Poor Rum part 1
Tenebrae - Saturday, May 20, 2017, 9:24 PM
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A10: Temple District *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
The air of solemn, heavy divinity in the area is often broken by laughter. The dual presence of the deities Althea and Daeus, man and wife, stand towards the center, with their children and their children's temples positioned around them. The presence of the divine is felt not only by their temples, but also by the actions of their worshipers. The great plaza is as a social center, paved in brilliant, white flagstones and covered in benches and sitting areas. Priests, acolytes, and servicefolk of all stripes roam the plaza, going from one task to the other.
At the front of the temples of Daeus and Althea, at the Plaza's centermost point, rests a great fountain, the cheerful waters reflecting the Sun during the day, and the Moon and Stars at night. The fountain is strategically centered, and is oft a place for wisdom and lesson-giving. It is not uncommon for a priest of some stripe or the other to stand there, surrounded by the curious and faithful, delivering messages of hope or contemplation. At other times, it and the plaza become a landscape of celebration of the holy holidays.
Few vendors are seen in the plaza--the nearby temples provide most food or services. Towards the west, the great Bridge stretches across the river, and towards the east, the Redridge mountains. The plaza rests in the midst of it all, the temples massive and grand on the Alexandrian scale.
Munch paces before the Temple of Tarien, ignoring the assorted multi-color smears upon the steps. The metal man occasionally pauses, peering towards the Angoronite temple, where activity for the weeklong tourney tends to focus. Not that there's anything particular going on just at the moment.
An'thirya's looking up at the stars as she seems to be contemplating something. Ever introspective despite the magically fueled rages from time to time, she waves to Munch and walks over. "Doing OK?" she asks, "Sometimes things get... Hectic with the tournament going on."
Munch perks up, and buzzes softly with a shrug. "Yeah, just a little bored. Some sort of threat to the Tariens, wanted a guard to keep watch. But so far nothing threatening has shown itself."
"A threat?" An'thirya asks, "Do we have any suspects, or should I start doing some work scaring the varying bodily issuances from unsavory types so they talk?" she asks.
A door to the Tarien temple opens and closes, momentarily allowing loud, energetic music to escape. Maybe this is why the main reason for, and cause of the opening is Aya exiting the building.
There's a clanking sound as a strange figure meanders through the district...At first blush, it resembles a walking tree, until you notice that the tree only makes up a small part of the entity. Most of its body is covered in dirt, mud, moss, and other natural detrius, with an aspen sapling growing out of his back. Other then that, hides cover a good part of its body, and there seems to be a wooden mask over its face as an outgrowth of the trunk.
Blink. Blinkblink. "Is that uh... Is that an ent wearing armor or am I confused?" An'thirya asks, "I'm really not sure what I'm looking at here." she notes, standing up as she walks forward. "...Hello?" she asks.
Munch glances over as Aya makes her exit, and shrugs to An'thirya. "I don't know the details, just they wanted someone handy, just in case." Spying Treeback, the metal man perks up again, watching with curiousity.
Treeback says, "Salutations, do you know where I can find the local temple to Dana? She might not have it inside the city, however, though I presume a local park might suffice for her needs." the tree behind him quivers a bit as he talks, and he exhudes an aura of natural tranquility...despite the metal visible underneath the spotty moss patches"
Aya pinches the bridge of her nose, taking a moment to enjoy the relative serenity of the square. The arrival of a ...demi-treant breaks that and draws a long look. The question, though, provokes a rather casual reply. "Many important temples are not present in the city. An oversight, or Alexandria ran out of room."
"I... Yeah uh, there's a few missing. Some are just not gonna be here of course, like those to deities of more malicious intent. Thul for example, you wouldn't find a temple to because he's a jerk, creepy, and it's either him or Vardama. All those reasons and more... Well, there's more temples that could be here admittedly. Like Dana's, for example. Though you might want to talk to city leadership about that if it's really important. If not, Gilead's temple is nearby... Another one of the gods that presides over nature."
Munch considers, and shakes his head. "Not thinking of anyplace specific to the Green, but the druid and ranger types tend to meet at a grove north of the city. Nice place. Great mushrooms."
Treeback says, "That is acceptable." he nods "Are there any vacant lots the city has recently considered abandoned?" he looks over at the elf, just sort of assuming she's one to know about this stuff as a city dweller from a nature loving people...then again he hasn't met every kind of Sil and hasn't been sapient for all that long..."
