( PCs Present: Bael Haywardson, Brother Jacob, Cendrik, Kores Varias.)

The tiny chapel nestled incongruously beside the warehouse heavy with the reek of salted cod and pickled herring. Father Jeffries had spent many years in Glissom tending to his small but relatively faithful flock and now fate..or more correctly his superiors in the southern lands had brought him two fellows to help minister and tend to those who followed Gatanades.

He sipped on his flask of whiskey and smiled; ten years ago he'd had to rebuild the chapel due to Scorchers, he'd sent letters south - no reply, the young lad he'd been training had disappeared while ministering in Rosmuileann, he'd sent letters south - no reply. Six months ago he'd mentioned a rumour that Selentine gold had been found to an Albish Captain - suddenly they sent someone.

He shook his head and clapped the serious looking Brother Jacob on the arm.

" The weather is fineing up."

...........................

Across the open square sat a group of fishermen eating black bread and brown cheese, a rather forlorn looking juggler plied his trade for a few pennies outside the harbourmasters office occasionally invoking a sympathetic coin but more often a hard crust or less wholesome missile was pitched his way.

........................

Mangy dogs and rats almost as big sifted through the piles of refuse from the pickling houses; the carts that would take the reeking mass away were supposed to be on the move and loaded already but the lads whose task it was were too interested in a group of women who had disembarked from a Mercanian ship some weeks ago and who seemed to have set up shop above smiths; the small shrine to Brigantia that sat outside the smithy was liberally decorated with silver coins from the ladies purses.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:50, Sat 04 Aug 2012.

A dark figure brushes past the fisherman, snarling to himself he walks hastily, leaning heavily on his staff and heads towards the Chapel.  Spotting Father Jeffries he heads straight towards him.  Coming close, you see a tall, pale man with an air of impatience.  He addresses Father Jeffries, speaking rapidly....

"Father Jeffries?  I am Kores Varias of Breylak.  I am not concerned about gold but I understand certain artifacts were found...  pagan items that depict unearthly creatures that would not be native to our world?..."

Eyelids puffed up with lack of sleep, he glares through Father Jeffries with a dark intense, if fatigued expression....

Brother Jacob gripped the hand firmly but without too much force. He looked imposing but when he spoke his voice was deep, clear and gentle.

"Father Jeffries it is an honour to meet you. I have heard good things about your work it is ashame that I was sent by our elders due to rumours that gold had been found." He sighed. He knew to speak such or to even indicate that he felt the church was getting to greedy would have seen him excommunicated but not being under scrutiny  and being a lowly priest he could not help his feeling show.

He then looked at the father and a warm smile crossed his battle scared face. "But lets not speak of this just now. I would love to see your church and witness the work you do here. Anything I can do to help I would gladly do...."

Father Jeffries was startled by the mans sudden appearance and it took him a few moments to compose himself.

The man was Albish and he spoke to him in Elleslandic.

" I am Father Jeffries, Kores Varias.  You are not concerned about gold? Well, neither am I as I have very little."

He frowned, " It seems Captain Jarris is exceptionally garrulous indeed."

" There have been items found that fit your description, but I do not have them."

" Who sent you, Kores Varias?".




Father Jeffries turned from the strange interloper and patted Brother Jacob on the arm.

" Mother Church is a fickle wife at times, my son. But She's the only one we have."

" I will show you the chapel....it wont take long I think."

He pushed the door open and ushered Brother Jacob inside.

Looking back he smiled, " Come along, Master Varias."

The interior of the building was small and cramped with rows of benches arrayed before a somewhat ramshackle looking altar.

There were delicately embroidered crisp white clothes draped over the altar and other surfaces; the entire room was dominated by a large iron cross hooked to the wall.

There could not be room for more than twenty people here.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:59, Mon 06 Aug 2012.

*Follows in*

"Perhaps you can tell us about recent developments in Glissom?"

In reply to Kores Varias (msg # 5):

The old priest seated himself on a bench and invited the others to do likewise.

The old mans eyes crinkled when the tired stranger did not answer his question but he smiled and answered.

" What did you have in mind?"

" The King remains in seclusion, the Council governs, the Steward rules."

" The Reivers have been raiding more, but they will ease up as winter rolls in."

" We are a quiet corner of the world, you may well be the most interesting thing to happen this month.", he chuckled.

In reply to GM (msg # 6):

There is a knock at the door of the chapel, and Bael Haywardson pokes his head inside.  Tired, cranky and lost he interrupts whatever conversation is taking place in the room when he sees a priest of a religion that makes him feel a little more at home in this strange and unwelcoming land - "Father, I interrupt but have need to sit somewhere if only for a while.  This town is a cesspit and the people at the inn I paid good money for have been nothing but rude and treacherous to me.  I would beg a seat somewhere and later your advice as to where I can find some hospitality here."

The priest frowned at the strangers words.

" This town is my home.", he stated simply with a touch of rebuke.

" But all are welcome in the Lords house.  Please sit."

" Well, three foreigners in one day. This is most unusual."

"And what of news of unearthly creatures that roam in the night?  Hellions, demons, those supernatural happenings?  Have you heard of children born with deformities?  Strange people speaking about the future?  Livestock killings or mutilations?  Disappearances?  Perhaps you might not pay attention to such things but all happens for good reasons..."

