Deoch Mass 9-7-2025 - Temuair's Snare

It is a blessing to see a Temuair so full of life again. I’m glad to see so many driven Aislings, all striving to make a name for themselves here in this late era.

This is perhaps Temuair’s greatest ability: to bring out the full passion in the people who dream of this land. It is a constant reminder for us older Aislings who sometimes doubt the remaining potency of this power. When we see new and returning Sparks get swept up, igniting their passions into great promise... it softens the heart; calling us back to earlier days when we felt the same thing for the first time.

People discovering our rich culture, burying themselves in our collected literature, and even developing their innate power to combat forces of the Darkness – these are all noble pursuits where your passion can take you in this land.

But there is another side to Temuair hiding beneath the surface. In between the rushing passions of discovery, intrigue, and battle; it lurks so subtly. The side to Temuair that traps us so expertly, forever changing those caught in its snare.

Here in this dream is a kind of fellowship and camaraderie that you will only find here. The relationships you build in Temuair will be different than anywhere else. Like all connections their nature can be transient or long-lasting, but they will stick with you in ways that cannot be forgotten.

This is Temuair’s secret trap that so many of us have fallen victim to. The friendships, love, laughs, along with the sadness, grief, heartbreak… all of it will affect you for the rest of your life, in this dream and the next.

This is the foundation of the nostalgia so many of us have for this place, the draw that keeps us coming back time and again. The people we meet that we otherwise never would have, a bond forged in the deceptively innocuous land of Temuair.

As an Aisling, the emotions I have shared with others here in this dream are as real as anything in the waking world. I have laughed so hard I could barely breathe… formed bonds with those whom I’ve cared so deeply… and there has been occasions that caused me weep openly.

During my time here, I have formed unbreakable friendships, and I have loved in ways I never thought possible. I will carry the memories of these people… of these feelings… with me for the rest of my days both here in Temuair and beyond.

Oftentimes I sit alone in Undine and think back on this long life of mine. I think about the people that have come and gone. I think about the uncertainty that is the modern day Temuair with all the strife and conflict… but to me Temuair will always be a comfort and a haven for the memories of the people that have meant so much to me. And that’s why I find myself here time after time.

Someday when this land dissipates back into the aether and we can no longer dream of this place… I won’t think about the awards that I won, the sermons that I gave, or the events I helped with… no, it will be the people on my mind at the end of all things. All those that have changed my life in ways I could never have started to understand when I first awoke in Temuair.

I am so thankful.

I envy those who are falling into this trap for the first time. It will both delight and devastate but one thing is for certain… they will never be the same again.

Deoch Mass 8-17-2025 - Light, Darkness, and a Mother's Sacrifice

As Aislings we are a product of both the Light and the Darkness. In part created by Deoch, creature of the Darkness. And also by Danaan, the Goddess of the Light. Naturally, we often speak of Deoch in Deoch Temple, but today out here in Undine I wanted to talk to you about Danaan, our race’s mother, and her sacrifice that forever changed Temuair.

We, as Aislings, share a common lineage with the Tuatha de Danaan, those with an innate oneness in Magic. You would know these children of Danaan today as the Fae. It was the Tuatha that brought Magic to Temuair and helped guide those lost from Aosda to the rise of Hy-Brasyl.

We refer to Danaan as the Goddess of Light, but her power is not strictly of the ‘day’, per say. Danaan is the goddess of Life, Fertility, and Abundance. These are the powers that we colloquially refer to as the Light. When the Tuatha brought their power to Temuair, they helped form the great civilization of Hy-Brasyl and ushered in a great age of prosperity, discovery, and peace.

But it is said that every Light casts a Shadow.

Seeing the Tuatha’s natural aptitude with the force called ‘Magic’ drove the inhabitants of Hy-Brasyl to discover how to chain and command the elements, a much different but still very powerful form of magic. Continued desire for power ultimately led to experimenting with Darkness and unleashing it into the world. Foolish court magicians were tempted by the Dark into giving it a corporeal form: the Dubhaimid. They devoured the magicians that called them forth along with thousands of inhabitants of many towns.

Perhaps it could have been contained there, but the foolish reign of kings eager for power continued to use the Darkness in their wars. The power was too tempting to resist.

Those that met their death through an encounter with the unfathomable forms of the Dubhaimid died in abject terror. This was the death of a soul not fit to fade into Grinneal and so the Underworld manifested to harvest these scarred souls. Sealed for eternity in a land of terror, torture, and agony; so loud did the screams in this Underworld become that it birthed Chadul, ruler of the Underworld and the God of Terror.

Remembering the teachings of the Tuatha, many returned to the wise worship of Danaan. Answering these prayers, Danaan appeared to combat the growing threat. Danaan and the combined forces of all mortal races defeated Chadul in three days. The world was ravaged, but Chadul was defeated. Or so a simple man would have thought.

For you see, once the souls of the Underworld birthed Chadul, the fate of Temuair was sealed. Even as battles against the Dubhaimaid continued into the Shadows War and beyond, their numbers were endlessly replenished. Every year the Underworld grew louder with more tortured voices, screaming out as a horrendous choir. Through this ever growing well of suffering, Chadul would only return stronger and more powerful than before.

Danaan understood this implication. Perhaps Chadul could have been defeated a second or a third time, but the next war was always inevitable and there would be no standing against him at the apex of his power.

And so...

Danaan crafted an unthinkable gambit. She resolved to sacrifice herself to the Unknown in exchange for the power to seal away Chadul and end his reign of terror. This power used an ancient magic: the formation of an Octagram that bound the gods of Temuair into a seal of nearly unbreakable power.

