Noonday Mass Who is your father - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
30/7/476
Log
Tis near noon, July 30th, 476 SA. People gather at an easy pace into the church, taking seats where comfortable and preparing for service under the warm gazes of the attending priests.
Mirana walks up into the church, one hand holding her belly and carefully takes a seat. She doesn't often come to Noon Day unless she is leading it, usually too busy with the Orphanage or studying her creator machines. But today she easily had the time, and it would do her good.
Angus pulls the brim of his hat down to shade his eyes from the noon day sun before he walks into the church. He never was a regular at noon day mass, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't join it if he was in the right mindset of the day. He looks around, noticing Mirana as she sits and giving her a smile. Before he takes his own and waits for the priest to speak.
Leian wanders into the area, tail swaying behind her softly, her ears drooped a bit atop her head and looking drained of energy as if she'd either not awakened long, or had been very busy. Either way, she looked tired out.
Sveta enters the church, stepping in from the noon sunlight, removing and folding her feathered cloak as she does so. The goshawk gives Mirana a brief dip of her head as she passes by, but also makes sure to give Angus a considerable berth as she elects to remain standing.
A curious thing to notice, whenever someone takes a moment to look around, is a stack of paper up on the podium that is not the First Text. It looks crisp and new. Notes, a newly copied religious book? Who could tell from that angle.
Mirana:smiles a bit as she sees her brother, Angus, come in, then a bit more when Leian and Sveta follow. She dusts herself off a bit, and for the first time looks up to the podium. Insatiatble curiosity strikes the priestess, and she stares at it the book. She looks around for someone to explain why the First Text, which she had spent so much time memorising, wasn't in its rightful place.
Angus just frowns as he notices Sveta giving him a wide berth, sighing as he looks up to the podium. That was.....odd, the brim of his hat goes up. Allowing him a better look at the papers on the podium as he tilts his head in confusion.
Leian smiles a bit when she see's Mirana and walks over to her, nodding a bit before sitting nearby with a soft yawn and stretch, rubbing her face and muzzle a moment before looking around curiously
Sveta notices the stack of new papers, but doesn't appear overly concerned about it. If it's there on the lectern, the priests mad meant for it to be there - it wouldn't be, otherwise. All that remains, really, is WHY it is there, and no doubt that'll be explained all in good time.
A foreign looking being of Shralestan descent approaches the podium. He has sharp angles and a long beak. His voice is clear and firm, "My fellow beings. Some time ago, we received a great wave of missives from the Creators, blessed may they be. Today, we reveal our findings of it. But first, the traditional reading." He produces an abridged version of the First Text and flips it open to a bookmarked page, "You will know our words, for our tongue will never change when heard through the divine machines. We will speak of things most urgent and your action, reaction, or inaction can cause you great boon or bane, so always be mindful of them." A pronounced slap as he claps the book shut, regarding the crowd.
Mirana sits back and listens a moment, nodding "Passage 167 of chapter 12." she says to herself, but then leans forward again, first to Leian, "You look... unwell, is everything ok?" she asks. Then, up to the priest, "Pardon, if I speak out of turn, but what is this new tome that I see?" A bit forward perhaps, but her time had witnessed for her that an unasked question may never get answered.
This should be intresting, Angus sank a little more into his seat. Watching the priest with only slight intrest. When Mira speaks he turns to gaze at her, before his attention is drawn back to the priest. Tails swaying lightly as he waits to see what their answer is.
Leian nods softly to Mirana, smiling lightly " I am fine. Just been practicing my flute late in the night. Thinking about things. Could not sleep. It was difficult to when I tried. I am not sure why. And maybe a bit homesick." she sighs softly, lowering her head a moment at the last, before raising it again to look to the podium
"I would expect the it is a collection of the missives that were just spoken of," Sveta replies, although the crowd between her and the others might make hearing her words a little hard. "That would be my guess, am I not right?"
"Just so," speaks the priest, inclining his beak towards Sveta. As he moves, his Clever Folk badge comes into view, hidden behind the podium as it was. "This is the translation of them, each and every, growing by the day as they continue to be received. The archivists are kept busier than ever before keeping up with it. We feel enough has been pored through to give an educated report."
