The Prince's Tourney - The Debate

[X-Avanil/Aubrae Avan (Thorsten)]

The Princess purses her lips slightly throughout Cloene's reply, her eyes never leaving the man's face. When he is done, she rises to her feet, and brings her hands together in a delicate clapping motion.
"You prove a most generous character, Count Cloene, and I am certain the Archprelate appreciates your dedication towards the cause, and your readiness to increase the size of your previously agreed upon grant to the Western Imperial Temple. It shows a bit of the spirit that should inhabit every Anuirean nobleman. With a sizeable donation to the temple from the people of Avanil and Taeghas already in His Holiness hands, it seems that everything west of the Maesil and south of the Seamists stand behind the Western Imperial Temple, and the Conclave of Temples in these trying times."

Still clapping, she turns to the Archprelate of the Western Imperial Temple.
"Thank you, Your Holiness. Although your words where bleak, we take comfort in knowing that there are those that seek to protect us in these trying times."

She stops her movement, and allows her hands to rest gently on the table in front of her.
"Some words are more troubling than others though. These shape changers you mention, can they be anyone? How does one determine the true identity of such an abomination? I ask, because I imagine many among us here have been feeling slightly paranoid since the rumours of this first trickled out of Ilien. Is there some way for us to locate these wretches ourselves? What, if anything, can we, the nobles, do, to prevent the shadowspawn from infiltrating our court?"

[X-CJS/Ruormad Coumain (Tristan)]

Patriarch Coumain speaks, having slipped into the room, with a grace belying his age, just before the Archprelate speaks.

"Whilst there methods available to the temples of Haelyn that allow them to detect these foul shape changing spawn of Azrai they are the province of only the most faithful, and as I am sure you can understand, as much as we would wish it the Archprelate cannot be everywhere at once."

He pauses briefly, waiting to ensure that he has the attention of all in the room.

"So in this we can area we can advise threefold, do firstly as Count Cloene has done and support your local temple that they may be free to act on matters of the faith and Azrai without concern for more mundane matters.

Secondly to prevent infiltrators to your court act as you have always done to detect the spies of your enemies in times of war. Watch all around you, for those whose behavior has changed, who send unusual messages or meet with unusual people. For you must understand that we are in a state of war with Azrai and our responses must be those of people fully committed to striking down this grave threat."

Thirdly, listen to the counsel of the Conclave on matters of local concern. Cooperate with their reasonable requests and provide them the assistance that they need to face the Shadow. In this one I can give you practical example. The Archprelate spoke of the undead that plague Northern Alamie. The Celestial Jewel moved to counter this threat by harnessing the faithful of Alamie, and those of her near neighbor Avanil to cast a great warding 'gainst the Shadow over the provinces affected, In fact three is the time that I have cast this spell since ascending to the Patriarchy of the Celestial Jewel . As I am sure you understand such great magics are a drain on the resources for great temples such as the Western Imperial Temple of Haelyn so for the Celestial Jewel they represented a more significant cost."

At this he gestures towards the Alamien delegation, "Duke Alam, ever a faithful man, after being made aware of our plight, was pious enough to guarantee the support of himself and his nobles to supporting the Celestial Jewel in this cause. He bears from his own purse half the cost of this undertaking and the nobility of Alamie support the Celestial Jewel that we may be free to focus on this great task."

As he retakes his seat beside the Archprelate many of the gathered courtiers, and even some of the nobility politely applaud Duke Alam.

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

Countess Vanadaere stands in turn, bowing her head respectfully to the Patriarch and looking to the Archprelate for a nod of permission before speaking in a strong, forceful voice.  "Lords and ladies, I can speak from experience in support of the Patriarch's wise advice.  Osoerde has been forced to answer such questions repeatedly, not only in regards to these demons, but also in hunting out those corrupted by the vampire Manethander."

"My lords understood that they could not simply deem these as problems of the temples.  They set those in their courts who possessed both wisdom and cunning to watching for signs of this control: changes in behavior; actions that harmed the kingdom or, more commonly, seemed to serve it while turning its neighbors against it; contact with others who had been discovered to be corrupted; and long absences from those who might have seen through their deceptions."

"Such signs cannot be taken as proof of threat, or the accusations would have torn the kingdom apart.  Instead, my lords took these names and gave them to the Impregnable Heart and the Eastern Temple of Nesirie, and had them resolve the question for sure and certain.  It is this cooperation, active and full, between noble, guild, and temple that protected Osoerde and allowed the temples to cleanse it.  Only Faith can stand against these creatures, but you can act as the eyes and ears of that Faith - its scouts and outriders, if you will."

