The Scarlet Church of Parabola

My dear fellow Londoners,

as I’ve recently become a Scarlet Saint and am still working on becoming a Paramount Presence I began thinking how I could help London after I’ve reached my goal.
As I was meeting up for a Coffee with Jolanda Swan, I had a wonderful idea and she helped me greatly in fleshing it out!

Erecting a Church of the Scarlet Saints in Parabola!
The scarlet building would go amazingly well with the Colours of Parabola, the holy waters would be honey, perhaps even red honey…
We would need a lot of Scarlet Saints of all manners of Profession to help us realise this far-fetched dream!

Monster-Hunters and Licentiates to drive off most Fingerkings, Crooked-Crosses and Midnighters to help us build the Shrines, Glassmen to help us establish a base to work from, Correspondents to notify the most worthy amongst us!

Imagine such a mighty society, we’d be living in dreams, literally! Amongst Parabolan Cats and Fingerkings, and perhaps with the false sun in there, we would be able to grow food that’s different from Fungi!
Of course, other professions would be more than welcome as well!

This is a wonderful idea! I am -slowly- accumulating some of the items necessary for the probably-forever-impossible Base Camp in Parabola. Let me know if this Author can be of assistance!

Might this be a scheme to institute a tax evasion scheme on a grand scale? With the appropriate connections we Scarlet Saints have with the Church, we can pull strings to make this institution tax-exempt, and perhaps the state will even fund us. After all, this emphasis on professions - especially the higher-paying ones - is suspicious. If I then donate the sum total of my income to the church, and I subsequently sell my London property (or, since that’s impossible right now, sacrifice all of my lodgings for a candle) and move to the church, might I be able to evade both my income and property taxes?

If so, our brazen connections should help with getting the lawyers on our side.

You have earned one midnighter who is intrigued, and I’d be glad to build up a shrine (preferably of St. Joshua) or two for this project of yours, also promising discretion amongs the Game, and I believe purple would fit amazing as a contrast to the other possible colours! Just that I can’t really seem to remember how those shrines look like…Maybe some other canons remember…

Indeed, anyone can be of help in this massive project, it will take years, perhaps even decennia!
As Author perhaps you could make the pamphlets or books about the utopia it would be!
And if you reach Correspondent you could help use with writing down the schemes of our Church so that none others can steal our ideas without burning their own eyes.

[quote=Azothi]Might this be a scheme to institute a tax evasion scheme on a grand scale? With the appropriate connections we Scarlet Saints have with the Church, we can pull strings to make this institution tax-exempt, and perhaps the state will even fund us. After all, this emphasis on professions - especially the higher-paying ones - is suspicious. If I then donate the sum total of my income to the church, and I subsequently sell my London property (or, since that’s impossible right now, sacrifice all of my lodgings for a candle) and move to the church, might I be able to evade both my income and property taxes?

If so, our brazen connections should help with getting the lawyers on our side.[/quote]

One doesn’t need to sell one’s place in London to live in the Church, however in Parabola there is no rule yet thus no taxes.
The idea was to establish it on government and Bazaar funds, but it would eventually be it’s own country and place!
That’s the reason I called upon the high-tier and low-tier professions. The Monster-Hunters and Licentiates would be able to lead armies of Toughs, Enforcers, Murderers, Stalkers and Rat Catchers without any issues.
The Midnighters, Agents and Watchers could easily keep their ears to the ground in London, Hell, perhaps even the surface, to keep us informed about the developments everywhere.
Crooked-Crosses and Midnighters could hold weekly masses.
And so on…

I surely hope this plan will set greater things into motion.

Indeed a grand idea!
Why would we keep it hidden from the Game?
If this Utopia comes to be, we’d be as powerful as the entire British Empire on the Surface, the Empire on which the Sun never sets!

[quote=Honeyaddict]

If this Utopia comes to be, we’d be as powerful as the entire British Empire on the Surface, the Empire on which the Sun never sets![/quote]

As a Lady who is overly fond of both the stunning tones of Parabola and causes greater than herself (at least ones she approves of), I should be thrilled to help with the creation of the Empire on which the Sun never rises. I shall use my influence as an Author to create such enthralling portraits of life in the new Empire that simply all will be falling over themselves to make it happen. Clearly I must spend more time in fevered dreams of Parabola to help with this goal.

[quote=kittyrambunctious][quote=Honeyaddict]

If this Utopia comes to be, we’d be as powerful as the entire British Empire on the Surface, the Empire on which the Sun never sets![/quote]

As a Lady who is overly fond of both the stunning tones of Parabola and causes greater than herself (at least ones she approves of), I should be thrilled to help with the creation of the Empire on which the Sun never rises. I shall use my influence as an Author to create such enthralling portraits of life in the new Empire that simply all will be falling over themselves to make it happen. Clearly I must spend more time in fevered dreams of Parabola to help with this goal.[/quote]

I’m glad you’re aboard!
The main issue is that we’ll have to decide on one or multiple currencies, things that crossed my mind for monetary objects were souls, candles, mysteries, wine and of course honey.