But Danaan didn’t sacrifice herself to the unknown without a contingency plan. She needed two things to bring her plan to fruition. 

First, she did not have a suitable eighth god to balance the energies of the Octagram. Second, she intended to create a child race that, unlike the Fae, were native to Temuair and would carry on in her absence.

In Danaan’s most desperate time she needed somewhere to place her faith. It was then that Deoch found Danaan and forsook his servitude to Chadul.... Danaan had found the solution to both of her unsolved issues. She could not fully understand Deoch but she placed her faith in a creature that had until recently been an enemy.

It was then that Danaan left her creation, knowing somehow that Deoch would take up her unfinished project in her sted. She knew that whatever Deoch did to finish her work, part of what was created would be her child. 

And when Deoch did as Danaan had predicted, finishing the Aisling Spark... Deoch was transformed into the God of Inspiration. A God that walked the balance between the Light and the Darkness. A perfect fit for the final spot in her Octagram.

In an instant, Danaan’s plan had been realized. She sacrificed herself and sealed Chadul away with the completion of the Octagram while the age turned with the second coming of the Tuatha de Danaan… that is, we Aislings.

As Aislings we are the children of Danaan and Deoch. We we are unbound by fate; imbued with the gift of endless potential and the power of choice. This is where the real power of our race lies: in choice. Danaan is gone but she has left behind the Light’s final, and perhaps greatest, power... that of Hope. 

Will you choose to carry the Light of Hope forward? 

Together we can assure the continued existence of Temuair and the wellbeing of all who make this dream their home just as Danaan intended.

Deoch Mass 8-10-2025 - First Impressions

I want to thank Carnaugh for standing in for me last double-moon while I was away on my travels. Or should I say... ‘standing in as me’.

Throughout my time in Temuair, I have been inspired by a great many Aislings. One of the very first and most influential people I encountered in my early days was indeed this man, Carnaugh.

So essential those first impressions can be. I think it is accurate to say that without him, there is a significant chance that I would not have taken to Deoch Temple so full-heartedly or perhaps even at all.

My memories from back then are a bit fuzzy these days, but I do remember many late nights sitting in the temple talking with Carnaugh and Araefel. I will forever be grateful for their kindness and patience toward the clueless new spark I was back then.

It is a bit of serendipity that we are both here now over two centuries later and I am fortunate to be able to thank him personally. Thank you Carnaugh, my friend and mentor.

It goes without saying that the people we encounter in Temuair contribute greatly to the life we lead here. The right people can inspire great passion, strengthen our resolve in hard times, and lend a sympathetic ear when we need it. Never underestimate what a kind demeanor and some friendly advice can blossom into when absorbed by someone in need of it.

If there is a goal we must have as older, experienced Aislings, it should be to prepare this dream for those who come after. In mentoring and encouraging new growths whenever they come calling, we allow them carry forward the things we have learned and eventually teach them to the next generation. Another link forged in the enduring legacy of Aisling kind.

It is an unfortunate thing when one of us works against that goal by meeting new Aislings with derision and antagonism, it drags us all down and it damages Temuair as a whole. This dream persists on the basis of us alone, so let us work together both old and young to carry the torch forward.

Once we are gone, our spirit remains in the things we have taught others. Be that small part of someone’s legacy that inspires them to go on and do great things. Teach kindness, teach acceptance, and teach humbleness. Do this and you will never be forgotten.

Deoch Mass 7-27-2025 - Cursed Legacy

We reveled in the taverns and danced under the moonlight… we were so carefree back then and our lives were so simple. The blissful ignorance of youth. We gave little thought to the world we inhabited. Certainly, it was naivety; we could not fathom that there could be anything different. The world was the world, how could it ever change?

I don’t remember when we started to notice. It was little things at first… so easy to overlook at the time. Then our idyllic lives started to change, and we began to realize that the cultivators of the world had disappeared. Something wasn’t right and we knew that, but still we persisted. Even though the spirits that tended to this dream had vanished we said things like “We still have each other!” because we thought that’s all it would take. We believed it so intensely.

A number of decades passed, the stagnation of the world took its toll on all of us. Slowly those that had persisted no longer could and so they too disappeared. I remember feeling the type of depression that comes from realizing I didn’t appreciate my youth while I still had it. Everywhere I looked I saw the ghosts of the past. I, like many others, longed to return to those old days.

Those of us that remained of the old times, we became so desperate to find our way back. “Let us bring back the world of our youth!” we said as we eagerly accepted roles that put us over other Aislings, authority that never before existed. Empty authority given by the new spirits that now watched over this world.

These new spirits knew nothing of the way things were before. I don’t have judgements for those that choose to follow them, but it was starkly apparent that these spirits couldn’t even fathom the world we wanted to bring back.

It was around then that I came to realize something those older and much wiser than me had understood a long time ago…the days of my youth were gone. No matter how many rewards that were dangled to feign interest, no matter how many Aislings both in front of and behind the curtain gained titles and influenced the direction of Temuair, no matter how badly any of us wanted it. It didn’t matter. Time inevitably marches forward.

During the darkest days I looked to the Stars of Hy-Brasyl and thought that if this all disappeared under the waves once more it would be a mercy. This is not the Temuair I first fell in love with, and it will never be that again. Only a fool could look at the world now and think that it could.

There is, however, a level of perspective I have come to embrace in old age. Despite my misgivings about the direction of Temuair, I do know that there is still good to be found here.

