Chapter 146: Invocations Of Faith And Power

### Story Date

Tuesday, 6 September, AD 1043/6552 ε.Κ/28 Muharram 435 AH/28 Guei-Yue Huangyou Era Year 1/28 Tvímánuður ÅrO -1/28 Elul AM 4803

## Appearances

### Locations

Kappadokia
Lakshadweep Sea
Eigg
Arctic Ocean
Köln
Berk

*…in contrast to the mandated inclusiveness of universal religions and imperial cults, mystery cults form a midpoint on the religious spectrum; not as exclusive as the closed and semi-closed practices of many ethnic religions, but not as far-reaching as the others. Instead, the faith of a mystery cult is reserved for initiates, who are members that have been formally brought into the cult’s secrets and knowledge.*

*The basic structure of a mystery cult is that of at least one level of formal initiation, where the new members are taught the signs, sigils and doctrine of their cult by the existing initiates, and are able to participate in the cult’s observances and practices as appropriate to that cult. In most cases, there were multiple levels of initiation, with deeper and deeper secrets and rites available to the highly initiated; this is where the term ‘mystery’ comes from in regards to these organizations, as the cult’s practices were shrouded in multiple levels of secrecy—first from outsiders by all of the initiates, and then from outer initiates by the inner members.*

*Once the general rule for most European religions, especially those of the Greco-Roman cultural sphere, in modern times most mystery cults have been rendered extinct through breaking the chain of transmission. Essentially, targeting the existing initiates, or keeping new members from joining are effective ways to destroy a mystery cult, as was done by the early Christians against the Greco-Roman pagan cults, which were wiped out in a period of just a few centuries. So while in modern times we still have much of the accumulated mythos of the Greek gods, as preserved through folk transmission in the Greek peoples and historical writings, the* practices *of worship, as performed by the cults that served the individual gods, are effectively lost with their practitioners.*

*The cult of Mithras during the Roman Empire, for example, was known to have seven levels of initiation, and featured communal ritual meals in underground temples, but the particulars of what was done in those temples, how, when, and to what ends, are all lost. Hundreds of the underground temples have been found, but unless the stones can be brought to speak about what they witnessed, the mysteries of the rites of Mithras are now forever a mystery.*

*—Divine Light Through The Gem Of Man: Studying The Many Facets Of The Holy, Waterford University Press, 1692*

## Synopsis

* Sophia and Heidrun discuss the fact that Dalassenos has no leverage on them after Sigurd confessed his failings to Theodora.
* Malachi tells Mala more about the New Year's Fire Rout.
* Jonna commissions Musa for a ceremonial sword for her clan.
* Gobber discusses the upcoming end of his concubinage to Jonna and Reidun and if they want to renew the arrangement for another year.
* Jonna meets Saldis, a Loki-touched woman, and Gobber goes over how the Norse Gods themselves tend to not follow binary gender identification or set gender roles.
* Drago's and Özhan work together against Nest Lord Stoneback that is a threat to both of them. Özhan sacrifices his life to take down the Nest Lord in exchange for getting Drago to promise clemency to his family.
* Dovid, Nittai and Bladewit arrive in Köln in the Holy Roman Empire to argue against the proposal to hold the Jews associated with Berk in cherem. By a significant majority, the proposal is dismissed.
* Maor and several other Jewish men offer to join Berk's army.
* Gothi proposes that Duckquack go to Brittany to record their histories and stories as a gesture of goodwill.
* The Archbishop of Köln, Herman, requests Bladewit come see him and Dovid and Nittai follow. During the meeting, Dovid realises what the Church is planning to do with Berk.
* Fergus and Elinor introduce Stoick to Lowrans and Sunach of Craiglug of Alba, his maternal cousins.

## Characters

### Humans

* Inga Roswynnsdóttir
* Unnr Dogsbreathsdóttir
* Heidrun Hallvarsdóttir
* Sophia Makris
* Gunnar Bræsisson
* Mala
* Naphtali the Radhanite
* Malachi
* Gobber the Belch
* Jonna Asgersdóttir
* Musa Toledano Ibáñez
* Ragnbjorg (first appearance)
* Saldís (first appearance)
* Tuffnut Thicknutsson
* Drago Bludvist
* Özhan (last appearance)
* Hsiao Feng
* Dovid ben Eliezer
* Nittai ben Bethuel
* Bladewit Drorsdóttir
* Av Beit Din
* Benjamin ben David (first appearance)
* Hawiz of Breizh
* Astrid Hákonsdóttir clan Haddock
* Maor ben Dovid
* Wulfhild of Norway
* Hiccup clan Haddock
* Valka Zephyr Hiccupsdóttir
* Gothi Hiccupsdóttir
* Hemming Ákisson
* Mairwen Roswynnsdóttir
* Ebba Bóthildrsdóttir
* Shortshanks clan Trygvesson
* Duckquack Hensteethsson
* Vragi Sundrisson
* Gregor of Köln (first appearance)
* Archbishop Herman II of Köln (first appearance)
* Stoick the Vast
* Fergus Dunbroch
* Elinor Dunbroch
* Lowrans (first appearance)
* Sunach (first appearance)

### Dragons

* Mushu
* Nest-lord Stoneback (first appearance; only appearance)

## Analysis

### Epigraph Tie-In

* The epigraph discusses how mystery cults are dismantled by breaking the chain of transmission. The chapter shows Gothi and the visiting Norse Priests discussing Gothi's methods to avoid that problem.