The castle of the Holy Camarian Empire's capital, Illander, was overwhelmingly bright, with white stone walls, columns, and vaulted ceilings. Adorning the ceiling of the main entry of the castle was a fresco depicting the banishment of our Lord, the Divine of Darkness and Undead, Nanqa. In the clouds of Alasse Cire, the other Divines gathered in council. Lord Reinn Anon, Divine of Light and Storms, held the left hand of his wife, the Divine of Love and Loyalty, Sila Vor. Together, they were the principal deities of the Holy Camarian Empire, and their alliance between Ellaern and humans was the foundation of the Camarian Empire's strength.
Eleven of the twelve other Divines attended the meeting, with the last, neither Lord nor Lady, He'ar Namin, Divine of Judgment and Wisdom, taking Lord Nanqa deep into the void of space. The mural depicted this event as a celebration of light over darkness, of wrongs righted. Yet the Divine of Compassion and Mercy, Lady Naik'lea, sobs openly into her hands.
I like to think that she cries for the injustice being done to our Lord.
It is the Reinnian Church that teaches Camarians this story. I would hate Royale, too, if this were the 'truth' that I was fed from infancy. But I did not feel pity or sadness for the enemy of my people. For they surely did not for me.
The hatred of the Camarians was a subtle thing in the northern court. Not so among the common people who were likely to throw rotting vegetables at you while you watched for a knife in your gut. No, in the castle, the courtiers had perfected silent disgust. They had pretty smiles behind their fluttering fans, brittle things that didn’t mean anything at all.
