Chapter 37: The Five Precepts

Lord Carlisle was somewhat surprised by the news about Estara. “That slip of a girl is really coming up in the world. Very well. And is that… the same as Mystagogue, Your Majesty?”

Just as Tashome said, it’s an issue…

“No. I am planning to drop some information soon on ranks. You will be a Luminous, above her despite not being clergy. Eventually, we’ll do some sort of ceremony. But it is appropriate, as your extensive experience and knowledge illuminates others on the path.”

“Hmm. So you value natural understanding as well as mystical. It’s appreciated.”

Pulling from her Goddess class a bit, Samantha sent, “Understanding of the natural is mystical because it is a higher conscious will over reality. Your mind is the seat of mystery itself and by the mastery therein, you protect the soul of our divine order. You safeguard divinity itself, allowing those seeds to grow. You commit this sacred sacrifice for something greater.”

“An interesting perspective formed with attractive words. I’ll think on them. Was there anything else, Your Majesty?”

“I’d like you to pick out a few of the most logical and capable among your men to convert. Keeping our secrets is the most paramount thing, however. Think on it, hmm?”

“Understood, Your Majesty. May your day live on.”

“And yours, Lord Carlisle.” She disconnected.

May your day live on? I suppose in a place where death could come at any time, that’s an apt farewell and blessing.

Merril soon ‘buzzed in’ with a sudden query. “Dax asked me if I knew anything about a System Deck. I’ve also never heard of it. Something about powerful buffs?”

“It’s random. You could get a great boost or you could be cursed. Or die. The one I used it on was able to defeat Danomeir, just barely, but then he got the upside-down Strength card and is permanently weakened.”

“So a dice toss for a chance at a permanent buff? Or for a temporary one to save someone’s ass. Options for the desperate. You could raise up some people from obscurity if you went after and tempted them.”

“I have to live with the guilt if I fuck over their life, though.”

“So you’re a goddess with a powerful, god-like ability you don’t have the stomach for? That’s irony.”

“It’s not even my domain. Has something to do with the fact I did tarot in the world I came from.”

“And you think that’s all?”

“I dunno. But I don’t want to be some soulless executor of doom and miracles on a 50/50 coin flip. And I can’t separate the temporary from the permanent, unfortunately.”

“Maybe a domain would stack things in your favor.”

“Maybe.” She mentally sighed. “Doesn’t matter right now. So is that all, Merril?”

“Yes.” He disconnected.

Fortune, fate, luck? I don’t know that such things would affect the System Deck. It seemed to just do what it wanted, ignoring us. Play or get played.

The next thing on her itinerary was what she’d been procrastinating. The goddamned ‘homework’, because it came with a potentially important cookie. It was time to get the Precepts done. Unsurprisingly, there was a form. So she put everything in her head together, figured it out, and slammed it down.

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The Precepts of Samantha

In the truth and light of the Goddess Samantha, whom the truth-seeking and dream-making are canny to seek, there is a spirit of good conduct in fellows of the order, to each other and to the goddess herself, who watches over and judges the worthy and the unworthy. All is to a goal of supreme inner knowledge and mastery of self, to reflect outward in manifestation over reality.

Good conduct and discipline is a channel and aid to this manifestation.

All members, those so Illumined and those soon to be, hereby shall follow these stipulations in truth and spirit, or face the consequences of discipline by their superiors or even the goddess herself. Moreover, violators should face their own shame in the mirror facing back, seeing the reflection and the one beyond it whom they betrayed.

Hold the secret, preserve our truth. No soul shall be free with their tongue about this order, nor its goddess, nor its members. Be silent but for the recruitment sanctioned by leaders.

No shedding of innocent blood. A sword for a sword, a hand for a hand. Consider mercy where worthy, and any who waste innocent life will suffer judgment as the cretin they are. This includes other vile violations. If a key soul must perish out of battle, it will be determined only by the highest of the order.

Brotherhood. Sisterhood. Fellowship. The order is your second family. Do not harm or cheat a fellow. Help each other, prioritize over outsiders in opportunity and aid. Come to know and have compassion for each other. This community is your charge and duty.

Pray diligently, do not forsake rites and ceremony. A minimum of thirty minutes a day, distributed as desired. As you are taught the rites and ceremonies, keep them in your heart, where they must glow like a torch that cannot be quenched.

Substance moderation. Mindfulness. Discipline. A drunk does not keep secrets well, and an addict’s desperation does not suit the order. Self-control is paramount. Members will accept the prescription for correction by their superiors if they are found lacking.

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It was all fairly barebones to her. She didn’t want to add severe limitations, but she wanted to be clear on the non-scumbag clause. If someone made it into the order and did something unforgivable… she’d had to judge what to do with them. It would be on her. She wanted to avoid any such stain on her psyche as long as possible.

This is my fucking lot in life, now. I’m going to be a ruler. Of sorts. Until I have my own holy magistrates or something, who else is going to decide the fate of heinous violators? And what the hell would I decide? What would it do to me? A few days ago I was worried about grades and asshole customers. Now I’m worried about life and death and the fate of entire regions…

All she could hope was that the threat of consequences and the vetting of individuals by her or trustworthy leaders was enough. For a while, at least.

Mental finger hovering over the mental ‘submit’ button, Sammy took a last look at it, chewing her lip, then sighed finally and tapped it.

Precepts form accepted. Followers updated.

