Götterdämmerung [IC/PG-16/COMPLETED]

[yui 575]

If somebody had told her while she was still just a simple monk that Neasa would one day escort an enemy of Nuumu to his very temple, she'd probably pass it off as a poor joke. But sure enough, here she was, not only bringing him to the temple, but personally seeing to his protection. As the pair started en route to Nuumu's temple, Neasa was met with another familiar face native to this island. The time since her mother's passing had clearly not been kind to Emily Briar, and it was easy to tell as much just with a glance at the poor girl. This was the person Neasa was most concerned about running into, to be quite honest. From the moment Neasa had opted to take the path of negotiation instead of "shoot first, ask later," she knew that the simple question from Emily's mouth would be one that Neasa would have to be met with and explain.

“What are you doing to him?”

"I'm taking him to Nuumu's temple. I need to ask Simon here a lot about the void he worships so I can understand it as best I can. It's my god's natural enemy, after all. I also plan to speak with the monks there about allowing him to preach every so often within the temple, to peacefully put a stop to Simon and his faith intruding on other temples until such time as the council grants him a proper temple for his own faith." Though Neasa did have to wonder what such a thing would look like. She imagined a very minimalist building, about as basic as one could get, probably painted in a black or gray of some sort.

"So you're not going to kill him?"

"No. The worlds of both the living and the dead stand to gain nothing by killing Simon Weatherson. His soul won't enter the Ashwood because of his void worship, and if he were to be struck down, one of these other men would take his place as the preacher instead. Objectively, the only change killing him would cause is adding another statue to the ones that need to be disposed of." That was something she still had to work out, too. It was something she'd ask Simon about at the Nuumu temple, the watchdog decided. Maybe the other monks would be able to provide some helpful input on what to do, too.

It seemed like it took a moment for Emily to parse just what Neasa had said, though whether that was because she wasn't expecting it or wasn't able to understand, it was difficult to say. Her brow furrowed even further than had been, and her gaze dropped. It was still just a moment, though, and she came up soon after. "Well..." she said, producing a gleaming blade she'd concealed with her dress, "try and stop me!"

"And stop you I shall." As Neasa extended her right arm out, the bones inside made a distinct crunching noise as the skin became gray and leathery. Then the length of her arm extended, and the hand at the end grew in size, gripping Emily's own arms by the wrists. "Even if I was going to let you cut him down, I'd still need to learn all I could from him first. And I wouldn't let you do the deed inside a place of faith like this temple, especially not Dia's where his blood could stain the waters." All that said, it was quite the sword Emily had brought along. Wasn't there something she was supposed to do involving fancy swords?

...oh, right, that.

"Where did you get that sword?" the watchdog asked.

[Comrade Duck 178]

The Will of the Gods

Olivander entered the temple of Dia as calmly as one could when faced with the possibility of death. He understood that he couldn't underestimate Simon, no matter how badly he wanted to slit the bastard's throat. He ignored the monks and stormed past them to the central chamber, where he was greeted with multiple surprises.

The first was a woman he hadn't encountered before. She was brandishing an elegant sword, but her grip had been seized by a third party. "That must be the sword of the stranger..." he thought silently to himself. "Why does she have it?"

The next surprise was the presence of one Nuumu watchdog, the now identified third party. She clearly had every intention to defend Simon, which didn't settle properly in Olivander's stomach. He didn't bother introducing himself to the woman with the sword. Instead, he walked up and stood beside her, dagger clutched in his right hand. "Neasa," he said plainly. "You're out of time." He looked over to his right at the sword wielding woman and examined her. She was tense, angry, and hurt. She was invested in these dealings with Simon as well. This must have been the woman Neasa and Kitt spoke of before: Emily. "And judging by this woman's face and presence, you don't exactly have an audience willing to listen. I wonder if the townspeople would agree," he said slowly.

Olivander steadied himself and remained on guard. He had never dealt with another watchdog directly. This one could extend her reach quite far and that could pose a problem.

"I am going to kill Simon," he reassured everyone in the room. "You may have been able to hold back Emily, but that won't prove true with me." Olivander's eyes flickered with a golden light as he prepared himself.

[radio414 906]

Water Trouble

It was Aiden’s worst nightmare. Not only had the council been caught unawares yet again, so had those few on the island of higher standing than they were unaware as well. Up until just recently, even he had not known about Galatea’s newest crisis, though Aiden justified that to himself with the fact that he was already doing something about it. It was enough to keep him going, at least. “I could not tell you when exactly the drought occurred,” he said. “I sent some acolytes to gather some water yesterday morning, and this morning they said there was none. The acolytes under me seemed to know about it even before they left, though, so it must have happened sometime yesterday, I suppose.

“I admit, water is not one of my areas of expertise, nor do I imagine it is of yours. But I do know the spring was a gift from Dia’s watchdog ages ago when the island was young and it has been a fixture of our lives since. Surely you understand how important this is, even without the threat of drought hanging over all of us. It’s just outside of town. I could show you the way, if you would like to see for yourself? Or did you have another destination in mind?”

---

Trouble in the Water

The moment Emily’s wrists were seized she not only felt the shock of the attack (not to mention that of seeing such a grotesque transformation) but also a jolt of adrenaline. Drawing the sword initially had been the initial primer, of course, but now it had taken its full effect -- she was wide awake now. It didn’t save her, nor did it keep her from dropping the sword, sending it clattering to the floor beneath her, but of all the things that happened to her in that single moment, that one was the one she wanted to focus on. It was the only thing remotely positive so far.

“Where did you get that sword?” Nuumu’s watchdog asked.

Wouldn’t she like to know? “I had use for it, and there it was,” Emily said. She had no doubt she would fold under whatever pressure the watchdog could inflict on her, but that didn’t mean she was about to make it easy.

She would have said more -- she could imagine her eyes wild with fury now, and she was ready to do all she could even if that was just talk, explain exactly how killing Simon was the best, nay, the only thing to do -- but she stopped short the moment another voice appeared. “Neasa, you’re out of time,” the voice said. There was more, but Emily focused on the final words spoken. “I am going to kill Simon. You may have been able to hold back Emily, but that won’t prove true with me.”

