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| The Brotherhood of the Esphigmenou; (post Dominion) | |
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| Topic Started: Jul 25 2009, 12:21 AM (164 Views) | |
| Noriega | Jul 25 2009, 12:21 AM Post #1 |
Resident Hobbit
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Esphigmenou Monastery Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain Athos Chaldice, Greece, Basileia tôn Romaiôn Spoiler: click to toggle Even in the monastic state of Mt. Athos, home to twenty self-governing monasteries and independent of the temporal laws of the provincial government in order to better conform to the Ecumenical Law of the Patriarch, the Esphigmenou Monastery was considered to be old-fashioned, if only by some. It was by far the largest monastery on the peninsula, and one of the oldest. It dated to the Fifth Century, and enjoyed a rich heritage and monastic tradition. It had seen one of its own, Patriarch Anthimus VI of Constantinople, on the Ecumenical Throne. But the glory days of Esphigmenou were long gone. The monks looked out in horror at much of the world. After the terrors of the Dominion War, the Brotherhood of the Esphigmenou had had enough. The truth is, they were zealots, and always had been. But to themselves, they were the soldiers of God, the true soul of Orthodoxy. They would sooner die than leave the world as it was. Abbot George flowed down the east portico, cold and harsh as the north wind. He was livid, but as always, his demeanor was the eye of the storm of his rage, no trace of emotion showing past the zen-like exterior. He and his brothers were all angry. They had been angry. And they had had enough. For too long, heretics and atheists and madmen had controlled the fate of the Christian community. The monks hadn't been present for any of it, but they had seen. With the scars of Catholic European occupation still fresh, Abbot George and his Order of the Esphigmenou were ready to act. He burst into the Chapel of St. Anthony of Kiev, one of the Monastery's 13 chapels. Some monks had gathered here for afternoon prayer. Abbot George gripped his large golden cross hard with his left hand, as if it were a crutch for his soul. His Brothers looked up from their silent devotion, surprised to see him standing there. His spell of calm broke. "Brothers! For too long we have suffered at the hands of infidels and atheists! For too long, we have been subjects to the agents of evil all over the world. Even now, with an Emperor in Constantinople once more, we are not free. The world is in a constant state of war, and innocents die every day. The heathens and heretics grow and spread to all corners of the world, subverting the faithful and making war on one another and on the Empire. In this day and age, with the large-scale proliferation of nuclear weapons, the end of the world is imminent should no one act. The Christ, when he returns, will find nothing of this world but ash if these wars drag on. We can wait no longer. We can sit by no longer. The Order must act to bring all of the world under the banner of Constantinople, and all the hearts and souls of the world to the Lord, through the Holy Patriarchate. Only then can there be peace. We must destroy this world, in order to make it anew. " The Brothers were shocked. They, too, were zealots. The name Esphigmenou means "tightened", which Emperor John II Komnenos explained in his book "Proskynetarion tou Agiou Orous tou Athonos" referred to the tightly-held faith of the order. They were stoics and real men of faith, totally committed to the Patriarch and to Christ. But they had never heard of anything like this before. Men of the cloth were not to take the lives of other men. But surely, the Abbot was referring to just such crimes. How could monks, even the Esphigmenou, carry out such a task? But such was their faith that they were willing to do anything for the Abbot, who was their spiritual guide. Anything he said, they were willing to do. So when he spoke again, they listened with rapt attention. "From this day forward, the Brotherhood of the Esphigmenou is a military order. We will, in our right hands, bear the sword of wrath upon the leaders of the unfaithful. And in our left hand, we shall bear the Book of forgiveness, that is the Divine Word. With the sword we shall cleanse these lands, and with the book we shall redeem it. We shall spread, to all corners of the world, and make known our mission. We will be modern-day apostles, traveling to all ends of the Earth. But we shall bear the Holy Vengeance of God. Divine Retribution will be our strength, and all on this Earth will know our Good News and take heart." At this, even the loyal Esphigmenou were forced to speak out. What was this madness? Or was it madness? For all of them wanted to believe in their heart that it could be done. Still, a young Brother addressed Abbot George. "But how can so few defeat so many, convert so many more? How can we, simple men of the cloth, do so much?" Abbot George smiled. He indulged the questioning of his Brothers. For how else would they learn? Christ himself taught the apostles in this way. "We are some hundreds, and the apostles were only twelve. How did they convert the Gentiles? How did they spread the News of the Lord to Rome itself? Nothing is impossible to the Lord, my Brothers. Nothing is impossible to God. This is our mission. And if He is willing, we must succeed." At this the Brothers could not argue. If this was their calling, then they would follow it, as the Apostles followed. Their precedent had been set. They would accomplish their mission. As one, they chanted. "We shall follow." Abbot George was pleased. The Divine Mission would begin here. He roared out, so that all in the Chapel were nearly deafened by his voice. "Then come, my brothers! Orthodoxy or Death!" |
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| Noriega | Jul 31 2009, 08:45 PM Post #2 |
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Resident Hobbit
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St. Catherine's Monastery Alexanderhaven, Royal Kasnyia A terse rapping on the heavy wooden door broke the silence of the monastery's stone entryway. A young novice hurried to the door, adjusting his skoufos to look more proper as he made his way to the imposing portal. He was surprised: even though the monastery was in the city, they received very few callers. They were a cloistered order, and rarely made contact with the outside world. As the novice pulled aside the heavy door, he was again surprised to see the man standing outside was wearing the exorasson of a Greek monk. The newcomer was tall and imposing, with a large black beard covering his thin lips and cold, almond-shaped eyes. He was showing the wear-and-tear of a long journey. "Brother, I have come to Alexanderhaven seeking your Patriarch. He instructed me to stay here while I am in the city. He will be coming to call on me shortly. I believe your order was forewarned of my arrival?" The novice nodded, remembering what his abbot had instructed him of this man. "Indeed. You must be Brother Aetos..." |
