Holy Diver

Log Info

• Title: Holy Diver
• Emitter: Skielstregar
• Characters: Skielstregar, Vaera, Andelena
• Place: Temple of Daeus
• Time: January 1st, 2022
• Summary: Skielstregar has been waiting to go to Disne- I mean, The Temple of Daeus for months. And now, he finally can! Vaera and Skiel arrive at the front dias of the temple, the man taking it all it. He has some questions for a passing Sunguard, but apparently, said Sunguard was new in town. Andelena, from Myrddion. The exchange introductions, and make future plans to talk over a drink as they recommend an inn to stay at for her. She departs to take care of business, and leaves makari man to flounder in his social blunder.

Temple of Daeus, Late Afternoon

The sky is grey, with a cold and wet air that saps heat from those that aren't protected from its wicking chill.

But such protections were not needed here. The temple heralded a calm weather, and a slight warmth.

A towering makari man stops before the first dais steps to get onto the temple grounds, his head craneed back as dead silver eyes look at the calm space with an expression of reverence. His new scales have grown in more firmly and solidly, nearly covering those empty patches and starting to reclaim its lost, rightful place amongst the forest of its tarnished self.

There is a light smile that tweaks his face as he digs a talon under his breastplate. "... it's marvelous," he notes in his native tongue, a hand on his hip as his armored tail sways from side to side.

Andelena has arrived.

Skielstregar seemed to have been wishing to go to the temple of Daeus for some time now. But the temple district had been locked down for various business. At least they were finally open again, and as a bonus, Skielstregar was less likely to be smitten on sight as an undead. Vaera knew the city, but she did not know the temples particularly well, but she is at least able to guide them to the area as they go to town for various business. She joins them up the steps, and follows his gaze with a nod.

"The softskins need their temples to show reverence to the gods." Vaera notes. "Still, the amount of care they put into them shows the care many show for the gods. It is a good thing, this one would say."

Speaking of softskins and their reverence to the gods...

A new presence strides into the temple of Daeus past its doors, walking in confidently from the overcast sky and wet air. The armored figure is tall, and she removes her helmet to reveal her somewhat aged and tanned skin, her wavy dawn-spun hair spilling out. Her gray eyes close fix on the statues of Daeus and Althea for a moment as she murmurs what is likely a prayer before she strides further inside the temple, her white cloak signifying her allegiance to Daeus swishing behind her as she makes her way further inside to the statues.

The holy woman nods to Skielstregar and Vaera as she moves to pass them. Her longsword and shield clink softly with her movements--further signs of her veneration of Daeus.

The lumbering, patchwork of a tarnished scale/silverscale continues his conversation with the redscale beside him. Training would dictate that someone was unholy touched about him, but it contradicted the dragon profile amulet that clanks against his breastplate. Same faith, different lens. "Of course. Their actions seem to be molded into the stone and wards. They like to tie places and things to make sense of what they cannot."

He blinks as the Daeusite passes by him, the large armored tail having to thud against the ground to keep from smacking them. He double takes, then strides forward into the open air temple a few more steps, taloned feet clacking against the stone. He speaks in a hissy Trade, "Ah... excussse thisss one. Sunguard? Are you busy? Thisss one hasss sssome questionsss."

Vaera bows her head to the passing holy woman, though she looks up when Skielstregar asks for their assistance. "If they have time, I am sure that they would be happy to share what they can. Good day, sunguard, I hope it finds you well." She states in a monotone voice."

The woman stops with Skielstregar's polite request. She looks up to face both Vaera and Skielstregar. Her steel eyes, both in color and in attitude, linger in particular on Skielstregar. She doesn't seem disgusted by him, unlike some might--one gets the sense little bothers her--but she does seem to be... judging? him.

Hersssessing might be the better word, actually. She looks at his dragon amulet for another moment and she nods. "I always have time for a fellow adherent of the Sun Lord," she says, her voice sounding like it's used to both barking commands over the sound of clashing steel and intoning in prayer in its duel warmth yet crisp politeness. "I must warn you I can't answer much in the way of local questions, as I only just arrived two nights ago."

She nods to Vaera's sentiment. "Good day to you. Our Morning Lord has given me a productive day thus far," she says. "May He grant you what you seek as well."

The sith'makar in front of the woman was, to put it simply, huge. Muscled, carrying various weapons: from the halberd on his back, to spears in a quiver, with throwing axes and knives about a bandolier on his chest.

Assessment? Probably best to not piss him off.

