A Treatise on Archbishop Vinicius Imbrex's "The Four Abominations" (ESO RP)
The following is nailed to the doors of Daggerfall Cathedral by a woman in plain white robes of the priesthood and sent by letter to the cathedral churches of High Rock, Anvil, and Chorrol, as well as the University of Gwylim.
A Treatise Disproving the Claim that Archbishop Vinicius Imbrex of Chorrol’s “The Four Abominations,” is Canonical Scripture Come to me, Stendarr, for without you, I might be dead to the manswarm murmurings of thy people, and forgetting their need for comfort and wisdom, I might indulge myself in vain scribblings. Despite the most wondrous salvation of Camlorn in living memory, when its people were saved from the curse of lycanthropy and the doom of Oblivion by that morning star Alinon the Alchemist, there remain those hard of heart within this holy Church who steadfastly declare that all lycanthropes are abominable in the eyes of Stendarr and are to be exterminated without halt or mercy. Such was written by Archbishop Vinicius Imbrex of Chorrol, who served Stendarr in the eleventh century of the First Era during the persecutions of the Marukhati. But let us look upon what is said of manbeasts, “those mortals who through traffic with the bestial Hircine do change their skins for those of animals, preying thence upon the innocent.” Now, by the intercession of Saint Alessia, Queen-ut-Cyrod and Lady of Heaven, it was made known to us that the Eight are titled All-Wise and All-Knowing, being wholly omniscient, and that Akatosh in His wisdom gave us Nine Commands made manifest with powerful clarity and concise definition, that we might know truth from falsehood. Julianos commands that we know the truth, and knowing both of these things, must we not believe that the Eight tell us only, clearly, and concisely, the truth? And yet we read that all manbeasts are cursed by traffic with Hircine; the tale of Camlorn in living memory makes nonsense of this. Never did the Camlornians deal or trade with the Father of Manbeasts, but they were made unwilling victims of Reachmen and dread Faolchu. What if the Righteous smote afflicted Camlorn from the earth? Let us thank Stendarr and his infinite mercies that such a dread moment was narrowly avoided. If we in this Church were to accept the canonicity of “The Four Abominations,” we would force ourselves to profess that the Eight saw fit to mislead and deceive us in former days; but gladly do we know better, both by the sundry and authentic chronicles and histories pertaining to the Paravant and the clear intentions of the Divines as expressed in the Nine Commands, instructing us, their children, clearly and concisely. I am asked, “Who are you to go against the generations of priests, bishops, and theologians?” To which I say that I must accept the Eight’s grace through the intercession of Al-Esh and speak in accordance with the scriptures as I am bidden by my conscience. And more besides, is this Church not without error and disobedience towards gods? Does the Order of the Hour in Kvatch not throw heretics into the arena, as if it is better to kill the heretic than to cure him? And does Father Pitof not spew nonsense from the altar of Daggerfall, making heretics of the nation and turning them against Dibella? Is it not abhorrent that this man teaches that Zenithar is responsible for the beggar’s destitution? Truly I say to you, the Precepts of Stendarr bid us never to refuse aid we are capable of providing, and not to hoard wealth; the beggar’s plight is an indictment of his nation. Is it truly godly to blame the downtrodden for their suffering? Stendarr forbid it! Did this Church not readily follow the arch-heretic Marukh and cease to profess Eight Divines in former days, because we loathed the very Mer whom Al-Esh forgave? Whether salvation from eternal damnation can be purchased for the vampire, I know not, nor do I argue that the Righteous ought to spare any of the daedra or walking dead in the Mundus wherever they appear. We have no theological justification, however, to deny that Alinon and the Lion Guard were correct and righteous to cure and save the Camlornians. If Cyrodiil wishes to invoke the primacy of the Archbishop of Chorrol in this matter, I remind them that High King Emeric of Bretony and the Forebears received of the Eight their divine sanction by the most public sign of the Halo of Gold upon his coronation, and the affairs of the Church by rights ought to be conducted and decided in the Court of Wayrest. That should silence the critics. By the hand of Judith Reinette de Farendaire, Priestess of Stendarr. Gods save the High King.
Referenced Texts:
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:The_Four_Abominations
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Nine_Commands_of_the_Eight_Divines
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Triumphs_of_a_Monarch,_Ch._10
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Pitof
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Kvatch_Arena_Reopens!
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Precepts_of_Stendarr
