Lector's LOG (#2), The Boom That Shook Almaris

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Written by Father Paco, Lector of Owynist Rite

 

The Creator is our guiding light, a beacon of hope for humanity in a plane of darkness. As we serve Him, He is our greatest servant. As we pray to Him, His thoughts are only for us. And in the dark when shadows threaten, The Creator is with us, In spirit and in fact. 
_____________________________________________

Bishop Guy de Soissons, Diocese of Sanctia

Father Paco de Mantequilla, Lector
Brother Dante de Denesle, Lector
Brother Abel, Lector
Brother Bessol Gammov, Lector
Brother Isaac Jebidiah, Postulant
Adrian Forrester, Acolyte

Jose Mendez, Volunteer and Acolyte

 

FROM THE ABBEY OF THE FLAMING COVENANT, CITY-STATE OF LUCIENSBURG
REPORTING TO THE TEMPLE OF ARD’KHARYLL, GAEKRIN
DATE: SA 25

 

To our Arch-Lectors in the Temple of Ard’Kharyll,
 

It was meant to be a more joyous day for the parish; Metinan men reunited with their families after fighting heathens across the continent, woes of the City of Saint Lucien answered. But it was a long, anxious day for my brothers in faith and for the parishioners who had joined my flock and swung steel and aurum with me. Since my brothers and I arrived in the city, the parish has been plagued by vermin people capable of sentient planning, speech and contemporary warfare known as the Blackhide. Whatever their origins or ultimate goals, each month they have encroached closer upon the city until finally taking the Arx Rubra, the Interrex’s seat. Whether it be siege on our city, using our dilapidated sewer system to navigate under us or sending Musin spies to soften our blades, no amount of slain rat men has stopped their push. I find no joy in repelling them each day because their hordes are endless and I lack the heart to tell my cohort I would have much rather we settled in Hyspia. But as GOD requested of our prophet Owyn to serve in the court of Alduun for seven years under scrutiny to protect the faithful, the task of protecting the faithful of this parish has befallen us Lectors of Owyn and Grifter the Witcher while the Metinan men fight in foreign lands.
 

 

The Lectors of Owyn

 

After Brother Bessol’s fiery sermon before the Ark of Owyn, our gathered force of Luciensburg citizens, Owynist monastics and Hyspian volunteers charged our way towards the blockaded Arx Rubra garrisoned by insurgent vermin. Our initial push was too weak and we were outnumbered and forced back into the town. Those not fighting scattered back into their homes as fighting spilled onto Robert’s Way and the town square. Was this all the men and women we could muster to fight? I waited eagerly for my god son’s associates from the Jade State to arrive and bolster our forces. We were pushed back further towards the Abbey and I feared that all would be lost and our relics and knowledge pillaged. For a moment I did consider gathering my brothers to extract the Ark of Owyn and fleeing the battle. 

 

But as we held the rat men back on the steps up into the city, our order’s ally Zhao Ting Fung rode on horseback at the helm of the Yong Ping People’s Army assembled by their Zhu, Li Xuiying. With our bolstered forces, we pushed our occupiers back up the steps of the Arx Rubra in a long and grueling back and forth push as bodies fell from both sides. Our YPA allies scaled the roofs and opened fire on the ratiki shamans as the Hyspians and our parish pushed up the steps to the Arx Rubra. 

 

Our efforts were in vain however and we were too slow.
 

 

The Arx Rubra destroyed

 

What happened next is a blur, but after the explosion a putrid gas had spread across the city. Not even our gas masks were of use. Bodies fell around us of rat men and compatriots as we hurried out of the city. All I could really think of was following the people I ran shoulder to shoulder with little sight of the turns and maneuvers we made to escape the death pit Cardinals once called a pious city. Many of us were afflicted by the gas and when I finally got out of the city I tore my mask off and vomited mi frijoles. Even with everyone we had gathered, the Arx Rubra was lost and our city ruined by an infestation we left unchecked. And in the Temple of Saint Lucien, the Ark of Owyn probably laid on the altar undisturbed as of yet but cut off from the parish by a nauseous gas. If the Blackhide found it they would surely take it back to their king or whomever leads them.

 

The Luciensburg parish, the Yong Ping People’s Army and Hyspian Volunteer survivors

 

These thoughts weighed heavily on the cohort and I. Dante and Bessol spoke of us truly being in a cursed timeline. For I am the oldest of us, I usually try to show by example to my younger brothers. I told them that because we were still alive, the job was not over. To keep faith in the Creator and we would be rewarded.
But in truth, I really believed we were in the Cursed Timeline and all was lost. Now our lectorship is tasked with keeping together a beaten and divided parish. At our weakest, Iblees will tempt us off the blessed path. GOD keep us steady.

 

Words of counsel would be appreciated, GOD be with you wise brothers,

-Father Paco, Lector of Owyn

 

P.S: We humbly request the Arch Lectors for more aid in the form of gold to help us retake our headquarters on Almaris.
 

 

A fully hazmat suited Owynist exploring the miasma rubble of what was once the Arx Rubra

 

[Thank you @Temp for the event and everyone who participated in dying.]

Spoiler

Saint Nafis smiles seeing various walks of Farfolk and the descendants of his Savoyard friends united, and hopes to intercede for them next time.