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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Raven Crowking" data-source="post: 1953984" data-attributes="member: 18280">The Mellorites -- the Devoted of Mellador, Goddess of Mercy and Healing -- had been taking the forefront of comforting the sick and injured.  But, of course, mercy alone isn't enough to make a civilization function.  The Archdeacon of the Church of the Seven Good Gods in Selby-by-the-Warer leaned toward Mardan the Lawbringer, and that was good to Dain's mind.  Legend had it that the first dwarves had been crafted using blood spilled by the Great Titans.  Law and order were in their bones.It was not difficult for Dain to get a meeting with Archdeacon Warmund.  In fact, the Archdeacon seemed pleased to see him."Selby-by-the-Water was not the first city built upon this site," the old man said.  "This whole area was once an outflung region of the Parthelonian Empire, and before that it was held by the Esk.  The region is rife with old barrows and hidden holds, for the Esk often built their sacred sites below the ground."  He coughed.  "Of course, I do not mean that they understood the sacred in the same way we do.  The Esk worshiped fairies, you know.  Angels and demons were things they thought to bind and control.  Misguided, of course, but the War in Heaven had been but recently fought then."The Archdeacon offered Dain some heavy sweet bread made with dried candied fruits and nuts, or a glass of red wine.  He told the dwarf, with many an aside to elucidate some point of history or theology, about the attacks on the farms and homesteads south of the town."We have at last a witness," he said finally.  "A goodwife, returning home late at night from brining relief to those hunting the beast.  Of course, she was keeping a frightfully low profile, and the creature did not see her.  She said the creature came from the sky on great bat's wings, silent as a ghost.  It's shape was like to a lion's, but it had a man's head, she said.  There are no lions in these parts, having been hunted into extinction for the amusement of the Parthelonians, but there could well be manticores again, coming out of the Grey Hills to bedevil us here.  What else it could be, I do not know."He paused."What it was carrying, sheep or man or deer, she did not say, but it carried some meat down into the old burial chamber not far from Kell's Reach, a place she called the 'Dwarfie Run' -- I am sure no disrespect to your kin was meant by the name.  These rustic folk are not at all versed in history, and they tend to think every ancient burial or standing stone was placed there by dwarves, giants, or trolls.  Or fairies."  He snorted.  "Human hands often enough.  If your kinfolk had done the work, I doubt we'd even know they existed."He poured more wine and offered some cheese."If you would truly like to help, my friend, you could gather together a group.  With the Church's blessing, of course, and any reasonable aid you might need.  After this tallowbone epidemic, there are not enough guardsmen to go around, let alone enough to send after such a fearsome beast.  Of course, I would understand as well if you think the creature beyond you."</blockquote>

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