Deoch Mass 5-29-2019

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.)

Deoch Mass 5-22-2019

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 yourself.


This temple, in one form or another, has existed for over twenty cycles. In that time countless Aisings have walked these halls. Some of them stepped in once and never returned. Others have worn a deep path and become a part of the history of Deoch’s temple.

It wasn’t long ago that the Temuairian temples had fallen silent. When I had first started to dream in Temuair again, I thought on this state of affairs for awhile. I considered that maybe everything worth saying had been said or maybe people had heard enough and the worship of the Temuarian Gods had run its course. After all, laws keep being made even if nobody is actively worshiping Gramail; the flowers still grow if there isn’t a Cail mass every double-moon, and new Aislings are still born if there is no one giving a sermon to Deoch.

But I was told about a Sgrios Mass that was trying to get something started so I decided to attend. And I saw that people came to hear the word of Sgrios.

A few moons later, someone held -- such as it was -- an impromptu mass to Glioca and people came to worship. Then Luathas and Fiosachd and the same happened there as well. The congregations were small, sometimes only a few people, but people came all the same.

When I started this (mostly) regular mass to Deoch. Attendance was small at first -- as it as always been here in Suomi -- but grew over time. Not because anyone is making it a point to come and listen to me speak or because they get some kind of real reward for coming… no, instead we gather because of the draw of community. The communal atmosphere of welcoming one another by being in the same space for the same purpose… giving praise to Deoch together.

The crowds may not be as large and the speakers not as grandiose as they once were when the first Aislings were still young. But no matter how small our numbers get, the draw of community only gets larger and more important as we move forward together.

History continues. I hope you will all continue to add your footsteps to this temple’s history along with me as we keep the worship of Deoch alive here in Temuair for a long time to come.

(Remarks as written, not as delivered)

Deoch Mass - 5-8-2019

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 yourself.


Deoch started as the god of debauchery, a lord of dark under the Dark god himself. He did not conquer through force like his Dubhamid kin, he seduced and tempted good people into becoming willing slaves and then damned them to a life of enslavement as a consequence. Let there be no mistake: in those days, Deoch was cruel and, true to his nature at the time, he reveled in his work under Chadul.

Now, we know Deoch as the god of creativity and inspiration. Deoch forsook his servitude to Chadul and completed the unfinished the work of Danaan, the Spark, giving birth to an entirely new type of people that shatter predestination with their every step: we Aislings. In doing this, Deoch did the impossible, he melded the existing energy of Danaan’s Light with his own Darkness to create something never before conceived; the height of inspired creativity.

It is wise to think on this dramatic change in Deoch’s nature. The legends tell us that it was Deoch falling in love with Danaan that triggered that change. If love can turn a God away from the Darkness in such a way, surely there is hope for even the most evil and loathed among us.

We Aislings have been here over twenty cycles. In that time, there are countless among us that have felt wronged by others; maybe we even consider the wrongs done onto us as malicious acts perpetrated by someone whose only goal was to wound us.

But remember Deoch’s example… if gods can change, surely we as Aislings can as well. Do not allow old wounds to fester into everlasting blind hatred. We have all given Deoch a second chance, perhaps there are those you know that are also in need of a second look.


Among us are hundreds of brothers and sisters connected through Deoch’s gift. All capable of redemption. Give them that chance and you grow your Spark stronger… our community stronger... as a result.

(Remarks as written, not as delivered)

Deoch Mass - 4-24-2019

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 yourself.


We gather here on the moon when the evening star of Hesperos aligns with the smile of Danaan, the sun. The three priests of the Mukul, Grimlock, and Kobolds gather for the rite of the Redemption. A holy ritual to each of their most revered gods. Matrika... Adrunuch... Arpina. Each a different name worshiped by different races for different reasons. But… all a single entity: Danaan, the Goddess of Light.

There have been many confused by this rite in the past. It is a part of an arc that started three summers ago with the rites of the Eulogy, an honoring of Danaan and her sacrifice. When Danaan sacrificed herself to seal away Chadul and end the Shadows War, she did not do so just for us; her nascent, unfinished creation. She did so for all life and creatures the land over worship her for this sacrifice.

It is the evening star of the former Undine bard Hesperos that amplifies Danaan’s power during this alignment, as he walked the footsteps of Danaan when he sacrificed himself to save his daughter Kalliope all those years ago and earned a place in the skies besides the Goddess.

When we reflect on the Redemption; we again honor Danaan’s sacrifice. Without this sacrifice; today is much different. There is only stone earth, crops withered to nothing, a land without beauty or color and Gods either dead or in hiding. Through the power of Danaan, the essence of fertility, healing, and rebirth, she guaranteed that future did not come to pass.

