"It is ironic that this may be my last entry. Since I last wrote in this book I have found a son again, after having lost my first along with his mother to those creatures on Lomyria. His name is Trent, a human who had a Balor implanted inside of him. He is sixteen, physically, but mentally he is a child. He arrived first in Hadrian confused, and scarred. He believed himself to be human but bared horns atop his head and a tail. He did not realize who he was, and what he was now, and neither did I. He was naked. And frightened. I took him under my wing and brought him to a tailor's shop and gave him some gold, having seen how some react to my kind here, having thought him to be another Tiefling. I was unsure of his story, but I directed him to the Swords for safety and help, as I felt they would do right by him.
He trained with them, tried his best to be one of them and was taken in by those who lived within Hadrian in his order. They tried to help him with the creature embedded within him, in literally all the worst ways possible. Every. Single. Thing. Every single thing they did made him take more of a demonic appearance and spurred the demons strength faster. And faster. Snacks, someone whom I had thought was a good man, threatened to murder him, even if it would send him to the Abyss with the demon. He claims he wouldn't have killed Trent. But then, no less than a day ago, he and someone I considered a loose ally murdered me in cold blood.
Stiil, despite these changes Trent tried to do the right thing, and maintain his grip on his humanity, and then when he was brought to the Keep of Selune who preaches tolerance, they all stood by and watched him be stripped of his uniform, and armor, as he was kicked out of the swords. None there stood to defend him. None there stood to fight there leaders or question them. None of them tried to put a stop to it. Perhaps "Sheep" is a better word for the Swords.
They proclaim that they stand for good, but they let evil run rampant in their sight. Cashand, Nica, Edulis. All know their crimes. All know they are evil. Yet it seems that the swords enjoy them and would forsake their souls, vows, and ideals rather than deal with those people. Snacks apparently threw gems at Nica, showering her in them despite her many crimes, that he has continually ignored. Edulis most have known has been poisoning the city for weeks, the food supply, the water, murdering citiizens of the city within it's territory, attack others within it's territory and within the city itself. But they ignore it.
Instead they choose to go after me, and conspire with them to murder me and try to kill me. Because I've called them out on their actions. Snacks and other swords participating in the Arena and murdering slaves for baubles. Real heroic. At least Raul had the good sense to leave. When Aquaria was sentenced to die by Nica they did nothing. Instead she had to find a way to free herself making a deal with someone to fake the death of Lushen and transfer his soul, or alter his body into Marcus. Then when Celebrithrade became the Queen of Crimson and began genocidal campaigns and working with Nica, I warned them of Cele's change of behavior and told them she was enspelled. Same with Raul whose own actions and demneanor changed in a matter of a few days. Nothing was done. I was ignored. As I always have been. Those who stand idly by and watch do nothing to help the oppressed, they only encourage the oppressor. Because why should the oppressor change if noone will do anything about them.
But I digress, I have gone on a tangent. After Trent was kicked out, I stood with him, and as I had done the first night we met, I reminded him again and again that he is the one who chooses who he is. Not the thing inside of him. Not those around him. /Him/. Still the swords tried to excise the demon by encouraging it to overpower him more by hurting him, or getting him drunk. Things that sped his transformation on. Then, Celebrithrade wanted to conduct a ritual to try and banish the demon, Trent choose to take it's side. The pain inflicted upon him and the constant betrayls of trust by the swords were too much, even I could not reach him. He and the demon laid low everyone. But then spared us, with Trent embracing the demon now. I tried to reach him still, and convince him this was not the way. That he didn't need the demon. But it was too late.
Trent and everyone returned back to Hadrian, I still befriended him, choosing not to abandon him, and then he was abandoned completely by the swords and forced onto the street. /A CHILD/. I took his hand and we choose to make a new house. One where our kind would be safe. That evening we bought the house I sit in now, before the altar to his god. Writing this and praying. We bonded quickly, and called each other brother. We had been doing it for a while and I meant it when I said it to him, and he to me. I helped guide him, tried to build him up. Then,we decided to make a home in Sullivans, or scout out a place there, in case things in the election went badly as xenophobia took hold of the citizens of the city.
