Astral Humours
Proemium
Even as the body of man containeth the four physical Humours, to wit, blood, phlegma, black bile, and yellow bile, so did the great sage, Arion of Polydias, aver that the Sympan containeth four Humores Astralium. And these, arising from the primordial division of the Arche, are Order, Chaos, Benevolence, and Malevolence.
These Humours do abide as omnipresent forces, metaphysical in nature, and they are in perpetual flux, one with another, supporting and inhibiting as their natures decree, for as they were among the firstborn of creation - even before the gods. As the first things to come forth after the Arche did look upon itself and shatter, so doth the nature of all things proceed from the mingling and striving of these four Humours. Thus is the order and substance of the Sympan made manifest.
Ordo
Praise be to Ator the Lawgiver, the Most High Judge, who is the arbiter of Law and the avenger of the unjust. By His hand doth the astral humor of Order, flow into the world, establishing the harmony of creation and the governance of all things. As the chiefest of the gods, Ator hath ordained Order to be the foundation of the Sympan, whereby the stars are fixed in their courses, the laws are inscribed in the hearts of men, and vengeance is rendered unto those who rebel against His justice.
De Ordine
According to the writings of Arion, when the Arche was shattered by gazing upon its own mien, it first divided into aetheral Hyle and astral Nous. After which, the Nous split into the the four Astral Humours, and Ator arose as their sovereign. Of these Humours, Order was most beloved of Him, for it was the primary humour of His own nature, being just, steadfast, and unchanging.
By Order were the heavens established and the earth made firm. By Order were the gods themselves ordered, each according to their station. It is the breath of Ator, the whisper of His will, and the rod of His justice. Without Order, creation would fall into ruin, and the wicked would prosper unchecked.
Consider the heavens, how the stars shine forth in their appointed places, each moving in harmony with its fellows; this is a manifestation of Order. Look upon the earth, how the rivers flow unto the seas under Naeia's guidence, the mountains rise unto the heavens by Nexra's hand, and the beasts bring forth after their kind in reverence to Bira; this too is Order revealed.
Yet perhaps the greatest manifestation of Order is found in the hearts of mortals, where it establisheth law and conscience. It is the force that bindeth men unto their oaths, that inclineth them to justice, and that setteth the wicked trembling before the righteous. Through Order are kingdoms governed and the guilty brought low, for it is the instrument of Ator’s vengeance upon those who defy His sacred order.
The Humour of Order is as a sword in the hand of Ator, cutting away the thorns of chaos and rebellion. It preserveth peace among men, for it is the guardian of justice and the enemy of lawlessness. Through Order, the innocent are shielded, the guilty are punished, and the name of Ator, his Church, and his Host of Saints are glorified.
Within the souls of the faithful, the Humour of Order worketh righteousness, inclining them toward truth and steadfastness. The Humour of Order is the stern gaze of Ator inside us, for it is He who commandeth that all things be done decently and in order. Let those who fear Him therefore strive to reflect the divine order in their lives, honoring their oaths, obeying their rulers, and judging with equity.
Contra Chaos
Arion wrote that against Order doth the Humor of Chaos, ever war. Chaos be the serpent that soweth discord among brethren, the tempest that overthroweth kingdoms, and the shadow that darkeneth the hearts of the rebellious. Yet greater than Chaos is the wrath of Ator, who shall render vengeance upon all who defy His law.
Even Malevolence, the Astral Humor of Evil, doth conspire with Chaos to subvert the presence of Order. But let not the faithful despair, for the scourge of Ator’s justice is mighty, and His vengeance is swift. He shall break the teeth of the wicked and scatter the seeds of chaos, restoring the order that He hath ordained.
To honor Order is to honor Ator, for it is His chosen instrument of governance. Let every man who feareth the Lord of Justice strive to cultivate Order within his soul. Let him keep his thoughts disciplined, his words true, and his deeds upright. Let him revere the law of Ator and obey the ordinances of his land, for these are the reflections of divine order.
Let rulers and judges likewise cultivate Order, that their kingdoms may be established in righteousness. Let them write laws that are just, enforce them with equity, and punish the wicked without partiality. For in so doing, they become as the hands of Ator, wielding His justice upon the earth.
Thus do we see that the Humour of Order is the very breath of Ator, the enactor of His will and the guardian of His law. It is the foundation of heaven and earth, the harmony of creation, and the light of justice. Let all who fear Ator strive to uphold Order in their lives, that they may dwell in the peace of His order and escape the wrath of His vengeance.
For the day shall come when Ator shall judge all, dividing the righteous from the wicked as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats. Blessed are they who walk in His ways, for they shall dwell in the light of His justice in Ourana forevermore.
Chaos
Now, I set forth, in the name of Ator, the Just and Unshaken, against the vile and pernicious Astral Humour - Chaos. Let the faithful who read these words be warned, for Chaos doth stand in direct opposition to the divine will of Ator.
Chaos is the humour of chaos and unpredictability, a wellspring of irrationality, licentious individualism, unbridled freedom, and disorder. Though it doth promise liberty and fortune, it delivereth instead naught but ruin and despair. It is an illusion that masketh itself as freedom, a mirage that leadeth the unwise into the desert of discord.
De Chao
At the beginning of all things, the foul Chaos was seeped between the shards of the Sympan. Whilst Order did arise to knit together the threads of creation, Chaos existed as its dark twin, for it is the empty spaces between what was so artfully woven by Hyphantria. It doth lurk in the cracks and chasms of existence, striving ever to undo the divine order established by Ator and his sacred court.
