Excerpts of the address to the clerics and paladins of Hurva by Archbishop Kalros, upon his ordination on 21 Enerio, 1043 at the Cathedral of the One in Geston.

Greetings, my children. Today I have both the privilege of addressing you for the first time as your Archbishop, and the sad duty of saying farewell to my beloved predecessor and mentor, Archbishop Matthîas. All of us here feel the pain of his untimely passing, and many across Hurva share our grief. Father Matthîas was a good man, a great teacher, an inspiring leader, and a devoted servant of the Church. It is natural for us now to feel anger at his passing, for that great man deserved better than death by treachery.

But I tell you that very anger is a self-serving. We are angry not for Father Matthîas, who now holds a place of honor, but for ourselves, who have been deprived of an exceptional young priest after only two years of service as our Archbishop. Matthîas himself, if he could speak to us now, would charge us not to be blinded by anger, but to continue to serve the Church with wisdom and devotion...

I am honored and humbled to be chosen by the gods and the Church to serve you as your earthly leader. My service to the One has brought me this great honor, but now I must strive to emulate not only the law and truth of Estereal, but to serve all the good gods in my struggle to guide the church on the right path, so that we, their disciples may continue to act as the gods´ servants in this world. I vow to the gods themselves and to you my children that I will do my utmost to be guided by Soltana´s compassion, Wajen´s wisdom, Azkal´s strength, Jvelto´s mirth, and Torodin´s foresight.

Disciples of the younger gods, do not think that I your leader, or we of the Church forget you and your service to the cause of good. In respect and appreciation, I call upon you all - paladins and priests of Abebi, Adalwen, Ahmik, Akodi, Amayeta, Amber, Ankti, Arienh, Avidor, Briseis, Celestian, Chesmu, Chilaili, Corryn, Dagon, Ehlonna, Elsu, Enyeto, Fharlanghi, Harmonia, Mai, Maralah, Meda, Misae, Mojag, Namir, Natanael, Niabi, Oghma, Ootheca, Pholtus, Raaba, Ranevskaya, Remiére, Salome, Sarod, Serophia, Sharess, Shilah, Siwili, Skah, Sunube, Tritherion, Tse, Ushas, Zayit, and Zelig -- I would ask all of you to feel yourselves a part of the Church, for despite our differences we are all one great family in the eyes of the gods. Only by standing together can we hold back the darkness that the evil ones would bring to our world -- this we must never forget. Remember the tale of the Great Jihad...

...But I did not come here today only to make promises. You must know that the gods´ would not have chosen me for this duty were I not fit to lead you, and I know you will trust my judgment. By the gods´ will, I come before you to bid you remember your duty to the Church, and to explain what I your earthly leader will expect of you.

Disciples of the younger gods, I will not call you each by name. This is not out of lack of respect or appreciation; your gods choose fewer disciples, and you are all the more precious to us for your rarity, and the unique gifts that you offer. But remember always that your heavenly masters serve the elder gods. So, to, I charge you to be guided by the priests of the Elder Six. Their powers, and in some cases their wisdom, are greater than your own. Respect them, and trust in their leadership always. Remember the words of Saint Anderian of Avidor...

...Priests of the elder gods, I have much to ask of you. First, I charge you to guide and watch over the disciples of the younger gods, who lack your powers. Secondly, I charge you to care for one another. I am mindful of the differences between us, and I know that there will always be some discord among us. I have even heard that some of you consider we priests of Estereal a bit stuffy -- but as you can see by the smile upon my face, even we are capable of jest. Some conflict among us is inevitable and even healthy. The day we cease to argue amongst ourselves is the day we become complacent, and a threat to the very Church we seek to serve. I would repeat to you all the words of the great philosopher, Anselm...

But do not let discord grow too strong among us. Remember that the evil ones seek to always to divide us, for they know that our greatest strength lies in unity. Be guided by the tales of the gods and their saints that show the loyalty and affection between them, and strive to behave in a like manner toward your brethren here on earth. We must learn to see our differences not as a source of conflict, but as a wealth of unique gifts that we can offer to each other, to help one another and to keep the Church strong. Listen well to the words of the Scholar, Jvard...

Fellow disciples of Estereal, my beloved brethren, you are the leaders of the Church, its administrators, and its tireless advocates of worldly justice. Guide the young among you, and teach them to revere the code of Estereal. To the disciples of the other gods you must act not only as leaders, but guides and guardians. Be mindful of their strengths, and their weaknesses. Encourage them to use their special gifts to strengthen the Church and fight for the cause of good. Guard them against those who would prey upon or exploit their weaknesses. Be mindful of your status as their superiors, but always respect your brethren, and do not tolerate any offense from the outside world for your brethren in the Church. Remember that the gods choose each priest with great care. We are few enough in number; the highly powerful among us number less than a hundred across Hurva. You might find many among your brethren whose views are different from your own, and whose personal behavior you find difficult to tolerate. But remember always that each priest is unique, special, and precious in the eyes of the gods. I bid you recall the tale of Saint Arawen of Estereal...

