Kobold Cleric Rejected by Isiran Temple

The Cleric

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Dear Keiter,

We thank you for your interest in joining the Isiran clergy and taking the time to fill out the requisite forms in triplicate. Regretfully, we are unable to extend an offer to join the clergy in an official or wandering capacity. The idea of a kobold serving our goddess is, frankly, weird.

We've looked through our archives and found no reference to this miss Kettar you mentioned in your letter, though it did seem that some of the senior clergy knew her. Unfortunately, their recommendations were not sufficient to have your application approved, but rest assured that you-- like all seekers of pleasure-- are welcome to worship our Lady of Joy and you will be welcomed into Her embrace when the inevitable does come.

To answer the question you posed in your introductory letter, the temple of Isira does not offer a 'mail correspondence course' in clerical training or interspecies oral pleasure for your particular species. If you wanted to write such a manual, however, the temple would be willing to compensate you for it.

As a priest of our Lady of Joy, I applaud your efforts to become more than your race might normally allow but as a human being, I have to admit, I don't think any temple would allow you access to their priesthood. A kobold? Really?

I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

High Priest Colin Marshal
Temple of Isira, City of Starscale

* * * *

Tessarie had gone quiet over the last fifteen minutes as they slunk through the tight alleys of the merchant quarter. Barely ten words had slipped past her lips and every time Sarah turned to her, she shied away from her touch. Despite Sarah's best attempts, the girl-- young by elven standards, anyway-- didn't show her any of the warmth that had been in her eyes hours before.

Dragging her into this fiasco had probably put a damper on her feelings, but it was beginning to irritate Sarah. Finally she stopped the girl and placed her hands on her shoulders. They locked eyes and her brow furrowed warily. Sarah smiled. “I hate asking my patron for anything, but especially for His magic to help me when I can do it myself. . . I needed to buy us time.”

“Time for what? Where are we going, Sarah?”

“I have a friend in this quarter. A priest. . . I think we could use some divine inspiration, don't you?”

The girl's shoulders slumped. “What have you gotten me into?”

“Humorous story, really, I'll tell you about it when we get to the temple.”

“We should go to the. . . er. . . city defenders.”

“Guards?”

“Guards.”

“To do what, explain to them how I came across a dragon's gold? Certainly, not.”

The girl huffed and pouted. “With that silver tongue of yours, you could probably deceive them. That is what you enjoy doing, is it not?”

“A matter of necessity, my dear.” Sarah cupped her cheek gently. This time she didn't recoil, instead looking up to Sarah as though she had all the answers. She wanted to believe it too. “Much like your beauty, I believe the owner should be the arbiter of who hears-- or sees-- what they want said and seen. Seems only right, don't you think?”

The girl frowned and looked down at herself, pulled her cloak tighter around her slender frame and sighed.

“To you, I would never lie.” Sarah lied smoothly and kissed her forehead. “Come, we shouldn't tarry outdoors, lest your beauty catch the eye of more than just the alley cats.”

With another quiet huff of resignation, she fell in step beside Sarah, glancing around warily as though the shadows would jump out at them. In a few moments they were at the 'temple' Sarah had mentioned; a run down two story house on

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THE END