Temple Crash
Tenebrae - Friday, May 19, 2017, 9:38 AM
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* 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.
An'thirya is here, furrowing her brow as she looks at the fountain. Her breaths are a bit deep, but certainly even. Occasionally, some sense of menace might emanate from her... Very little, no more than a feeling of magic making the hairs on one's neck stand on end. It seems she's toying with something within herself, but what?
Verna descends the steep mountain road smoothly and sure-footed despite her attention resting mostly upon the tome floating open before her. While not the most generally advisable choice, she appears to be coordinated enough to peruse and navigate the terrain simultaneously. Once she reaches levelground, a gloved hand turns the page as she continues towards the center of the square.
Some might say it's not a very big dragon. Though when it comes to dragons, any size is plenty big enough. Of course, others might say it's not a dragon at all. And many don't say anything particularly intelligible as it comes down out of the sky, skidding to a rather awkward halt along the cobblestones. it's certainly shaped like a dragon. Man sized scaly body, four legs, long neck, long tail, wings, claws. But the metallic scales, while a properly draginic green, are also rather silver, and fail to cover where joint meet, and rubebr skin shows though, where that in turn occasionaly fails to cover gears and wires and other artifice sort of things. Whatever the case, it picks itself up, gives a little shake, and peers around in a curious sort of way. "....oh.... I was -way- off."
STARE! An'thirya's gaze swivels over towards Munch in his dragonsuit for a moment, seeming to startle. She does however, quickly calm down as she sighs. "I... Sorry, who are you?" she asks, looking somewhat confused by the war golem's entrance.
Verna's hood lifts from her tome at the incoming draconian, then lowers as it lands. After a moment of consideration, she offers, "If you would share your intended destination, we may be able to offer guidance."
The sound of a horse is the main thing before well... another war golem joins the scenery. This one is in a violet colored armor with his head covered by a wolf-like helmet. And astride a large horse that looks to be heavily muscled. Albion's head is bowed slightly as he enters the plaza as if in thought before he looks towards the... strangeness of well... it's Munch. What's not strange about him, right?
Turning his horse that way, the war golem starts to make his way over not at all hurrying his horse along. While on the way, his head moves to look over those present for a few seconds.
"Intended destination, I don't even know who or what he is." An'thirya says, "I'd like more information on the ah... Mechanical dragon?" she asks, seemingly unsure, "Whoever you are, anyway."
Munch stretches, and contracts, his long neck and tail retracting, limbs twisting a bit to more humanoid legs and arms. Still very artifice-y, and still scaled and draconic, but more his regular self than before. "Munch. Munch TerrorMaw, the Golem Who Eats. And sometimes turns into a dragona nd flies, but navigating form the air is still hard. Everything looks really different up there. Eh, I'll get the hang of it. What are you up to?" He raises a hand in gretting, waving to both Verna and Albion.
"A change in perspective can be disorienting," Verna concurs, "though the benefits far outweigh any initial difficulties." Her hood pans back to her book, though she does add, "Also, greetings."
"Trying to get a bead on what exactly makes me tick." An'thirya says, "Introspection. I have uh... Anger issues in combat. Apparently I'm this thing called a, 'Bloodrager'?.. I haven't heard much about it before I met... Who was it..." she says, trying to remember.
"Greetings. Is everything well this day?" Albion asks as he moves closer, sliding off of the horse easily as he reaches up a hand to place on it's neck. Looking to the horse briefly, he says, "Easy, Luminous. We are close to holy grounds. No need to kick anyone here." He looks back towards the others about. "My apologies. He tends to bite or kick those that try anything he deems harmful."
Munch nods. "Yeah, magic and fury. I was doing that years before it went mainstream. I sorta like to think the gods are copying my style, but pretty sure they try to ignore me most of the time." He eyes the horse a moment, and shrugs. "Fair enough, I tend to do the same thing."
"So what... Drives people like us exactly?" An'thirya asks, "I mean, I want to figure out how to really... Not let it control me? Is that even possible? I know it can stem from frustration, but can it get worse?"
Elian has arrived.
Munch says, "Well, I don't know about you, but small pockets in my muscular structure contain mixes of alcohol, hydrocyanic acid, and a few less friendly chemicals. The process forcefully contracts the pockets, mixing the chemicals and pumping them directly into the tissue fibers. The reaction is a bit like pouring blackpowder onto a fire. But on a really small scale. Works great, but doesn't last long, the and after effects sorta suck."
"It's just... Stuff. Some magic thing." An'thirya says, "I've got no clue myself, I don't know my own inner workings. But if I push myself far enough, I get pissed and tear things up. All I know there, really." she explains.
Albion blinks, then looks to Munch. "That is truly a strange system."
Nearby, the enormous doors of the Angorite temple crash open, pushed from within, and 4 large men, a pair of giant-borns and a pair of oruchs, stride out, boisterously arguing over whose champion will win an upcoming competition. As they pass through the streets of the temple district, other folks give them a wide berth.
