Father Franz

Louis Lana Schtinghilt, better known as Father Franz, was the abbot of Diendran Abbey in Tereo and, secretly, a mythologist and collector of pagan tales. Franz's personal connections granted him considerable influence in the region, such that he was able to create an exclusive dealing contract in wheat that secured Tereo's finances as well as his welcome in the predominantly pagan village. His adopted daughter and successor is Elsa Schtingheim.

Life
Franz was a devoutly religious yet progressive man whose service in the Church lasted nearly fifty years, if not longer. He arrived at Tereo three or four decades before Holo and Lawrence's journey to establish a church and to investigate local pagan tales. Despite his rapport with the villagers, Franz did not attempt to proselytize them and instead devoted himself to his studies. Among his goals was the reconciliation of the region's pagan heritage with Church dogma.

Through his research, Franz began to suspect that the pagan spirits of the region were not only creations of God, but that some, especially the legendary Moon-Hunting Bear, may have actually aided the Church's expansion into the area by destroying or expelling many of the resident spirits. He did not share his findings, perhaps due to fear of persecution.

A generation after his arrival at Tereo and over a decade before Holo and Lawrence came looking for his writings, Franz took Elsa under his care and trained her to succeed him. The fact that he could appoint his own successor, a young woman at that, is further credit to his influence. His powerful supporters also ensured his immunity from accusations of heresy despite constant suspicion from the local diocese.

Death
Franz died of natural causes in the summer before Holo and Lawrence began their journey. His death, coupled with the duo's arrival in Tereo that winter, caused the neighboring town of Enberch to attempt to renege on his longstanding contract by falsely blaming the travelers and the village for poisoning the year's wheat harvest.

Legacy
Aided by Holo's powers and Lawrence's business acumen, Franz's successor Elsa has solidified the presence of the Church in Tereo without displacing the village's pagan tradition. His writings also revealed some details about the fate of Yoitsu, Holo's hometown, but provided no more information about its location.