Ruth's Tomb and Virtue
Overview
During the Spring Equinox 384YE, the Lepidean Librarian Jared of the Suns of Couros instructed the Heirs of Lepidus "to research the life and example of Sister Ruth of the Seven Stars in order to determine her virtue." The work took slightly longer than expected - Ruth has been a controversial figure for some time and the truth of her inspirational nature has long been shrouded in mystery. Thanks to a fortunate confluence of events, Sister Miriam of the Heirs of Lepidus uncovered new evidence that cast a fresh light on her recognition. Once the documents had dried out.
What follows is the body of Sister Miriam's report to the Librarian, which she had given the altogether longer title of "Being a report on certain roofing materials found to have been used in the region of Fishguard near the Necropolis, and the virtuous information therein found."
Tomb and Virtue
Introduction
Much and more has been written on the life of Ruth of the Seven Stars; little and less is known about the example she set to others. Here are the facts as understood by Imperial historians, repeated here for the convenience of the reader:
- In life, Ruth was motivated primarily by her loyalty to the idea of the Revelation, to the dream of the virtuous life, and to the future of the Highborn people.
- After her death, the Virtuous Assembly of the Highborn recognised her as a paragon of Loyalty.
- In 82YE, the Loyalty Assembly raised a judgment recognising Ruth as an exemplar of Loyalty, citing the following signs:
- Ruth worked to minimize the damage done by the Highborn civil war and the transition to a more virtuous nation, demonstrating her Benevolence.
- She Inspired people to embrace the Revelation, but she also inspired them to commit themselves heart-and-soul to their cause.
- Her actions both during and after the civil war brought Salvation to many.
- Her quill, which she used both to send vital intelligence to her allies and agents and to record her thoughts on the need for loyalty, is considered to be a Legacy.
All of this, and all the historical understanding of Ruth that is presently available to Imperial scholars, was previously made available by the Heirs of Lepidus; as such, initially, being tasked to re-investigate the matter was troubling. It was a significant risk that there would be nothing to report.
A Fortuitous Find
However, Wisdom teaches us that we should find the right question. Having exhausted all that conventional archives and records had to teach us, we needed to find new places to focus our attention. As stated, an old judgment of the Loyalty Assembly had previously been discovered, with no record of whether or not it had been upheld. Unfortunately, it was one of a kind, with no other records present – and indeed, that very judgment miscategorised as if it had never truly been properly filed at all. A chance act of virtue gave us the insight we needed. While staying in the small Fishguard chapterhouse in which the record had been discovered, one of our researchers offered to help them fix their roof, destroyed in the recent storms, as a prosperous exchange for their hospitality and assistance. There, they made a remarkable discovery.
Lining the slate of that roof was a number of old paper sheets – not uncommon as a replacement for conventional forms of insulation, especially when short on resources. Much and more of these sheets of paper were too degraded to read, and contained no information of interest. Some, however, looked distinctly like Synod judgement sheets; and on one of them, the words “Empress Teleri” could be made out, dating them to that two-decade period.
After some inquiries, it was discovered that the roof had been installed in 199YE, in the wake of the storm that also destroyed the Barrabine Fleet. At that time, large amounts of scrap paper had been purchased by the Imperial Senate as part of the reconstruction efforts across the Bay spearheaded by the new Emperor in the wake of his predecessor’s death and the great storm. (While that Emperor – Nicovar – would later die in infamy – it is less noted now that in his early days he lived in virtue).
These papers had been sourced from across the Empire as part of the reconstruction effort; importantly, they had not been burned when the libraries burned. This means that across the Bay of Catazar, it is possible that the roofs of many buildings across the Bar could potentially contain documents unknown to scholars after the Imperial Madness. We leave future action pertaining to that fact in the hands of those to whom we lay this report: but we want to emphasise the intense difficulty and great fortune at our detailed findings here. This represents the very maximum of what could be possible.