As they pass one alley in particular, a wild elf neatly side-steps to avoid being bowled over by collision with one of the oruchs who passes by, completely oblivious to the elf.
The elf watches them for a moment, then shrugs and proceeds toward the temple of Eluna.
"GWAR!" An'thirya cries out upon hearing the crash as she jumps back, "...Oh. It's just... Oh, OK." she says, sighing. "Sorry, I guess all this talk about rage related things has me a little on edge. I'm really confused about what it is though. But you said magic? I... Don't really have much magic to my name, not beyond what most mul'niessa are capable of."
Verna's hood lifts from her tome at the magical, or quasi-magical, discussion. "I would suggest observation, analysis, and measured action to instinct and anger, especially insofar as manipulation of magic is concerned. However, for many, it is instinct, itself, that ties the user to the flow of mana."
Munch shrugs. "Does turning meat and veggitibles into feces really make more sence as a power system?" The golem perks slightly, watching the four warriors, pass but, but sighs and slums slightly. "Banned from that one. No 'artifical enchancements.' Doesn't matter if I'm artifical all the way down. Meh." Turning back to An'thirya, he nods. "Sorcerous magics, part of the mix. Not major power as I understand, but a few perks. I have a few tricks, but turnign into a dragon trumps most of them. In your place, I'd disconnect a limb and observse the reaction as it passes though the tissue, but I understand you have a harder time re-attaching limbs."
"Uh... Yeah. Yeah I do." An'thirya says, "I mean the most regrowth that happens for livi-Er, organic sorts tends to be actually creating the limb again rather than reattaching it. Tends to be anyway."
Ga'Elian notices Munch and Verna talking together with a pair of others not yet well known to him, and alters course to approach them. He says with a friendly smile, "Good day. Debating the finer points of spellcraft?" He then nods and says to An'thirya and Albion, "Ga'Elian Faravanilas. Well met."
Verna's hood pans to Ga'Elian. "A discussion, yes, though not into such detail." One gloved hand gestures to An'thirya. "It appears to be more a matter of self-discovery than debate or formal education."
Munch glances to Ga'Elian and nods, looking around to the surounding temples. "Though guess if you do need to reattach a limb, likely the best place for it." He buzzes mildly, looking to Verna. "I tried attending some of those formal lectures. Lot of talk and theory, but no real conenction to using that stuff in action. Almost useless if you plan to actually -do- something."
"Seems like, yeah." An'thirya says, "I'm... Oh hey." she says, as she finally turns to notice Ga'Elian, "Just trying to work out how to understand my own magic in its... Unique form."
Albion had turned to look at the crash, and looked closer to make sure nothing came of it. The horse, meanwhile, does the same and stays a respectful distance from the others in case it has to move before turning back to look at the group. Ears flicking as if it dismissed the threat as nothing nearly.
Albion himself turns around after a moment to look at the others. "Sometimes it is not the understanding that is needed, but rather if it is needed." He says towards An'thirya.
Elian nods and says, "It is well to learn to harness one's abilities and put them to deliberate application." Turning to Albion's horse, he reaches out to pat the steed's neck, asking, "What a fine animal. What's his name?"
GAME: Elian rolls WildEmp/a: aliased to Ranger+Charisma: (9)+12+1: 22
Albion looks towards Elian as he reaches for the horse's neck. Then blinks when the horse doesn't try to take a chunk out of him. "Luminous. I take it you are one of Gilead's?" The horse, meanwhile, just shakes it's mane out.
Albion shakes his head, "Only ones besides myself that I know of who can approach him without being sent a good couple of feet."
Munch buzzes softly, and eyes the animal. "I'm tempted to take that as a challenge, but doubt would end well for anyone."
Elian opens his mouth to answer the mounted warrior, but as Munch makes his comment, turns instead to Munch and with a look of delighted surprise says, "Humor? Wit? How remarkable. You, my friend, are full of surprises." Then returning his attention to the purple golem, says, "I do revere the Lord of the Wild, but His holy Sister, the Silver Huntress is my divine Patroness. Still, my flesh does bear the divine touch of Gilead."
"...I... Heh. Brings back memories." An'thirya says, smiling gently. Sighing, she then shakes her head, "Shouldn't be boring you with... Random nostalgia, sorry."
Munch buzzes again, and blinks at Ga'Elian. "...who's joking? I don't follow Kor, I don't want to end up where he's going. But I respect the way he gets there. And that's by seeing things that are hard, and doing them anyway. If others can't get close to the horse, that sounds like a challenge. But the sort that would end up hurting either me or the horse. I can take it, but the horse didn't do anything."
"Let's... Not, yes." An'thirya says, "I mean, it's not like you have anything to prove. I'm not sure how you'd respond to peer pressure or societal influence anyway." she notes, "I'm no expert on the mind."
Verna has disconnected.