Auras of Courage

Latest revision as of 21:35, 13 July 2022

There is no such thing as a courageous plan general, only a foolish one. Only that which bleeds can show Courage. People bleed, a plan does not. You on the other hand? If this plan fails, we will take some satisfaction in seeing the colour of your Courage.

Empress Varkula, the Undying

Overview

An aura is a persistent spiritual effect on a person, location or item. The auras listed here are created by priests dedicated to the virtue of Courage who use the relevant ceremonial skill. A character who is dedicated to Courage must pick one of the following auras when they perform the relevant ceremony. A priest of the Way may also use the Dreams of Courage when they use the dedication ceremony to provide a pilgrim with a visionary dream.

The names used for each aura are simply the most common ones used in the Empire. For example, the Light of Courage is called The Flame of Courage by both Urizen illuminates and Freeborn sutannir, while a League writer might refer to it as The Beacon of Truth. This is especially true with those auras that are named after paragons and exemplars; all these auras would have had different names before the exceptional individual they are named for was recognised by the Synod. The Hallowing of Inga Tarn for example was commonly called the Hallowing of the Warden before her recognition as an Exemplar of Courage (and still is in some parts of Varushka).

Study of these auras helped the founders of the Way to create the Path of Courage. Some lay persons assume that the Imperial Synod created these auras in some fashion to encourage adherence to orthodoxy, but according to theological scholars the situation is the other way around. The auras came first, then the tenets of the Path of Courage.

Anointing

Anointing involves a short ceremony to create a personal aura on a mortal being. Anointing always requires the consent of the subject.

The Light of Courage

You feel empowered to speak out. The more unwelcome the truth is, the more important it is to face it.

Description: Most Priests of Courage stress that the virtue is about much more than just bravery in battle, that Courage has a vital role to play in the Empire not just on the battlefield. The virtuous are encouraged to face unwelcome truths as boldly as any barbarian charge. This aura encourages pilgrims to find the strength to speak out, so that others can find their Courage. It is popular with priests and pilgrims who find the need to make a public address in one of the political houses of the Empire, and especially with those who follow the example of Gilda Ashwine.

The Purity of Courage

Any uncertainty about your chosen path falls away. Fears and doubts - whether your own or those of other people - do not move you.

Description: Fear and doubt are the natural enemies of the pilgrim on the path of Courage. Priests use this aura to help pilgrims strengthen themselves against these forces, and live their lives by the teaching that states "do not fear to act; only be shamed by inaction".

Auras of Courage help people to stand firm in the face of all that would cause them to falter.

Do not fear to act; only be shamed by inaction.

The Proof of Courage

You feel an urge to face the challenge you named when anointed, no matter the dangers. Reasons for inaction or delay increasingly feel like cowardice.

Description: This common aura allows a priest of Courage to gird the pilgrim's soul, helping them find the strength to face a particularly dangerous task. It is popular with priests and pilgrims alike, for it fulfills the common understanding of Courage - the spiritual strength to face danger. Like similar auras for other virtues, some have pointed to the potential abuses of this aura in driving others to act in potentially life-threatening ways, even though it can only ever used with the full consent of the recipient.

The Trial of Courage

You feel an urge to seek new solutions to problems that you have failed to overcome. Where you have failed before, this time you feel sure you can succeed.

Description: Nothing is more dangerous than defeat; failure saps the confidence of any pilgrim, making them doubt themselves and their abilities. This aura helps pilgrims who have experienced a setback, strengthening their resolve to try again. However it is also helpful for pilgrims who have not yet made the attempt but are faced with a challenge that seems insurmountable. An essential part of Courage is the self-confidence to believe that you will be able to find a way to triumph, no matter how difficult or intimidating the task appears.

Consecration

Consecration is the ceremony used to create an aura on a clearly defined location. There is only one aura for each virtue, and all priests create the same one when they use this skill.

The Sticking Place

You have a profound sense of conviction, an urge to do what you believe is right. You feel certain that you can change the world.

Description: This powerful aura of Courage fills those who experience it with a powerful drive to pursue a course of action they believe to be true.It boosts confidence helping those who feel that the obstacles in their path may be insurmountable.

The craven die every day, the brave but once.

Marcher Proverb

Dedication

Dedication is the ceremony used to link a pilgrim's soul to the virtue. It can also be used to create vivid oracular dreams.

Dreams of Courage

The next time you sleep you experience a vivid dream concerning the things you are afraid of. Your dream will often show you confronting these fears, and may force you to face unwelcome truths and self-deception. Sometimes your vision will show you new enemies, forces that seem threatening even through they are not things you have encountered before. Often the dream will include you doing battle with the things you fear or may include elements that inspire you, either symbolically or directly.