Mirana leans back, "My fellow Priest.. might I be able to see the untranscribed messages, at your leasure of course." She says, then, looks over to Sveta and Leian, "Leian, sweetie, you need your rest, if there is anything I can do to help, don't hessitate, alright dear?" Next to Sveta, a nod, a smile, but nothing more.
Leian nods softly to Mirana and sighs a moment " Alright. Mayhaps later. For now, I will tell you, my muse has been limited." she looks back to the one upon the podium as she listens, ears raising slightly as she leans back in her seat
Sveta frowns a little at Mirana's comment, seemingly not reacting to the smile, but keeps her thoughts on the matter to herself. Looking around her, the goshawk clears her throat. "Well, judging from what was previously revealed, I think everyone can't wait to hear what they have to say about us."
"You are, of course, welcome to volunteer for archival duty, sister, if you feel your mastery of the Old Tongue is sufficient," speaks the priest, "But I've kept you all waiting enough, let us get to the quick. We are at a crossroads. Our very destiny is being debated, hotly, amongst the Creators. Some favor us, some consider us with ill will. One constant is that they disagree with terrible, violent, words. We are not yet aware what has become of those who originally sent us, our Creator Saints, but the rest consider us a topic of extreme interest."
Mirana sighs and shakes her head, "May Shaila, Kendrac, and The Court of Life keep us safe..." she says, odd words for a Creator Priestess. "I know the Creators that are here with us know not the Promise made to us, nor have they heard of the Creator Saints who made it to us. It seems.... we were forsaken after all. But I will Volunteer what time I have to spare from the children of need up in our Orphanage. I'll put my studies of the sacred machines aside for this work." She says, then looks back to Leian and Sveta, wondering what they are thinking.
Leian looks up at Mirana and tilts her head questioningly to her, ears twitching a bit atop her head " You do mean.. For.. Right?"
"We already know that - it was, after all, quite hotly debated in the streets, I imagine." Sveta clicks her beak. "What is more important is what we can do on our part. Have the Creators made any concrete demands, appeals, or anything of the sort?"
Angus yawns softly as he sits there, before he speaks again. "That's all and good, but-" Sveta words his thoughts before he can, and he nods to the Goshawk before he turns back to the Preist.
"Ah, yes," says the priest, "There was one missive that rose above the rest." He begins to flip through the heavy tome of translated words, "From a figure of authority, claiming to be a body of governance for this section of the great universe at large. They are aware we are listening and have assured that we are protected under Creator Law due to our many years of hard work and independence. We are no longer the youthful wards of Creators, but neither are we proud peers. We are in that awkward stage." He gestures to a young being, barely growing out of his childhood, yet not an adult, "Like that being there. You would trust him more than you would a toddler, to be certain, but would you permit him to own his home, to balance his funds and to operate responsibly on his own? I should think not, and nor do Creators think so, looking at us."
Mirana takes a deep breath. She didn't much like the prospect of still being seen as a child herself. She rubs her belly a moment, "Good Priest, I'm mostly concerned, like Sveta, of what demands, or appeals are being made. What does this mean for us.. our futures... our children." she asks, the concerns of a mother. "We are told we will not be evicted from our world, nor.... worse things, but so far all we are told is what will not happen, and that.. our world, our Promise is basically on the auction block, if I recall correctly. Do we have a future?" Her eyes grow slightly misted, anger that would normally pour out of her in harsh words and sudden violent math finding a new route out.
Angus grits his teeth and mutters. "After all we have done, we are still just children." He mutters, his tails twitching as he hold his tongue for now. Thinking that it might not be the best idea to start an argument in the church.
Leian's ears twitch at Mirana's words and her actions, biting her own lip a moment before she looks down at herself a bit, tail laying still behind her before scratching an ear in thought and sighs " To them we are, because of how much we learned compared to them. Of how much we know. Just as children are to us."
Sveta clears her throat, still apparently betraying little emotion. "The Lady Priestess is right. The meat of the matter is - well, what does it all mean for the being on the street, or in the fields? If it's implied that we will be watched or assessed, how will this be done? Will they conduct their appriasal from afar, or will they send more ships down to join the one that's already here?"
