Lady Crimson's Ten Acts of Faith Tour

Lady Crimson's Ten Acts of Faith tour was Crimson Wayward’s (328-382 SM) apology to the Maras of the Mountain Realm she betrayed by signing the Agreement of the Cleansed.

Although Crimson Wayward was the first to complete this tour, other public figures have replicated this form of apology creating the Ten Acts of Faith tour.

## Ten Acts of Faith

There are ten acts of faith in the Chapel of the Sun and the Chapel of the Clouds doctrine: confession, justification, enlightenment, creed, penance, charity, protection, prosperity, reflection, and forgiveness.

For the tour, each act of faith lasts for a year, making this form of apology last ten years. Completing the Ten Acts of Faith tour is seen as the ultimate apology throughout the world. Every person who completed this tour did so in their own way. Not one apology is the same.

## Background

### Third Holy War

The Third Holy War was the longest of the Holy Wars, lasting from 345-373 SM. The war began in 345 SM when Crimson Wayward rose to power as Lord Protector after her father, Durlan Wayward, died. Upset that Crimson rose to power instead of her younger brother, Kharis, several southern Mountain Realm houses created an alliance called the Holy Alliance. The Holy Alliance was very close to overthrowing House Wayward several times during the Third Holy War.

In 361 SM, Crimson secretly created an alliance with Maras to attack the Holy Alliance. She is also the first Wayward to ask the Rangers for their support. In 366 SM, the Art Alliance attacked Riverhold, Alaric’s Holdfast, and Bear’s Creek leaving no highborn survivors but sparing all the townspeople. In 368 SM, with their numbers cut in half, the Holy Alliance got the support of the Citadel. The Citadel suggested creating their own Preservers of the Cleansed Race (PCR) like the Kingdom of Valley Pines. The Holy Alliance agrees and the Mountain Realm faction of the PCR was created 370 SM. In 373 SM, the Art Alliance and the Holy Alliance agreed to officially stop fighting, essentially ending the Third Holy War.

The Third Holy War ended bringing a lot of consequences; the only true winners were the PCR. Mountain Realm houses were still upset that not only was House Wayward still in power, but Waywards of Arcan blood was still alive. Lady Crimson Wayward had to step down as Lord Protector. Her half-sister, Eventide’s son, Narrik Wayward, became the new Lord Protector of the Mountain Realm. House Wayward lost its allies in the Maras.

### Holy Massacres

The Holy Massacres lasted from 374-395 SM. It is believed that over one million Maras were murdered in the Mountain Realm during the Holy Massacres.

## Timeline

In 374 SM, Lady Crimson Wayward began her Ten Acts of Faith tour. Her Ten Acts of Faith tour was her apology to the Maras she felt she betrayed by signing the Agreement of the Cleansed.

### Confession

Crimson Wayward began her apology in 374 SM after signing the Agreement of the Cleansed. She immediately stepped down as Lord Protector allowing her half-sister’s son, Narrik, to become the new Lord Protector of the Mountain Realm. Before she left Maryere, she worked with Narrik and converted the private Wayward library into a public library, naming it the Grand Library.

She left Maryere along with Lyari and Bemere and began to visit villages, settlements, and towns openly confessing who she was and what she did and what that meant for Maras. Her confessions warned the Maras about the PCR’s assault, possibly saving millions.

### Justification

In 375 SM, she visited Hearts Grove and built a castle on top of the battlefield that ended the Third Holy War. At Hearts Grove she gathered peasants and commoners, explaining her actions during the war.

It is said that at the end of Crimson’s explanation, all the souls that died on the battlefield finally traveled to the Clouds.

### Enlightenment

In 376 SM, Crimson visited Shadow’s Peak where the Citadel was beginning to build a new academy on the island. The High Cyts explained why they sided with the Holy Alliance and brought the PCR into the war. They agreed that a woman should not become the Lord Protector. When Crimson countered with Queen Rayleen’s legacy, they explained that she was a Saint while Crimson was not. Crimson spent the rest of the year in the Citadel’s library, learning about Saints and the gods.

### Creed

Crimson declared her faith for the pure-gods in the Clouds in 377 SM, being one of the first highborn to denounce Unmos as a dark god for his actions in the War of the Gods. This declaration was revolutionary but highly accepted by the people. Other religious organizations hijacked Crimson’s ideas, once again making Crimson a target.

### Penance

She hid in Accrid in 378 SM, writing several books and poems about her prayers and interactions with the gods. She also began exploring the possibility of other dark gods and of a dark world opposite of the Clouds. She called this place the Underworld.

### Charity

In 379 SM, Crimson documents that Lyari and Bemere brought a Volki to Accrid from the Valley of Smoke. This Volki named Olaitan explained to Crimson about the Anointeds and Saints, heightening Crimson's interests in the gods.

During the summer of 379 SM, it is said that Crimson went to Accrid’s city square stripped naked and walked into the woods, never uttering a word. This is marked as the moment when Crimson started her journey to becoming a Saint.

### Protection

At age 52, Crimson traveled with Olaitan, Lyari, and Bemere and met the Flame Saints who ruled over the Valley of Smoke.

She meets Pele, the Golden Flame Saint who agrees to train with Crimson. Having a military background, Crimson thrived under Pele’s harsh leadership, impressing the Volki.

After six moons, Pele allowed Crimson to be dipped in the Lava Springs. Crimson exited the spring unharmed, proving she had what it took to become a Saint. Pele tells Crimson to go home and continue her apology with her newfound knowledge and strength.

### Prosperity

Crimson returned to Maryere in 381 SM, meeting with Narrick Wayward. She explains the journey she has been on and asks for Narrick’s help in ending the massacres of the Maras, promising prosperity for the entire realm and for all of its people. She then begins to show this prosperity by teaching the people of Maryere ways to awaken their Art, explaining that the Arts were not something to be ashamed of, but instead something to embrace. Terrified of the PCR and the Citadel, Narrick refuses and banishes Crimson from Maryere.

### Reflection

She then returned to Hearts Grove where she continued her journey in learning about the gods. She had Lyari and Bemere find books relating to the gods that she could study.

As she waited for more books, she reflected on her life. She wrote *Eventide’s Evening* and *Cries for Tobias* during this time, two poems that have been lauded by all the academies. When she finished reflecting she exited Hearts Grove, walked to Grove Lake, and drowned herself in 382 SM.

### Forgiveness

After Crimson’s suicide, the people rallied together to celebrate her life ultimately forgiving Crimson for her betrayal.

## Aftermath

In retaliation for Crimson’s life being celebrated, the PCR increased their raids, murdering more Maras in 383 SM than in any other year during the Holy Massacres.

The people coined Crimson Wayward the Saint of the Clouds or Cloud Saint. This title was quickly accepted by the three chapels, the Sage Institute, and the Guillon Temple. The Citadel was the last institution to accept Crimson’s ascension to sainthood. Since Crimson never showed signs of being a Mara, her becoming a Saint also revolutionized the way Saints were chosen and remembered.