In particular to the matter at hand, we were successful at finding, over the course of months of work searching old roofs in the area and painstaking reconstruction of extremely damaged papers, a number of judgment sheets and civil service documents regarding Ruth which shed a disturbing light on the events of 82 and 83 YE.
Documents
Firstly, a second copy of the Recognition cited above and raised in the Loyalty assembly was found – this one written on and stamped with the civil service mark, and clearly labeled "upheld with a greater majority 116-104". Therefore, the first finding of the Heirs of Lepidus is that Ruth was recognised as an Exemplar of Loyalty by the Assembly of Loyalty in 82YE, but it was a narrow victory. The author is given as “Potiphrax of the Spire of Knowing”. This was dated to Autumn 82YE. To understand the full context of this, we must look at earlier judgements, however. Thus we continue.
Secondly, a statement of principle in the Highborn assembly was found that reads: "While only one virtue’s path can be used to escape the Labyrinth, many Paragons will be virtuous souls in general, and can serve as exemplars of any and all True Virtue. This assembly believes that Ruth, widely understood as a Paragon of Loyalty by the people of Highguard, was also an Exemplar of Courage." This statement of principle was also stamped “rejected”, but its margin was “17-305”. It was raised by someone called "Leah of the Seven Stars”. This was dated to Spring 82YE.
Thirdly, a judgement of inquisition, also raised in the Highborn Assembly and passing by an identical margin, names “Leah of the Seven Stars” as “a possible perpetrator of the Unitarian Heresy” and calls her urgently to inquisition at the following summit. This was also dated to Spring 82YE.
Fourthly, a judgement of Recognition, raised in the Courage Assembly, names Ruth as an Exemplar of Courage. In so doing it cites:
- Her Benevolence, as above;
- Her Inspiration that people should face the unwelcome truths of the rot of corruption in patrician society;
- Her Miracle in “giving rise to the power of the Amulet of Truth”. It should be noted that no such amulet has ever been linked with Ruth.1
- Her Salvation, as above.
This was noted as having “upheld with a greater majority unanimously with primacy”, in Summer 82YE. As such, it is the second finding of the Heirs of Lepidus that Ruth was recognised as an Exemplar of Courage by the Assembly of Courage in 82YE. This judgement was also raised by Leah of the Seven Stars.
Fifthly, a statement of principle in the General Assembly was raised stating “Ruth of the Seven Stars was an unrepentant murderer who deserves no recognition by the Imperial Synod”. On this motion is written “not upheld 424-1278”.
Fifthly, and most importantly, two judgements of recognition raised in the General Assembly in Autumn 82YE were found. Both were automatically raised on account of the previously upheld judgements in the Loyalty and Courage assemblies. The judgement recognising Ruth as an Exemplar of Loyalty was recorded as “not upheld 718-1055”. The judgement recognising Ruth as an Exemplar of Courage was recorded as “upheld 718-704”. Therefore, it is the third finding of the Heirs of Lepidus that Ruth of the Seven Stars was recognised as an Exemplar of Courage, and not of Loyalty, in 82YE.
Sixthly, there is a statement of principle of the Assembly of the Nine stating that “the Assembly of Nine rejects the views expressed by Leah of the Seven Stars and will work to deny through every means and channel her heretical project all true liao, so that her Tomb to Ruth, rightfully an Exemplar of Loyalty, will not lead astray those of the True Way from the rightful path'”. This was upheld with primacy 8-0, again in Autumn 82YE. We have checked the name "Leah of the Seven Stars' against incomplete records held by the Custodes Claves, which suggest that an individual of that name was given license to construct a tomb for an exemplar – name and virtue lost from records – in Sybela in the territory of Bastion in Winter 82YE.
Seventh, there is a statement of principle in the General Assembly. This statement reads as follows: “While Leah of the Seven Stars was certainly a controversial figure, her murder by person or persons unknown was an unvirtuous act of cowardice. The perpetrators will face the full consequences of Imperial Law.” This statement “upheld 1380-302” in Spring 83YE.
