The Kaido

Overview
The Kaido is a collection of books written by Vasya detailing her life from when she left Koganon to the death of her mentor, Naia. They are significant to the Naistic religion because they are a firsthand account of the events that took place before Naia’s eventual death of body at the pit in Lothridge.

The collection currently contains two volumes, although more are being written and discovered.

Background
The first completed book covers Naia’s teachings at the Eternal Bonfire of Acquendavia. This is one of the few surviving Naist Holy Sites, as many of them were purged following the priestess’s death.

Contents
The Fire Synod begins As Naia first stirs the fire, inviting both highborn and low to sit and listen.

She begins teaching when a member of the crowd asserts that life is about happiness. Naia responds by explaining that happiness, being an emotion is temporary, and thus the pursuit of it is in vain.

She then goes on to explain that like emotions, all thoughts, as well as sensations based on the material world are also temporary. Not only that, but they are unreliable. Thus the only thing that can be trusted is the inner sense of being found in the self.

Many of the people in the crowd are distressed by this. They believe that an existence in which nothing can be held to is horrifying. Naia agrees with this, but also believes that solace can be found through mastery of notions of the self, and through lack of attachment to physical objects. This lack of attachment means that items can be freely shared with those who do not have them, creating a more peaceful and harmonious world, such as it is.

Naia then goes on to perform several miracles, including pulling a burning log from the fire unharmed. She proceeds to lead the crowd in meditation, resulting in a mass spiritual experience in which those present speak in tongues and commune with beings beyond their understanding. They understand, if only for a moment that they are one with nature and that their souls go deeper then their own selves.

Background
The encounter is a difficult text for many Naists. It covers the years in the wilderness after she and several followers, including Vasya, flee from the towers of philosophy in Lothridge and live communally in a cabin near modern day Kais Kogong. This cabin is now the site of Naia’s grave.

The reason many Naists have a hard time with this text is that it seems to go against other Naist teachings of non-violence, including some of Vasya’s other work. While many Naist texts abhor all violence, The Encounter asserts that violence is not only permissible, but necessary to end conflict.

This text is also unique in that it contains a fragment of Naia’s personal journal, the only known fragment in the world.

Contents
The book opens with a violent shipwreck off the eastern coast of Koganon. Naia manages to save all those on the ship, but they are stranded.

The group begins to farm and build a house. For a number of years they live in harmony with eachother, until they receive word that the Lords of Lothridge have located them and are on their way.

Naia then goes to the forest to meditate for three days. She is worried that continuing to run is a fruitless endeavor and that Lothridge would still hunt them down, but that fighting would go against her beliefs. At this point she is approached by a crone in the forest- The Great Mother. There follows a dialogue in which The Great Mother continually questions Naia’s beliefs of non-violence.

Some scholars view this as a test of Naia’s conviction, while others view it as a deity refuting Naia’s beliefs. Ultimately, this excerpt is fragmented, having been unearthed by Peridune on a beach across the ocean from where the events took place.

The Great Mother then describes what a perfect world would look like. There would be no violence, and all resources would be shared. There would be no need for town claims because there would be no griefers, and no one would steal, or dare if they were stolen from. However, the existence we know is not that world. It is violent and full of suffering. Sometimes, in such a world, it is necessary to fight in order to prevent further suffering. Naia returns to the cabin, having not yet made up her mind on whether or not she would would fight.

As Lothridge arrives, two of Naia’s followers are immediately slaughtered. Vasya alone survives, having created an invisibility potion rather than fighting like her comrades. Naia is captured and taken to Lothridge to await her final demise.

The Collection
The Kaido is to be displayed prominently in the Great Library of Kais Kogong upon the library’s completion.