The Church of Luminosita in Clovius

[Graybeard]

[OOC: OK, as promised, getting this going now that the holidays are done. It's obviously set up for Alberich and Tim, but if anyone else wants to join, this would be a great time for it. Note that several things in the following are left vague so that we can develop them jointly. Just a few obvious words in Tim's mouth here:]

The worship service (such as it was) was breaking up, and the worshipers leaving the temple (such as it was), when a fit-looking Clovian approached Tim. He recognized this man as Yehuda, the "lay brother" who had been meeting the needs of the faithful to the best of his ability before Tim arrived, and who also continued to serve as Tovah Dragonslayer's gate guard. He was wearing the sort-of-uniform of the latter function now, rather than the tattered Luminositan vestments, which had long since been consigned to an unused place of honor. Whether this was a euphemism for "trash can" is left to the reader.

"Bro -- Father Timothy?" Yehuda said, still unsure of roles and titles here.

"Yes, Bro -- my friend, what can I do for you?" Tim answered; neither the formal "Brother Yehuda" nor the patronizing "my son" felt quite right, and besides, Yehuda was doing his best to become a real friend.

Yehuda seemed to gain confidence from this question, but it didn't last long. "I have been asked to tell you that Lady Dragonslayer requi -- requests your attendance at dinner tomorrow night. She says there will be another -- guest that it would be a good idea for you to meet." He couldn't disguise the shudder in both his voice and his demeanor as he spoke that last sentence.

[Alberich]

The Bishop's letter promoting Tim to "Father" was a recent arrival--small wonder the local community was still getting used to it. It was a convenience for Tim, too. In a small community, the faithful had a tendency to call each other "brothers and sisters"--in faith if not in Church rank--and Tim had adopted that style himself, at least most of the time. Now no one would be confused about "which kind of brother?"

Tim had had a few bad experiences on his first arrival in Clovius, partly because this Tovah had decided to contact him with a cryptic message instead of sending help or plain advice. He'd made himself a promise to be more freehanded with the information if other Churchmen arrived here on his watch. Step one in that policy was getting better informed himself. At least he'd been given some time.

Had he heard this in the evening on a workday, he'd've invited the good brother out for a friendly jar or an honest pint (Tim's personal budget was far from copious, and he avoided all luxury in shack and shift, but he could manage the occasional drink. Always in the singular.) As it was, he simply led the lay brother to one side of the "church," where his own small but well maintained shack lay. Tim had gotten out of Tovah's house as soon as possible--it being important to maintain his independence, his virtue, and his closeness to the community.

"Brother, you've done well to tell me of this, but I think you may know more about this guest, and what it's all about." He spoke gently, as he preferred, but his intent was not to let go until he knew what Yehuda knew, or else who could tell him more. There would be a time to approach Sister-in-Faith Tovah, but Tim meant to be armed with all the information he could get from others first. The more he could learn about this "guest" the better.

[Graybeard]

"Brother, you've done well to tell me of this, but I think you may know more about this guest, and what it's all about.

Yehuda looked more uncomfortable at this accusation. "I -- do not -- Father. I have only seen the man once, and that at a distance. He was with the Lady, and she waved me away from my post so they could pass. That was very -- unusual. But the other times he has come to pay his respects, he didn't come through the gate at all." He shuddered. "I don't know how he got into the house; rumor has it that he used powerful magic." He shuddered again. "But Lady Dragonslayer says he is welcome in her house. Otherwise, all I know of him is that he is very tall, has a commanding presence -- at least that's what the maid said -- uses mighty magic, and is an important man to the hill people."

[OOC: Putting one question in Tim's mouth that he would surely ask in response to that last part:] "The hill people? You mean followers of the Mountain King?" He'd heard some of the townsfolk describe themselves with the "hill people" phrase, and none of them had ever appeared at a Luminositan service or event.

Yehuda was a mass of fear and trembling wrapped in a tunic and pants. "Yes, Father. Rumor among the Lady's servants is that he is the high prophet of the Mountain King. Some even say that he is the Mountain King himself." He shuddered violently and made the Sign of Luminosita, as though warding off an evil spirit.

[Alberich]

Tim smiled his most comforting smile. "Many thanks, brother," he said, "You're doing just what you should by telling me this. I've noticed that newcomers of the Faith to this city are at their greatest risk when they first arrive--because of how little they know of the heathens and their ways."

