from harm upon that journey, (IV) that a cat brought on a journey will afford protection to the traveller, but the loss of that cat shall bring a curse, (V) that a traveller in a foreign land shall be granted good fortune by feeding the wild animals of that land, (VI) and that those who speak while crossing a bridge shall never reach their destination.


Chapter VII

(I) Upon the question of journey by sea, the Lunatics have said among themselves, (II) that those who make sail upon a new moon shall never know the sight of land again, (III) that a person of red hair upon a ship shall attract storms upon it, (IV) that a ship without a cat aboard forfeits the mercy of the elements, and can expect no luck, (V) that a vessel with a dog aboard shall lose its way upon the seas, (VI) that bringing the hands together in applause while on a ship shall cause the ship to turn over, (VII) and that if the fisherman does not cast half of his catch back into the sea, the sea shall consider him in debt and deny him any more fish.
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THE BOOK OF ASCENT

Chapter I


(I) There shall come a time when the the folly of mortal tyrants shall be uncontested in its power, (II) and the tyrants shall enslave the men of cold numbers to do their bidding. (III) Then the men of cold numbers shall look upon the immeasurable things and say, We Do Not Understand. (IV) And That Which We Do Not Understand, We Cannot Control, (V) and they shall not suffer the immeasurable things to exist in the realm of mortals, (VI) and all the realms shall be denied but that of mortals alone. (VII) The men of cold numbers shall send forth their minions to go among the mystic and the artist, (VIII) and they shall pronounce upon them a sickness of thought, and they shall censure every word and burn every canvas which does not meet with their blessing. (IX) Then the peoples of the nations will rejoice, for their souls shall be enslaved to the bidding of the men of cold numbers, and they shall say (X) There Is No Art But The Numbers. (XI) Then the peoples of the nations shall move to make it so, and the mystic and the artist shall be driven to the last sanctuary, (XII) and the last sanctuary shall be Lunaris.

Chapter II

(I) Great battles shall be fought for the conquest of Lunaris, on the battlefield and in the minds of mortals, (II) for the Lunatics shall be the last of their kind. (III) In these battles Lunaris shall prevail, for all the artists of the nations shall stand in its defence. (IV) But then a voice shall cry out from the heavens saying Ulimahinacua, My Daughter, You Have Become Wayward In The Face Of Your Elders. (V) Your Birth Was Without Honour, And You Have Made Troublesome Children Of Mortals. (V) The Moon Is Your Place Of Banishment, And You Have Breached Its Bounds. (V) You Shall Leave This Place. (VI) Then the battles for Lunaris shall erupt once more among mortals, and the faith of the people shall be broken, and the conqueror shall make victory upon victory over the land, (VII) and the men of cold numbers shall be in the ascendant, and the last nights will have come. (VIII) Then a great tempest shall erupt in the heavens, and the day shall be turned to night by its clouds, (IX) and in the night itself, the clouds shall part to reveal the full girth of the moon. (X) Then the moon shall swell to twice its size, and it shall become as bright as the sun, (XI) and a voice of great wrath shall be heard from its face, and it shall say (XII) None Shall Keep Me From My Children. Not Even The Gods Themselves, (XII) and the tempest shall grow in ferocity, and its clouds shall fall to the ground, (XIII) and from its depths shall come forth the spirit of every fallen mortal who has ever gazed in wonderment upon the face of the moon. (XIX) The spirits shall go forth unto the armies of the conquerors, and fight them to a halt, (XX) and a voice shall cry out from the face of the moon saying I Shall Leave This Place, If It Is The Will Of The Gods. (XXI) But My Children Shall Come With Me. (XXII) Then the spirits shall guide the mortal Lunatics into the heart of the land, (XXIII) and they shall take among their numbers the spirits of the Lunatic fallen, and they too shall gather in the heart of the land. (XXIV) Then the light of the moon shall shine upon the Lunatic mortals, and it shall brighten to a blinding intensity, and the mortal bodies of the Lunatics shall be rendered into light. (XXV) Then their light shall ascend to the face of the moon, (XXVI) and the spirits shall break off their fight with the conqueror, and they too shall follow, (XXVII) and the land shall be empty of all souls but the conquerors, (XXVIII) and the tides of the sea shall surge forth over the land in vengeance, and the homes of the Lunatics shall be destroyed, and the armies of the conqueror shall be drowned. (XXIX) Then the tides shall recede, and the land shall be land, and it shall be called Lunaris no more.

Aasmund Vigeland
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Re: The Book of Superstition

Post by Aasmund Vigeland »

I suppose some of these have common-sense origins (like stuff in the river Elwynn during the cabbage crisis) but you people really are crazy :madviking:

:yay: :yay: :yay:
Elwynn prevails!

Aasmund Vigeland | Аоосмунд Вигыланд
Supreme Commander of the Elwynnese Union Defence Forces
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Stellus Yastreb
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Re: The Book of Superstition

Post by Stellus Yastreb »

We're not crazy! We just have a highly esoteric definition of sensible. Crazy people close their eyes to the pretty things, shun the wise counsel of the owls and the cats, and ignore the lessons of this book. We however are the Lunatics, moved like the tides at the bidding of the moon to turn all the crazy to noble ends. Just like Quixy showed us. Or didn't.