[X-Alamie/CA (Marco)]

Duke Carilon waits for his turn to speak.

"As Patriarch Coumain said before, an agreement between us was made. I've personally taken care of the undead's problem in Northern Alamie and Tuornen and, even if my men were able to stop the activities of the walking dead, protecting the lives and the houses of the inhabitants,  my investigations have determined that this plague could not be removed by mundane forces. The source of the evil, at least of the evil acting in those areas, lies in the Five Peaks, but I'm concerned with a subtler evil...."

He pauses looking around at every regent, mundane or divine, attending at the assemply

"...we, as Anuirean Realms, continue to battle, fight and quarrell among us...As long as we'll continue in this way we could never be enough strong to win over the Shadow. Avan-Boer war, the army of the Marquis of Thasbyrn in Tuornen and many minor wars are making critical wounds in Anuire and I think many realms are waiting to gain profit if we'd be weakened after our battles against the Shadow..."

" My proposal is simple, Lords and Patriarchs...let us create an alliance, offensive against the Shadow, defensive against anyone will threat one of his members, lead by a council, one seat for every regent, be a landed lord or a holy man"

"The council will then decide how to act, in a cooperative way, against the Shadow"

"This is the only way to survive and if we will we could also get stronger and more prosperous; I, Carilon Alam, Duke of Alamie, will make my army, my gold, even my body and soul, available for every crusade, every mission, every effort will be decided by the council, if my proposal would ever be accepted..."

[X-Avanil/Aubrae Avan (Thorsten)]

"Thank you Patriarch" the Princess says with a little smile tugging at the corner of her mouth and a nod to Ruormad.
"However, it does not answer the question I posed to His Holiness in full. What can we, the nobility, do ourselves? Sending more money to the temples is all well and good, but I need to know what I can do here and now, immediately upon my return to my own court."

She indicates the Countess on her left, and places a slender hand on her shoulder.
"Her Ladyship touches upon something of what I mean. Combing through ones court in a quest to seek out irregular behaviour. But even this does not give us the perfect answer - it just increases the paranoia and suspicion, while potentially alienating every single subject we keep close. No one likes to know that they are being audited by their liege-lord. It denotes a lack of trust."

The Princess' hand glides down Kaeranne's arm and stops at her elbow in an almost affectionate gesture, as she continues to speak.
"But is spying on your own subjects, and handing the temples notes on their behavioural pattern the only way to combat this? Indeed, as Her Ladyship notes, such actions might tear the realm apart as easily as the changelings themselves, and who is to say that does not simply play into their favour?

"Is the temples of Haelyn - no strike that - the heads of the temples, for I understand they are the only ones faithful enough, whatever that means, our only true defence against this threat?"

She looks to the Archprelate again.
"Do I understand that only you and the leaders of the other Haelynite temples are able to pierce the veil that surrounds these infiltrators?"

She releases Kaeranne's arm, and turns towards Carilon.
"Yours is an intriguing proposal, Your Grace - but I am not sure that yet another Council is the way forward. At least not at this point."

"I do, however, like the notion that spiritual and secular forces pool their resources together more openly towards a common goal. Far to often I find that we live in seperate worlds, with little idea of what is going on. It is one of the reasons for this meeting here and now - to keep us appraised of the Conclaves work and what can be done by us. And it certainly warms my heart to hear, that at least one other present wishes for the temples and the landed lords to work more closely together in an effort to banish these threats against our way of living."

[X-WIT/Toreas Kharnmoin (Rune)]

"Your Highness, I fear you are mistaken, as may the good Patriarch be. As of today, the knowledge on how to identify these agents of the Shadow with certainty, are shared only among a few select people who are close to Pontiff Isilviere. The rest of us will have to do what we can, and follow such advice as given by the Countess and the Patriarch. One can argue that such spreading of paranoia and mistrust only works to the advantage of the Shadow, but until a proper method to identify them are made accesible to a wider range of people, there is precious little we can do about that".

"Rest assured that the WIT will not idly by while agets roam amongst us. I have myself seen such a test performed on an agent of the Shadow, and I believe it may be reproduced - but it will require time and effort".

He looks to Count Cloene. "Thank you, Your Grace, for increasing the already generous donation. Rest assured that it will be put to good use in our fight against the Shadow".

"As to what else can be done, it is known that the veil is weakened during times of violence and death. Keeping the peace among mankind is more important now than ever. Support your temples, approach them and ask how you can be of aid, for it is their work that sustains and nurtures the faith of the people. And without faith, we will surely lose".