There are times when I will speak to a bright spark, listen to someone present a heartfelt sermon, or read the wise writings of someone hoping to make their mark on this world… these are the candles in the darkness that push back my darkest and most cynical tendencies. It is a remembrance of my youth, seen through the eyes of eager and gifted Aislings that exist today. I am in awe of you all who continue to shine brightly here in Temuair.

In the midst of so much disappointment, corruption, and self-importance… if Temuair can still continue to ignite these sparks of light then it is worth enduring. And I am glad for it.

If your candle is new and burning for the first time or has been reignited recently, then I encourage you wholeheartedly to carry the torch forward. Build the Temuair that you wish to see; this dream is only what you make of it. Embrace the time you have now and live life to its fullest for one day everything you know will be gone. If you have lived that life properly then you too shall be cursed with the beautiful legacy of a youth you can’t return to.

Deoch Mass 7-20-2025 - The Rapture of Coupling

 

Everyone knows Glioca is the goddess of compassion and love. How often I have attended gladings and weddings where Glioca is thanked for bringing together a couple. 

“Oh how special this coupling is to have been so blessed by the goddess!” they exclaim.

Glioca… always getting the credit.

That’s not to say she doesn't have a hand to play in the proceedings so her thanks are not without a modicum of merit. But is it Glioca that's responsible for that mischievous look from across the table in the middle of a guild meeting? Maybe the yearning that swims in the head when your lips touch for the first time? What about the craving that grips the heart when you taste their skin?

I would think such a suggestion would make the demure, proper priests and priestesses of Glioca blush. No, in these moments you ride the current of Rapture that so often sparks a new coupling. Before there is Love, there is overwhelming passion and transcendent intimacy discovered through the pursuit of Rapture. And Rapture, in its many forms, is the domain of Deoch.

Some say that Deoch’s dominion over Rapture is a remnant from his time as a Dubhaimid God, when he was known as the God of Debauchery. Debauchery, for those that aren’t aware, is the excessive indulgence in sensual pleasure. For Deoch, he who stands on the precipice of Light and Darkness… he who embodies both his dark origins and his newfound light, what better line can be drawn between his dual natures than through Rapture?

Slavishly pursuing Rapture by all means is the path to Debauchery, but it is an undeniable aspect of what makes life worth living. For what is more creative… what is more inspiring… than losing control on your way to the bedroom as clothes are strewn to every corner of the cottage? It is a drunkenness, not of wine nor of Love but of unbridled eagerness.

Without this, what becomes of this high form of Love that we so often find at the fairy glade? Would I still have the same devotion for her fiery red hair, her quick-witted intellect, or her playful nature if we were not so possessed early on to be inseparable? It is our pursuit of rapture that attaches us indelibly to our lovers at a level that goes beyond friendship and beyond family.

It is when we are in the throes of rapturous passion that our true selves emerge and where we become the most vulnerable. And it is this openness, this defenselessness, that we share with another person that opens us to Love; finally, the credit to which Glioca receives so much praise.

We here at Deoch temple believe our moments of Rapture can lead to new Inspirations and so we seek pleasure in every aspect of this life. We embrace rapture wherever it can be found. Oftentimes you will find us in revelry at the Suomi Tavern, or contemplating the serene beauty of Undine Lake, and it's been known to happen that we entwine with someone that catches our eye. 

I encourage this of you all, as well. In your pursuits of knowledge, power, or recognition here in Temauir… take moments to derive pleasure from the world and the people around you.

Embrace Rapture and become Inspired.



Today, instead of a prayer, let us toast together to the ability to lose control from time to time. Be it in the arms of another or in a tavern gathering with friends over way, way, way too much rum. 

To Deoch, the god of Rapture.

Deoch Mass 7-13-2025 - Fresh Perspectives

 

It pleases me when Aislings take an interest in the past; in our race’s shared culture and history. We are, after all, in the twenty-sixth cycle since the dawn of Aisling kind. A lot of time has passed and countless Aislings have walked these lands during that time. I can imagine that coming to Temuair at this late age can be quite overwhelming with the weight of everything that has come before.

Oftentimes I hear advice given to new, inquisitive Aislings. They are told they must bury themselves in the libraries and read the works of those that have come before. It is only then that these new Sparks will be properly equipped to contribute their perspective to Temuair.

I can certainly agree that you should read the works of the most enlightened. Even us old Aislings have a deep respect for the wisest of those we walked alongside. So, by all means, read the treatises of the great Philosophers. Study the chronicles of the eminent Historians. And be enthralled by the imagination of our most skilled Storytellers. These Aislings have helped set the basis for continued debates and the stories we still tell to this day.

But I impress upon you not to allow appreciation to give way to worship and idolatry. Realize that just as you have, even the most enlightened Aislings were once stumbling around Mileth in peasant clothes, picking through the molds of the crypt. Understand that nobody is beyond reproach and not a single work in the library is unassailable. Just because something has been written in the past does not necessitate that it must determine the future.

Such rigidness is the domain of Gramail or perhaps Luathas. The creative spark shines brightest when possibilities are unshackled.

I tell you this: Do read the works of the past; allow them to enrich you, but do not slavishly attach yourself to every word that crosses your eyes. Even better, challenge accepted thinking. Shake the foundations of ‘accepted’ knowledge with the fresh perspective that you have coming into Temuair for the first time. Allow your fresh ideas and your fresh voice to rise above dusty tomes written centuries ago.

It is new ideas and novel perspectives that keeps Temuair from stagnation. This is why I still dream of Temuair, to see this very thing. I will look forward to the fresh thinking this generation here today brings to Temuair.