The quest “The Divine Precepts” is complete. 7 FE gained. 1 free Holy Relic Investiture gained.

“Auto-updated, eh? Well then.”

Sammy went ahead and sent her ‘ranking’ chart out too, like a Goddess Memo, captioned with, “These are the details of rank within our order. Note the codewords and keep them in mind outside closed doors, so you all continue to fly free. May you be illumined, my seekers.”

Ranking chart accepted as an official System document. Link to Follower Conversion information for their immediate access?

“Uhhh… sure. I should probably edit that thing, too…”

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Ritual of Conversion Form

(Note: Do not add superfluous text to this form.)

Requirements: Touch a hand to a mirror and say, “To the goddess whose name I shall hold like a precious secret in my heart, I swear my allegiance and pledge my faithful prayer, praise, and service. I shall obey her absolutely and heed my superiors as well as the relevant hierarchical structure for collective order and illumination. I shall obey the Precepts to the best of my ability and in wholeness of spirit.

I hereby vow to never reveal her name nor any of her ways to any but those so sanctified and set apart as me, or may I be cursed forever.

For truth and a mastery of self, I accept my place as an Initiate into the Mysteries of the Goddess of Mirrors and Illusion. To the Goddess Samantha do I hereby dedicate myself.”

Religious Experience: Peaceful, blissful feelings (20% magnitude). An aid to inner reflection and a sense of special, mystical status.

Authorized Officials: Orsywth Maglion

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“There. That’s better.”

She got a variety of responses from her Followers about it all. Some were simple acknowledgments, but others…

Bast, already flying down the road by horseback, sent, “Hey, I am entirely functional even while drunk! I hope this particular prescription isn’t too stringent… and birds, eh? Ha, how appropriate…”

“Looks like you considered things carefully. Seems reasonable.” Tashome.

“We will all work toward it diligently and meditate on these prescriptions, Your Majesty,” Orswyth sent. “Thank you for your careful deliberation and guidance.”

“Inward and Outward, your will shall be done, Goddess,” Azure sent. “As above, so below.”

Dax sent, “Works well enough for me. A lot of my mates in Caneboro will like this kind of potential too.”

“Way too many words, but sure.” Merril.

Smiling at or rolling her eyes as the case may be for each, she chalked it up to an ultimate win and another notch on the progression of her mystery cult’s foundations.

And on the third day, something something… and so a flag was planted somewhere. Or a monument. Hmm. Actually, why not? I feel as if I should...

Sammy rose up from her throne and walked down to the platform, looking around, sizing up, considering. “A new construct here in this space, Sys! A visible platform in the sky behind, on it a monument, a temple, a pyramid with four mirrored surfaces, and the crown at the top is pure gold! On the sealed door is inscribed my Five Precepts in glowing script, and so is the oath.”

Acknowledged. 1 FE deducted.

The platform materialized in the sky above in a flash of light. The pyramid with a crown of gleaming gold sat atop it.

“The approach will be by crystalline steps appearing just as needed, like luminous phantoms in the void of the night.”

The steps appeared as she walked to the edge of the platform, glowing diamonds and crystal of a subtle, blue light. She walked up, and steps appeared ahead, progressively disappearing behind and below her ascent.

Finally, she stood before the great mirrored pyramid, reflecting the stars all around across its perfect surface… the subtle glow of script evident on a large, rectangular, inset double-door at the base.

“The approach is flanked by two flags on poles of pure sapphire, flags that billow endlessly without wind…”

Her eyes closed as she recalled things, channeled things, drew forth secrets from [Goddess] and yet it was so much more, an archetype, a power laced with meaning beyond representations of the tangible.

So were all the gods. The gods of Earth were humanity’s heavenly gaze to their own immortality and infinity, hope of mastery and order, and a place to always be. She had attained it, ascended, and so she was the Goddess of Earth because she had been a child of Earth. She brought it all with her.

She was their seed planted elsewhere.

I am a child of Demeter and Persephone, of Artemis and Zeus and Hades! I’m the progeny of Odin and Thor and Loki! I’m the daughter of Isis, Thoth, Osiris, Sekhmet, Ra! I’m all of them reborn!

So she spoke, “The flags are: one of gold with the black Ankh on both sides… death, rebirth, life… the Eye of Horus in the center… on the other side is the Eye of Ra. This is a secret symbol of my order. In a mirror… one becomes the other.”

Samantha opened her eyes. “The other flag is black with a simple, white mask. This is all I need or am…”

And the flags appeared anchored into small stone platforms of their own, the tall, impossible gemstone poles rising high with their flags billowing dramatically.

“Each face, all, and none.”

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« Chapter 36 | Table of Contents | Chapter 38: The Perfect Remembrance »

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Samantha, Virgin Goddess of Mirrors & Illusion
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Goddess Level 1; Fledgling Deity

Domains (2/2): Mirrors, Illusion
Faith Energy: 864/1000
FE (Illusion): 10
Followers: 10 (Daily FE Gain: 14 [15])

Brute: 0
Rogue: 0
Wizard: 0 [9/10]
Bard: 0

Special Skills: First Aid, Tarot Reading, Priestly Ordination

Special Traits: Token User, Immortal, Demiplane Domain, Conceptual Body, Fueled By Faith

Powers: Faith Energy Utilization, Grant Prayer (Illusion), Mirror Sense (at will), Mirror Communication (at will), Create Illusion

Status: Token User Promotional Bonus (3/30), New Deity Grace Period (3/7)