A dozen years ago or so there was a painting commissioned by the brand new Archbishop of Avondace. The finest elven painter in all of Fanolania, Clemen, was tasked with this project. But it wasn’t a painting depicting the newly promoted archbishop. No, it was a portrait of somebody else entirely.

There have not been many to see the painting after it’s completion, but by all accounts it depicts a red-haired teenage boy, perhaps about the age of fifteen or so. He is wearing the attire of a novice initiate to the priesthood. There is a simple iron ring on his right middle finger. He is standing next to a small round wooden table upon which he rests his right hand. On the table is a simple unadorned metal goblet, a small plain prayer book, and a small wooden holy symbol on a leather cord. In the background to the young man’s left side is a drab wooden chair that has no arm rests and has a black cloak draped over the back. On the back wall is a small square mirror in a wooden frame. The wall appears to be stucco.

None of this seems terribly interesting nor extraordinary and yet the archbishop paid a princely sum to have the painting done exactly to his specifications. Upon collecting his prize from Clemen the archbishop then squirreled the painting away from prying eyes, not even allowing his most honored guests to have a peek at it. It is said that those within the archbishop’s most intimate circle of associates have all seen the painting, but rumors also suggest that somebody has stolen the archbishop’s coveted artwork. Given the archbishop’s strange affection for this picture that seems to have been a foolhardy theft. One might ponder to what extent the Archbishop of Avondace will go to see it returned to his stewardship.