Deoch Mass 7-6-2025 - Learning from Failure

I count myself fortunate to have been blessed with both the inspiration and opportunity to make an impact on Temuair. It is important to remember that success in such things does not come easy or without hardship. Although we might try our best, we must accept that not every endeavor we embark on is going to be a triumph. Yes, there will be failures. And if you are lucky, spectacular failures. If you are wise, you will heed well the lessons that failure can teach you.

When something I worked hard to bring to life didn’t turn out how I hoped, I was naturally quite disappointed… not always at myself. My younger self was often misguided, prideful, and even arrogant at times. If I failed at something, I didn’t always look at myself first. Instead, I blamed outside factors and then continued on, forgoing the lessons that failure was so eager to teach. The recklessness of youth, perhaps.

Each time I encountered failure it became harder to blame others. Mistakes, lack of foresight, misunderstanding the people around me… I started to see my follies clearer every time they were repeated.

I remember perhaps my biggest failure...

I attempted to bring back the worship of Danaan and I wanted it to be a spectacle. My head was so full of lofty ideas that I completely lost sight of what mattered. To the casual observer, the gathering may have seemed a success. However, the reality was that I had badly misjudged so many factors and disappointed many people with the way I had approached everything. It was a devastating blow to the ego… perhaps one that I badly needed at the time.

After that it might have been easier to leave Temuair behind… and I did hesitate with that thought for a moment. But I did not. Instead, I opened myself to the lessons that such a debacle had earned me and I made myself better by confronting them. I persevered and I moved forward with a better understanding of myself.

In this journey to old age, I have tempered the brazen aspects of myself through much self-reflection on the mistakes of my past. My failures have made me humble and measured; they have given me a better understanding of my limitations and helped me refine what I truly want to accomplish in this dream.

If you continue to dream as long as I have, you will have many opportunities to leave your mark on this place. If there is any single piece of advice I could give, it is thus: Do well to accept your failures, learn from them. Take your newfound knowledge and grow yourself with it. For it is only when you are willing to accept change within yourself that you are able to bring change to Temuair in the way that only you can.

Deoch Mass 6-29-2025 - Far Away Times

 

Frequently I sit near the Undine Lake and think about far away times. The other day I was remembering when friends from the first guild I ever joined in Temuiar, Vaillaire Cura, held a gathering on the newly discovered Lynith Beach. My memory is of a picnic where we sat on the sand and celebrated our growing friendship over various fruits and plenty of spirits. Mieri, CoriLynn, Kamshisha, Jherek, Gido, and Lybrae; how fortunate I was to have so many cherished friends.

For those of us that are quite long in our days, the temptation to dwell in one’s mind can be especially pronounced. It can be comforting to live inside a moment in time recalled as ‘better’. One of the gifts of age is having a large amount of treasured memories to look back upon: memories of youth, adventure, and of course romance.

Perhaps having many positive memories can be a curse if one is struggling to find meaning in the present, but that is not to say that the past is something to be avoided. There can be many comforts drawn from a look backwards.

I like to think back during moments of reflection, when I’m struggling for inspiration, or when I need a reminder about the worth of life. Those far away times are reminders of happiness, friendship, and love. When I need them most, these old feelings support me still.

The people from the memory I imparted to you no longer dream of Temuair, most of them a very long time now. You might think that looking back makes me sad or wistful… and certainly it can…but precious memories like these have allowed me to endure here in Temuair for as long as I have. Without these people and the time we spent together, I would never have formed the ties to Temuair that I did. It is from these memories of far away times that I draw strength and that has allowed me to be with you here today.

For those of you here that are aged Dreamers, think back on your past here in Temuair. About the people you have met and the friendships you have made. Think about the very real feelings you have felt while dreaming in this place. This is the proper role of the past; as a teacher and a companion that reminds you to savor every moment.

For those of you new here to Temuair, I encourage you to live well. There may be a time far in the future that you’ll look back on today for the inspiration to continue on. Be sure that the memories you make now are up to that task of inspiring a future you.

Deoch Mass 6-22-2025 - The Legend of the Aisling Spark (redux)

Greetings to you all and especially the new Sparks that have awoken in our little dreamland of Temuair these past handful of moons. It is a delight to see so many new faces here in this Temple today.

For those that do not know me… my name is Landon, a minister of Deoch. I have held this regular mass at different points over the past 200 years. First as assistant to one of my cherished mentors Carnaugh and then to our Temple’s earliest High Priestess Morrigan. Now I hold regular mass whenever Deoch’s inspiration finds me. For a time, I will be holding this mass at this time every double moon; I would be glad to see all of you here in the future if you can make it.

Now…

Here in Deoch Temple, we have a sort of oral tradition passed down from the first dawning. Deoch, as you may be aware, helped create the Spark… that is, the catalyst that attaches to our former mundane selves and births us Aislings into this dream. Whenever I come back to hold a series of masses, I tell this part of our shared history in hopes that you, too, will carry forward this legend and impart it to others. It is with your help that we can keep this old tradition alive here in Deoch’s fellowship.