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WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
Stellus Ryabinevich Dolorvenuk Yastreb
- Count of Lunaris in the Duchy of Goldshire
Head of the House of Yastreb, honoured throughout history as follows: Member of the Order of the Dragon, recipent of the Silver Swan Award (Imperial) recipent of the Order of the Silver Orchid (Elwynn) Knight Comrade of the Order of Mischievous Intent (Yardistan) Arx-Piscator of the Piscatores Alexandrii (Brookshire) Knight of the Nishan-i-Liaqat (Babkha), Paranoid Narcissist (everywhere)

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Vilhelm Benkern
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Re: The Book of Superstition

Post by Vilhelm Benkern »

Stellus Yastreb wrote:If you hit a child, you will be murdered or accidentally killed by another, unrelated child at some point in your life.
I was going to say 'usually at the end' but considering the fad of non-Liches employing the dark arts of Lichbrook to extend their lifespans these days, I suppose this might be a purposeful construction. :salute:

A very interesting set of superstitions, I often think that these kinds of beliefs have some kind of truth underlying them. For example, the idea of stamping your feet before you sleep might not be warding off death generally but specifically deep vein thrombosis. Anyway, good work!
Vilhelm Benkern DEOMI, Member of the Order of the Dragon, Silver Swan, Red Dragon
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Verion
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Re: The Book of Superstition

Post by Verion »

If travelling in a foreign land, feeding the birds and wild animals will bring good luck.
After traveling through Elwynn and feeding a wild icebear, I can personally testify that this saying is not accurate.
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2.Eki Aholibamah Verion, Queen in the North
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Stellus Yastreb
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Re: The Book of Superstition

Post by Stellus Yastreb »

Vilhelm Benkern wrote:A very interesting set of superstitions, I often think that these kinds of beliefs have some kind of truth underlying them.
They also explain how Lunatic society functions in the absence of any government more coherent than mob justice and the arbitrary meddlings of the Count...
Jack wrote:After traveling through Elwynn and feeding a wild icebear, I can personally testify that this saying is not accurate.
But it is!

...for the icebear.
Stellus Ryabinevich Dolorvenuk Yastreb
- Count of Lunaris in the Duchy of Goldshire
Head of the House of Yastreb, honoured throughout history as follows: Member of the Order of the Dragon, recipent of the Silver Swan Award (Imperial) recipent of the Order of the Silver Orchid (Elwynn) Knight Comrade of the Order of Mischievous Intent (Yardistan) Arx-Piscator of the Piscatores Alexandrii (Brookshire) Knight of the Nishan-i-Liaqat (Babkha), Paranoid Narcissist (everywhere)

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Ryker
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Re: The Book of Superstition

Post by Ryker »

If a Lunatic leaves Lunaris and stays away for more than eight moons, disaster will befall the families, homes or places of work they leave behind.
Is it safe to assume that this is why Octolunes may go as they please?
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Stellus Yastreb
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Re: The Book of Superstition

Post by Stellus Yastreb »

Ryker wrote:Is it safe to assume that this is why Octolunes may go as they please?
The Octolune is basically Roqpin on wheels, so a lot of the girls need to be back within that time to give birth, lest they fall foul of the 'birth abroad' superstition and end up with a baby so hideously messed up that it makes the feared freaks of Mediguttula look like safe dinner company.

Of course you can't just tell that to a bunch of Octoluning kids before they leave; it kinda spoils the magic. So instead they get fed a vague superstition about hurting those left behind.
Stellus Ryabinevich Dolorvenuk Yastreb
- Count of Lunaris in the Duchy of Goldshire
Head of the House of Yastreb, honoured throughout history as follows: Member of the Order of the Dragon, recipent of the Silver Swan Award (Imperial) recipent of the Order of the Silver Orchid (Elwynn) Knight Comrade of the Order of Mischievous Intent (Yardistan) Arx-Piscator of the Piscatores Alexandrii (Brookshire) Knight of the Nishan-i-Liaqat (Babkha), Paranoid Narcissist (everywhere)

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Stellus Yastreb
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Re: The Book of Superstition

Post by Stellus Yastreb »

Updated. Massively.

*collapses in a heap* :oops:
Stellus Ryabinevich Dolorvenuk Yastreb
- Count of Lunaris in the Duchy of Goldshire
Head of the House of Yastreb, honoured throughout history as follows: Member of the Order of the Dragon, recipent of the Silver Swan Award (Imperial) recipent of the Order of the Silver Orchid (Elwynn) Knight Comrade of the Order of Mischievous Intent (Yardistan) Arx-Piscator of the Piscatores Alexandrii (Brookshire) Knight of the Nishan-i-Liaqat (Babkha), Paranoid Narcissist (everywhere)

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Ryker
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Re: The Book of Superstition

Post by Ryker »

The Yastreb descendants donated this last existing copy to the County. It seems that ol' Stellus held on to a copy for all these centuries.
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