"...You looking for somewhere to put down roots or something?" An'thirya asks, "I mean there are parks, but I dunno how open they'd be to you staying in one. I'm no expert on your requirements, mister... Uh. Do you have a name?" she asks, "I dunno what kind of names treants have."
Treeback says, "I am not a Treant, Treants do not leave the woods. I am a Druid." he nods, and cocks a finger at the tree on his back "It is nearly mature, the time will come in a few months that it is ready to make root permanantly, I will find a place to set it where nature needs to florish, then plant a new seed in its place.""
Munch considers. "Anyplace open in the city tends to fill up with something or another pretty quick. Are parks and stuff around, maybe a lord's yard or something. If you just need a place to hangout, Clunk is pretty good at lending a hand, but I wouldn't leave a tree there for long. And are a couple treants around the city, but not really common."
"There are plenty of temples to Thul," Aya points out, "just not here, in sight. I'm not particularly fond of Him, but there are far worse to deal with."
"Waaaaaaaaait waitwaitwait." An'thirya says, "Well, if you're not a treant then-" pause. "...A... War golem? I didn't know if your people could become druids to begin with. That's a new one for me." she observes, standing up. "But you really ought to talk to some other people in the Yggdrassil Union. I'd send for Ga'elian, but I have no way of doing so."
Treeback says, "Few of our kind consider the possibility." he shrugs "I hear the Yggdrassil, though, others can if they care to, but few do." he looks over at the elfin woman "You are Sil, do you know of other Druids like myself?" he seems genuinely curious"
Munch shrugs. "Lota druid types up at the Grove. Seriously, they know where all the best mushrooms are. Sith shaman types hang out at the bone valley north of there. Not really druids I don't think, but give the same sort of vibe."
Aya glances upward at the mention of the familiar syl. "You could always notify the griffin?" A roll of one shoulder follows. "And why shouldn't...it be able to choose its own path like any other?"
"Eh, I guess. You just don't usually think of someone made artificially as choosing to serve nature is all." An'thirya explains, "Prejudices run strangely like that, I guess." she notes, "...Hear it? I've... Never actually tried on my own, but I'm not a druid. A... 'Bloodrager' apparently. Still getting used to the term. It's something that involves using magic to propel oneself into an enhanced state of rage for a time, rooted in oneself like sorcerers in some ways." she observes.
Amythyst has arrived.
Treeback says, "I will continue assuming I am th e only War Golem to follow the Green Path, then." he nods, his expressionless mask observing the sil "That term is unknown to me, but there are many unusual paths one can follow in this world." he looks over at Munch...then reaches onto his shoulderblade, pops a brownish mushroom off his mossy patches, and tosses it to him"
Aya has disconnected.
Munch considers. "Pretty sure was another golem druid around here while back. All brass, if I recall right, let it corode and go all green. Not sure what happened to him." Catching the mushroom, the metal man eyes it a moment before his face cracks open, splitting along the vertical and horizontal axis, reveiling row upon row of nightmare metal fangs inside. From the depths of the maw a thin black tongue uncoils, wrapping around the mushroom before withdrawing into the depths, as the fangs close over with a soft click. A faint grinding can be heard, and Munch nods. "Yeah, always the best stuff."
Treeback Seems utterly nonplussed by that, he's seen weirder in the natural world. Not to mention the memories of the before-time have had similar things emerge. He then turns back to the Sil "Do you know anything of cats?"
"Nope." An'thirya says, "Not more than the average person. Why, you have a cat in your tree?" she asks, grinning.
He gestures...and a vine rolls off of one of the branches, it seems more...vibrant then the foliage around here, maybe its tropical? It also has a large bulge in its midsection, which rolls slowly towards the flower until it splits open to reveal a number of razor sharp fangs...and a green cat's head which appears to be in great distress. "It crawled up there some time during the night, refused to come down, and repeatedly threatened to devour my soul...I think, their language is abstract."
"Mow!" the cat protests loudly, it does not seem to like being trapped in a carnivorous plant's GI tract
Munch buzzes in mild annoyance. "Rule number one: Don't eat pets. You get into all sorts of trouble for that.
Treeback says, "It has been instructed not to devour it, however it lacks limbs and has little ways of actually restricting creatures beyond this." he nods "My companion will do as I have instructed, my body provides it with the nutrients it requires to survive, and it will not threaten this symbiosis.""
This appears to be of small comfort for the cat
Munch considers a second. "...did it start green, or is that a side effect?"
