I Have a Dream - RPLOG

Participants

• Angus
• Ixitixl
• Sally
• Wulf

Date

18/11/475

Log

A fine fall day. The church ball rings across the city, siege or no, from the tower that acts as both lighthouse and church tower, calling the people to come and gather at the church, or to at least spend a moment of silence in thought.

Angus stops in his tracks at the sound of the bell and looks up at the church tower. He frowns,looking across the courtyard,as people start to head towards the church for mass. He shrugs heading towards one of the shrine,giving into his curiosity, and bends over to read the inscription on the base.

A tall figure of grand bearing. Saint Leon, as the inscription states, blessed the beings with the power of the elements, infusing their essence with the raw capacity for sacred math and its many abilities.

No one has ever looked happier to stand at attention than Ixitixl. His armour polished to a shine, battle-earned kinks and dents hammered out, it looks almost new, gleaming in the noonday light. He gives a polite tip of his head to all and sundry that pass him on their way to forming a crowd before the steps of the church.

Angus stands back up and heads towards the crowd forming at the steps to the church,making note of an armed individual in shine plate,as he blends into the crowd he waits and watchs wondering if there were any good marks. He stands there totally relaxed as he waitf for something to happen.

It isn't a long wait. The crowd fills into the main area, filling up cushioned seats as a priest smiles from up front. A male today, with a large folk seal, of the bear lineage. He nods as the last straggler gets into their seat, "Creators watch over you all. You look especially well today. I have good news for you all, when it comes proper time. But to begin, we shall read from the First Text, as is proper."

Ixitixl helps to usher the last arrivals to their seats, though it isn't easy for him at his height, not to mention the way he seems barely able to peer out from under his bucket helm that must be at least two sizes too large for him. Never the less, everyone ends up settled, and he's soon quietly patrolling along the back row. At least as quietly as one can in heavy armour. Clunk... clunk... thump... Angus won't have any trouble noting when the iguana is drawing near.

Angus leans back into his chair as the priest begins to talk. As everyone finally gets to their seats the sound of a heavily armored individual can be heard approaching his row. He smiles waving to the individual easily making himself know and making it harder for himself in case of a quick escape,which doesn't really chance anythings since as far as he knows he's the only grey fox with blue runes in his fur.

"It is written," speaks the priest, "That not all Creators were pleased with their creation, but our saints had faith unwavering. They pleaded we be given a test of trial, and we were, sent away from the Creator home to the many stars they could find, to live and tame the worlds of the Creators' choosing."

Ixitixl perks right up, cheerfully waving back to the fox with the distinct markings. How nice to be noticed! Then he remembers that he's doing official work, and draws in a breath as he endeavours to put on a neutral, business-like expression. He pauses in his patrol to listen a while to the priest's recitement, nodding along with it.

Angus looks up curiously as the story goes on. He remains quiet,not even paying attention for any easy marks, as the priest's continues.

"We did stride forth to the blackness between the heavens, and we did well. The Creators smiled upon us with pride and joy, and heaped upon us many blessings for our labor." He makes a wide gesture then, "This planet being the last, our very own, to keep and tend as we have so many others."

Ixitixl finally continues on his way, making it to the end of the rearmost row, he ends up at one of the six shrines and positions himself just off to the side of it, facing out over the audience assembled for mass. He does his utmost to keep still, but he can't help occasionally tilting his head for a peek at the stage.

Angus shakes his head and glances over near the shrines before leaning back once again. He rummages into his pack for a few bundles of heavy duty string and draws his dagger,wanting to listen but also not wanting to remain idle,he begins to cut measured lengths of the string to be used later in the making of snares.

Not so much a stage, just a stand that the priest has situated himself before, with the First Text open before him, "Let us remember that we are no mere children, no untested clay. We have borne the fires of adversity to get this far, and we will persist, my brothers and sisters, have no doubt and harbor no fear."

Ixitixl would throw out an amen or a hallelujah if it were appropriate! Buuut instead he maintains the respectful silence, once again casting his gaze out and over the seated masses. Gotta keep it cool, after all, if he's to have any hope of being that guy at the podium one of these days.

Angus glances back up from his work as the priest goes on. He smiles wondering how many times people have heard this sermen before and gets back to cutting the cords,still listening to the preists speech but not wanting to look to intrested.

The priest seems to have completed his reading, and looks over the crowd, "Let us speak of each other. We are here to support one another, so if something burdens your heart, mind, or even your coinpurse, share with us, and we may help, as a community."