Yet how could you? Despite those set of fangs that just out like some kind of night creature, he's perfected the art of smiling around it in a closed eye manner as his faith is recognized. "Ah, thisss one sssees," he chirps, not phased by this circumstance. "They had sssome questionsss about this temple in particular, but it ssseems they will have to asssk another for that."

He blinks, then grins a bit. Unsettling teeth a bit more on display. "From where to do you hail, Sunguard?"

"I know the city well enough, but I do not know much about the temples." Vaera admits. "Thank you, though he should not grant what I seek, merely the guidance to accomplish it."

"I did not know human clerics were travelling here. Is this to do with the recent shutdown?" She asks.

The Sunguard nods gently to Skielstregar as she seems to finish her internal assessment of Skielstregar, but she otherwise does not react to his unsettling teeth in his grin. "I am Andelena of Selentia, Land of a Thousand Princes, although I have lived much of my life outside of that land to travel in the rest of the Myrrish kingdoms to do the work called of me by the Sun Lord," she says.

She looks to Vaera with her query, steel eyes settling on her now too. "To a degree. I had a few reasons for coming here. As a traveling Sunguard, it is customary to check in with the Temples and keep a finger on the pulse of any situation that concerns us. I wished to leave Myrddion for my own personal reasons, so once I heard of the situation here, I knew it was a sign from Him that I was to work here."

The lumbering man bobs his head once, a curled fist thudding against his breastplate twice with a >clank, clank!< "Ssskielssstregar, Warrior caste," he introduces. "Though, Ssskiel worksss just fine. Your cause is noble, Sunguard. Thankfully, sssuch isssues have resolved in regardsss to the troublesss here."

"You are travelling around? Ah, from the myrrish kingdoms, I have not been there myself however." Vaera offers. "Vaera. Good to meet you. And yes, the temples seem to be back in order. That is why we came, to see what they were like. At least, Skielstregar did."

"Vaera and Skielstregar," Andelena says, nodding as she handles the names. "May I make a suggestion, Vaera?"

The slightest smile cracks on the Sunguard's face, the first real bit of levity she's shown so far. "If you do go to the Myrrish Kingdoms, don't go to Selentia unless you enjoy playing pointless card games and rubbing elbows with people who consider it the highlight of their day if they happened to brush past an elbow of a higher status than their own. There's a reason I left there and ran into the arms of the Sun Lord's faithful in the High Kingdom instead."

Skiel tilts his head at the suggestion, him looking to Vaera for a moment at the advice. "Ah. Thisss isss unsssure if they passed through ssssuch landsss. But thisss one is certain Alexandria isssn't similar to that."

"I will keep that in mind, as I likely would not fit in there particularly well." Vaera chuffs. "Alexandria is better, in most places."

"I will keep that suggestion in mind, Andelana."

"Glad to hear this city is practical. More diverse than any of the Myrrish kingdoms, too." Andelena's smile becomes more overt. "I would have visited sooner if I didn't have to deal with old attachments. My old... partner, was insistent about staying put in the Kingdoms. The base of worship of Daeus is in Ecclesia, and he never wanted to stray too far away no matter how much I insisted the work of our Sun Lord extended to more than one horizon."

"Speaking of which, I would suggest you travel to Ecclesia if you have the chance," she says to Skielstregar. "It is a must-see for any follower of our Lord."

Skielstregar cants his head the other way. "This one has never head of thissss land. Isss it far?"

"I am sure it would be interesting, and worth a visit. I imagine Skielstregar would enjoy visiting the Daeusite orders of Ecclesia."

Vaera chuckles "That is good you seek to expand your horizons to help people. I hope you have been able to do so."

Andelena nods. "Just being here is a start. The next part is to get my hands onto some work. Obviously, the situation that got my attention to begin with is done. What else happens in this city worth looking at? Criminal gangs? Slavers? I'm willing to bring my sword down on just about anyone who deserves it in the eyes of the Sun Lord, light willing."

The way she talks sometimes sounds a bit more mercenary than one might suspect for a Sunguard. But then again, she did just say she was a *traveling* Sunguard.

Skiel bobs his head. "There is quite a bit of work to be done here. The exploerer'sss guild hasss quite a handful. Don't lisssten to rumors from the guardsss that sssay otherwissse, they're good folk."

"There is work to be done for those seeking wrongdoers, yes. Just, do not be too fanatical about it." Vaera chuckles. "That is a good way to get put in a bad place in a dark alley at night. There are lots here, too much to deal with it all."

"The explorer's guild is a good spot for honest work. Just make sure that you are aware of what the listings are asking of you."