Treeback says, "It appears to be mutated through symbosis with a colony of spores." he pauses "I think I may need pointing to the Mages District.""
Munch shakes his head. "Warehouse district. Place called the Ox Strength Tavern. Great booze, lousy food, and the owner, Myrana, has a green cat. Not that one. But likely knows more. If not, then yeah, like the wizards."
Munch peers closer. "...or maybe that -is- Rum-kitty?"
The cat mows at the machine, finally someone sympathetic to its plight!
Treeback says, "I don't know its name, it crawled up in the night, aggravated my companion, and I prevented it from devouring the cat when I noticed it had a collar." he nods"
Munch considers, and holds out his hands. "I can take him. Not sure is better, but might prefer someone he's met before." Then again, Munch is pretty scary. Not that he's ever threatened the little mutant potato. Not on purpose anyway.
Treeback says, "if you can remove him from my companion, then go right ahead." The carnivorous plant seems to be attempting to slowly swallow the cat, though it refrains from actually digesting the feline, though this doesn't help the cat any. "MOOOOOOW!" The cat yowls with despair, it is stuck between something that is currently wishing it could eat it, and something that it just saw devour a small mushroom...which is presumably distantly related to it."
Munch is quite confidant he can remove the cat. Pretty sure he can do so without hurting said kitty. Not hurting the vine, however, may prove more difficult. But his fingers are nimble, his eyes are sharp, and his patience is pretty good when hes actaully doing something.
GAME: Treeback rolls 1D2+3: (1)+3: 4
- SCHLORP* the cat pops out without much fuss, and drops to the ground...immediately running home while covered in plant...gunk. "...Thank you, I have been assuming my companion would eventually tire of this and devour it despite my wishes." he pauses "I should explain things to its owner, she is likely to wonder why her pet is slimy."
Munch ehs. "I'll do it. Good chance her wife is around, and Sandy gets punchy. I can take the hit."
Treeback says, "...Wife?" he seems perturbed "How do they reproduce?""
walking her way in from the west, Amythyst looks.....rather soaked, but happy. She looks about to see who's there.....
An'thirya has disconnected.
Munch shrugs. "Reproduction has always been a blind spot for me. Apparently nudity and beds have something to do with it."
Treeback says, "I have some literature on the subject." he's a Druid, of course he knows how that works, its part of their finals! "At any rate...I should find something for my companion to eat before it devours another house pet." he sighs, lumbering off rather slowly, with the vine occasionally snapping at pigeons on the way out of the temple district"
Amythyst looks over as treeback walks away. "I came in at the end of a meeting, didn't I?"
Munch shrugs. "I guess? I mean, I just met him, so, if that counts." The metal man blicks with a soft click. "Huh... never got his name. Ah well, description will do if I need it."
Amythyst shrugs. "No matter. Aren't you 'Munch'?" She says pointing at him...
Munch nods. "The one and only. You need something in particular?"
Amythyst says, "Need? Nah. I'm trying to figure myself out as it is." She then sighs. "Just making sure I had the right name to the right Golem.""
Munch nods. "I'm fairly distinct. What is it you're trying to figure out?"
Amythyst says, "Most of it is that I enjoy water. I'm a sorceress, and apparently, water is my element. I can even swim really really well.""
Munch nods. "I coulda been a sorcerer, but I like breaking things more. Sorta neutral on the water bit. You do ice too, or just the liquid stuff?"
Amythyst says, "Just the liquid. Though I probably could do ice, I'm better with water. Much better underwater...."
Munch nods. "I havn't done much underwater stuff. More than most, I guess. You need air, or magic take care of that for you?"
Amythyst says, "I can hold my breath a good long time, but I don't have the magic to breathe underwater yet. I imagine, when I do, I'll probably make a home underwater....like in the river.....""
Munch nods. "Check around a bit when you do. It's more populated than you might think. Golems don't breathe, and are a couple watery types who keep to the river."
Amythyst says, "all right. I'll check around when I go into the river and stay there. It won't be too hard, I think. I do know how to cast some spells underwater though......"
Munch nods again. "Magic gets odd in any new enviroment, water included. Can't say as I'm any level of expert, though."
"Right. Thank you, Munch." Amythyst then waves. "Thank you for listening, at least." She then smiles to him. "If we're lucky, you'll have more things to hit soon."
Munch hehs. "Always something to hit. Some I just get in trouble for. Anyway, later!"