still gestured for Ean to lower his voice. "It's dangerous to talk about the Seekers in such a tone. You never know who is a devoted follower of Alistar. All it takes is the wrong words in front of the wrong person, and you'll be snatched up and taken to the temple. Most people that are taken there by force never leave. Branded as followers of Ze'an, locked up, and forgotten. Best not even to mention the Lord of the Abyss in the city either. That's another way to get carted off to the temple."
"If the followers of Alistar are so bad," Ean said, keeping his voice low for Wil's sake more than his own fears. "Why do the people put up with them?"
"For the same reason that people flock to the city without possessions or even the promise of a place to sleep. Security, my friend. As much as people may curse the Seekers in private and groan about the laws put in place by the temples, they all know that the city is the safest place in the land. Too large for even the largest bandit parties to raid, and there hasn't been a Scar sighted within a day's walk of the city in years." Leaning in, he lowered his voice again. "Which means that the Seekers are rarely in the city, which of course is an added blessing."
Finally something Ean found interesting. "Scars have never opened up in the city? I would think with how big I've heard the city to be, a Scar would have opened in the area at some point."
"Very true, very true. With all of the stories of small villages having Scars open up nearby and that poor village that was completely destroyed a while back, you would think that a place as large as Lurthalan would have had a Scar open up nearby eventually, but it hasn't happened. Some say it's the gods keeping the area safe, others say it's only a matter of time before a Scar finally appears. It doesn't matter much to me; I enjoy the security just like everyone else."
"A village was completely destroyed by a Scar?" Ean didn't even bother to hide his interest now. A whole village destroyed. It must have taken either a large amount of creatures escaping from the Abyss or one particularly powerful one.
"Yes, a sad story, that. Coriana was a small fishing village that sat on the river flowing south from the city and Lake Melcoi. Every single person torn apart, or so the story goes. I can't imagine what the small trade caravan who found the village that way must have thought. Body parts everywhere, so the rumors say, and not a single survivor." Leaning in again, the man's voice took on his conspiratorial tone. "Except some said there was a survivor, and he's now the head Seeker."
Returning to an upright position, the man shrugged as his tone return to normal. "But of course, it's just rumors. No way to actually prove it as no one would be stupid enough to actually approach the man. Heard he is seven feet tall and wears armor brighter than the sun. Haven't actually seen him before, but that's what I hear."
That was an exaggeration compared to the man Ean had seen in person. He was starting to wonder more and more if Wil actually knew anything or just repeated every little story that he heard in a tavern. It was important to know what to expect in the city, but it was also important not to worry about things that were not true. He would just have to let his own judgment decide the truth from gossip and rumor.
"Anything else you think I should know?" If he got the man on another topic, he could get through his stories faster and hear something that would be useful.
"Plenty, my boy, plenty. It's a good thing we have a few more days until we reach the city. I'll need that long to properly educate you on the different groups and places to see or avoid once we reach Lurthalan. So get yourself comfortable and we'll see how much information I can stuff in your head today before I have to retake the reins."
So they spent the rest of the day talking about the capitol. At one point, Wil tried to retake the reins, but his brother Phil took over instead
"If the followers of Alistar are so bad," Ean said, keeping his voice low for Wil's sake more than his own fears. "Why do the people put up with them?"
"For the same reason that people flock to the city without possessions or even the promise of a place to sleep. Security, my friend. As much as people may curse the Seekers in private and groan about the laws put in place by the temples, they all know that the city is the safest place in the land. Too large for even the largest bandit parties to raid, and there hasn't been a Scar sighted within a day's walk of the city in years." Leaning in, he lowered his voice again. "Which means that the Seekers are rarely in the city, which of course is an added blessing."
Finally something Ean found interesting. "Scars have never opened up in the city? I would think with how big I've heard the city to be, a Scar would have opened in the area at some point."
"Very true, very true. With all of the stories of small villages having Scars open up nearby and that poor village that was completely destroyed a while back, you would think that a place as large as Lurthalan would have had a Scar open up nearby eventually, but it hasn't happened. Some say it's the gods keeping the area safe, others say it's only a matter of time before a Scar finally appears. It doesn't matter much to me; I enjoy the security just like everyone else."
"A village was completely destroyed by a Scar?" Ean didn't even bother to hide his interest now. A whole village destroyed. It must have taken either a large amount of creatures escaping from the Abyss or one particularly powerful one.
"Yes, a sad story, that. Coriana was a small fishing village that sat on the river flowing south from the city and Lake Melcoi. Every single person torn apart, or so the story goes. I can't imagine what the small trade caravan who found the village that way must have thought. Body parts everywhere, so the rumors say, and not a single survivor." Leaning in again, the man's voice took on his conspiratorial tone. "Except some said there was a survivor, and he's now the head Seeker."
Returning to an upright position, the man shrugged as his tone return to normal. "But of course, it's just rumors. No way to actually prove it as no one would be stupid enough to actually approach the man. Heard he is seven feet tall and wears armor brighter than the sun. Haven't actually seen him before, but that's what I hear."
That was an exaggeration compared to the man Ean had seen in person. He was starting to wonder more and more if Wil actually knew anything or just repeated every little story that he heard in a tavern. It was important to know what to expect in the city, but it was also important not to worry about things that were not true. He would just have to let his own judgment decide the truth from gossip and rumor.
"Anything else you think I should know?" If he got the man on another topic, he could get through his stories faster and hear something that would be useful.
"Plenty, my boy, plenty. It's a good thing we have a few more days until we reach the city. I'll need that long to properly educate you on the different groups and places to see or avoid once we reach Lurthalan. So get yourself comfortable and we'll see how much information I can stuff in your head today before I have to retake the reins."
So they spent the rest of the day talking about the capitol. At one point, Wil tried to retake the reins, but his brother Phil took over instead
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