Quoted By:
“Could you tell us more about your father's work?” you ask first, “I understand that he specialised in folklore, but I don't know much more than that. Was any of his work, for example, dangerous?”
“Well, ahem, there is always an element of risk in his line of work – assuming you actually try to do field work, as he does,” Will answers, a hint of pride shining through in his voice, “And yes, he focused most of his studies on folklore, folk religions specifically. Ah, come this way. Let me show you something. Come to think of it, I never asked-”
“Isambard Pale,” you interrupt, gesturing to your companions, “Ariel Teilhard, Elle Legrasse.”
You're vaguely pleased to see that your name doesn't spark any particular reaction him. A hint of recognition, as you might expect, but nothing more than that. If your father had been causing trouble around here, you doubt that he'd be so casual. Thinking this to yourself, you follow Will into a darkened study and gaze up at the shelves laden with curious stone idols.
“My father dedicated most of his research into pre-unification religions, the pagan faiths that our ancestors may very well have held,” Will explains, “My father believed that these faiths, in their primitive way, were also striving towards the same truth we now know – that the Godhead is the source of all. They worshipped aspects of it in many strange guises, but is that really so different to how we honour the Emanations?”
“Some of these idols look Galsean,” Elle remarks, standing up on the tips of her toes to get a better look at the highest shelf.
“Er, yes. Father has a theory that the Galseans are very much the same as our own pagan ancestors,” Will nods to himself, “That one is very much a work in progress, of course. Recent events have made it, um, difficult to get access to a lot of the Galsean islands. As you can very well imagine.”
“So he turned his focus to Rhyl instead, did he?” you wonder, “I'll admit, I'm not too familiar with the land. What have you heard about it lately?”
Will scratches his cheek, perhaps thinking how to explain in a tactful way. “Rhyl lacks a strong leader,” he says carefully, “They're being quite radical, in a way, with giving to much power and freedom to the lower orders of their society. But, um, the absence of a central authority has consequences. Local leaders get into squabbles, and drag the whole region down with them. Of course, cults and faiths that were long since driven from Agoria still thrive there for very much the same reason – it's an invaluable source of information.”
“For those willing to take the risk.”
“Well, yes,” Will admits.
[1]
