The blathering of Peltarch paladins
-
“It was right here, on this very corner that I heard Zanetar proclaim that he supported slavery!”
The whole town square gasped. Enzo gasped too, though perhaps he was a half second late for it to be a fully convincing response to any astute onlooker. But he had already judged the company he kept… full of strength and valor, but short on gray matter. Another paladin drew his sword at the statement, waving it in the air at some unseen menace. Just before he could intone some vague statement of outrage, a third paladin threw off his helmet and launched into practiced pontification.
“An offense to Torm! There is slavery practiced in Narfell? I can’t believe it! By the gods we should hunt down the offenders and put them to the sword!”
Several onlookers cheered at the hollow bravery while Enzo raised his hand in support while concealing a yawn. A paladin of Tyr was there, also. Enzo watched the armor-clad man anxiously edge forward to deliver his required dose of indignation.
“It cannot be had! We should storm the walls and put them to the sword!”
Apparently putting people to the sword was a common thread in the teaching of religious knights. The group cheered and several of the ladies in the square blushed and whispered amongst themselves. Enzo surveyed them with a certain interest, noting each of their proclivities for the future time he might get them alone and woo them to his bed. Before he could make full inventory, an elf appeared and disturbed the whole plan.
“Where are you going to go fight?” the elf asked, coming new to the conversation. The men looked at one another with a moment of confusion. It was not appropriate to ask such complicated questions in the midst of such a rally.
“Oscura…” said a voice from the crowd, “That man was from Oscura and he said they had slaves there.”
“Slavery practiced in Narfell? I can’t believe it!” said the third paladin again.
“It’s that dark place… through the cavern and the Raven’s Rift,” summarized the elf, looking from face to face among the men. “You are going to go attack there?”
The cheering and bravado subsided for a moment as the various armored men considered the proposition. One of them raised his sword halfway as if to proclaim something, but then stopped and lowered it again. Another put his helmet back on.
“We should attack this evil, no?” offered the paladin of Tyr.
“A good idea,” said Enzo. Others nodded, but the enthusiasm quickly subsided. Soon a new conversation began about the outrages of Banites living in the city walls and the idea of marching on Oscura was soon forgotten.
