The Psychological Development of Man [The Children of the Divines]

A Study By Fidelis Artrius, Imperial Scholar and Thaumaturgist, Arcane University, Chantry of the Divines

In all this humble scholar's years of working with children and adults within the Empire, I have observed certain stages within the development process in the minds of Men. All evidence seems to suggest that the psyche of an individual, from curious dawdling child to upstanding devout adult, yearns to accept the Divines in a particular order, embracing their characteristics and incorporating their ideals into one's own subjective paradigm.

This, dear reader, is undoubtedly by design, as the Divines shape us into the men and women we are destined to be in the greater plan of the cosmos, side-stepping temptations and decadent immoralities tainted by the touch of the Sixteen.

What is curious is that only the original Eight are accounted for in the psychosocial developmental stages of human growth, leaving the One oddly excluded. Further along in this volume, I will attempt to grapple with the dissonance of a separated Talos.

“But Fidelis, what ARE these psychosocial developmental stages of which you speak? ” many have asked of me. And I have taken special care to summarize and classify them for maximum understanding and reflection within your own studies.

They are as follows:

The Establishment of Trust / Nurturing Mara

The Establishment of the Individual / Venturing Julianos

The Establishment of Initiative / Kynareth's Wanderlust

The Establishment of Industry / Gambit of Zenithar

The Establishment of Identity / The Inevitability of Akatosh

The Establishment of Intimacy / Dibella's Caress

The Establishment of New Generations / Humility of Arkay

The Establishment of Justice / Stendarr's Guiding Hand

The first four are the tenets of youth, birth through adolescence. Our children learn the simplicities of a mother's warmth, the ability to separate and determine one's own existence experiences, the desire to see what is unseen, and the responsibilities of society. The latter four, however, cannot develop without the groundwork of the other Four. Until one has embraced Mara, Julianos, Kynareth, and Zenithar, then the subtleties of the following are difficult for young adults to understand, thereby leading them away from the light of the Divines. The Establishment of Identity refers to one's desire to be self-sufficient and create an identity for himself, as is the demesne of the Great Dragon, as such things are inevitable. This particular stage is evident shortly post-adolescence, near the beginning of typical adulthood.

The Establishment of Intimacy is Dibella guiding one through a desire for artistic beauty, as well as the yearning for a family of one's own. The Establishment of New Generations tends to arrive just past the peak of adulthood, where one has contemplated his own mortality, yet through an understanding of Arkay, one longs to leave a positive impact on the children now evident in one's life. The final Establishment of Justice usually comes along with the previous. They are in tandem, as the benevolence of new generations often requires a stable society, wherein Stendarr resides. Through his Strength and Mercy, an appreciation for the law and for the stability the law provides, all citizens of the Empire may flourish. But what of Talos?

I have come to the conclusion that Talos must be sought. The God of Man does not enter into the psyche of his own accord, and so it is our duty as pious Imperial subjects to seek him and his Honor wherever we can. For some this results in a lucrative career in our brave Legions. For others, the prospect of an Imperial Guard may suit. In any case, serving one's fellow Man is enough to see out the One, regardless of age or current psychosocial stage.