EVERMORE PLOT: AUGIS 1022 A.ORDER - Po Quay
Po Quay IN-PLAY LOCATION: Celestial Temple, Shorian Landhold SUMMARY: A sickness comes to a Shorian town. Guildhall caravans are split up into single wagons and disguised. . Philosopher Po, a leader of the Shorian community northwest of the Inn at Evermoore and a Wizard of Guildhall, knelt down and felt the young girl’s head.
“Will she live?” the mother asked.
Po met her eyes. “This is one of the many mundane sicknesses that resist healing by magical means. I have sent to the Isle of Lore. They have medicines there, mundane mixtures that may help.”
“There’s a number of people getting sick.”
Po laid a hand over her hand. “Give her fluids. The medicine will come. Don’t worry.”
The mother took Po’s hand with both of hers. “The caravans have been attacked.”
“Don’t worry,” Po said. “The caravan masters are disguising the wagons as normal merchants. There won’t be large caravans until the criminals are caught. Just small, fast wagons on the back roads that can easily outrun people on foot.”
The woman sighed in relief. “Do you think the Guildsmen of Evermore will be able to hunt down those renegades?”
Po shook his head. “They are in a rough position. They don’t like the person who specializes in hunting down highlander criminals. At least we know for sure that no local Guildsmen are involved in the crimes. The Evermore Sheriff and Magistrate performed a very thorough investigation last Market Days.”
“Not people like Krape,” The woman said. “We heard he is causing a ruckus at Cross Tower Keep. Whipped a supply sergeant. Placed two soldiers in the stocks for spitting on an elf.”
“Krape is not a good man,” Po said. “He’s been King Justin’s bloodhound for years. He is not a person who I would want to work with.”
“Can’t the Guildsmen of Evermore get another guide?”
“Of course, the Guildhall Compound is sending in a Guide this month to help them investigate,” Po explained. “Based on their investigations, they will be able to come up with a plan of action. I’m sure the clues will give a few solutions.”
Po paused and thought for a long moment. “Of course, they could still have Krape lead them. He probably knows where the criminals are hiding, but he probably won’t come into town because the Guildsmasters of Evermore revoked Holt’s diplomatic status, which I guess means they can’t send ambassadors to the Guildmaster’s meeting.”
“Do you think it means that Holt has to leave the area?” the woman asked.
“The intent of the Evermore Council was not clear from the resolution. The wording of the motion did not require them to leave. It only said, ‘Revoked diplomatic status of CTK. Y12 N0 Amend: They can earn it back when they are in compliance with previous motion.’ The previous motion is probably the one that said Holt could not pursue Highlanders, and Krape has been following that law. So it’s not really clear what is going on.”
Po frowned. “Although this could be a very large issue if King Justin wanted to push it. Evermore is the heart of the realm. Every nation, every species, every culture has always had a home in Evermore since the Age of Life. If the Guild Council of Evermore acting in the name of Guildhall… because they do… was to deny national heritage to Holt, then every commoner in the world who values their ethnic origins would have a legitimate complaint against the Hall of Guilds.”
The woman pulled her hands away from Po. “There are many commoners who resent Guildhall. Jarl Gunther rose the Asgarn nation against Guildhall. Many secretly wanted him to succeed. No offense. I was not one of them.”
Po nodded. “Gunther hoped the world would rise with him, but they did not. Gunther was a criminal. And a killer. Had he actually reached the walls of Guildhall, many more commoners may have joined him, just to destroy Guildhall, but he died in the East Pass fighting the Guildmsn of Evermore and their allies. The Guildsmen had spent the preceding months building an army from the groups represented in their local area. Almost every nation helped.
