Timon

Timon, or "Father Timon" as he is known to his devotees, was a monk of the High Royal Church who left the Church to pursue his own brand of mysticism.

Early Life 

Little is known of Timon because his birth was not of note. He certainly lived in the time of King Bellacek and sought the relative safety of the desert when the military/police force became stronger.

Timon was a lettered man and he used his knowledge of reading and writing to ponder the secrets of alchemy. It is probable that Timon wrote   extensively on a variety of religious themes, although many of his manuscripts were lost in a large fire that claimed his rectory (and subsequently, his library).

The Observatory at Madaffa is a monument dedicated to Father Timon and the other desert mystics.

One of Timon's most notable students, Natasha, departed from Timon's theology almost entirely. Clinging only to his idea that "death is a passage," Natasha created a grimoire in order to satisfy her curiosity about the true nature of beauty.

Theology  

Current student's of Timon's teachings claim that they have a good idea of his main theological points passed down through oral tradition by his contemporaries. They adhere to 4 Principles set down by Father Timon: Death
 * 1)  Good in Beauty:  Things that are recognized as "beautiful" to a ratrional mind reflect broken pieces of the Good that is scattered throughout the world. As we receive the pieces of the Good, we understand Good more and are able to live more comfortably in and alongside the good.
 * 2) Denial of Passions: Passion and the pursuit of passions are distractions to apprehending the Good. When we live accoriding to Base Passions, we are unable to grasp true Beauty when it is present, and instead settle on Lesser Beauty. Pursuit of Lesser Beauty leads to a mean life.
 * 3) Incorruptability of Nature: Although human senses can be deceived, nature cannot. Nature is the "receptacle of the Good" and it contains everything humankind needs to see the truth of Good.
 * 4) Death is a Passage: a life exists after bodily death, and it is a return to the Good. Every being will return to the Good and the broken pieces of good within the person will rejoin as one whole mirror, directly reflecting the surface of the Good in us. The purpose of life is to become more comfortable with Good so that we may more easily transition after Death to be one with Good.

The exact cause of death for Father Timon is unknown. It is expected that he was devoured by desert beasts, most likely Heck Jackals. A torn, blood stained robe purportedly belonging to Father Timon is held in the Observatory in Madaffa. It is a relic that is popular among religious monks and the super rich of the Capitol who make pilgrimages there year round.