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To all loyal servants of Midor
Posted: 30 Jan 2006 06:32 PM |
---By order of His Holiness, the White Bishop Vidus Khain, all remaining paladins and priests currently abroad are hereby recalled to Midor, regardless of current duties or obligations. Any paladins and priests currently in Midor will not leave the city for any reason. All paladins and priests that do not appear at the Holy Temple of Midoran in one weeks time ((actual time TBA)) will be considered to have abandoned their posts and be declared enemies of Midor. If a paladin cannot attend due to injury or other grievous reason, word must be sent ahead of the recall deadline.
Midoran's Will be done.---
The White Bishop carefully dripped wax onto the envelop seal. He slowly pressed his signet ring against the hot wax, stamping the Seal of Midor to the letter. Brother Riely accepted the envelope without question. He has failed me in the past, thought the White Bishop, but in most tasks he is competent. They will be here, the command of the White Bishop was the command of Midor.
He smiled to himself. The pieces were moving, and the games end was near. He walked over to the chessboard where he and Father Certos had been playing a rather extended game, mostly through letter correspondence. He put his hand on the bishop and, after a moments thought, moved it to toppled the black knight.
"Checkmate." |
Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.
-Henry David Thoreau
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Re: To all loyal servants of Midor
Posted: 30 Jan 2006 07:03 PM |
((Two sessions will be scheduled. I'll give options below, and you can tell me which ones work through PM's. Final times will then be posted based on consensus.
GMT: Friday, Feburary 3rd at 3:00 PM (GMT)
Monday, February 6th at 2:00 PM, 3:00 PM, or 4:00 PM (GMT)
CST: Any evening at 10:00 PM (CST)
Priests and paladins will have an audience with the White Bishop as a group or, if necessary, individually. Please let me know the best times for you as soon as possible.))
[Thanks to Imperious for the GMT date correction] |
Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.
-Henry David Thoreau
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Re: To all loyal servants of Midor
Posted: 02 Feb 2006 05:20 PM |
Mercy is, of course, a trademark of the New Order of Midor. With that in mind, His Holiness, the White Bishop Vidus Khain, extends a hand of friendship and peace to all paladins and priests of Midor who have fallen under the sway of the heretical Novus Aristi and their leader, the self-proclaimed Herald of Aristi, Byron Lorian. All who have fallen from the flock are welcome to return; the White Bishop wishes to meet with all who have lost their faith. Just as a good shepard seeks out his lost sheep, so does Vidus Khain love his flock.
In addition to all paladins and priests of Midor, the White Bishop hereby issues an invitation to all who wish to reconcile with Midor. Let a new day dawn, for soon, the Justification of Midor will be complete, and the white light of Midoran will shine to all corners of Vives. |
Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.
-Henry David Thoreau
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Re: To all loyal servants of Midor
Posted: 03 Feb 2006 02:37 PM |
((Assuming the DM's permission,the plot advances))
Runners have been sent out from Midor. To Paws. To Icy Vale. To Buckshire. To Brandibuck. And to Port Royale. The message to those that "have fallen under the sway of the heretical Novus Aristi" has been made public. It is not a well spoken of rumor in places like Port Royale, where there is always more interesting goings-ons then what is happening in Midor. But for those that visit Icy Vale, or Paw, or Buckshire, or especially Brandibuck would most likely have heard of the White Bishop's pronouncement and seen the edict of the White Bishop posted in a public place. |
Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.
-Henry David Thoreau
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True Colours
Posted: 09 Feb 2006 07:14 AM |
True Colours I: Red
The Vestry stood emptier than he could ever recall it being, the usual murmur of conversation gone, the usual sound of steps quietly padding along the corridors outside strangely absent. Father Ranji had been missing from the Chapel, which had instead been manned by Father Riley.
There had been no Paladins in the streets and none in the Temple. That much, at least, he had heard rumours about, although he had thought the rumours overexaggerated. It seemed that they had not been. If anything, they had grossly understated the attrition of the Paladin Order.
The absence of priests was another matter altogether. It should have at least been mentioned in correspondance from Midor.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, the alarm bells that had quietly been going off for the past year and a half had become a full-blaring alert.
“Father Duvados...” Vidus scanned the tablet in his hands. “You have spent the last several years on patrol. I see you have not been to Midor in,” he looked up, his expression unreadable, “quite some time.”
Jerec sat in silence, his mind skipping back to his early days at the Academy. Something about this whole situation reminded him of the time he’d had to cover up for Claude during their first tour of duty around the Western Districts. There was a right way to do things and a correct way to do things; Claude had always had a tendency to go for the former, often twisting or outright breaking rules in his wake.
Apparently that sort of attitude had recently cost the Paladin Order its reputation. Until he knew the facts, the safest thing to do was stay silent unless the situation specifically required him to answer.
