Leave the Cathedral

Letter be damned, you're going to find the Archdeacon, one way or another. Even if you can't bring him back, you at least have to try, and if he's been killed by his captors, there will be an almighty reckoning against those who wronged him, and you. This is something you feel confident in, much more so than being a leader. You're not ready to be charge of anybody, let alone the entire church and its congregation. The most you've done is care for the orphans in the Cathedral, providing them with what education you can before they are adopted, and that doesn't really set you up well with what Doolyn is asking you to do. Your mind made up, you quietly pack what few possessions you have and prepare to depart immediately. Your plan to move out quickly and quietly, without having to state your desires to anyone, or have to defend them from anyone, is quickly intercepted by Mother Ferguson, who seems near telepathic at times, as she meets you at your door before you finish with the last of your things. She certainly didn't seem surprised by what she saw.

"How'd you know I'd be trying to leave?" You ask passively. This could turn ugly, as Mother Ferguson was never one to be trifled with.

"Because your feet have always moved faster than your brain. I need not ask what your plan is to know you're about to act foolishly. The Archdeacon is gone my dear, taken by those beasts in the night. There's no telling where they took him. He probably isn't even still alive, and you would have even less sense about you to think Phoenica would permit you to engage in vengeance"

"I don't think those monsters did take him Mother, and I'm certain he's still alive. He may have even gone willingly"

"Demetria, you have great faith, but you are deluding yourself. How can you bring yourself to think such things, just to see a chance to save him?"

You hand her the letter you found. Mother Ferguson sits on the edge of your small bed as she reads, her lips mouthing the words as she goes. Finished, she folds the paper and hands it back to you, solemnly looking at you with a sigh.

"I see. Well, I don't suspect I'd be able to convince you to stay. Doolyn's desires for you are ambitious, and I'd certainly do all I could to help you achieve them, but it is admittedly a tall order."

"No" you respond politely "I have to leave, this is my calling."

"I'll not be getting in your way than. You've always been a tough one to wrangle Demetria, but we've been truly blessed to have you show up at our doors all those years ago. I'll explain to the rest that you've gone, and I'll keep your reasoning a secret as best I can, but I expect the others will likely peace things together given the short order of events."

"Thank you Mother Ferguson. Do you have any ideas where I should start looking"

""Not the first I'm afraid. The Archdeacon was always a gregarious spirit. That couples with his position, and there's a lot of people who know him. There's bound to be someone who has an idea, but I wouldn't dare to think it'll be easy. If those monsters did take him, you'll probably get a lot of rumors regarding that as well. His letter, while cryptic does seem to lead to a clue. Whatever this is all about happened before he came to us. If there's any particular old friends he has here, that would be the place to start."