“To wage war is harrowing and difficult – but to make peace is impossible. The human heart is too quick to blaze with passion, the human mind is too quick to conjure schemes, and the human eye is too quick to fill with greed and covetousness. Pious men can guard against such evils through Theus’ guidance. For that reason, I pray each day. For that reason, I ask all my brothers and sisters in the City of Five Sails to pray as well!

Our Lord Mayor has granted clemency, and I fear it will not be enough. I pray, because I know – and you know – and Theus knows! That there are villains in this City. Villains who are weak. Not of arm, to be clear. Not of mind. Villains, unfortunately, are rarely easy to defeat. No. A primal, animal weakness lives in the hollows of their bones, where their souls ought reside. Instead of bolstering the spirit with the words of the King of Kings, they allow the fetid whispers of the Drowned Adversary to further their rot.

Our Immortal Enemy, The Devil Jonah, is here. He stalks these streets, where weak men pay him tribute. They beg him for the power they alone can’t muster. They beg him for magics and poisons with which to weaken all Soldiers of Theus. They beg him for chaos, because chaos is the only environment in which they thrive. Clemency is granted, and I fear it will not be enough. It will not grant us peace. To be human is to fight! To hate! Let us turn our swords, then, on our true foe. By the light of this full moon – on the anniversary of the closing of the War of the Cross – I beseech you! If we cannot have peace – if the passion of your hearts will not allow it – let us wage war on an enemy deserving of our wrath.

Let us hunt the Devil, for he is here.”

Wilhelm Dunst – A Sermon for all who Bear the Sword

Pine Box Entertainment is excited to kick off our newest organized play season – “Speak of the Devil.” This will be our first (and likely only) collaborative story event!

When writing the fiction for 7th Sea: City of Five Sails, I always focus the narrative about conflict between our factions. I do this both to mirror our gameplay, and to make sure that each piece of fiction always includes a variety of characters who are automatically at odds with each other. This will be our community’s opportunity to see their favorite characters come together for a change. Wilhelm Dunst will be leading a late-night hunt, seeking and destroying the Undead haunting the City’s catacombs. He’s scared by rumors that The Devil Jonah is in town and will take any help he can get. Each participating player will be submitting a vote for their favorite faction character – and the winners will make up his temporary team. Wilhelm’s fear, of course, is plenty justified. Even if the rumors started as only that – whispers and sailor’s tails – we all know the expression: speak of the Devil, and he will come. We can’t wait to see which characters you nominate to face him.