genius on the battlefield but petty and vindictive as a
ruler. And extremely selfish. And unable to recall the main reason he had
removed his predecessor.
You could not keep pissing people off. They would do something about it
eventually.
"My curiosity continues to grow," Else said, as a reminder that he had not yet
been told why he had been summoned.
Gordimer said, "I'm sending you to Firaldia, to the Brothen Principalities, to
find out what Sublime is up to. Our spies aren't making sense anymore."
Er-Rashal said, "They say Sublime is preaching new crusades. To reverse Indala
al-Sul's successes. To drive the Faithful away from the Wells of Ihrian and out
of the Holy Lands. To conquer Calzir. The same silly things Patriarchs always
preach, but this one may mean it Though a crusade doesn't make sense. Sublime is
on the brink of war with the Grail Emperor. And still has problems with the
Viscesment pretenders. In addition to which, he's preoccupied with something
known as the Maysalean Heresy, which is strong in an Arnhander province called
the Connec. Our spies suggest that the man has no acquaintance with reality. We
don't believe anyone of his stature could be that disconnected."
The marshal added, "The only people capable of undertaking a new crusade are the
same ones who backboned previous Chaldarean expeditions. The Arnhanders. But
they're at war with Santerin. And they'd have to provide any soldiers needed to
put down the heretics and anti-Brothen forces in the Connec."
Er-Rashal continued, "Nevertheless, this Patriarch seems convinced that he need
only say that something is God's Will and it'll happen."
"Sounds like people should question the Patriarch's sanity."
Er-Rashal agreed. "But those people believe Honario Benedocto became something
transcendent when he was elected Patriarch. In an election renown for bribery,
blackmail, and at least one murder."
Gordimer growled, "Sublime worships a false god. He worships idols. Naturally,
he's mad. But how deep does his madness run? Will crazy talk lead to crazy
deeds? We need to know."
That made sense. Gordimer had to guard and preserve his portion of the Realm
of Peace. But that could not be the whole story.
Er-Rashal said, "I want to know more about the Collegium. Besides what they're
up to politically."
Then Gordimer said, "If Sublime is as crazy as it sounds, there ought to be
factions in the Collegium willing to replace him."
"I don't know much ..." Else cut himself short. No point offering even an
appearance of contradiction. "Can I pass in Brothen society?"
Er-Rashal said, "In Brothe, in the Brothen Principalities, in Firaldia as a
whole, yes. Easily. Brothe is as cosmopolitan as Hypraxium. I went there, once,
years ago. Without knowing the language. I got by. You won't have trouble as
long as you don't claim you're anything but what you are, a professional
soldier. Be an unemployed mercenary from somewhere far away. If you don't tell
anyone where you're from, you'll never have to deal with someone who wants to
talk about the good old days back home. Say you don't want to talk about the
past because there's a price on your head. Let the story involve the virtue of a
woman whose husband you crippled when he caught you with his woman. That's the
kind of crime westerners find amusing."
Gordimer said, "Rashal is as excited as a kid about finding out what the
Collegium is up to in the catacombs under the Chiaro Palace. Me, I want to know
if anybody can be turned against Sublime. And I want to know Sublime's plans. I want to know who his most likely successors are and what their attitudes are
toward Dreanger, the Holy Lands, the Arnhander states, and the Realm of Peace.
And I want to know everything I can find out about a man named Ferris Renfrow."
That caught Else from the blind side. "Ferris Renfrow? Who is Ferris
Renfrow?"
"Exactly."
Er-Rashal had pity. "Ferris Renfrow is a very odd bird. He's visited al-Qarn
twice.
ruler. And extremely selfish. And unable to recall the main reason he had
removed his predecessor.
You could not keep pissing people off. They would do something about it
eventually.
"My curiosity continues to grow," Else said, as a reminder that he had not yet
been told why he had been summoned.
Gordimer said, "I'm sending you to Firaldia, to the Brothen Principalities, to
find out what Sublime is up to. Our spies aren't making sense anymore."
Er-Rashal said, "They say Sublime is preaching new crusades. To reverse Indala
al-Sul's successes. To drive the Faithful away from the Wells of Ihrian and out
of the Holy Lands. To conquer Calzir. The same silly things Patriarchs always
preach, but this one may mean it Though a crusade doesn't make sense. Sublime is
on the brink of war with the Grail Emperor. And still has problems with the
Viscesment pretenders. In addition to which, he's preoccupied with something
known as the Maysalean Heresy, which is strong in an Arnhander province called
the Connec. Our spies suggest that the man has no acquaintance with reality. We
don't believe anyone of his stature could be that disconnected."
The marshal added, "The only people capable of undertaking a new crusade are the
same ones who backboned previous Chaldarean expeditions. The Arnhanders. But
they're at war with Santerin. And they'd have to provide any soldiers needed to
put down the heretics and anti-Brothen forces in the Connec."
Er-Rashal continued, "Nevertheless, this Patriarch seems convinced that he need
only say that something is God's Will and it'll happen."
"Sounds like people should question the Patriarch's sanity."
Er-Rashal agreed. "But those people believe Honario Benedocto became something
transcendent when he was elected Patriarch. In an election renown for bribery,
blackmail, and at least one murder."
Gordimer growled, "Sublime worships a false god. He worships idols. Naturally,
he's mad. But how deep does his madness run? Will crazy talk lead to crazy
deeds? We need to know."
That made sense. Gordimer had to guard and preserve his portion of the Realm
of Peace. But that could not be the whole story.
Er-Rashal said, "I want to know more about the Collegium. Besides what they're
up to politically."
Then Gordimer said, "If Sublime is as crazy as it sounds, there ought to be
factions in the Collegium willing to replace him."
"I don't know much ..." Else cut himself short. No point offering even an
appearance of contradiction. "Can I pass in Brothen society?"
Er-Rashal said, "In Brothe, in the Brothen Principalities, in Firaldia as a
whole, yes. Easily. Brothe is as cosmopolitan as Hypraxium. I went there, once,
years ago. Without knowing the language. I got by. You won't have trouble as
long as you don't claim you're anything but what you are, a professional
soldier. Be an unemployed mercenary from somewhere far away. If you don't tell
anyone where you're from, you'll never have to deal with someone who wants to
talk about the good old days back home. Say you don't want to talk about the
past because there's a price on your head. Let the story involve the virtue of a
woman whose husband you crippled when he caught you with his woman. That's the
kind of crime westerners find amusing."
Gordimer said, "Rashal is as excited as a kid about finding out what the
Collegium is up to in the catacombs under the Chiaro Palace. Me, I want to know
if anybody can be turned against Sublime. And I want to know Sublime's plans. I want to know who his most likely successors are and what their attitudes are
toward Dreanger, the Holy Lands, the Arnhander states, and the Realm of Peace.
And I want to know everything I can find out about a man named Ferris Renfrow."
That caught Else from the blind side. "Ferris Renfrow? Who is Ferris
Renfrow?"
"Exactly."
Er-Rashal had pity. "Ferris Renfrow is a very odd bird. He's visited al-Qarn
twice.
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