The Etymarchy's Ultimatum

[Wolfman2006]

Father Sahaal is seen walking into the tavern. His retainer Gregor follows him dutifully, and is unusually quiet, and looks as serious as his disfigured face is capable of. The priest walks up to the notice board scroll in hand and tacks the paper to the wall. The letter reads:

Followers of Chayodyne heed this warning. The Church has been more than tolerant of your kind and your practices. But an attack on an Inquisitor of the blessed Etymarchy will not be ignored. Anyone willing to provide information and cooperate with this investigation should seek out Inquisitor Sahaal. For the rest of you, the cleansing fire of absolution does not show nearly as much mercy as you have been shown thus far...
Photo Ex Skotos

The Inquisitor's face remains impassive and disturbingly calm until he speaks. His expression changes to one of fury and passion and his voice echoes with dangerous anger as he speaks to any inside.

"Consider the times of passivity and tolerance over. Assassins entered my home in the night with the intention of claiming my life. Chayodyne Shields were the culprits and this attack on the Church, and myself personally. While I have stated my... opinions regarding the Chayodyne order, I have refrained from violence. That truce has been shattered by the heretics of the Chayodyne order, thus I offer this as the first and only warning I shall give. Retribution shall be sought, and if anyone wishes to ebb the flow of blood that shall be reaped... this is your only chance. Either aid me in finding those responsible, stay out of the Etymarchy's way, or if you have ties with the Chayodyne order surrender yourself into my custody for questioning and purification or start praying for absolution."

[Ethan Talbot]

*Pastor Talbot stands up from the tables putting his prayer book down, a look of confusion on his face first then reading the writ carefully Ethan stares at Sahaal for a moment, motioning him around the corner.

"You, me, outside... we need to talk, now."

[Wolfman2006]

Eyes flashing with anger and suspicion he gives the pastor a look of true contempt

"No, no more Chayodyne lies, no more false promises of cooperation only to stab me in the back. I know not if you yourself had a hand in this betrayal but, from this moment I am assuming you ALL had a hand in it. I trusted you, and allowed myself to believe that we could set out differences aside, and this is how I am repaid?! For the time being if you have something to tell me let it be publicly declared."

Then with a sarcastic chuckle and false smile
"Unless of course you wish to aid me in my investigation, then you have only to follow Gregor to the Church Cells, I will meet you there shortly."

[Ethan Talbot]

*Something in Ethan's eyes disappears, his muscles tense in anger, red fills his face, it looks like he's about to lose it when suddenly, as quick as it came he relaxes. However his tone and voice betray a man who's hit his limit.*

"Fine... I want to know how you came to this conclusion, what evidence you have to back it up, and if you try to hide behind your little copper ring in making wild and unfounded accusations of my fellows then you're done nothing but made an Inquisitorial ASS of yourself!"

"IF.... the Chayodyne Order is behind this, not just some dissident radicals or fanatics you bring into question the integrity an organization worldwide and it will require careful and detailed investigation. No one has the right to perform such devious acts upon you or another and such cowardice is blasphemous in His Divine eyes, whatever contacts I have will be called upon to explore this treachery."

"But remember this.. no matter what title is bestowed upon you, what honors given, and what retinue you bring you are still JUST a man in a potato sack that has made a list of enemies so long it will lead you back to Shadeheath! I will not be bullied by you, no one here will..."


*Pastor Talbot sits down, awaiting Sahaal's response*

[Wolfman2006]

Sahaal's eyes flash and his expression of anger briefly fades into a look of long awaited satisfaction, but it is short lived. His anger returns almost immediately.

"Evidence? Other than my word as an Inquisitor? Fine, Gregor and Jack were both there and injured by the assassins. They bore the distinctive stave of your order, wore the traditional robes of a Shield. They assaulted me with divine gifts unheard of outside of the Order or the Church. They made no attempt to hide who and what they were. Believe what you will, I don't give a damn, the truth is as I stated it, and the consequences will be dire for all.

