Cardinal Yisek's Defiance

Diplomatic action

Cardinal Yisek began to speak out against the carnage, claiming that too many had been sacrificed for too little his voice is silenced as the convictions of more war-like diet is reinforced when Breland, Cyre, and Aundair press the attack.

The Thrane casualties in the Cauldron, near Cragwar, and in the Crying Fields were serious blows to Thrane's military. For the first time since the rise of the Righteous Kingdom, real debate arose. Cardinal Yisek, a confidant of the Keeper and a moderate, spoke out against the carnage, claiming that too many had been sacrificed for too little.   Many of the citizens of Thrane privately agreed that the war had become too costly—it had killed and crippled tens of thousands of young people (no village was without a monument and at least one armless, legless, or blind veteran). Still, few were brave enough to speak out against the conscriptions. This made Cardinal Yisek’s strident objections even more powerful; it opened up a subject that had been debated privately for years but rarely addressed at temple or in the public square. Now came criticism of the army, its generals, and the Diet of Cardinals. Many who had lost loved ones appeared at church to light silver flames in support of Yisek. The hard-liners, who apparently had prepared for this day, acted swiftly. A number of prominent Cardinals, including a majority of the Diet, warned against displaying weakness and unleashing doubt. Thrane was committed to the war and to spreading the glow of the Silver Light.   Yisek and his few supporters were muted, and dissension in the military ranks quelled forcefully. Although rumors circulated that the Keeper held Yisek dear, her only statements urged calmness and compromise. Tragically, the internal debate in Thrane was cut short as Breland, Aundair, and Cyre took advantage of its opponent’s turmoil. Launching offenses or large raids, the three nations sought to finally end Thrane's war. Instead, they succeeded only in rallying the Thranes behind the hard-liners. The wavering citizens saw no option but to renew their devotion and their war effort.   Cardinal Yisek left Flamekeep with an escort of the Avenging Hand and traveled south to Vathirond, then by lightning rail to Sharn. Already an old man, he was welcomed there as a voice for peace and became an outspoken critic of the war, respected by many—and ignored by the leaders of the Five Nations.