Episode 3 - Civic Temple

[sastaz]

(Thorily will take his hand.)

[Darithe]

Tove

Tove watches it all unfold, an empathetic woman by nature, her training has taught her to remain stoic during battle. And she feels a battle is taking place here for the life of the boy. She watches but inwardly prays for the boy, despite his crimes.

[SilverBen]

(Thorily will take his hand.)

Civic Temple - Hospice.
Round 5
His lips continue whispering slowly with his head down. He leads Thorily's grasped hand gently towards the silver bowl filled with water. He looks up towards Tove, then Thrainel, Nesta, and Mudlark. He places his head back down and continues whispering inaudible devotions.

His words sound strangely harmonized... (continued including Thorily in the next post)

[SilverBen]

Tove

Tove watches it all unfold, an empathetic woman by nature, her training has taught her to remain stoic during battle. And she feels a battle is taking place here for the life of the boy. She watches but inwardly prays for the boy, despite his crimes.

Civic Temple - Hospice.
Round 5

Tove's equilibrium becomes unsteady for an instantaneous moment and she feels as if the floor suddenly dropped out from underneath her. A unique feeling of featherfalling overtakes her, as her feet dangle in mid air above the stone floor until the toes of her boots gently catch below. The walls now seem taller, firmer, and more durable as a structure despite the sand and brick materials they are built from. The engraving of Njord, dressed in humble priest trappings, stands out among the frenetic activity to heal Gavanette. Tove's inner prayers begin to echo in someone else's voice... and then leads to not one voice, but a chorus sung in tight unison.

The boy's pallid skin and his expressionless face are noticeable cause for concern to the whispering cleric of Njord at Gavanette's bedside. The lead cleric interrupts his prayers, raises his face to search the room until his eyes fall hopefully upon Tove, "Lead us, "he addresses Tove, "...in prayer ...from your heart of purity "

There is no mistaking any romance or seduction in his stance, he remains kneeling in a position of deference to Tove, "...give voice to your entreaty and focus your blessing here upon this boy with our hands. ...redeem him from a life changing injury with a sacrifice of dedication service."

The cleric alternately turns his face between the injured boy and then back to Tove while grasping Thorily's hand.

[SilverBen]

Vatn

Vatn kneels next to the boy and joins the guards in prayer. Trying to match his prayers to the brothers and placing his hands on the boy.

Civic Temple - Hospice
Round 5

The blissful sensation of feather falling radiates from the prayers of the faithful to Njord in the Hospice of the Civic Temple. Upon placing his hands on the boy's pallid skin, Vatn perceives the echoing prayers ascend. As they are accepted and are granted, Vatn is now convinced with perfect trust this boy will survive and recover from his injuries.

What remains unclear for Vatn to discover from his devotions is the nature and location of a great spiritual enlightenment that this boy's strong moral nature will help reveal. A rectification of great spiritual enlightenment hides protected in the shimmering depths of wickedness and behind the crumbling decay of physicality.

[Rex]

Vatn

As always when touching the Divine, Vatn is moved deep within. A great mystery, the complexities of the boy, yet to be fully unraveled.

[OGRE MAGE]

Knowing very little about the eclectic religion of humans, Nesta watches the proceedings with great interest. He is especially focused on the actions of his new friends.

He pulls out his flute and plays along in-tune with the priests chanting, adding a mysterious and eerie lower harmony to their tones.

[Urson]

Mudlark
Mudlark stays a little back from the activity around Ganavette. She doesn't follow this God- but she maintains a respectful quiet while the Clerics are busy.

[Darithe]

Tove

She had never been a particularly religious person, but always paid heed to the various gods as she was taught in her homeland. So prayers did not come naturally to her tongue. A normally reserved and rather shy woman, she shunned such trappings but prayer came to her unseen like a cool breeze on a dark night and she felt the hand of the one who controlled the seas and winds.

Her large eyes focus on the priest as he calls upon her and the words come in her native tongue....
"Njord...our father of the breath that steers the sails upon the sea of life, I ask that you give such a gift to this boy. As you control the currents of all waters, stir the boy's being and the current that is his life. As a father, you know that children are not always wise like you. So we pray that you bestow the wind of life upon this child once more, that he may prosper and serve you in return. These things I ask of you, a child myself, for I have much yet to learn, take some of my breath that he may share it and do your will."

She wipes a tear from her eye and says to the priest, "I hope he chooses to heal a lost child," unsure if she meant the boy or herself.

[redwarrior]

Thrainel feels a bit out of his element here. He trusts steel more than gods, but he has seen their power, so he keeps a respectful silence, and looks around for any lurking threats.

[sastaz]

Thorily is a little unsure of what she's gotten herself into, but there's really no turning back now. (Ben, getting herself in situations like this one is a result of her low WIS score - risky or impulsive decision making, we were discussing it before. Or that's how intended to play her, at least. She's very charismatic though so also a great lier.)

"Aaah, yes. Steer the sails, control the current. The boy is going to be so grateful, I can feel the divine power flowing through him right now. I can feel him coming back brothers and sisters!"

Thorily closes her eyes for greater effect.

[SilverBen]

Round 5
The sound of flute and chanting rises in the Hospice room of the Civic Temple. While the party actively participates or merely observes the healing ritual of the boy, there is a firm knock at the double doors. The doors gently swing open to reveal two young men leading a large chair on wheels in which an elderly man is comfortably seated. The elderly man looks concerned at the scene before him. One other young man pushes the wheeled chair, following the the elderly man's direction (This is Vatn's known NPC, named Mundi. Vatn recognizes him immediately) riding in it.

The man is garbed in fine wool and linen, adorned with the holy symbol of the order of Njord.

