In addition to Valkirra and her family, the New City pilgrims included Iver, Branimir and Ahrenkild, each with around a dozen settlers from their districts. Many of the High-Assessed followed Valkirra, and so too did many merchants, traders, artists and craftspeople. The entire ragtag contingent of excited rat terriers followed the pilgrims’ trail, deserting the confines of the original Settlement. There was in addition a change-minded contingent from the Temple, who packed up the oldest scrolls from the library, planning a new research-based shrine devoted to the study of history and ethics, with Talis Jarisson as their patron. Most of the pilgrims, though, were lower caste workers, beadsmen, villeins, and notaries, who had assessed poorly in recent years and had dreams of partners and ch
