I have recently come to Halwak on command of High Emissary Trawling. She has sent me here with 50 of my best troops to assist Bishops Halpin and High Priest Bracken with bringing order to the wilds of these surrounding lands. I was happy to obey the orders, as Trawling is the voice of the Source on Shirantz, and thus I gladly obey her commands.
Upon arrival my troops and I found a much more thriving hamlet than expected. There is a strong trade with many villages and even some from the neighboring country. The Yiggithians have a heavy presence here, as is to be expected considering they founded the town. However, they do not seem to begrudge that the Followers of the Flame have moved in and begun work in town, renovating the temple so it is more in line with those in larger cities.
Fresal, the Yiggithian leader, greeted us as we approached the town. He and several of his followers were there, dressed in half clothes and exposing much of their flesh. Having seen and dealt with Yiggithians before, I was not surprised, but the same cannot be said for some of my troops who may have seen the Children of Yiggith on the battlefield, but not in civilian dress, or undress as the case may be. There was much murmuring and catcalling from behind me as I announced the purpose of our visit to Fresal, who also acts as mayor. I let my troops have their fun, and why not? We are not chaste beings whose only pleasure is to be gained from our own hands until we find ourselves in wedlock. True, we are not as free spirited and sexually open as the Yiggithians, but we are not prudes.
"Well met, General. The Temple of the Source is along this road. Just follow it, and you will find the Temple without trouble. If you and your men care to join us at the Den tonight, or any time, please do so. Our doors are always open to those seeking entertainment," Fresal said, his sapphire eyes blinking out from black bushy eyebrows. I cannot say his offer tempted me, but I knew several under my charge would gladly accept.
High Priest Bracken met us outside the Temple, and directed my troops to the barracks situated behind the temple. He apologized for the Bishop's absence, but said the man was attending to important matters. He looked forward to meeting with me, though, and wanted me to join him and the High Priest for dinner. I thanked him and told him I would gladly join them. A lie. I was tired from the road, and wanted nothing more than to just rest and attend to my own personal matters. But, duty calls, always, and when a bishop and a high priest invite you for dinner, you accept, regardless of your personal desires.
In hindsight, I am glad I accepted the invitation, despite it being my duty to do so, for at dinner I learned something that shed light on events that happened after the dinner, and are truly troubling. Or at least I think I did. I am still considering the information, and the consequences. I need to know more before I can make a decision about what to do next. I hope Holy Knight Vaylor can keep her mouth shut. She seems like the type who can keep a secret, but in matters of conspiracy and loyalty, you never know until the moment of truth arrives.
One of the Bishop's servants, a boy about the age of ten, arrived knocked on the door of my private chambers adjoining the barracks. His name was Clowen. I followed him into the temple, past the tapestry depicting the Source's victory over the Valeforged the last time they invaded, and down the aisle toward the back of the temple. We passed through an outer door and into a smaller chamber, then through another door and into a large room with a circular table. A door at the back of the room led to what I assumed was the kitchen, based on the lovely smells coming from the other side of it.
The Bishop is a tall man, and muscular. Impressive. High Priest Bracken, not so much. And he is a drunk. Throughout dinner as they asked what was happening in the Capitol (the usual, crops are good, relations with neighboring countries are good, people love the Emperor, the Cults are constantly maneuvering for political favor) Bracken's glass was never let to stand empty of wine for more than a few moments.
After dinner, the Bishop revealed why he wanted to meet with me, and that he was the one who had requested my presence, along with my troops here in this hamlet on the outskirts of the kingdom. He told me he and the Bracken had heard rumblings of a coup against the Emperor, planned by members of all three Cults who have forsaken the Three Gods, and plan to bring worship of the All Mother back into fashion. They even claimed that these usurpers had found a way to resurrect the Mother. They called me here to ask if I have heard anything of this sort, and if I knew who these traitors might be.
Of course, all of this was news to me. I have not heard of any such threats against our empire or way of life. The Cults squabble and squibble, and there is always a random group here and there who swear fealty to the wild spirits, but nothing about calling for the All Mother. That would be madness, a sure way to bring about the wrath of the Three Gods who Rule from the Tower. It would be worse than reopening the Vale.