Chaos is not without subtlety, for it doth weave itself into the hearts of men and gods alike, whispering lies of freedom and fortune. It doth exult in the casting down of laws, the breaking of oaths, and the abandonment of duty. It tempteth with the sweet fruit of individuality, yet it leaveth the soul barren and the world fractured.
Behold the fruits of Chaos, and tremble at their abomination. Where it taketh root, there cometh rebellion, strife, and anarchy. Cities crumble, alliances are broken, and the strong devour the weak. It doth engender in men a love of their own will above the common good, and a disdain for the righteous order that doth hold all things in balance.
Consider the plagues of unpredictability and misfortune: the storms that ravage without warning, the betrayals of friends, the madness that doth grip the mind unbidden. These are the hallmarks of Chaos's influence, the shadows it casteth upon the world. For Chaos is not merely the absence of Order but the active dissolution thereof, a force that doth seek to scatter and disunite.
Chaos doth often disguise itself as liberty, whispering that the yoke of law is a bondage too heavy to bear. It doth oft seduce adventurers with the promise of fame and fortune, yet its path leadeth to solitude and despair. For what is a man without law, but a beast ruled by his basest desires? And what is a world without Order, but Abythos, a pit of Chaos where none may find rest or safety?
Even the faithful may falter, tempted by the allure of chance and fortune, which Chaos doth claim as its own. Yet let it be known that true fortune cometh from the just hand of Ator, who rewardeth the righteous and punisheth the wicked. The luck of Chaos is naught but a cruel jest, a fleeting boon that leadeth to everlasting ruin.
What then shall the servants of Ator do, when faced with the creeping spread of Chaos? They must gird themselves with the armor of faith and the sword of Order. They must uphold the sacred laws, enforce the oaths sworn by men, and root out rebellion wherever it is found. For every act of justice, every word of truth, and every bond of loyalty is a blow struck against Chaos.
The clerics of the Ouranic Church are called to be the shepherds of Order, guiding the flock away from the precipice of Chaos. They must stand firm against the tides of individualism and irrationality, teaching the people that true freedom is found not in the casting off of law, but in the righteous embrace thereof.
Though Chaos doth rage and strive, it shall not prevail. For Ator is the eternal arbiter, whose scales shall never tip unjustly. The day cometh when those of chaotic humour shall be bound and cast into the void of Abythos, and Order shall reign supreme over all creation. Until that day, let the faithful labor ceaselessly in the service of law and order, knowing that their works are pleasing indeed unto Lord Ator.
Benevolentia
Benevolence, the Astral Humour of Tranquility, Compassion, Empathy, and Mercy, proceedeth forth into our world from the divine tears of Maya. She is the gentle counterpoise to the unyielding decrees of Law, and her presence tempereth the rigour of Judgment with the sweetness of Mercy. As the fire of Edius softeneth the hardness of iron, so doth Benevolence mollify the hearts of men, turning wrath into peace and vengeance into forgiveness.
De Benevolentia
Benevolence is not a weak nor passive force, but a humour of great strength and virtue, requiring fortitude to love when hatred is easier, and to forgive when vengeance calleth aloud. It is a balm unto the wounds of a broken world, mending that which Chaos hath rent asunder. Where Ator is the sword of righteous vengeance, Maya is the hand that bindeth the wounds of both the just and the unjust, for Mercy is given not unto the worthy alone, but unto all who are fallen.
Benevolence proceedeth from the Arche, as one of the first-born Humores Astralium. The wise Arion wrote: "Benevolence is the companion of Order, for where Order is the frame, Benevolence is the life thereof. Without Benevolence, Order becometh tyranny, and without Order, Benevolence dissolveth into folly."
To embrace the Humour of Benevolence is to walk the path of Compassion, yet not without Wisdom, for even Mercy must heed the voice of Justice. The clerics of Maya teach that true Mercy doth not reward iniquity, but restoreth the sinner. Forgiveness doth not annul responsibility, but it inviteth repentance and turneth the heart toward righteousness.
The faithful are admonished to show Empathy, to seek Understanding before Judgment, and to render aid unto the needy. Yet are they also warned to guard against the snares of Chaos, for untempered Mercy bringeth forth confusion, and unwary Compassion strengtheneth the hand of the wicked against the holy Ouranic Church and its Sacred Host.
Benevolence is manifest in the quiet acts of Kindness, which restore Harmony where discord reigneth. It is seen in the mother who comforteth her weeping child, in the judge who showeth mercy unto a repentant transgressor, and in the warrior who spareth the life of his fallen foe. It is the balm that healeth the wounds of war and the peace that maketh enemies to be reconciled.
Know that Maya herself is said to walk among the children of men in times of great strife, her countenance serene and her voice as a stilling wind. Her touch bringeth peace unto troubled souls, and her presence stills the tumult within the heart. Her clerics, who are called the Ministri Misercordiae, serve in her name, seeking not their own glory, but the restoration of that which is broken and torn.
The union of Ator and Maya is the perfect image of Justice and Mercy joined together. Their divine marriage is the pattern for the governance of the heavens and of Tel, wherein Law is tempered by Love, and Order is made sweet with Compassion. Ator decreeth, and Maya healeth; Ator commandeth, and Maya inviteth. Together they guide the faithful toward the highest good, wherein righteousness is neither harsh nor indifferent, but radiant with Benevolence.
Let all who serve Ator remember the example of his beloved bride Maya, for Justice without Mercy is Cruelty, and Order without Compassion is as a prison. To uphold the will of Ator is to serve not only the cause of Law but also the cause of Love, which floweth from the heart of his divine consort.
