Stones For a Temple

[Lady Val]

[June 8, 6:30 AM]

Lady Val whispers softly to her Megaloceros as she harnesses them for her journey to the Confederacy. Walking along the side of the carriage she checks the wheels for the third time and her provisions for the fourth. It will be a long journey to the Cordillera mountains, but only the best limestone will do for Priestess Lessa's temple. Val looks towards the slate sky grimly and begins gathering her things.

[Lady Val]

[June 22nd]

Lady Val remains in Holdfast preparing supplies for her journey. Due to a recent storm she has delayed her trip by several days. Dain and Dvalin stand adjacent to the caravan munching happily on fur trees as she loads rations, sleeping blankets, and other necessities into the back. She prepares to leave in three days time when the weather will, hopefully, clear.

[Torvallis!]

Torvallis! walks up to the wagon.


"Lady Val, I couldn't help but notice your notice in the inn.

Well I know I was initially in favour of the temple, I have some concerns regarding temples, circles, and rifts right now, if you wouldn't mind discussing it all?"

[Keket]

Lady Val!

-Keket would come up to her seeing a bunch of people with her-

are you leaving? maybe i could come along and see more new things! and give a hand if anyone hopefully not gets hurt! i like to take on new sites

[Timmean]

Timmean approaches the carriage, glancing over it to size up the supplies already aboard.

"Lady Val! How go the preparations? I'm afraid I won't be able to join you on this expedition - I have the farm and water circle to attend to, and I think Lynn would knock me out cold if I went on a trek like this - but I'd still be happy to contribute insofar as I can. Do you have need of any supplies? I'm sure I could part with a few of the crops if they would be helpful."

[Lady Val]

"Oh my such interest! Well to answer your question Timmean preparations are going well but I would not say no to some extra supplies." she responds happily. "And Cousin Keket I would love to have you along if you are willing. However I think before I leave I must really speak with Torvallis! about the whole thing. Actually, Timmean you and Keket may want to stay for this conversation considering you are the Water Champion and a Lady of the town. Assuming that is alright with you, Torvallis! dear?"

[Keket]

of course i would love to come and see and as well willing to come -shed nodded as she said this as she awaited-

[Torvallis!]

"Oh yes, I don't think there's a need for the conversation to be private.

It really boils down to, and I believe you were there, the strangers insistence that we not build any more places of worship for the time being.

Perhaps and maybe we should wait for the Lords to get back to us on the veracity of his ramblings before we build any such structures?"

[Lady Val]

"Yes I most certainly remember. The issue is that we promised Lessa the temple before we knew about the Breach. However I am open to speaking to her about the issue and explaining the nature of the Breech while you wait for the elemental Lords to respond, if you and the other council members think that is what would be best for the town."

[Torvallis!]

"It seems likely that if anyone would understand, it would be Lessa. Evenso, it may not be necessary if the elemental lords answer us and tell us that the dude was bonkers.

If you want to gather the stone while you can, that doesn't seem harmful, but the actual building . . . perhaps should wait until we know more"

[Ravira]

Lady Val's Megaloceros attract Ravira's attention while she's walking through the clearing and she stops to watch them from a distance.

[Degren Brightforge]

Degren walks into the field, wiping his blackened hands on his torn pants, "Glad you haven't gone yet, lass. I've been more than a wee bit excited to go barter with a few o' me kinsmen over stone. And workin' with said stone in the hope of erecting a temple sounds like my idea o' a good time. Once completed, do ye mind if I put a small shrine to Torrag in there? It's been a pain in the arse to not have a decent place to worship."

[Timmean]

Timmean narrows his eyes in thought, glancing around quickly.

"I'm afraid I've only heard a little of this rift business; I think I was just getting back from our foray into the forests when the matter was being discussed. I've caught a few threads of the conversation, but could someone fill me in on the details? I'd prefer to be working with all our information."

[Lady Val]

"Good morning Sir Degren! No I haven't left yet but with any luck I will be leaving soon!"

"Now Timmean a week ago a wandering vagabond with psychic abilities came through our town warning us that a tear, or Breech as we call it, has been formed between two universes, ours and another's and this Breech is just up in the woods next to our village. He explained that the reason we are having so many monsters attack us at night is because the Breech is allowing creatures from this parallel universe to come through and take on a corporeal form. Although the creatures are relatively week now they will continue to get stronger as the Breech widens which is, according to him, inevitable. Once the Breech has reached its maximum size, the creatures will no longer need to take on a physical form, will enter this universe in their true terrifying and insanity-invoking forms, and proceed to devour our universe thereby enveloping it into their own. However, he also said that a Breech of this nature has been closed before, by the Elemental Lords themselves. Although we apparently created it by forming the elemental circles, it is the power of the Lords that forces these monsters into a physical form. Thus by working with the Lords we can force the Breech open prematurely to prevent any of these monstrosities from consuming our universe. Although this means that we will be forever battling monsters, at least they will be just that, monsters, not horrorterrors from another dimension. As a result we must become stronger if we hope to survive.

