Ysvalian Philosophy

As they frown on sophistication, Ysvalians also frown on philosophy. Time spent thinking is time not spent working, fighting or gathering with loved ones. Yet, while they are not culturally given to complex ruminations, Ysvalians do have a common set of beliefs. Most of these beliefs belong to the Galadyan Temple of Light, the common religion that unites all of Ysval under a single law.

As the single pervasive philosophy of Ysval, the Galadyan Temple of Light is very present in the daily lives of its citizens. Even if they don’t like to speculate or elaborate about its deeper meanings, Ysvalians strictly live by the tenets of Galadyn, and closely watch their observance in themselves and their neighbors. In fact, the basic values of Ysvalian culture - cooperation, fellowship, simplicity - all come from the teachings of Galadyn.

The Galadyan Temple of Light
The only widespread organized religion in Valerna, the Temple of Light rose after the First Null War, when surviving Null cultists and their families fled the forces of the Dragonbonded and hid in the bleak North.

Lost and defeated, without allies, without the power of the Dragonbond and without their Null magic, these desperate refugees turned from the Null and rejected their former faith as darkness. They likened their old lives to the bleak nights of their new home, which threatened to kill them with starvation and cold, and sought to build a new life, to light a new fire in the darkness. This is remembered as the Kindling, the moment when the last Null Cultists lit the fire of community to survive the cold winter night. Organized by a new purpose, given focus by their repentance and rejection of their previous dark values, these colonists built towns and farms, bringing life and fertility to the cold, dry land of the North. They struggled much, and many died in the effort, but in the end community prevailed, and the first human cities rose, and prospered, in the cold tundra north of the Dreamsea. The Temple of Light hadn’t yet been established, but already its values had strengthened the people and given them courage to stand and survive together. The Light had been kindled. It was already with them.

The Temple came about a few decades later, when a whaler by name of Galadyn lost his boat to a furious Sikarian monstrosity, and managed not only to survive, but to save his entire crew. The Book of Galadyn states ‘the light saved them’, but doesn’t say how; the fact remains that Galadyn, a single man, brought a whole crew to shore from the frozen seas, and none of them was frozen or even wounded. They are still remembered as the Delivered Five, and to this day the Five Cities of the Holy Alliance commemorate their rescue.

After the incident, Galadyn retired from whaling, shamed by the loss of his boat, and became a manure handler. He traveled from town to town collecting refuse to sell to farmers. But everyone agreed that, wherever Galadyn appeared broken things were meded, disputes were solved, people were healed. The Light had taken residence in him, and through him it manifested in the physical world.

The Delivered Five, and others blessed by Galadyn’s strange power, spread word of his deeds, and how believing in the light created the power to heal and protect. Others began showing signs of the power, and eventually the Delivered Five sought each other to write the Book of Galadyn and build the Temple of Light.

Thus Galadyn’s deeds became the catalyst for the inner power that had saved the people of Ysval from extinction. The power had already been there, but Galadyn proved it existed, and allowed the people to give it a name. The Light was a supernatural statement on the tenets that Ysvalians had learned to survive by; it confirmed they had been right.

That is why the Book of Light differs so little from Ysvalian cultural values; they kindled each other, like dry wood and embers, and they feed each other, like the flame and the wind.

The Book of Galadyn
The Holy Book of Galadyn, a short, straightforward manifesto on the tenets of light, puts in written words what Ysvalians had already learned the hard way: work together, share, light a bonfire in the cold darkness. It explains Galadyn’s Five Sacred Values in as many chapters, with a clear, concise language that leaves little room for interpretation.

Community. Known as the Virtue of All, because it is given to all mortals, the value of community asks believers to stand together. Mortals should stand for each other; face the world as a unit, not as individuals. But they should also spend time with each other, enjoy each other’s company. The Light shines on those mortals that remain together for both hardship and merriment. Where there’s the warmth of community, the light shines brighter.

Helping. This is also known as the Virtue of Knights, for those that practice it become the guardians and champions of their community. The light manifests in those mortals that ease the load of their brethren. Help others with their troubles, help others from danger, help others stand against threats. However fleetingly, the light guards and envelops those that heal, rescue and protect.

Kindling. The Virtue of Priests, Kindling is the rarest of the Five Values, for it is the hardest to achieve and it was the first to appear, bringing the powers of light into the world of mortals. To kindle the Light is to create hope and warmth in darkness. The Light does not come on its own; you must summon it when it seems the furthest. When all hope is lost, when everything around is darkness, that is when mortals must kindle the light. That is when they must summon the Five Values and stand together. Kindle the Light in dark times. Kindle the Light in lost mortals. Kindle the light, for it cannot spark itself. You must do it.

Sharing. Also called the Virtue of Rulers, Sharing is the Value that requires mortals to share what is theirs. Despite its emphasis on community, the Temple of Light allows, even requires, that each have their own house, their own life and their own space, for the light shines when one takes from oneself to give to others; when you invite someone else to partake of your food, your house and your time. The Value of sharing establishes that the light shines on any house with guests, on any loaned possession, on any meal split in equal parts.

Watching. The Virtue of One, for only you are responsible for it, the Value of Watching establishes that the Light only shines under observation. If you look away, the light disappears; if you let the flames die, the bonfire goes out. Darkness always seeks to return; it is only by keeping watch on the burning light that we keep it at bay. Without constant vigilance, community disperses, and the remaining values precious to the Light simply don’t manifest. Watch yourself. Watch your neighbor. Watch for the light not to waver, not to go out.

The Parting of Light
While the Temple would never admit it, there has been a growing schism between two opposing views of Galadyn’s Faith. Officially there is still one truth, but recent wars and political divisions have strained the unity of the Temple itself, and there seem to be two sides emerging, which become clearer - and more distant - with every passing season.

One side is that of the ‘official’ Temple, which has always watched over Ysvalian community and held Ysval together through the worst of times. The Temple’s stance has hardened, claiming that the many schisms and crises recently endured by the Alliance require ever stricter observance and adherence to the word of the Book of Galadyn. The most extremist representatives of this view are the Monitors of Lucek the Flamebrand, who actively seek signs of dissenting thought or wavering faith to censure or punish, and promote spying and finger-pointing among neighbors.

The other side seems to represent a ‘new’ view of the Book, one that promotes that Freedom should be considered one of the Values, for only people without chains can truly help or form communities. This view maintains that hard times call for lenient hands, and that the Temple should ease off on the vigilance and allow the people room to breathe and regain their strength before moving on. The head of this movement is Freyel the Lightbearer, an independent preacher, with ties to no city and a growing following across the Alliance. Most other Lightpriests consider Freyel’s that movement promotes selfishness, which is disrupting and dangerous to the Alliance’s survival.