Ibian Peldix bark Sculptor - Part Two¶

We are now visiting with Ibian Pledix, sculptor emeritus, who is currently working on a very special project. Jena herself purportedly asked him to design her new temple in the land of Fyros.

You were telling us about the divine mission that Jena assigned to you. But aren't you worried about what other Fyros might think of you?

Well, I happen to be a Karavan follower. Oh, I understand that might surprise you! There aren't many of us, but there are some and we are very wary of Ma-Duk and the so-called "Kami Age". After all, where were the Kamis during the Kitin War? It is thanks to the Karavan that I have my life. But that isn't the question; my mother was raised in the Jena faith and, all through my life, I have never had reason to doubt her servants. I hope that my compatriots will respond to Jena's call as I have, so that this temple to her glory may be built.

So this is an act of devotion for you?

Yes, I believe you could call it that. Helping build this temple is a way for me to thank Jena for her good will and her protection. I also hope to help many homins contemplate the path of Jena's light, as I have. I am proud to work on this project. And too bad if some do not like it. However, I am not one of those fanatics who attack homins just because they might be Kamists. In any case, I would have a hard time mowing down the Fyros empire all by myself! (laughs)

And what is it like to be a Jena admirer in the midst of a group of people who are mostly Kamist?

Please do not misunderstand my words. It is not because I do not revere the Kamis that I do not trust in the Emperor. My life is first of all dedicated to the Emperor, even though I deplore the fact that he tends to favor the Kamis, far be it for me to criticize him. After all, Emperor Dexton has his reasons, and they are beyond the comprehension of a simple crafter such as myself. Anyway, that is how I put it. For the time being, I have not encountered any serious risks, but if my Emperor were to ask me to take up arms against the Karavan, I wonder what I would do… And, aside from my own seeking, it is not easy on an everyday basis. I have had my share of problems. It is no accident that I have chosen to practice my craft in the remote area of Dyron rather than in Pyr, where customers might be far more numerous. But here, at least, there are only the cloppers who bother me. Anyway, I hope that if Dexter decides to forbid the Karavan project, things won't go worse for me.

But why ask a homin to design this building? Can't Jena's servants design them?

Well, besides the fact that I consider it as a reward for my devotion to have been chosen, I think that they want to get homins to participate in this great work, and in order to do so, they need plans that all homins can understand. So who could be better suited to making them, other than a simple homin, especially if he is one of the best crafter on Atys? (smiles) Now I hope you will excuse me, but I must be getting back to work. I have to deliver the final plans tomorrow and if I want them to be as perfect as Jena, I had better get busy right now.