This is the Legend of the Aisling Spark.


~~~~


Deoch was a shifting, shapeless being born of the Darkness. He held incredible 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 his lesser brethren or not, we do not know for certain… but nevertheless, during his mission he happened upon something unexpected that would change his very nature forever.

For you see, one day Deoch encountered Danaan seemingly by chance. She was cloistered away; no allies tending 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 attack his vulnerable foe. Something instead compelled him to watch in secret.

What he saw was Danaan pulling threads 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 engrossed in Her task.

For days... months... years... time passed. This time changed Deoch; Chadul called to him many times. But he did not answer. He chose 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, continued to wait. But Danaan did not return. He slowly emerged from his hiding place and stood before the creation Danaan had left behind. It was a Spark of Light. Delicate in its weaving yet strong but… it was incomplete. If something wasn’t done, it would soon wink out of existence. The work Danaan had done would unravel and be lost forever.

Deoch knew he couldn’t let this happen; for he had come to love Danaan and this Spark was all that remained of Her. Filled with sorrow 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 – two very different creators with very different energies – an impossible union of Light and Darkness. When he stepped away, satisfied with what he had done, Deoch thought back on his time watching Danaan and felt contentment for the first time. A brilliant flash enveloped him, rebirthing Deoch as the God of Inspiration for his role in giving life to Danaan’s final work: The Aisling Spark.

Deoch Mass 1-24-2024 - The Darkness and the God of Terror

As a noble of the college, I do not often stand here giving sermons on topics that may be better covered in a classroom. But it has recently come to my attention that some may not know of Danaan and Chadul; what they are, where they came from, and what they represent. 

Deoch has strong ties to both of these entities so a better understanding of them can lead to a better understanding of our patron as well.  

In this sermon, let us cover perhaps the simpler of the two…  Darkness and it’s God, Chadul.

The fifth element, Darkness, was harnessed in the 1703rd year of Danaan. It was not the first encounter with Darkness that history had recorded but it was the point that brought devastating understanding to this element’s capabilities in the hands of mortals.

You see, Darkness is not a traditional element.  Do not think of Darkness akin to the night. Think of it instead as the shadow that stalks in the night. Darkness is grown from the minds of all living beings; feeding itself on fear, hate, anger, and jealousy. In the earliest Aosda civilization and the golden age of Hy-Brasyl, Darkness existed only in Kadath because man was not conscious of such things and thus lived peacefully with one another and with nature as they knew no other way.

But even the peaceful and innocent can be foolish. Early mortals looked to Kadath and those that survived were often crazed; returning with poisoned minds. The desire to understand these corrupted led to an inevitable taint that slowly altered the minds of mortal men over many eras.

Just as people had discovered the ability to chain the basic elements nearly seven hundred years prior, shrewd magicians engaged in reprehensible study for centuries to understand this unique Darkness and how to command it.

Although this isn’t widely discussed, it has been proposed that the Darkness allowed itself to become chained for use in mortal magics as part of its desire to birth a corporeal form. Overconfident magicians were overwhelmed by the true nature of the Darkness. Dubhaimid, the physical manifestation of the Darkness, devoured the magicians that called them forth along with thousands of inhabitants of many towns.

Perhaps it could have been contained there, but the foolish reign of kings eager for power continued to use the Darkness in their wars. The power was too tempting to resist.  

The more souls they reaped, the more powerful the Darkness became. The Underworld, the land of Terror and Darkness, was manifested for the first time to store these souls. No longer did the dead drift off peacefully at death, now souls were claimed by the Dubhaimid to languish in their Underworld, their suffering bringing even greater strength.

It was a combination of this suffering of souls in the Underworld and the terror of the living that finally gave birth to Chadul, the new god of this Underworld.  The god of Darkness and Terror. Darkness spread with new found power and direction. 

It was then, finally, that the people turned to the worship of an old power for salvation. The power of the Light. Which we will cover next double-moon. 

Deoch Mass 1-10-2024 - A Geas

 

From time to time a star will fall from the heavens, an unusual occurrence but not altogether unheard of. Fallen stars are unfortunate little things. Left without the protection of the sky, they are destined to be devoured by denizens of the night that come out to hunt when Danaan's light dips beyond the horizon.  

In this particular case however, a fallen star was discovered in a farmer's field by a child drawn to its cries. Knowing nothing of the ways of the world or the dangers of her actions, she gathered the wayward star and took it home to sooth its sorrow. 

Carrying a satchel filled with soft fabrics fashioned around her shoulder, the child arrived at Glioca's temple the next day. I had been musing with the priest on duty, a very old and dear friend of mine, when our visitor announced her intentions without prompting. 

"Surly Glioca can return it to its place in the sky," she said to him with expectant, tear filled eyes.

My old friend smiled with a sage wisdom and turned to me, motioning toward the open satchel the child was presenting with arms stretched high. I shook my head, knowing the fate of the celestial was to expend its last light and fade from this plane -- unless twisted forces were drawn to absorb the power first. 

"My child," he said, only in a thick and nearly indecipherable accent, "This is a test given to you by Glioca. Care for this lost creature as if it were your own and it may yet find its way back to the sky when the night is brightest."

As if she understood she was given an important mission, the child marched off with a head full of purpose. I questioned my friend, cautioning him that he had sentenced the girl to a dangerous and impossible geas. His reply was simply, "The answer to the unthinkable is faith."

And so then it was that every day the child would stand atop her family's home with the star in her hands held aloft. Allowing it to soak in the light of the sun.  Then every night she would soothe its endless crying like an attentive parent of an infant until dawn broke on a new day. 

On the night of the full moon in the week of Glioca when the sky was ablaze with the shining of the moon, the child again arrived at the temple. On that holy evening, the congregation was waiting for my priest friend to speak. For his part he remained motionless perched against the temple statue until he saw the child walking down the aisle. Her skin had been seared unearthly crimson by the elements and her hair was torched white by exposure of constant light. 

As before, she approached opening her satchel and thrust it up to our attention. In contrast to the weak and pitiful being she had shown us before, the star shined bright and strong. It blazed with iridescent light that filled every corner of the temple. The priest nodded and then reached down, turning the child around to face the congregation. 

The light that had filled the temple started to bend and reflect toward a singular spot of the aisle. In that location an avatar of Glioca materialized. Flowing robes of otherworldly purple adorned the fair skinned, transcendent goddess of compassion. 

The younger Aislings in the temple not used to such omens supplicated themselves in reverence but the child stood steadfast. She took the star from its satchel and held it up toward the image of the goddess. Free of its shelter, the star's output was nearly blinding as it pulsed with renewed energy. 

Glioca's avatar stepped forward, taking the star in its hand with a gentle caress and a serene survey. With a flick of her wrist, the star shot up and through the temple ceiling accompanied by what I imagine must be the sound heard inside a bolt of lightning. 

Unaffected by the sound that sent the rest of us reeling, the child stood looking toward the last location of the star before it disappeared through the unharmed temple roof. Now without the celestial being, the residual light in the temple was starting to dissipate and with it Glioca's image was beginning to fade.  Looking down at the child, the avatar held out its hand; without hesitation the girl rushed forward and grabbed ahold of the goddess' waist with both arms. Glioca's image looked to my friend with appreciation. In a moment more both the girl and the goddess were gone.