Eighthly, there is a judgement of recognition in the Courage Assembly. This statement recognises Leah of the Seven Stars as an exemplar of Courage, citing:
- The Miracle of the Amulet of Truth. Again, no details given.
- The Inspiration she gave to her followers throughout her life.
- The Pilgrimage she undertook to the Necropolis and to Sybela to personally inter the remains of Ruth, Exemplar of Courage
- The Salvation she demonstrated in preaching to the Lost Winds on the matter of the Clementine Pass. No such location or group is known today, but presumably it was known to her contemporaries.
This Judgement was “upheld with a greater majority, 83-10” in Spring 83YE.
Ninth, there is the automatically raised Judgement of Recognition in the General Assembly resulting from the former. This appears to have been definitively “not upheld 124-1200” in Spring 83YE. So it is the fourth finding of the Heirs of Lepidus that Leah of the Seven Stars is not an Exemplar of Courage.
The Tomb
The Heirs of Lepidus could find no further judgements in our extensive searching in the roofs of Fishguard (and it should be noted that the above has been reconstructed from extremely carefully pieced together rotting paper). However, investigations in Sybela have revealed a small graveyard containing primarily one central tomb, built against a local tavern and surrounded on the other two sides by fortifications recently built in 377YE, on whose site were previously further abandoned hostelries. Above the door is carved a torch, seven stars, and a name that could be “Ruth”, though the stone is extensively weathered. Locals at “The Patrician’s Throat”, the aforementioned tavern, had no idea about the tomb – it is a local feature that has existed as long as all can remember, but one about which little is noted. The structure appears to have been completed but not consecrated. A body is interred within, but the roof has partially fallen in and so there is extensive damage to the internals, over which moss and dust has spread.
Therefore, our final conclusion is that Ruth of the Seven Stars once possessed a planned inspirational tomb recognising her as an Exemplar of Courage, but no true liao was used to consecrate it and so construction was not concluded. From the other records, it appears Ruth’s advocate as an exemplar of Courage, Leah, was killed, and this appears to have stalled the primary political movement to recognise Ruth as an exemplar in the first place; as there was clearly extensive political opposition, over time those that recognised Ruth grew fewer, and eventually even this recognition was forgotten.
We hope this resolves the matter to the satisfaction of those whom we serve in Virtue.
Conclusion
From the above, the Heirs of Lepidus tentatively conclude that the exact virtue of Ruth is still somewhat in doubt, mired as it is the politics of 82YE. Contradictory judgements seem to imply that the question is far from settled, but may provide some guidance to the modern Imperial Synod should they wish to formally recognise her as an inspiration. Technically, the judgement of the past (that she was an exemplar of Courage) would stand, but the Synod could "de-recognise" her with a statement of principle, perhaps calling into question the uncertainty around the three-centuries old controversy. This would allow for the opportunity to recognise her as an exemplar of Loyalty if they wished.
Furthermore the existence in Sybela of a structure that may have been intended as an inspirational tomb offers some possibilities; an expedition to the building next to "The Patrician's Throat" might at least be able to determine who precisely is interred there. It is clear that the current tomb is not fit for purpose - being partially collapsed and sandwiched between taverns as it is.
1 Miriam is not entirely correct in this. The Curator of the Tabernacle Museum in Reikos traditionally wore an Amulet of Truth, apparently bequeathed by the heirs of Ruth. The amulet was unfortunately lost during the fall of Reikos, and as of Summer 384YE is believed to be in the possession of a Druj warlord named Khelver. Whether or not the amulet possessed any miraculous provenance is not clear - if it does none of the curators chose to share that information publicly. Survivors of the fall of Tabernacle have indicated that if the amulet could be recovered, the Curator of the White City Museum - the successor to the fallen archive - would be the best person to wear the necklace, to honour the fallen scholars, and to continue the traditions of the Tabernacle museum.