But we do not only stand in remembrance during the Redemption, for during this ritual we also ask Danaan for the strength to lift ourselves out of the Darkness.

During the redemption ritual the relics we gained three summers ago are imbued with the Spirit of Danaan. The Redemption is about the unlocking of potential… not in just these relics but in ourselves. This ritual calls us into action to become the redemption. To be the flower that rises out of the filth; reflect her Light through our thoughts and actions. Danaan is redeemed through every action we take that keeps the looming Darkness at bay.

Do this in whatever way you can and when the final rites come next Deoch, you truly will be worthy of the Adoration of Danaan.

(Remarks as written, not as delivered)

Deoch Mass 4-17-2019

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 yourself.


Just some short thoughts for today...

To put it simply: we were all once Mundanes until being granted the Spark by Deoch, birthing us into this new life. Through this gift, our former Mundane selves became something fundamentally _different_, we became Aislings.

Before the Spark, our lives were not so unlike the flotsam on the waters of the oceans. Subject to the whims of whatever would act upon the flow; simply riding the seas of change where we would eventually sink into oblivion. But as Aislings, we were given autonomy; we were given the gift of struggle. Against the tide, against the waves, against the destiny that others would try and place upon us.

As an Aisling, you are an unknown variable. Be it the unknown schemer who plans on impacting history or the very machinations of the Gods... everything is planned and everything is certain until an Aisling becomes involved.

Temuair is molded by our actions and its future hinges on the impact we wish to make. Each of us is a nation of thoughts, sovereign. But what good is that internal choir if we do not share and learn from one another? To learn and to grow beyond our own means is core to the Aisling experience.

Our time here in Temuair is purely what we decide to make of it. Deoch was inspired to finish Danaan’s work and create the Aisling. What will you create? Who will you inspire? The answers we each individually have to these questions will determine our collective future here in Temuair.

(Comments as written not as delivered)

Deoch Mass - 4-10-2019

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 yourself.


If you were here when I first revived my mass about five Deochs ago, you will have heard the tale I’m about to tell you. But it is an important one, so I like to recite it a few times per cycle.

It is a tale I learned when I was but a new priest well over a century ago and I offer it here for you today so that you may carry it forward and tell it amongst yourselves so that none of us will ever forget the tale of how the Aisling Spark came to be. 

Deoch was a shifting, shapeless being of Darkness and 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 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 his vulnerable foe; instead something compelled Him instead 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, -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, continued to wait. But (Goddess Danaan) 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 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 of two very different creators. An impossible union of Light and Darkness. 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. 

Deoch Mass - 4-3-2019

It is an honor to stand here, giving praise to Deoch once again.

(Aisling Kurei gave the opening prayer)

From the first awakening and throughout our entire lives, we Aislings are looking for someplace to belong. Unlike the Mundanes from which we are sprung, we Aislings were gifted by Deoch with autonomy; we are able to decide our own destiny and freely seek out a place where we fit.

You are likely in a guild because you feel like you belong there and if you are here maybe it is because you feel like you belong in Deoch’s fellowship or an allied one... or you just like listening to old Aislings talk a lot.

Sometimes, where we feel like we belong changes over time. About the guild we are in, the temple we worship, the people we daydream alongside, or even whether we belong in Temuair at all.

Even if you still feel like you belong, sometime something calls you elsewhere. But change can be difficult and the decision to change even more so.

I was initiated into Deoch’s fellowship in the seventeenth Deoch by a wise priest named Carnaugh. Despite every temple being much more prominent and easily accessible, I felt the call to worship Deoch. I devoted my time as an assistant to High Priest Morrigan’s mass and eventually became a Minister in my own right.

I never stopped feeling like I belonged in Deoch’s fellowship, but through my time with Deoch I found a connection with Danaan and before long a new calling pulled at me. I embraced this calling and left Deoch’s fellowship for a time; but I never lost my passion for the word of Deoch and eventually found my way back again.

The process is a lesson that I took to heart. Should a calling beckon me elsewhere, I do not need to be afraid to follow it. Because no matter what, I will still find my way back to where I belong in the end.

It is not unlike how I still find myself walking in Temuair after these many, many decades. There is a part of me that belongs in Temuair and even though I have been called away many times; yet, here I stand before you today.

It is the core of what makes us Aisling. Always searching for that place we belong and following whatever path we have drawn for ourselves. Do not fear the unknown, for Deoch is with you, and through His gifts. instilled within you, you will always find your way to where you truly belong. 

(Remarks are written, not as delivered)