Alan was tired and exhausted even his travels with Beatrice were a good distraction but resuming work left him mind blown. His stupid heart to do good and his dreams lately of Ezra resumed the inky black nightmare that prophetically bothered him left Alan sleepless some days. It was as if again Ezra called out to him to do what is right and help her people even though most of them were jerks and stuck up their ways. But being an outlander from faerun and the "Black Sheep of Ezra" gets old. As he assured Evelyn Aigrette the Fourth Sect member he would help as long as she was smart of things. Given his status he could blend in places where the other clergy and layman's could not. Alan was well traveled and well verse in acquiring knowledge. Thankfully when you have a friend whose an archmage, a historian, and a bard who ironically are all women it helps to find answers.
The latest tome he borrowed from the Dementlieuse historian was incerpts and foot notes of Hazlan which he read shared similarities to the Banite Cult in Faerun. Furthering his knowledge of the Banites was gruesome to some extent. He heard stories, hearth tales, and even down right warnings in his Ranger days given how close the Field of the Dead were to the Cloak Wood and that it was a days travel across pass Soubar's East side to Brunar Hill where the Citadel of the Banites in his home lived. A threat so close yet the only thing that kept them in check was Elturel the City of Holy Nights whose battle with them were equally gruesome. A light smirk at the stupidity of paladins and how their indirect actions made the Field of the Dead. Head desking there was just to much information on Hazlan and these Lawgivers
To notate Hazlan was a place temporal average forests and plains with some hillsides but the economy accepts slavery and debts. Those weak unable to perform their obligations or pay their dues were often sold to slavery. Parents even selling their children to labor to pay off their family dues which made Alan a bit repulse. But, unlike the Banites they were an established society not a pocket town or cult they were a governing body. It was if Banites evolved to an actual society and had won. It was a rather grizzly trip to visit all those laborers working hard for really nothing but faith and empty promises. Alan's bad luck with women had him meet some lawgiver female a guard/slave owner who happen to be on the road traveling her slaves delivering goods to a nearby town. Ironically strange mosquito bipedal creatures Alan had never seen before came out from the woods attacking. All she did was whip her slaves to fight who barely had any strength to do so and were being slaughtered. Stupidly Alan opened fired with his rifle not knowing what the hell those things were and had only arrows worth for werewolves.
Alarmed the lawgiver woman showed moment of fright before realizing he was killing the monsters whipping some into submission and with a lot of joy to their suffering. Out of her salves of eight only two survived. Seeing the deed done and examining and researching the creatures she looked upon Alan with an uncomfortable smirk like a wolf having seen a rabbit fight and thought it was wounded enough to claim herself. No sooner did she try to crack that whip did Alan slap her and grumbled telling her he was not a man to be made a slave and no force would keep him imprisoned. That born of the wild was free to be wild and to tame him would be earning his heart some stupid romanticism that failed on her but. The gesture was awkwardly taken both ways she was offended some man striuck her a layman of the lawgiver which was an offense but the fact he showed such strength and resourcefulness made him a highly sought prize especially as a foreigner and outlander.
That day Alan had to ask Ezra why was he so bad with women? She fawned over his arm as he made shift a Drag from branches and the hides of the fallen creatures which she was even more proud she got to sport the fallen creatures as a prize to do her bidding in death. Warwick was none to happy Alan used him as a pack dragging animal his constant huffing and growling at the slaves and her was obvious. This only further to impress her that I could tame such wild great beasts and offered to honor me at the city upcoming. Passing some of the working camps Alan felt it be like walking into the crypt burial chamber of an Elder Vampire with just a torch and a pistol. It would take time for him to build courage to enter their city he needed to build contacts, resources, maybe find a resistant group if it even existed.
The woman was hopefully whimsical to talk proudly of the Lawgiver faith and showed signs of youth and being raised in such a faith as a child. Aigrette's desire for freedom of this place would be hard fought as it was engrained into their culture. Later when he had shared water with her she entered the city hoping he would come in but he explained he was a man of the woods and city hold no favor for him. Her eyes were tempting him to things and frankly he knew that involved rope, a whip, and worst things. Alan wasn't having any of that nonsense and he be hard press leaving a city filled with Lawgivers if she took offense. When she was far away to be seen he left quickly using his long strider blessing and made his way to vistani. This gave him time to catch up on what he did know of Banites and maybe what their plan was. Visiting Hazlan it was obvious with so much work camps and projects maybe they needed fresher slaves or resources perhaps it was a bad season for them for agriculture. It was still to be determined what purpose Hazlanians were in Vallaki let alone why the Banites were helping.
It was clear Banites and Lawgivers were similar but like the Dawn and the Latharians they to shared similarities but were different. Maybe unlike the Dawn Lawgivers accepted their lost cousins of Bane and welcomed them to their so call paradise. The though churned Alan's stomach as it was like a mass murderers find other mass murders saying. "You like killing! I love killing!" Uhh the fact banites could be supported by a nation was overwhelming it caused him to breathe shakily reminding him when he discovered of the Necromancer controlling the Headless Horseman or when he discovered the truth of Countess Lyssa. But he was a different man than that youth lost in the mist. Innocent lives were dependent on his knowledge. He was a slayer of the night not a Templar he didn't fight men and women on crusades he fought monsters. People can change or so he hoped even so it reminded him of the facts surrounding Gwen he elarned and the fact Merrum refered to have protection from the Black Hand. Knowledgeable exchange wouldn't hurt for a fair echange especially like a merchant like Merrum also stalking the Banites would be a problem if it were true Gwen was one of them her sneaking skills rivaled his own the only difference is Alan was prepared for such fights she was too. He wished she didn't go this route that maybe were he a bit firmer he could have lead her away from such a life.
Bane's tyranny is legendary as is his servants in Faerun any child at youth knows if you are bad and allow hate in your heart the Banites would sweep you away so you can learn true fear. Their clergy and people were petty dictators willing to step upon the weak and the helpless to form their goals seeing them as means of not being strong enough to ascertain to their precious gift of life. Like their god they only wish to to be feared and respect through tyranny. Banites served no one but Bane causing strife among their clergy and people. This much Alan knew its why Faerun enver really feared them less their Leader in Zhentil Keep decided to become aware of the waining populace fear and drive such home. It was clear if Ezra decided to strike down Bane the laymen and clergy would die. The though sicken Alan he did not consider the eZrites to be weak but they were naïve to a worldly sense of truth about their own land and others. Its what made him an outcast maybe this was Ezra plan for him to be the thing Ezrites truly cannot and see the world as it is. The more he listen of Bane and his dogma from his resources and friends the more Alan rubbed his neck. "Those who cross Bane meet their doom sooner than those who worship other dieties he disfavors."
Alan looked up at the ceiling of his room in Vallaki and just cursed.