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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 18, 2017 13:10:06 GMT -8
@banditkelly's food soon arrived, and she would find the pepper roast tender and juicy, if rather underseasoned. As she ate, the other patrons paid her little mind, seemingly satisfied that she had removed her hood. They gossiped quietly among themselves about various going-ons in the town, talking about babies being born and cows running away. A few moments after she began eating, the door opened once more and a tall man dressed in long white robes with gold trim stepped through. There was an immediate cacophony of chairs scraping all around the tavern as every patron rose to their feet. The man smiled, raising both his hands in a calming gesture.
"Hello there, my faithful. May the Light shine on all of you. Remember, tomorrow is the Reaffirmation of Faith. As you all know, those who do not allow the Light to illuminate them shall dwell in darkness for the rest of their lives."
The crowd nodded, clearly hanging on his every word.
"Glory to the Light," they chorused. The man in white glanced around, and spotted Kelly.
"Why, it's a newcomer! Welcome to Lux, Miss. What brings you to our little town?"
The waitress hurried up to him and whispered something in his ear, and he nodded, staring at Kelly.
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Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: Apr 18, 2024 10:25:21 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2017 13:18:11 GMT -8
Crap, it's the cult leader. She thought to herself as the man's eyes gazed into hers. Not wanting to make another scene, she swallowed her food, took a drink of water, and answered calmly.
"Uh...just passing through. Needed a room for the night on my way into the forest." She said hesitantly.
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 18, 2017 13:33:10 GMT -8
The tired elven Ranger breathed a sigh of relief as he caught sight of what could only be a town on the horizon. This life was often lonely, and several supplies that he could not obtain from nature would hopefully be able to be obtained in the town. His horse wearily made its way to the town gate, where Feanor called out."Hullo there! Anybody about to let a road-weary Ranger in?" Oddly enough, nobody was posted at the town gate. They were open, though, and he would be able to pass right through. The streets were deserted, odd for a town of this size. It wasn't as though the town was empty, though. People would be seen peering through their windows, then shutting the blinds. It seemed that the town wasn't too keen on strangers. However, he would be able to find the tavern, which seemed to be bustling.
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 18, 2017 13:38:45 GMT -8
Crap, it's the cult leader. She thought to herself as the man's eyes gazed into hers. Not wanting to make another scene, she swallowed her food, took a drink of water, and answered calmly. "Uh...just passing through. Needed a room for the night on my way into the forest." She said hesitantly. The man in white, clearly the leader of the church, smiled politely at her. Meanwhile, the other patrons sat back down, staring at Kelly and the leader. "Well, that's perfectly fine. I hope you find your bed comfortable tonight, Miss. Your room for the night is on me. Consider it...consider it a token of hospitality from the Church of the Light. I'm Head Priest Lucian of the Church of Light. Who might you be? You don't look to have been illuminated by the Light."
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Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: Apr 18, 2024 10:25:21 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2017 14:08:24 GMT -8
I wonder if I can screw with this town.... Kelly contemplated silently as she smiled to Lucian.
"I'm Kelly, just a normal person making her way through. You said you're the head priest of this light church? I assume you're also the town leader?"
She shifted in her chair to face him, leaning on her arm coyly.
"Could you tell me more about this church of yours?"
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 18, 2017 15:17:55 GMT -8
The high priest beamed at @banditkelly , seemingly thrilled that she wanted to hear more about the church. After all, it wasn't often that visitors to the town wanted to hear about the Light.
"Yes, I run the town as well. It's nice to meet you, Kelly. As for the church..."
He took a deep breath, then began.
"Thousands of years ago, mankind wallowed in darkness. The Light was confined to the heavens, and never fell upon the earth. However, a man named Lumen was not satisfied to live in the darkness, illuminated by only the dim light of a campfire. Thus, he set out and climbed Mount Grim, to retrieve the Light from the heavens. As he went up, he met his first great challenge: the beast of Mount Grim. Many others had tried to climb the mountain before, but they had all failed. None had managed to slay the beast. However, Lumen chose a different path. He brought a selection of meats to appease the beast, and showed it kindness rather than trying to slay it. It allowed him to pass, and thus we have the First Teaching of Lumen: kindness to animals."
He opened his robe, revealing a large pocket on the inside. A small kitten sat in the pocket, its head sticking out. It meowed at Kelly, and Lucian petted its head before continuing.