Hallow

Hallow is used to create an aura on an item, such as a weapon, implement, shield or suit of armour. It is not possible to use hallow to create an aura on large immobile objects. Hallows do not provide a source of supernatural strength, but are durable and can last for a year (or potentially forever in the case of an artefact hallowed with true liao).

Hallowing of Permion

Your fear of death is greatly diminished. If you are terminal or dying you may roleplay stoic acceptance.

Hallowing of Irontooth

You feel driven to expose cowardice and corruption regardless of consequences.

Hallowing of Inga Tarn

You feel an urge to confront and defeat dangers that threaten the innocent.

Hallowing of Brass

You feel an urge to openly practice your beliefs regardless of consequences.

Hallowing of the Bard

You feel driven to encourage others to act and stop them succumbing to doubt.

The Hallowing of Isaella's Resolve

You feel a urge to do what you know to be right regardless of consequences.

The Hallowing of Ashwine's Rose

You are filled with certainty - attempts to dissuade you are unlikely to succeed.

The Hallowing of the Cataphract

You feel driven to challenge the overcautious and confront those who throw up reasons for the righteous to doubt themselves.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+<quote by="Empress Varkula, the Undying">There is no such thing as a courageous plan general, only a foolish one. Only that which bleeds can show Courage. People bleed, a plan does not. You on the other hand? If this plan fails, we will take some satisfaction in seeing the colour of your Courage.</quote>
 ==Overview==
-These roleplaying effects are created by priests dedicated to the virtue of Courage who use the relevant ceremonial skill. A character performing an anointing or hallow must pick one of the appropriate roleplaying effects when they perform the ceremony.
+An [[aura]] is a persistent spiritual effect on a person, location or item. The auras listed here are created by priests dedicated to the virtue of [[Courage]] who use the relevant ceremonial skill. A character who is [[dedication|dedicated]] to Courage must pick one of the following auras when they perform the relevant ceremony. A priest of the Way may also use the [[#Dreams of Courage|Dreams of Courage]] when they use the dedication ceremony to provide a pilgrim with a visionary [[dedication#Dreams|dream]].
+The names used for each aura are simply the most common ones used in the Empire. For example, the [[#The Light of Courage|Light of Courage]] is called ''The Flame of Courage'' by both [[Urizen]] [[Illuminate|illuminates]] and [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] [[sutannir]], while a [[the League|League]] writer might refer to it as ''The Beacon of Truth''. This is especially true with those auras that are named after paragons and exemplars; all these auras would have had different names before the exceptional individual they are named for was recognised by the Synod.  The [[#Hallowing of Inga Tarn|Hallowing of Inga Tarn]] for example was commonly called the ''Hallowing of the Warden'' before her recognition as an Exemplar of Courage (and still is in some parts of [[Varushka]]).
-==Consecration of Courage==
+Study of these auras helped the founders of the Way to create the Path of Courage. Some lay persons assume that the [[Imperial Synod]] created these auras in some fashion to encourage adherence to orthodoxy, but according to theological scholars the situation is the other way around. The auras came first, then the tenets of the Path of Courage.
-'''Effect:''' ''In this place, your doubts and uncertainties feel weaker and unimportant; you feel an impulse to speak and act without concern for consequence.''
+==Anointing==
+[[Anointing]] involves a short ceremony to create a [[Aura#Personal_Aura|personal aura]] on a mortal being. Anointing always requires the  consent of the subject.
-==Anointings of Courage==
+===The Light of Courage===
-The following are a range of auras that can be summoned onto a living soul, with their consent, by priests whose own souls are dedicated to Courage:
+* ''You feel empowered to speak out. The more unwelcome the truth is, the more important it is to face it.''
-===The Trial of Courage===
+'''Description:''' Most Priests of Courage stress that the virtue is about much more than just bravery in battle, that Courage has a vital role to play in the Empire not just on the battlefield. The virtuous are encouraged to face unwelcome truths as boldly as any barbarian charge. This aura encourages pilgrims to find the strength to speak out, so that others can find their Courage. It is popular with priests and pilgrims who find the need to make a public address in one of the political houses of the Empire, and especially with those who follow the example of [[Gilda Ashwine]].
-'''Effect:''' ''You feel an urge to seek out something of which you are afraid and to confront it; your feelings about the thing you fear are unchanged.''