Fair enough, Emily thought. She would have preferred to have performed the vengeful act herself, but seeing him dead by another hand may as well have been the same thing. She struggled against Neasa’s grip again, finally breaking free, though the moment she hit the ground she crumpled. It felt like just as all that energy had entered her system, it had vanished equally as quickly, and she barely had the strength to even push off the ground. Maybe it was for the best, she realized. She’d probably just interfere if she tried again.

She heard Simon say,  “Ah, well, I suppose I will let you all sort this out. We should probably retreat to the sanctum for the time being, my dear attendants,” and, moments later from seemingly further away, “When you are finished, please let me know if I am to die today or not. I would hate for it to be a surprise.”

---

OOC

Spoiler

Mostly self-explanatory on both parts this time. I do have some notes specific to each scene, though, so let's just go through those real quick:

Detective Kitt: Kind of open-ended on my part; there are a couple places you could conceivably go from here. The three I have in mind as recommendations are the Council meeting (yes I know you were just there), the spring, and the soon-to-be warzone that is Dia's temple. Aiden's probably going to follow you to either of the first two so feel free to ping me for lines or scenery if you would like. Similarly, if you go to Dia's temple, he'll probably give a warning regarding the people he knows are in there so you can get that from me too if you'd rather.

Neasa and Olive: So. PvP combat. I wrote this on Discord but I'll do so here as well: make sure you decide on a winner before, you know, writing posts excersising your world-shattering powers. Personally, I'd prefer this to be a narrative decision, not a "which of us would win in a fight" sort of thing, if you understand my meaning. Also, combat is a lot of the reason i had that "let me know when you're invoking the power of the gods" rule so keep that in mind (though if it's something you've already told me with regards to how your character fights -- which both of you have mentioned already in separate DMs -- I'll be a significantly more lenient). Other than that, I mean, don't kill each other? This is the biggest test to my "allow character powers to basically do whatever they want" style so far, let's see how it goes.

Be real, be cool, and, above all else, be real cool.

 

[yui 575]

"Neasa. You're out of time. And judging by this woman's face and presence, you don't exactly have an audience willing to listen. I wonder if the townspeople would agree. I am going to kill Simon. You may have been able to hold back Emily, but that won't prove true with me."

"Simon's life isn't for you to take, watchdog of thieves." Such petty tricks as simply extending her reach would work just fine against a regular person. But if Neasa's opponent was to be a fellow watchdog, that was a different story. Moving past both of Simon's would-be assailants and toward the door, she continued "However, a temple is no place for violence. It would be an insult to most gods to allow two watchdogs to trade blows in a sacred place like this. We should take this outside." As she finished her observation, one would be able to note bark growing from Neasa's skin, in a charred and blackened color, enveloping her limbs like a suit of armor.

"I can't protect him forever, of course, but for now, it's something I must do."

[Comrade Duck 178]

Purpose

 

Olivander sucked his teeth at Neasa's words.

"Simon's life isn't for you to take, watchdog of thieves."

"His life doesn't belong to you either, watchdog of the dead," he replied. The tension in the air grew thick.

"However, a temple is no place for violence. It would be an insult to most gods to allow two watchdogs to trade blows in a sacred place like this. We should take this outside."

"Not to worry. I had no intention of spilling Simon's blood on holy ground." Olivander watched Neasa's skin grow tough. Bark enveloped her completely, which would make striking her much more difficult. Though, Olivander never had any intention of attacking Neasa at all. "I want the people -- whose suffering has been caused by his teachings -- to witness his end. I want them to find relief in his last breath, and know that his debt to them has been paid.

With the dagger still clutched in his hand, Olivander took a step forward and walked through Neasa as she passed him. "Simon," he said, barking at the blasphemous man. Olivander stopped at Simon's feet before he could go any further and grabbed him by the collar. "Do not pray before I take your life. No god will hear you."

If one could feel the sensation Simon was feeling at Olivander's touch, it would be a tingling, hair-standing sensation. His entire body was coursing with godly energies while Olivander simply gripped his shirt. Olivander turned to the entrance of Dia's temple and began dragging Simon away. Now both he and Simon moved through Neasa, through Emily, and through the monks in the temple as he headed into the center of Galatea.

As he dragged Simon to meet his final fate, Olivander called out to the nearest guard who could hear him. "You! Gather your towns people. Gather your religious council. Gather anyone who would bare witness. Tell them that the god of thieves has come to steal away their troubles. And have them gather here. Quickly."

Olivander let Simon's collar go and dropped him onto the stone ground, staring into his eyes. "I don't know what possessed you to do what you did, Simon," Olivander said. "But you will admit to your sins to the people of Galatea before you die."

[Chaos Sonic 442]

“I could not tell you when exactly the drought occurred. I sent some acolytes to gather some water yesterday morning, and this morning they said there was none. The acolytes under me seemed to know about it even before they left, though, so it must have happened sometime yesterday, I suppose. I admit, water is not one of my areas of expertise, nor do I imagine it is of yours. But I do know the spring was a gift from Dia’s watchdog ages ago when the island was young and it has been a fixture of our lives since. Surely you understand how important this is, even without the threat of drought hanging over all of us. It’s just outside of town. I could show you the way, if you would like to see for yourself? Or did you have another destination in mind?”

Kitt was floored by this scenario as Aiden explained it to him. He sighed, before shaking his head. "As a Watchdog, it's my duty to assist...whether this is something I can truly accomplish in mending, I will at least attempt. Please, lead the way Aiden sir." he simply said, immediately following Lar's priest.

---

Cornucopia Rock...this was a place Kitt hadn't arrived at before while here on Galatea. According to Aiden, who explained to him how this area looked, it was a hill just outside of Galatea’s main city area with a cliff face that resembled a hollowed-out goat horn. Located within was an ever flowing spring, first established by Sarah Rosewater, and is where the island gets much of its water. This had become a secondary tourist attraction in addition to the Temple Square...and yet...

The line was dwindled down to only stragglers...and the hollowed-out goat horn was simply...barren...

BGM

"Bone dry..." Kitt muttered, seeing the now barren area where a flowing spring once was. "...and yet this isn't the type of time for a drought to occur in nature." With a small rub of his chin, he looked at Aiden. "And you said you don't know when it occurred but you feel it happened yesterday. Your acolytes returned today to inform you that there was no water. Did they happen to say anything else?" he asked, approaching the side of where the spring once was.