[quote=Honeyaddict]I’m glad you’re aboard!
The main issue is that we’ll have to decide on one or multiple currencies, things that crossed my mind for monetary objects were souls, candles, mysteries, wine and of course honey.[/quote]My vote for a departure from the Echo is the Mystery for the sake of equating economic growth with the advancement of knowledge (barring the moral quandaries of burning revelations to create searing enigmas). Of the ideas, mysteries also permit the most flexible monetary policy, as the money supply can be regulated through the controlled introduction of mysteries and solutions, which are plentiful in number and easily producible. Let our libraries be the center of economy, and let knowledge flow freely, without Judgement.

The Echo, however, is what I believe to best represent the nature of the Scarlet Saint. The Echo is the currency of the Bazaar, but we are more than the London that was: we are the Fifth City. Life has changed, and the Echo reflects that. The value of the Echo lies neither in the value of a commodity nor the favor and debt of individuals bartered from one to another. The Echo exists because it is an echo of stories told and untold, and what is the nature of the Scarlet Saint but a shaper of stories? Wild, vivid adventures tempered by a safe and austere mind; living a life free of fear of heaven or hell.

The higher professions are paid not in Echoes but in stories and profits that are exchanged for echoes of what they were. Those who reject the Bazaar’s schemes are paid in the echoes of their clients’ stories. A candler may make a candle. They may love their work; they may hate it. They may feel nothing, but beneath the surface, there’s a story to tell. The candle is traded for Echoes - echoes of that story - and the candles are traded to the makers of stories: to the church, to the Cousins, to the desks of scholars. To choose one aspect of the economy to form its foundation is to build ourselves on that singular principle. Remember, the Scarlet Saint is but one way to shape the stories: that is the price of power that the Masters demand. In Parabola, we may be liberated from the Masters and the Bazaar (save Wines and Spices), but the uniting principle of the Scarlet Saint remains that standard: stories. And the currency built on stories is the Echo.

[quote=Azothi]
-snip-
And the currency built on stories is the Echo.[/quote]

While you do make a fair point Azothi, I must say I didn’t list the Echo as it would still make us rely on the Bazaar in a way, I’d perhaps add novels or stories themselves as extra currency, which would increase our need for the Authors and the likes. However the worth of a story is objective, which isn’t quite as ideal for a currency.

For the Honey and the Wine, I know for certain that there are ways in Parabola to grow grapes and other crops since there is some form of sunlight to make true wine once more. As soon as I find out how honey is made we won’t have to depend on the Bazaar at all, we could be fully separated from them. While I do not mind staying in the graces of the Bazaar, the Masters or the Fifth City, Parabola is a realm of complete freedom as far as I know.

And while a Scarlet Saint has many connections, he’s not held down by any of them, opposed even, he’s elevated by all of this! (or she or it)

Oh, why are we talking money already? This is a church in Dreamland. I am sure we can think of other things first. The songs of the sermons. The patterns of the stained glass and the secrets they shall conceal. The ecstatic rituals to follow every baptism. How to get rid of cat hair. You know. Important stuff.

Miss Jolanda, as per usual you are most correct.
I do apologise for hasting things like this and skipping the important parts.

The glass should at the very least be in all the colours of the Neathbow: Irrigo, Violant, Cosmogene, Peligin, Apocyan, Viric and Gant.
For the rituals, well of course a grand party with overflowing honey and wine reserves.
Cat hair will be difficult, I assume we’ll need a group of people who specialist in cleaning.

Songs… Well perhaps a couple of Saints who are Poet Laureates or inspired Saints could indeed work on our songs!
And we’ll also need some form of work shifts on who will watch the Fingerkings each week.

Monster Hunters will do that!

Who will host the honey-and-wine feasts?

I would say… Authors?
Also, we must invite Jenny. Hope it will not seem like a political movement; she is after all, the original scarlet saint.

Indeed, would be interesting. But then I think to balance it out, so Hell doesn’t get too jealous, we’ll need one of the heroes of the season of Revolution, like Virginia. Plus Virginia is very interesting at parties!

Small Update for those interested in this thread still:

With the Updated content and the current elections, who knows what we might accomplish if we can clear a place large enough for a small city!

A few fun activities one could do in Parabola:

[ul][li]Walk your Slavering Dream-Hound![/li][li]Ride your Dream-dwelling Carnivorous Aurochs! (mind the horns and teeth)[/li][li]Pet your Parabolan Kitten’s reflection.[/li][li]Pet-bars full of weasels, and another one filled with cats, bats or other creatures you like![/li][li]Mix-and-match impossible colours for your outfits![/li][li]Harvest your own Parabola-Linen! [/li][li]Try to cultivate your own Blemmigans (if it is even possible and if it Is-Not… you’re in the right place)[/li][li]Bird Spotting! (Disclaimer: we are not responsible for loss of sanity, limbs or other ailments)[/li][li]Hunting Game![/li][/ul]And so much more!

Disclaimer: I, Honeyaddict, am not responsible for any harm that -̶w̶i̶l̶l̶- may come to you in Parabola, please do any activities you want but I will not be held accountable for any mishaps that -̶w̶i̶l̶l̶- may happen. Nor am I liable for any damage claims you might have. If you get possessed by a Fingerking please look for your Nearest Cat-owning Silverer who can perform special exorcisms.
(edit: formatting)
edited by Honeyaddict on 7/23/2020