-'''Description:''' This aura is common, and reasonably popular, for a range of different reasons. Priests of courage have been known to use it to illustrate the path of courage to pilgrims or other citizens, and show them that courage is more than words. Other priests have used this to help test the virtue of those who would, or claim to, walk the path and help them overcome their own weaknesses. In more than one tale, this aura - or something like - is used to teach humility to the boastful, such as the mighty warrior who claims no fear in battle, but who balks at reading their poetry to strangers.
+===The Purity of Courage===
+* ''Any uncertainty about your chosen path falls away. Fears and doubts - whether your own or those of other people - do not move you.''
+'''Description:''' Fear and doubt are the natural enemies of the pilgrim on the path of Courage. Priests use this aura to help pilgrims strengthen themselves against these forces, and live their lives by the teaching that states "do not fear to act; only be shamed by inaction".
+{{CaptionedImage|file=CourageousAsher.jpg |title=Auras of Courage help people to stand firm in the face of all that would cause them to falter.|caption=Do not fear to act; only be shamed by inaction.|align=right|width=400}}
 ===The Proof of Courage===
-'''Effect:''' ''You are filled with a desire to prove your courage, and are far less inclined to back down from a confrontation. You also feel more inclined to take opportunities that present themselves.''
+* ''You feel an urge to face the challenge you named when anointed, no matter the dangers. Reasons for inaction or delay increasingly feel like cowardice.''
-'''Description:''' Priests of courage have been able to use this aura to shore up the hearts of those who are about to enter into conflict and have doubts, whether this is a battlefield full of orcs or a Senator about to clash with others on the senate floor. Pilgrims who are plagued with indecision have also found this aura beneficial in making a courageous choice. This aura is popular in overcoming the presents of malign spiritual presences, and especially those that cause fear and doubt.
+'''Description:''' This common aura allows a priest of Courage to gird the pilgrim's soul, helping them find the strength to face a particularly dangerous task. It is popular with priests and pilgrims alike, for it fulfills the common understanding of Courage - the spiritual strength to face danger. Like similar auras for other virtues, some have pointed to the potential abuses of this aura in driving others to act in potentially life-threatening ways, even though it can only ever used with the full consent of the recipient.
-===The Purity of Courage===
+===The Trial of Courage===
-'''Effect:''' ''You feel a sense of surety. Any fears you have about the consequences of your actions are muted. Attempts to make you doubt what you know to be true cause you to feel irritation and annoyance.''
+* ''You feel an urge to seek new solutions to problems that you have failed to overcome. Where you have failed before, this time you feel sure you can succeed.''
-'''Description:''' Fear and doubt are the natural enemies of the pilgrim on the path of courage. Priests of courage have used this aura to help pilgrims strengthen themselves against these forces, and live their lives by the teaching that states "do not fear to act; only be shamed by inaction".
+'''Description:''' Nothing is more dangerous than defeat; failure saps the confidence of any pilgrim, making them doubt themselves and their abilities. This aura helps pilgrims who have experienced a setback, strengthening their resolve to try again. However it is also helpful for pilgrims who have not yet made the attempt but are faced with a challenge that seems insurmountable. An essential part of Courage is the self-confidence to believe that you will be able to find a way to triumph, no matter how difficult or intimidating the task appears.
+==Consecration==
+[[Consecration]] is the ceremony used to create an [[Aura#Location_Aura|aura on a clearly defined location]]. There is only one aura for each virtue, and all priests create the same one when they use this skill.
-===The Light of Courage===
+===The Sticking Place===
-'''Effect:''' ''Any fear and uncertainty you feel about the unknown diminishes, and you feel more able to face it. If you are bleeding, or terminal, any fear of death you have is lessened, and a strong sense of curiousity about what lies beyond life rises in its place.''
+* ''You have a profound sense of conviction, an urge to do what you believe is right. You feel certain that you can change the world.''
-'''Description:''' Many priests of the path of courage know that much of fear's power is rooted in the unknown, such as what may lie in the shadows and darkness even if they be empty. Priests have been able to use this aura to help pilgrims confront and explore these unknowns and thus diminish their power. This has not been a popular use of this aura in Varushka, where it has resulted in the unfortunate disappearance of pilgrims. A widespread unknown that causes fear is of what lies beyond death. Even the virtuous pilgrim may falter at being confronted with the mysteries of the Labyrinth of Ages and doubts about their own reincarnation, and so this aura has found a place for some in receipt of last rites as they are dead or dying.
