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Words? What is it he has done? Xoch’ sighs, wondering if he had made a mistake getting involved.

Xoch’ releases the man from the darkness and entanglements so as to get a good look at him.

Be still peddler, I do not wish you any harm. What is it you are doing here in town?

The man grumbles and tries to brush the dirt off his very soiled tunic. He is very clearly not a merchant but a cleric. He wears the talismans and claws of a priest of Zaltec.

"Inhospitable forsaken place! The way people treat a holy man is despicable! I see paladins among you. Do you still follow the gods? I came to this new town over the sands and through the undead armies to bring back these people into the fold of Zaltec, only to be allowed in by the reluctant mercy of a guard acting against his orders, but then I've been persecuted and threatened to be tossed out like a cursed Faerunian infiltrator! Do not listen to this vile talk of these merchants.

Help me get inside either of these two new churches. Perhaps they can offer sanctuary, since the common folk have turned their backs on the gods of old."

"Good sir. I am indeed a paladin of Kiltzi and this fine feathered warrior is a follower of Qotal. Allow me to help you up. We all have our allegiances to various gods."

The cleric looks over the Fox Knight's strange orange accented attire and symbols and simply nods. His face grows stern and his voice is quiet so as the merchants who stare do not hear him. "These people are under the false delusions propagated by these 'new' churches. We must get inside and see how where they stand in this undead civil war that throws this desert and all of Maztica into a cosmological spitting match." He places a hand on Duke's tattooed Quetzalcoatl on his shoulder and looks to Xoch'. To the both he whispers, "May Qotal lead these refugee townsmen from Nexal into the light where Zaltec of Nexal could not. They hide their church sanctuaries behind tests of faith. Help me get inside."

"Well Kon, you seem to be the hero of this town. It appears heroes do not get any rest. Which church would you dare knock at the door of? There was the round clay church with bright colors and the dark wood church with the tall spires?"

Don't know if it matters. Most churches are about the same, just coming from different angles. I guess we can start with the round colorful one and see what they're about. Lead the way Cleric.

"My friend, I believe you will find these churches here in Turka to be a bit different than you are used to. But perhaps you are right, that it boils down to finding meaning in life.

I'll lead you to the Church of Uhti in the clay building first. She is said to be fair and kind. The priestess there is thought to be young and beautiful. People go to her for protection, love and justice. I do not believe it is all true.

Come!"

The vagabond cleric leads the unusually quiet party through the dusky streets of this thrown together, new town. In a clearing on the southern half of the town is a round clay building. Torches light up the plaza where flowers have been arranged. The colors of the lime washes on the clay compliment the flowers and give a sense of peace before the massive and solid looking building. The townsfolk must have labored hard to fashion such a structure while their own homes and palisades are rough hewn timber bought from the forests of Baya beyond these hills. This church seems to rise out of the ground.

An open archway in the round walls leads to a masonry ringed bonfire surrounded by a cloistered and arched walkway around the courtyard, lit with more torches. There does not appear to be a door or arch that leads anyway else, though you would think that the church as seen from outside is much bigger than this courtyard. Only urns of water and ricks of firewood adorn this court. Soft music echoes in the clay plastered walls and arches around the courtyard, though there are no minstrels or sirens to be seen.

"Here we are and this is as far as I have gotten. I have seen worshipers enter and exit here, but never have I seen naught of how they come or go."

Xoch' is trying to make sense of the puzzling man. This city was decidedly odd, and the merchants who had accosted the man accused him of no crime. So Xoch' was willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt for now. And what about that mage and his threats?

I don't believe we've heard your name. I am Xoch'. I see no problem escorting you inside, but there you will tell us your story.

Looking perplexed at being doubted in this way, he replies to Xoch' curtly, "As a following of Qotal, as I see that you are, I trust that you trust in the god's will? If you need further explanation, I promise you that. My name is Anax, Priest of Zaltec. I came from Nexal where these refugees have fled from. I do not wish to see them run from Zaltec himself. They have formed these churches to satisfy some need to rebel against the old gods. They hoard artifacts and magic items stolen from the temples meant to protect Maztica and their motives here are suspect. We all must hold guard against these new religions that threaten the safety of the True People. Yes?

How might we enter this church?"

Okay, now I'm seeing more clearly. You're a Zaltec priest. These folks fled the lands controlled by Zaltec priests. They fled from the tyranny of Zaltec. We have dealt with Uhti and are on good terms. I'm not helping you any further with anything until you explain what your motives are.

I cross my arms and stare the Cleric down.

