“The trolls had been there first, their histories say, and had many temples, including a couple of the originals that hosted their gods when they came to visit in their corporeal forms. That was more common in past millennia.”
“Where were those original temples?” Rylana asked.
“Supposedly, one was on the west bank of Luminous Lake.” Valesena gave her a knowing look. “With the help of their wizards, the gnomes started their plan to take the land and prompt others to live in peace. But magic wasn’t enough. After all, trolls, orcs, and ogres have theirownmagic. Thus it took the gnomes employing not only raw power and sleight of hand but a scheme. I’ve heard that the elves in the area, preferring order and peace to chaos and war, may have helped them. This began before even my mother’s time. The scheme took decades—maybe even generations—to fully unravel, the seeds being planted and only slowly over time growing to maturity.”
“The gnomes made up the new god,” Rylana guessed, Vormalt having already said as much.
Valesena nodded. “They made him up and also all the rules and laws and the Book of Faith that went with him, establishing, among other things, Tranquility and the new-god temples that were built, the basis of a religion. It proclaimed the lake a holy body of water, sacred to all who wished to live near and be blessed by the new god. Since it had been some time since the old godshad walked the world, the gnomes felt they could create their deity without divine repercussions. It wasn’t as if they were claiming the old gods had ceased to exist, only that another had arrived, one who proclaimed gnomes to be the peacekeepers. At the time, they were the only intelligent species who didn’t regularly fight with others, so they did not have enemies that protested overmuch. Even as they seeded the notion of the new god, one who offered benevolence to all who wished to live in his tranquil city, the gnomes perfected their machines and magic and learned to make golems to help them enforce the peace they longed for. Now, centuries later, it is difficult for the short-lived species, in particular, to imagine a time when Tranquility and the new god did not exist.”
“And the elves stood back and watched it all happen? Or you said they might have helped?”
Valesena smiled faintly. “Not many of our people lived in the area then. Those who did weren’t fooled by the scheme, but they also weren’t against the intent. They’d seen the gnomes enslaved and didn’t blame them for wanting to change their lots in the world. As I suggested, they may even have helped perpetrate the illusion, if not with magical assistance then by agreeing that they’d seen hints of the new god’s presence in the world.”
“They thought Tranquility was a good idea?”
“It brought peace to the area and allowed something that had never happened before to happen. The intelligent species learned to get along, at least those who wanted to live in this area. Since my people found that agreeable, they kept the gnomes’ secret. I do not think they believed that the religion of the new god would spread beyond the city’s borders and that many intelligent beings would start following him. Some even forgot their own gods since the new one seemed to offer protection and prosperity. The elves have not forgottentheirgods, but I think even many of my own people don’t know that the new god started as a ruse. Per therequests of the gnomes, our elders have not recorded that in our history books or taught it to our young. It didn’t hurt that the gnomes granted our people this large and beautiful enclave within Tranquility’s protected borders.”
“Was it granted without strings or was it a bribe?” Rylana wondered.
Valesena chuckled. “Since I was not here, I do not know the details. A little of both, perhaps. But, as far as law enforcers and governors go, the gnomes have proven more agreeable than most. There aren’t many of their kind who’ve taken advantage of the system to amass great fortunes and power. Those families whodohave fortunes largely earned them in a fair manner after the foundation of the prospering city of peace was laid. Entrepreneurial families from other species have also created fortunes by basing their businesses here.” Valesena extended a hand toward Rylana.
Since Layothlee hadn’t introduced her by surname—had she even given Rylana’sfirstname?—it was discomfiting how much the elder knew about her.
“I will point out,” Valesena continued, “that if you suggest to a gnome—even a gnomish priest of the new god—that their religion was made up and that no such deity ever appeared in the world, they’ll call you blasphemous if not believe you delusional and daft. Enough time has passed, with their young being raised to believe in their new god, that most do.”
“So… if someone were to come out with evidence, or irrefutable proof, that the new god doesn’t exist and never did exist…” Rylana wondered what kind of evidence Vormalt might have scrounged up. It was a lot easier to prove that somethingdidexist than that it did not. Maybe that was why it had taken him all this time—seventeen years and more?—to be ready to unleash his plot to curse the city and blackmail the gnome leaders.
“It is hard to say how people would react,” Valesena said. “Whatever god you follow, much of religion is founded in faithand culture rather than something proven by scientific evidence. It’s possible nobody would believe yoursomeone, regardless of what proof they conjured up. But it’s also possible that the suggestion that the foundation of the city and the establishment of the new god was a hoaxcouldstir up some unrest. Is that what yoursomeonewishes to do?”
“It may be what he’s threatening to do—orwillthreaten to do. I don’t know if he’s visited the mayor or any other influential gnomes yet. He may be giving the curse time to settle in and really disrupt things.”
“Perhaps you can dissuade him from his course of action.”
“He’s not that interested in talking to me. But if I can figure out how to make the curse go away, he wouldn’t have anything to blackmail people with, right?”
Valesena turned her palm toward the branches overhead. “If he has evidence of the past, that information alone could be enough to make the gnome leadership feel threatened. I suspect those who run the city have some inkling of the truth.”
Rylana prodded a moss-covered root with her toe while she thought. “He must have felt he needed something for his blackmail to work. Maybe hedoesn’thave any proof of the past. But he figured the curse would make people start to question if the new god really is watching over Tranquility.”
“Perhaps that is so. But the troll gods were ever fickle and sometimes cruel, even to their own worshippers. To deliberately rouse them after so many centuries is not wise. Busy elsewhere, or dozing in divine slumber, they may not have realized that some of their own kind started following the new god and stopped leaving them regular offerings.” Valesena’s white brows rose. “Until now.”
Rylana blew out a slow breath. “I wouldn’t accuse Vormalt of an overabundance of wisdom.”
“Then you may have to be the one to appease the troll gods.”
“I’m just a bookkeeper.”
“There are times when we must all rise up to become more than we have been.”
“Have you been more than the leader of a traveling troupe?”
Valesena smiled slightly. “From time to time.” Using her staff, she levered herself to her feet. “I must return to training the young. Soon, they will perform for the discerning audiences of Tranquility, and they must practice most assiduously in case the curse remains and there is trouble. But I shall hope you find a way to lift it.”
Rylana also stood up. “Any idea on how I might do that? I know for a fact that straightening a tipped-over troll-god idol isn’t enough.”
“Your dragon ally has the right idea, I believe.” Valesena waved in the direction of the road.
At some point, Jildarin had escaped the horde of elders and stood in view, leaning against a tree and waiting for Rylana to finish. Since nobody had introduced Jildarin to Valesena, Rylana was surprised the elder had any notion of hisideas, but Rylana had already observed that the magic inherent within Valesena seemed to give her the power to know more than she should.