By the accounts of the library's skywatchers, two stars appeared in the sky that night.  One that had been missing for many days and another never before witnessed star that appeared just beside it.

The acolytes the priest had tasked with protecting the homestead of the girl through this time reported seeing Glioca's avatar appear to the family outside the home. What the goddess said to them no one but them ever knew, but to this day the descendants of that family bring an offering to Glioca's temple every spring in the little girl's name. 

Deoch Mass 1-3-2024 - A New Path

 

We have begun a new cycle yet again. The 26th cycle since the dawn of Aisling kind. 

It's easy to look back at the end of a cycle and be exhausted. This is true even if you found yourself on a favorable path. For even a smooth path is dotted with stone and divot. But those that found themselves on a treacherous path the end of a cycle can be a crushing experience. There is a harsh self-infliction of blame that comes with grief and misery that can wash over you once again as a cycle closes itself out and you pause in its final moments to remember back the path you have walked.

It can be tempting to hide from this pain, but moments of reflection such as these can help
us shed those burdens we carry heavy on our shoulders. The arduous task of not only forgiving others but also ourselves begins with these moments of introspection.

Now that the calendar has turned us over into the blessed year of Glioca, what better time to look ahead for renewal?  For even in these old ages, there is always the chance to begin anew. A path to find your passion, your inspiration; that something that speaks only to you.  To rediscover oneself, breaking away of the thorn and thistle from a path too long walked in hardship. 

No matter what your situation, whatever sorrows have come before… know that the future holds the possibility of wonderment and happiness. I will pray that this cycle be the one that holds this for you. 

Let us pray, together, for the cycle ahead. 

Deoch Mass 12-27-2023 - The Stars of Hy-Brasyl

A man whose height had just begun to be challenged by his age and his twiggy, fair haired daughter walked the swaying, white tipped grassy meadow outside of Mileth as the sun dipped beyond the horizon. 

“What are those, dadaidh?” the girl could be heard from behind, head tilted back as far as her neck would allow without toppling her over backward.

The father looked back at his gawking daughter and then up to see the last of the goddess’s radiance replaced by twinkling lights emerging from the aether. It was the third time she had asked the question since the new moon.

His age blessing him with an abundance of patience, he looked down at his daughter as she surveyed the awakening night sky. “Those are the stars, my dear. They light our way in the darkness so that we can find our way home.”

The answer didn’t satisfy, “But how did they get so high?” her little hand stretched out, grasping to connect with the illuminated specks. 

The father kneeled himself shoulder to shoulder with his child and traced her view toward the heavens, gently holding out his hand in the same manner, “They are so high because they are the enlightened. Sages of Hy-Brasyl.”

The answer caused the daughter to bring her view back down from beyond with a dramatic exasperated sigh, a scrunched exaggerated scowl to match, “Those are people?” she emphasized, barely believing the incredulity of it all.  

She looked confused; she was always confused about this part.  “Not just people, my dear, the wisest of people. The greatest thinkers, artists, and writers. So great was their wisdom that it persists in the sky and guides us when things seem their darkest.”

“Will I ever be a light in the sky?” her thoughtful voice betrayed the naivete of her youthful face.

Reaching out, he took his daughter’s hand and together they started to walk toward the brightest star on the horizon, beaconing just over Mileth, “Yes, my dearest. The stars of Hy-Brasyl set an example, but there is plenty of room in the sky for you.”

Deoch Mass 12-20-2023 - Letters to Lost Friends

 

I was always heartened to awake in Temuair to find a letter delivered via carrier pigeon. Touched that someone cared enough about me or something we were mutually interested in to take the time to sit and write something. I began writing letters often, in hopes that others received the same feeling I did by finding a letter on their doorstep. 

Those that I wrote letters to most often have moved on from Temuair. I miss their presence and think about them often, but I wish them well wherever they are dreaming now. Yet, I still write letters to them sometimes.  Why? Maybe its because writing to them makes me feel connected somehow, even if they may never actually read them.  All the same, the ritual brings me comfort and allows me to reminisce on old times when I sit daydreaming near the lake in Undine. 

I would like to share a letter I wrote recently in hopes that it makes you think about writing to those you most care about. 

Dearest friend,

My dreams of Temuair have been sparse for a long while now. It is such an easy thing to dream of other places and so tempting to forget life as an Aisling. I lose track and so much time has gone by that I think I may be done dreaming of Temuair at all. 

Maybe it is that self assuredness that leaves me particularly vulnerable when I become lost and reach out for someplace of comfort... before I realize it I awake in this dream once again.   

I was shuffling through the unorganized mess of our home when I came across a bottle left from your stash of Oren wines. I blink and I'm leaning up against the hearth with half the liquid in the bottle missing. I watch the far wall as the fire crackles and dances, filling the room with warmth and shadows of light.

I think about us for a while. 

About those early days with Vendge, Mieri, Jherek, Kamshisha, and so many others. I can barely remember them, but I do remember you.. the rogue with the fiery red hair and the determined face. I still have no idea what you saw in the young, foolishly optimistic kid I was then.

I think about meeting you again after nearly one hundred and fifty years... same brilliant hair, same brilliant wit. You were a ghost from the past but so very real, I could never have imagined it. Our times on the beach, drinking in the tavern, and avoiding Merisa's snooping. 

Then the bottle is gone and the fire grows dimmer. Perhaps that is our fate as well, to burn brightly every century or so and to fade away. If that is the case, I will look forward one hundred years from now when I can be captivated by your presence... and your hair... once again, my dearest friend.

Deoch Mass 12-13-2023 - The Greater Whole

 

I have been a devout Deoch priest for nearly my entire Aisling life. I have studied at the foot of the greatest of Deoch’s preachers: Carnaugh, Kamina, Morrigan, and others. And it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the place I have spent most of my time here in Temuair has been Deoch’s temple. 

Back in the early years, temple communities were quite competitive. It wasn’t unexpected to get thrown out of an enemy's mass if the priest was particularly devout. Because of Deoch’s unique role in the creation of we Aislings, this temple has always been welcome to those of all faiths. But even so, I too had a tinge of zealousness in my youth, preaching against the beliefs of others in support of my own.   

As time went on, however, I found myself more introspective. Old age has not only brought a refinement in my appreciation of Deoch’s gifts but those of the other gods as well. As much as I have drawn upon Deoch for strength these many cycles, I now equally look to the other gods for support. 

Whether it be an understanding of the cycle of all living things, the capacity to draw wisdom from the knowledge I have collected, or a reinforced appreciation for my hearth and home…  for these things and many more, I give thanks to the other Temuairian gods.  And I find myself discovering new reasons to give praise to Deoch’s peers often. 

Perhaps this growth is rooted in the simple fact that no core belief can stand on its own. We are all pieces of a greater whole. The strands of the Octagram can only be as strong if all eight points stand sturdy. 

Deoch Mass 12-6-2023 - Legend of the Aisling Spark

For a time I am returning to this regular mass time, one I have held at different points over the past 200 years.

The names and faces of Temuair have changed quite a bit over that time. Even the temple itself has changed since the first time I stood here as assistant to the great Deoch high priests of old.

Things change. It is inevitable and an unquestionably good thing even if we struggle against it at times. But while change is good, forgetting is not.  I have always intended to use this spot at the back of this temple to carry forward the wisdom of those that are no longer with us.

To that end, this evening I will repeat a legend that was passed down to me when I was but a young acolyte. A legend that I have recounted here many times and do so again in hopes that you, too, will pass it down when I am gone from this dream. 

This is the Legend of the Aisling Spark. 

