On Offerings. Writ by Raiteva Luni of Kotè Onè, 487
We live now in such times that the gates of our great city have been thrown open and people and ideas flow freely between the world outside and the world within our walls. We in Kotè Onè have much we can learn from the ways of outsiders – but we also have much to teach.
It has been my regrettable observation that many of those raised without a solid foundation of education in the matter of appealing to the Five Gods go about making offerings in a way that belies a lack of the fundamental divine understanding the Kotè have for centuries enjoyed.
So it is for this purpose that I construct this missive: To share some little wisdom beyond the walls to help ensure that those who wish to commune with the Gods make safe, worthy, and helpful offerings.
The Gods, abiding in the Eternal Realm, have no use for material things. Our offerings of goods and tokens should not be understood as rendering material assistance to these divine beings – rather, our offerings are expressions of intent and a means of communication capable of bridging the gap between our realms.
Therefore, there is no single “best” or “worst” offering to the Gods. A thoughtless token like a single copper piece will buy very little in the way of a response if one leaves it in the shrine merely to fulfill the expected mode of behavior there. Whereas, if that copper coin were all the money you had left in the world and you nonetheless bequeathed it to a deity, that self-same offering would hold more meaning. For you see, it is then not truly the coin that you have offered. It is your financial stability that you have given into the hands of the Gods: You have made an offering of trust.
Indeed, to garner the Gods’ attention something meaningful must often be given up. That meaning can be found in tradition, like the offering of fresh sanguinary blooms to the White God, which is known to favor those blood-red flowers. But meaning can just as easily be found in one’s own heart. For example, if you feel that a God has rendered you assistance in the pursuit of your craft, giving a portion of the fruits of your labors in return could make a worthy offering no matter the specific object in question.
Remember, also, that your offering need not be a physical object at all. A poem, song, or spell can be offered. You can write down the tale of a deed done in honor of the Gods on an offering slip to symbolically offer your heroics for the deities’ consideration. If you are in earnest, simply offering your service to a God may garner its attention – but beware that the close scrutiny of divine beings is nothing to be lightly invited.
The true natures of the Gods are beyond the understanding of mortalkind, and it is therefore impossible to recommend a single course of action for the devotee seeking clarity in how to attract their favored God’s attention. Make your offerings thoughtfully and humbly. Be open at all times to hearing your reply, even in the unlikeliest of places. You will receive the answer to your offerings that you justly deserve.
(Guest written by Julia D)