It is an honor to stand here, giving praise to Deoch once again.
May you embrace that which makes you an Aisling, the gift of Deoch and the Inspiration that you have fostered within yourselves.
Deoch has never had the traditional ‘testing’ requirements for admitting worshipers that most of the other faiths implemented. At most, priests of Deoch would make sure that worshippers at least had a very basic understanding of Deoch and his relation in the octagram of faith before admitting new members. If they could recite the allies and enemies, that was more than enough to admit someone. But just knowing those details didn’t impart a knowledge of the these relationships and why they exist.
So, for this moon, let us go back to basics a little. Deoch’s allies are Glioca and Sgrios; knowing the origins of Deoch and His evolution, it is a fitting triumvirate.
I think it's proper to remember that it is always a tricky proposition to attempt to explain things about the Gods. To put it simply: The gods are unknowable in ways that we will never comprehend; what we do know about them we know because of legends, myths, and the occasional fleeting interaction. So, this view that I present to you may not be the view that other priests have about their particular god or a view that you come to identify with over time.
That being said...
Sgrios, the god of Death and Decay, is paradoxically is the simplest God to encounter but yet the most difficult to truly understand. Death and Decay are wide ranging and unrelenting; there is not a speck in the oceans of the sky that has not been witness to his power at work. Perhaps not surprisingly, Sgrios’s wide ranging influence leads to Sgrios worshippers having the most diverse set of beliefs of all the faith, and believe me -- they are _quite_ variable. You’ll find views ranging Sgrios from simply being a cog in the greater machine of life … what could be considered a second age view of Sgrios. To him being an active assistant to Chadul’s dark intentions who commands and relishes in murder done in his name -- a more classical view of Sgrios. And then everything in between.
But, the reason that Deoch and Sgrios are allies isn’t all that complicated to understand; their bonds are familial. Much like Deoch, Sgrios is a Dubahamid creature forged of Darkness. Although Deoch’s allegiance has changed, they remain brothers in the truest of sense.
On the other hand is Glioca, the goddess of compassion. She is widely considered to be the closest remaining deity to the Goddess of Light, Danaan. She may be the easiest of the gods to understand but the hardest to find in practice. Her fellowship is the most populous of all the Temuairian religions thanks to the temple’s location in Mileth, but despite the large numbers of her fellowship, it can be difficult to find those that practice true compassion. But, should you be lucky enough, Glioca's most faithful are the kindest and more helpful of all Aislings as they strive to follow their patron's spirit in all things.
Deoch and Glioca’s relationship is one that is isn't all that hard to comprehend either. When Deoch broke his unbreakable bond to Chadul, he did so with the power of Glioca's domain. It was his Love for Danaan that gave him the power to break away from the darkness and his compassion for her unfinished work that drove him to finish the Aisling Spark. If there is an analogue for Danaan as to Chadul and Sgrios, Glioca would be it. When Deoch crossed over and forsook his servitude to the Darkness; perhaps, he formed this ancillary bond with Glioca as a need to mirror his previous allegiances.
Deoch walks the fence between two worlds, not fully of the Light nor the Darkness. His position on the octagram reflects this duality. The study of this information isn’t required to join or even worship Deoch, but should you be interested, the study of the gods is a compelling path to take.
(Remarks as written, not as delivered.)
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