The Education of Brother Thaddius and other tales of DemonWars (The DemonWars Saga) by R.A. Salvatore

reports, vacated, I doubt the practice will continue.”
    Pagonel smiled and nodded as if he understood something here the others did not. “So these sisters…”
    “They are not sisters,” Braumin interrupted, and adamantly. “They are missionaries. Their role is to serve the towns and to teach the young hopefuls who would be brothers in the Church.”
    “And to judge this affinity you speak of?”
    “Yes.”
    “So these missionaries in the convents understand the Ring Stones?”
    “Yes.”
    “Possess some stones and can use them?”
    “Soul stones, mostly,” Braumin confirmed. “It is not uncommon for the women of the convent to offer some minor healing to the community about them in times of illness.”
    The Jhesta Tu flashed that grin again and nodded knowingly.
    “And many cannot use the stones?” the mystic pressed. “Even many of those attempting to join the Church? And this is disqualifying?”
    “The Ring Stones are the gifts of God, given to the Order of Abelle,” Viscenti said, his tone showing that he was growing somewhat annoyed with Pagonel’s prodding, and seemingly superior attitude. “A man who cannot use the Ring Stones…”
    “Or a woman who can,” Pagonel added, and Viscenti narrowed his eyes.
    “A man who cannot use the Ring Stones…” the monk began anew, and again was interrupted.
    “Cannot properly serve your god?” the mystic remarked. “It would seem that you serve a narrow-minded god, my friend.”
    Master Viscenti started to argue, but this time, Braumin Herde cut him short. “Tradition,” Braumin said with a derisive chortle. “Who can know the truth? We thought we followed tradition when we sent the Windrunner to the island Pimaninicuit.”
    “Bishop Braumin!” Viscenti scolded, for such matters were not to be openly discussed to those who were not masters, let alone in front of non-Abellicans.
    Braumin laughed at him. “Tradition,” he scoffed again. “So we were taught, and yet, through the actions of Master Jojonah, we found that so much we thought traditional was the furthest thing from it!”
    Viscenti stammered and could not respond.
    “It is all too confusing,” said Viscenti, and he threw up his hands in surrender.
    “Then follow your heart,” Pagonel advised. “Always. Look to the spirit of morality to find those best traditions you should seek, but be not dogmatic. Seek the spirit that rings true in your heart, but fit that spirit to the needs of the time. And the time, Bishop Braumin, calls for…”
    “Reformation,” Braumin Herde said, nodding.
    “A bold move,” Viscenti remarked, his voice barely a whisper.
    “Did Master Jojonah truly ask of us anything less?” Braumin asked. “In those days when we hid in the bowels of St.-Mere-Abelle, we five with Master Jojonah, hoping Father Abbot Markwart would not discover us, was he calling upon us to do anything less? Is the sacrifice of Brother Mullahy worth less?” he said, referring to one of their conspirators who had leaped from the high walls of the blasted Mount Aida, a public suicide rather than renouncing the teachings of Jojonah. “Or the murder of Brother Anders Castinagas by De’Unnero?”
    “We do not even have a Father Abbot at present,” Viscenti reminded. “Yet you would seek a rewriting of Church Doctrine?”
    He turned to Pagonel. “Reformation is a formal council of the leaders of the Church, to rethink practices and make great and enduring decisions,” he explained. “In the first Reformation, it was determined that gemstones could not be used to make magical items. In the third and last Reformation, it was decided that some few stones could be sold to lords ofthe land – a tradition that is formally denied to this day and known by only a few.”
    “It was not a decision with which Marcalo De’Unnero agreed,” Viscenti said dryly, for indeed, as Bishop of Palmaris, De’Unnero had begun a purge of privately owned gemstones and magical items, usually accompanied