The Thousand Isles - Loosing My Religion

 

Market Street in Haven Towne was one vast warren of buying and selling. The wide, crowded boulevard was not only lined with bustling shops selling everything imaginable, but each tributary street seemed to be more of the same. The street stretched away in front of them as far as they could see.  And every available nook and cranny that wasn't a building seemed to house a stall or cart. The press of people and carts was immense, making forward progress would have been difficult if The Sturg hadn't been leading the way.

"Did you see that?" giggled their Native Guide, temporarily forgetting to pick his nose. "The Sturg picking up that donkey that was blocking the street and just moving it aside. And he didn't even hurt it".

"The Sturg likes animals" said Dakhir. "Never seen him intentionally hurt one. People on the other hand..."

The Native Guide (who also was the ten year old son of the innkeeper of Black Alice's Brew) looked at The Sturg, radiating hero worship.

"I think The Sturg has a fan" laughed Whisperleaf.

Lightbringer, was experiencing sensory overload and didn't notice the exchange as he looked down the street in awe.

"My da' says that everything that's grown, mined, or made in Valoria, Mbo, or the Isles can be bought here." the Native Guide pronounced proudly. 

"I believe it young one" agreed Lightbringer. "I thought the Market District in Valoria impressive but it pales in comparison to this." 

Billy grinned. He was thoroughly enjoying being on loan from his dad, for a ten year old boy, tromping around the city with a group of exotic strangers sure beat chores around Black Alice's Brew any day. 

"Such commerce, my brothers. Surely there will be someone here who can help me repair my armor." Radiant looked down sadly at his much battered and abused splint mail. It had certainly seen better days. Radiant Lightbringer was not easy on armor, despite the meticulous care he took of it.

"Repair, my good cleric I think that armor has passed the point of repair." laughed Whisperleaf. "We are well into 'bury with a funeral and then replace' territory I am afraid."

"Alas I have no money for such luxuries, brother" replied Lightbringer sadly. 

"You should be fine, Radiant, we've accumulated quite a bit of gold over the course of our adventures and you received your fair share." said Dakhir.

"That money is gone my brothers. It was needed." 

 "Radiant. What in the world did you do with all that money?" asked Dakhir quietly.

Gave it away apparently. A gold piece at a time. To cripples, beggars, widows, veterans, orphans, at least one cat lady and a farmer that needed new cows. And from the sound of things, Dakhir was reasonably certain, to various charlatans and con-men pretending to be all of the above.

"I had no need of such riches brother, Mithras teaches us to help and give succor to the poor and oppressed." 

"You succored away over 800 gold pieces all right" said Dakhir sourly. "Those have got to be some fat and happy widows and orphans. And cats and cows. How are you going to afford new armor now?" 

Lightbringer looked despondent. 

"Well, we just have to all chip in" said Ricmo cheerily. "We have done quite well for ourselves after all"

"The widows and orphans are the ones who have done quite well for themselves. And the con-men" muttered Dakhir. 

"Shush" said Whisperleaf. "Ricmo is right. Lets go shopping!"

-------

Lightbringer stopped suddenly in the middle of the street, turned and pointed.

"There brothers!"

The Finest in Mithran Armor

"You've got to be kidding me" said Dakhir.

The shop was small, but several suits of what looked like high quality armor were on display in the windows. Lightbringer practically danced through the door.

"He's so excited" murmured Ricmo to Whisperleaf. "He's like a little kid. It's cute."

The store did not fail to impress. It was simply furnished but the merchandise made up for it. Beautiful armor was everywhere, and dominating a plinth in the very center of the shop was what was probably the most ornate and beautiful set of full plate any of them had ever seen.  The chest piece was dominated by the Mithran holy symbol, inlaid with what looked like rubies. Finely inlaid script virtually covered the rest of the body. 

Lightbringer circled it in awe. "Look brothers it has the seven precepts and twelve maxims inlaid in silver script. On the back the entire saga of the Journey into Shadow.  It's...beautiful"

Ricmo whistled. "That can't be cheap"

"'Cheap is, as cheap does' as my father always said" replied what could only be the proprietor, approaching from the back of the store. "All my items are fairly priced, and of high quality. We stock a range, it all depends on how you want to spend your money."  

The proprietor was most likely the smith himself, based on the size of his arms and the smiths apron around his waist. He was short and stocky, close cut greying hair, powerfully built but with a ready and engaging smile and an open face.

"Oh hell why not?" sighed Dakhir. "He never asks for anything after all. How much for the fancyness?" he asked pointing at the centerpiece.

"Well before we move on to haggling perhaps we should check for fit?" asked the smith. "After all, it could be moot. Though" looking at Lightbringer with a practiced eye "I would hazard it may fit rather well."

