Miracles

Tremula

In my treatise on the Path to Celestine Sainthood, I need to show examples of things that people back in the Empire would have considered miracles. Seeing as I main Magnagora, I'm really short on ideas. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, and what I have so far is...

a. Miracles of Elohora -

Including but not limited to: The bringing of a neighbour to the "Light", the spread of the "Light" within the community.

b. Miracles of Methrenton -

Including but not limited to: The disbanding of a nearby blasphemous cult, a victory against outnumbered foes, a blessing of Methrenton upon one's weapons, the striking down of an important figure in enemy lines, or a "Holy Weapon" being bestowed.

c. Miracles of Shakiniel -
 
Including but not limited to: A terrible storm passing over a hamlet, a blessing of Shakiniel upon one's armaments, intervention in the form of invulnerability during a battle

d. Miracles of Raziela -

Including but not limited to: The sudden recovery of a loved one,

e. Miracles of Japhiel -

Including but not limited to: A dispute being settled by supernatural intervention (e.g. A dispute over a stolen cow is solved when the next morning there are two cows),

((obligatory honk HONK))

EDIT: Updating my list of miracles.

Neos

This thread was not what I thought it would be.

Tremula

What did you think it would be, @Neos?

Shaddus

I expected juggalos.

Tremula

Did you say subjuggulator?

EDIT: Dern kids and yer dern tags.

Moi

Why not draw on the actual miracles that the Supernals actually historically performed?

Elohora: Converted the Throne of Urlach for the Light. Sent angelic hosts to restore life to the dead during the Vernal Wars. Granted the Celestines their GM artifact.

Methrenton: Sent avenging angels to fight alongside Dionamus during the Vernal Wars. Allowed the Flame's Blade to forge a weapon in his holy forge. Blessed the weapons of several Paladins and Celestines during the Empire.

Shakiniel: Sent guardian angels to protect mortals for Dionamus during the Vernal Wars. Made Dawn's Promise invulnerable during the final battle of the Burning Star campaign. Made the inhabitants of the Cay of Cloadahi invulnerable and immortal by turning them into energy beings. Allegedly transformed a lovestruck woman into a statue while she waited for her love, lost at sea, to return home. Granted the Celestines their GC artifact.

Raziela: Sent angelic hosts to heal the wounded during the Vernal Wars. Trapped a horrifying beast in pink bubbles for St. Gathlyn. Worked together with Nifilhema to erase all memory of Dumaliel and Grimbach existing and to banish them into the void.

Japhiel: Did half of the work on the Xion Initiative, alongside Baalphegar. Granted the Celestines their GA artifact. Did half of the work on the Cosmic Cycle Defeating Ritual, alongside Baalphegar, inventing the modern deep pact ritual.

Tremula

@Iytha because while these are undoubtedly good representations of miracles performed by the Supernals, these arent' day-to-day miracles that everyday commonfolk would pray for. Think of it like the Catholic Church, nearly every day their Saints get prayed to for small miracles, things to help them along in their daily life. While I will admit for the warrior-saints battle miracles are one of their only options, others wouldn't need something so terribly flashy and spectacular. They would just need something to help them through their daily lives when it gets to be too much, and they find themselves incapable of doing so.

I love all these historic examples, though, don't get me wrong! *staryes* History! *sigh*

Portius

You might get specifics from me later, but as a rule of thumb I'd say that you should err on the side of avoiding things which people can do with their skills. That'll help make sure they seem miraculous. Even if it'd be a miracle to most of the people in the world, a thing that a lot of people can just do will seem less miraculous to the readers.

EDIT: Ok, I lied about specifics being later. You could easily swing Japhiel miraculously resolving a conflict between Celest and another power (probably Hallifax, because we're the legalistic and orderly ones) that had been going on for years. His miracle, in that case, is knowing just what to say to make everyone agree that the solution is fair and just, even though they had been arguing over it for years. (Always be willing to seem hyperbolic when reporting miracles.)

If you want healing miracles, you'll have to make a note of them not
responding to normal healing magic for it to seem meaningful. But if you
establish that in a compelling way, then healing can definitely be
miraculous.

EDITEDIT: I don't know how much research you want to do for this, but if you're willing to read up on things you should look at old Catholic hagiographies. The Life of Saint Columba is my favorite. In fiction you might find some good examples in Glorantha, especially Orlanthi magic. That will be most useful if the Supernals have a lot of associated myth (which you could make up if you had to, I just don't know much about them) to draw on.

Moi

Ohhh. Everyday miracles. Well, the really big one in New Celest is the Tabernacle Prayers. The ones that keep the Star of Celest aloft and all that. While there wasn't a Star back during the imperial days, I can imagine similar prayers being made to the Supernals for the protection of Celest's shores. Other ideas include:

Methrenton: A prayer for courage, for strength and before the any sort of ritual cleansing. Also, the casting out of an evil spirit or the destruction of an undead or unclean creature. I actually think that prayers for the conversion of a friend would be more Methrenton than Elohora.

Shakiniel: Is also big on encouraging charity, so praying for food or medicine or even just gold is valid if you're poor. Likewise, she's big on protection, so prayers to keep a ship safe in a storm, or to stop a house from burning down or to keep rabbits out of your carrot patch.

Raziela: Pray for love, or for children, or for the protection of a child. Also, she's a gardener, so any sort of blessing you'd want to put on a garden or a farm where animals aren't being killed. A prayer for forgiveness after catching fish.

Japhiel: Is also about truth, honesty, clarity and cleanliness. Have someone pray for corruption to be revealed and then have a lawyer's nose grow an inch every time he tells a lie at court. Also, an old man with bad hearing and eyesight suddenly having their senses restored.

Elohora: Is the tricky one. Her two big things are balance/temperance and being the eternal queen of Celestia. As far as miracles go, think more along the lines of giving/demonstrating the legitimacy of the current Emperor than about direct, personal interventions. But also the revelation of traitors, forcing the unrighteous to kneel before the Emperor, etc.

Another point you might consider: One of the biggest 'miracles' the Supernals engaged in was letting people come to Celestia and giving supplicants advice. A Saint might honestly just lead who people arguing over a cow on a pilgrimage to get their case heard by Japhiel, who would would decree that one farmer shall have the milk of the cow for so long as it lives, and once it dies the other shall have the meat. Or a beggar might beseech Shakiniel directly and be given a holy shield, straight from the armoury of the faithful, to sell at market and thereby buy his daily bread.