The short, dark haired woman carrying a book could hardly have been a greater contrast to the tall, fair haired man wearing a sword beside her. Yet, they shared something; something greater than the respect that showed on the faces of those they met, striding across the courtyard of Exquaestio's Grand Ecclesia and being greeted with "Eldest" and "Preceptor" and gestures of respect.
At their destination there was a pause as the two, who most had thought were far away, sought out the Primate, but shortly they entered the office and took the seats provided for them. Mira was struck by the changes the years had made to the Primate. In the four years since the Grand Conclave he had changed from the young, driven, man he had once been. The difference was undefinable, but Mira thought he had grown towards his office, though not yet fully into it.
Primate Rojez Lafwe began by speaking to Mira, "I wouldn't have thought that my message would have reached you so soon."
Mira smiled slightly, "It hadn't. I was contacted by the Council of Twelve. I had to sail across the straight of winds. Since then I've been teleporting hither and yon."
Lars interrupted, "And it's exhausted you. You shouldn't have tried to teleport me here today on top of everything else."
Mira waved a hand, "I'll be fine. You've said you'll return to the Mother Preceptory overland, so I'll get plenty of rest today before I start back to Mirabalpur." She sighed, looking at the two men, "I'll be grateful when we can finally get proper elevations on Celamyr. I think I finally have all the rites to cross the straight of winds, but I won't be able to get to it until late this spring."
"What are the chances of another espiri learning to teleport?" Rojez asked.
"Not good. The rite is amazingly finicky. I've talked to all of our most skilled espiri, and none of them are up to it. Things may change, but it looks like years until another espiri masters teleportation."
"The survey for the pantheon is nearly completed," Rojez remarked. No sites have sprung out as being particularly appropriate, but we do have survey markers for most of the area around Coremenaera.
Lars spoke up, "Since we're talking about magic, what's the situation with Mir and our licenses?"
Mira sighed, "The people of Mir are upset with idea of our licensing mages. I've heard a dozen rumors misstating what we're doing in various ways. It will all blow over eventually, I'm sure, but until them I'm being very careful." She shrugged, "It's not like our licenses are particularly useful in Mir anyway, unlike most other areas. Some of my Mirrish licenses are up for review next year. We'll see how it goes when I try to get them renewed."
"And since you asked about Mir, Lars, what's going on in Lowfells these days?"
"Well, I have to admit, I was surprised by how effective the rebellion was. Lowfells pushed back at the Free Cities, and the Free Cities fell over."
Rojez snorted, "Maybe from your perspective. I don't want to talk about what I was doing."
Lars continued, "And now other areas of Junder are following suit. It started this past winter, and has speeded up since. I don't see it slowing even for the Ice Demon invasion."
With those words said, no one quite knew how to continue. They all knew why they had gathered together, but none of them wanted to address a situation with so much potential for horror and disaster.
Mira was the first to speak, staring down at the clasped hands, "I was briefed by scholar on the last demon war before I left. He said that in the last war there were actually three demon forces. The central, and largest, force headed due south from the Tavar pass. Two flanking forces, only slightly smaller than the main force, headed southwest towards the western sea and southeast toward the south coast of the Midsea. When the main force bogged down, the two flanking divided themselves. Mir defeated the main force before the reinforcements from flanking forces arrived. Those reinforcements became the Tanimbar goblins, and the remnants of the flanking forces fell apart."
She grimaced. "Anyway, he said that Videssia was scarcely touched. Apparantly they got some raiders after the main forces collapsed, but nothing significant."
Seeing that Mira seemed to be done, Lars started his own narrative. "So far the demons have only struck the Warlords. The lands claimed by Videss and Celoa haven't been touched, and are arming desperately. Though I won't eliminate the idea that they came from the southwest, from the reports it seems much more likely that they came from the southeast, skirting Onagir territory. Considering how thin the Videssians are spread, if the demons are in anything like the numbers we've seen in the past we can pretty much write off the Warlords and the Videss countryside. Videss city may hold, and there's a small chance Celoa may be able to hold them at the Arand."
"How small a chance?"
"I don't know. From the reports I've gotten there might be as few as 800 demons. There's got to be more than that, but I have no way of telling how many more."
Lars continued, "I've sent messengers everywhere trying to get more information, even to Celoa and the Trolls . . ."
Mira perked up, "The Trolls? I thought they were just a story."
"They may be. I've met a person who says he talked to a person who dealt with them once, and that's as close as I've gotten. But their lands are right in the way if the demons in Videssia circled around from the Tavar pass. They certainly didn't go through south Junder! The barbarian tribes are sure of that. Lars shook his head. "Anyway, no one knows how Celoa is going to act. Lowfells' military is under the command of Colin Espeder . . ."
Mira interrupted, "What's he like?"
"You know about Espeder Valley, right?"
"Of course. Dried apples and pigskin."
Lars nodded, "and cider."
"Everyone makes cider."
"But the Espeders ship it."
"Really? Mir is wine country, and I haven't had a decent glass of cider in years."
"Espeder cider is getting something of a name in the Free Cities, but I don't think it's traveled as far as Mir yet.
Rojez spoke up, "Could we get back to the military situation?"
Lars nodded. "Of course. Colin's father was the third son of the chief of the Lusag tribe. He served as a mercenary, and ended up married to Lady Luci Espeder and inheriting the Espeder estate. Colin himself was an officer in the Daliir guard before returning home a few years ago to marry a niece of the chief of the Lintok tribe. During the troubles last year he showed a distinct talent for command and agreed to lead Lowfell's military. Frankly, I'd be quite pleased to see him as king, even though he isn't quaestae."
"With Colin's contacts with both the barbarians and the Orasareni we've come up with a plan that should at least delay the demons if they hit the Junder forests. We may even be able to divert them. Last I heard, Colin was still trying to get in touch with the Celoa barbarians." Lars shook his head, "Anyway, we have a lot of plans depending on exactly what we're facing and how soon."
When Lars finished, Rojez began his side of the situation. "I've sent word to our people in Tana, and told our people in Tanimbar to find out as much goblin history as they can." Rojez sighed, "Unless something changes there won't be any goblins in Tanimbar in a couple of centuries, and that would be a shame. We were already trying to get trade started with the goblins, and hopefully we'll be able to learn a bit of goblin history. Whatever's driving the demons, though, doesn't seem to be affecting Tanimbar's goblins."
Mira sighed in relief, "That's good news at least."
The discussion between the leaders of Exquaestio's three branches continued for hours, covering the details of many possible contingencies. It was clear that more information was needed, and each of the leaders, in their own way, was doing all they could to provide that information. At the same time, each branch of the church was ready to act at a moment's notice on the basis of the information they had.
As the meeting finally broke up Mira said, "I'll pass this information on to the Council of Twelve and let you know whatever they tell me. They seem to be almost as worried by this as we are."
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