Quoted By:
[3/3]
It was at the great marble quarry south of the City that Adam spoke his truths to the greatest of massed humanity, the sermon which lit the spark to the kindling that had been building for years. It takes you hours to arrive, and another hour still to approach the yawning chasm where Adam’s words echoed to thousands upon thousands of willing ears. You’re shocked at the scale of the mining operation that must have taken place here. It is nothing less than a jagged mountain crafted and torn out of the earth to take shape by the hand of man. Even though the marble deposits here are largely exhausted, the industry of mining having moved to other sites centuries ago, surely the marble mined here must have formed the foundations of every building in the great city of Cathagi in times of old. Not least the immense Crescent Palace. Almighty knows how many slaves laboured here when it was still worked, backs bending under stone and whip as they sweated in the oppressive southern sun. Almighty how many died in the building of palaces and mansions for their masters.
<span class="mu-i">“Water, milord.”</span> Mikail appears by your side, proffering an open flask. The concern in the boy’s voice is plain, the swish of water within is a sound tantalisingly to your senses.
Ahead, the thin and perilous trail that leads up the manmade cliffface to the summit where Adam spoke from beckons. Most pilgrims opt to rest a while, listening to sermons repeated by the priests among the Comitas that echoes Adam’s words. To brave the trail to the age-old source is not unheard of, but neither are reports of those that do injuring themselves or even falling and perishing in the attempt.
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> “ A sip, no more. I am not yet spent.” You gather your bearing and a moment’s breath before attempting the summit. It was from there that Adam spoke, and those closest to him could see the man in the flesh and hear his truths most clearly. You have the best chance of reaching it if you gather your strength first. [Haughty]
> “My thanks, squire. Let us take a moment and share what we have.” Not everyone is so fortunate to have an attendant like yourself, you rest with the majority of the pilgrims at the foot of the quarry as you tend to the other pilgrims that appear to be struggling. To be among the masses that heard Adam’s echoed words at the base of the quarry is enough. [Hearty]
> “…” You shake your head, not pausing before you attempt the climb to the quarry summit. Did your forebears have the luxury of rest? A moment of respite save for what the masters spared to keep their chattel breathing? No. And for the best of them, their thirst for Adam’s dream of liberation was greater still. [Idealist]
