Keeping My Word

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| Reader Note: This has been
| sent to Brother Malkin, chronicler.
| At the Library of Bletherad.
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Good Master Chronicler of Light,

It is nice to be able to write to you once again. I have been thinking a great deal about lying. War and Lying seem to me that together they wear the mantle of chief stains upon one’s soul. Hmmm, that seems like a powerful sentence to start a letter with but like a noble stealing from his own coffers it sounds hollow without coin to support it. So while I wait in this ante-chamber within the Holy City of Sekti-Abtu, I’ll share my thoughts and what led me to be too far from my friends.

*War*, is conviction to the furthest extreme. Your word made manifest destiny because you have put it all on the table as Master Burlap likes to use describing his younger escapades. *Lying*, is how far you are willing to go to keep your word. Now, Master Overkill’s sword, Callandor, feels I am in error, brooding, or drunk.

I believe when people of all races give their word in good faith, they don’t think they will be required to choose whether or not to compromise other morals to keep their word. Just as you can see all of the shades of lying and keeping your word, so to are their shades to war. To give your word on anything is to take a stand against the contrary or antithesis of your declaration. Therefore a small war could be to remind yourself to celebrate the holidays that are forgotten and another to promise a Goddess to bring her dead husband back to life no matter what. Lying is which other moral you will bend, break, or how far you will go to keep your word or the declaration of it.

Let us begin.

3rd of Od, 343 year of the Dominion of Man, and 23rd Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II.

Captain Antonio de Gioto of the Vequana informed me after our recovery of the umm, errr, the Lawbringer’s Member. That we had about 6-7 turns of the hourglass before we dock in Trade Port, upon the Isle of the Cyclops. I was terrified trying to decide whether to bring the rune weapons of my tribe to the dread isle or return them now. I decided to keep the Minotaur’s horns to procure forms of payment along with a certain Syvan’s chunk of arm to an Alchemist I am now in debt to. However, these weapons that have been used to commit evil acts cannot further be used in such a way so their souls do not gain eternal stain. I stuck the Book of Shadows within the bag, worried I may need it to trade for my way home. A fact of information I neglected to share with anyone because I was aware getting back might require some ingenuity if I could not find out about the whereabouts of Master Azariel.

So I had everything together, dress in armor in case my Father was less than pleased to see me, and touched the armband on my left arm, “BY THE GRACE OF THE GODS OF LIGHT TAKE ME TO SEKTI-ABTU.”

Nothing.

Thinking that I been demanding I knelt and spoke again holding what I needed for the journey close, “BY THE HEAVENS ABOVE THAT GRANT OUR DAY MAY THE GODS OF LIGHT SEE FIT TO ALLOW ME PASSAGE TO SEKTI-ABTU.”

Nothing, no wait laughter a faint laughter.

What stunned me was when I began questioning the weapons they had seemed to have gotten far more bloodthirsty since being used by the evil Minotaurs?!?! Egebba, was trying to barter time out of the bag in exchange for killing my foes. Anzuroq the Stone Mace, would not even talk to me! My father and brother’s mace was silent as the grave in my hands. Fryst, gave me frost burn that bordered on what the Death spell feels like! Then after I used my satchel to slip the weapons back into the bag despite the whispering cries of Egebba to use him not hide him. I went up to the deck and pulled out the only other spirit bound item I had, the Book of A’zad! It was then I was being actively mocked by the thing of darkness that said A’zad was their plaything! I am A’zad’s greatest student and he taught me to never use a crutch. Tainted by evil made the book a crutch and I went to toss it overboard rather than risk my friends or these innocents to the ravages of the Dark!!! Brother Indaris, sees me toss my spellbook overboard cursing it for possession and dives in to get it. We bring him back and in his cabin I leave the book with him and figure out looking at the Agreement, we cannot call upon the gods when we use items of magic, it will allow the dark to prevent their function from working!

The good priest of light says he will purify the book and I reassure him I will be back in a few hours but definitely before the Vequana reaches port. This time when I activate the armband I state my declaration plainly with no heavenly flourish. The dark whisper curses that I figured it out as everything appears to become dark. However, my eyes adjust and I am in the room we appeared at before. So I will finish this missive as I can smell the guards before I hear them.

So the question stands in my war of my word how far am I willing to lie for the return of the Lawgiver?

To be continued.

Xerx’ses Goldenhorn,
War Wizard of CrIsis,
aka: Captain Osric Orghallar of Rogtilda

>> Written by Xerx’ses Goldenhorn, upon the 3rd of Od, 70th Year of the Wolfen Empire, 2nd year of King Guy the First of the Timiro Kingdom, 343 year of the Dominion of Man, and 23rd Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II. <<

Rod Rambler picture from Nonsonogaia.
Picture of book from Mission of Santa Clara, ca.1908.
Anzuroq the Stone Mace from Cremuss.
All other weapons are found on AQW-wiki.