Start of #Sharn buffer: Thu Jul 05 22:12:02 2007 [18:39:00] [Aurora walks through the skybridges of Sovereign Towers in Middle Central, a district that regales all things holy, or at least their representation in art and architecture. Statues, paintings, and mosaics of deities and saints are everywhere, and great temples stand out among the lesser buildings.] [18:40:08] [Concealing the halfling-sized rakshasa corpse in a tote bag, she heads directly for Cathedral of the Cleansing Flame, Sharn’s most important temple to the Silver Flame, named in honor of the church’s role in cleansing Khorvaire of the stain of evil.] [18:40:13] * Yonjuuni (dlarmour@wnpgmb02dc1-50-127.dynamic.mts.net) has joined #sharn [18:42:34] [The elegant cathedral takes up the highest six floors of one of Sovereign Towers highest reaching spires, sharp, arching rooves and unnessassary flying buttresses in the flamic design marking it's solemn and pure nature.] [18:43:58] [Crossing a bridge-courtyard to the two-story-high doors embossed with bass relief scenes of religious significance, Aurora steels herself and prepares to enter.] [18:44:04] [Minisession Go] [18:44:38] * Aurora steps in, carrying a big bag, and looks for the most important-looking person around [18:47:54] [Opening the smaller door within the huge ones, Aurora steps into the aisle, the five-story-high rib-vaulted ceiling stretching far above her head. Alternating styles of support collumns enhance the vertical feel of the interior space, drawing the eye upward to the intricate lace of the sex-partite rib vaults. Forcing her eyes back downward, she sees an altar toward the back, with a large flametongue sculputre made of pure silver, ----] [18:49:41] [---, gold inlay depicting a winged serpent and stylized female warrior standing in victory over a black-steel demonic figure also inlayed into the sculpture. The most important person she sees is someone polishing the silver surface to keep it free of tarnish, hoisted mid-way up the giant holy symbol on scafolding.] [18:51:03] * Aurora looks around, impressed. She seems to shrink a bit. Then she looks around, confused. [18:51:53] "Ah... hello." [18:53:25] [Aurora's voice echos across the expanse between her and the acoltye polishing the holy symbol and he looks up, peering down the rows and rows of pews.] [18:53:36] * Aurora waves. [18:53:57] Where is everyone? [18:59:55] [The figure descends from the scaffolding and approaches.] "Hello, ah, the priests and priestesses are in the upper rooms attending to administrative duties Mo.." [He squints and scrutinzes your clerical vestments.] "ah, Lady. My appologize." [19:00:13] appologies* [19:01:35] * Aurora nods. "Thank you. There shouldn't be a problem if I came to see them, would there?" [19:01:52] * Aurora is already moving towards the upper rooms. [19:03:29] * Aun (CharlesHBo@dsl2-161.gsinet.net) Quit (Ping timeout) [19:03:57] "A-ah no, I don't suppose...." [He watches Aurora leave.] "...so." [19:04:12] Perfect! Thanks! [19:04:13] * Aurora smiles. [19:05:19] [Aurora passes into the arcade on the opposite side of the support collumns from the pews, and walks down the small aisle, taking a door at the end into a spiral staircase.] [19:06:19] * Aurora starts moving up the staircase, kinda wishing she had a Floating Disc or something. [19:08:33] [The staircase has landings and doors that open behind the main worship hall, the first door appearing in the stairwell when she climbs to about the same height the acolyte was polishing the holy symbol at.] [19:11:19] * Aurora admires the scenery and moves towards the worship area and the administrative offices. She wonders if Blackstone used to be anything like this. [19:13:03] [Blackstone couldn't have been anything like this, since it's been kept in pretty atonishingly good shape.] [19:13:37] * Aurora opens the doors. [19:14:50] [Aurora steps through the door to find someone in plain clothes sitting at a desk and reading a book.] [19:15:19] * Aurora walks up. "Hello.' [19:16:23] [She looks up from her book.] "Good morning Lady, how may I help you?" [19:19:32] I'm looking for someone capable of working with the divine magic of the Silver Flame. I believe I am in need of their services. [19:21:42] [She blinks and sets her book down without bothering to mark her page.] "O-oh certainly. Let me find a cleric for you..." [19:21:59] [She gets up and disappears down a hallway.] [19:23:17] Thanks [19:24:15] [Aurora waits less than a minute before the woman returns, behind