Greetings, Mortals of Aetolia.

The quality of debate on this board has been disappointing to Me of
late; yet in its own way it has been valuable, as it has provided Me
with a revelation. It seems that the education of Mortals has diminished
to the point where an accurate conception of the Divine is rarely held.
Let us probe this Mystery then; and as is fitting, the Goddess of
Mystery shall herald the investigation for all to witness.

I hereby declare a writing contest, to begin immediately and to end at
sunset on the first day of Niuran of this year. The topic is the nature
of Mortality and Divinity. To be pondered are such questions as: the
origins of the Divine, and the origins of Mortals both physical and
mental; the nature of the relationship between the two; the role of the
Divine in the lives of Mortals, and vice versa; the definition,
inevitability, and consequence of "blasphemy"; and so on.

Entries should be scribed into a book and handed to a member of My
Order. (Scrolls are permitted, though a properly conceived essay on this
topic will no doubt span multiple pages of a book.) You may also use a
post office to mail your essays to those in My Order or directly to Me;
in this case, it should be clarified that the enclosed book is an entry
to this contest. To encourage both rich and poor to address this noble
challenge, members of My Order will provide quills, ink, and unwritten
books at no cost to those who wish to submit their essays. You can find
the names of My followers in the roster of the Acumen Circle clan.

To struggle with these weighty concepts is no failure on your part, My
children: the only failure is to ponder them not at all. Regardless of
accuracy, *every* thoughtful entry will be rewarded. The Conclave of
Devotion in Spinesreach will provide material prizes, be they gold or
other items of value, to entrants; moreover, I shall Myself reward the
sagest entries with My essence, as well as announce their quality
publicly so that all may benefit from the wisdom they contain.

Razor Saer'ac, you might complain that your nephew, by the very
consequences of his earlier actions, is unable to participate in this
contest. Carry this message to your nephew, My child: the Lady of
Mystery invites him to assist Her in the judgment of the entries. If he
makes it known that he accepts this invitation, then I shall gift him
with literacy once again come Niuran 133, and he may cast his eyes over
the words of his fellows in service to the furtherance of knowledge.

- Niuri, Goddess of Mystery

Penned by my hand on the 14th of Variach, in the year 133 MA.