Urgent Reply

The Plot Thickens

Bishop Nodeki,

I must ask you at the outset, to be careful with whom you share the details of this letter. Please read it in secret, ponder my words, and act as you see fit. I am no politican, but I am sophisticated enough to understand that this letter could have devistating effects on the world if it fell into the wrong hands.

The world is in danger from a direction we never thought to be vulnerable in, and we must move quickly to protect ourselves.

It grieves me to say, but Duke VasPasseon has indeed become anti-religon.

I do not know the full story, but on the surface it supposedly stems from some alleged perfidity conducted by a high-ranking servant of Rurga.

This servant is still alive, so we can immediately guess how much truth there is behind that.

We received an extremely hostile official welcome at Llorn, though the citizens themselves were, for the most part, overwhelmingly hospitable.

Suffice to say that we endured much hardship, slander, and baseless accusations of duplicity at the hands of the Duke, his son, and the Mistoan Knights. Apparently, the Duke’s son was one of the delegates at the so-called “peace summit” in Haven, and my masterful political manoeuvrings left them feeling rather insulted.

Against the apparent objections of whom I took to be his favorite councilor, the Duke initially demanded a written, published apology from those of us who were there, and said that would be the end of the matter.

Things quickly deteriorated the next day, however, when the Duke’s son had us arrested, hauled into what I believe to be the headquarters of the Mistoan Knights, and began to upbraid us liberally for our supposed offences in Haven, and accused us of bewitching his father in an attempt to overthrow the kingdom.

We explained the events of our meeting with the Duke, who was quickly summoned to verify our account, but he revfiled us, accused us of all manner of duplicity, threatened us with imprisonment, and chased us out of the city.

A lot of vendective was specifically directed at both you and me. The Duke is convinced that I see myself as some sort of Kingmaker, and that I seek to remake the Eastern Territories, and perhaps all of Palladium, in my image. You he reviles because of your desires for peace as well as your connection to the church.

For my part, the Duke and his son have had all the apology from me that they will ever receive.

You know as well as I that nothing could be further from the truth, but it is a falsehood, I fear, that many will find attractive, especially if things in Llorn are as I fear.

Throughout our first “interview” with the Duke, I noticed certain patterns of behavior from the Duke, as well as his counsilor, a female elf to whom we weren’t introduced.

Every time someone mentioned certain words, “church,” for example, the Duke would lose control of his temper and yell and scream about the perfidity of the Gods and his desire for war with the Wolfen.

Whenever we began to mollify the Duke, assuage his anger, or otherwise calm him down, the she-elf would whisper into his ear, and he would immediately become irate and not allow that person to talk to him again.

Your Grace, I believe that this supposed “elf” is actually some form of demonic entity, and that it has Duke VanPasseon, and possibly his son and the leaders of the Mistoan Knights, in thrall, and is seeking thereby to use the might of Llorn to subjugate the East, if not the world.

I believe that all Llornian mercenaries should be viewed with quiet suspicion, and countermeasures put in place to counter a possible revolt.

If we are swift, I believe we can move to neutralize her before the east is embroiled in Civil War.

Your servant,

Cava

P.S. We have reached Wisdom, and will begin our search for Bishop Tutu.
King Hafton greeted us warmly, gave us letters of recommendation, and pledged himself to the cause of peace. I told him of my fears concerning Llorn, but he was not convinced.
He also appears to think that I seek to overthrow the aristocracy, which disturbs me greatly.

Also, any advice you may have that could help me not offend the Gentry would be greatly appreciated.

C.

Posted by Cava on 05 Selestra, Dominion 341.

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