"
The Gate of Sthumaeis" is a fabled tome shrouded in mystery and steeped in the profound depths of
Drakoyan spirituality and knowledge. This legendary work is said to be a compendium of esoteric wisdom, containing secrets of the universe and the mysteries of existence as understood by the ancient sages of the
Congregation of the Ascended.
While the status of any original remains clouded in uncertainty, fragments of the book frequently "manifest" within other works that have gone on to become part of the standard corpus of
Ascended lore. From time to time, works proclaiming to be the full volume have also arisen, though modern scholarly opinion is frankly riven down the middle as to their authenticity: no one is quite sure whether this book, or indeed, the figure Sthumaeis himself, ever existed in more than an imaginary context. Be this as it may, the impact of Sthumaeis’ legacy on Ascended thought cannot be understated. Many of the ideas and theories said to derive from the book have woven their way into everyday practice, such that the very staple of religious life for many – weekly
Onized services – have been inflected by them.
by midjourney
Origins and Mythos
The origins of "The Gate" (as it is more simply known) are enshrouded in the mists of time, woven into the fabric of Drakoyan legend. It is believed to have been written by the ancient sage Sthumaeis, a figure revered in Drakoyan lore for his unparalleled wisdom and mastery over the mystical arts. The sage is often depicted as a bridge between the mortal realm and the divine, a conduit through which the secrets of the gods were revealed to humanity.
Sthumaeis' persona is a rare instance of a saint-like figure being attributed with fantastic powers, as most often, the
Reshai - mages of
The Berythian Tradition who wield actual arcane might - are respected as
masters over this domain, while
Exemplars - holy men and women - are written about in more prosaic terms, as individuals which, while renown for their piety, were essentially everyday citizens. Following edicts of the
Pact of Three, heads of the Congregation have done what they can to restrict most overt allusions to the mystical world out of respect for this magisterium's uniqueness, notwithstanding that it lies entirely outside their ken.
Contents and Structure
The tome is said to be divided into several sections, each delving into different realms of knowledge and existence. These include cosmological treatises explaining the structure of the universe, philosophical discourses on the nature of reality and existence, detailed descriptions of mystical rituals and practices, and even sections that are said to contain prophetic visions of the future. These have been translated into practical
alchemy-like formulations, though, again owing to the Pact of Three, the Church is under strict prohibition from pursuing activities in this area, which thus remain speculative. Curiously, now and then a process associated with The Gate has turned out to be efficacious in a magical sense, and co-opted promptly thereafter by the Council of Landzeon.
Extant passages of The Gate are also renowned for their complex use of the
Nagul script, easily distinguished from other Congregation documents by virtue of their unique style. The tome is not just written in the language;
Tellers (clergy) broadly agree that it embodies the very essence of the script's mystical properties, and its idiosyncratic nature compared with other Ascended liturgy lends credence to the notion that the Gate may indeed have a specific author and origin, rather than being the work of multiple individuals over time. As a counter-theory, suggestions that some Nagul-focused secret sect may have emerged within history - and perhaps, active still - borne out by certain passages written in a cryptic, almost indecipherable form of the script, requiring intensive knowledge and spiritual insight to decode.
A novel concept material from the Gate has introduced: The use of specific phonemes and syllables is believed to resonate with cosmic energies, making the act of reading the tome a spiritual experience in itself, and related explorations of "cosmic vibrations" have come to inflect the common chants heard during Onized services.
The Moot of Niachuz and the Gate
The Moot of Niachuz was a pivotal moment in The Gate of Sthumaeis' story - a symptom of a significant shift in the religious and philosophical landscape, which would later mould the role and sensibilities of the Tellers. The near banning of "The Gate of Sthumaeis" at this council summed up these changing tides.
Moots - councils held by the Ascended Church to discuss fundamental doctrinal matters - typically included only a grand assembly of Tellers; but at the Moot of Niachuz, the usual religious figures stood alongside
Draksineon's political leaders. The gathering was called to address growing concerns over doctrinal discrepancies, interpretative conflicts, and the overall direction of spiritual and intellectual thought in the Empire following
The Plague Years (1212-1112), a time when anti-magic sentiment was at an all-time high and
The Council of Landezon was very much on the back heel against mundane revolt, since the disease in question was magically produced (if allegedly by
The Hex, a distinction mattering little to commoners).
Controversy surrounding The Gate on account of its esoteric and deeply mystical content made it a natural focal point of contention at the Moot. On a banal level, the tome's esoteric nature and the complexity of its teachings were seen by some as a barrier to the spiritual growth of the general populace: it was argued that its language and concepts were accessible only to a scholarly elite, creating an unnecessary divide between the learned and the lay followers. There was also growing concern that the book's mystical and prophetic aspects could lead to misinterpretation and misuse - especially meaning any emulation of magical behaviours. Emerging sects and movements within Draksineon had begun using the tome to justify radical beliefs and practices, while others, operating outside of Church sanction founded separate, pseudo-magical traditions around the Gate's principles. A majority of Tellers present at Niachuz advocated for a simplification and democratization of religious and spiritual knowledge, believing that the essence of Drakoyan spirituality should be accessible to all, not shrouded in obscurity. The strain of thought that began here resonates through ensuing centuries of imperial history, striking its most recent chord within
The Reconstruction (362-Present) period's sweeping overhauls of corrupt and elitist governance, replaced by a focus on
common people.
At its heart, the primary conflict here had never been between the Church and The Gate, but rather mundane and magical society writ large. Thankfully for the history of the northern hemisphere, the two sides were ultimately able to reconcile their differences, leading to vast reforms on all sides. Documents drafted between them would serve as first prototypes for the Pact of Three. The Gate of Sthumaeis narrowly avoided a ban, but its use and interpretation were thereafter heavily regulated, restricted to Tellers who have received appropriate training on its proper place within the standard liturgy.
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