The Line That Divides
Looted in Temple of Marakris in Ember Isle at /setwaypoint 14129 4145 – Inside the tower.
As the spirits in the temples of Ember Isle changed and shifted more and more, a great debate rose up among the Kelari over whether the power they offered should be used. Then came the day that the High Priestess was publicly confronted by her second-in- command, the Priest Karris Zelio, at the Temple of Atia. Interrupting a public ceremony that many had gathered to see, he forced her into a debate that resulted in the official divide of the Kelari. This is a transcription of that debate.
Page 2
Karris: Excuse me, High Priestess.
Anthousa: Did you just interrupt me, Priest?
Karris: I did, High Priestess. This ceremony is a waste of time.
Anthousa: What nonsense is this? This ceremony is essential. Our own temple spirit could be the next one corrupted.
Karris: ‘Corrupted’ she says. I say: emboldened with power that would only make us even more powerful. [There is an audible gasp in the crowd.]
Page 3
Anthousa: The ‘power’ you refer to is the same dragon power that is assaulting the world with rifts full of invaders from the planes.
Karris: I’m talking about the same power we have always drawn from, power that has its origins in the planes, only now there is more of it. We’ve never questioned where it came from. Why are we starting now?
Anthousa: This is different. The power found in sourcewells and the spirits who come from it are, in a very distant way, planar in origin, to be true, but only in the same way that Telara as a whole is planar in origin. Distantly, separated by countless years.
Page 4
Karris: You have made my point for me, High Priestess. Telara, and all of its power, is planar in origin. Why should we reject this planar power?
Anthousa: Ask the people of your own village, Kheramos. The power has changed them, tainted them.
Karris: What you refer to is not a taint, it is only evidence of their power. Evidence I display proudly. [At this point, Karris pulled away the robe, showing an arm that resembled stone. The crowd got unruly at this point, with people alternately booing and shouting support.]
Page 5
Anthousa: Get off of my temple, Karris. Get out of this city and take your corruption with you.
Karris: Gladly, High Priestess Mona. I refuse to follow anyone who would choose to be weak. Anyone who feels the same may come with me and be welcomed in Kheramos.
With that, those who embraced the new spirits broke off to follow Karris and those who did not followed Mona. The fight that followed was long and bloody, forever darkening the spirits of the Kelari people.