~~~~

Deoch was a shifting, shapeless being of Darkness. He held incredible 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 his lesser brethren or not, we do not know for certain… but nevertheless, during his mission he happened upon something unexpected that would change his very nature forever. 

For you see, one day Deoch encountered Danaan seemingly by chance. She was cloistered away; no allies tending 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 attack his vulnerable foe. Something instead compelled him to watch in secret.

What he saw was Danaan pulling threads 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. He chose 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, continued to wait. But Danaan did not return. He slowly emerged from his hiding place and stood before the creation Danaan had left behind. It was a Spark of Light. Delicate in its weaving yet strong but it was… incomplete. If something wasn’t done, it would soon wink out of existence. The work Danaan had done would unravel and be lost forever.

Deoch knew he couldn’t let this happen; he had come to love Danaan and this Spark was all that remained of Her. Filled with sorrow 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 – two very different creators with very different energies – an impossible union of Light and Darkness. When he stepped away, satisfied with what he had done, Deoch thought back on his time watching Danaan and felt contentment for the first time. A brilliant flash enveloped him rebirthing Deoch as the God of Inspiration for his role in giving life to Danaa’s final work: The Aisling Spark. 

Deoch Mass 3-23-2022 - Possibility (Part 2)

At mass several moons back, I spoke to the misconception many had about what divine gift Deoch bestowed to Aisling kind.

On some level the gods are unknowable to us, so mistaken interpretation is understandable. At the time it was reasonable to assume that Deoch, the newly dubbed God of Inspiration, would have included a drop of his divine providence into his effort to finish the work that Danaan left behind.

I concluded last mass saying that Deoch’s true divine gift was the gift of possibility. The gift of the sleeping spirit to be born again in a new world, free of the expectations of their waking life. Truly, the most divine of gifts.

At this point in Temuair’s history, does this matter? And I say which has always been the case: possibility for the Aisling is the possibility for Temuair. I wish my peers to realize that possibility exists for Temuair even now. The future has always been what we make of it.

We cannot bring back the past. I learned this long ago and I have watched others struggle mightily with this fact ever since. I now strive to embrace that which _is_ possible.

