Arcaea/Dining Hall Late 08-09/Duke Gosoi Gets Grumpy with MAE
It was a somewhat bedraggled High Priest of MAE who limped his way through the city gates of Anacan. Dren had travelled for many days to get there, moving as fast as his weary legs would carry him; earlier that day one of the straps of his left sandal had broken, making walking extremely uncomfortable. Nevertheless he had struggled on, so that he could enter the city before true darkness had fallen and the city gates had been closed.
With a nod to the guards on either side of the gatehouse, Dren pulled himself straighter, tried to make himself more presentable, and went in search of a good cobbler. Anacan was clearly a thriving city, and not one to go to bed at an early hour. He had little difficulty acquiring new sandals and a recommendation for an inn within the gated palace district, should the Duke not be in the mood to extend his hospitality. These necessaries seen to, the High Priest made his way down to Inner City.
The guards at the gate the the Ducal Palace District were harder to get past than those at entrance to the city; Dren's clothing did not exactly mark him out as a nobleman, and only the better sorts of people were meant to have access to the Inner City. Eventually he produced his Seal, usually used to impress a longship onto wax; this convinced them that he was a Person of Quality enough that he deserved admittance.
Striding up to the Palace door, Dren informed the guards that, "The High Priest of MAE seeks audience with the Duke of Anacan." Standing there, tall, leathered and proud with straggling long brown hair, dressed in his travellers clothes, Dren may not have been the most well dressed nobleman; but priests were slightly strange as everyone knew. His sheer confidence was enough to send one of them inside for a person who might have a better idea of whether or not Dren should be allowed audience.
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Gosoi already knew of the notable priest inside the city. He had left instructions with the gate guards to inform him should any of the Magna Aenilia Ecclesia came knocking. And what did you know, not a day later one showed up. And a senior member, no less. He knew eventually the priest would make his way to the Ducal palace, so seeing as how he wasn't feeling exactly warm and fuzzy toward the Aenilic faith at the moment, he didn't send a carriage to pick the traveler up.
After a few hours, a trooper of his kidousei approached him bearing the news that a priest of noble blood had announced himself at the gate to the palace. This news found him in his study, going over the latest reports from the Duchy. Sighing mentally, he put away the documents and prepared to receive the High Priest.
"Show him in, and bring him to me."
Gosoi Nerukou Duke of Anacan
Dren was somewhat relieved to be taken to see the Duke immediately, although he did his best not to show it. Duke Gosoi, he had inferred from the letters, had a noticable temper, and given the recent events it would not have unduly surprised the High Priest if he was subjected to some form of humiliation before being allowed audience. The man had a degree of honour at least; any successor to Duke Galiard would surely have to.
Guardsmen escorted him to Gosoi's recieving room, and after taking a moment to compose himself Dren entered. He bowed low.
"Greetings, Duke Gosoi. I am Dren Kandurell, High Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia. I congratulate you for keeping such a fine city in such good order; the Inner City is a pleasant place to be, while outside the commoners may conduct their business as loudly as they want."
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Gosoi looked at the priest for a moment before speaking. He wasn't in the mood to prolong the affair, so he skipped right to the point.
"High Priest. so nice of you to visit." He said in a voice that clearly indicated it wasn't. "And what brings a priest of your caliber to my humble Duchy? Surely you aren't here for the tournament?
Oh wait, don't tell me, let me guess. He scratched his chin a bit and pretended to think. "I've got it. You've come to change my mind. My decision must have roused some feathers to merit a visit from a High Priest. Come now, I'm sure you have prepared some compelling arguments, so lets hear them, eh?
But wait, where are my manners? Please, sit. You must be weary from the journey."
Leaning back in his chair, he wondered exactly what the priest thought to accomplish, and what sort of veiled threats he would use to convince Gosoi to lift the ban on preaching by the MAE.
Gosoi Nerukou Duke of Anacan
Here it came; the Duke obviously had been riled by what he saw as an attack on his control over his city. For Dren, who had recently become somewhat experienced at dealing with disgruntled region lords, it was as good as a sign saying 'Handle With Care'. He tried to prevent his Viking blood from rising.
"Compelling arguments? I shall do my best. But an argument is hardly useful when the decision of what to do with your Duchy lies entirely with you."
Seating himself somewhat wearily, Dren gave the Duke a quick nod of thanks.
"It is your prerogative to choose which religions are allowed within the walls of Anacan, and I know that as a devout man you wish to see the flourishing of the Order of the Elders. Have you considered that this might be better done by allowing freedom of preaching within Anacan, however? MAE is a large religion - I mean this not as some kind of ominous promise of revenge, for the Prophet Orphen will not see violence used in the name of MAE. Many nobles and region lords follow our religion. What would it profit the Order of the Elders to be excluded from preaching in some lands?
If you, as a well known follower of the Order of the Elders, go around sacking temples, lords of all religions may begin to see the danger in allowing your faith into their regions for fear that it will cause violence. I know this well; that is why all of MAE's priests have always been forbidden to incite violence anywhere!"
Dren sighed, saying, "We have few enough priests left these days. MAE sprawls across the eastern half of the continent, but we can barely maintain what faith we have. In truth, even should you lift this ban on preaching, I do not believe that a priest will venture this way any time in the forseeable future. Despite this, it is a matter of principle for us; should exclusion become a trend, the Order and MAE might close their lands from each other, end the lively discourse between our two religions, and begin to harden against each other."
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
Gosoi leaned forward and placed his elbows on his desk. It was obvious the priest had nothing interesting to say. He had already figured as much.
"Your temple was sacked, priest, because your pet noble had the audacity to tell me I "risked much", as if simple priests could do anything to harm me. And this, inside my own walls, by who else but a foreigner! You are quite lucky that I did not decide to simply close all temples of your faith inside the Duchy. If I am to be threatened in the name of your religion, then it is your religion that will suffer.
However, you make such a valid point when you say other region lords may close their lands to the Elders. Such is their right, after all. However, I am completely apathetic to the chance this may happen. I am a Duke and noble of Cathay, Dren Kandurell, and I care nothing for anyone or anything outside of these borders. Wars, conflict, sickness, death- all this means naught to my family. I don't care what sort of repercussions there are, as long as they do not negatively effect Cathay.
And another thing, before you go, as go you must. I am a busy man, and I have a tournament to attend to. Your faith certainly had no problem when it was the Elders who were banned from Anacan. Yet now that the coin is flipped you are quick to rush down here, complaining of "ancient treaties" and warning of closed regions. I do wonder why it is you care now, when you were so accepting before."
Standing up, he nodded once at the guard, who moved to stand directly behind the sitting priest.
"Now, if you please. This guard will escort you out of the palace. As promised, you are free to roam the city as long as you do not preach or cause trouble. Have a nice day, High Priest, and may the wisdom of the Elders guide you."
Gosoi Nerukou Duke of Anacan
"You ask," said Dren angrily, rising to his feet, "what priests, the representatives of the Gods on this plane, can do to you?" His heritage clamoured for him to draw a sword and cut the Duke down where he stood, 6 feet of stretched Viking quivering in the effort of restraint.
"You ask why we did not spend the time to propogate another religion?
"You are clearly a selfish, unfaithful man, lacking any kind of religious conviction. I hope you enjoy your tournament; it appears that you believe play fighting is more important than the immortal souls of thousands of people.
I bid you farewell, Duke Gosoi."
Dren whirled to leave.
Dren Kandurell (Priest of Magna Aenilia Ecclesia)
