Looking for Calistria’s collection of holy poems, Blood for Wine

[Nic the barman]

Ho, mateys,

I plan to play a character worshipping Calistria. As I found out, a collection of poems does exist, named "Blood for wine". Unfortunately, that's all I found.

How do those poems look like? I'd love to reading them and to put them into my characters' play.

Thanks for your advice, mateys!

Cheers, Nico

[Mazlith]

Interesting. I'd like to know more too. I'm guessing it's from Second Darkness. I bet someone here knows more, but I found this:

Holy Texts

The Book of Joy
This book details the various passions held sacred by the goddess known as the Unquenchable Fire and her church.

Blood for Wine
A collection of holy poems, these verses are sometimes quoted by assassins loyal to Calistria before they fulfill their grim tasks.

Source: http://www.pathfindercommunity.net/gods-of-golarion/Calistria

[Ermehtar]

I, too, am curious about this. Barring any official canon, perhaps some people out there might have written their own? I'd try my hand, but I'm AWFUL at writing poetry.

[Mazlith]

Ermehtar wrote:

I, too, am curious about this. Barring any official canon, perhaps some people out there might have written their own? I'd try my hand, but I'm AWFUL at writing poetry.

Perhaps your good at writing bad poetry...

[cnetarian]

Look up Charles Beaudelaire's Flowers of Evil and rip some of his stuff off. Example poem:

The Man Who Tortures Himself

To J. G. F.

I shall strike you without anger
And without hate, like a butcher,
As Moses struck the rock!
And from your eyelids I shall make

The waters of suffering gush forth
To inundate my Sahara.
My desire swollen with hope
Will float upon your salty tears

Like a vessel which puts to sea,
And in my heart that they'll make drunk
Your beloved sobs will resound
Like a drum beating the charge!

Am I not a discord
In the heavenly symphony,
Thanks to voracious Irony
Who shakes me and who bites me?

She's in my voice, the termagant!
All my blood is her black poison!
I am the sinister mirror
In which the vixen looks.

I am the wound and the dagger!
I am the blow and the cheek!
I am the members and the wheel,
Victim and executioner!

I'm the vampire of my own heart
— One of those utter derelicts
Condemned to eternal laughter,
But who can no longer smile!

— William Aggeler (trans.), The Flowers of Evil (Fresno, CA: Academy Library Guild, 1954)

[DM Wren]

Check out Robert Herrick, too. Or any of the 17th century English cavalier poets. Maybe not so violent, but certainly moody and sometimes sensual.

[strayshift]

Early John Donne or even John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester - warning OBSCENE in parts.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/john-wilmot

[cnv]

Here's something I wrote for one of my campaigns. If ever the "Blood for Wine" book is canonized, I'd love this to go into it :)

"Sting In The Mirror" (written for humans in Common) - to be said as final vengeance on behalf of another

Reckoning Day,
Victims say,
Could not be any... Fairer.

Your Mark found Me,
And, at last, You see,
That You invited... Terror.

Your injury to Them
Is your Ransom,
And now You shall be... the Bearer.

For You shall know
That Venom will flow
As Justice! For your... Error!

Reflect on Death!
With your last Breath!

[Insert death blow HERE, and stare into the eyes for next line]

For I AM THE STING IN THE MIRROR!

[Wait for death]

The Victim has spoken,
Vengeance awoken,
The Mirror, now broken,
By The Lady's Token

[Place the The Lady's Token (black and yellow wasp coin) and a small broken mirror on the corpse, so that all who see the corpse know never to invite vengeance]

[tonyz]

Some of Baudelaire's stuff might work (sensuous nihilism) -- Flowers of Evil for Calistria in a darker mood.

[cnv]

Forgot to mention this...

I meant for the mirror to be a metaphor for the act of retribution itself. The assassin is taking on the role of the mirror, causing the initial injury to be reflected back on the instigator.

I meant for the broken mirror to symbolize that this act of retribution is final. No further retribution will be committed, unless another offense originates more retribution.

The Lady's Token isn't canon either, but I saw a need for assassins of Calistria to leave behind a mark of retribution, so that others are warned.