"Not even returned," Aiden said. "They knew before going out at all. They must have assumed I'd heard the same news as well." He closed his eyes, clearly trying to remember. "Now that I think about it more, they must have said a more specific time. The afternoon, perhaps? And a rumor! There were rumors that Dia had been unhappy with the worship she had been receiving."

"Hmmm...I for one am not a gambling man, but I would venture to say that this is something supernatural." Kitt said, kneeling down to look at the shoreline where the water would come up to. "If this rumor of Dia not being happy with the worship she had been receiving is true, then this can only be dealt with by one with connections to Dia...ipso facto: her Watchdog, Finn. However, I haven't seen him since yesterday, so I know not where he is..."

"Surely the water could not just disappear, though?" Aiden said. "Certain versions of our history say that Sarah conjured such a spring not from nothing but a small gem, would that have been vanished in that same action. Forgive me, the abilities of most gods' watchdogs is outside my area of expertise."

"No, I understand your concerns and not understanding. It's always a good thing to ask questions and be curious in things you are unaware of." Kitt explained, waving off Aiden's apology as nothing more than a simple question. "I may not be versed well in Dia's theology and even history, well...not as much as the next...but you said that there was a small gem working in tandem with conjuring a spring from your history. Would this gem still be present? If so, I have a theory."

The young man stood up, dusting his pants leg clean. "...would it be possible that the gem you speak of and this spring's lifespan were intertwined by Dia's will and design? If this is the case, aside from her Watchdog being possibly the reason why this is dried up...and for the reasons that were put into rumor...could it be possible that something happen to this gem?"

"That would seem to follow. I do not believe it could be damaged so easily if it had been blessed by the divine in such a way, which would eliminate that as an option so it would be missing then."

Kitt nodded, rubbing his chin again. This was just devolving into such a manner that he wasn't enjoying in the slightest. "Okay...although it's a worrying situation, we'll need to go back. We may need to inform the religious council about this as well as going to Dia's temple to inquire about the situation about this. If anyone can give us some insight on this, it's those within the temple, since Finn is nowhere to be seen."

"From your lips to the gods' ears"

---

The trip back from the dried up spring back to the Temple Square was silent as Kitt seemed to be contemplating and thinking more. Now at the moment, he didn't just have to worry about Simon and the insanity that his blasphemous teachings were dealing with...but now he had to figure out a method and manner to try and return water to Galatea. Granted, perhaps the Watchdog of Dia had a point and these rumors might've been true. There was quite the problem with the gods and goddesses here on Galatea and the manner of worshiping, according to Aiden. Perhaps this was the reason Dia instructed Finn to do so.

Things still don't add up though...it seems like this...all of it seems to not be bothering the council. If they don't know about the water situation...and yet Aiden knew, that is worrisome. Kitt thought, still in deep thought. Unless this is like the Simon situation, at which point the inaction they have is simply that...wishing to see what will become of the situation if left unchecked and not dealt with.

He hoped Dia's temple and those who knew her ways would be able to assist him in his investigation in what happened at Cornucopia Rock. However...he raised his head and was immediately out of his thinking process...seeing what he was hoping not to see in front of Dia's temple.

"You! Gather your towns people. Gather your religious council. Gather anyone who would bare witness. Tell them that the god of thieves has come to steal away their troubles. And have them gather here. Quickly. I don't know what possessed you to do what you did, Simon. But you will admit to your sins to the people of Galatea before you die."

"...damn the timing..." Kitt noticed the spectacle that immediately pulled him from his thoughts. "Aiden...get the council...and make haste." he shook his head, exhaling slowly.

"I will do my best"

Unfortunately, we need results...so I hope your best is enough, Aiden. Kitt thought, now proceeding to make his way towards the crowd that was developing. All the while, he muttered and recited his prayer to Taros, giving him the strength to make sure Olivander didn't do anything rash. "...I see you've been busy, Watchdog of Hinder." Kitt spoke, now arriving near the two. He simply had his hand on the hilt of his still sheathed blade. "I wish for this not to end in bloodshed...I'd ask if there was a better way...but the look in your eyes tell me otherwise." he asked sighing, before pointing towards Dia's temple. "And I take it Nessa is in there? I'd imagine so...and I'd venture to guess the both of you called upon your patrons in this...must say, I feel a bit left out."

[radio414 906]

Apology

Simon barely even perceived being dragged out of Dia’s temple. In one moment, he was in the temple’s inner sanctum, and in the next, he was being flung against the warm midday cobblestone of the Temple Square. He was panting a little, but he tried to conceal it to a degree; focusing his breathing through the nose allowed him some degree of control over his circumstances, even as the watchdog loomed large over him. “I don’t know what possessed you to do what you did, Simon,” the dog said, “but you will confess your sins to the people of Galatea before you die.

Well, Simon thought, at least his death would not be a surprise.

He tilted his head back to get an upside-down view of the gathering crowd. There were many gathered already, some clearly gathered by the guards and some arriving simply because the crowd was already there. Simon had to smile at what had been provided to him. An audience was an audience, no matter the reason they had gathered, and he pushed himself up to recline against his elbows; it was much less comfortable than when he normally performed it on his cot, but it still gave him an inkling of presentability and he was determined to have it.

With that, Simon began his confession. “You must forgive me, my fellow citizens of Galatea, that I cannot rise to my own defense. My strength has failed me recently in these recent months,” he said. “Forgive me too, then, that you probably remember me as a singer, not this broken man who lies before you. And lastly, I ask that you forgive me for the unrehearsed and unrefined performance you are about to witness. I only wish it were not so.”

He coughed. “I have been placed here today, and you have been gathered, at the behest of a representative of our many gods, to confess all of my sins to you now. I will do this freely, as should you, of course, should you be unfortunate enough to find yourself in a similar situation. Surely you all remember tales of a holy man -- some would even dare to call him a saint -- who could not help but admit how he and his friends stole fruit from an orchard in his younger years. If I may be so bold as to invoke him further, he proclaimed that it was not the desire for the fruit, nor the desire for friendship that drove him, but the desire to sin itself. That was what was intoxicating to the holy man.