Disciples of Soltana, yours is a truly special place in the Church. You are perhaps the most beloved among mortals, and with good reason. Though I am a disciple of Estereal, I personally believe that our greatest strength as human beings is our love and compassion for one another -- feelings that you Soltanites help to foster and encourage among us all. You are truly the great healers of the church, not only of body, but of heart and soul. I charge you all to look after the emotional well-being of your brethren. The fight against evil and the cares of the world can weigh heavily upon us. We count upon you disciples of the Lady of Mercy to help those who might otherwise become crushed by the great burdens placed upon them. Recall the words of Soltana herself...

Priests of Azkal, you are the strong arm of the church. I charge you not to quarrel with your brethren and seek to dominate them. Rather, serve them as The Great Warrior serves his twin. Be their protectors and guardians. Do not scorn them for their weakness -- their gifts are no less important than your own. Remember the tale of Saint Paksenn, who at the hands of great evil learned how it feels to be weak and helpless. Have sympathy for those among your brethren who are less able to defend themselves. Remember, when we band together to fight evil, the weakest among us risk the most, and therefore their courage is the greatest. Protect them as you can, and inspire us all with your loyalty, your dedication, and your strength of will. Remember the story of the Dantrak, the mighty warrior of the battle of...

Holy servants of Wajen, you are the caretakers of our families, our young, and our natural world. You are honored for your service, and we bid you have patience with those among your brethren who have less respect for growing things. Guide us all with your great wisdom. There is a season for all things, and we of the Church count upon you to help us choose the right path. Council peace or war, mercy or discipline, with the wisdom that only the gods can bestow. Do not isolate yourselves from your brethren who perhaps are too much involved in worldly affairs, but stay with us always to guide us in the path of wisdom. As you are called upon by your goddess to nurture the young, so I call upon you to nurture the Church and help it to grow strong and sturdy, weathering any storm that evil can call down upon it. Remember always the words of Saint Oakhollow...

Priests of Jvelto, you are the most mirthful among us, and the quickest to laughter. There are those who would say this is a weakness, a sign that you lack discipline and do not take your duties seriously. I do not share these feelings, and would council those who do to abandon them at once, lest they bring shame to themselves and to the Church. As Jvard himself has written, there are times when joy and laughter are the only comfort given to us mortals in times of trouble. Though not a divine power, your ability to spread mirth among your brethren may be the greatest of the many gifts which you offer the Church. I charge you priests of Jvelto to remind us all of the special joys we share as priests. Do not less us take for granted the gifts the gods have given us; remind us always to celebrate our triumphs and share our sorrows together as friends and comrades. And, I trust, everyone here is counting upon you to keep we long-winded priests of Estereal from being too stuffy. Remember the words Jvelto himself once spoke to the One...

Disciples of Torodin, I am well aware that to the common man you are the least respected among us, and the most misunderstood. Do not, I beg you, allow this to make you bitter and distant. Your brothers and sisters in the Church rely upon your knowledge, your foresight, and your unique gifts of prophecy. In the past your predecessors have warned us of great evil, recovered lost knowledge, and interpreted the divine messages from the gods themselves. I charge you all to continue to serve the Church with the daring, inquisitiveness and perception for which your patron god is so justly famous. Always feel welcome to share with us your knowledge, and remember the oath of Saint Tonn...

Lastly I would speak to the paladins of the Church, you holy warriors of Estereal, Soltana, Arienh, Avidor, Natanael, Pholtos, Ranevskaya, Salome, Shilah, and Tritherion. We all know what the order of Paragons have suffered, and that your reputation among the king and the Hurvan people is uncertain, at best. But here in the Church you have a place of honor among us. I will tell you that I personally rejoice in each new paladin who joins the order, and sorrow over each noble warrior who is lost to us. Many of you know that my only son was a paladin, and the Paragons will always hold a special place in my heart. Remember, all of you, that the priests of the Church appreciate you as the secular world does not. I charge you to serve them well. Honor them, follow their guidance, and respect their authority. Protect the Church from harm, and always remember the paladin´s code. As Saint Enjolras himself once said, we fight not for ourselves, but for the greater good. In the light of history, our little lives mean nothing at all. But our deeds live on after us, and our souls will always belong not to the world of men, but to the gods. Courage and mercy are not strangers, they must...

And so, in closing, I bid you all remember my fond regard and admiration for each and every one of you. Spread word of this meeting to your brothers and sisters who could not join us today, and remember always that we are all one Church. May Estereal´s Light shine upon you all. May you live in Soltana´s mercy. May Jvelto´s laughter make you smile, and Wajen´s wisdom bring you inner peace. With Torodin´s blessing, may your dreams be sweet. Good night, my children, and may the gods go with you.