"The Trinity" ((Inuyoko Mass #13))
Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining me this sun. My name is Inuyoko T’Alveni. I am a Cleric of this shrine, and a member of its clergy since deoch 53. Today, I’d like to have a more straightforward Mass that discusses our Trinity. I want to touch on this because we have had another small wave of young Aislings, and it is one of the most often-questioned matters by newer sparks interested in our faith, and even sometimes by those who’ve called Temuair a home for many moons. For such a prominent group of gods, the exact nature of our relationships are often elusive to some. First, though, let’s talk about our places in this world. In some ways, I would argue ours is the most represented Trinity in all of Temuair, that of Deoch, Glioca, and Sgrios. But why?
Glioca, it is obvious why. The daughter of Danaan is worshipped at the Way of Mileth Village, where all Aislings tend to be sparked. This guarantees that everyone by way of egress or return will pass by, and be welcomed with open arms by those who extoll Her love and compassion. Indeed, beyond mere location, it is clear why these virtues are so enticing to fresh sparks. A gentle, guiding hand. The promise of healing when touched by the yet-unfamiliar hand of Sgrios. A quick and safe return to what must so often be felt to be the cradle of Temuairian civilization. Gliocans can and do deliver on these promises, and they know that their kindness is their greatest strength.
As for Sgrios, it is a bit less obvious. For some, it may be the temptation of the unfamiliar. The allure of the mysterious. Nestled away in a place where few sparks would happen upon without guidance, the Shrine of Sgrios feels like a place of legends. Not just the shrine itself, but the stories. The whisperings…I’ve heard young folks speak in hushed whispers about sacrifice, and murder, and blood pacts. About an obsession with evil, or the worship of Chadul. The extent to which these things are true or not is irrelevant to my point, which is that to someone experiencing this world with new eyes, with the clarity of the spark, these stories are equal parts terrifying and tantalizing. But once one finds their way there, regardless of what they’ve heard, they are met by a group of people whose collective dedication to Temuair, to Aislinghood, to faith, to knowledge, and to each other, is difficult to match, and always has been.
And what of us? The Deochans? Well, it’s sort of a mixture of the two, and also something entirely different. We are often not the first faith that new sparks are exposed to, secluded as we are in the mountains, far from the mainland. Deoch does not whisper to us to come to Him as we are sparked. Why would he? His goal in the creation of the spark was not to call all to His worship, but to give us a new vision. Autonomy. Freedom. But once learning about His gift, many are drawn here. We do not bog ourselves down with dogma, rules and protocols, and prescriptivism. We ask folks to look around them and inside of them, and find what drives them. Art, music, service, craftsmanship, philosophy – it does not matter. We do not judge our fellow Aislings for falling short, or giving into despair or even malevolence. We say to you, look at the gods themselves! They are not expected to be perfect beings, and neither are you. Like Deoch Himself, we only ask that you are reflective, and that you do your best to be a preserver of that most important force in our world, the spark.
So there we have the faith that perhaps touches the most people. The faith that has one of the fiercest and most loyal communities in the lands. And the faith that encompasses and celebrates the vastness of the Aisling spirit.
That explains a bit about why our Trinity is so strong, but why is this our Trinity in the first place? That is the matter that many young sparks seem confused about. And this is perfectly understandable. Even amongst our own, there are different ideas about why we are allied, and some misunderstandings.
First of all, we know that Deoch served Chadul for much of the Shadows War. Chadul, the ultimate entity of darkness. As Brother Kedian Ta’Null might say, the bringer of the ultimate ordered dominion. Why would Glioca be allied with someone who fought on the side of darkness? Well, of course we know the rest of the story. Deoch falls in love with Glioca’s mother Danaan and finishes her work. In some ways, he kept one of the final pieces of her alive in us. Beyond that, though, the Deoch we know – the betrayer of Chadul – is an example of redemption, and rehabilitation. The Gliocans place a lot of value on compassion. And sometimes, compassion means forgiveness, and allowing us to move on.
As an aside, this is not to say we mean blanket forgiveness. The more damaging the actions we take, the greater the work required to make it right. One could argue Deoch’s relative seclusion is due in part to His understanding of this. When you see those amongst you here in Temuair who seek to diminish or even destroy the Aisling spark, and to besmirch your comrades through hate without remorse, it is as much an act of compassion as any other to reject them and stand in resistance to their actions.
Anyways, please pardon the tangent. The point is that we are united with Glioca in the strength and the preservation of the spark. Where we encourage our siblings to find the passions that nourish theirs, and help others to do the same, Gliocans are engaged in the work of protecting it. To engage in such acts is to take on the world itself, its struggles, its uncertainty, with a resolve that meets the challenge where it is at. And lastly, before anyone asks: No, I don’t believe that Deoch is Glioca’s father (Yes, I have been asked before).
So, what about Sgrios? Well, all of the stories and rumors that I mentioned earlier come into play here, as often folks are most curious about this allyship. But ours is a relationship that makes more sense than it may seem like on the surface. Deoch and Sgrios are both described as Dubhaim gods because of their connection with Chadul, however I don’t believe this is the best way to understand. Much like with Glioca, our relationship is not defined through Chadul. Think about the cycle: We begin with the spark of life, and end with the release of death, reviving it for new life to rise again. We represent the beginning and the end of that cycle, and each side of it begets the other. They are two sides of the same coin. Another aspect of our relationship is the way that death confirms life in a philosophical sense. Without an end, life is arguably less meaningful, if not meaningless. Beyond that, let us not forget the stories of what happened when Chadul gained strength in our lands, and souls were forced into his underworld. Tortured screams and anguish so loud it seeped through the veil to the ears of we denizens of the grey realm itself. But now, souls are able to carry on and return to us. There is no such torture in Sgrios’ touch. Indeed, Sgrios is not a betrayer of the Aisling spark, but yet another protector of it, just like Glioca.
Part of what makes the spark so special is that it is dynamic. We are not only able to see the world at deeper levels than our Mundane brethren, but we are able to have a greater impact upon it. We are the instigators of energy and momentum in our universe, one of its greatest sources of creativity and creation. Perhaps we are even a core part of Danaan’s plan to preserve our world and keep it alive. I believe this is why our Trinity is strong, and why we should keep it so. Looking out at each of your faces this and every double-moon, I see enormous potential to do just that.
May Deoch’s flame keep your spark burning bright.
Mass is cast.
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