The rain started to patter down onto the deck as the ship slowly drifted into port. The smell of the damp, foggy air mixed with that of the sea to create a damp, salty scent.

But even through the fog, Dyo could tell that Uribhafen was much more like Pygus than Zúriš. A grand city with large stone buildings, spires reaching to the sky and a port filled with cranes, cargo, and activity. It didn’t smell as bad as Zúriš too, though it did smell fishier. Almost certainly a result of the masses of fishing boats trawling around the sea and river that the city sat beside.

They’d decided to take this short hop by boat rather than land. Mostly to save themselves the walking, but also to avoid any potential bandits along the road. The Kingdom of Crajek was having trouble securing the roads according to the tavern talk, so Ercole saw fit to pay for the little sea voyage. Apparently, he’d get some money at a “Bank” or whatever he called it, to cover the cost.

Hopefully, they wouldn’t be questioned too deeply when they docked.

But as they drew closer, the full detail of the city came into view.

Bridges crisscrossed between the islands nearby to the shore. On them buildings ran alongside their edges, turning them into full streets with shops and homes. Some of them were even directly hauling up goods from barges sitting beside the bridge, using cranes and hatches built into their property.

The islands themselves were coved with docks, berths, and warehouses along their coasts, sprouting out like stone tendrils into the water. With their interiors filled with merchant houses and workshops. All these inner port islands surrounded one central one, upon which sat the grandiose city palace.

But, towering above that and the clock towers was the white cathedral. It sat on the part of the city on the mainland, completely dominating that district with its spires and bell tower. It’s gothic style making it look almost castle-like. But with the rain and fog, it was enhanced into something a little more… Intimidating.

It probably didn’t help that most of the people in there would hate his mere existence.

He felt Hreysti’s cold hand on his shoulder.

“Is your hood secured?”

“The best it can be. Hopefully, they don’t ask us to pull them up.”

Hreysti nodded, “Hopefully.”

“Is Ercole coming off with us or is he going to be dealing with his horse.”

“Dealing with his horse… It’s just the four of us who will have to talk to whatever guards they have there.”

“Do you want me to take the lead in that?”

“Please.”

Dyo let out a short, single laugh.

The ship’s bell rang as the ship was moored, tying it up to the harbour with the gangway dropped.

Shani had dressed herself up in partial armour, wearing all the padded parts with her shield and spear out. Playing the part of a noble’s guard. Agrippa on the other hand had turned themselves into a blond-haired, light-skinned man, seemingly to fit in as one of Ercole’s retainers.

But they now had to deal with the inspection officers walking up the peer. One was a well-dressed magistrate, whose wide-brimmed hat was not helping him enough in the weather. The other two were clearly guards, rain plinking off of their kettle helms and soaking their blue tabards. Dyo couldn’t see their expressions from the boat, but from their slightly shaking bodies, he could tell they wanted to get this over with.

He swallowed, breathed in, and walked off the boat with the rest in toe.

“You, come here, are you travellers?” The magistrate called over.

Dyo turned, trying to keep his face calm, “Yes, we’re retainers of lord Ercole de Astoria of Gaulik, what is it?”

The magistrate let out a heavy sigh, like he’d dealt with this sort of situation too many times in one life, “Right, and where is he?”

Dyo pointed up to him, standing on the deck of the boat in a richly decorated heavy cloak, “He’s ensuring they offload his horse correctly.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“I suppose you’re speaking for him then?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, do you have to declare anything?”

Dyo paused, “I don’t think we have anything to declare. We have our belongings, supplies and our master’s horse.”

“Nothing then…” He lifted a cover on a clay tablet he was carrying, scratching a few notes down, “And upon new orders of the church, what religions do you all follow?”

Dyo’s heart nearly stopped before he recomposed himself, furrowing his brow, “Why do you need to ask that?”

The magistrate sighed again, “It is not your business to ask, please answer it. It is a new requirement, but it must be fulfilled.”

“We’re all Cathos sect members.” He blurted out.

The magistrate nodded, taking it, “And where are you and your master coming from?”

“We’re on a tour of the sea, we boarded this boat at Zúriš.”

“Right, I’ll have to talk to your master when he finishes but you can move along now.”

“Thank you, magistrate.”

He didn’t need anything else to get moving, quickly walking past the three as they walked onto the ship. Leaving Dyo and co to find shelter in a covered walkway near to the docks.

“I thought Ercole said these Inquisition people were gone…” Hreysti muttered, almost ready to spit on the floor.

