Deoch Mass 12-26-2018

It is a pleasure to stand here, giving praise to Deoch once again.

May you embrace that which makes you special, the gift of Deoch and the Inspiration that you have fostered within yourself.

I wanted to hold one last mass before the ending of yet another cycle, to celebrate our continued time within Temuair as a community of Aislings.

I want you to think about the time you have spent walking Temuair in this cycle. About the new faces you have encountered, about the friendships you have made. Those memories and those feelings that wouldn’t have otherwise been made. Know that you have been enriched and have enriched other’s lives in this community in an intangible way that only you could have done in your own unique way.

Remember, too, those that have came before. Those you did not see these past eight Deochs. Although they are not with us, let them occupy your minds during this time of remembrance. The memories you have made together and the feelings that you shared. Wither you know it or not, those moments from the past are important because they are a thread in the tapestry you have weaved during your time in Temuair. Vital is the past as it has helped up build the future that is today.

Go into the new cycle thinking about the future of Temuair. Think about what you can do to help regrow our community and think about what you can add to your own unique contribution to the legacy of Aisling kind that as had many thousands of contributions over the many cycles to date.

That is my simple message for the ending of this cycle. I look forward to being with you all in the next cycle; let us continue to shine the Spark in the cycle to come.

Let us be thankful for one another and for this gathering place. Let us look to Deoch, and one another, for guidance in the upcoming cycle.

(remarks as written, not as delivered)

Deoch Mass 12-19-2018

It is a pleasure to stand here, giving praise to Deoch once again.
May you embrace that which makes you special, the gift of Deoch and the Inspiration that you have fostered within yourself.

Just some short thoughts for today:

We Aislings were created with our own free will. Powerful and influential as they are, we are not the playthings of the gods of Temuair. When we gather in worship of one of these gods, we gather of our own volition; not out of fear or obligation but out of reverence and appreciation.

Although Deoch had a hand in creating the Spark and thus has contributed to every one of us Aislings; He does not demand or expect our unwavering devotion to him, nor do the other Temuarian gods.

I know there is some lamentation about how the majority of Aislings don’t feel it necessary to engage with the temples. Even I, on occasion, have fallen to these feelings at times.

But I say unto you: just as Deoch does not demand our worship of him so too should we not demand it of others. Those who want to engage in worship with us will find their way here regardless of the obstacles thrown in their way.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking thinking us greater Aislings than those who have never stepped into a temple. We must resist the subtext of antagonism in our minds and the temptation to become an insular group. If there is one duty you should feel as a member of any temple, it is the duty to be as welcoming and accommodating as you are able to Aislings of any type: be they regulars at mass or those on the verge of taking their first steps. Foster an atmosphere of welcoming and encourage others to expand their horizons in Temuair without judgement and Deoch will smile upon you.

(remarks as written, not as delivered)

Deoch Mass 12-5-2018

It is a pleasure to stand before all of you, giving praise to Deoch once again.

There is always talk of how the Spark is fading from Temuair. With every passing cycle, the regret of Aislings about the stagnation of our society grows larger and larger. Remembering the days of my youth; yes, it is undeniable that things _feel_ different in Temuair. Yes, there are fewer Aislings with each passing cycle…

But even in these late Deochs, I still come across Aislings whose Sparks are just as bright as the poetic Omner, the pious Deksar, the esoteric Estara, and the artistic Bentic.

Should one of these or countless other legendary Aislings ever awaken in front of you; hold your head high! Your spark is no different than theirs. You are an Aisling! Chosen for the gift of Danaan delivered by Deoch’s flame for a purpose that only you yourself can comprehend.

Do not long for the old days and the old ways, for they are not coming back no matter how much you may wish it. Remember them fondly if you were there. If you were not, then eagerly hear the stories about your Aisling forebears and learn the lessons they have left behind. But do not mourn for them.

Being here today, you are an Aisling that continues to Dream in Temuair. And because of that you have the ability to shape the future how you want it to be.

If all is disappointment than we might as well go the way of Hy-Brasyl let a giant wave roll over Temuair to drown everything so that we may get it over with already!!

After talking with many Aislings these past few Deochs, I do not feel any of us are resigned to drowning beneath the waves. As I said at the start, I am always finding new Sparks full of life and energy that gives me so much hope for the future. It is because of these people that I still stand here today. It is because of people like this that the legacy of Temuair will continue to grow. Those that no longer Dream of Temuair have made their contribution, there is still time for you to make yours.

Go forward and spread the word of Deoch. Mass is Cast.


(Remarks as written not as delivered)

Deoch Mass 11-21-2018

It is a pleasure to stand here, giving praise to Deoch once again. Thank you all for joining me.

It is around this time in the cycle that I start to think about our rebirth. Aside from those few born as Asilings from Aisling parents, the majority of us lived lives as Mundanes before the Spark was gifted to us. Not to insult my Mundane acquaintances *motions toward the temple attendant*, but that life was one of singular focus and purpose. It is the life of a straight line, where variation is an aberration. It is a simple life where one can be quite content, indeed, but yet, it is just that... a simple life.