"Look man of the mountain, look around you. Is this not your home? Is this not the House of Tesca that welcomed your race to Maztica after your exodus through the under deep? Where is your kingdom now? That's right. Covered with the wood magic of the green folk who have helped build this town in your kingdom. These are the churches by up starts like The Dusk and Uhti. And what have they brought your kingdom? Do you not wear the armor of a guard of your kingdom. How are you to guard against these undead enemies that writhe in the desert now? Do you not know that the Churches are involved? I put to you sir. You may want inside these churches' secrets more than I! "

"Kon, is this true? Is this your land? Then you have traveled a full circle on this adventure with Uhti. From our first dealings with her as a possessing spirit and a young girl at the fountain needing rescue from vampire, here we are, in a church built for her.

I do believe I remember Huatzi tell me that near this spot you began your adventure to us with a lunch break next to a pretty girl with white feathers in her hair who asked you what kind of hero you were."

Not waiting for an answer from my slow to speak friend with crossed arms, I concentrate on my own prayer. I sense the place and the occupants, and yet nothing seems evil to me. There is a goodness and sweetness to the place, and yet its entry remains hidden from me.

"Help me out here Xoch'. What strange magic is at work here?"

i unfold my arms and slowly walk to within a couple of feet of the priest.

Yes, Duke, this is my homeland. This is also where these refugees fled to from Nexal, fleeing the tyranny of Zaltec. They were tired of living in fear of a god that demanded the hearts of sacrificed innocent lives. Speaking of which, how many sacrifices have you performed, priest, for your god?
These people haven't turned on the old gods, just those like Zaltec. My God is Plutoq, a friend of Uhti, whom we have dealt with on several occasions. She has been a friend to us. I know nothing of these Dusk folk you speak of in the other church, but we have no problems with Uhti.
I definitely want to speak with the priest here and the other church to find out what is going on in my homeland, but I simply don't trust you. You claim these churches are involved with the undead that haunt these desert lands, then you should have some proof to show us...and don't tell me we'll find the proof inside. We will gain entrance to the church without sneaking around and find out what we can, but if these folk don't want you inside, and I can't blame them, I won't be a part of helping you sneak in.

I walk away from the Zaltec priest and confer with my friends.

Well, Kitty or Duke, can you call on Uhti to see about us talking to someone here?

The Zaltec priest spoke reassuringly, it would be easy to believe he had innocent intentions. But Xoch’ had fought alongside Kon and had quickly grown to trust him. In the end, there wasn’t really a decision to be made.

Drawing closer to his companions but keeping a close eye on Anax, "Kon, do you believe this man means harm to these people?

I gather around my friends to confer, keeping a watchful eye on the priest.

"Fellows, I concur. With my paladin abilities, I sense that this church is good and our dealings with Uhti have, at least on the most basic level, been fair. We have even allowed a Red Prophet to proceed on the Nexal Road and establish a church to Uhti in our own town of Quezalici, or as you call it Kon, New Dawn. We have ties to this church that we cannot deny. I have no grudge against it and do not intend to break in as the priest wants.

He has no proof of his allegations or he would have used them to convince us. And too true, I have long had a grudge against Zaltec, and we all have had bad dealings with him. Still, he speaks of the old gods as saviors to Maztica, and indeed, they have been. If only they would stop bickering and sending their priests out against each other, or I'll encourage Stormslayer to fulfill his prophesy to take all the gods down.

That leaves us in a quandary as to what to do. Kitty does not seem to be feeling well from the canoe ride, perhaps because of the burden she bears, and I have no connection with Uhti personally. I do have a god gyph talisman to Uhti of pure jade that I came from a Tabaxi slaying a Nexal courtier bound for the One Tree. It looks similar to your Qotal talisman that you wear as a cloak clasp, Xoch'. Uhti's glyph had been useful dispelling magic on the sea god Azul's black coral ship, but of what use it has here, I cannot fathom. It is late and there are no townsmen about on the streets to ask. Perhaps our friend the 'bishop' can help, but I do not know where to find Imsh. We are new to this town and know not the ways.

I am disturbed by the mage's words tonight, but know not where to even seek the Cave of Echoes to meet a 2am prophesized meeting.

If we cannot discern the entrance to this church, what of the other church? The vampire, Elena Lampbright, mentioned the Church of Dusk in her diplomatic message she sent to the Mummy King. Now, here it is again, though I know of no mention of this church in any of temple training. These appear both to be very new churches.

We came here to find the three hooded mages and deliver their evil shard back to them, but our real goal is to right the Pyramid of the Gods and find in it the map we seek, a map that Elena has hidden, a map to the First Man's temple in Far Payit. We are charged by both Uhti and by Guen, the High Priestess of Zaltec, to recover the Chalice of the Gods to end all this suffering. We seem to be no where near our goals and know not how to achieve them. This civil war of undead burns the desert, and this religious war seems to fan the flames"