[X-Avanil/Aubrae Avan (Thorsten)]

The Princess arches an eyebrow and tilts her head slightly as she looks at the Archprelate.
"You do not know how to identify these creatures, Your Holiness? Cannot you simply get Pontiff Isilviere to show you how?"

[X-WIT/Toreas Kharnmoin (Rune)]

"As much as it pains me to admit it Your Highness, I do not. As I said only the Pontiff and a few select people know how to identify these creatures with certainty. I have requested that His Holiness share this technique with the Heads of the Conclave factions, but as of today this has yet to happen. I do not know why it has not been shared with the rest of the Conclave, but rest assured I will look into the matter once I take over the position as Pontiff".

[X-Sea Witch/Aneira (John)]

The young Sea Witch rises briefly to her feet and inclines her head respectfully towards the Archprelate and her host, the Princess.

"Your Eminence, Your Highness.  Following the recent events in Ilien I investigated the possibility of whether a practitioner of the arcane arts might be able to detect these shadow creatures.  I tested the theory that pure, natural flows of meibhaighl, being somewhat an antithesis of what might crudely be termed shadow stuff, might be capable of unearthing these creatures.  Unfortunately my attempts proved unsuccessful, though I thank Your Highness for supporting my research."

"My research, though perhaps not exhaustive, indicates only those capable of channeling the divine essence of the Gods are capable of detecting these shadow creatures."

Having said her piece, the Sea Witch resumes her seat, smoothing her skirts and sipping her watered wine.

[X-Alamie/CA (Marco)]

Duke Carilon looks at Princess Aubrey

"Your Grace, I'm glad you recognize the necessity of cooperation. Maybe a council is not the best answer but AN answer must be made."

he speaks to all the assembly "Dear lords, in the next season I'm planning to go personally, with a few of brave men of mine, to the Five Peaks to find answers for the many mysteries tied to the undead. I'll gladly accept every offer of help, both form the lords or from the temples"

[X-Points East]

IC:

A moment of silence follows, which Elamien Lamier breaks, without rising from her seat:  "I hope that the Archduke of Alamie will forgive me for changing the subject, for the time being.  But few specifics have reached my ear in distant Elinie, regarding the crusade against the Swordhawk.  And this lack of information has perhaps inspired the following questions, which I should like to ask, on this occasion.  Firstly, then, why has the Anuirean Conclave of Temples presently targeted, of all awnsheghlien, the Swordhawk?  And, relatedly, why has there been almost no mention, of late, of the awnshegh, who, more than any other, has plagued Anuirean civilisation for centuries and whose strength could swiftly increase, were a power vacuum along the shores of the Dauren Arm to develop?"

[X-Avanil/Aubrae Avan (Thorsten)]

Aubrae shifts uneasily at the words of Elamien.
"To my knowledge, the Black Prince's forces where all but broken when the dead rose against him, and he had lost massive tracts of land to the Swordhawk when the dust settled in. But there has been no sight of Raesene's minions for quite some time - or at least as far as I am aware. Have you heard any different since you choose this time to bring it - and him - up?"

[X-WIT/Toreas Kharnmoin (Rune)]

The Archprelate nods to Aubrae's words.

"As to why the Swordhawk has become an active target of the Conclave at this time, to get a detailed answer I suggest you voice your concern with the Pontiff. He is still the one who sits with intimate knowledge of his plans and so we must put our faith in him. What I can tell you is that the Swordhawk, aside from being an agent of the Shadow and therefore by definition a sworn enemy of the Conclave, also clashed with him at the end of the war against the Gorgon. We know what he is capable of, and he has grown much more powerful during the last years. The Pontiff reports that he has now set his eyes on Anuire, and must be brought under control".

[X-Points East]

IC:

"I did attempt to contact the Pontiff in spring but received no response", says Elamien.

Then, after a pause, she continues, "But, leaving that silence aside, I believe that some seven years have passed since the crusade against the Crown, which is plentiful time, in which to recover broken units, to muster and train new ones, and to hire mercenaries.  Additionally, there are indications that, in Anuire, agents, who are more commonly associated with the Gorgon than with the Swordhawk, are active . . . which activity, in my mind, indicates, not weakness, but strength.  Of course, I do not doubt that the Swordhawk could have designs upon Anuirean territory; but my worries regarding the Gorgon none the less remain."

[DM B]

There seems to be no shortage of noble sons willing to go east to join the crusade - but they seem primarily motivated by the prospect of glory and booty than any real concern for the Swordhawk or other shadowy characters.