Lay of Kushta, Quartozain 50

Now by Maliva’s grace I do resolve to swear fealty

To the Emperor Geoff the First on his Jade Stair throne.

Now tell me of the the trouble, and why say your far off coast

Be god-struck? Surely Maliva needs not we royalty

To hurl off divine challenger, be so dread, from his own?

Kushta has ever been safe through Maliva, more than most.

Spake Cecil, Jonachem the High Priest in Argora fane

Senses the god sleeps, or so it seems. Six paladins he

Charg’d to restore the Empire, realm by realm, and on this quest

We are about, with Bror our first stop. Whither next, is not plain,

But to wake the god through devotions is our goal. Please see

That we do not challenge any order, we are but guest.

This last he made with nod to Xar, stripp’d of chain, and taken

From the highest step to distant dungeon forsaken.