While still furious, his voice tempers somewhat

"Your willingness to be bullied or not will not save you from the Wrath of The Etymarchy Talbot... nor the poor souls who are caught in the crossfire. That is why I aim to warn those who may in fact be innocent; raging flames do not distinguish. I offer this one chance to come forth and be spared or step aside lest the innocent be burned."

[Gregor]

*Gregor hears the fierce discussion back and forth between his master and the man his master often refers to as a "useful heretic". Gregor seems to be focused on the conversation but sometimes seems to drift off in thought only to be brought back to reality when Father Sahaal speaks.*

"You weren't there when I had to see ANOTHER person who I care about be slain front of me while I was helpless to do anything!"

*Gregor pauses for a moment as if to be surprised by what he just said. He starts looking around as if he is trying to remember his last train of thought. After a brief moment Gregor then decides it's best to continue being quiet like he was instructed to do before entering the tavern.*

[Petrie]

*While all of this goes on, Mas'Aren sits in the corner of the tavern, watching, gnawing on god knows what; all three-and-a-half feelers twitching. His compound eyes flick back and forth, along with his head, following the action. But, after Gregor's words reach him he seems to pause all his usual Thekian gyrations. Something about Gregor's sudden change in demeanor has Mahssy's attention. His eyes remain fixed on the resurrected, a light of something resonating behind them. He continues to stare, with only his nub-antenna twitching slightly now.*

[Leander Warrick]

Stepping inside, Leander looks around. Hearing the yelling, Leander's face suddenly becomes filled with rage and he walks up to Sahaal and Ethan and begins yelling. "Enough! There is no need for all of this bickering! War is now upon us on so many fronts, it is virtually impossible to tell enemy from friend!" Leander takes a deep breath and glares at both men again. This time his voice is quieter and filled with less rage. "I do not care what issues either of you has, now is not the time for arguing, and certainly not in here." Glancing over the post Sahaal put up the Baron pinches the bridge of his nose. "I do not care what either of you thinks of the other. Fath- Inquisitor Sahaal, I doubt that Pastor Talbot would ever condone this type of attack. He would make sure you knew that it was he that was striking you down, if it came to that. Ethan, the good Inquisitor isn't actually accusing you or any of the members of the Order here in Greyhook."

Looking at both men, Leander raises an eyebrow. "If you two have any other problems, take them outside the tavern, where they belong. And remember that we are all in the middle of a political crisis if you don't mind. Now is not the time to be at each other's throats." Without waiting for a reply, Leander walks out of the tavern, muttering to himself.

[Petrie]

*And at that, Maz begins gnawing on the small, mammalian carcass in his claws once again; as if nothing at all happened.*

[Miss Peri West]

Peri steps into the room during Leander's speech, a cup of tea in one hand and her knitting in the other. She is more still than usual as she listens to his speech, only moving to dodge out of the way as he storms out. After a moment or two, she makes her way to a seat in the tavern approximately halfway between Inquisitor Sahaal and Pastor Talbot. Keeping her eyes on her cup, she says clearly but without shouting,

"It seems to me that an attempt on the life of anyone in this community should be a cause for deep concern to us all. Pastor Talbot, I doubt you would disagree. We know that there are factions within both the Phenexian Church and the Chayodyne Order, some of whom are more...martially inclined than others. Assuming these men are indeed Chayodyne, I would suspect they are from a branch with an interest in causing discord amongst the faithful in Greyhook. Not that I am doubting your word regarding their identities, Inquisitor Sahaal, but my paranoid side wonders if these assassins were not, in fact, Chayodyne and were sent specifically to stir up trouble. "

She turns to look directly at Sahaal, "Inquisitor, while I understand your desire for vengeance and I cannot argue with your intent to find out who was behind this crime, I would ask you one thing. Please consider whether there might have been a motive for this attack beyond simply killing you -- not that killing you is acceptable, quite the opposite. Rather, please consider if the overarching purpose might be to distract us in these troubled times, to create strife and destroy any attempt at a united effort on the part of the town. Should you agree that this might be the case, I would ask that you not let these criminals succeed in their efforts."