“But I am not a holy man, my dear Galateans. I have never claimed to be. I see some of my followers in the crowd among you; if you ask them, they will confirm what I say. Nor do I dare compare myself to a holy man in even the remotest sense. As I said, you probably remember me as a singer and nothing more. But I do bring up this anecdote to question the nature of my demanded confession itself. Am I supposed to be confessing to my sins? Or to my desires?”

He looked out to the masses, and that was when he spotted something: a bristle of movement as the familiar face of Taros’ watchdog made his way through the crowd. It was not enough to cause him to stutter in his speech, but it was of note. “‘He is stalling!’” Simon said. “Yes, I can hear the murmurs among you. ‘He continues to speak yet refuses to confess!’ I am sure even this distinguished watchdog next to me is thinking these same thoughts you are.” He gestured to the dog in question. “This man would have me admit to heresy. Of blasphemy. All I am asking, then, is to-”

“I see you’ve been busy, Watchdog of Hinder.”

Taros’ dog breached the wall of people and stepped into the circle the crowd had provided Simon. “I wish for this not to end in bloodshed,” he said. “I’d ask if there was a better way, but the look in your eyes tells me otherwise.”

“Ah,” Simon said. “Well, I would consider it bad form to interrupt a performance, but I will make an exception here.” Again, he addressed the crowd. “These are watchdogs, after all. What they do is the gods’ will. In fact, I might recommend stepping back quite a bit, in case the gods decide to be, ah, rather sloppy with their actions today.”

---

OOC

Spoiler

"Apology" here both because Simon starts by begging forgiveness and also because "apology" can also mean a legal defense a la Socrates. It's a pun, you see. And as long as I'm explaining myself, the holy man is a reference to Saint Augustine of Hippo, who also allegedly uttered my favorite prayer: "Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet."

In terms of actual direction, I mean, I mentioned this in discord that it seemed like you all already had an idea of where you were going next. If that isn't the case, I mean, let me know and we can try and brainstorm something up. Besides that, I mean, if you do end up fighting, refer to my previous post if you need a reminder of instructions for that.

Of course, I'll take any other questions or comments as well.

 

[yui 575]

"You! Gather your towns people. Gather your religious council. Gather anyone who would bare witness. Tell them that the god of thieves has come to steal away their troubles. And have them gather here. Quickly."

And what, pray tell, do you think I'm trying to do with a natural enemy of Nuumu?

“I see you’ve been busy, Watchdog of Hinder. I wish for this not to end in bloodshed. I’d ask if there was a better way, but the look in your eyes tells me otherwise.”

“Ah. Well, I would consider it bad form to interrupt a performance, but I will make an exception here. These are watchdogs, after all. What they do is the gods’ will. In fact, I might recommend stepping back quite a bit, in case the gods decide to be, ah, rather sloppy with their actions today.”

Being called a god is certainly an experience. Can't say I'll get used to that. More than that though, Neasa had to dissolve this situation before it ended in people getting killed. In a direct fight with the other watchdogs, she could certainly keep collateral damage to a minimum at its worst, but what she was worried about was interference from others. Neasa had met enough people since becoming a watchdog to know that even among normal men, there were always a few who were bold and foolish enough to think they could intervene in a fight between living vessels of divine power. Removing the bark from her skin, Neasa moved closer to the proceedings. "Mr. Weatherson, Mr. Yurgold, if I may."

Clearing her throat, Neasa directly addressed her fellow watchdog. Not the masses, not the condemned, but Olive specifically. "What the people of Galatea do after we leave this island is beyond our control. If they want him strung up and lynched before sundown, that's for them to decide. Until we've left, however, I ask that we instill order to Mr. Weatherson's practices, and if nothing else, give him a chance to preach as he sees fit, within a designated place, at a designated time, to see if these issues are truly issues and not simply the result of poor structure. No offense to Mr. Weatherson. Furthermore, as a watchdog of Nuumu, I have personal stake in his life, as the void he and his faithful worship is inherently an enemy to the Ashen King."

"Which means I need information. What this void is, how it functions, why one would worship it. The Order of Ash is a sect of warrior monks, and one of our most important tenets of battle is to know the enemy. As the world's greatest thief, surely you must also understand that information is far more valuable than blood." Watchdog of thieves... a bit of a gamble came to Neasa's mind. She didn't have much experience dealing with Olive's kind personally, but she did know one thing about thieves. One thing that they really, truly loved. And that was...

"Especially if that information may pertain to never-before-seen relics. We don't know that there's truly nothing in this void, right? For all we know, lost relics of the gods could be there."

[Comrade Duck 178]

Tempered

Olivander's temper began to flare as Simon parted his lips. Every word was a dagger to his ears and he wanted nothing more than to shut this guy up. However, even the blasphemous deserved last rites. But before Olivander could get on with it, his and Simon's party was interrupted by the Taros watchdog.

“I see you’ve been busy, Watchdog of Hinder. I wish for this not to end in bloodshed. I’d ask if there was a better way, but the look in your eyes tells me otherwise.”

Olivander kept his eyes locked on Simon. "Your wishes are none of my concern, Kitt. If you can tell what I'm going to do, then either say your peace or try to stop me."

Simon was stalling. Olivander clenched his fist around his dagger and was prepared to slit Simon's throat when he was interrupted again.

"Mr. Weatherson, Mr. Yurgold, if I may."

Olivander remained silent. He may not agree with Neasa but he did respect her. She was still a watchdog.

"What the people of Galatea do after we leave this island is beyond our control. If they want him strung up and lynched before sundown, that's for them to decide. Until we've left, however, I ask that we instill order to Mr. Weatherson's practices, and if nothing else, give him a chance to preach as he sees fit, within a designated place, at a designated time, to see if these issues are truly issues and not simply the result of poor structure. No offense to Mr. Weatherson. Furthermore, as a watchdog of Nuumu, I have personal stake in his life, as the void he and his faithful worship is inherently an enemy to the Ashen King."

Olivander begrudgingly agreed. "I have no reason to strike quarrel with the god of the dead. They would be looking after my forsaken soul after all. So what is it you want?"

"...I need information. What this void is, how it functions, why one would worship it. The Order of Ash is a sect of warrior monks, and one of our most important tenets of battle is to know the enemy. As the world's greatest thief, surely you must also understand that information is far more valuable than blood."

