Swamped

Well. You might as well get to the big question.

"You're in charge of the Bogknights. You know what in the hells is in our fortress that's such a big deal. I don't expect you to answer that, but I do want to know what it has to do with the call of the swamp."

Long is silent for a good long while. You figured this would be a tough one.

Finally, he speaks up.

"Do you know why Reth's primary temple is all the way out in the desert?"

"Uh, not really."

"Reth is the goddess of life, and yet the desert is one of the harshest places in the known world. In the swamp, for all its dangers to us, life thrives; even after the rains, the plants are still growing everywhere. But in the desert, for the most part, life is an anomaly; what few creatures live there have to adapt to the heat and lack of water. So why is there a temple to the goddess of life in a land of death?"

You think about that for a bit.

"Is it something about how even in the face of such hostility, life finds a way to thrive?" you guess.

"Perhaps that's part of it. But step back from the thematics. Who built the temple?"

"Greblings?" you guess. "They make a big deal of her."

"Greblings and humans, actually. Though the human component tends to be downplayed in some quarters these days, it's true. So ignore, for the moment, the fact that it's a temple. Why would someone build it out there?"

"To keep something in it away from civilization," you say, barely thinking about it. "Maybe it's people, maybe it's treasure, maybe it's a weapon. But that's the first thing that comes to mind." You pause for a moment. "Not sure how that fits with a temple, though. Unless the thing they're hiding away has to do with their goddess."

You think on how that could relate to your question. But you don't see how, other than one weird possibility.

"Are you saying that whatever they're hiding out there, we're hiding something like it for some other god?"

Long doesn't respond. He probably figures he can't say any more, whether you're right or wrong.

Before you have time to reflect on that idea, though, the door opens and the priest comes back.

"Found it! Sorry I took so long." He glances around. "Other fellow still isn't back?"

"No," you say. "I should probably go look for him."

"I'd still appreciate it if you brought my own staff," Long says, standing up slowly. "This one's passable, but it's shorter than I'd like."

"I'll keep an eye out for it."

The priest leads Long away. Just as he steps out the door, though, he turns back to you.

"I think the fellow you're looking for is in that direction," he says, pointing. "But I could be wrong. I'm a little new to this."

Well. You guess you'd better go see what's keeping Ash. Though, you're not sure if you're properly prepared if it winds up being trouble.