Ancient Times

Islana and the Friar retired to a smaller room at the far corner of the rectory after dinner. The room was cold and smelled of ink and dust. It looks like a small library of sorts. The walls were covered in books of all shapes and sizes. There was a main desk in the corner of the room and another one in the centre of the room like those commonly used in scriptoriums to copy volumes and other tomes. An old book at the Friar's desk is opened.

Islana took in the small room. She couldn't imagine spending much time in a room like this on a regular basis. Islana preferred the outdoors to small enclosed places. The young woman would follow the Friar's lead not wanting to accidentally mess up anything.

The Friar walked across his desk. A leather bound large book already laid open. You see a full page filled with spidery flowing letters. Islana could not make out what language it was written in. On top of the page she saw the drawing of a boar's head, its tusks dripping with blood. "I thought I had seen the symbol you showed me before .." he said pointing to the bottom of the page where the rune Islana found among the trees was depicted in black ink.

Islana followed Friar Jassin to his desk and looked upon the book that was opened. The boar's head and the rune being on the same page made the woman even more curious. She waited though for the Friar to explain more.

Jassin smiled looking at the curiosity in the young girl's eyes. He was always happy in the presence of inquisitive minds. If he hadn't answered the call of Kupen, he would likely have become a teacher.

"This is the symbol of Slivikhi, the Boar of Winter. He is one of the oldest gods we have known of." He started slowly tracing the page with gentle strokes of his long fingers. "At the time of the Scattering when the first tribes of Men left Kru'll, he is thought to have been one of the most widespread worshipped gods."

He paused reading a few of the lines. "Similar to the cult of Hoi in some ways it seems. Fertility, harvest and the likes. But more also..." He said, pausing to read more.

Islana just listened as the man read the text to her. Her mind filled with several ideas of what might come next but they were just guesses.

"The Creed of Slivikhi, as it was known, was eradicated by the followers of the Five Pillars. The first Sanctus Warriors of Mizar." He paused, seeing if Islana had any questions. She likely had never heard of some of these terms, he assumed.

Islana let the words sink into her mind so she could remember them, then said,. " "What is The Creed of Slivikhi?. Hoping she remembered that last term correctly. Once he answered the first question if he had an answer for it. " Who are the Sanctus Warriors?".

"The Sanctus Warriors were a group of monastic fighting pilgrims that roamed the lands of Helias centuries ago spreading the word of the Gods." He started. "They eventually become the founders of the Shrine-Cities of Mizar. They are also seen as the precursors of the Inquisition." He concluded, still looking at the page, trying to read the small circular calligraphy.

"The Creed according to this book was the name of the followers to this god. It seems they were marked to be exterminated because they practiced human sacrifices..."