"As he went, he met his second great challenge: the beggars of Mount Grim. They were the ones who had lived on the mountain their entire lives, shrouded in darkness. They flocked to his torch, begging him to stay with them and let them use his light. They refused to let him go, as his torch was the only light most of them had ever seen. Rather than stay forever, he gave them the torch, and moved on in darkness. This brings us to the Second Teaching of Lumen: kindness to the downtrodden, and those who the light has not yet touched."
If Kelly looked around at this point, she would see that all the townsfolk were silent, listening intently.
"The third great challenge was when Lumen had almost reached the top. Just as he was about to climb to the peak, he found a great gate in his way. It was guarded heavily, and owned by the baron of Mount Grim. He owned the mountain, and was perfectly content with the darkness. It allowed him to rule over the poor, and thus he prevented anybody from accessing the Light. Lumen fought his way through the gate, and flung the baron off a cliff and into a dark pit at the bottom, where the light would never reach. This is the Third Teaching of Lumen: those that reject the Light and shall forever walk in darkness. He broke through, climbed to the peak, and took the Light from the heavens. Lumen brought the Light back, and let it shine on mankind so that we may thrive. Thus, Lumen is our Savior: He brought us the Light. The Light illuminates us, and shields us from the darkness. It keeps us warm and safe. It shall not be defiled, so the Light must not fall upon sordid or profane objects or activities. That's why everyone's alcohol is in covered mugs. Glory to the Light."
The rest of the patrons chorused "Glory to the Light" together once more. Kelly would notice that all the ale was, in fact, in covered mugs.
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Deleted
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Registered: Apr 18, 2024 10:25:21 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2017 15:27:40 GMT -8
Kelly looked at him with a raised eyebrow, almost in disbelief. She took a drink of her water.
"Sounds like a swell guy. You got any documentation of this?" She asked.
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 18, 2017 15:37:31 GMT -8
The townsfolk gasped. How dare this newcomer question the High Priest? However, Lucian raised his hands to calm them.
"I see you're...skeptical. Well, we have the Book of Light, written by the townsfolk to whom Lumen brought the Light. Unfortunately, it can't be shown to outsiders. It may only be read by those who have been illuminated by the Light and follow the teachings of the Church, else it risks becoming dirtied by the darkness. No offense. I'm sure you're very clean. It's just that you still dwell in the darkness."
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Deleted
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Registered: Apr 18, 2024 10:25:21 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2017 15:44:31 GMT -8
"Right, darkness, that's fine, but wasn't the second declaration about kindness to others? Especially if they weren't touched by the light yet? If I'm so dark, and you want others to walk in the light, wouldn't this be an act of kindness to show me the book so I may also join the light in its lighty-ness? Outsider or not, seems a little odd to me that someone is willing to learn more about your teachings and you deny them."
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 18, 2017 16:05:23 GMT -8
The head priest nodded.
"You make a good point, but the Book must remain pure. It is the only copy, after all, and it would be a disaster of it were to be fouled. If you'd like to know anything else, though, I'd be delighted to fill you in."
He paused, and the waitress brought him a glass of milk. It seemed as though she knew his usual order. Taking a sip from the glass, he poured a small amount into a saucer and placed it on the table. Drawing the kitten from his pocket, he placed it on the table, and allowed it to lap at the milk in the saucer.
"If you'd stay a while tomorrow, you'll see how dedicated everybody is to the Light. I'm sure anybody will be able to answer any questions you have then, as well. If you'd like, I could give you a tour of the church as well."
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Deleted
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Registered: Apr 18, 2024 10:25:21 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2017 16:14:20 GMT -8
Being a fan of cute things, Kelly pulled of a piece of her pork and offered it to the kitten.
"More curious than anything else. I normally don't rely on religions. If you have time tonight I wouldn't mind learning more about it though."
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 18, 2017 16:26:32 GMT -8
The kitten meowed softly and chewed on the offered piece of pork. It certainly was cute and fluffy, and seemed to be well-groomed. The high priest sipped his milk, wiping his mouth on a napkin.
"I'd be delighted to tell you more about the Light, Kelly. What else do you want to know?"
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Feanor Vala
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 132
Age: 79
Physical Description: He is a tall, sturdily built elf, with long blonde hair and hazel eyes. He is a bit taller than most Esdaran males, at a height between 6'2" and 6'3". His typical elfin figure is a lot stronger than it appears, and is clearly battle-scarred from years in the service.
Clothes and Equipment: His equipment is the basic gray-silver-whitish armor of the Esdaran army. A longbow with an accompanying arrow quiver is always slung across his back when not in use, and a battleaxe is always found at his hip or in his hand. Daggers are hidden in his boots and one inside of his belt, in addition to additional straps across his armor that can be used to stow and/or hide additional equipment as necessary.