"That depends on what the information pertains to. From what I gather, you're going far beyond knowing your enemy. You've discovered that he's a blasphemous bastard whose tongue and prayer has caused the deaths of innocents. Their souls are now spiraling out of reach of your god and still you seek to spare him and study his nature. For what reason?" Olivander was practically growling.

"...that information may pertain to never-before-seen relics. We don't know that there's truly nothing in this void, right? For all we know, lost relics of the gods could be there."

Olivander paused. Could she be right? Or was she trying to buy time for Simon? What if he acted too soon and deprived his god of valuables so rare that they had not been seen in this world before? The ultimate treasure to present to Hinder would surely render favor for Olivander. And if Neasa was wrong, he could slit Simon's throat anyway.

He smirked and turned to face Neasa. "Then I'll strike a bargain with you," he said. "I require something in place of Simon's life. Something of value that I can acquire now that would please Hinder. Only two things come to mind," Olivander said as he pointed to Dia's temple behind Neasa. "I've seen them both for the first time in Dia's temple. Either Dia's pearl or that sword that the girl was wielding. Give one of them to me and you can have Simon for as long as you like. But," Olivander went on.

"This is only temporary. If there is nothing valuable to be found in this void, I will take his life. And I'll be keeping the sword or pearl to present to Hinder either way. And no, this isn't negotiable."

[Chaos Sonic 442]

“Well, I would consider it bad form to interrupt a performance, but I will make an exception here.”
"Your wishes are none of my concern, Kitt. If you can tell what I'm going to do, then either say your peace or try to stop me."

Kitt began to frown slightly, just staring at the Watchdog of Hinder for a few moments. The hand on the hilt of his still sheathed blade remained, not once moving. He wasn't planning to fight another Watchdog like this...not over something that could easily be handled properly. He was about to open his mouth to speak, but Nessa emerged from Dia's temple...shedding bark off her arm...most definitely a sign and ability of her calling upon her patron.

So a fight between Dogs was about to proceed... he thought, remaining silent as he let Nessa attempt to speak reason to Olive.

"Which means I need information. What this void is, how it functions, why one would worship it. The Order of Ash is a sect of warrior monks, and one of our most important tenets of battle is to know the enemy. As the world's greatest thief, surely you must also understand that information is far more valuable than blood. Especially if that information may pertain to never-before-seen relics. We don't know that there's truly nothing in this void, right? For all we know, lost relics of the gods could be there."
"Then I'll strike a bargain with you. I require something in place of Simon's life. Something of value that I can acquire now that would please Hinder. Only two things come to mind. I've seen them both for the first time in Dia's temple. Either Dia's pearl or that sword that the girl was wielding. Give one of them to me and you can have Simon for as long as you like. But, this is only temporary. If there is nothing valuable to be found in this void, I will take his life. And I'll be keeping the sword or pearl to present to Hinder either way. And no, this isn't negotiable."

Unfortunately, now Kitt had to step in and speak up. He just had to mention that...and that definitely sounded like the "gem" that Aiden mentioned before in his explanation of the spring being brought forth from by one of Dia's Watchdogs.

"I'm afraid I must advise against the pearl that is housed in Dia's temple." Kitt immediately interjected, seeming quite stern in his speech. "You may or may not be aware, but that pearl you refer to is most likely the same one that one of Dia's Watchdogs used to grant Galatea the spring. And you also may not be aware that the spring is currently bone dry...the spring is in a drought like state and yet this is one of the times where this shouldn't be possible. If you take that gem...that pearl...which is most likely tied to the spring itself, you sentence these people to death."

He stepped forward, pointing towards Simon. "You would be no different from this heathen here..." He paused, glancing over at the man, tempted to say 'No offense', but this situation at the present was all due to him as well as the inaction of the religious council. "I know not of the sword you refer to...but something tells me that a weapon like that shouldn't fall into your hands at the present. Nevertheless, there must be something more valuable that you could offer in the item's stead..." Kitt did his best to negotiate, though he figured it wasn't of any use. He had one thought of something he could offer...but that idea was too stupid...and this would most likely reveal to other Watchdogs and those of this island of what he really was. "Attempt to see reason for a moment, Watchdog of Hinder...lest things go in the direction of bloodshed for all parties involved. After all...you of all people know about a simple gamble."

Kitt knew specifically of the things Hinder dealt with...and aside from thievery and wealth...there was gambling. If anything, like his patron, Olive couldn't possibly turn down a chance at a gamble. "You roll the dice, you make a bet...in this situation, you truly would have nothing to lose. In fact...you only gain. But only if you stay your blade..."

[Comrade Duck 178]

House of Spades

"You may or may not be aware, but that pearl you refer to is most likely the same one that one of Dia's Watchdogs used to grant Galatea the spring. And you also may not be aware that the spring is currently bone dry...the spring is in a drought like state and yet this is one of the times where this shouldn't be possible. If you take that gem...that pearl...which is most likely tied to the spring itself, you sentence these people to death."

It was their water source? Strange, but not unlikely. This was both believable and dangerous. Olivander had no reason to bring harm to Galatea or its people. Well, most of its people.

"I've no desire to render these good people helpless and without water. I'm a thief, but I'm not a fool," Olivander proclaimed with pride. "You look like you've got a lot on your mind. Go on," he said as he faced Kitt.

"I know not of the sword you refer to...but something tells me that a weapon like that shouldn't fall into your hands at the present."

Olivander rolled his eyes. "If you know nothing of the sword, then what makes you think your declaration holds any water? It's not like I'm going to use it. I want it as an offering to Hinder."

Nevertheless, there must be something more valuable that you could offer in the item's stead..."

"Then you'd better find a suitable suggestion. Otherwise, I'm taking that sword," Olivander said, folding his arms.

"Attempt to see reason for a moment, Watchdog of Hinder...lest things go in the direction of bloodshed for all parties involved. After all...you of all people know about a simple gamble."

Olivander's eyes narrowed. "Reason? You want to discuss reason when the only thing keeping Simon alive is my very patience? And then you patronize me and use my god's words in vain," Olivander said, his dagger still clutched tightly in his hand. "Here is your reason, Watchdog of Taros. Simon has gotten people killed simply by tongue. He has opened his mouth to speak and has brought down oppression on the people of this city. They now lie in wait to find out if he will continue to freely plague them and speak the blasphemous teachings that have gotten one too many of them killed!" Olivander took a step forward.

