Noblebright novels on hope in dark times

Capital Mountain contains more treasures outside its caves.

The priests' house, on the lower slopes of the Koretian side of the mountain, is open to all peaceful visitors. Northern mainlanders are asked to leave their weapons at the door. Here services of Koretian worship are conducted for visitors and for the permanent inhabitants of the priests' house, namely the priests and the orphan boys that the priests care for. Orphan girls worship on the side of the house dedicated to the work of the healing women. Only women and girls are permitted into that area of the house.

Northern mainlanders are advised that Koretian priests, otherwise bladeless, often wear sacrificial blades on their belts during service. It is best not to test priests' tempers by invading the healing women's space.

Mainland visitors are sometimes surprised to learn that different forms of worship take place at different times of the day at the priests' house. The reason for this is simple: Koretians worship, not one god, but seven gods and goddesses. (An eighth divinity worshipped in ancient times, the Song Spirit, is now worshipped only by the Daxions.) Koretians are deeply devout people who depend heavily on their priests for interactions with the gods.

This has proved to be a problem in the past. Nothing less than the direct intervention of one of the Koretians' gods, the Jackal, was able to bring an end to centuries of abuse of their power by the priests. Fortunately, all but a few priests now follow the wise guidance of the Jackal, who serves as Koretia's ruler and god-man.

The priests' house thus has a very mixed history, representing the best and worst that Koretia can be. For the best, you may wish to visit the small room that is dedicated to the Unknowable God, a higher overlord divinity who lies behind all the other gods and goddesses. This room was once inhabited by the Jackal, in his years before he took the throne.

A final word: Visitors often enquire as to the location of the older house that was used by priests in ancient times. This house is no longer in use and is privately inhabited. If you should stumble across it, I strongly suggest you not enter it. I have a tendency to react violently when startled.

[Translator's note: Both the priests' house and the older gods' house feature in Blood Vow.]