Church falls on hard times

[Rias]

The church on the south side of Shadgard has fallen on hard times recently, it seems. As many know, there were recent requests by local church officials for any information regarding a break-in at their administrative office. In addition to that, however, has been a general murmur among citizens that what was once a place of peace and sanctuary is simply no longer safe.

"I go there to enjoy the peace and to take some time to reflect," one citizen stated. "It was unique in that I could go there and forget about the worries of the world for a while. Imagine my dismay when I got ready to leave and realized my riln had been stolen during my stay."

There are more reports of theft within the church lately, but perhaps more disturbing is the report of an anonymous acolyte that helps tend to the dead and keeps watch for those whose souls might still linger to be coaxed back: "I was watching as one of the elders was performing a Soul Beacon, and then - well, this other man seemed to be getting too close to the elder who was distracted by the process of returning a dead man to life. The shady man moved away a moment later, but my hunch is that he was checking the elder's pockets for riln."

Sharinas Doran, who trains and administrates the local Knights Templar, has shared her struggles on the matter. "The Church should be a place where people can go to feel safe. They shouldn't have to watch their backs and worry about things like pickpockets," she said. "The problem is that if we tighten security by, say, posting guards - well, being in the presence of several armed watchers doesn't exactly foster a sense of peace, does it? Subtlety has never been my strong suit, but we're continuing to look into solutions."

Let us hope solutions can be found soon, for the church's chapel and halls are looking more and more empty these days.