Torias Griene


Northern Imperial Temple » Torias Griene
Torias GrieneTorias Griene

Typical Dialogue:

"Oh, for the love of justice and good order, we must not heed the wild men of the forest. These druids despise civilization and all that Haelyn represents. Do you think for a minute that in Rjurik lands they stop to hear what priests of Haelyn think?"

"Bring this message to Her Most Sacred Minister in Cariele. Hurry this is of the gravest importance."

"Does it benefit our realm that you, Your Grace, lead us? Of course it does. Would the realm benefit if Your Grace were deluded and spoke with three voices or five? Of course not, as long as Your Grace's court speaks with one voice and as long as the people hear one strong voice leading them in a single faith, there will be no harmful division or wrong policy."

"Holtson, you fool, you have no greater friend in Talinie than I, but your heavy handed control of the Fellowship alerts all of your enemies that Halloravant is your pawn. You are making my work twice as difficult."

Torias Griene is a commoner who has made a great success of himself, though it is based on deceit, treachery, and deception at every turn. Torias feigns to be a priest of Haelyn, and indeed, has climbed to become the second most powerful priest in the Northern Imperial Temple. However, his true devotion belongs to Eloéle. His purpose is general, and it is to undermine authority. He has taken his task to a specific realm, rising to the deepest halls of power in Talinie. He deviously tries to subtly twist the teachings of Haelyn to use them against the naive Thuriene Donalls. He has quietly forged links with Larra Nielems, the Most Sacred Minister of the Northern Reformed Church of Sarimie. Mostly he provides intelligence on the temples of Haelyn. He has recruited a druid of Ruornil to keep him appraised of the doings of the Oaken Grove of Aeric. For the most part, however, Torias has not built a network to undermine things, fearing that such a thing would being too much scrutiny. Better, he thinks, to weaken the social institutions first. He imagines that the progress of the temples of Sarimie represent progress against a decaying order.
Torias tells, although not often, that his family was killed in raids from the Five Peaks, and that he turned to the church in a search for hope. Those who knew Torias when he was a younger priest, or as Presbyter in Daliburgh, don't remember that much about him. They describe him as quiet, unremarkable, and perfectly ordinary. That is until Thuriene Donalls succeeded to the Oak Seat. Then, apparently, Torias found his calling in a doctrinaire approach to Haelyn's teachings that was compatible with Donalls' own. When he has been probed on the matter, he has told of a long fast in the Daliburgh priory where he received a vision to drive out the unfaithful. It does seem to be the touchstone of his policy.
Griene displays great ability, uncompromising integrity, diplomatic skill, and shrewd knowledge of political tactics. Where most politicians in the style of Haelyn are lions, Griene is something of a fox. His subtlety and capability for manipulation far exceeds what is typical in men of his outward profession. His rise to the position of Presbyter, then Hierarch, were the product of exhaustive knowledge, diligent energy, and unyielding adherence to the faith. Along the way he earned the friendship of the timber and mining guilds through his teaching of hard work for little return, and the value of work as an end in itself. In fact, the Hierarch was very aware of the experience in Cariele. Griene maintains a covert contact with Storm Holtson, but even there he plays the priest of Haelyn. Griene and the guilds together can wield great power; they can work covertly against the Thane's every command.

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