"How could we not be," he asks, "Compared to them? They, who wander the cosmos on a whim. They, who can create entire new beings suited to their fancies, create things from nothing, and destroy them just as easily?" He flips forward through the tome, "The words of this Creator law are difficult and technical, but clear upon examination. They are seeking a caretaker. As those who originally owned the planet have been rendered..." He falters, searching for the word, "Iredeemably poor." Bankruptcy is not really a term of the local dialect, "Their claim to the world is void. They do not wish to sell to the highest bidder, as that would almost certainly be someone who does not carry our best wishes at heart. It pleases and relieves us to know this, but it also means it's still undetermined, until they pick the Creator, or Creators, who will be tasked with watching and caring for us all."
Mirana was partly holding her breath, but now breathes a bit easier, "So.. we will be given.. someone to watch over us, some.. new parents, so to speak? And.. our old parents, who can no longer look over us, are trying to ensure our new ones are looking out for us.." as this sinks in to her she smiles a moment. "That puts me a bit more at ease, but.... I won't be able to fully relax till we know for sure." She says, then, finally over to Leian "No, I mean from, I'd have to be taking some time from my duties to them to help in the transcribing."
Angus just shakes his head, still not any where close to being sure that this was a good thing. His tails flicked in agitation, his claws digging into his palm as he kept himself quiet. He didn't want to upset Mira or anyone else at the moment with his own thoughts on the matter.
Leian looks to Mirana and frowns a bit, before nodding slowly to her " I suppose I will go and do a bit for them in your absense then.. I'll go there soon after this, if you'll take me there, and bring some coin to them.." she turns to the one speaking and nods " That is much as I just stated is it not? They are our 'parent' figures, just as our parents are, themselves... We're becoming orphans as our current ones cannot support us... And they are seeking another who 'parent' who can support us much more easily."
Sveta keeps up her stiff poker face in direct contrast to Angus' agitation. "Just to be sure. The word is 'caretaker' and not 'owner', 'proprietor' or something similar, would it? I do not purport to know the First Tongue nor doubt your translation of the Creators' words, and yet there are important implications to be had in the wording. Well. Although they apparently have not decided on such a caretaker, did they mention what this caretaker's duties will entail?"
He turns the book to face the crowd, "Here it is. The original word translates roughly to 'Caretaker, Warden, or Guardian'. Their is much discussion, amongst the Creators, but the specific duties were not mentioned by the governing body. Some feel we should be preserved, exactly as we are. Others think we should be accelerated, taught the way of the Creators and brought to their level as quickly as possible, and yet others worry, fearful for us to eventually become their peers."
Mirana takes that next part in and ponders quietly for a while. "I see, no, if our opinions matter, good brother, we should not be braught up to the level of our creators so quickly. If they learned over the course of time, then we should likely do so ourselves." she says and then taps her muzzle a moment, "The fear is more concerning, though... understandable if you think about it. If we were just as powerful as our creators, then I imagine that some of them would be fearful that we would overpower them, or take a bid against our creators to take from them what a few of us would covinate for ourselves." She says, "There could be great confusion if we were advanced so quickly from where we are now, confusion that could lead to harm if we and our creators are not careful." A nod to Leian, "Surely I will show you there, but my duties might cause me to need to make haste shortly after." She gives a look over to Angus, "Dear brother, Angus, if you have something to say, please say it."
Leian nods slowly to Mirana as she leans forward, rubbing her muzzle softly as she yawns a moment once again " Perhaps I will play for them once we arrive, as well, after I give them coin of course." she rubs the back of an ear a moment as she watches the precedings further
Angus turns his gaze to Miranai. "My thoughts echo Sveta's, I fear our new caretakers won't be as kind as those that gave us our promise." He mutters, finally sitting back up straight as he looks to the Priest.
Sveta clears her throat. "I will agree with the Lady Priestess, but for different reasons. Personally, I would be more than content that we would be allowed to make our own way on things. First and foremost, even though they may have created us, we are not the Creators, and they not us - what works for them may not very well be favourable in our hands. Though it may be slightly blasphemous of me to point this out, I think it is necessary - I have not seen or heard, of the Creators amongst us and the wonderrous things they have done so far, them working mathemagic without the aid of some external device. If this is true, then we differ from them in that regard, at least. And of course, there is the matter of the problem of receiving a gift without the wisdom necessary to wield it properly. No doubt the Creators have worked very hard to be able to achieve what they have, to miss out on the journey to get to the destination - that is a problem. But even if they do offer...is there a prudent way to decline, I imagine?"