"So, you would have me standby and do nothing, while he continues to usher in death. All so that you can learn from what he has done!?" Olivander turned back to face Simon, having already made a decision.

"You roll the dice, you make a bet...in this situation, you truly would have nothing to lose. In fact...you only gain. But only if you stay your blade..."

He looked over his shoulder at Kitt and Neasa, his mind made up. "I've watched too many men with evil intentions turn into kings and tyrants who oppress their people and leave them to die. I will not watch it happen again!"

Olivander seized Simon by his head and threw back the man's head. "You will never utter another word of death on these people. Hinder, forgive me. I cannot stand by any longer." Olivander violently drew the knife across Simon's throat, splattering blood across his own chest. He dropped Simon into the streets, staring into his soon to be lifeless eyes.

[yui 575]

"This is only temporary. If there is nothing valuable to be found in this void, I will take his life. And I'll be keeping the sword or pearl to present to Hinder either way. And no, this isn't negotiable."

I should have all the information I need by then. Even still, you'll have to fight for it.

"You will never utter another word of death on these people. Hinder, forgive me. I cannot stand by any longer."

...so much for that.

Watching Olive's blade slice its way across Simon's neck had prompted a lot of feelings in Neasa. Frustration that her information source of choice had been killed off, leaving her to have to find Simon's attendants instead. Admiration for Olive's sense of initiative, even if she firmly believed this was the worst possible course of action. And curiosity, because not thirty seconds ago did he say he too would like to learn of any possible treasures hidden away in the void, and then suddenly decided to go back on that prospect by killing Simon. Even if Simon's attendants confirmed such a thing existed, she certainly wasn't going to tell Olive about them. That wasn't the deal, after all, and while the stories were few and far between, it was well-established that Nuumu was very particular about the deals he made. Why should Neasa be any different?

"And now, Olive?" Neasa asked, gesturing to Simon's body. "Is his faith eliminated just like that? It isn't; he's not the only void worshipper on this island, and someone else will inevitably take his place. They may even wait until we leave, to ensure there are no watchdogs to execute them for their beliefs. Will those turned to stone be remedied? Of course not; it's an unfortunate side-effect of this faith of theirs, as Mr. Weatherson told me in Dia's temple. The most you've done is strike down a figurehead, not to mention you'll never know about those void treasures now, if they exist. Unless you plan to kill everyone on Galatea, since we have no way to know who really worships this void, you have changed nothing in the long term on this island, and may have even escalated a problem I was trying to fix diplomatically."

Then her attention turned to Kitt. The Watchdog of Taros. There was something around here he'd probably want to get his hands on. Sticking a thumb out to the young Miss Briar, Neasa said "As for you, bring this girl to Taros's temple, would you? This is just a hunch, but it looks like she has something your faithful might want back. I have to go see if I can't find someone else willing to tell me more about the void after this scene Hinder's watchdog made." And there was one place she had in mind for where those someone elses could be. The temple of Medeis. But she wouldn't check right this second. As she stepped away from the temple square, Neasa checked behind her every so often, to ensure that she wasn't being followed. Not by Olive, at least.

[Chaos Sonic 442]

BGM

Silence...nothing but silence. If one word could describe the mood and feelings that Kitt found himself in...one word fit it: stunned. The Watchdog watched as Hinder's Dog practically exacted what he said he would...the blood of this man now stained the blade of Hinder but also the streets of Galatea's Temple Square. Yet he stood there, silent...he couldn't quite believe what he witnessed. He knew of a deities' retribution and how that would go about...but this... Kitt only heard stories from Flynt back home about how he had seen first hand things like this and that Kitt would need to prepare himself to one day see these things...but alas...no matter how much he thought he was prepared to see it...he wasn't.

"As for you, bring this girl to Taros' temple, would you? This is just a hunch, but it looks like she has something your faithful might want back. I have to go see if I can't find someone else willing to tell me more about the void after this scene Hinder's watchdog made."

Kitt's thoughts were cut short, as Neasa spoke. He looked over at the girl that she pointed at. "...r-right..." he muttered, nodding slowly as he looked at Emily before motioning for her to follow him. Once she began to comply, Kitt proceeded to make his way to Taros' temple.

The trip from the square to Taros' temple honestly felt longer in walking distance than before. If anything, Kitt felt himself just lost in how this all occurred. What was more...could there have been a way to stop Olivander from enacting Hinder's will against Simon? Of course, that man had things coming to him...but it was just the moment he spoke up against him, it was like all hell broke loose. Could he avoided this if he kept his mouth shut? Could he have just removed the dagger from Olive's hand? ...there was also the possibility that he could've just called upon Taros right there and then. Neasa and Olive already did from the looks of it...so he would've had no problem in that vein, and if he acted quickly, the blade might've collided with the steel skin he would've had covering his arm in the process.

But these thoughts...they were all but one thing: what ifs...could haves. These were scenarios that might've occurred differently if he intervened, but he didn't...and this cost a man his life. Whether he deserved it or not at this point was moot. It was the loss of a life...and this was now weighing heavily on his mind and soul.

[radio414 906]

Beauty*2

Whoever or whatever had removed Simon from Dia’s inner sanctum had not also removed his attendants, and yet, when Simon disappeared from their sight, they were not exactly concerned. One of them -- their name was Rose -- even remarked, “Ah, that was quick. I did not expect the fight to only last those few moments.”

“You think it is over already?” the other, Gil, said.

“There are very few ways I can think of for someone to disappear like that without the influence of a god’s will. In fact, I might even be able to guess as to who won.”

“I imagine Nuumu’s dog wouldn’t bother with the snatching business. She would just tell us.”

Rose nodded. “Mm. Well, I suppose we should try to follow him.”

They paid a few brief respects to Dia for allowing them to use her sanctuary before coming back out to a completely empty temple. Even the girl, who had so boldly threatened Simon’s life just moments before had gone. There was a crowd gathering outside the temple, though, and Rose and Gil could just hear Simon giving a sermon. It was not like the ones they had heard him give before, though. “Is he pleading his case?” Gil said.

“He could just be stalling for time.” Rose would have said more on the subject, but stopped short, distracted by light glinting off something on the ground. “Oh, look. Is that the sword that girl was using?”

