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  • Commentary 33: The Lord’s Solemnity, the Caretaker’s Regulation, and the Child’s Enigma

    Greetings from the Xyphokonic Order and Ordinance. Today is the last Sacred Day of this cycle’s Juliar Period, and so we will round up our Period-long discussion around the topic of Death and the Vuetenexian Xyphozon by talking about some key figures within it—namely the Sacred Child, the Hayle, and the Lord. Among these three key figures, the difference among them and how they generally conduct themselves paints an interesting dynamic among the highest ranks of the Vuetenexian Xyphozon. Let us begin.

    With our greatest respects, we shall talk about the Lord of Death first. Lord Vuetenexzyei, as the Lord of this Xyphozon and thus the pure embodiment of Death itself, reflects the raw nature of Death as a Divine Attribute. When stripping Death and Spiritual Ends down to its raw nature, both attributes are simply the ceasing or eternal end of an existing entity or concept; Death is the end of Life. Spiritual Endings are, at their root, immediate, cold, unquestioned, and eternal. One may try their best to avoid such a destined reality, but in the end there shall be an end. In this perspective, we see Lord Vuetenexzyei as the true embodiment of this solemn and cold ending.

    This description of the Lord is backed up by the Caretaker, Hayle Kizu. In his recount of the Faces of Death, Kizu would remark on how the Lord was adamant on this very procedural and solemn description of Death; Death itself is cold, absolute, and eternal. In terms of Hayle Kizu himself, he found himself as the perfect intermediate between the solemn Lord of Spiritual Ends and the enigmatic Child of Death. Kizu, as the eldest of the Hayles and of all Spirits prior to Sacred Ascension, found most of his purpose in keeping the ancient traditions of spiritual regulation and order in place—which was a natural part of Kizu’s highly principled and orderly personality. Prior to Deceptuary’s first rebellion, Kizu and his legions spent their time keeping track of the rapidly perishing Spirits from Deceptuary’s corruption, and Kizu believed this action would be necessary to keep regulatory order among the Spirits. In all respects, Kizu is a figure focused on keeping regulatory spiritual order, and as such could not find himself in a better position than as Lord Vuetenexzyei’s Archangel and the Hayle to the Child of Death.

    Speaking of the Child, we move onto the enigmatic nature of the Child. Xyzukizusia, Child of Death, is described by Hayle Kizu as a Child of enigmatic nature. Xyzukizusia, in the recount of the Sacred Lesson “Faces of Death,” has been described as an incredibly insightful and forward-thinking individual with a proclivity for mischief. Xyzukizusia has been described as being charming, guile, pragmatic, and often unpredictable while having an incredible knack for scheming and plotting. In the Faces of Death, Xyzukizusia draws the conclusion that Death as a mortal reality would come in the form most fitting for each moral being—that Death could be playful yet swiftly enacted, that Death can be brutal to those that have brutalized, that it can be uncaring and cold as is the raw Nature, and that Death can be a companion to those that accept and do not fear the eternal reality of it. As Hayle Kizu noted, Xyzukizusia’s perspective on Death was a stark contract to the Lord’s solemn and procedural presence, and that the two figures would not be any different in outward demeanor. However, in the end, the Child of Death, at the bones, will still embody the absolute, solemn, and eternal reality that Death shall end mortality, and regardless of the enigmatic and charming nature of the Child, the Child represents Death incarnate and shall usher in its eternal reality when the end times of all come.

    —crX

  • Commentary 32: The Darkness of Death

    Greetings from the Xyphokonic Order and Ordinance. Today we join again to discuss the concept of darkness and its association with Death. As my colleague Ery spoke last Period of Light and its association to Life, we too will explore Darkness and its ties to Death. Let’s begin.

    Darkness is an Element that opposes Light; it is cast from the absence of Light. Light is understood be a force of creation of newness, while Darkness is a force that envelops all in a veil from the presence of Light. Examining the Initial Flash of Light, we see that the 10 deities cast shadows from the Light, and from those shadows came all that shall be set to exist and eventually expire. Here we find a type of Darkness known as Shadow—Darkness cast from an entity bathed in Light. In this Shadow, all are subject to Spiritual Ends by the nature of the Shadow’s dependence on the Light and on the focal entity; all shall face an eventual spiritual end in this elongated shadow.

    We can observe the nothingness of nonexistence, of the pre-existence before the Initial Flash, and of the near non-existence of Gheisialez and once again witness Darkness; this Darkness is called a Void, or Darkness from the lack of Light or spiritual distance from the focal point of Light. In this Darkness of the Void, all things cease to exist as they fade into the Darkness—yet another circumstance that leads to spiritual ends.