Njord Holy Symbol.jpg (233.72 KiB) Viewed 385 times

The young men assist the elderly man out of the chair on wheels to his feet. He hobbles to the table and settles into a vacant space between those laying their hands upon the boy, Gavanette. The elderly man (Mundi) raises his hands, mutters devotions under his breath in harmony with the others, and places one hand into the silver bowl of water. He then places his wet hand upon the boy laid out on the table before them, when the water in the bowl begins to stir without any visible force acting on it.

Gaining speed in the silver bowl, the water begins swirling increasingly faster creating a small vortex that dips down to the bottom of the bowl. Ripples of water current coalesce into larger waves until they begin separating into droplets that take the shape of many tiny fish leaping out of the water and back into the bowl. The fish grow in number and size, swimming in the circular boundary of the silver bowl.

Tiny fish that split and merge together and continue swirling until the entire silver bowl teeters itself and knocks over the carafe set beside it spilling out its water. When the water reaches its limits within the bowl, a single wave of water leaps up and out of the bowl, taking the shape of a single, large translucent fish in every detail with scales, fins, wide eyes, and gaping mouth - as if no different from a living creature. The liquid form of the fish descends from the apex and splashes upon the boy, dispersing it into a myriad of droplets before draining in streams of water to the floor. All are splashed with water droplets when the fish lands on the boy's body.

After a moment of motionless silence, Gavanette stirs and gasps for breath before coming to peaceful rest at ease on the Hospice table.

The elderly man (Mundi) withdraws his hand and rises briefly from the table where Gavanette lies. The old priest then returns to his wheeled chair with a smile of satisfaction and gratitude. "The boy will live and have a full recovery." says the old man in a hoarse, deep voice. "Njord has accepted our devotions for him." He continues smiling and folds his fingers together before him contently. The main attendant signals for his fellows to remove the elderly man (Mundi) from the Hospice room.

Before departing, the elderly man (Mundi) orders, "Join me in the Library to convene and allow the boy time to restore his vitality. You," he points to the unnamed cleric of Njord, "Simon, will remain with the boy and attend to his needs until he is strong." Simon nods in acknowledgement and begins to cover the boy with blankets he retrieves from a nearby cabinet.

The elderly man's attendants begin to withdraw him from the Hospice room, pulling the wheeled chair back out through the double doors. The floor of the Hospice is now covered in a thin coat of healing waters and the silver bowl nearly empty.

[Rex]

Vatn

Vatn will acknowledge the Old Priest (Mundi) and lead the others to the library.

[OGRE MAGE]

Nesta is astonished by what he witnesses in the chapel, especially when he sees the fish transformation. He puts his flute away once the boy seems better, looking at the water remaining in the bowl. “Say Simon, is there any healing power in the liquid that remains? I would gladly make a donation, if I could procure what was left behind.”

If allowed, Nesta will pour the remainder of the water into his waterskin, unless there are objections from the priest. (Wishful Healing potion? )

Once the group is united again, he addresses another concern. “Now let’s have a look in that backpack. I wish to inspect the quality of the sextant we recovered.”

[redwarrior]

Thrainel suddenly remembers to close his mouth, that has been hanging open, and hastens to follow the others to the library.

[sastaz]

Seeing the display of divine power manifested by the fishes, Thorily raises one eyebrow with a "not bad, not bad at all" look on her face. Suddenly, she remembers her role as the worried mother and starts acting like one again.

"Oh, thank you father, thank you, divine blessings upon you!"

Intrigued by the use of the "library" word, she follows along with great anticipation. (She's still carrying the backpack in her one hand.)

[Urson]

Mudlark
Mudlark says nothing, but the relief on her face is very clear.

[SilverBen]

Round 7 - Civic Temple - Hospice

Nesta is astonished by what he witnesses in the chapel, especially when he sees the fish transformation. He puts his flute away once the boy seems better, looking at the water remaining in the bowl. “Say Simon, is there any healing power in the liquid that remains? I would gladly make a donation, if I could procure what was left behind.”
If allowed, Nesta will pour the remainder of the water into his waterskin, unless there are objections from the priest.

The priest kindly shakes his head in response to Nesta, "The healing powers of these waters are now deconsecrated." Simon steps carelessly across the wet floor to the exit doors.

Before leaving the Hospice room, he pauses to add, "It is our long held custom not to deal with the healing waters as one might with some commodity in the market. Consecrated waters are a gift and a blessing offered only in a case of need, such as this. In which case, I will entrust them to Brother Vatn. Pardon my need to depart now, but there is always room for donations." he concludes with a smile and exits.

The Hospice door closes but is soon emits with a polite knock. Upon opening the door again, a new retinue of clerics enters. A pair lifts the young boy from the table, and wrap him in blankets. Another pair quietly collect the empty bowl from the table. They genuflect honorably and depart in silence

Thorily holds the backpack, which catches Nesta's eye...

Nesta... addresses another concern. “Now let’s have a look in that backpack. I wish to inspect the quality of the sextant we recovered.”

In the empty Hospice room, Thorily unhinges the clasps and removes a newly crafted sextant along with another object of curious nature. She discovers a sturdy piece of driftwood that appears to be some kind of map! Whoever made it must have been without paper, ink, or any other standard writing supplies. Regardless of how unusual the map may seem, its maker has left behind a careful record that anyone could easily follow. It depicts an atoll in the open sea where shoals are known to often wreck ships in storms, or in the dense fog that suddenly envelopes ships.

Thorily possesses the Driftwood map, which is Handout #1 in the Player Handouts thread

[Rex]

Vatn

Vatn looks with interest over Thorily's shoulder at the map. "Very interesting."

[redwarrior]

Thraniel looks over the shoulders. I wonder what's at the X. Usually, that's supposed to be something nice, yeah?