Chapter 8 – Part 18

The blessing ceremony was fairly straightforward, and Orphan found that the simplicity was beautiful, and he could tell that the rest of the compound was moved as well.

And it was the rest of the compound. Everyone who wasn’t actually standing guard on the walls came. Orphan had wondered several weeks ago if Delegado had been boasting about his father’s importance to House Tharashk. If anything, the half-orc bounty hunter had understated things.

The druid stated that he would not try to give a complete rendering of Bartemain’s life, that would have to wait for a ceremony in Yrlag. But he did say more than Delegado had ever had the inclination to tell. Not that the half-orc wasn’t proud of his father, far from it, but it hurt Delegado to talk about his father while his body was not ‘returned to nature,’ as the druid put it.

Regardless, what he heard painted an even broader picture of Bartemain. Adventurer, explorer, businessman, husband, father, grandfather, and general pillar of the United House.

And what he didn’t hear said more. No mention of Gatekeeper faith, Sovereigns, or any general druidic following. Orphan had gathered that Bartemain had been skeptical of religion, if not out rightly cynical.

Orphan found himself wondering if the torturers of Ashtakala had reinforced Bartemain’s religious skepticism or had made the man turn to some form of faith in the end.

Near the end of the eulogy the druid mentioned those who had avenged Bartemain. The whole assemblage had turned and bowed their heads in respect to Delegado and Orphan.

A single tear rolled down Delegado’s cheek at that point.

“Who can give affirmation that Bartemain was the best of our House?” asked the druid. He was a half-orc, and he made his voice boom across the compound.

The reply was thunderous, as orc, human, half-orc, and even gnoll, raised their fists in the air and howled with all they could summon in their lungs.