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{ The following are various teachings from Glory the Bloodhound }

First Lesson ~ The Threefold Aspects of Skraag

There are three forms of Skraag: Skraag the Father, Skraag the Brother, and Skraag the Child.

As the Father, Skraag is a caretaker. He who watches over his young, those of undeath. He is no ruler, he is no tyrant, he is all loving and embraces his children with care. Through him we are taught strength and bravery, those virtues embodied by the Father. He is as a role model for us, depicting that which we should, if we are willing, strive to be.

The Father is a protector, of noble kind though never necessarily of noble blood- which is of itself a myth. The Father embodies strength of arms and martial ability, able to defend the Brother and Child through his power. He is well respected by all, and may be akin to a lord, though he remains a humble father.

As the Brother, Skraag is our companion. He walks with us and keeps us on the right path alongside him. Even when, as now, he is distant. For in our minds we remember His parables and teachings. He walks with us hand in hand, always loyal and beside us. Such is his company and his compact with us.

The Brother is a teacher, who guides his peers- whom are all people, both Father and Child- and leads others toward salvation. The Brother need be mentally resilient, though not physically strong which is the domain of the Father. The Brother must always strive to embody virtue but never shun sin. For the Brother never turns his kin away.

As the Child, Skraag is ours to care for. It is as the Child that Skraag was born, when he witnessed the first death of Shalherana’s beautiful creation. Then he wept. He longed for new creation of his own, and in doing so created new life, known as undeath. It is this facet of Him that we cherish, and embody the Father to protect. For it is innocent, and good.

The Child is a dreamer, an innocent one. He looks up to the Brother and the Father, and gives to them hope. The Child must be kind and gentle, with a love of all of life. Through Him comes eternity. It is from the Child that Paradise shall be born. Only through the care of the Child can the Father and Brother bring about Paradise.

Each form of Skraag is familiar to us, for just as we live our lives among our fellows Skraag lives among us quietly observing, guiding, and protecting. The teachings of each are to be embodied. Some will walk closer the Path of the Father, others will walk the Path of the Brother or the Child. Each is in equal parts correct. Each is to be aided by the other. The Child inspires the Brother and Father. The Father defends the Brother and Child. The Brother guides the Father and Child.

It is mirrored by the castes of our society, too. Those who rule, the lords over us, when they are just they embody the Father. Those who teach the word of the gods, when they are true, embody themselves the Brother. Then, those who labor and dream from infancy to their old age and often feel that they can do little in this world, they embody the Child. And yet, it is the Child who is the greatest of all, those who are little folk only, for through them the Father and Brother are fulfilled.

Second Lesson ~ The Body Eternal

The body is the domain of Skraag. Through the body we are made eternal. The body binds us, it is our Corpus Materium. Through mastery of the body we may enact the will of Skraag, and through Skraag we may perfect our body. Know then the parts of the body, which are ours to command and control through our actions and behaviors.

The Head - Contains the locus of thought. Through the Head we perceive the world, and bear witness. To empower the Head, we must consume knowledge and engage in rational thought. We must purge from our minds close mindedness and misconceptions, and embrace the truth.

The Throat - Contains the voice. Through the Throat we speak our will into the world, and speak the teachings of Skraag with fervor. To empower the Throat, one must speak often and speak with fervor and passion. Waste not words on simple platitudes, speak not when there is nothing to speak on. Instead, find something to speak of with your fellow man.

The Lungs - Contains the breath of life. Through the lungs we empower our body. Proper breathing is necessary for the enrichment of the body, and should be practiced both in everyday life and in battle. Practice and meditation are best, until proper breathing becomes rote, even in the harshest of conditions.

The Heart - Contains the lifeblood of man. Through the Heart we sustain our body and from a lack of it we die quickly. One must keep the Heart pure by engaging in healthy activity, rather than destructive. One most remedy wounds quickly, to prevent the loss of it. And, one must not poison the body with alcohol.

Left Hand - To guide. Through the Left Hand we steer the destiny of others as their companion, teacher, or master. To keep the Left Hand strong, one must look ahead to see the path to point to. Shirk not the training of both hands both physical and spiritual.

Right Hand - To act. Through the right hand we enact our will materially upon the world. Strength is the domain of the Right Hand, though its strength comes from the unity of the body. To keep it strong, train often with physical adversity, not just the Right Hand but the whole body to support the acts of the Right Hand.