+'''Description:''' This powerful aura of Courage fills those who experience it with a powerful drive to pursue a course of action they believe to be true.It boosts confidence helping those who feel that the obstacles in their path may be insurmountable.
+<div style="float:right;"><quote by="Marcher Proverb">The craven die every day, the brave but once.</quote></div>
+==Dedication==
+[[Dedication]] is the ceremony used to link a pilgrim's soul to the virtue. It can also be used to create vivid oracular dreams.
-===The Revelation of Courage===
+===Dreams of Courage===
-'''Effect:''' ''The next time you sleep you experience vivid dreams concerning the things you are afraid of, forcing you to confront unwelcome truths and self-deception. Your dreams show you facing and conquering these fear, and reveal how your fear merely gives power to your doubts. You awaken renewed, ready to overcome the things you fear and with a new sense of purpose. ''
+* ''The next time you sleep you experience a vivid dream concerning the things you are afraid of. Your dream will often show you confronting these fears, and may force you to face unwelcome truths and self-deception. Sometimes your vision will show you new enemies, forces that seem threatening even through they are not things you have encountered before. Often the dream will include you doing battle with the things you fear or may include elements that inspire you, either symbolically or directly.''
-'''Description:''' It is easy to assume that the things one fears cannot be overcome. Worry leads to self-doubt, inner turmoil, inaction and cowardice. Priests on the path of courage know the power of helping a pilgrim face the things they fear, and learn the truth that no matter how insurmountable something may seem, the first step to overcoming it is to cast aside fear and doubt. Some priests also favour the use of this aura in assisting those who are plagued by nightmares to strengthen themselves against these, and overcome them.
+==Hallow==
+[[Hallow]] is used to create an [[Aura#Item_Aura|aura on an item]], such as a weapon, implement, shield or suit of armour. It is not possible to use hallow to create an aura on large immobile objects. Hallows do not provide a source of supernatural strength, but are durable and can last for a year (or potentially forever in the case of an artefact hallowed with [[liao#true liao|true liao]]).
-==Hallows of Courage==
+===Hallowing of Permion===
+* ''Your '''fear of death is greatly diminished'''. If you are terminal or dying you may roleplay stoic acceptance.''
 ===Hallowing of Irontooth===
-'''Effect:''' ''You feel an urge to seek out, expose and penalise cowardice and weakness. This impulse includes the desire to use this item in doing so, if it would be appropriate.''
+* ''You feel driven to '''expose cowardice and corruption''' regardless of consequences.''
+===Hallowing of Inga Tarn===
-===Hallowing of Permion===
+* ''You feel an urge to '''confront and defeat dangers''' that threaten the innocent.''
-'''Effect:''' ''You feel an urge to seize any opportunity that presents itself. Conscious failure to seize any such opportunity causes the feeling to change to one of revulsion and rejection, which flows from the item to you, for as long as you are bonded to it.''
+===Hallowing of Brass===
+* ''You feel an urge to '''openly practice your beliefs''' regardless of consequences.''
-===Hallowing of the Scrivener===
+===Hallowing of the Bard===
-'''Effect:''' ''You feel an urge to ensure that the words you write be the raw truth from your heart. The idea of using mealy-mouthed ‘weasel words’ is repellent to you. If you knowingly deceive whilst under this effect, the feeling changes to one of revulsion and rejection that flows from the item to you for as long as you are bonded to it.''
+* ''You feel driven to '''encourage others to act''' and stop them succumbing to doubt.''
-===Hallowing of the Bull===
-'''Effect:''' ''You feel a desire to keep up the spirits and resolve of those around you to avoid them succumbing to weakness and doubt. This includes a desire to use this item in achieving this outcome, if it would be appropriate to do so.''
 ===The Hallowing of Isaella's Resolve===
-'''Effect:''' ''You feel a strong urge to disregard any possible consequences that may arise from taking any action you feel in your heart to be right. This includes an impulse to use this item in taking that action, if it is appropriate to do so.''
+* ''You feel a urge to '''do what you know to be right''' regardless of consequences.''
 ===The Hallowing of Ashwine's Rose===
-'''Effect:''' ''You find it almost impossible to doubt what you believe in your heart to be true. Attempts to dissuade you without compelling evidence are far less likely to succeed.''
+* ''You are '''filled with certainty''' - attempts to dissuade you are unlikely to succeed.''
+===The Hallowing of the Cataphract===
+* ''You feel driven to '''challenge the overcautious''' and confront those who throw up reasons for the righteous to doubt themselves.''
-[[Category:Religion]]
+{{Auras further reading}}
+[[Category:Religion]] [[Category:Ceremonies]]