Registered: Jun 25, 2016 16:11:26 GMT -8
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Post by Feanor Vala on Apr 19, 2017 3:50:17 GMT -8
Odd... thought the Ranger, as he rode into the town. The strange glances he received were very concerning, and instantly put him on edge. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, the other plunged into a pocket of his cloak, which held a small dagger.
The horse trotted along until he located the tavern, and Feanor looked about until he saw a post to tie his horse to.
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 19, 2017 4:20:11 GMT -8
Feanor Vala would find a convenient post by the side of the tavern. As he tied up the horse, if he looked through the window, he'd see that everyone in the bar seemed to be quiet, watching a tall man in white interact with a red-haired girl. They all seemed completely focused, and didn't notice the elf peeking through the window. If he looked closely at the table that the man in white and the red-haired girl were using, he'd spot a small fluffy kitten.
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Feanor Vala
Dedicated
Roleplay posts: 132
Age: 79
Physical Description: He is a tall, sturdily built elf, with long blonde hair and hazel eyes. He is a bit taller than most Esdaran males, at a height between 6'2" and 6'3". His typical elfin figure is a lot stronger than it appears, and is clearly battle-scarred from years in the service.
Clothes and Equipment: His equipment is the basic gray-silver-whitish armor of the Esdaran army. A longbow with an accompanying arrow quiver is always slung across his back when not in use, and a battleaxe is always found at his hip or in his hand. Daggers are hidden in his boots and one inside of his belt, in addition to additional straps across his armor that can be used to stow and/or hide additional equipment as necessary.
Registered: Jun 25, 2016 16:11:26 GMT -8
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Post by Feanor Vala on Apr 19, 2017 7:41:50 GMT -8
Feanor snorted and walked in, he cared little for cats, generally finding them to be nuisances that did nothing but knock one's food over.
His entrance was quiet, as he did his best to minimize his appearance and not draw attention to himself. He moved right for the bar, taking a seat with one pointed ear aimed at whatever the man was saying.
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Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: Apr 18, 2024 10:25:21 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2017 8:10:43 GMT -8
The kitten meowed softly and chewed on the offered piece of pork. It certainly was cute and fluffy, and seemed to be well-groomed. The high priest sipped his milk, wiping his mouth on a napkin. "I'd be delighted to tell you more about the Light, Kelly. What else do you want to know?" "Well, let's start with something simple- when did you become priest for this religion? Also, are you in charge of the city?"
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 19, 2017 9:12:49 GMT -8
Lucian beamed at @banditkelly, pleased that she was so curious.
"I was chosen as an infant to become the next head priest. The previous head priest saw the Light on me when I was brought in to be blessed, only two days after I was born. I was trained my entire life to take over the position, and finally became head priest when Head Priest Edin unfortunately passed into the Light. He was quite old, you know. I've been head priest for six years. And to answer your second question simply...yes, I do run the city."
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 19, 2017 9:14:39 GMT -8
The townsfolk paid little heed to the elf walking through the door, as all eyes were on the man in white (who soon revealed himself to be the head priest). He was explaining how he became the head priest, and that he ran the city. Feanor Vala would go unnoticed and be able to find a corner table easily, but the waitress was focused on the priest and didn't so much as notice him.
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Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: Apr 18, 2024 10:25:21 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2017 9:17:52 GMT -8
Lucian beamed at @banditkelly , pleased that she was so curious. "I was chosen as an infant to become the next head priest. The previous head priest saw the Light on me when I was brought in to be blessed, only two days after I was born. I was trained my entire life to take over the position, and finally became head priest when Head Priest Edin unfortunately passed into the Light. He was quite old, you know. I've been head priest for six years. And to answer your second question simply...yes, I do run the city." She snorted. "Knew it! Pegged you as the leader from the moment I saw you enter! So another question, how can you tell if someone has the light in them or not?" I really hope those years cheating off the apprentices in the magic academy pays off... she thought to herself as her hand- hidden from view- twitched a little.
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Post by Strangers and Travelers on Apr 19, 2017 9:29:21 GMT -8
The high priest nodded, stroking the kitten absentmindedly.
"The Light is within us all, Kelly. However, it shines brighter in some than in others. Children born in this town shine especially brightly, and I shined the brightest of them all, which is why I was chosen. I can tell how brightly it shines in everyone, Kelly. Even you."
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