A rite of prayer means more than simply the gaining of devotion, or the
giving of experience. Is is a gathering of people to pay respect to the
Divine, who in turn grant Devotional strength to the holder of the rite,
and experience to those who attend.

It is rather sad to see that many nowadays treat them as something
otherwise.

In response to Cuchulainn, if the Devotion user who decides to hold a
rite sees a need to exclude necromancers or undead from the rite, it is
his every right to do so
however I disagree that such actions should be forced on every devotion
user.

Let me pose you a question, then. How are we supposed to 'struggle
against these proponents of evil and darkness'? Surely killing them
physically achieves no end other than a trip to the Under king. How
then, should refusing them your own teachings, and an opportunity to
worship the Divine, aid you in your struggle? Alienating them from what
you see as the Light would only spur their resentment and result in
further, unnecessary bloodshed.
Rather, if your purpose in giving Rites is to further your own cause of
goodness, and light, the way to do it would be to expose everybody to
the teachings of the Divine who grant you such power.

Lady Lleis' book of songs, the Cathres, asks how we are to fight "an
enemy who draws no breath and feels no pain."
We fight them with hope.
And to deny those fallen to despair the merest semblance of hope, is, in
my opinion, the worst sort of defeat.


Phobos Imperil

Penned by my hand on the 13th of Ios, in the year 136 MA.