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Tempest, January 1st, 680AD:
It hasn't been a very good century for the Holy Stormian Church.
First came the ignoble defeat on Bob, and the Church, an import from the land of Espana, suffered guilt by association.
Then came the drastic change in Stormia government projects, from swords and ships to libraries and universities. Church attendence fell. A shadow fell on the faith of Stormians. There where whispers of a nameless dissent.
Then, ten years ago, Dr. Arrianus Copernicus shocked the nation - and indeed the Church - by announcing that the world revolved around the Sun. Church reaction was indignant, and vengeful. Dr. Copernicus was excommunicated by Cardinal Theseus. But when it became clear that neither Dr. Copernicus nor the general public particularly cared that the Church would no longer care for his everlasting soul, one could say that all hell broke loose.
The Cardinal, together with some of the more ardent supporters of the Church in Hurricane, attempted to apprehend Dr. Copernicus, and "bring him before the judgement of the Lord." As promised, however, the good doctor fortified his observatory, and refused to leave. Drawing on the popular love of his distant ancestor, the humble Grog, Dr. Copernicus rallied likeminded people to his aid. Stormians appeared torn on the issue of faith versus science, but one thing became abundantly clear: to each his own is the Stormian creed. The "siege" of Copernicus' Observatory did not last long.
The very public failure of the Church to defeat Dr. Copernicus' heresy appears to have shattered what in retrospect was a fragile foundation of Stormian faith.
And now comes the final blow. One of the most beloved public figures here in our beloved town of Tempest has joined the crusade... against the Church. Dr. SleepyNewton, heretofore known largely as a good-natured, absent-minded professor at the local university, has stumbled into heresy of his own.
While napping in the boughs of his favorite Elm tree between lectures, Dr. SleepyNewton rolled over - and right out of the tree! This, it turns out, was not the first time such an indignity had been inflicted upon the professor, but this time was still different. THIS time, Dr. SleepyNewton made a breakthrough. He finally understood why rolling off the branch resulting in such unpleasant impact with the ground below. This writer is no scientist, and makes no claim of understanding his new theory, but I have been told it describes an unseen force called "gravity" which pulls all things towards the center of the planet (which, much to the chagrin of Cardinal Theseus, is generally agreed to be spherical).
Ah, but in the midst of this age of scientific discovery, there are rumblings of a backlash. Not from loyal churchgoers, however. Conservatives, yes, but of a different and much older breed. Many of the nation's universities have reported graffiti - the same from Hurricane to Arashi:
**F.R. His Judgement Cometh, and It Cometh Right Soon**
Stay tuned, dear readers. Things might just get interesting here on our cozy island...
(c) Tempest University Press.
It hasn't been a very good century for the Holy Stormian Church.
First came the ignoble defeat on Bob, and the Church, an import from the land of Espana, suffered guilt by association.
Then came the drastic change in Stormia government projects, from swords and ships to libraries and universities. Church attendence fell. A shadow fell on the faith of Stormians. There where whispers of a nameless dissent.
Then, ten years ago, Dr. Arrianus Copernicus shocked the nation - and indeed the Church - by announcing that the world revolved around the Sun. Church reaction was indignant, and vengeful. Dr. Copernicus was excommunicated by Cardinal Theseus. But when it became clear that neither Dr. Copernicus nor the general public particularly cared that the Church would no longer care for his everlasting soul, one could say that all hell broke loose.
The Cardinal, together with some of the more ardent supporters of the Church in Hurricane, attempted to apprehend Dr. Copernicus, and "bring him before the judgement of the Lord." As promised, however, the good doctor fortified his observatory, and refused to leave. Drawing on the popular love of his distant ancestor, the humble Grog, Dr. Copernicus rallied likeminded people to his aid. Stormians appeared torn on the issue of faith versus science, but one thing became abundantly clear: to each his own is the Stormian creed. The "siege" of Copernicus' Observatory did not last long.
The very public failure of the Church to defeat Dr. Copernicus' heresy appears to have shattered what in retrospect was a fragile foundation of Stormian faith.
And now comes the final blow. One of the most beloved public figures here in our beloved town of Tempest has joined the crusade... against the Church. Dr. SleepyNewton, heretofore known largely as a good-natured, absent-minded professor at the local university, has stumbled into heresy of his own.
While napping in the boughs of his favorite Elm tree between lectures, Dr. SleepyNewton rolled over - and right out of the tree! This, it turns out, was not the first time such an indignity had been inflicted upon the professor, but this time was still different. THIS time, Dr. SleepyNewton made a breakthrough. He finally understood why rolling off the branch resulting in such unpleasant impact with the ground below. This writer is no scientist, and makes no claim of understanding his new theory, but I have been told it describes an unseen force called "gravity" which pulls all things towards the center of the planet (which, much to the chagrin of Cardinal Theseus, is generally agreed to be spherical).
Ah, but in the midst of this age of scientific discovery, there are rumblings of a backlash. Not from loyal churchgoers, however. Conservatives, yes, but of a different and much older breed. Many of the nation's universities have reported graffiti - the same from Hurricane to Arashi:
**F.R. His Judgement Cometh, and It Cometh Right Soon**
Stay tuned, dear readers. Things might just get interesting here on our cozy island...
(c) Tempest University Press.
Great stuff Arrian! Best I have read in awhile. 
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