For Tim, and his congregation knew this by now, "heathen" was not a word of hate, simply a fact--the fact that someone didn't worship, and never had worshipped, the Good Lord Luminosita. As His community grew stronger and showed its best face to the heathen, the latter might learn a better way in time.

He went on. "Part of my intent is that I myself, and any other Churchmen and believers who come to our community, shall learn what they need to know about this place, and so avoid mischief. For themselves or for us."

He remembered his own first arrival, how he'd been summoned with a suspiciously cryptic message, and walked into a needless social-religious gaffe based on knowledge he didn't have. He wasn't in any kind of open struggle with Sister-in-Faith Tovah, nor did he intend to be if he didn't have to, but the first step out of her shadow was to get himself better informed. And as he had tried to warn his prior companions, there was a community to think about--what he did here could redound upon them.

"So please pass the message that I will be delighted to attend this dinner, and to learn more about these people we live among. And thank you, brother, for letting me know, and so speedily."

Tim's intent was not to be idle in the intervening time. He had his good works around the community to perform, but a day and a half was a long time, and he intended to make use of it. Step one was to find out, not from the nervous Yehuda, where a foreign sojourner might learn more about these "hill people" and their most notorious prophets. Perhaps a local library, or a brother-in-faith who worked with them more closely. Step two would be an early visit to Sister Tovah, this very evening, to see what she'd be ready to share a day in advance. Then there'd be time for more research before the next night's dinner.

[OOC: It's perfectly fine by me if you want to move forward in time, and summarize what Tim was able to learn about "high prophets," where they come from, whether they're often seen in town, what you don't do in their presence, etc. His idea is not to be "ignorant country cousin" at the dinner, but to avoid the easier sort of slip-ups.]

[Graybeard]

[OOC: Again, putting some obvious words in Tim's mouth, for purposes of pushing the narrative a little; you can do the more consequential words yourself...]

What Tim learned, in short order, was that nobody had ever dealt with a "high prophet" of the Mountain King except Tovah Dragonslayer; nobody who would admit it, anyway. There were several shrines to the Mountain King around Clovius, similar in concept, if not details, to what Sister Rose and Therese had unknowingly "visited" earlier. Worshipers would sometimes leave offerings at these, nothing too elaborate but not valueless either, after sunset. In the morning, they would be gone. But no "prophet" was known to the townspeople; rumored, yes, indeed believed to be part of the Mountain King's pantheon by some (not just Yehuda), but never seen.

About the closest he could come to a first-hand experience bearing on the alleged "prophets" was with a rather ordinary middle-aged woman who'd brought a child to the sort-of-temple for Healing spells on a broken finger. This was done, and she explained sheepishly, amid many expressions of thanks, that she was Luminositan but was married to a miner. By now it didn't require any elaboration to get from that to her being married to a follower of the Mountain King; all the miners were followers of the Mountain King, apparently.

"Yes, Holy Father, I saw an offering once -- went with my husband to make it, in fact. Oh, I didn't go into the grove myself!" she added quickly, making the Sign of Luminosita. "I just waited outside while Lev led it in."

"'Led' an offering in?" Tim wondered.

"A lamb," the woman, who went by the name of "Maggie" -- it was short for something long and unpronounceable -- said offhandedly. She got a wistful look for a moment. "Nice one, too. Just a tiny little thing, he could have carried it if he didn't have a bad shoulder from working the mine. It gets all sore and cranky at night, you see."

Tim didn't like the sound of that. "And it was -- sacrificed there? Slaughtered? Er, the lamb, I mean, not your husband's shoulder." Although I do wonder why she's never brought him to me for Healing; I might be able to help with that.

Maggie looked at him as though he was a slow child. "Of course not, Father. The ghosts came and took it." This was said in the same tones as one might use to point out that the sun was rising in the east.

[Alberich]

Tim nodded and thanked his sister-in-faith. Souls existed, that was clear enough, and who was to say they didn't sometimes linger in this world? In the lands it controlled, the Church forbade unlawful trafficking with spirits. Mere mortals had no way of telling the shade of a good man from a mischievous demon, sent to deceive, and he himself was witness to the power of devils' magic. But this was not a land the Church controlled, nor did it hold much power here. Until it did he had to tread carefully around this land's ways.