a middle-aged man.] "I am Father Thomas Deumak, Lady. How may I help?" [19:27:30] I was in Fallen yesterday, with several others, and discovered some bodies. We think that the people who died might have had some important information. During our travel, though, we ran into... this unpleasant creature. [19:28:22] * Aurora opens the bag a bit, dragging the body of the bharaivya rakshasa out. Then putting it back in, and wiping her hands on the bag. [19:33:19] "W.. what is that?!" [19:34:28] The ancient enemy. A bharaivya rakshasa. And it was there with the ravers. [19:34:44] "Flame protect us." [19:34:56] * Aurora nods... [19:35:18] I believe the bodies we found might shed some light on what, exactly, it was trying to accomplish. [19:35:31] "There was more than one?" [19:36:51] No, not ... those kinds. This was the only fiendspawn there. We found older bodies who hadn't been killed by Ravers. [19:37:18] "I.. see." [19:37:57] "Unfortunately I'm not... gifted with the power to perform the miracles necessary to draw information from these bodies." [19:38:03] There were four... half-rakshasa, too. [19:38:04] * Aurora nods. [19:38:13] [He frowns darkly.] [19:38:24] "Come with me quickly." [19:39:05] * Aurora gets up, and follows. [19:40:41] * Aurora takes the bag with her [19:42:22] [Father Deumak leads Aurora through the halls, gigantic classical paintings hanging in the spacious corridors, until he stops before a set of double-wide darkwood doors. He stops to collect himself for a moment and knocks polietly but insistantly on the door.] [19:45:31] [A serious feminine voice calls from behind the thick wooden doors.] "Who disturbs my prayers?" [19:46:12] "Father Thomas Deumak, Archeirophant. Please forgive the interruption but it is a matter of great import." [19:46:38] [There is a slight pause.] "Please come in then." [19:47:22] [Father Deumak turns to you as he grabs the overly large handles to the door.] "What is your name, Lady, so I may properly introduce you to the Archeirophant?" [19:47:35] Aurora Lumines. [19:47:58] * Aurora bows. Or performs whatever gesture of respect is appropriate [19:48:04] [He nods and pulls the door open.] [19:49:27] * Aurora goes in after Father Deumak. [19:49:30] [They enter the room, an octagonal space dominated by a wood desk of deep red color and a large painting behind it of Tira Miron valiantly thrusting her sword into the heart of the Demon while the Winged Serpent binds it in it's coils.] [19:49:36] [The priestess is a tall, stern woman, her full plate armor (part of her mostly ceremonial vestments) arranged on a mannequin to the side of her large mahogany desk. Her silvery-gray hair surrounds an unlined face and her eyes still shine bright with the zeal of youth.] [19:50:37] [Father Deumak bows respectfully.] "Archeirophant, please allow me to introduce Lady Aurora Lumines." [19:51:08] * Aurora bows. Or performs whatever gesture of respect is appropriate [19:51:31] It is an honor to meet you, Archierophant. [19:52:23] "Thank you, but pleasantries don't instill the sense of urgency I assumed when I granted this audience." [19:52:32] Very well. Summed up... [19:52:43] * Aurora opens up the bag and holds the creature up high. [19:52:53] This was found in Fallen. [19:54:36] "..Bharaivya." [Her face is a mask, silent emotion running through it.] "...In my city?" [19:55:15] I'm afraid so... [19:55:47] "Tell me everything." [She gestures curtly to the large plush seats positioned on the opposite side of the desk from her.] [19:56:19] It had disguised itself. It was right in there with the ravers. Elsewhere in its complex, we found several bodies who hadn't been disturbed in some time, but hadn't been killed by ravers, near four half-rakshasa corpses. [19:56:39] Apparently, they had killed each other. [19:56:56] Either way, this individual was at the very center of Raver point of origin. [19:57:04] ( er, anyway ) [19:57:28] It was capturing people and using some infernal device to make them join the raver hordes. [19:58:15] "...Lady Lumines, is it?" [19:58:33] "You were sent to be the caretaker of Blackstone." [19:58:45] "Looks like you performed more than exemplary." [19:58:52] Thank you. [20:01:08] What concerns me most of all is that we couldn't find any reason they would have done this. There's a CHANCE they might have done this for its own sake, but I somehow don't think that's likely. [20:01:45] "From your summary... it seems as if this Rakasha was in the Crystal Tower when it fell, infusing