Yet, none of the elemental Lords have mentioned anything about the Breech to the champions, as is obvious from your question, and even our most talented mages, among them myself, could detect the Breech when we were standing right next to it. Consequently, we wish to confirm this information with the Elemental Lords first before taking action. The vagabond also warned that forming any more sites of worship will worsen the Breech which is why Torvallis! is recommending that I postpone this expedition. What bothers me is that the Lords themselves have yet to make contact regarding the issue and like Degren and Lessa there are others in this town who wish for a place of worship to be built."

At this point Lady Val relaxes slightly, clearly having expended much energy and pent up frustration providing the explanation. "I, like the rest of the council, wish for the town to grow and expand, becoming a safe haven for those that need it. If we are to do that we will require a temple, ideally for all faiths, and stronger defences."

[Timmean]

Timmean nods slowly, a look of worried suspicion on his face. He glances around for a moment, his eyes shifting in the general direction of each circle, then returns his gaze toward Lady Val.

"Hm, alright then; I'm in agreement over postponing the temple construction, though that's no reason to stop your expedition. Temple or no temple, as long as the spoils will be of use, there's value in going."

He pauses for a moment, turning to stare toward the ocean.

"I'll get you some extra supplies, as promised. After that... have any of the other champions tried to contact the Lords on this matter?"

[Keket]

-shed would blinked hearing lady val vent like this as shed place a hand gently on her shoulder as if to everything will be alright as she didn't say anything but only smile slightly-

[Lady Val]

"I believe Torvallis! has been trying. The others, well, I cannot be certain and since you yourself are unaware, obviously Lord Water has not been in contact."

"As for the expedition I agree that it could still be beneficial as there are many Master Craftsmen among the Dwarves of the Cordillera Mountains. Thus, the supplies would be quite useful, thank you Timmean."

[Timmean]

Timmean nods and shrugs. "Then so shall it be! I'll gather up a few things, then see if I can make contact with Lord Water." With that he turns and strolls off toward the inn.

[Degren Brightforge]

Degren looks back and forth betweenness Timmean and Val, scratching his cheek, "so, eh, are we going? Or not?"

[Timmean]

About an hour later, Timmean walks back into view, carrying a large sack over his shoulder. He hoists the sack into the back of the wagon, shifting it slightly to be sure it won't fall out.

"There you go; a few potatoes, turnips, and the like for the journey. Probably a little bland on their own, but better than just dry food, and certainly better than nothing. They should keep for a good while."

Stepping forward to the front of the caravan, he glances up at Lady Val.

"That's about all I can provide, I'm afraid. Be careful out there; I know most places aren't quite as dangerous as here, but every locale has it's own risks. With that in mind, perhaps this could also be useful."

With that he reaches into the small bag at his waist and draws out a small item. While most people would see nothing at all, the trained few can recognise the brownish swirl of magical energy. He extends his hand toward Val, palm open, with the mana sitting on it.

[Torvallis!]

Torvallis! glances at the supplies Timmean has brought, reaches into their sleeves, (petting Lord Baldric on the way), and brings out a bag of herbs.

"Gathered 'em for supper, but I can easily gather more"

They opened up the sack of root vegetables and tossed in the small bag of sage & rosemary.

[Lady Val]

"Well then it looks like the expedition is going ahead Sir Degren!" Val exclaims excitedly.

"Thank you Timmean, Torvallis!, you have both been so helpful. If there is anything that you need from the Dwarven Kingdoms, or even on the other side of the island please let me know and we will try to retrieve it for you." she says while tucking the Earth Mana Timmean offered into one of her many pouches.

"Lady Keket if you wish to join us I recommend packing your things immediately, we leave today! Degren if you can check to make sure everyone who wants to come is ready, we will leave in a few hours."

[Bikbun Ironbones]

There is a crash and stumble, followed by muffled apologies, in the distance. Not wanting to drag the narrative on for too long, Bikbun veers around the corner, potato in mouth, and starts jaunting towards where the group are departing.

"Lady Val!" he calls before soon catching up and regaining his breath. "I'm sorry I'm late, lass- er, your ladyship? Is... is that correct?"
Spending a moment to ponder this, he then realises why he was here in the first place, and snaps back to reality.

"Ah, uh, anyways, I'd like tae come along too, if'n that's still alreet wi' ya? I was jes... attendin' tae some errands!"
Continuing to eat what is presumably lunch by this point, he waves at everyone else gathered around.

((OOG: Basically, picture this... Bikbun is best magical girl XD))

[Timmean]

Timmean blinks in Bikbun's general direction, then quickly shakes his head to snap himself back into focus.

"For now, the only thing I truly need is someone capable of teaching me magic of the pure elements. Beyond that, coin and mana are always appreciated, but I can usually do well with little."

Smiling and nodding to Lady Val and the others who have gathered, Timmean turns and walks off toward the ocean. He yells back over his shoulder, "I'll see if Lord Water has anything to share right now regarding this rift."

[Keket]

Lady keket nodded at what Val had said only stopping to look and seen bikbun doing this she smiled slight and laughed and then counite on-

"i will be back in a second..but what?.." she stop for a second to look back at lady Val " what is it that i need to bring along with me? just the normal?"

[Sponsored content]