Dyo shuffled his feet, “they might still be…”

“And why would they be asking us about our religion on “new orders of the church” then!?”

“I have no clue how the church works! It doesn’t-“ He stopped swallowing and lowering his voice as he switched to Emoran, “Seem to be how the cults work in Emor!”

Hreysti’s eyes flared slightly as he spoke in Neuhderlandan, “And we should not so openly question it. All we need to know is that this isn’t what I or any of us signed up for!”

“And we are not here for politics.” Shani finished.

“But still! Isn’t this dangerous!?” Agrippa asked, their blue eyes flicking around, “From what he said, they don’t sound good at all. I know we’ve faced bandits, but a church!?”

“Force is no use.” Shani stated simply, “We need to keep our heads down.”

“But we need to go out and we don’t know if they’re back!” Dyo said, “It could be some overzealous, uh- Priests?”

“Don’t look at me.” Hreysti huffed, giving a quick shrug, “I don’t know what the church structure is like.”

“Do we need to… Investigate maybe? Figure out how fast we need to get out?”

“And if they have magic sniffers? I don’t think they’ll let us go away without asking a few questions.”

Dyo rubbed his face, thinking for a moment until his eyes landed on Shani.

She sniffed, “I guess I will have to look. Lovely…”

“You just need to go in front of us to look out for anyone who looks magical.”

She let out a coarse laugh, “And how do I know what that looks like?”

“I-“

“What’s going on here?”

Ercole moved up to the group, his horse looking a little queasy but alright. All the packs and such already ladened onto it.

“Did they ask you about your religion?” Dyo asked.

Ercole nodded, “They did, are you thinking about the Inquisition?”

“Could they have come back?”

“I doubt it… At least they won’t have come back in any meaningful way considering how the last one ended. People are about as trusting of the higher-ups of the Cathos church as a sly lord.”

“It still doesn’t sit right that they’d ask though…” Hreysti muttered.

“That is something to think about later, right now, we have an inn to hire a room in, come on.”

----------------------------------------

The streets of the city were still bustling in the miserable weather. Carts travelling back and forth along the wide central streets, merchants walking to meetings, and everyday people buying what they needed. Shops and warehouses seemed to line every street, interrupted by the occasional guild hall, taproom or townhouse, making the air feel even more lively. The sounds of rain mixing with hooves, shoes, shouting foremen and laughing patrons.

But amongst them all was a large inn, sitting between a warehouse and a pitch merchant’s guild. Popping outwards with its covered entrance created by the second floor’s overhang. On it hung a sign depicting a barrel ladened ship spilling wine into the sea.

Then inside, inside it wasn’t quite as grand as the inn he had gone into in Pygus but it felt more- Homely.

It wasn’t a very large space, with a low, timber beam reinforced ceiling. A fire burned softly in a large stone fireplace by the left of the room, illuminating the space with its glow. It’s crackling mixing with the patrons’ chatter and laughs.

As Dyo, Hreysti and Agrippa sat down, he couldn’t help but overhear the conversation from the nearby table.

Two merchants sat at a small oak table, one in green, one in red. Both talking in Crajek.

“Did you go into the cathedral yesterday?” The green one asked.

The red one looked up from his beer, “No, I was dealing with the guild, remember? I prayed at the chapel next it.”

“Right, well, you know how the gate guard asked us about our religion when we entered the gate?”

The red merchant solemnly nodded, “Aye, what about it? Please don’t tell me you think it’s a new inquisition like all those nuts seem to be saying.”

The green one groaned, “They aren’t nuts! I saw this black-haired man walk up to the altar in all white and gold vestments and a cane coated with bits of scripture! He then started to give a sermon about spiritual corruption and the evils of heresy! If he isn’t an inquisitor, I don’t know who is.”

“Did he do anything else?”

“Yeah, he went around asking for donations to his “holy cause” that’s apparently been approved by the church’s legates. That and he told us to report any pagans that might be roaming around,” He laughed, “I doubt that’ll happen, it’ll be bad for business if people stopped trading with the Emorans and Cudeshians. Give their traders too much leverage.”

The green merchant nodded, “Aye, aye… Hopefully, they don’t pull some sort of decree out like last time to force everyone to. It’ll give them too much power over the other kingdoms around here...”

Dyo turned around from the two and looked at Hreysti, his eyes firm. His heart slowly growing heavier as he willed the words from his mouth.

“I think- I think you might have been right friend.”