    We can remark on the spirits made of Pure Darkness, the Dauharouki. These spirits are cast in pockets of Pure Darkness, a type of Darkness that is so heavily concentrated that Light cannot pierce into it, and yet within this Pure Darkness there is still existence subject to spiritual ends. Here we find that this Pure Darkness actually works in the reverse of how Light and Dark seem to react. The Pure Darkness of Dauharouki is wrapped around a Spiritual Core—the focal point or Heart. In this case, the Light exists within the Darkness, and the Darkness envelopes around it and conceals the Light’s presence, ending its ability to shine externally.

    Working off of that concept, we see Dark Aura of the Heart itself, which is aura that regulates the internal workings on the Attachments. Dark Aura is focused on internal actions—yet again concealed and kept existentially obliviated from those not privy to the inner workings of others. Here we witness Darkness at work again as it conceals Light.

    In all of these cases, we witness Darkness serve the purpose of expiring the Light or keeping it from being an absolute force without challenge. This is how the relationship between Spiritual Beginnings and Spiritual Ends work—how Life and Death work. The Light, a force of creation, is expired, retired, concealed, or ceased by the Darkness; in that same reality, the Darkness can be lit by new Light, and so the cycle continues to and fro. It’s this cycle of Light and Dark that keeps our existence and the Spectrum flowing and stable; these forces of Light and Dark, Beginnings and Ends, and Life and Death, keep the Cosmic Flow in motion.

    —crX

  • Commentary 31: Ceremonial Death in Xyphoist Philosophy

    Greetings from the Xyphokonic Order and Ordinance. This Juliar, we will discuss a selection of topics relating to or adjacent to the topic of Death. Today we will dive into what Ceremonial Death looks like in Xyphokonic Culture. Do Xyphoists have specific traditions when it comes to handling Death and loss of life? Is there a funeral process to follow? How do burials work? Let us discuss.

    The ceremonial actions taken after the Death of a mortal in Xyphoist Practice can vary to some degree from what many would consider standard practice. In general, preparation of the remains in most modern societies include the embalming process or cremation of the remains. Xyphoist Philosophy doesn’t explicitly state that there is any set customs that one MUST do with the remains of a dead mortal, only that the remains and the Remembrance be shown basic care and respect for the existence of said Death. As such, the desecration of remains is not a condoned action by the Ordinance; adding to, the standard options of embalming, casket funeral proceedings, and normal burial are acceptable if the recently deceased had willed it so before Death or the next of kin has agreed to this. Cremation is also acceptable.

    However, Xyphoist Practice does have Xyphokonic-specific options for Ceremony regarding Death, and some customs are specific to one’s Descending Spirituality. A Xyphoist-specific custom is for the remains of a deceased mortal to be stored in a Resting Hall of a Xyphoist House of Worship—especially in a Zhourghei Temple. Some Xyphoist Houses will have a basement segment that functions as a mass ornate mausoleum for all Xyphoites who wish to be placed there in their Death. Each deceased mortal will get their own individual chamber for their remains, with chambers being the size of a casket to smaller chambers for urns if desired. The Chamber door will be engraved with a plaque with the full name, dates of life, and a special message on it—similar to a gravestone. The chambers are then locked and secured by the staff of the House to ensure no grave robbery takes place. The highest-ranking Vuetenexian of any said House shall hold a skeleton key to all chambers, and only 1 individual key will be created for each individual chamber, which will be given to the most trusted family or friend of the deceased; family and friends can come to the Resting Hall to visit the Chamber and decorate it if desired during House open hours and with the approval of House officials.

    Outside of the option to use the Resting Hall, some Xyphozons will have their own individual customs that those of that Xyphozon can apply in their Ceremonial Deaths. For example, Nakndsian Xyphoites may want to be buried among flowers or have their remains cremated and mixed with wildflower seeds. Those of the Carneiyean or Kyaius Xyphozons, prone to light, may have candles lit in their funerals to signify the power of Light. Vuetenexian Xyphoites, in the past, have had a very ornate tradition of having the flesh removed from their remains to expose only the skeleton; following, the skeleton is painted with glossy golden paint or, if one were to be willing to pay for it, adorned with authentic gold. After, the skeleton will be dressed in a black sild cloak and a purple jewel will be embedded in the skull of the skeleton. This very ornate custom was crafted to emulate the likeness of Lord Vuetenexzyei and the Angels of Death, who are seen as golden skeletons in black robes with a violet jewel embedded in the forehead. Now, none of these are required practices, but the most devote of Xyphoites may wish to partake in such customs that pay homage to their Descending Spirituality, Xyphozon, and Lord of Watching.

    The purpose of Ceremonial Death is to both acknowledge the Eternal Reality of Death while also respecting the Remembrance and remains of the deceased, and while there is no required option for how to do this, Xyphoist Traditions offer a variety of ways to pay a final respect and devotion to the Order and one’s given Descending Spirituality while leaving those loved ones still alive with a Remembrance enshrined in Ceremony.

    —crX