“Well, let me welcome you back to Midor,” Vidus continued in that precisely modulated tone of his. A politician’s voice, and the voice of an orator and an actor. His expression, his words and tone and body language, gave nothing away.
Two could play that game.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Jerec replied in the same neutral tone.
“Tell me, Father Duvados...” Vidus paused, then smiled slightly in a way that was supposed to convey warmth and openness, “Jerec... why have you not taken leave in Midor? You have had plenty of opportunity.”
“I’ve been absorbed in my work, Your Grace. I’ve made every effort to come back for the holy holidays each year.”
Except this year. Vidus, being the White Bishop, could not have failed to notice that. But Jerec’s team had been stranded in the newly-formed Divider Chain by the quakes, and his report on that had been already reviewed more times than he cared to count. He was sick of being questioned about it; he’d lost a priestess, an acolyte and two infantrymen in that disaster, and all the head office had done about it was try to poke holes in his integrity. Back when Mother Taliana had been in charge of coordinating the Midoran survey teams, that would never have happened. Whatever incompetent was in charge now was doing a poor job.
Which begged the question of what had happened to Mother Taliana. The Midoran survey teams had been her charge for nearly three decades. She would not have given up the job voluntarily. Not if she could help it.
“Yes... I am sure you have,” Vidus said with a thoughtful nod. “You knew before returning to Midor, then, about the recent reforms that have passed in Midor?”
“Yes, Your Grace. I’ve been keeping up to date on Midoran events.”
“And you know of the Rebellion, and how it was crushed by the might of Midoran, and His Righteous Swords.” It was not a question.
“I had heard news of that, Your Grace.”
“Excellent.” Vidus leaned back in his seat. “You are wondering why I summoned you here. Isn’t that right, Jerec?”
He’d been dragged into enough trouble in his Academy days to know when he was in it. That was as classic a prelude to an interrogation—and possibly a lecture—if he’d ever heard one.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“We are on the cusp of a bright future, Jerec. Yet there is something more I must ask of you, of all faithful and loyal paladins and priests.”
Vidus’ expression became earnest. “I had hoped that by removing Rayinor Liam, the Order of Midoran would gain the resolve it has lost since they failed to deal with Bishop Fetter. It was, after all, his reluctance to act that allowed Fetter to regain power.
“Unfortunately, that has not happened. And so I have called back all loyal paladins and priests to my side. The time has come, Jerec, to choose. You see, that weakness has spread from the Order of Midoran into the priesthood. The time has come for it to end.”
“You are needed, Jerec. Midor needs you. I—” Vidus paused, looking Jerec in the eye, “—need you.”
If he was hoping for a reaction, he didn’t get one.
“The New Order is here, Jerec,” Vidus continued after a long pause. “It is time for you to become a part of it.”
Leaning forward, he pulled a bundle from beneath the couch he was sitting on. Slowly, theatrically, he withdrew a set of red robes.
“Do you love Midoran, Jerec?”
Something was very wrong here and he could not put his finger on it. “I do, Your Grace,” Jerec replied, hearing the puzzled note in his voice.
“And you are loyal to Midor?” Vidus persisted.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Vidus placed the robes neatly at his side. “Then you must join me, Jerec. Don the red of Justification.”
Mild puzzlement became full-blown confusion. “Justification, Your Grace?”
“Justification, Jerec. The cleansing fire that has, for the past year, burned away the sin of the Midoran people. The old ways are too lenient, and Midor was going the path of spiteful Aristi.
“But through the Justification of Midor, strength and security has returned to our city. Criminals are dealt with as our Lord intended, swiftly and decisively. Heretics are no longer tolerated... surely you heard how the Scarletto House was destroyed for the crime of heresy.”
Jerec nodded.
“That was done by the Righteous Swords... my eyes and arm in Midor. Now I ask you to become part of my eyes, and my arm, and help me complete the grand and holy task set before us.”
Vidus placed a hand atop the red robes. “This is the future of Midor, Jerec. It is the only way to serve our Lord.”
Why did he need to ask? Why make the offer at all? Surely he, as the White Bishop and indisputable Voice of Midoran, could simply have ordered the change to come about. No, there was more going on here than met the eye, and refusal would gain nothing.
“Your will is the will of Midoran, Your Grace. I will join you,” Jerec said sincerely.
“Excellent.” Vidus smiled. “You will report immediately to the Law Court. There, you will be met by the High Inquisitor. You will begin your training immediately to become an Inquisitor of Midor.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“This is a great honor I am granting you, Jerec Duvados,” Vidus went on. “You will have the opportunity to be a living example of the grace and glory of Midor.”
Hadn’t he already been?
“And if you complete your training, you will return to me. I have a special task for you,” Vidus concluded.
If he completed his training?
“You are dismissed.” Vidus stood and handed the robes over.
Folding them neatly over his arm, Jerec bowed and took his leave.
And wondered what he’d just gotten himself into. |
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