Ixitixl bows his head in reflection upon the priest's words, a trace of a frown upon his lips. Sure, he can think of a few things, but he has plenty of access to the church and could take them up any time he likes. His gaze again sweeps across the audience, checking for those who may have difficulties getting their words to reach the priest's ears on their own.

Angus remains silent as he scans the crowd wondering if anyone would speak up. He adjusts his hood trying to make himself more invisible so that he wouldn't get called on,since he didn't really have anything to say.

The conversation begins to drift. As one being speaks their woes, another volunteers advice, and others offer to help. The priest only helps to keep the conversation on topic, and the occasional encouraging word, but it's mostly just beings being good neighbors.

Ah, warms the cockles, it does! Ixitixl puffs his chest out proudly at the sight and sounds of people coming together to help one another, as if he had played some defining part in bringing the moment to fruition. He hasn't forgotten the promise of important news, however, and his mind begins to wander to wonderings of what it might be. The initiates are always the last ones to find out about these things.

Angus nods as he realizes that things were winding down,he places the newly cut threads into a pouch and sheaths his dagger,and gets ready to leave. He glances over ath the armored figure he met before and wonders what part he played in this.

Ixitixl notices some restlessness in the crowd, but he attempts not to leave his post. It seems although he's remembered the promise of more to come after the typical service events, a number have not. He tries to mime for quiet and patience, gesturing with both hands and motioning for folks to remain seated.

An announcement is made, someone's child is coming of age in just a few days. The announcement is received with nods and polite applause, along with a promise that the child will be brought of age in the same church with all due ritual.

Angus stops as he is just about to get up. Rituals what rituals? His curiosity peeked again he sits back down and remains quiet wanting to hear what they were talking about.

Ixitixl seems to have gotten the bulk of the restless calmed, with the help of his fellow initiates positioned around the afternoon mass. Still, he eyes the crowd uneasily... not that wanting to get out and back to their day is a sin in the eyes of the Creators, of course, it's just... disruptive to the more patient souls who've come to attend the whole darn thing.

The bear priest flashes a bright smile, "The church of Shralesta has made an announcement, that only we, a sister church, has just heard. After much thought and meditation, their scholars have discerned the place of the... gifted... in the scheme of the Creators and the universe as a whole."

Angus looks on in confusing. Gifted? was he talking about the soulless? ..was he talking about people like me? He sits up a little taller now more focused on the priest and what he was saying.

Now if that isn't cause for a hushed murmur to fall over a crowd, I don't know what is. Even the iguana has to do a little double take at the news. Ixitixl looks about uneasily and, gasp and shame, leaves his post, creeping closer to the pulpit for a better listen.

The priest produces a fresh looking scroll with a broken seal on it, unfurling it with all proper dramatic touch, "We have determined that the condition is natural, not caused by Being interference or neglect. As a natural condition, it should be honored as all natural states must be. The Creators have fashioned us to rise to any challenge, and this is no exception. Creators bless."

Angus is a little suprised at this statment. He reachs into his tunic and pulls out his pendant and stares at it wondering what this new development might change for the souless and wondering what it might change for himself

"Creators bless." Ixitixl repeats the words, and starts as he nearly bumps into one of his compatriots who has, unlike him, maintained his post. Flushing with embarassment, the lizard hastens back to where he ought to be, though the delcaration has put a smile on his face that simply will not be subdued.

The priest looks over the crowd, "There are those who say the condition is a 'punishment', but let us remind that at no time ever in the First Text have the Creators saught to correct us by blight or pestilence. They have never worked behind shrouded words, but clear message and forthright communication. If they were displeased with us, they would say so succintly, and tell us what they demand to put it to right, not lay childish curses."

Angus frowns as he places his pendant back into his tunic and wonders how anyone could think this is a punishment. His attention is drawn back to the lizard from before who was heading back to his post,a stupid smile on his face,and wondered if he was a soulless as well.

Wulf enters the church quietly, taking a seat in the very back and listening to the priest continue his preaching, she's one who thinks it can be both a blessing and a curse. Looking down she sighs quietly before turning her gaze back to the orating figure.

"What about the moon?" Eyes roam, but the owner of the dissenting voice is nowhere to be found ... not until a helpful hare hoists a Small Folk canary up on his shoulders. "Wasn't the moon shattering and all the disasters that followed punishment from the Creators for failing to perform the ritual they requested?" the bird chirps, getting mixed reactions from the crowd, some heads nodding, some shaking, some looking to the priest withholding their own opinions until they hear an official response.