While Lightbringer and the smith began the tedious process of donning the armor, Dakhir activated the special senses that had been granted to him by his patron. His jaw dropped.

"This whole place is soaking with magic" he whispered urgently to the rest of the party. "That's the first magic I've sensed today. This street has many fine goods but no truly magical ones. Up until now."

"Perhaps these items are blessed or consecrated in some way?" hazarded Whisperleaf. "It is holy armor after all. It's not possible that ALL these items could truly be enchanted."

"That makes sense" replied Dakhr. "I wonder how lasting such consecrations are?" Whisperleaf shrugged. 

"You look magnificent" observed Freddy approvingly. 

Lightbringer's practically glowed with a huge smile, as he looked down at the finery.

"Fits like it was made for you" remarked the smith. "A few minor adjustments and it will be perfect."

Dakhir nodded. "The price?"

The smith named a price. A high price, but not an unreasonable one. Lightbringer blanched

"Sweet Mithra" he breathed. "That could feed a family for a decade. That could buy a herd of cows".

"It's ok, Radiant" said Dakhir, "That's just the asking price, we haven't done the haggling yet, and we can afford it."

Radiant hesitated, his countenance deep in thought. Then he squared his shoulders and replied softly. 

"No brother" he answered, his voice becoming more decisive. "This is not for me. Beautiful as this is, our way is not one of such extravagance. We are instructed to live simply, in humility and to give our excess to those who have need. This is His way"

"You need armor Radiant, that stuff of yours is falling to pieces" said Ricmo. "You won't do Mithras any good if the next monster we run into eats you."

"Indeed. This is true, we are also instructed to choose good tools for the job we are set to" replied Radiant. He turned to the proprietor. 

"Smith, my friend, do you perhaps have something equally functional, and yet simpler, and more affordable?"

The smith nodded, smiling in an almost approving way, then gave a half bow. "Indeed, my friend we cater to all needs here. I have just the thing"

And a little while later Radiant Lightbringer had a new set of armor. Not jewel bedecked admittedly, but well made, clean, unblemished. And at quite a reasonable price.

"One final word of caution my friend" said the smith in parting. "Your views on Mithra and extravagance will not make you popular with the local temple, should you choose to share them."

"Indeed?" said Lightbringer. "How so? The scriptures are quite clear on the subject."

"Nonetheless, I speak the truth" said the smith sadly. "The great temple is not far from here and if you choose to visit it, I would be careful with your words perhaps"

"The great temple is close!" exclaimed Lightbringer excitably. "I have heard of this temple even in far Valoria my brothers. It is the motherhouse of my faith, it's beauty and holiness is legend. Can we perhaps visit it?"

He looked at the party pleadingly.

"Lovely, looks like we are going to church, how wonderful" said Dakhir drolly. 

Ricmo laughed. "Look at it as an opportunity to confess your sins Dakhir"

"It wouldn't help" said Dakhir. "That ship has sailed".   

It was really more a temple complex then a temple, and it was impressive. One massive cathedral in the front, with four towers, all marble and gold leaf, and then three other secondary churches around the rear lawn. In the front a great cobblestone courtyard with a huge statue and flowing fountains. In the very back of the complex was a huge platform filled with bells, dozens of bells, some larger then a house, bells being sacred to the Mithrans. 

The statue of Mithra that dominated the courtyard had to be at least fifty feet tall. The green lawn was immaculate and the palm trees swayed in the warm breeze. 

Well-to-do citizens, and priests bustled in and out of the temple, mostly ignoring the beggars covering the entry courtyard. 

"Well there goes the last of Radiant's money" murmured Dakhir.

Inside the temple was even more beautiful and decorative, a massive pipe organ dominated one wall, alters, candles, and reading stands containing the Mithran holy books lined the walls. A richly attired priest was reading in a sonorous voice about humility and simplicity from the pulpit.

Radiant looked around, enraptured. Then slowly the smile faded from his face, to be replaced by a troubled look.

"Brothers, would it be too much to ask for a few moments to pray?"

"Of course" said Dakhir. "But if you don't mind I'll wait outside. This place makes me a bit uncomfortable." Whisperleaf and Marius nodded. 'We will join you. These houses of stone are not holy places to us". Freddy wandered over to examine the organ. Ricmo eyed some of the more expensive candelabras. 

"Ricmo, why don't you join us outside?" suggest Dakhir. 

Ricmo smiled "probably for the better." He took one last look at a jewel encrusted candelabra longingly and then followed the others out the door.,

The rest of the party left Lightbringer to his meditations, congregating in the courtyard in front of the temple. 