Upon hearing my denial they looked at each other. At this point it was just the three of us and Clowen, whose sole responsibility seemed to keep Bracken's cup filled with wine. There was silence, and then the Bishop sent the boy out, telling him to lock the door behind him. When Clowen had gone, the Bishop asked me if I was sure I had not heard anything. I told him I was.
I began to feel uneasy. I am a General and a war veteran. I have fought in countless battles and killed and injured my share of enemies. I held no fear that these men could hurt me, but still the dread grew in my chest.They were speaking of horrible things, rumors and conjectures. Where was their proof? How could they know any of this, or even suspect it?
As if reading my mind, High Priest Bracken spoke, "We received correspondence from an unknown person three weeks ago. It was a simple letter, stating that the emperor was in danger and High Emissary along with Den Warden Glinth and High Expiry Nexu are in a conspiracy. Naturally this news upset us. We reached out to others throughout Kharsaag, but have since received no answers. In fact, two of the Bishops we reached out to, and one Den Warden have been found murdered since we started asking questions."
"Murdered," I said. I couldn't believe it. Why hadn't I heard anything about this? Death of high officials in the cults always came with fanfare. It was hard to believe the veracity of their words.
I asked them what evidence they had, and again there was a long silence. Then they told me that they were waiting on a delivery. A member of the Followers of the Flame in Antroc had discovered something unsettling and were sending it with two couriers posing as initiates. The messengers were set to arrive any time now, and the Bishop and the High Priest said they were glad I had arrived before the messengers so that I could see the truth of things with my own eyes. So, we waited in silence. I drank water, while the High Priest consumed ungodly amounts of wine.
At some point there was a knock on the door. The Bishop opened it, and in walked one of the largest men I have ever seen. He had to have been nearly ten feet tall, judging by the way his head almost scraped the ceiling.
"Ah, Grolunk, have you news of the messengers?" Bracken asked, his words slurred.
"Bad news, sir. The two sent from Antroc were found dead on the eastern edge of town, near the Ravenwood."
"Dead, how?" The Bishop asked.
"Unkown, sir. They were found by deputies Vaylor and Wailis who reported no sign of the murderer or any indication of how the boys were killed. The bodies are being taken to the Expiriy now, but I thought you would want to know about this as soon as possible."
"You did well, Grolunk," the Bishop said."Now I need you to join the constabulary in their search. General, I need you to go to the Expiry and report what she learns. Bracken and I will stay here and consult the Flames. With luck we will be able to discover the fiend or fiends who perpetrated this heinous act."
I nodded and left, happy to be away from those two men. They call themselves men of the faith and servants of the Source, but something about them sits ill at ease with me. It could be Brakcen's drinking and the Bishop's lack of concern. Or it could be that it felt like they were keeping something from me the whole time they were spinning the yarn about the rebellion in the Capitol. And then there was this business with the murder. Members of out faith, of out Cult had been killed, and they showed very little concern. These two boys had been summoned here at the command of the Bishop and the High Priest, and yet they could not be bothered to investigate beyond a consultation with the Flamses. Something was definitely off about the whole thing.
And as the night unfolded, I would only become more suspicious of their motives and behavior.
I made my way to the Stockade in search of the Expiry and answers to the questions I had and didn't know I had. Inside the Stockade I found the deputies who had found the bodies. They were hunched over a chess board, the young woman, playing black, on the verge of victory. She bore the crest of the Cult of the Source, and the sigil of the Holy Knights of the Flame. The man, short and stocky with large arms and shaggy hair bore the markings of the Yiggithians.
They rose when they heard me enter, leaving their game unattended. I asked their names. They were Vaylor (the knight) and Wailis (the Yiggithian). I asked Vaylor to take me to the Expiry. I wanted a fellow Follower of the Flame with him in case we learned any sensitive information. My trust in the Bishop and the High Priest was fading, but that did not mean I was ready to let outsiders hear anything potentially damning toward them. I know where my loyalties lie. Though, after talking with the Expiry, I must admit, I have begun to question if the Bishop and the High Priest are worthy of my loyalty. But that must wait. I hear steps approaching my room.
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