The priest shakes his head, "We still investigate this, but we have the sacred oracle. If the Creators wished to speak their anger, they could do so at any time. Why speak so cryptically?" he asks, "Let us not forget our logic."

Angus waves as he notices Wulf walk in and looks over at the Canary. He remains quiet not wanting to interrupt anyone as he ponders over the destruction of the moon and something he had heard from Wulf a few days ago about it.

Wulf blinks slow and deliberate like and stands up, shouting out over the audience as it squabbles amongst itself. "The moons destruction was not a punishment, something else happened up there! A creator ship crashed into it, the result was an explosion that rocked the moon and the ship both breaking them both apart!" she seems rather sure of herself but wonders if this was a bad idea...

Ixitixl lets out a sigh of relief as the argument is skillfully deflected. The canary doesn't look completely satisfied with the answer, but evidently isn't one to pick fights with representatives of the Church, and both he and the hare return to their seats. The iguana himself opens his mouth to field a question, but gets beaten to the punch when Wulf stands, and his eyes quickly fall to her. And then many, many more eyes. Disbelief, bewilderment ... some are undoubtedly suspecting that a Crazy Person has joined them for mass today.

The priest is quite surprised at the sudden blurted answer to the mystery, strange as it is, "I am sorry, my sister, but your words vex me as much as the mystery itself. How could you know of this?" he asks.

Angus looks to Wulf as well,tempted to stand with her but only knowing the knwoledge himself from the person who is now standing, and sighs thinking that this might not go as well as Wulf hopes it will.

Ixitixl

Wulf pounds her fist on a pew gently, speaking with the hands as well with conviction. "I am Wulf Tiernan of the Lightbringers, Last night or the night before, it doesn't matter, me and one of my compatriots travelled up to the Arc and meditated on our lot in life, what the creators had in mind for us. We did it without our gems only for the briefest of moments and nothing happened. Yet when we returned home and to our beds we were each granted a dream-vision at the same time." taking a deep breath the Husky continues. "The first scene had my compatriot seen as a doctor by the dream people, they had just called him up to inquire about some strange anomoly that we each knew that they were not supposed to find. Then there was a second scene, much more confused and chaotic. There were loud shrill sounds repeating over and over, as if something were wrong." another breath comes from the husky as she tries to regail her vivid dream. "After a short time of running we found ourselves in a small compartment that was launched here, towards promise, and looking outside of the porthole we could see a ship crashing into the moon... it was devastaing to both and broke them apart into what we now see over our skys today."

The bear priest rubs behind his head, a bit beside himself with how best to handle the situation, hm. "I admit, I am out of my depth. If you truly believe you have been visited by a sacred vision, then you and your companion should depart at earliest moment, to Shralesta, where the most devout of religious scholars can analyze your dream and discern truth from fabrication, and unearth the wisdom that waits."

Ixitixl is... dumbstruck. Flabbergasted! He doesn't know what to say, what to think, what to believe. It sounds ludicrous, but the conviction in the husky's voice is so... His head jolts towards the bear as he speaks, and his mouth, long hanging agape, finally closes.

Angus smiles as Wulf speaks up,and a little happy as he notices the lizards reaction as well.

Wulf smiles at the bear. "If you think that is the wisest course of action, I was just hoping that you would know what this meant. I am sorry for interuppting Mass about this but I fear that that is what happened."

The priest shakes his head, "I admit, my sister, if you were not already known in the community, I would be unsure how to take your words. At the least, you are certain of them. Go and seek those who make it their life to study these things. I am a people person." A smile, "I enjoy leading the mass and guiding people towards harmony, and spend little time divining the nature of dreams."

Angus makes a mental note to ask Wulf if he can tag along,just in case she needs the help of a rogue...and also considering he could get in touch with the thieves guild there,as he leans back into his seat and listens to the conversation.

Ixitixl too is dwelling on the notion of accompanying this husky on her holy mission... if only for the chance to see Shralesta with his own two eyes. But when he considers speaking up on the matter his knees start to get weak and his shy demeanour asserts itself in force over his little green body. Maybe he can take it up in private, after mass. As for now, the lizard stands off in his little corner, head bowed, staring awkwardly at his feet and trying not to shake like a leaf.

Wulf nods at the priest and sits down, getsuring for the bear to continue. "Please continue sir... I did not quite mean to interupt as much as I had."

With this bomb shell dropped, all prior furor seems so small. The service continues, awkwardly at first, until someone brings up a petty complaint that incites an energetic back and forth on whether or not it's proper to pick your neighbor's vegetables if they're becoming overripe.