The search for knowledge and truth!
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2024 10:33 pm
"I would like some information please, to clear up some confusion that seems to have arriven", so said the young tousled hair youth who sat opposite an aged scholar of the Lhankor Mhy cult. He'd made his way to the Great Library, as rumour heard it called, after a somewhat fractious encounter at the Temple of the Blessed Mother herself, Chalana Arroy, where his previous regard for that cult had been shattered after he was unceremoniously ejected from the temple grounds by it's members simply for the innocent enquiry about joining Cult Broar the Benevolent!
"Yes, young man, how can I help you? What information is it that you wish to know?", asked the aged scholar.
"Well, you see, it's like this......I met a King on my way to Boldhome and he gave me this letter here", the youth passed over a crumpled sheet that he'd been clasping in his hand, "It's all about joining a cult and how I can purchase the rank of Rune Lord. It looks really good to me since all the other cults around here keep telling me I can't join as anything but a lay member EVEN though I know I have a real affinity to magic and power and all that stuff. Every one of them turns their noses up at me - literally (!) - and say I'm too lowly and I need to improve my status. Quite frankly that's ridiculous as back home I was firmly established as one of the leading latrine pit diggers and emptiers, we were in high demand you know! PLUS...PLUS....since I've been here I've already met this King I mentioned, a Baroness and that Erik fellow who is, apparently, really high up in the City and he offered me a job! Also I've got an invite to a wedding but still all these rotten cults won't let me join, other than as a lay member....all of them EXCEPT this one the King has told me about".
"King you say, you met King Argrath and he gave you a letter to join a cult!! By the Gods, young fellow, that's an honour indeed!! I'm surprised with such a connection that you've met with such resistance and indifference"?
"No....he wasn't called Argrath....well, if he was he didn't sign his name as that....if you look at the signature at the bottom of the letter you'll see it's King Hofarson...or, at least, I think that's what it reads...to be honest my reading and writing skills aren't that great, well we didn't have much use of them in the old latrine business line of work and the only other thing I spoke to him about was this investment in a diamond mine that he said he could 'cut me into' and for my 10 lunars I'm going to get back 100!! Trouble is the chap I was supposed to collect the money from, a Grumbold somebody, he hasn't paid up yet. I'm guessing there's some kind of delay, maybe because they've found more diamonds than imagined and so I might be due some extra lunars? Anyway before I could ask him anything else he'd hobbled over to his horse and rode away, impressive really what with him having just the one leg".
"King Hofarson.....one leg......investment in a diamond mine....oh dear...oh deary me...you poor young man. I'm afraid you've fallen victim to one Broar, aka Brear / Broaranna, Hofarson, Boldhome's notorious lunatic conman! It appears you've been, what we Lhankor Mhy call, Suckered Clear As Morning.....more commonly known as SCAMMED! This King Broar is certainly no King and you can wave goodbye to those 10 lunars, this Cult Broar the Benevolent doesn't exist either, except for maybe in Broar's head".
"Oh no....whatever can I do...I feel such a fool.....that was all the money I had until I borrowed a few hundred off of those money lenders, now I won't have 100 lunars towards the repayment costs. This is terrible news, what can I do sir"?
"Panic not young man, for starters I heartily suggest, what with your acute magic and power ability, you sign up with us, here, at the Cult of Lhankor Mhy. Next why not try having a word with some of those other contacts that you mentioned to me early, the Baroness and Erik as they're bound to have a few lunars they could help you out with, at least temporarily until you can find your feet, so to speak. Rumour has it that Erik may well be off to the Front shortly so you'd best nip over and see him before he leaves, if he offered you a job then maybe you could ask for some wages in advance and then work off the debt as at least that will save you getting your legs broken by the moneylenders if you don't pay up or getting sent to the Front in disgrace".
"Thank you so much Mr Scholar sir, I'm really grateful for your advice. I'll go to see Erik straight away, he seemed so nice I'm sure he'll help me out! Now about this Lhankor Mhy membership, can I be a Runelord or, a God Talker is it? An Initiate at least, surely....."?