“Best return it to her.”

Rose raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You do not think she will kill Simon with it?”

“I think he will be dead before she gets the chance,” Gil said. “And it is a nice sword. Nobody wants a sword like that getting lost. At the very least, let us take it with us.”

---

Soft Power

“I will do my best,” Aiden had told Kitt, and yet, he had never had a high opinion of “his best” with regards to dealing with the religious council. Not recently, anyway. His last few attempts to get through to Levanna had been rebuffed, and his attempts with the other members of the council -- the few times he managed to find them -- had largely gone just as well. Even Elliot, the man Aiden had had the most hope in, had given him nothing more than an “I’m with you, and I’ll be sure to fight for this at the next meeting,” which, given that nothing ever seemed to come from said meetings, actually felt worse in Aiden’s mind. At least Thomas and Mercy simply refused to speak to him.

Still, this was a watchdog’s order. Just because he didn’t believe in himself didn’t mean he couldn’t try. The guards outside the room, though, had other ideas. “The council is in session right now, and are not to be disturbed,” they said, a phrase that was already bad enough but they also added, “especially by you,” which, well, was that really necessary?

Aiden pressed on. “A watchdog of Taros has requested the council’s presence in the Temple Square,” he said. “I am merely the messenger, come to collect them.”

That, at least, got the guard to pause. To waver, even, and soon enough, they were peeking their head through the door, even giving it a slight knock to get the attention of those inside. Aiden heard the chatter of the council cease and his words repeated by the guard into the chamber.

“A request?” Aiden could hear Thomas’ voice from within the chamber. “I am not going to move to adjourn our meeting due to a request. If he wants to discuss Simon Weatherson, tell him we were just about to discuss his matter further before this interruption.”

“They might kill him!” Aiden shouted back.

There was a long pause, but Thomas did eventually respond. “Well, we will certainly factor that into our discussion.”

It was the expected answer, even one he was used to, but Aiden found it disappointing all the same. Still, he gave a polite nod to the guard and turned to make his way back.

---

Destroy Everything You Touch

Emily felt nothing watching Simon Weatherson collapse dead on the ground. She had wanted him dead, after all. The fact that it was not by her hand stung a little, but it really only affected her personal sense of pride. But it was still performed by a watchdog, which meant that the gods -- or a god, at least -- had still performed the deed in her stead. It was the closest to her doing it, in her eyes, almost as if they were an extension of her in addition to the god they represented. Besides that, the only other feeling Emily experienced was one of reinvigoration. At least, she felt confident enough to try walking again.

Which just so happened to be when Nuumu’s watchdog pointed over at her and said, “Bring this girl to Taros’ temple, would you?” There was more, but that was all Emily needed to hear to understand. Now came the consequences.

It wasn’t that Emily had been entirely ignorant of the consequences of stealing what was likely a ceremonial sword and using it in her vengeance quest, it was just that she had decided thinking about such things outside of tacit acknowledgment that they existed was detrimental to the actual plan. They’d been distractions, things to brush aside. So yes, only now that they were concrete were they something to be feared, and even then, what regrets did she have? Whatever came next, she could at least know that her parents could rest a little easier.

But she did not follow just yet, even as people were gesturing for her to do so. She still had to do things properly, Emily thought, and that meant that she would need the sword with her to return. And again, just as she thought this, she found something cool and metal being pressed against her back. She turned her head and saw a figure she felt she was supposed to recognize, even if she could not quite place from where. In their hands was a sword. The sword, rather.

“You had best hold on to this,” they said. “At least, for the time being.”

Emily took the sword from them, nodded, and watched as they disappeared back into the crowd, before turning back around and dutifully following behind the man she was supposed to.

---

Fighting In Built Up Areas

Simon Weatherson was dead. Aiden did not even need to actually see the body to know that -- he could tell by the way the crowd was slowly and silently dispersing. Still, he pushed through against the current to the gap in the center, desperate to see for himself.

He immediately regretted it.

Death was not Aiden’s department. The closest it had been was when an acolyte managed to get a rather nasty burn, and even that was not something he preferred thinking about. Even then, there had been little blood, mostly charred flesh (and also the acolyte had survived, albeit minus that arm). Here, the blood was already seeping into the cobblestone.

And yet, his first thought was, “We should probably clean this up before the mess gets any worse.” He even said it out loud. With what, though? With the little water they had? But at the same time, Lar was god of the hearth, and what was the Temple Square if not a hearth for all of Galatea? It very well may be his duty to maintain it, Aiden reasoned, even more so than the other temples.

He spotted an acolyte of his leaving the crowd, and he called out to them. “Fetch one of our water barrels and a scrub. The body, I imagine, we will have to leave in the care of Nuumu, but the blood we can take care of.”

---

The Last One Standing

Rose and Gil looked on, neither moving from their spot at the edge of the crowd. Simon Weatherson was dead, but there was no time to mourn. In fact, they had listened intently as Nuumu’s watchdog continued to plead a case that was decidedly pro-the dead man lying on the ground. “You may have escalated a problem I was trying to fix diplomatically,” she said, which got Gil to nod.

“But we are not going to escalate, are we?” Rose said. “Not against watchdogs, certainly.”

“I do not think so. But we should definitely do something.”

“I have to go see if I can’t find someone else willing to tell me more about the void after this scene Hinder's watchdog made,” the watchdog said.

“Ah.”

“Yes,” Gil said. “You return the sword and I will start after her. Do try to catch up, though. I might miss you in the meantime.”

---

OOC

Spoiler

Rose and Gil

Oof, what an eventful two weeks, and now here I am almost playing catch up. There are five sections (Section titles are songs from the Ladytron album "Witching Hour"), but really just enough for each of you, I hope. There is at least someone nearby you can try and get lines from, at the very least. Simon's dead, though, so if you do ever feel ready to leave Galatea, just let me know and we can start wrapping up (though it seems like you all have other concerns at the moment).

Neasa: You can't just say "ah hah, nobody better follow me" and not expect to be followed. I'm not sure where you're going other than that, you can either go where you're going without immediately confronting Simon's attendants or notice immediately (they're not being subtle about tailing Neasa here), but they can be the "someones" you asked for.

