I knowest not thyn truest name nor title, but I do knowest that thou art no knight to my reckoning. While I doest not meanest disrespectful salutations, thine heart is not true when thou didst give me thyn name. Seeing thee not so long ago in legion armour, surrounded by legionnaires who were under the command of another doest not bode well against mine knowledge of thyn name, or title. And so I open this letter with false words from true lips;
Sir Dasher,
The kinship thee doest feel be only natural for we both be paladins, the force of war incarnate beats true within our breasts. Thine is one of devotion as is mine, even though our forces be true opposite and destined only to meet on the battlefield. While I know nothing of this "Kotanism" of which thee dists first speek I dost feel that that be truer than thyn own name, the one ye didst giveth on the night of our dinner as well as thyn own true name. Pale not, for though our destinies were carved eons afore our births, that does not belittle thyn importance or place in this world. I have true faith in the idea that all shall work out as it is ment to be, given time, prayer and patience.
Ye wilst think me daft, an Agrikan preaching patience - but t'is true. All things come to the fire of trueth, with time. My compatriots find me broody, but I am no so more as that of a storm on the horrizon, threatening to bring forth the rain. I know my place in the fire, and I burn the brighter because of it. While this cowls some, it angers others, but I outlive them all due to patience. So bide thyn time. Perhaps thou bet knighted too soonly for thou hast a strong heart and good countenance and in time thyn mantle of paladinness shalt not weigh so heavily upon thine shoulders as to block from thyn mind the more important things in thyn life.
All, regardless of religion, go through a time of doubt. Thine too shall pass.
What canst I say about an order born in blood and christened by fire? The Order of the Cohorts of Gashang be a fairly new order, born in a breach-birth that didst not quite kill our parent order, Herpa the Mace - although we do still tryest to eradicate them for their heracy. Our order finds truth and peace of mind through conquest and battle, thus we be happiest to be placed so close to the coming onslaught of the Legion. My compatriots dost not realize the strength by sheer numbers of thine own country, but I dost side with them when we dost compair horsemen - for while thine spearmen are fierce, thyn horsemen are not knights. The different manner in which they fight should make tactics verily intense in the forthcoming battle.
Knowledge and the quest therefore canst never be a weakness. It canst be used against thee, and it is odd that thou would ask these things of I, but I fear it not - knowing myself neither upper eschellon policies nor divine scripture against such writings, and so I doest write thee - out of a level of respect thou hast of me by the beatings of thyn own heart, for we be both marked from above by mighty gauntlets.
Thyn wish not to fight be indeed a weakness and one I dost council strongly in thee to avoid if thee canst remove it wholy from thyn breast. It shalt be thyn undoing - of this I be most certain. Picking thyn battles is wise, but avoid not the fight for simplest things such like feelings and emotions. To tarry on the thought of avoidance would be a poor way to end a light as bright as thyn own.
On the Order of the Scarlet Veil I know it to be heretical because it hast not the blessing from our Apalank, our religious leader here on Harn. His words against the church be few as the Scarlet Veil seems in touch with some mighty force beyond this lone paladin's comprehension, but the church refuses to obey the mighty's words and thus they be heretical. Mayhaps they shalt be accepted over time, assuming they survive the plots that grow this very day against them. For if they truely be the blessed of the Mightly Slayer, Breader of Plagues and Destroyer of Inncence, they shalt survive it all. Whatever comes.
The tale thee tell is not known to me, but knights of several orders do correspond irregularly with each other. For beyond the duty, the life and the obediance, we are still men who dost desire knowledge, kinship and aye, even friendship. Thine and mine can never be the latter for, I dost know with a certitude more strong than that the sun shall rise each morn, we be enemies.
Thyn worship of a goddess unknown to me does cause much puzzlement. Were thee even part Agrikan and suggest this we would put thee to the test of the sword - challenging thee again and again until thee did falter. And when thou were beaten before thine peers, the priests would flay thine flesh from thyn bones, orderig thee to confess thyn sin of hubris in creating a new god. If thyn faith held, and with thee I be certain it would, thee would be ritually dicected while still alive, thyn organs displayed for all to see. The last image thou would have would be me, or one of my kin sinking my teeth into thyn still beating heart.
Naturally we wouldst do this to try and save thyn own soul from the torment and torture that would be Ak-Syst. By eating thee alive the wholy would convert thyn soul and pleed that thyn faith would render with the flesh anew knight loyaly born to the right and true ways of fire and flame. Should this fail, then thyn soul would be tormented until thyn faith fled in the most holy of tortures done by the Vhir themselves. As an honored sacrifice, the priests would chant thyn name and pray in hopes of thine eventual redemption, or total destruction.
Obviously the ways of Larani and Peoni differ greatly from those of mine own religion. But I am verily surprised to learn that thou wert accepted so readinly and easily. Be this why thee doest cower amonst the legionnaires and not shine among thine peers?
I be knighted at the tender age of 14, and be barely able to wear the armour over the night of solem reflection afore the day of challenges without discracing mineself and minefamily. It be so heavy. I doest remembered the ache in my joints and shoulders, twer a flame more vicious than any flail a priest did weild. Aye, I have been flaid - twice in my life, and each time I did bite mine own lips to ruin rather than scream. Fifty lashes for speaking in church when I be 10, and another 50 for failure when I be 20. Of the latter I be sent against a group of Kandians who were of the accursed ranks of Larani. I survived but barely for we were truely beaten. Why they let me live is a quandry over which I do puzzle in my prayers and reflections.
For seven years afor my day of challenges, I served a knight of the Mighty Destroyer as a squire, although perhaps fetcher and carrier might be a better term. I cleaned his armour, clothes and weapons, reaped the dead and manged all monies. While my mentor be indeed a dark knight of evil deeds and warlike intentions, he be a brute and stupid. I killed him with but two strokes in my day of challenges. As the first to ever flail me I felt no qualms at his death. His beatings were as the mood struck him and never to suit purpose or lessions. He drank, profaned and did all things I found dishonorable. While he did use his title and lands to good effect, I openly coveted all he owned and knew, at 14, I could have it all by killing him for he had neither child nor wit to protect himself.
The day of challenges be long. I remember believing that the Mighty Destroyer had stopped the sun at noon to test me. I did face 8 warriors, two of which be knights; my mentor and another who be as equally witless and sought to teach me manners. I remembered laughing at them both. The battles began well, with me maiming the first warrior who didst come roaring against me with a mace. Had he manged to win the fight he wouldst have gotten a knighthood from the order. He did not die and remains loyal in my service to this day. His face is ugly, made worse still by mine own mace, but he be able and loyal. The next two were better and tried to work me between them, but I be fast enough and smart enough to spring their trap early. They both died - one headless and one clutching his bowls as they did spill out, glistening onto the sand.
My mentor and his friend beist next. Then came the last of the warriors in a bunch like gutless children who only play at war. They too did die and I be bathed in their blood and bones. I stood before the most holy drenched in sweat and blood, and did recieve his blessing like clear, cool water. I be filed with a fire that be hard to temper that day and did kill two priests who came to clense mine armour, thinking them somehow enemies. This be not a sin, rather it be deemed the priests be flawed for they did not notice my holy state as they approached.
T'be a good day. And thou - how didst thou gain thyn knighthood? What tests did thee face?
I would learn more of thyn religion and place in the Legion, if thine commanders doest allow it. Such answers can reach me if they be sent to Ernoll.
Dierbo Darkin of the Order of the Cohorts of Gashang,
Annointed Knight of the faith of Flame, War and Victory
Thrice Damned and Clensor of Ak-Syst.
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