| The Streets of the City of Vore, Thalmarkin
Sir Ra Endymion Hwitt, General of Thalmarkin, Knight of Sandefur, and Captain of the Showboat was not in a good mood. In fact, as he made his way through the city his mood was down right dangerous. He didn’t consider himself a dour man, and could usually be found in good cheer and good spirit, but the situation with the monsters in Thalmarkin had become nearly untenable. The army was moving now, the effort to fight back was beginning in earnest, but it didn’t make the wound in his shoulder from that monster feel any better.
He hadn’t asked to be General, that “honor” had been thrust upon him by the King. He would have thought it was funny if he wasn’t the butt of the joke. But he had resolved to see the job through. He knew what it was like to be one of the poor and defenseless that were now packing the city, what it was like to live in fear of the hordes reaching their way outsides. Refugees from the countryside were flooding the cities of Thalmarkin, and his soldiers were having to gently force their way through the throngs of poor masses of peasants.
Some called out and begged for alms or food as his retinue passed, others cheered and gave praise for brave soldiers defending them. All had heard of the brave but doomed attempt to break the monstrous hordes attacking Qual. Those few that had been in the city when the forces had marched out now saw far less returning home.
Within the mass of humanity, a single clear voice could be heard among the din and clamour of the refugees, the voice called out, loudly and confidently,
“Do not fear, Brothers and Sisters! For the Old Gods stand with us! For what else can inherit the continent of the Old Gods but mankind? What creature is in spirit more noble or brave? In constitution more spirited and forthright?”
Ra heard the voice above the din and looked in its direction. There he saw a priest of the Old Gods, dressed simply in tabard and robe, waving a staff as he spoke to the moving crowd.
Ra nudged his Captain and only female member of the Boys, Leomona, and said, “Well it’s about time somebody started making some damn sense. Boys! Head for the priest, let’s hear what he has to say, I could use a pick me up!”
As Ra commanded, the soldiers made way for the priests, who paid no heed to the General of the realm before him.
“For what is more glorious in body and countenance than mankind? Glorious is man, strong and able, reaping the harvest and defending the home! Glorious is woman, graceful and fair, birthing future and keeping hearth and home? Both are resplendent in their forms!”
Heedless of Ra and his Boys, the priests pointed randomly into the crowd, “Rejoice for you are beautiful! Rejoice for you are glorious! Do not fear the Children, for we will overcome them!”
Ra smiled as he listened to priest shout, “Yeah!” Ra shouted, “He says what we’re all thinking! Hot damn, Priest, I like the cut of your jib!” Ra moved forward to stand before the priest, who finally looked the Knight in the face. The priest reached forward and clasped Ra on the shoulders firmly, as Ra motioned for his shoulders to stand down and allow the man to continue.
“Rejoice Warrior! General! And do not fear for you march forth with the blessing of the Wolf Lord, and you will smite the...!”
The priest suddenly stopped his shouting, and looked deeper into Ra’s face, who allowed the priest to continue, bemused with what was happening.
“No. Nooooooooo. You are something different. The Wolf Lord marches with them!” As he gestured to soldiers behind him. “You, General...oh Ephemeral Emperor! Oh Roof of the World! What a game you play now! Take this, General, and let the world watch you play the Great Game and know that the Twinkling Gaze is upon you!”
The priest shoved something into Ra’s hands, a book with the lore of the Old Ones, and a small game piece, a Queen from a chess set, made of beautiful white and black marble.
The crowd pressed in around them, the mass of mankind pushing forward, and Ra’s soldiers urged him him to continue. He nodded in agreement, and when he looked around again, the priest had disappeared, leaving only the book and the game piece in Ra’s hands. |
