[The following are emails between various Atharim members. These have not been leaked or hacked. They not general knowledge except among the authors and recipients of them. They are here to give a window into the current state of the Atharim after the burning of Bacarrat Mansion, the disappearance of Armande Nicodemus, and the CCD proclamation that the Atharim are a terrorist organization.
With Ascendency]
![[Image: images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQVrpZ3qfGAEudsSb12iwi...w&usqp=CAU]](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQVrpZ3qfGAEudsSb12iwibG7QmjCIi0EkcUw&usqp=CAU)
Eddard Theiss
Master at Arms of the Atharim
From: Eddard.Theiss@GuardiaSvizzera.va
To: Valter.Massimo@curia.va
Subject: [encrypted] Temperature
Fratello Massimo,
I am more than a little weary of meetings. Yes yes, my life has mostly been meetings, at least for the last few years. No. Things are different now. The meetings feel...interminable. Neverending. Pointless. I'd better stop. I can think of many more adjectives to describe them- scatalogical and flourid.
Damn that Jaap Beenks!! No, I will not call him Regus. Never! And not simply because he does not deserve the title. You and I know the truth. The true Regus, Armande Nicodemus is out there. God, I must sound the zealot. And yet, we know the truth. He is out there! I met with him. You helped me place those strange religious fanatics among the most loyal of us in the CCD.
Yet he refuses to return. I cannot help but wonder- even angrily- why he has left his place. I would even go as far to say, abandoned us, even. *sigh*. I suppose I am a zealot. A believer at least.
But instead of guiding us, instead of leading us, he's left us his pathetic secretary to weedle and weasel his way into this group and that group. You and I are men of action. This man is...slimy. a worm. Useful, to be sure- when kept in his place, a tool with the gift of ferreting out the deepest of secrets and stories. I fully understand why the Regus used him.
As a secretary!
If I believed in God, I would believe he is laughing at the joke he has played. Somehow, this snake has worked his way into graces of enough of the secret council. I know but one or two (you included, my friend), and have suspicions of a few others. My duties as Vice Commander of the Swiss Guard have kept me from developing any close relationships among the Cardinals of the Holy See. It has to be bribery- or blackmail.
I ramble, Massimo. I'm tired. I told you that, didn't I. Nothing is decided. Nothing is done. We are weak and listless, impotent and driftless. Bah!!! The stench of appeasement fills the air! No one says the word outright. But the idea is there all the same. Couched in euphemism and circumlocutions. Abandonment of our charge! That is what is floated.
The pressure from the CCD is heavy. I cannot deny that. The exposure has been unforgivable. It has wounded us. Baccarat mansion is a shambles, with much lost to the fire.
And the true Regus is off who knows where. Reborn gods walk the earth with impunity. The Archangels are gone. We have no direction. We have no leadership. And the boy at the help, the leadership we DO have, is pushing us in a direction that is anathema to who we are and have been!!
We cannot compromise. You know this. You are of the Sacred Ring. There are still those of us who believe in what we are. In our holy charge.
We cannot let this happen!!! Speak to whom you can. Listen, Massimo. Push. Beenks is weak. We can bring him down, however he got there. We need to reform.
Whether the Regus returns or not- and frankly, I am to the point that if he did return, he would know my anger, regardless of the danger- we need to keep true to our cause.
I am tired. I am just....tired. And we cannot slack. Too much is spinning out of control.
As always, commilitone, we stand ready.
Ned
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Cardinal Valter Massimo
Apostle of the Sacred Ring
Reply to: Eddard.Theiss@GuardiaSvizzera.va
Ned, I know you are upset. Armande was a great Regus. I still don't believe you, but you are so certain of your conviction, your faith is rubbing off on me.
It's a new world out there. We assumed the gods would hide themselves away for longer. It was a blow that they 'came out of the closet' so soon before we could control the resurgence. But alas, God's plan is beyond us mere men to understand. I know you don't believe in God. You mention it twenty-ways to Sunday. Perhaps my faith will rub off on you someday?
I'm not so sure of your assessment of Beenks' weakness. He served Armande dutifully, and he has obtained the title. Whether we like it or not, we can defer to him or walk away. For my part, I will remain.
Steadfastly yours,
Val
Eddard Theiss
Master at Arms of the Atharim
From: Eddard.Theiss@GuardiaSvizzera.va
To: Soledad.Hidalgo@PoorClares.va
Subject: [encrypted] Infestation
Sorella Sole,
You were right. The infestation is greater than we thought. They are not only in the servents' quarters, but it saddens me to have seen that even the Master Bedroom has its nest.