"Do you /know/ how many criminals I've put down in dark alleyways at night? That's one of my favorite settings to do the work of Daeus. But, I also had a partner back then for that sort of thing to make it not so much of... What did my mother call it once? Oh, right. A death wish." Andelena chuckles. "I'll have to visit the explorer's guild, then. Are you two members? You look like you've seen some action."

Skielstregar chuffs, dipping his chin. "Yesss. Well, sssort of. Vaera here isss more involved than thisss one is. Thisss one, ah, doesssn't come to the city often. But they've done a few thingsss here and there for them."

"That is what they say, yes. But I am saying that there are too many unsavory folk here, especially for one person. Not that the place is overrun, but it is a big city, and people have connections."

"I tend to keep Skielstregar informed about work I see posted. We are not official members, but we do enough work with them."

She snorts at the observation. "What was the giveaway? Was it the missing leg, or the scars?"

"The scars," Andelena says, not missing a beat to Vaera's line of discussion. "You can be born without legs. Scars--let me just say I've seen babies being delivered and I've never seen a scar on a freshly delivered baby. That'd be one hell of a sign if there ever was one."

Andelena hooks her helmet to her belt at last, seeming to tire of carrying it under her arm. "Second question I've got. Best place to get a drink in Alexandria /without/ having anyone come up to you intending to throw you into their bed for the night?"

Skielstregar had a few scars. A nice amount on his forearms that had almost been covered by shining silver. A few on his legs and one on his collar. Or perhaps he had some undead features about him.

Regardless, his maw opens to answer. "The Fernwo-" He pauses. Puts a finger to his chin. Then repeats again. "Fernwood."

He nods to himself, as if to affirm it.

"Someone has that intent at most pubs." Vaera chuckles. "The fernwood is fine, the rooms are decently priced. Keeps most of the questionable sort out for the most part."

"Yeah, which is why I asked. Don't really feel like being asked the same lame pick-up line about 'is it true what they say about girls with muscles' or whatever." Andelena shakes her head. "First off, I'm a holy woman, not that I'm one of the ones who swore a vow of celibacy. Second, it's big talk to come up to someone who--again, is a holy woman--with muscles bigger than your head and come up in a rude manner."

She sighs. Apparently, that's a sore topic for her. "Anyway, the Fernwood. Good to know about the rooms, too. Thanks for giving me tips--next time we're all at the Fernwood, I'll buy you your drinks. How's about that?"

Skielstregar snorts, him smirking and shaking his head. "Sssuch foolissshness! Thisss one wondersss if they hit their head too many timesss to try sssuch an attempt. If one tried that with our kin to a Warrior, they'd have sssuch mussscles put on demonstration and be tosssed a couple tens of feet out. Much easssier to compliment onesss scalesss to be friendly. Sssuch asss, 'your scales are sssplendid, crimssson like the heart of a fire.'"

His blinks, realizes his mouth ran a bit, then he looks to the Sunguard's feet.

"... yesss thisss one would enjoy a drink," he mumble rumbles.

"There is nothing wrong with complimenting muscles." Vaera chuckles. "But yes, I imagine instigating a tavern brawl does not serve Daeus particularly well."

She freezes for a moment, and chuffs after a glance to Skielstregar. "Ah, yes. that is a good compliment for one with scales." She admits. "I would rather share stories than seek free drinks however, and I would worry there may be attachments to it."

"Swapping stories? By Daeus, you and I /are/ going to get along great, Vaera." Andelena grins. "Sure, we'll call it even for swapping stories."

She looks at the two scalefolk as they share a moment, raising a brow. Andelena looks between them, shifting her balance on her legs for a moment before she says, "Listen, I have to talk to some of the priests here real quick and then I'm headed back to the sorry little hole they put me up in. I'll head to the Fernwood tomorrow night and we can all get a drink then. How's that sound?"

Skiel caught that freeze, and it made his dead eyes go from boots to the stonework ground. He clears his throat. "Ahem. Yesss... that sssosundsss pleasant. We ssshould be around."

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea."Vaera agrees as she shakes her head free of the distraction. "Yes, stories are worth sharing, and I would feel better not to take your coin."

"I hope we will, it is good to know trustworthy folk in cities. And you hace that air about you."

The Sunguard nods, thumping her hand to her plate-clad chest. "That's what I strive to be," she says. "I'm here to make sure good people continue to live their lives in peace--and to make sure everyone else who wants to help gets out alive."

Andelena gives both Vaera and Skielstregar one final smile. "May Daeus guide you home this eve," she says, before she leaves to go talk with priests who likely shorter and less muscular than herself.

-End Scene-