4 Mirtul, 1373 Day
We arrive at the market and split up after agreeing to meet at the Speaking Square an hour before midday. Everyone has their tasks and I have to trust that they will do them. I need to let some things go; after all I can’t do everything. I ask Evan to join me on my errands. I want to keep him close and learn a little more about him. I get the feeling he will be a strong ally. Despite my apprehension I decide to get the funds needed to buy all of the weapons at market. Teshak recommended a jeweler who is well known. I show him all three of the gems we have and ask for his option on them. He made an offer immediately. He especially wanted the Kings Tears. I had no intention of selling them. I knew they were special, but for the first time I witness the consuming power of greed and desire. I was actually afraid of the consequences of not selling to him. For one diamond and one Kings Tear he gives me the full value and more. I decide to keep the large Kings Tear for our use later. The letter of credit will need to be cashed if we need it. Evan and I leave and after one-step out of the door a searing heat and explosion hit me hard. Evan, being quick witted and of foot manages better than I. Evan doesn’t even hesitate to ready himself for battle. I see the source of the fire, and Imp. I charge and hope I’m fast and good enough to stop the next fireball. I will be the last thing I see. Fortunately I was the last thing the Imp saw. Evan graciously heals me and now we are left with the question of why and who sent the minion.
We head to the remnants of, Chalsembyr Found, the church of Torm to see if anyone who is loyal to Torm can be found. The devastation is very complete and in the midst of it is Haelimbrar the Fierce Merciful & Just, triadic knight. Evan and I help him move some large debris. It seems he has every intention to rebuild the temple, even without help. Haelimbrar agrees to help us and comes with us to the Bindery. Along the way I ask him about the Triad and how he can worship three gods. He indicates that the answer is not quickly explained. We will talk later tonight.
At the Bindery Evan asks to look around and advises me not to ask for help. This would expose us, so I agree. We learned several things.:
Ur priests are very rare; like sighting a unicorn yet not so innocent and special to this good-hearted paladin. Agony is made of the blood of creatures’ slain upon The Black Altar - the centerpiece of Baneite worship ceremonies. The spilling of blood and torture are commonplace within their churches. Agony could be created with sacrificial blood infused with powerful magic - - the Divine Art (magic) if you will. This is likely the harnessing of The Prayers Of The Faithful Past. These prayers have never been known in Faerûn...until now. A horrific twisting of the Prayers Of The Faithful Past and the distruption of the magical weave or worse caused the dark wispy air at the temple of the earth mother, and Mystra. Ur Priests draw upon the Prayers Of The Faithful Past. The harnessing of this power could be infused with a substance, such as blood, to create Agony. Agony could be used as a component in Forge Magic to create a weapon that is the bane of a particular race (whose blood is one of its material components.) Also, the drinking of the substance could bring powerful properties to its imbiber. The details of which is unknown.
In 645, the Year of the Costly Gift Maskyr gave his right eye to King Tuir Stonebeard for the valley of Maskyrs eye. Grimmerfang, The Hollow Mountain, was the site of the ancient Orc King Grimmerfang. Grimmerfangs champion was Skurge. His reign would have continued, it is said, if the Dwarves hadnt discovered the secret of forging Bloodmetal. This was achieved when the Hollow Mountain was stormed by the dwarves and refitted into a grand smithy, renaming the stronghold, Ironforge (Angaz Grungron, (Ironwork Forge)). The dwarves led by King Tuir Stonebeard eventually defeated Grimmerfang, an Orc King. The Realm of Glimmering Swords began in 649. This age was short lived, lasting only 40 years.During the fall of the dwarves, an 8-year bloody war ensued resulting in a loss by the dwarves in the final battle The Battle of Deepfires. During this time The Master Smith and Champion of the Dwarves, King Tuir Stonebeards champion fell in at Ironforge. The Champions name was Gurgeddin the OrcCleaver. His symbol was an Orcs bloody eye beneath an axe.