There are many Aislings with no desire to interact with religious worship, to bring forth new ideas into our political spaces, to teach or be taught in the college, and no desire to be part of a greater community. However, because someone is born without the creative inspiration burning to contribute to these spaces… does not mean that it cannot be found or fostered. That is the power of this ‘possibility’.

It falls to us that remain to show these Aislings and any that are born from here forward that this dream is full of possibilities to which they have never considered in their waking form. Engage them in conversation, invite them to participate in these things unique to our community… searching for any spark of interest and encourage it to grow into a flame. Reach through timidness and reticence with guidance and invigoration. Do this and you may be surprised what inspiration springs forth from the formerly uninspired

I say in closing: 

Embrace the possibility of others and of this place as this has always been the underlying secret to Temuair’s greatness.

Deoch Mass 3-9-2022 - Possibility (Part 1)

The pairing of the Spark of Deoch and Mundane creates a new life… we, the Aisling. There is much discussion around this process and what exactly this “Spark” is. There are those in the past that suggested it imbues the newly created life with the Inspiration of Deoch, making Aisling beings of endless creativity and imagination.

It is no surprise that many came to this conclusion. Those first few decades were a renaissance of new thought, writings, and art to which Temuair had never witnessed before in its long history. There is little wonder that many revered Deoch for gifting us with such prowess.

As time went forward it was noticed that many new Aislings had no aptitude or desire to be creative and instead took on singularly martial roles. Leading us to question what we had considered a truth; that perhaps Deoch did not include his divine inspiration as part of his contribution to this Spark he helped create.

Many lost faith, not understanding why new Aislings did not have this gift that so many of the first Aisling possessed. The loss of idealism led to them leaving this dream for a time or, in some cases, forever.

So if Deoch did not include a touch of his divine Inspiration into his and Danaan’s creation… what was the gift Deoch imbued within the Spark? To my mind, that gift is the gift of ‘possibility’. Apart, the Mundane is rooted in drudgery and the Dreaming Spirit caught by the Spark just a formless consciousness of a creature burdened with expectation and experience of their waking world. With the joining of the two into our Aisling form, we are given to endless possibilities and the freedom to decide what that means. A fresh start to where anything is possible.

This is the great gift of the Spark and the true nature of The Aisling.
After all, what is more divine than another chance at life? Even if it is only in dreams.

Deoch Mass 3-2-2022 - Reaching to the Future

Sometimes letting go of the past is hard. It is familiar; comfortable. Our personal history is filled with lost moments that often ask to be remembered because they once held a special significance.

It is a mistake to think that moving forward means forgetting the past. It matters little if the road you have traveled has been pleasant or arduous; it is a part of you regardless. So, in that way letting go is never a function of forgetting for you cannot forget the past any more than you can trim away parts of your soul. Instead, letting go is loosening the grip from a fist to a gentle touch; a grasp so tight on the past cannot reach for the future.

This is especially true for those that currently live in hard times… the desire to reach out to cherished memories is strong. Our remembrance to the people we knew, places we’ve been, and to those that we loved form a powerful tether to situations that now only exist in memory.

There is a great risk in this because memories can become warped idealized versions of themselves and cause one to struggle with reality. This is the result of the mind gripping tightly to a memory made fantasy, making ‘the perfect the enemy of good’, as it were… unable to accept anything less than the ideal. It is only through opening the hand of acceptance that one can see the possibilities the future still holds.

Let us take this concept and apply it to the Temuair of today. There are those that fight so hard to bring back a version of Temuair that is long gone… and in some cases never really existed at all because many idealize the ‘golden age’ of Temuair that they first dreamed.

I found out long ago that fighting against the tide changes of Temuair is a sure way to burn out and be taken by the waves. Acceptance doesn’t mean forgetting, but it does allow you to see the possibilities of the future. If you truly care for the Temuair of the past and its legacy, then do not attempt to command the sun to rise in the west. Instead see the light of Danaan still reflecting from the moon and use that Light that remains to inspire Temuair in its twilight like those that did when this dream was young.

 

Deoch Mass 12-29-2021 - End of another cycle.

We stand here today at the end of the 23rd cycle, nearly 185 years since Deoch finished The Spark and created the first Aisling. In these rare days before a cycle turns over, I like to take a moment and appreciate our continued time together here in Temuair.

Here is a simple message that I wrote many decades ago that I have oftentimes repeated during my last mass of each cycle as a way to look back before moving forward...

I want you to think about the time you have spent walking Temuair in this past cycle… about the faces you have encountered; about the friendships you have made or rekindled. Those memories and those feelings wouldn’t have otherwise been made absent your presence here. Know that you have enriched the lives of others, in a way that is uniquely your own. In times of great darkness, draw strength knowing that there are those that you have encountered in this existence that remember you fondly and appreciate your companionship.

To that end, think of those that have come 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. These moments are the thread of our lives. Vital are these past threads as they helped weave you into the person you are today; countless interconnected strands forming a multicolored tapestry created little by little during your time here in Temuair.

Go into this new cycle thinking about the future, what lies ahead as we continue to navigate an uncertain fate here in this dream. There is still time to make an impact in the community if that is something you aspire to. Still a chance to contribute your own distinctive addition to the legacy of Aisling kind; a legacy that has been built up by so many that came before. 

Let us be thankful for one another and for this gathering place. Let us look to Deoch for guidance in the upcoming cycle. I look forward to being with you all in the time ahead; let us continue to shine the Spark for as long as the gods deem this dream drift the aether.