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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Dec 18, 2018 20:27:19 GMT
Micaela had visited the temple a few times before, particularly in the early days of her time in the colony, mostly for research purposes and partly because she'd wondered if a fire god would aid her in her quest to hatch a dragon. Not that she actually believed in R'hllor, but she'd wanted the egg to hatch so badly she'd been willing to try almost anything. Her visits had trailed off in the past year, but the place was at least familiar to her as she entered. She'd dressed modestly, in a plain black gown, and removed the hat she wore to protect her face from the sun, then looked around as if seeking the best place to pray but she was really looking for any members of the Ivory Band who might be present.
INT 75 if required
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Post by The Horror on Dec 18, 2018 21:00:30 GMT
Int: 87
The temple was a bit crowded when Lady Vaenys arrived, around a dozen men and women say on their praying carpets chanting the sacred hymns in honor of their Red God. If one of them was a member of the Band, Micaela could not tell.
However, her presence did not go unnoticed and before she had even stepped into the building, she spotted Illora, the High Red Priestess, walking towards her. She had a smile on her lips and held her arms open wide.
"Lady Vaenys, it's been a while since you last visited the house of R'hllor." She said kindly, her voice warm as always. Even though she was Lysene of pure Valyrian descent, her accent was completely foreign to Micaela's ears. "Have you come to officially join our flock?"
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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Dec 18, 2018 21:13:31 GMT
Micaela smiled back at the priestess. "Alas, my lady, not at the moment. I find myself drawing further and further away from the Valyrian gods, and I am interested in your god, so perhaps I will join, one day. I was hoping for a little divine guidance today, though. I met one of your colleagues just the other day, a man called Roshai. He was an interesting fellow, to say the least."
She watched the priestess' face to see how she took the name.
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Post by The Horror on Dec 18, 2018 21:28:57 GMT
Illora's face was as mask of serenity. She was the type of person to genuinely pay attention to what you were saying and that was clear just by how her eyes never wandered when talking to you.
"Roshai is indeed quite an unique man. Perhaps too fond of his liquor on occasion." She giggled. "I have heard about his encounter with you and Master Jonarth. I hope he did not pester you too much with old wet wives tales about forgotten cities in the middle of the jungle. He is from Yi Ti, you see. They are quite a literal people those Easterners, they will believe mostly anything they are told. Even that their Emperor is a God."
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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Dec 18, 2018 21:52:31 GMT
"Oh, now that is interesting," Micaela said. "I love learning about other cultures, and religions. No man could possibly be a god, of course, but if I meet Roshai again, I'll be sure to ask him for the story. It would tell me much about his people, and I know so little about them." She hadn't given up on the lost city on the basis of those few words, of course, but perhaps she'd need to play the game more carefully. "Master Roshai was not a burden, I assure you. He told me something else interesting. He said that some men from the Ivory Band had converted to your faith. That was...something I hadn't expected. But I am happy for them, truly, if your god gives them comfort."
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Post by The Horror on Dec 18, 2018 22:35:42 GMT
"Sothoryos has broken many brave men, my lady. And in the end of a dark tunnel they find themselves in, the Lord of Light comes to greet them and raise them from their suffering." She said, gently putting a hand on Micaela's shoulder. "Some have been mauled by beasts, some have seen death standing right before them... Most have lost someone who was dear to them. R'hllor has cured them all, inside and out."
"Come, I know someone you might be interested to meet." Illora's hand journeyed down Micaela's arm, gently caressing her skin and she did it. She gently tugged at Lady Vaeny's hand to have her follow. "Thurgon of Qohor was one of those men that used to venture with Baelor before he went missing. I found him laying on a dirty alleyway, crying himself to sleep. I gave him a bath and some food, and now he has become one of our most fercent followers. He has given himself thoroughly to the Lord of Light."
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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Dec 18, 2018 23:02:07 GMT
"I'm thankful he has found some peace," Micaela said with feeling. "I wasn't here when the men went off on that excursion, nor when they came back, but I've heard about it, of course. The incident is still shrouded in mystery, but everyone knows something happened. Has this Thurgon become a priest of your Lord of Light?" To her, it seemed the most likely explanation of Illora's specific terminology.
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Post by The Horror on Dec 18, 2018 23:20:39 GMT
"Thurgon is still an Acolyte of our faith, but with some more years of study and dedication I am certain that he will be able to achieve priesthood."
They came upon a small wooden door in the back of the Temple. From inside, Micaela could hear the distinctive sound of a cat of mine tails meeting with human flesh. It was following by a muffled roar of pain and the acrid smell of burn flesh.
