The Streets and Alleyways of Stonevale

Konrad continued his walk-and-talk with Lavenius, as he lead him through the crowded streets. "I was not able to tour Medan before," he said, "but Stonevale is as grand as they say. It is good to see that Goraia has maintained order here; that fact relieves me. But alas, I believe my time in the wilderness, and in the heat of battle, has greatly undermined my desire to stay within such bustling city streets. I think I prefer the outdoors."

"But the artifacts, right. You are familiar with Angelism? It is the worship of an angelic pantheon, and whose practice was founded by Saint John, who I mentioned earlier. And you are aware of our sigil?" Konrad motioned at his chest, where his tabard displayed a large black cross. "We are otherwise known as the Knights of the Black Cross. Saint John was ultimately arrested by his opponents, tortured, crucified upon a cross, and then burned alive. Hence the black cross: a burned crucifix. This is why we wear the Cross: it is a symbol of hardship, devotion, and the ultimate culmination of Saint John's teachings."

"Now, Saint John was, by all means, a divine subject. He traveled far and wide, heard many tales, and would uncover many mysteries and artifacts. Some of these artifacts are attributed to him: the dagger which stabbed him, for example, as he was arrested. It is said to be stained with the blood of the Most Holy, and so is imbued with great power. Ultimately, however, we will not know the exact description of the other artifacts until we find the Scripture."

"And let me repeat: these items are very powerful. Very dangerous, too. With great power, comes great responsibility: a tiresome teaching, but one of importance. Powerful, angelic energy imbued in mortal belongings can... make them unstable; these artifacts are unstable, and it will take powerful, strong-willed men and women to even come into contact with them. But that's not all. Should these items come into proximity with one another, their power will increase tenfold." Of course, Konrad was speaking generally, for he did not truly know how powerful the items could become. "And so when we retrieve more than one... we will need to take extreme caution."

"Once several of these items are collected, we will need to seek the wisdom of a powerful sorcerer. And I am positive a divine conduit, like a beacon, will need to be built. The sorcerer will need to direct the angelic power into the conduit, which can then direct it elsewhere, such as into the heavens." Konrad looked at Levanius and spoke quietly, so no one could overhear him. "Or even the Orb of Judgement. Imagine imbuing such an iconic piece with the power of the heavens; imagine leveling entire fortresses, or even cities, with the orb - not only in Goraia, but in the world abroad."

Konrad then looked forward and started walking normally again. "But without proper support, like the conduit, the collected artifacts may create a rift. This rift would consume anything in its wake, and could very well swallow up the entire city. This is also, however, an advantage. Imagine placing these items below the city of an opponent, and sucking them into... who knows where..."

"Are you okay with these dangers? You should ask yourself if you really feel comfortable keeping these things for us. This is not a simple matter, it is a dangerous one, a task perhaps just as dangerous - if not more dangerous - than the Orb of Judgement. You're very well harnessing the power of another Orb, except the artifacts need to be within proximity and controlled."