SESSION 16: ASMODEUS PARADOX
Later that evening Halee reflects on the day's events. It's dark in the little room. Safe. Warm. The fire and the candle light flicker over her charges which are resting peacefully.
Halee nudges Uthalin gently from his rest.
She quietly motions to the brave dwarf, "Uthalin your father wanted you to train as a priest. I spoke to Heinrich earlier. I don't trust him. What do you know about Asmodeus and their clerics?" asks Halee.
Glad to the interruption from the monotony of recovery Uthalin responds, "Aggh, Asmodeus, it's an evil practice. They care little about the citizens and they care a lot about order. And within that order you know they can ingratiate themselves and climb the social order. Without order they can't progress. It's a structure that favors the weak and their ability to exploit others."
"Yeah," Risandor comments, "they don't seem to like halflings much."
"Aye," Uthalin responds, "Chileax has a great history of slavery……" the big dwarf looks down at his feet in sorrow, "and…..well….the lot of the slaves, at least in the early days, were halflings. That's why there aren't many free halflings in Chileax and why the villagers sometimes stare at you a little funny like."
"What, what do you mean?" Risandor questions.
"Well haven't you looked around? It's practically an all human society here……..at least during the night," says Uthalin.
"What?" asks Halee.
"Tomorrow. When you go out. Look at the fields," directs Uthalin.
Leaning in Halee asks "What do you mean? I saw plenty of men and women working in the fields."
"They're slaves. Not freemen. And if you look a little closer and maybe go a little further afield you'll find goblins and hobgoblins tending the fields also. You won't find any orcs or bugbears. Too unruly and violent to manage." Uthalin is barely able to maintain eye contact any more. "And did you see Karla…..slave."
"What, Karla is a slave. But Eldred…." responds Halee.
Before she can finish Uthalin ends her sentence, "yes, Eldred is a law abiding citizen. He's doing nothing wrong, according to the Chileax law and Asmodeus doctrine."
"So Eldred is…..is…..evil?" asks Risandor.
"Well lawful at the least" answers the dwarf.
Suddenly Cord lurches into the candle light. Half-drunk from the healing ale, his massive frame darkens the room as he questions, "What man has the right…..what man has the right…..to tell any man what else to do, how to live his life? It's wrong I tell you."
Uthalin stands and places calloused hands upon the big humans' shoulders, pushing him gently down to bed. "Rest brother, rest now." Cord falls back into the bed and starts to snore.
Uthalin stares at Risandor and Halee. "Markis, he is a dedicated follower. Don't let his demeanor fool you. The man doesn't lack compassion. He feels for his people and he needs to rid them of the chaos that stems from the caves but don't be deceived. He is as evil and as prideful as Heinrich."
Risandor states, "I've travelled over many lands but I've never come across a believe system such as this?"
"Well little man," Uthalin states with compassion, "it's the way of the world. I think now, now you are safe. But don't go out by yourself. Always stay by one of us."
Unable to stop herself, Halee interrupts as she suddenly realises, "So the altar boys at the ceremony earlier today…….they weren't boys were they?"
"No, probably not. The priests and nobility in particular, love halflings as servants. Placid. Complicit. Easy to manage." Turning back to Risandor the dwarf stares, "Don't stray Risandor. They won't act against you when there is a witness. In fact Markis and Heinrich would never openly abduct you but if someone else were too and then present a certificate…….well they'd probably gladly purchase you" Uthalin confesses. "Remember they aren't lawless men but they are evil and prideful."
"But they gladly paid us our bounty for the ears," observes Halee.
"Ohh yes, they'll always honour a contract. Like I said they aren't chaotic, just evil."
And with that they turn into bed.
Risandor stares at the ceiling "Don't stray….don't stray….don't stray". The instruction reverberates through his head.
Halee stares at the ceiling. "Right so I've got a party of psychopaths, ½ of which are do gooders but very chaotic, the local establishment is lawful and there is a bagful of monsters out in the wilds." She figuratively rubs her hands together. "Ohh yeah. This is going to be good."
Guys sorry for the short post. Work is getting in the way. Having said this it's interesting looking at character alignments and the current dilemma of dealing with a lawful evil belief and legal system (well for me at least).
DEW
