Posted by the Church of Valos

---

---

Brothers and Sisters of the Light and Citizens of Kormyre,

It is with a great sadness that we, the College of Cardinals, must announce the passing of Pontiff Alexander  IX.  In an hour of need for our Church, he gave his life to protect those of us in harm’s way.  He will be honored as per his wishes and a conclave will be called to select his replacement.    There have been events in motion for the past two years of great importance to the Church.  Though much of what has happened will remain a matter for the Church, we have unanimously chosen to share some of those with you all.

Nearly two years ago now, those who seek to preserve all knowledge in the realm had come to the aide of our Church, though we dismissed them time and again.  An ancient artifact of our Church, long lost to us, was discovered to be hidden away in an old Brazen city on the edge of the Rift.  Citizens of Travance, both clergy and commoner alike, took up arms to rescue this artifact before it could fall into the hands of a Dothmorian Noble.  They had succeeded in their task and what was recovered was returned to the Church.  The recovered pages were returned along with a stark warning for our Church, a warning which had reached us repeatedly from these knowledge seekers.  In our own hubris, we once again did not heed their words.

These warnings were of a corruption within our own hallowed halls.  Alas, the artifact and the warning itself reached the very hands of enemy within our midst, Cardinal Holdestaff.  This creature of the dark in disguise used our own Church forces to locate, capture and ultimately sentence to death those knowledge seekers whom had placed themselves in harm’s way protecting Valosian true lore and history.  To these scribes of the Chronicle and their families, we humbly beg your forgiveness.  Those who were wrongly sentenced to death as enemies of the Church were in fact following the wishes of one of our own Angels of Valos entrusted to protect our history.  This same Angel gave up his existence battling against a Dothmorian foe with no hope of victory.  Our Angel and those who lost their lives in his service will be honored in the halls of Loez.

Citizens and Clergy, the story does not end here with the Angel.  One the same eve our Pontiff gave his life for us, Cardinal Haigan, Grand Inquisitor Versinious  and the Light Clergy from many faiths in Travance found their way to confront Cardinal Holdestaff.  Amongst them were the wrongfully accused Tellinghast family clergy led by The Brilliant Hammer's Lord Knight Templar Aradiel Tellinghast and Brother Knight Templar Sabatheous Tellinghast, still fighting against enemies of the Church even while they too had been wrongly declared heretics.  They were joined by yet more followers of the Chronicle seeking to aide the Church of Valos, though we had not proven ourselves worthy of such conviction.  The combined forces were able to unmask and cast out this interloper.  In fulfillment of prophesy, the hand of a Chronicler was able to salvage our lore from the ashes, once again returning it to the hands of the Church.  This man is known as Father Osred in the lands of Travance.  He and his comrades have the thanks of the Church in this matter and their perseverance in protecting our lores will not be forgotten.

Whilst we wait to hear from our courageous followers in the Crusade, Church law dictates that we hold the High Pontiff’s rites as they have been held since the earliest days of the Church.  For three days hence, all permanent altar’s to Valos will glow brightly and allow any baptized to the light to journey on angel’s wings to Alieander in Loez.  The Pontiff’s remains will be open to all who wish to pay their respects.  It is the duty of all Valosians to make this known to those unable to read or living in their lands who may not see this notice in time.

May all your church doors remain open and let the light of Valos shine upon you.