Broccli_Head
Explorer
Return
Uktar 17-Uktar 23, 1372 Return to Khundrukar, part I--Secrets
(Earlier that day)
Striding with purpose and heavy steps through the Temple of Justice, Benito was frustrated. Once again his mentor Brother Gippeto was evasive and cryptic when he asked questions about the truth to his heritage. He needed to get to the bottom of this mystery. The morning ceremony where he was elevated to the ranks of Solemn Brother were meaningless...meaningless. It was all a chasing after the wind. What was rank compared to finding out who his true mother and father were? He accosted a young acolyte and demanded where he could find Salazar, the mad priest of Ilmater. Realizing his harshness, he muttered an apology but hurried off to the garden...
There he was, Salazar, tending to the winter roses and muttering something. Benito approached, "Salazar, my friend, do you know who my father is?"
Salazar cackled and looked at Benito with an un-nerving blooshot stare. "Yes...yes young Benito, Salazar knows! He knows all!"
A fit of laughter and a mad trimming of the hedges followed. Benito felt that he was losing his mind. Balling his fist he reached out and grabbed Salazar by the cloak, trying to pull him up from trimming near the ground. The priest of Ilmater looked up and Benito saw a tear stream down the cleric's eye. Shaken, Benito kneeled. It seemed that Salazar's stare bore right through him, into his heart and his obsession.
"Please, please Salazar...tell me!" he cried holding back tears.
A moment of lucidity crossed over Salazar's face. He leaned closer exposing rotting teeth and foul breath. "He is...he is--" and then silence as Salazar mouthed the words, but no sound came out.
Benito tried to ask Salazar to repeat his words, but could not even hear himself speak. He beat his mailed fist on his breastplate...nothing. Standing up, Benito quickly looked around and saw a fleeing cloaked figure turn the corner back into the halls of the temple. Looking at Salazar, he saw that he was madly trimming again.
He gave chase to the fleeing figure and turned the corner, almost running into the High Abbot, Denton Crimsgard and his entourage.
"Lord High Abbot, please forgive me. Did you see a fleeing figure pass by you and your entourage?"
Crossing his arms and staring at the young priest Denton evenly replied, "No, young Benito, I did not. What is going on?"
"Nothing, my Lord. The person must have been too quick for you and your men to notice."
Benito tried to look past the priests and acolytes to see if he can catch another glimpse of the figure. Before he could question any of the acolytes, Denton pointed back to the garden.
"See to Salazar. He might harm himself!"
Benito spun around to see the mad cleric holding the shears to his neck. He ran over to stop him. Dropping the shears, Salazar began giving chase to a butterfly. Benito looked back towards Denton and his group. Denton, arms folded rubbed his chin and shook his head disapprovingly, then he and his men turned around and headed back towards the chapel.
"I have to get out of here," thought Benito. "This is too much."
He retrieved his horse and headed to meet the companions at the Great Axe. The answers and the sword would have to wait until he returned from Khundrukar as Alberia had revealed to the group during the week that she sought her father. At least she would find answers to the mystery that plagued her. Looking up at the sky as he contemplated this, Benito spoke, "Tyr, please be merciful to your servant. Let these questions be answered!", and he rode towards the southern part of Alaghon....
Later that evening, he related the events to Alberia who suggested that they visit Gippeto later that night. Before they could leave, however (but after Mourn sang his epic), they and the rest of the Heroes of the Vilhon Reach, Aris, Nosr, Ellysidel and Mourn heard a knock at the door....
Uktar 17-Uktar 23, 1372 Return to Khundrukar, part I--Secrets
(Earlier that day)
Striding with purpose and heavy steps through the Temple of Justice, Benito was frustrated. Once again his mentor Brother Gippeto was evasive and cryptic when he asked questions about the truth to his heritage. He needed to get to the bottom of this mystery. The morning ceremony where he was elevated to the ranks of Solemn Brother were meaningless...meaningless. It was all a chasing after the wind. What was rank compared to finding out who his true mother and father were? He accosted a young acolyte and demanded where he could find Salazar, the mad priest of Ilmater. Realizing his harshness, he muttered an apology but hurried off to the garden...
There he was, Salazar, tending to the winter roses and muttering something. Benito approached, "Salazar, my friend, do you know who my father is?"
Salazar cackled and looked at Benito with an un-nerving blooshot stare. "Yes...yes young Benito, Salazar knows! He knows all!"
A fit of laughter and a mad trimming of the hedges followed. Benito felt that he was losing his mind. Balling his fist he reached out and grabbed Salazar by the cloak, trying to pull him up from trimming near the ground. The priest of Ilmater looked up and Benito saw a tear stream down the cleric's eye. Shaken, Benito kneeled. It seemed that Salazar's stare bore right through him, into his heart and his obsession.
"Please, please Salazar...tell me!" he cried holding back tears.
A moment of lucidity crossed over Salazar's face. He leaned closer exposing rotting teeth and foul breath. "He is...he is--" and then silence as Salazar mouthed the words, but no sound came out.
Benito tried to ask Salazar to repeat his words, but could not even hear himself speak. He beat his mailed fist on his breastplate...nothing. Standing up, Benito quickly looked around and saw a fleeing cloaked figure turn the corner back into the halls of the temple. Looking at Salazar, he saw that he was madly trimming again.
He gave chase to the fleeing figure and turned the corner, almost running into the High Abbot, Denton Crimsgard and his entourage.
"Lord High Abbot, please forgive me. Did you see a fleeing figure pass by you and your entourage?"
Crossing his arms and staring at the young priest Denton evenly replied, "No, young Benito, I did not. What is going on?"
"Nothing, my Lord. The person must have been too quick for you and your men to notice."
Benito tried to look past the priests and acolytes to see if he can catch another glimpse of the figure. Before he could question any of the acolytes, Denton pointed back to the garden.
"See to Salazar. He might harm himself!"
Benito spun around to see the mad cleric holding the shears to his neck. He ran over to stop him. Dropping the shears, Salazar began giving chase to a butterfly. Benito looked back towards Denton and his group. Denton, arms folded rubbed his chin and shook his head disapprovingly, then he and his men turned around and headed back towards the chapel.
"I have to get out of here," thought Benito. "This is too much."
He retrieved his horse and headed to meet the companions at the Great Axe. The answers and the sword would have to wait until he returned from Khundrukar as Alberia had revealed to the group during the week that she sought her father. At least she would find answers to the mystery that plagued her. Looking up at the sky as he contemplated this, Benito spoke, "Tyr, please be merciful to your servant. Let these questions be answered!", and he rode towards the southern part of Alaghon....
Later that evening, he related the events to Alberia who suggested that they visit Gippeto later that night. Before they could leave, however (but after Mourn sang his epic), they and the rest of the Heroes of the Vilhon Reach, Aris, Nosr, Ellysidel and Mourn heard a knock at the door....