The Church of Bane is allied with: The Church of Shar in Kurth, the Zhents, and have some minor dealings with the Red Wizards (though not allies), the gods and churches of Bhaal, Myrkul, Loviatar, Mask, and Talona. Fzoul Chembryl, the ruler of Zentil Keep in the Moonsea is the chosen of Bane. Plus, other neutral churches or evil churches are always ready to deal with the Baneites.
Our friends are not at the Speaking Square. They must be running late. I ask a boy who is passing out letters to watch out for our friends and tell them we went looking for them and will return soon. Kelestri said they were going to see Tristan Silurian. We should go there and see what is keeping them. The mansion is on fire and there are city guards just standing there! The accursed black robes of Bane. I need to see no more, so I charge in. I run passed the guards taking a sword blow and move to strike at the first Baneite. I drop him hard. Haelimbrar follows and takes care of the two guards. Evan shows he is not to be out done and strikes hard. The enemy is decimated in a less than a minute. I noticed that one of the Baneite was carrying a cash of equipment, so I collect it up. Corim asks me to give him his sword and I do. I will return every ones gear as soon as possible. Pavel is walking on the walls of the mansion! The monk astounds me he is caring not one, not two, but three of our comrades! I wonder how he is so humble. Tristan Silurian is no more. Why wasn’t I quicker? May he find justice in the next realm. I will see to it his legacy is that of the honored. I will vindicate the deaths of every single person taken by these Baneites. May they pay ten fold for the destruction they have caused. They will lie before my boot, every last one of them.
A long day is still ahead as we meet the Sentinels for a lunch and continue our plans. Why can Slyl talk? Why now and not three days ago? Has something gotten to him? I hand out the gear to its owners. Let me see, a ring for Kelestri, two for Slyl a potion for Corim, and three for Slyl, and a dagger for Corim, and three for Slyl. I sense a leaning here. I know that the Baneites did not take everything my friends had, so they probably only took valuables. I know that Baneites tend to know magic and what is magic. I know magic is rare and therefore very expensive. I know we have spent almost all of our time together. I know we all have little gold. I also know that this gear is probably all magical or at least many fold more than what Slyl could afford. This means only one thing THIEF! Slyl is a foul contemptible THIEF and a liar who stole from either the treasure we found, Kirth, the dead, or his comrades. What else is he capable of? The last thing we need to deal with is someone we cannot trust. I will not let my friends sleep under his watchful eye as he plots and schemes to gather precious wealth. Each man is weighed and measured by the scales of Tyr and I know Slyl will be found wanting. I must not let this be a distraction. Time is an even bigger thief here in Kirth. Let us plan for better days.
The firmest friendships have been formed in mutual adversity, as iron is most strongly united by the fiercest flames.
TRUST:
Tyr is somewhat of a forerunner in the discussions on the philosophy of trust, to the extent that the vast majority of philosophers following him define themselves in relation to his position. Tyr defines trust as the "accepted vulnerability to another’s possible but not expected ill (or lack of good will) toward one." The writings state that trust in generally not a purposive action, although it leaves room for situations in which intentional trusting plays a role. It points out the number of instances in our lives where we engage in trusting activities that are virtually inexplicable from a philosophical perspective. We go to the apothecary expecting that s/he will do all that s/he can in the interests of our health. We trust that uniformed people are trained appropriately and will carry out their role without hesitation. The result is that in trusting others, we let others "take care of something the truster cares about, where such ‘caring for’ involves some exercise of discretionary powers." We expect, that is, that people will carry out their role-appropriate duties and we take their expertise for granted.
Importantly, Tyr notes that "trust is a notoriously vulnerable good, easily wounded and not at all easily healed.” The writings show that the essence of trust flows from a sense of "innate, if selective trust, [which] seems a necessary element in any surviving creature. . .and this innate but fragile trust could serve as the explanation both of the possibility of other forms of trust and of their fragility." This is important, it claims, because there are no "rules to guide us on where to trust, [and] where not to. . .we seem to have no choice but to trust our own trust or suspicion on these matters." Writers who have attempted to develop principles to guide us in matters of trust, and concludes that ultimately they deal merely with the specifications of contract or relations between friends.