The priest clacks his beak, "I agree entirely with your words, sister. A child must be allowed to grow at their own pace, neither stifled nor forced ahead. I fear our culture and our identity would become warped in either event. There are some," he continues, flipping, "Who regard us as... pleasing, like a being would an especially adorable pet. They are infatuated with us, and would likely treat us very well, but I fear a spoiled child is also a poor path. The trouble is, as you point out," inclining towards Sveta, "How do we decline such offers, or even phrase our concerns? And who are we, caretakers of the Creator's Words and Devices, even qualified to make such a statement that affects us all so greatly. We do not presume this authority, so we have remained silent."
Mirana shakes her head a moment, "When I've spoken to the creators, they seem fair of word, and even of temper, even if they see me as a .... pet sometimes. If we speak eliquently and carefully. I'll remind of Benna and Saint Theodore, who were not creators themselves, but worked and spoke to the creators nearly, if not as, equals. If we are careful with our words, firm in our convictions, and just as easy in our understanding as they were, then surely our creators would not forgo our words, nor anger at our voice. It would be a great shame if a parent was unable to listen to a child's wants and dreams as that child came into age, though I will not endorse the child speaking directly against their parents. We would need to be even of tone and careful to discuss." She looks next back to Leian, "I'm sure the children would love that, sweetie, they liked when you played before.
"Even a child has a right to voice their opinion." Angus mutters, crossing his arms as he leans back in his chair. He looks to Sveta, giving her a nod as he allows her to voice what they were both thinking.
Leian smiles softly as she nods to Mirana " I'm happy they did. Perhaps I should learn more instruments, in time, as well. For some.. Veriety. Maybe, if the Creators come again, I can give them another bit of music like last time. Did not the Child Creator say the others enjoyed it?" she tilts her head softly
Ictus had been listening quietly as he watched the proceedings, though he had joined late. He hmms? at Angus and nods at that, "True, but a child's opinion is not often seen in a good light."
Sveta says, ""Listen, yes. Acede? Well, a child may wish and dream of eating nothing but sweets, but any responsible parent would immediately deny that wish. The problem is, it all seems to reasonable to the child, for sweets taste so good, and why should everyone not have them all the time? And yet I cannot say I do not have misgivings on the issue, as I imagine all beings present here today have. If it were up to me, I would ask the Creators who have already landed to intercede on our behalf, but of course, I have no such authority, and they already have done so much for us.""
"Ah, that brings to the next topic." He closes the great tome of translations, "We know some of you have positive relation with the Creators who visit us. Will you bring them this news, and consult them on it? They do not appear to be Creators of great influence, amongst the Creators, but they are our closest link, and we do not wish to offend them by harassing them with beings they do not already feel comfortable with. This is a mission of grave importance, do not accept it lightly."
Mirana nods silently, all this was gravely important though she doubted she could today. "With the morning sun, should no one else have done so, brother, I will deliver the message." She says and ponders a moment. "I will hope to do our words justice, and speak with clear, calm words." She smiles once more to Leian. "I can teach you the piccialo, and I know a skunk who plays the harp, a bunny who plays, we can help you learn if you want."
Angus turns to regard Ictus and chuckles. "Nothing is seen in a good light, until you move the curtains." He teases, before he shakes his head. "That may be, but shouldn't be at least be able to voice our opinion on this? Considering our fates hang in the balance?"
Leian nods to Mirana a moment " I would like that. And whatever else that may be available. To see what all options there are and the like." her ears perk a bit at the thought and current options mentioned
Sveta remains silent this time around, but looks somewhat relieved as Mirana offers to take up the task. She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, flicking her gaze here and there, but that is all.
Ictus nods to Sveta in agreement at that and hmms as he looks to the priest, "I would gladly help deliver the message." he smiles a bit at Mira and looks back to Angus with a nod, "True." he chuckles at the tease though
"Very good. I am certain you will do us all proud, and we look forward to their reply. Now, let us put these heavy matters aside and turn our attention to..." He moves on to more local concerns, such as the preparations for the upcoming tournament and how well they are going, as well as news of a cousin of the Good King becoming married in the coming week, which promises to be a large event for all who wish to attend it.
