Arcaea/Dining Hall Late 08-09/Aenil, Temples and Misplaced Zeal
If there was any better remedy for a troubled mind then falling asleep in the arms of your love…and waking in the same place, Edara didn’t know it. She would have stayed curled up there with Jenred all day if they both didn’t have so much to do. As it was, they delayed arising for quite some time...
Edara was quite disturbed by the potential for secret access points into the castle from the catacombs, and wondered how many men they could spare for exploration. Also, they needed to go and see if Goffrey had made it through the night…not to mention there were patrols to be run and the ordinary affairs of the Duchy to be seen to. Jenred had his own correspondence and magistrate business to deal with as well. Oh…and, gods bless, there was a festival today. That seemed wildly inappropriate after everything that had happened, but she would still have to go and be seen.
When the knock came at her door, Edara was dressed and ready to face the day. An audience with the Priest Dren…well, what was one more thing today? They ascertained from the servant that Goffrey did still live. She was amazed by his strength…half of his wounds would have felled a lesser man.
Though Jenred still seemed less than eager for her to go anywhere without him, Edara kissed him lingeringly and went to meet the priest.
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
"Duchess Edara; it is good to see you looking so well, after all of the hard work you have been putting in. The break in was no fault of yours, I am sure; I have my suspicions that the Aenil have taken more of an interest in Goffrey than is necessarily healthy. It is quite possible that a malicious power has decided to do him ill, while a benign one is in opposition to that. Nothing else could explain the severity and speed of his wounds, when taking into account his remarkable survival!"
The priest's speech slowed down after getting somewhat excited about his theory. He stared absently off to one side, and said in a more considered voice, "Now we must be about the real business. For all of your efforts, I believe that you have had some trouble winning over the hearts and minds of the populace here. Is this not true? I have done my best, but the worship of the god Sartan is still rife within the city. He is undoubtedly a powerful Aenil; perhaps the very one that is working to Goffrey's detriment. Can you tell me of any... more peculiar troubles, with Sartanians?"
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Edara listened to the priest’s impassioned speech carefully. She did not yet know much of the Aenil beyond what Jenred had told her and what she had studied in the temple. However…what he was saying made sense…and would explain how Goffrey kept getting into—and out of—such horrible scrapes.
She nodded at him, “Yes…it’s been…difficult…to get the people behind us. We’re doing the best we can, but…I think until more Arcaean peasants move here…” Edara sighed, “I just don’t know why these Sartan worshippers hate us so much. I hope that you will be able to preach more of them around…then they will like me better, and that would be lovely.”
She smiled at him, then looked thoughtful, “I don’t know what you mean by “peculiar troubles”, though. There haven’t been any unusal sorts of troubles that I’ve heard about…street brawls and minor rebellion…that’s what I know. Is there something…that you’ve heard about?”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
Dren began pacing frustratedly from side to side, as if unsure of himself all of a sudden. "I have heard rumours; many rumours. Speak to enough peasants and rumours will appear, no matter their veracity. What concerns me here is that I believe they have a grain of truth. Sartanian priests are roaming the land, and may be behind the root of this opposition to you."
He stopped pacing and looked directly at Edara. "The Sartan Worshippers are, I believe, being whipped up into a frenzy by their priests. I do not know if you have heard reports of this, but I must ask you; if you see a priest of Sartan, arrest him at once. As Duchess of this region it is your right, I believe. I am doing my best to convert the populace, but in the face of constant niggling it is difficult to achieve. This is a similar case throughout the rest of Arcaea, making your duty all the more imperative. By allowing Sartanian priests to pass through Nocaneb unchecked, the people of Arcaea are becoming more and more subject to their evil ways."
He shook his head sadly, then continued in a slightly less apocalyptic tone, "On a brighter note, there is some positive action we can take to improve the situation, I believe. Would you consent to an extension of the temple here in Nocaneb? I intend to start a fundraising campaign to achieve this. It would certainly help stem the flow of Sartan influence from the East, I am sure."
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Edara shook her head at him, “I do not have very much experience, Brother Dren, but even I know that arresting priests is a very bad idea…especially when the people already hate you. There will be rioting in the streets if we did that! Nothing brings out the worst in people faster than attacking their faith.”
She rose and went to gaze out of the window, “No, until more of the people leave that Sartan church, we can’t touch their priests…no matter how much trouble they stir up…and I’m sure that they do…my cousin was a holy priestess, and she told many tales of how a preacher can drop rebellious ideas into their sermons…how easily she could make the peasants feel dissatisfied…no, I have no doubts at all that those Sartant priests are riling up my people against me,” Edara sighed unhappily, “I hate when people don’t like me…”
She turned back to the priest, “As for making the temple bigger…I’m sure that that’s something we can do in time. Right now I’m spending all of my money on constructing more fortifications. I doubt that the current temple even brings in enough funds to support itself right now, anyway,” Edara smiled at Dren, “I have faith in you. I believe that you can preach up my whole region until they stop worshipping that silly Sartan…and if we fill up the temple…we will make it bigger and more beautiful.”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Nocaneb
A pained expression crossed Dren's face. "I... understand your reluctance. They have too much popular support here. A violent arrest would not improve your standing with the peasants. Something must be done, however!" He smashed one fist into his other palm. "I cannot stand seeing the Sartan worshipers grow bolder every day! It is hard enough to convert a population which resents Arcaean rule, without having to deal with Sartanian preachers moving freely through Nocaneb!"
The viking warrior blood was coming out in him now, and he had to make a visible effort to calm himself. "Forgive me, but the Aenil have taken a great interest in this region. Would it be too much to ask letters to be sent to Sartan priests on their arrival in the city, encouraging them to leave?" The gesture might be futile, but with the advent of peace between the two realms, some impact might be made.
"I shall do my best to get the populace to see the truth, Duchess Edara, but my task is a difficult one. I have a theory that the grander the temple, the greater the Aenil it can attract. While I envy your dismissal of Sartan, I am sure that he has power; the mysterious attack on Goffrey has seen to that. We need an Aenil of equal strength to oppose him." He nodded to Edara. "Fortifications may be necessary to defend the physical realm, but what of the spiritual one? Nocaneb is under attack from divine forces of the strongest nature. We must hope that her defences are solid enough. Good day; my thanks for this audience. There is much work to be done."
He half turned, poised to take his leave.
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