(It was also within Tim's imagination that these "ghosts" were in reality something more palpable...but he was far from being in a safe enough situation to try exposing them. Not that he wouldn't pray success to any meddling kids who undertook the task...)

"It's good of you to explain to me," he said. "Where I grew up, we never saw any ghosts, but it's a large world." He thought a moment. "I wouldn't want to cause any strife in your marriage, but if your husband's faith would allow it, I would be happy to look at that shoulder of his sometime." He left it to her judgment whether that was a wise thing to raise with the man of the house. She knew her man and his people's ways better than Tim could.

Now the truth was that he'd like to ask her more, such as whether she'd seen these "ghosts" and what they looked like -- but his judgment told him to break it off here. He assumed his questions would be circulated, and if the doings in these groves were kept secret from the non-believers, it would be better not to be seen looking too far into them. He was after surface knowledge, not secrets. Besides, he didn't want to make a habit of spending too much time alone with women, lest the wrong sort of rumors start. So he thanked her and departed.

Since the dinner wasn't 'til tomorrow night, Tim thought it best to visit the house of Tovah. His mission was to learn early about the visits of this mysterious prophet, of the etiquette he was shown and the traps and snares his presence set. His concept was to be fully prepared to meet this man, and not to cause any trouble for the Faithful in the process. He was glad to seek this knowledge from Tovah herself or her servants, or both, wherever he could get it.

[OOC: Beyond that, if there's anything public or "surface" that Tim can learn, he will; take it as far as you think best!]

[Graybeard]

The look Maggie gave Tim at his inquiry suggested she thought he might have been losing his marbles. However, it passed quickly, and she shrugged. "As you wish, Holy Father. The day after tomorrow is a minor feast day for -- that religion. My husband is going up to the Prophet's Retreat shrine tonight to leave an offering for -- things." She blushed violently, suggesting that there might be a carnal component to those "things." She continued, "He would normally do it tomorrow night, but there are strange rumors."

"Strange?" Tim poked.

"Strange." She would say no more, except to give directions to the Prophet's Retreat shrine (on a hilltop in the foothills between Clovius and the mountains, beyond Tovah Dragonslayer's house), and to agree to make introductions to the suddenly sinister "Lev" if Tim so desired.

[OOC: Tovah would be unable to receive Tim on the current day/night. Unable, or unwilling. But take this information and do with it as you wish; others in her household might not be.]

[Alberich]

Tim thanked his sister-in-faith graciously and took his leave politely. The "strange" rumors filled him with boyish curiosity--he was young still, though he'd had many sobering experiences in his recent travels--but concern for the local community held him back. If the good sister's husband ever came to take Tim up on his offer to look at his shoulder, well and good. If not, no harm had been done.

This "Lev" sounded like someone to leave alone for now. No need to go looking for Lev in all the wrong places.

Much of Tim's afternoon was taken up with good works around the community. In the evening, he was only mildly disappointed to learn that Tovah was not available, and did not press the point. Instead he struck up conversations with whichever servants would talk. The main purpose was to learn what they knew of this mystery guest, and others like him, and how Tovah, the servants themselves and other guests behaved around this man. Tim was not probing for secrets. Not today. He was just arming himself with knowledge...to avoid gaffes of the kind that could redound on the Faithful...and he wasn't swearing anyone to secrecy. If Tovah later learned he was trying to forewarn himself, what of it?

[Graybeard]

OOC:

No need to go looking for Lev in all the wrong places.

Urgh ... Tim feels the earth move under his feet, the sky comes tumblin' down, and he is cast forever into outer darkness for that one. (Not really, but he'd have it coming.)

A quick question before I respond to this: how is Tim's detection magic, and would he have any on while poking around at Chateau Dragonslayer? The answer to that will affect what happens next, fairly significantly.

[Alberich]

[OOC: Thanks for asking! I'd say his detection skills are sharper than they used to be. His greatest talent is for healing and diagnostics, especially the former, but his experience with the Ralkin magic--though the Ralkin knowledge is now purged from him--left him better able to tell one flavor of magic from another. Though he lacks the subtler analytical skills of a Sashi Mu graduate. And I think he would indeed be "detecting," but also making a conscious effort to avoid looking surprised or disgusted at anything he sees, however much he may feel it. He also had good practice with that in the Ralkin adventure.]