"Thurgon is very... Fervent in his faith. He has chosen the path of self purification, to cleanse himself from all the darkness the Great Other that has been imbued into him by the jungle." Her tone darkened a bit, even betraying a but of sadness. "It is all a matter of choice. The Lord of Light can be worshipped through many different ways. Thurgon feels the encroaching heaps of the Lord of Darkness, so he fights it off the only way he knows. I have chosen a different path, but who am I to judge a brother?"
She smiled faintly.
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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Dec 19, 2018 8:15:13 GMT
The sound of the whip made her feel vaguely ill.
"Faith affects everyone in different ways, it's true," Micaela agreed. "I am eager to meet Thurgon but I don't wish to disturb him at his...prayers. Ought we to give him a few minutes to be ready for company?"
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Post by The Horror on Dec 19, 2018 9:30:48 GMT
"Yes yes, he should be done any moment now. The whipping is usually the last part." Illora tried to keep her composure, but was unable. Micaela could see her shuddering. "I wonder sometimes if I made the right choice when saving him from the gutter that day." The High Priestess was right, just a dozen heartbeats later they head the door being unlatched. Then man that came out of the room had the most eerie visage upon his. The man had a plain face covered in flame tatood, he stared into nothing in particular making no expression of pain after his self flagellation. He was clad in the usual red robes of his faith, but unlike Illora and Roshai, who had chosen the lightness of silk for the hot Sothoryi weather, his were made out of thick wool. The whole character made Micaela uncomfortable just by looking upon it.  "Lady Illora. What may I be of service?" Thurgon said mechanically. While his lips curled into a smile, his eyes did not follow through, they remained dead and distant. "Thurgon." She bowed slightly. "This is Lady Vaenys. She would like to exchange some words with you. About your days before joining the Faith." Thurgon's left lower eyelid twitched, but he never broke him smile. "How can I be of service, Lady Vaeny's?" |
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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Dec 19, 2018 19:02:28 GMT
She forced a smile , the way she had forced herself to smile whilst in polite company back in Volantis.
"As Lady Illora says, I hoped to speak with you about your old life. I am...curious, you see. I'm a scholar and there's little better for scholarly research than personal testimonies. I am at present researching the jungle.
Would you mind very much if I took a few notes?"
She produced a small notebook and a thin stick of charcoal.
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Post by The Horror on Dec 20, 2018 9:23:55 GMT
"Of course, my lady " Thurgon stared into Micaela's eyes. He was but a little taller than her, and yet his gaze emanated a certain heaviness, a downward pressure, that made it seem like he was seven feet tall.
"That Thurgon is long dead, his days under the darkness of the Great Other were enough to unmake him. But I was reborn thanks to the Lord of Light, with light and fire I have vowed to destroy the evil that has taken so many of our people."
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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Dec 20, 2018 18:45:12 GMT
"I'm pleased that you have found peace," she said. "But your story is a strange one. I would like very much to understand the circumstances that prompted you to turn to the Lord of Light. I do not quite understand the evil you speak of. Is it out there, in the jungle?"
He frightened her a little but she was determined not to give up quite yet.
CHA 60 to improve disposition
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Post by The Horror on Jan 6, 2019 10:42:01 GMT
(Failure. Disposition lowered)
The crepy man's eyes flickered once again, betraying some kind of discomfort under his broken smile.
"The Darkness of the Great Other is everywhere, my lady." He said with a hoarse voice. His eyes grew wider, he grabbed her wrist, his grip slowly tightening. "Inside every one of us it hides, it consumes and corruputs us. When you go out there... It all comes out at once. Those savages, they worship it, they eat their own dead in massive feasts on honor of their Dark God and grim desires. The Evil from inside comes out even from the holiest of man. Soon we are all no more than dirty animals, just like those filthy natives."
He stared at her as if reading her sould, eyes unblinking.
"You plan to go in there, I feel it." He laughed, but there was no joy in it. " You will become one of them, you will lay with beasts and drink the blood of your companions. And then you will die, you know?! If they don't eat you, your own companions will."
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Post by Micaela Vaenys on Jan 6, 2019 13:41:22 GMT
Micaela tried to pull her wrist away. She was genuinely a little frightened right now but she managed not to panic. There was no doubt some truth in his words but she thought perhaps he was laying it on thick, either to frighten her, or because his mind was warped by his own experiences.
At any rate, she had to hear more, if only he would let her go.
"You're hurting me," she told him. "And you may be sure I will do none of those wicked things. Please release me, and then, if you like, you may tell me more about this Dark God."
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