“We shouldn’t be drinking this early in the day, but hell, if you can’t drink at a time like this, when can you drink?” Bess complained.
“That so called fourth-order of Lenamare’s somehow tapped into the link between a god and a high priest. I had no idea that was even possible!” Ramses complained.
“Who the hell would be dumb enough to even try?” Exador exclaimed, shaking his head. “Who doesn’t think that a god or their avatar is going to notice when their incoming mana levels start dipping? Or when there are huge, non-authorized drains on the reserves?”
“Or when you kidnap one of their highest ranking, most Graced agents on the plane and haul him off to the Abyss?” Bess asked.
“As soon as Lilith or Sammael hear about this, they are going to work to secure this so-called fourth-order demon,” Exador pointed out.
“That should be a fun scramble,” Bess said drily.
“I am so glad we don’t mess with Court politics,” Ramses added.
“However, politics aside,” Ramses interjected, “it is a given that Tiernon’s avatars are going to show up to investigate, and there is not much we can do about that. They will probably interrogate everyone in the city as well as in the surrounding armies.” The others shrugged in agreement. “Therefore, our primary concern is ensuring they don’t find out about the book.”
The sound of cups being set down in saucers was very clear in the silence as they contemplated what would happen if Tiernon or his avatars got hold of the book. It is very hard for archdemons to get chills running down their spines, but it can happen, and at that moment, it did.
Arch-Diocate Iskerus was in shock, as was Arch-Vicar General Barabus. Barabus was staring at the spot where a flaming hole in the ground had opened up and swallowed the greatest knight of Tiernon into the Abyss. The only thing Barabus appeared capable of doing was to blink repeatedly.
Arch-Diocate Iskerus, on the other hand, was staring at a point a few feet away, where a holy, albeit very dark, artifact of his god had been, apparently, repurposed. He reached down to hold his hand over it, feeling its aura. He had only ever examined the dagger once before and even though he had sensed his god’s presence in it, the darkness in it had terrified him. Now that darkness was gone, and in fact, he felt the normal radiance of a healing artifact of Tiernon. It was as if the blade had been reversed.
Reversed by a demon. A demon! Iskerus shuddered all the way down to the roots of his soul. How could this be? It was not possible. His mind boggled at the very idea! He felt a gentle touch on his shoulder; a priest. He could not remember the man’s name.
“Arch-Diocate, what should we do with the high priests who have collapsed, and Verigas?” someone asked.
“Take them to a quarantine tent; give them all the healing we safely can, but ensure every precaution is taken. Apply to them every purification you can find or imagine. I’ll provide more instructions later.”
“And the Rod members who were also possessed?” the same someone asked Iskerus.
“The same, different tent; disarm them, remove their armor and station guards,” Arch-Vicar General Barabus said, walking over. He extended his hand to Iskerus and the man took it, getting up slowly, suddenly feeling far older than his current age.
“Any thoughts?” Barabus asked as he led the Arch-Diocate back to his tent.
Iskarus gestured for a nearby high priest to secure the dagger. “Not yet. I’m numb.” That was the only word he could come up with.
“As am I, but I’m slowly waking. We need to put on a very brave face for the troops and the junior priests. A lot of faith has been shaken today; we must work to restore it.” Iskerus nodded in agreement. “For now, we must put aside our own doubts, fears, insecurities and not think too deeply upon our own questions. We must think of the souls in our care.”
“Agreed. So which of us gets to report this to the Supreme Temple?” Iskerus asked.
Barabus chuckled. “I hope that’s as far as this goes — I pray — but I am not convinced.”
“What an Abyssal disaster!” Jenn exclaimed as she walked around the palace with Maelen and Gastropé. “Did no one think through the consequences of this?” Jenn waved her hands angrily towards a pile of rubble. “You’ve got hundreds of demons trapped in a palace, many with no way out, and then on short notice, with no real planning, you cast the most powerful banishment spell anyone has ever used?” She shook her head in exasperation. “How could these supposedly brilliant master wizards not even think to open the doors and windows?”
The palace looked like a war zone; windows were smashed everywhere, and the walls had holes in them, surrounded by rubble where demons had blasted through to escape the city.
“Seems like another detail beneath the bother of your friends Lenamare and Jehenna,” Maelen observed in his humorously sardonic manner. Jenn just shook her head.
Gastropé was scanning the area as they walked. “No demons, none. They are all gone. Amazing; I can’t believe it.”