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| Kasnyia | Jul 31 2009, 09:56 PM Post #3 |
Chairman of the Bank
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Patriarch Michael II was an old man. In the last quarter century of war, he had aged a great deal from his days as the fiery young cleric. But his vision of a strong and universal world under the auspices of the true teaches of Christ had remained undiminished. And so, upon hearing of the new order of Monks sent to carry out these same views, he decided he should meet them and understand them and then ultimately support them in their quest. As soon as Brother Aetos arrived in the room and kissed the Patriarch's hand, Michael stood him up, "I have been waiting for you, my son." OOC- Knock yourself out Nor. |
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| Noriega | Aug 18 2009, 08:01 PM Post #4 |
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Resident Hobbit
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The wan yellow light in the stone-clad room flickered with the white tallow candles that burned fitfully, encased among the saints. Brother Aetos was a young man. His long, full beard was a deep black, with not a hint of gray. His broad, sunburned face was bordered by curly hair the color of jet. The face itself was angular, almost hawkish, and his wood-brown eyes belied the fire within his soul He was only twenty-nine, but had already received the analavos of the Megaloschemos. He had proven himself again and again; his devotion, zeal, passion, and piety could not be questioned on Mount Athos, on pain of death. He was perhaps the most fanatic of all the fanatics called Esphigmenou. That was why he was chosen for this mission. Upon standing after kissing Michael's hand, he towered over the Patriarch. So he dropped down once more to his knees and began a fiery sermon, his eyes diverted heavenward. "Father, I bring news from the Holy Mountain. And it is all bad. We have been liberated, at long last, from the Franks. The forces of the Emperor even now march north, freeing are great land from the westerners and the barbarians. But may He who is Allmighty strike me blind if the Holy Church is not collapsing. For centuries, our faith has been declining. Constantinople was pillaged. Kasnyia has long since fallen. Russia is besieged. Ulgania is in ruins. Even now, as the Empire ascends once more, the blood of the faithful drips from the blades of a million bayonets, bathes the bullets from a million rifles, and overflows from the depths of a million shell-holes. Our blood has been spilled everywhere, on every shore, it is remembered in the ground of every land and in the waters of every sea. We are the bloodied shepherds of a felled flock. The One who guides us said that we must turn the other cheek to our enemies. And so we have done, diligently, for generations. But man is not God. If every sin we commit upon this earth his as a wound unto Him, then the anguish He endures for us knows no human interpretation, and He still loves us. But we, Father, are not Him. We cannot always sit idly by. Perhaps it is a sin to harm our fellow men. But if peace cannot evangelize, then we sin also by our sloth. It is our place to sin, and the Lord's place to forgive. Can we forgive all who have done us so much wrong? Can we forgive the Catholics for the rape of Constantinople? Can we forgive the Muslims for their perversion of Christ's teachings? Can we forgive the Atheists for centuries of blasphemy against God? Can we forgive any of them for our suffering at their hands? God can. We cannot. Therefore, Father, we must act. Across the world men gather arms, and take them up for Evil's work. There are a billion sowers sowing generations' worth of anguish for our people and for all people. As we speak, bombs are falling. Men are dying, disciples of Christ just as righteous and you and I die every day, every minute. Can we not meet this challenge? Can we call ourselves shepherds if we let our flock wither and die? Perhaps I am damned if I take up a gun to protect Christ's faithful. But gladly will I damn myself a thousand times to bring a thousand more to Jesus the Lord. Is that not a fair trade? The Lord brought upon himself all the suffering of the world, and battled Death himself. What sacrifice can we ever make to equal His? I will sacrifice my place at His table. I will embrace death knowing that men must sit on His floor for want of chairs. All people of this world can be saved, and some are willing to pay this price to see that it is done. To protect and nurture the flock, I will submit my own blood. What less can any of us offer them? In this world, truth comes down the barrel of a gun. We must be holding that gun. Already, Father, my Brothers and I are preparing this mission. We have prepared ourselves to die for the world, as He did. Atop the Holy Mountain we have gathered the bloody instruments of our imminent demise. We are ready to sally forth into the world, to cleanse it with the tears of our souls. But we alone are not enough. I have come here to Alexanderhaven to ask for your help. Can you help us to find more like ourselves for this quest? And can you bless us, that we may be successful in our sacrifice? We ask you, noble Father, to be our patron. I prostrate myself now to you, at your mercy. I pray that you may see fit to grant me my chance to sacrifice myself for you and for all Faithful. We need only your help and blessing..." With that he kissed the floor at the patriarch's feet and waited. |
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| Kasnyia | Aug 18 2009, 08:59 PM Post #5 |
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Chairman of the Bank
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"Child, the Church shall find all you require for your most holy and grand quest for God, and I shall be humbled to be chosen by the Lord to bless this great endeavor and I do so with happiness. May you be successful in your endeavors and may Alexanderhaven do the Lord's bidding and watch over you." |
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