The Kakos Realm: Grinden Proselyte

Chapter 12

Attitudes shifted over the next few days in Kevin's camp. With the advent of the believers having direct, divine access to the Logos, a confidence and spark of wisdom seemed to grow in each person.

Kevin found that his leadership burdens lifted as the people matured, hungry to know more about their people's great mission and refined by the crucible of trials their Luciferian citizens subjected them to. People rose among their camp to teach, share, and comfort each other; they discovered their own gifts. New families came to the camp each and every day as the Grinden Christians called on their own friends and family members with a message of hope.

Conversely, staunch Luciferian families shunned members who turned to Christ and many businesses posted "No krist-chin" signs, barring known believers from their premises. Anticipating the eventual emigration Kevin had spoken of in relation to the western portal, Christians began selling their properties, even if they only got obscenely low prices because of local Luciferian influence.

As Grinden's citizens took sides, many made it clear that they wanted nothing to do with Christians, while others demonstrated their feelings through acts of violence. Only few remained neutral or apathetic at best.

As the persecution intensified, most Christians opted for some sort of temporary or mobile dwelling at Kevin's camp; wagons and tents sprang up and sprawled across the encampment. The folks eagerly anticipated an exodus in the weeks to come, both because of their optimism for the journey and because their local options systematically declined as Jandul and Frinnig plied their social influence.

Through Kevin's preaching, there were few who didn't know that the group's goals were to find the western gateway, the passage between the realms, and escape the great conflagration that they believed would come. It seemed that the stronger the Christians pushed towards their goals, the more Luciferian influence amplified against them.

Their emigration was an obvious eventuality, but no person knew the exact details of how or when it would happen. Even Kevin had not quite nailed that down, though he knew it was soon. The leaders merely needed to plan for the logistics of such an exodus. It became ever more difficult as businesses refused to sell them the necessary provisions and supplies.

Christians who still ventured into the city brought back news and current events to share. Other than the dominating topic of the battle lines drawn between the faiths, the only other news item was the open election for the Grinden Steward appointment.

The trade town that only recently enjoyed sovereign neutrality now buzzed with politics and election campaigns. In the couple weeks since Kevin's arrival everything had changed.

***

Even though King Rutheir and Absinthium had departed, the Luciferian Temple remained packed at every service. The visit from the king and the prophet-mage boosted fervor for the long week of services dedicated to recommital and ceremony. Smaller services ran all day long in order to accommodate the travelers making pilgrimages in from the outlying countryside. Most services had some kind of curious ekthroic visitor, mostly goblins, but a few elves and an occasional orc wandered in as well. The neanderthalic orcs had a hard time understanding, but the monks did their best to explain the concept of absolute, blind tolerance and racial acceptance they tried to propagate.

With the huge influx of people in the city, the saloons and brothels couldn't keep up with demand; any place that catered to entertainment for travelers boomed in those times that Luciferian rites and rituals were not in session. No Luciferian rules barred the types of behaviors that the Christians found distasteful. In fact, the local temple smiled on the economic boost and the city was pleased to see growth.