"Now, let's not rush things, all in good time young man I think Lay membership is right for just now. Torben did you say the name was...just pop your signature down here lad, at the bottom of the scroll there...oh, and you'd best put this on...cult regulations". The scholar handed over a large, black and bushy beard attached to a couple of ear hooks.
"Sigh....here we go again.....ooooh...ouch...this damned beard's all rough and itchy"!
"Yes, young man, how can I help you? What information is it that you wish to know?", asked the aged scholar.
"Well, you see, it's like this......I met a King on my way to Boldhome and he gave me this letter here", the youth passed over a crumpled sheet that he'd been clasping in his hand, "It's all about joining a cult and how I can purchase the rank of Rune Lord. It looks really good to me since all the other cults around here keep telling me I can't join as anything but a lay member EVEN though I know I have a real affinity to magic and power and all that stuff. Every one of them turns their noses up at me - literally (!) - and say I'm too lowly and I need to improve my status. Quite frankly that's ridiculous as back home I was firmly established as one of the leading latrine pit diggers and emptiers, we were in high demand you know! PLUS...PLUS....since I've been here I've already met this King I mentioned, a Baroness and that Erik fellow who is, apparently, really high up in the City and he offered me a job! Also I've got an invite to a wedding but still all these rotten cults won't let me join, other than as a lay member....all of them EXCEPT this one the King has told me about".
"King you say, you met King Argrath and he gave you a letter to join a cult!! By the Gods, young fellow, that's an honour indeed!! I'm surprised with such a connection that you've met with such resistance and indifference"?
"No....he wasn't called Argrath....well, if he was he didn't sign his name as that....if you look at the signature at the bottom of the letter you'll see it's King Hofarson...or, at least, I think that's what it reads...to be honest my reading and writing skills aren't that great, well we didn't have much use of them in the old latrine business line of work and the only other thing I spoke to him about was this investment in a diamond mine that he said he could 'cut me into' and for my 10 lunars I'm going to get back 100!! Trouble is the chap I was supposed to collect the money from, a Grumbold somebody, he hasn't paid up yet. I'm guessing there's some kind of delay, maybe because they've found more diamonds than imagined and so I might be due some extra lunars? Anyway before I could ask him anything else he'd hobbled over to his horse and rode away, impressive really what with him having just the one leg".
"King Hofarson.....one leg......investment in a diamond mine....oh dear...oh deary me...you poor young man. I'm afraid you've fallen victim to one Broar, aka Brear / Broaranna, Hofarson, Boldhome's notorious lunatic conman! It appears you've been, what we Lhankor Mhy call, Suckered Clear As Morning.....more commonly known as SCAMMED! This King Broar is certainly no King and you can wave goodbye to those 10 lunars, this Cult Broar the Benevolent doesn't exist either, except for maybe in Broar's head".
"Oh no....whatever can I do...I feel such a fool.....that was all the money I had until I borrowed a few hundred off of those money lenders, now I won't have 100 lunars towards the repayment costs. This is terrible news, what can I do sir"?
"Panic not young man, for starters I heartily suggest, what with your acute magic and power ability, you sign up with us, here, at the Cult of Lhankor Mhy. Next why not try having a word with some of those other contacts that you mentioned to me early, the Baroness and Erik as they're bound to have a few lunars they could help you out with, at least temporarily until you can find your feet, so to speak. Rumour has it that Erik may well be off to the Front shortly so you'd best nip over and see him before he leaves, if he offered you a job then maybe you could ask for some wages in advance and then work off the debt as at least that will save you getting your legs broken by the moneylenders if you don't pay up or getting sent to the Front in disgrace".
"Thank you so much Mr Scholar sir, I'm really grateful for your advice. I'll go to see Erik straight away, he seemed so nice I'm sure he'll help me out! Now about this Lhankor Mhy membership, can I be a Runelord or, a God Talker is it? An Initiate at least, surely....."?
"Now, let's not rush things, all in good time young man I think Lay membership is right for just now. Torben did you say the name was...just pop your signature down here lad, at the bottom of the scroll there...oh, and you'd best put this on...cult regulations". The scholar handed over a large, black and bushy beard attached to a couple of ear hooks.
"Sigh....here we go again.....ooooh...ouch...this damned beard's all rough and itchy"!