“You would think they would tell people first, though,” Maelen said, noting more than a few people reclining near fountains, having previously fainted or soiled themselves when hundreds and hundreds of invisible demons had started popping up and desperately trying to flee via any means possible.
“This is so like men!” Jenn exclaimed. “Were there any women involved in this crazy scheme?”
“Jehenna,” Gastropé replied.
Jenn glared at him. “You know that icicle doesn’t count. She needs a bigger codpiece than most of the men I know.” Gastropé glared at her. “Yes, that includes you.” Jenn snapped and then suddenly realized what she was saying and softened. “I’m sorry, I’m just frustrated.” She grabbed his forearm and gave it a squeeze before releasing it.
“Where are Edwyrd and Rupert? I went to check on them, but they apparently didn’t return to their room after breakfast,” Jenn asked. Maelen shrugged and Gastropé went pale, which actually was not that unusual for him.
“Uhm,” Gastropé hedged, “they’re probably running around with Damien trying to clean things up. My understanding is that he didn’t know about this until this morning when they dragged him down to the wards.”
Jenn nodded. “He was with me all day yesterday. I am sure he was beat and went straight to bed last night.”
Damien shook his head as he gazed downward at the mess in the palace from his balcony. Seriously, he had to wonder at his fellow council members. Abyss, he had to wonder about himself. He had allowed himself to be dragged into this undertaking at the last minute and then had been so overwhelmed by the complexity and ingenuity of the spell that he’d just gone along with it.
He had not stopped to think about all the consequences, nor had the others. This seemed to be emblematic of many of Lenamare’s actions. Like blowing up his own school along with the besieging army. He wasn’t sure if Lenamare was all there. Perhaps he was more ego than wisdom. He wished he could talk this over with Antefalken, but the bard would have been expelled from the city, as would Tom/Edwyrd and Rupert. He had gotten quite used to strategizing with them in the last several days. He needed someone to vent to.
Well, better to find out what was going on, or had gone on, outside. He would go see Gandros about leading a team outside to see what had transpired and to reopen negotiations with the Rod and Oorstemoth. That was sufficiently unpleasant enough that he didn’t expect to get much opposition from Gandros.
Clerics, Priests, Monks, Nuns and Holy Warriors[5]
The term “cleric” is used to describe members of a religious order who serve a god. Specifically, these are members who have taken vows and are bound to a deity, as opposed to those who are simply worshipers or members of lay associations.
The most widely known clerics are a deity's priests; however, most religions have other more secular members who are also pledged to the deity. These members may have different skill sets, functions and may or may not be mana wielders. Those who are mana wielders channel mana in the same way as priests; the primary difference is that they typically don't conduct worship rituals and collect mana from worshipers.
Listed below are the most common clerical types. The exact names may vary from religion to religion, and not all religions have all positions; some may have more.
Priests: Priests are the principal agents of the deities on Astlan. They conduct worship and collect offerings of mana, animus and money from worshipers. They also provide healing, religious instruction, mentoring, care and other services as required.
Monks: Monks are typically male members of the religion who have taken vows of loyalty and are linked to the deity; they are not, however, typically illuminaries. Illuminaries are people who collect and funnel mana and animus upstream to a deity. Monks are often craftsmen for the church. They can be clerks, scholars, sages, and in some religions, warriors.
Nuns: Nuns are typically female members of the religion who have taken vows of loyalty and are linked to the deity. Like monks, they are not typically illuminaries. In many religions, nuns perform healing and caretaking roles at the instruction of the priests. Like monks, they may also be craftsmen, clerks, scholars and sages, and again like monks, warriors in some religions.
Holy Warriors: Holy warriors are military units of churches. Not all churches have armies, but if they do, this is how they are typically classified. Vows and linkage to the deity depend on religion and level. In some cases, no particular vow is needed and the soldiers are simply in the employ of the church, although typically they are also worshipers. Higher-rank soldiers typically have greater devotion and have vows and linkages, and are thus true clerics as well as soldiers.
Holy Knights: Holy Knights are knights who may or may not be of noble birth. Holy Knights are formally invested by a high-ranking member of the priesthood (typically higher than a priest). Depending on the knight, the religion and their rank, knights may or may not channel mana from the deity. If they do, their rituals and chants are generally of a martial nature for either offensive or defensive purposes when fighting the enemies of the church.