And so I sit in a warm room surrounded by cold people. The fire burns in their hearths, but not so in their hearts. They believe that they are happy, that they live lives worthwhile. They work very hard to provide a sense of organization to their lives and those of their fellow citizens. And it does appear to make them...content.
I feel unworthy to judge them, I just can't prevent myself from doing so. Certainly I am more flawed than they. At least they have their faith to carry them, to give them hope and safety. They trust in the rules of Order. They understand and accept the punishment they earn if they fail to follow the rules. But even now, I fear that just writing this might break some rule and earn me time in their prison.
I travelled through the city today. It has a sort of cold aesthetic beauty to it. Clean to a fault. Some of the bronze showed a wear long beyond its years due to so much cleaning. I even chanced to come across the place where they are uncovering their long sealed temple. I heard them speaking about uncovering their gods, about bringing them out of their coffins. They have no doubt that Galvos, Ragan and Beloth are real and buried in their Sepulcher. Though why they would seek to bring them out of their coffins I could not discover.
They tell me that their soldiers are out in the lands trying to bring Order to Alaris in honor of their gods. It feels as if they are planning a welcome for them, as though they expect their gods to be waiting for them in their coffins and only need the lids to be lifted so that they might walk again.
All of this seems foolish, or would have only a short while ago. But now I find it hard not to expect the gods to be among us soon.