"I will never understand human religion" said Whisperleaf to Marius. "What do you they think they find in such places?"

"What is there to understand. Humans are fools" the Ranger replied. 

"Well at least the beggars are gone" said Dakhir. "That will happen when someone drops enough gold into your bowl to buy a house, a cat and a cow to go with it. No wonder he's broke"

"Ware. Something is happening inside the church" said Marus, suddenly tensing to attention. 

"What is that LIGHT" said Whisperleaf. "My lord it's bright."

"It's Radiant" said Dakhir in a weary tone. 

The party rushed into the cathedral, which was illuminated by intensely bright white light shining through the stained glass windows.

Radiant Lightbringer, with a dazed look was standing in front of the alter, bathed in the light, almost as if it was focused on him.

"Radiant" said Whisperleaf in a soothing voice. "What are you doing and can you stop doing it now?"

"I do nothing my brothers. I prayed but cast no spell. I prayed but he is not here. He is there"

He pointed through the window.

The rest of the congregation, taken aback, now broke into buzzing chatter. The priest had stopped his sonorous reading and was approaching.

"Perhaps now would be a good time to leave?" suggested Ricmo

Radiant suddenly, as if heading the halfling, turned and sprinted out the door. The others quickly followed. But rather then leaving the complex, Radiant headed deeper into it. 

Behind the great cathedral, at the very back of the complex was another church. A much smaller simpler, older church. Likely the original chapel that the whole complex had grown up around, now relegated to the back of the lot and forgotten. 

The bright light that had streamed through the window of the cathedral was emanating from the door of that small chapel. And all nine huge bells on their massive platform were madly ringing, all by themselves. 

At full speed the Cleric, Radiant Lightbringer, ran into the light.

Radiant dashed into the chapel, the rest of the party following. Inside, however the light was so intense that they were all nearly blinded, forced to stop in their tracks and cover their eyes from the glare.  

A moment passed and then out of the blinding light came a booming voice, many times the volume any human could muster, but recognizably Lightbringer nonetheless, echoing over the entire complex. 

“Brothers hear me! I am but a poor servant, the least of you. I am neither counted among the very wise nor the very mighty but Mithras has spoken to me and tasked me to deliver a message unto you this day

You have lost the way my brothers. You have lost the light. Look around you, at the wealth you deck His temple in while beggars plead for food on his very doorstep. Did he not say “mine is not the kingdom of gold nor silver but the simple light of the sun that all may partake in. Did he not entreat us “if thou hast two coins and needeth only one to buy thy daily bread, then give the other to the poor? Did he not beseech us to “not seek the approval of the rich nor the powerful but of the weak and downtrodden”

This is not the way my brothers. This is not his way. You must turn from this path, this very day, or loose his light 

I am but the least of you. I am neither wise nor strong. However I am but a messenger. These are his words not mine”

"Fuck" said Dakhir. "That's torn it."

--------------------------------

Needless to say the clergy of the temple were not pleased, and once the message ended and the light faded away, they were not shy about expressing their displeasure. Neither were the paladins that accompanied them

"Heretics! Desecrators! Stop! By the power of the church, you are under arrest!" frothed the head priest.

"Can they do that?" asked Whisperleaf quizzically.

"Only on church grounds" chirped the Native Guide. "My da says they got no power in the city proper though."

"Time to go?" suggested Ricmo.

"Indeed" replied Dakhir.

As the party prepares their escape, The Sturg moved to block the narrow passage between the buildings. The lead paladin when confronted by the huge black armored figures, paused momentarily.

“Who are you, sirrah, that stands in our path?”

The Sturg just stood there blocking the way but Dakhir replied for him.

“Some say that the inside of his helmet is lined with soft, fluffy wool, and that his shadow has been known to start fights with random buildings.  All I know is that he's called The Sturg. And you don’t want to make him angry”

Leveraging the momentary reprise, Whisperleaf grabbing the arm of the still dazed Lightbringer, pulled him to his feet and the party ran pell-mell out of the complex, The Sturg taking up the rear, hotly pursued by an angry mob of paladins and priests.

The chase was tight for awhile, but a well placed cloud of darkness bought the party the necessary time to make their getaway.

"That darkness worked better then I thought." panted Dakhir. "Considering they all worship a god of light I thought for sure they would dispel it."

"Oh they tried" remarked Freddy. "I was standing by, to counter their magic with my songs, but hard as they tried to cast their spells, there was no effect. Nothing for me to dispel. They seemed very surprised by that"

"Mithra has removed His grace from them" announced Lightbringer solemnly. "They are no longer in His light"

"Shit" said Dakhir. "Remind me to never piss off Mithra".