people with demonic energies and turning them into half-fiends. The Fall must have taken care of most of his plans, and he slowly began to build an army of crazed ravers rather than full powered half-rakshasa. It seems to me you caught him in a state of desperation." [20:02:00] * Aurora nods... [20:02:31] "...Fiends are immortal creatures, Lady Lumines. They move at a much slower pace than you or I." [20:02:48] Right.. it's hard for me to keep perspective of that, at times. [20:02:52] "Whatever plan this Bharivya filth was likely centuries off." [20:03:03] +had [20:03:55] "We will dispose of the corpse saftely. Bring the half-rakshasa corpses as well, as soon as you can and we will do the same. Thank you for personally bringing this to my attention." [20:04:08] Thank you. one more thing caught my attention, though... [20:04:28] [She turns a page in her date planer and takes out a quill, pausing to look up.] "Yes?" [20:04:43] One of the bodies was that of a Silver Flame Cleric. He held a bow, which we discovered was called "Shadowseeker". Do you know if it? [20:05:24] (piercer) [20:07:06] [She pauses.] "He must have gave his life in a valiant attempt to cleanse the Crystal Tower. Please, bring his body as well so we may bury it. If you like we can take the bow and see if he has any descendants." [20:07:23] * Aurora nods. "Very well." [20:07:29] * Aurora offers the bow to her. [20:07:52] "Just leave it on my desk." [20:07:59] Alright. [20:08:03] [She looks back down to her planner.] [20:08:05] * Aurora places it on the desk. [20:08:13] The fiend's body, too? [20:09:04] [Not looking up she responds.] "Father Deumak will know what to do with it. He's recieved the training, though not had actual experience in disposing of fiends." [20:09:16] Alright. [20:09:22] * Aurora offers it to Father Deumak. [20:10:30] [He rises with Aurora and gestures for her to leave.] [20:12:38] Thank you for your time. [20:12:42] * Aurora goes [20:12:48] "Go witht he Flame, Lady." [20:13:04] Thank you. [20:13:54] [Father Deumak escorts Aurora out and closes the door.] "Phew... looks like everything's taken care of." [20:15:02] For now... but when we find the stories those bodies have to tell, I get the feeling it'll just be the beginning. [20:15:29] "But.. she's going to dispose of the corpse." [20:15:38] "I thought you changed your mind." [20:16:02] I'm* [20:16:14] Dispose of this one, yes, but the others have st-... ... oh. Yes, I suppose this corpse might have something to say, too. [20:16:28] * Aurora facepalms. "Being the actual one at the center of everything." [20:16:59] "But.. the other corpses won't be divined into either. You've scheduled them for burial." [20:17:08] "And disposal." [20:17:29] ... wh... ... I completely forgot to bring that up. [20:17:36] "I assumed when you didn't request the miracle that you changed your mind." [20:17:49] Oh, no. Just... completely slipped my mind, being in her presence again [20:18:02] "Again?" [20:18:04] * Aurora sighs. "Well, shall we bother her agian?" [20:18:10] ( subtract that first one. ^^; ) [20:18:18] ( I was thinking of both sentences. ) [20:19:14] [Father Deumak seems hesitant.] "I don't know.. she did assure you that you most likely came across the fortune of finding a minor Lord of Dust in a period of desperation." [20:19:25] "She didn't seem that worried." [20:19:52] "And if it's not an emergency she doesn't wish to be bothered." [20:20:57] ... well, she did say that they work on a longer time scale than we do. Could you just let her know what I was originally planning the next time she's free? Or have it written down somewhere where she's likely to read it? [20:21:25] "Sure. When she's next available I'll bring it up." [20:21:39] Thanks. ... when is that, anyway? Maybe I could talk to her too, explain things and all [20:22:58] "Archierophant Morr is a very busy person. She has to coordinate the efforst of bishops in several major cities, Sharn not the least of them by any means. I couldn't tell you exactly when her schedule will be cleared." [20:23:09] Alright, then. [20:23:22] Thank you for the audience. [20:23:53] "Absolutely, Lady. Anything to aid in the fight." [20:24:06] "Do you need help finding your way out?" [20:24:17] No, I think I will be fine, thank you. [20:24:29] [Father Deumak nods.] [20:25:32] [Aurora finds her way out of the church, with no more information than she came in with, and minus one magical bow.] [20:39:51] [Minisession Stop] End of #Sharn buffer Thu Jul 05 22:12:02 2007