You spoke to me, once, of the need for exterminators. I fear you were right. Even more disturbing is that some of them may not be trustworthy.
We need to meet. I know you are in your cloister. And your vows mean something to you. But time is running out. And I am not sure we can remove the vermin before the house is lost.
Respectfully your brother,
Eddard Theiss
With Ascendency]
Eddard Theiss
Master at Arms of the Atharim
From: Eddard.Theiss@GuardiaSvizzera.va
To: Valter.Massimo@curia.va
Subject: [encrypted] Temperature
Fratello Massimo,
I am more than a little weary of meetings. Yes yes, my life has mostly been meetings, at least for the last few years. No. Things are different now. The meetings feel...interminable. Neverending. Pointless. I'd better stop. I can think of many more adjectives to describe them- scatalogical and flourid.
Damn that Jaap Beenks!! No, I will not call him Regus. Never! And not simply because he does not deserve the title. You and I know the truth. The true Regus, Armande Nicodemus is out there. God, I must sound the zealot. And yet, we know the truth. He is out there! I met with him. You helped me place those strange religious fanatics among the most loyal of us in the CCD.
Yet he refuses to return. I cannot help but wonder- even angrily- why he has left his place. I would even go as far to say, abandoned us, even. *sigh*. I suppose I am a zealot. A believer at least.
But instead of guiding us, instead of leading us, he's left us his pathetic secretary to weedle and weasel his way into this group and that group. You and I are men of action. This man is...slimy. a worm. Useful, to be sure- when kept in his place, a tool with the gift of ferreting out the deepest of secrets and stories. I fully understand why the Regus used him.
As a secretary!
If I believed in God, I would believe he is laughing at the joke he has played. Somehow, this snake has worked his way into graces of enough of the secret council. I know but one or two (you included, my friend), and have suspicions of a few others. My duties as Vice Commander of the Swiss Guard have kept me from developing any close relationships among the Cardinals of the Holy See. It has to be bribery- or blackmail.
I ramble, Massimo. I'm tired. I told you that, didn't I. Nothing is decided. Nothing is done. We are weak and listless, impotent and driftless. Bah!!! The stench of appeasement fills the air! No one says the word outright. But the idea is there all the same. Couched in euphemism and circumlocutions. Abandonment of our charge! That is what is floated.
The pressure from the CCD is heavy. I cannot deny that. The exposure has been unforgivable. It has wounded us. Baccarat mansion is a shambles, with much lost to the fire.
And the true Regus is off who knows where. Reborn gods walk the earth with impunity. The Archangels are gone. We have no direction. We have no leadership. And the boy at the help, the leadership we DO have, is pushing us in a direction that is anathema to who we are and have been!!
We cannot compromise. You know this. You are of the Sacred Ring. There are still those of us who believe in what we are. In our holy charge.
We cannot let this happen!!! Speak to whom you can. Listen, Massimo. Push. Beenks is weak. We can bring him down, however he got there. We need to reform.
Whether the Regus returns or not- and frankly, I am to the point that if he did return, he would know my anger, regardless of the danger- we need to keep true to our cause.
I am tired. I am just....tired. And we cannot slack. Too much is spinning out of control.
As always, commilitone, we stand ready.
Ned
Cardinal Valter Massimo
Apostle of the Sacred Ring
Reply to: Eddard.Theiss@GuardiaSvizzera.va
Ned, I know you are upset. Armande was a great Regus. I still don't believe you, but you are so certain of your conviction, your faith is rubbing off on me.
It's a new world out there. We assumed the gods would hide themselves away for longer. It was a blow that they 'came out of the closet' so soon before we could control the resurgence. But alas, God's plan is beyond us mere men to understand. I know you don't believe in God. You mention it twenty-ways to Sunday. Perhaps my faith will rub off on you someday?
I'm not so sure of your assessment of Beenks' weakness. He served Armande dutifully, and he has obtained the title. Whether we like it or not, we can defer to him or walk away. For my part, I will remain.
Steadfastly yours,
Val
Eddard Theiss
Master at Arms of the Atharim
From: Eddard.Theiss@GuardiaSvizzera.va
To: Soledad.Hidalgo@PoorClares.va
Subject: [encrypted] Infestation
Sorella Sole,
You were right. The infestation is greater than we thought. They are not only in the servents' quarters, but it saddens me to have seen that even the Master Bedroom has its nest.
You spoke to me, once, of the need for exterminators. I fear you were right. Even more disturbing is that some of them may not be trustworthy.
We need to meet. I know you are in your cloister. And your vows mean something to you. But time is running out. And I am not sure we can remove the vermin before the house is lost.
Respectfully your brother,
Eddard Theiss