When we were given the Aisling Spark, we were reborn anew into a different kind of life. A life of color where there had previously only been black and white; a life where imagination not only exists in our hearts... it becomes the driver for our daily lives.

Think back to when you first opened your eyes as an Aisling. Do you remember how vivid the world seemed to you? Can you recall how it felt to have your mind open to possibilities you had never considered before? What did you first do when you stepped out into the light on that first day? I distinctly remember stumbling my way through Mileth, my senses overloaded in my new form. In those first breaths as an Aisling, there were times when I almost fell over and closed my eyes to these new sensations, but someone caught me during my stumbles and showed me all the possibilities now ahead of me. He would go on to become my mentor: Casiell.

Aisling rebirth can be a confusing a difficult time. So many questions and thoughts in your mind that had never been there before. Luckily for me, I found someone willing to show me what it means to be an Aisling. And here I am, a century and a half later, still walking Temuair.

Although it is much more rare now, remember that there are still new Sparks being reborn that could use someone to show them what it means to be an Aisling. If you happen walk by one, offer them your hand, be their guiding light in that confusing time. Remember, the future of this world will reflect upon what we have sown in the next generation. It is by the grace of our mentors that we are even here today as a community, we must pay our mentors back in kind by doing the same to others and continuing on the legacy of Aisling kind.

Go forward and spread the word of Deoch. Mass is cast.


(remarks as written, not as delivered)

Deoch Mass 10-28-2018

(Remarks as written, not as delivered)


It is a pleasure to stand before all of you, giving a mass to Deoch once again. It has been over a full cycle since I last stood in this position; giving words of praise.

Things have certainly changed here over the decades. The familiar faces of my youth are nearly all missing, the strong pillars of community in which this temple and many others were built upon have also retired from their watch... But, at the same time, every time I awaken again to walk Temuair I find fresh faces awash in new potential to create a greatness all their own. Some people speak bleakly about the current times, but with a little faith… in Deoch and in each other… I think we can create a fellowship that would make those first Aislings proud.

For those of you who have worshiped along side me in the past, this one may be familiar but it is one worth retelling; today, I offer a tale that was frequently repeated in the halls of Deoch’s temple back when I was but a new priest so that you may carry it forward and tell it amongst yourselves as well. This is the tale of how the Aisling Spark came to be.

Deoch was a shifting, shapeless being of Darkness and he held great power, much more than that of a normal Dubhaimid creature that crawled the lands at the time. He was one of the favored of Chadul and was deployed not to decimate the enemy but to tempt them -- to lure them -- to the side of Darkness. If Deoch at the time was a mindless drone like that of his lesser brethren or not, we do not know for certain, but regardless during his mission he stumbled onto something unexpected that would change his very nature forever.

One day, Deoch encountered Danaan seemingly by chance. She was cloistered away; no allies protecting Her; She was alone, vulnerable, and looked to be calmly working on something that was taking her full attention. Being the powerful force of Darkness that he was, this would have made a tempting target for Deoch but he did not take the opportunity to destroy Danaan; instead something compelled Him instead to watch in secret.

What he saw was Danaan pulling strands of Light out of thin air and weaving them into something which Deoch could not see from his vantage point, but still he remained motionless. Transfixed by the Goddess and Her task.

For days... months... years... time passed. This time changed Deoch; Chadul called to him many times but he did not answer, -choosing- to forsake his servitude to his Dark lord instead of pulling his gaze away from Danaan and the mysterious work She had occupied Herself with.

Over a century had passed since Deoch ignored the call of Chadul until one day Danaan disappeared, mysteriously and without warning. In the years leading up to this, Her work had started to become frantic as if She was working against a deadline. Deoch, either through habit or cautiousness, waited but She did not return. He slowly emerged from his hiding place and stood before the creation Danaan had left behind. It was a Spark; delicate in its weaving yet strong but… incomplete. If something wasn’t done, it wouldn’t be long before it winked out of existence. The work Danaan had done would unravel and be lost forever.

Deoch knew he couldn’t let this happen -- he loved Danaan and this Spark was all that remained of Her. Filled with sadness at the disappearance of the Goddess He started to work, inspired by the dedication he had been witness to for so long. Although he wasn’t able to see the full picture of how She had been weaving this creation, the decades he had been watching her outside motions he was certain he could at least approximate her design.

For us, it would seem not much but a blink of an eye, but in that moment Deoch spent lifetimes completing Her work. A delicate blending of style and form of two very different creators. When he stepped away, satisfied with what he had done, he thought back on his time watching Danaan and he smiled for the first time as a brilliant flash enveloped him and thus the Aisling Spark was born.


Go forward and spread the word of Deoch. Mass is cast.