The Guts - Contains the sustenance of life. Through our Guts we consume and digest. It is our furnace, which must be kept stoked with that which lies beyond us. To keep the Guts strong, eat often, eat merrily, and eat the bounty of Shalherana freely. Through that which is natural and good to eat, you will grow stronger. Be it blood or fruit, do not shirk meat nor vegetable, but stay yourself from eating impure food. Wash raw food before eating, and cook it thoroughly to destroy its impurity.

The Loins - Contains the pleasures of life. Through our Loins we enjoy the blessing of life itself, the carnal acts which most are beholden to. To keep the Loins healthy, engage in the joy and revelry of life eagerly, but do not overindulge. Be mindful in your partners and their health, and do not lie with an impure partner who is tainted by disease. The Loins do not only represent the carnal pleasures, but chemical and recreational, too. Seek pleasure in any form, with temperance in mind.

The Feet - Our stability. Through our Feet we stand securely upon the material world, and are mirrored in the spiritual. To keep the Feet strong, travel often. Only through exposure to the world will your spiritual feet become stronger, and through the traversal of the material world will they become physically stronger, too.

To keep the Body Eternal in mind, recite this prayer:

Skraag I call upon you,

Ward my Head against lies and keep it full of knowledge.

Keep my Throat clear and my voice mighty, to always exalt you.

Carry the air of my Lungs to the far corners of the world,

And bring the breath of those corners into me.

May my Heart be ever beating, even in undeath, strong and delicious to drink.

And through my Guts take your offering, may it be pure and good.

Sate my Loins and all my desires through a love of you and the world in which we live.

Keep my Feet stable upon the ground so that I may never falter in your service.

Through the perfection of my body I seek the Body Eternal.

Let it be so.

Third Lesson ~ Parable of the Child

At the dawn of time, there was first a beautiful maiden. She was fat and happy, and molded from clay earth all those living things in the world. She set them out and sent them prancing. Deer, cats, dogs, bird and fish, all those things of land, sky, and sea. The bugs were her favorite, so she made many. Ants, beetles, butterflies. There was one she did not make, though, and that was the beautiful moth. So when she saw the moth among her creation, she looked at in in awe. It was like a butterfly, so she mistook it for one at first. But as she looked closer at its craft, she saw it much different, and was alarmed!

She looked all about, and saw nothing. She let the moth flutter off, and went on her way. Then she saw more strange things, for she had herself created all the plants of the land. Trees and grass and shrubs, the flowers themselves were sculpted by her hands. Yet as she walked through the woods of her making, she saw a tree, and on that tree grew mushrooms. She had not made those, and was so alarmed! Once more she looked about, and this time she looked out and saw the strangest thing, a child was off a ways, placing the mushrooms upon a far off tree.

She called out, and the child jumped in fright! The child ran off, quick as can be, and disappeared. So the woman went on, worrying and curious. So was the child, for this child had long watched the woman in her creation and remained hidden all the while. He had admired all her makings, and so wished to make for himself. He was not as talented as her, but loved to make just the same. He loved all that she had made, and frolicked through the hidden vales and under moonlit nights he wandered.

When finally he was crafting another bug, the mosquito, she came up behind him in utter silence. She set a hand upon his head, and laughed. He jumped with fright, but he could not get away. She was no threat to him, however. She knelt and hugged him, and at this time there was no speech or words known to even these two. They shared their creations, and brought joy to each other. And yet, one day, as the child watched, the worst thing he could have imagined happened.

The woman held in her arms a doe as it lay dying in her arms. The boy did not know what was happening, nothing had yet died in all the world. All things were lively and valiant and undisturbed by the idea of death, as we would know it. He watched and wept as the life faded from the beasts eyes, and watched as the darling woman wept in silence, too. Yet still she comforted him, and in time she rose and wandered off, leaving the body there while the boy looked on.

Once she was gone, the boy went to the body and touched it. He could feel the warmth leaving the doe, and would not accept it. He opened the eyes of the doe, which the woman had closed. He set a hand over its heart, and willed it to start again. He could make little, but he could preserve the life there is. For the doe rose again, and ran off into the woods. As more and more died, he tried his best to bring them back. Others came, and they feared him for their power, they persecuted him, and drove him into the shadows. The life he saved became his, not hers, for she would not take it back. He would have been alone, if not for his followers, and so he has remained since that time. Yet never once has he spurned her, who showed him kindness, even as she spurned him.