A covenant renewed

The chapel was full.

Vaschel, High Cleric of the Seat of Vastar, smiled as he looked upon his congregation, whispering a prayer of thanks to the God while standing beneath a statue sculpted in His likeness more than a thousand years prior. For many years, that statue had been forgotten by the outside world, buried beneath a millennium of ruin and encroaching jungle. But that was all going to change, now. Grounds that had once hosted the likes of Catarin deSangre and Castomira Brangwin would flourish once more, thanks to the messengers of the God. They had come with promises of recompense and restoration, and in this, they did not disappoint. The God had provided for His faithful, just as He had done for the ancestors who took shelter beneath that very same statue whilst fleeing the horrors unleashed by the Fall so many generations ago.

“Look about you, my friends,” he preached as he approached the refurbished lectern before him. “Look upon the blessings bestowed upon us! Cast your thoughts back but a few seasons, and remember the state of our humble sanctuary. Recall the creeping vines choking our gardens, the orchards over-burdened with spoiled fruit, the crumbling walls that had for so long denied us the comforts enjoyed by so many others.”

“Remember the endless prayers and dutiful ceremonies we offered beneath the watchful gaze of the God, hoping that one day those who come after us might inherit something greater!” He paused then, allowing his eyes to pass across the familiar faces of his gathered flock. “That day has come, my friends.”

“No longer must we clamber over piles of rubble in search of shelter or meagre scraps! The dormitories have been made ready, their airy chambers offering rest to the weary. The schoolhouse has been restored, and even now Cleric Lorlek is preparing to receive the eager minds of our children. We’ve a refectory with tables laden with the bounty of our renewed orchards and gardens!”

“Even the clothing upon our backs bears witness to His providence!” Vaschel raised his hands toward the ancient likeness of the Skylord, his voice swelling with renewed fervour. “Tell me, my friends. Who among us could have foreseen the day when strangers from distant lands would cross the seas to labour for our prosperity, asking for naught in return save the opportunity to fulfill the will of the God?”

A murmur of assent passed through the chapel.

“When we lacked the strength to restore these ancient ruins, He sent us those possessed of strength in abundance! When our labours exceeded our meagre number, He sent us willing hands! And when our Ambitions dwindled to stagnation beneath the burdens of generations, He sent His messengers with tidings of renewal!”

“His Farethi, the Soaring Sodality, and their many friends and allies answered His call. From across the world they came, setting aside their own pursuits to undertake the restoration of our Seat. They cleared our ruins, gathered our harvests, tended our orchards, and raised anew the dwellings of our people!” A broad smile creased the High Cleric’s features.

“And oh, my friends, how they griped!” Laughter rippled through the congregation, then. “You all heard them! Why, there were days when I feared their protests against the demands of Cleric Gaurav’s wooden cart would rise loudly enough to reach the God Himself!”

Vaschel joined the laughter before raising one hand for silence.

“But complain though they might, their Conviction did not waver! Through every burden, every setback, every fresh demand upon their patience, they persevered. Whether they were sorting rubble, entreating a particularly nasty cyclops, or fighting off the kahtak, they did not turn from their work or forsake our people. And it is we who now get to enjoy the fruits of their labour!”

He permitted a moment for the congregation’s approval and applause to subside before continuing, his voice assuming a more solemn cadence.

“Yet amid these many blessings, the God saw fit to grant us another.”

“During their endeavours, the God’s messengers uncovered four fragments of an archaic stone tablet, concealed for centuries beneath the fallen masonry of the old academy. These relics were entrusted to our clerics, who have since devoted themselves to the deciphering of their inscriptions. And though it has proven no simple thing to unravel, we believe we have recovered the purpose of this forgotten treasure.”

Vaschel paused, his eyes brightening.

“An invocation, my friends! A sacred rite through which the faithful of old entreated the God to extend the protection of His Sky over these very grounds! It is believed this ceremony was once conducted at the commencement of each new academic year, when the students of the institution that once stood here gathered to seek His blessing. And what more fitting conclusion could there be to the labours to restore the Seat than the renewal of this ancient covenant?”

The High Cleric stepped away from the lectern, turning back toward the immense statue overlooking his congregation.

“For centuries, our people have kept His faith. Through the fall of empires, through hardship and privation, through the passing of generations, we have endured. And He has answered our devotion with blessings beyond our wildest expectations.”

Vaschel turned once more toward the gathered faithful, spreading his arms in invitation.

“So let us give thanks, brethren! At the conclusion of the restoration, we shall gather beneath the open Sky and perform the invocation recovered from the ancient tablets. We shall invite our benefactors, their friends and allies, and all who wish to bear witness, that together we might entreat the God to extend His protection over this Seat, over our children, and over the generations yet to come!”

Summary: Following the tireless efforts of the Farethi, the Soaring Sodality, and their many friends and allies, the ancient ruin known as the Seat of Vastar has been rebuilt and renewed. High Cleric Vaschel invites all who took part to bear witness to a ritual uncovered during the restoration as the concluding celebration of this effort.