In reply to Kores Varias (msg # 9):

Bael takes a seat a little way away from the group but can't help but overhear their conversation.  He doesn't like the sound of what this pallid offcast speaks to the priest about.  He wonders to himself if not even the house of Gatanades is free of madness in Glissom...

The priest chuckled a little uncomfortably, shying slightly from the pale, and possibly insane, stranger.

" Well, let me see."

" Mostly what roams the night here are drunkards and footpads. I've not heard of the devils work here, perhaps you refer to the old tales of this Fief? They feature devilish things."

" Children have been born half formed a few times, but it is my understanding that it is not such an unusual thing....I saw no sign of devilry in the lass I helped at the very least."

" As for strange people.......you are the strangest I have met yet, good sir."

He stood and fetched a jug of wine from the side cabinet he passed it first to the pale man.

" Drink, perhaps it will steady your nerves."

" Disappearances occur here. Often it is the work of press gangs or criminals, other times folks simply leave without notice."

" Livestock are stolen in this land not killed, and the Reivers do the bulk of the stealing."

In reply to GM (msg # 11):

"It is all in the details, we believe what we want to believe and easily dismiss details, clues as to what truly happens...."

*Drinks*

"Well then, were you expecting others?  Perhaps I am not what you expect, but there are many scholars such as myself that roam these lands.  A life of reading can be tiresome, and I long to gain a better understanding of the world around us...  So is there something we can aid you with?"

Brother Jacob takes the offered cup but before the father could pour the wine " Good father I do not wish to offend but since my vows I do not drink..." he chuckles "... In a previous life I had my fill of the stuff and it lead me to many a thing I was not proud of if you do not mind I will pour some water from my skin."

With that he pulled a water skin from the side of his pack and poured the clear water into the mug.

Turning to the man that followed them into the chapel " I note you are a learned man and one that has seen the world from what you speak of. But I once stood next to a man, an officer, with similar views, they consumed him and what was a simple investigation into the disappearance of a child became a witch hunt that left a whole village in flames..... take a little offered advice from one who has seen the evil of man... follow your path by all means, a determined man can make a difference in the world but don't let it control your actions as that path leads to damnation." Jacob's words were not that of a preacher but that of a man weighed down with the weight of a hard life.

Then looking up a the late arrival " sir please take rest in the house of god our good father here, I am sure would not turn away a man who craves peace and quiet from the noise and scents of the streets of this ...Fair.... city."

 The old priest looked at the man and blinked a few times, then decided to concentrate on the questions as he at least understood those.

" I was expecting no one.", he said still a little confused.

" Your a scholar?", he asked carefully.

" We? Are you together?", he peered at the other newcomer and then back at the tall, pale one.



The old priest seemed content to let Brother Jacob take the lead and he rose to open the shutters and let some more light in.

"It was a man in my position that saved me from the jaws of death...  My family were innocent travelling entertainers...  We were set upon by dark forces, a horde of ravenous beasts from the depths of hell!  If it was not my saviour, I too would have been devoured, my soul consumed by the minions of the Lord of Darkness!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:21, Tue 07 Aug 2012.

Bael rises to walk over to the group and remarks somewhat snidely to Kores - "The name is Bael, and I think it's safe to say that we're of different circles."




Bael mumbles under his breath, "instead he took your wits..." before turning to Brother Jacob and asking "My friend, are you not of this city and chapel?"

"No good sir I am but a travelling priest on an errand from the mother church I will be staying here under the tender care of this chapel before I go upon my way."

"But you sir seem slightly out of place here..... please don't get me wrong and no insult intended but a man of your status could find more pleasent surroundings to find shelter from the streets of the city other than the humble walls of a place of god."

Brother Jacob stands to stretch his legs and looks down upon the man in front of him for brother Jacob is a tall and well built man for one of the cloth "perhaps you wish to confess something to the good father here... perhaps some guilty action has brought you to the house of god...." there was a touch of humor in the brother's voice but it was neither a put down or said in an accusing way.

Taken aback and wondering if there was something to be guilty of that he himself didn't know about Bael retorted somewhat testily "I'm no longer of the status I once held, and my short time in this town has not been pleasant.  Last night I woke in the middle of the night to the sound of the innkeeper's son rummaging through my belongings and when I raised issue with the innkeeper he claimed I was lying and ejected me from the inn.  In the middle of the night!  I wandered the streets till daylight and seeing a chapel of a religion that isn't all about human sacrifices and whatever other loathsomes this town seems to be full of I sought refuge."

"Surely a man need not be guilty to enter a church."

Brother Jacob held up his hands as if to fend off the younger man but there was a gentle smile on his face " As I said.... I mean no offense with my words and I humbly ask for your forgiveness at doing so. The doors of god are open to all even non believers can find comfort here."

" Now why don't we sit and drink the good fathers wine in friendship not as enemies as that was not my intent." So saying he poured a cup for the young man and refilled his with water.

There was definitely something different about this simple priest, he spoke words of warmth and had an open face and a ready smile but in his eyes there was a darkness that could have only come from seeing too much of the ugly side of the world.

As he settled down a glint of silver catches the light and for a second a small ornate cross could be seen on a chain round his neck before the folds of his robe covered it again as he settled. It was also obvious to the casual observer that this man also had a sword under his robe for as he sat he instinctively adjusted it and left his leg rest at a slight angle so as not be be obstructed by it as he stood or sat.