I should have watched him more closely. I should have been with him. But I didn't expect him to do what he did. Or be forced into doing what he did. He was to see about what it would take to take ownership of a home, but then I came back to find him covered in blood, a wanted fugitive in Hadrian, and scarred all the more. I took him into my enbrace and comforted him. He is a child still, and was pressured.. I can see why he made the mistake he did, but did not abandon him. I would not. He was family to me.
Two days later he would turn himself in. On the same day I took him in as a son. I left the decision up to him, to not force him down a bath, but to try to guide him, and show him a better way. I thought his punishment might be whipping at most, I hope they would see the promising smith and asset that I saw, but Dukaruss only saw a monster, and mutilated him because of it. They cut off his horns. They cut off his tail. They broke his ribs. And all around people stood. Cheering, calling for more. The adventurers themselves, sitting on the sidelines not moving a finger to stop it. I wished to put an end to it as soon as it had begun, but I knew if I interfered it would only be worse, and they would potentially kill him. It is why the only time I stepped in was after the guard was done and said for others to beat him. I took a stand in front of him, ready to fight any who would try it... Thankfully, noone came.
I would be the next to be victimized by the mob justice of Hadrian. Reschotti put a bounty on me, and then Nikita along with Cashand and Nica tried to kill me to bring me into Reschotti. The guards? They did nothing. They allowed it to happen. Called me "Demon Blood." and just allowed everything. I was then put in stocks in front of the Coin and was mutilated as well. My crime? Telling people the Truth about Reschotti.
The truth. The truth seems to be the greatest crime and evil within the adventuring populace of Hadrian. All they want is glory for mindless killing and to not think about their actions. They want baubles and prizes instead of doing something good just for the sake of it. They abandon children, and shove them into the dark, and attack others who would shine the light on them and their own misdoings. It is the crime I am to be tried for. For daring to bruise the egos and consciouses of knights who would murder slaves who have no choice but to fight or die. Of knights who would shove a child out of the light at the slightest bit of darkness, darkness they themselves helped to make! Of knights who would choose to kill this child rather than believe in the dogma of their own goddess and practice it! Of Wizards who do evil for their own benefit. Wizards who would crash a city of people upon another city of people to wipe out a foe where such may be needed. Of adventurers who would sit idly by and let people die day after day to poison being spread by someone they know, who threatens the public, and seeks to take lands from the very nation some of them portend to be loyal to. Of adventurers who would let a manifestation of negative energy kill people day in and day out and do absolutely nothing about it because it doesn't affect them directly. Of Adventurers who would judge those who did do something about it. Of adventurers who lack the resolve to do anything but to try to make the thing that casts light upon their sins, and that lack of resolve. Of adventurers who can't see what is front of their faces when one absorbs the energy of an enemy to use it against them.
And so it is, that because I tell the truth, and take action against that which would harm others that I am to be tried. It is because of this I sit here, wondering, and waiting, before the shrine of my childs god to see if perhaps he will take me in and break the chains on me put in place by Reschotti and the other and set me free and take me on as a priest, knowing well that in the end I would need to bring an end to him as well. Or if perhaps my own Patron might do something. Something I very much doubt. Our relationship was a tumultuous one of using each other, and given their nature, I imagine that relationship has been ended. My other hope is that some other deity, perhaps one unknown to me makes their presence clear and chooses to bring me into it's fold despite knowing of my intentions. Despite knowing what I need to do to bring everything to peace.
The gods took my family once before. And it seems once again, they will take me from my family just as I have found it again. There is no end to the cruelty of the gods and powers of the multiverse it would seem. But maybe I will be proven wrong. There is only a little bit of time left, and I will use that time to sit here and pray, and talk, with my son."
Topic: The Journal of Pheroth Dusdrassius (Read 19963 times)