Kitt: I was going to have Caleb approach you directly, but I figured I'd pull back on that in case you had anything you wanted to say to Emily first (who now does, in fact, have the sword with her). I imagined he joined the crowd briefly but was one of the first to leave so he'd be back near Taros' temple now, but he can basically be anywhere you want him.

Olive: I admit it was a little difficult putting something near Olive. He seems the most flexible in terms of where he's going next, but I didn't want to strip away all the NPCs if it wasn't necessary. So Aiden's, like, right there if you want. But there are also treasures to be found, aren't there?

That's all I've got for you right now, and it's late enough that I've already been "tally-marked" so I probably won't get to any questions tonight, but do feel free to ask them anyway. Same for lines; all those NPCs surely need something to do, huh?

 

Edited September 16, 2020 by radio414

[yui 575]

As Neasa continued away from the temple square, it was clear pretty early on that she was being followed. Every time she checked behind her, the same figure was visible. One of Simon's attendants; it was pretty easy to recognize him when she'd last seen him only a minute or two ago. Once she was confident that it was just her and the boy, Neasa paused, and turned to face the boy that had been following her all this time. This was as good a place as any to gather intel, wasn't it? Besides, it made sense that he wanted to share information, or at least had something to say. Otherwise, why would he be following her?

"I'd like to lead off this conversation by apologizing for what happened to Mr. Weatherson," Neasa opened up with. "If I could see the future, this would have turned out differently."

"I accept your apology," Gil said. "Sometimes even Myria cannot tell us what is in store for us. The circumstances are unfortunate, but I would not say they were unexpected. Simon himself would have said so, I am sure."

"He mentioned that you know the void just as well as he does. If so, I'd quite like to ask you a few questions, and try to make the same arrangements for you as I was going to for Simon."

"Naturally," Gil said, before checking over their shoulder. "I would recommend moving somewhere a little less open than this, however. Unlike Simon, neither Rose nor I are looking to die just yet. I am sure you understand."

"Of course. The Medeis temple should do, right? Errr..." Come to think of it, Neasa had no idea what this guy's name was. And calling him "Simon's male attendant" didn't seem appropriate if she was relying on him and the other one, apparently named Rose. "I don't believe I ever got your name, come to think of it."

"Apologies. Gil," they said, pointing to themselves, before turning to their approaching companion, "And Rose."

"Rose and Gil," Rose said now that they were within earshot. "And you are Neasa, watchdog of Nuumu, correct?" Satisfied with their correct assumption, Rose added, "Any temple -- any enclosure, even -- will be sufficient. It is just a conversation, yes? It is my understanding that conversations such as these do not always need auspicious backdrops. But, if you say Medeis' old temple, I imagine we will have to follow."

"Correct. Pleased to meet the pair of you." Confirming that the now-trio of people weren't being followed every so often as she had done so far, Neasa led the way around and then back into the temple square, right into the Medeis temple. There was much to learn, and Neasa planned on learning all of it.

[Comrade Duck 178]

Thirsty?

As Simon lay dying and Neasa's words bounced off of Olivander, he stood there, staring into the dark pool of Simon's stained, crimson blood. Just for a moment, he questioned his actions. But that moment was fleeting quickly, like Simon's worth. It was likely he would become a martyr this day. His name, his actions, his past, all etched into the history of Galataea, by the very hand that ended his life. But that didn't concern Olivander. Not anymore.

"The pearl," he recalled. It was missing. That meant it was stolen. But worst of all, it wasn't stolen by him. "Wait..." Olivander thought. "Didn't the boy have it? What was his name? He was a dog too."

But the last Olivander recalled of Dia's watchdog was days ago. He had not seen the young boy since. Had he gone on to pursue another mission? And if he did, had he sentenced Galatea's people to die? "Another curse," Olivander said softly. Or perhaps this had something to do with Dia herself. If it did, why had she suddenly forsaken the people of Galatea. Hinder's next treasure would have to wait. Olivander had to continue helping these people. And so, he elected to return to the source of the problem and pay Dia yet another visit. He doubted she would be pleased to meet with him.

[Chaos Sonic 442]

Still the trip to Taros' temple continued to lag on for Kitt, who kept having the scenario that just occurred in his mind, now had something else to deal with. He glanced at the girl, Emily, the one Neasa had him escort back to the temple of Taros. The sword she held, it was...ornate...it was, in a sense...beautiful. That had to have a purpose...and Kitt had a pretty good feeling on what it was.

"...that sword, it has signifigance to those who follow the Great Forge Maker, correct?" Kitt finally spoke up to Emily. "Why steal this?"

"I had use for -" She just managed to stop herself before finishing her sentence, but she only paused a moment. "I was going to use it to kill Simon Weatherson."

"A blade such as that should not see blood stained on it's metal..." Kitt shook his head. "You're lucky that this didn't garner a taste for it...the sweat, the tears, the emotion poured into that weapon...I can see and sense it from here. A simple dagger..." Now he paused for a moment, the image of Olive's deed still fresh in his mind. "...a simple dagger would've done it...as you saw. But not this work of a weaponsmith..."

"If I had found a dagger I would have borrowed one as well," she said. "But what is a sword meant to do if not bloodshed, then?"

Kitt paused, now standing at the steps of Taros' temple and now turned to face the young girl. "A weapon does not seek bloodshed. Those who wield them seek it, and thusly they simply become a tool of war and death." he said, slowly taking the sheathed sword from Emily, unsheathing it as he stared at it in the light. "A weapon is used to protect those dear to you...when you have no other option. To instruct the next generation of practices and traditions of old...and a weapon such as this, needs to dedicated and blessed by the Great Forge Maker. Those who toil within the forge work for long varying periods of time to create a weapon that Taros himself would be proud of."

He immediately sheathed the blade, still holding onto it. "...if you tainted it with a thirst for blood, then the work of it's creator would've been thrown away."

"I bake bread for a living, or I baked bread," Emily retorted. "Even the finest craftsmanship needs to be used -- consumed, in my case -- or be left to rot. The same could be said for my tools -- the oven, my bread knives. This sword, if it is never drawn, what will happen to it?"

"The sword can be used...but yet again, it's only job is to obey the will of it's wielder." he retorted, sighing. "It's creator forges it...his will put into the blade. He gifts it to another, the wielder, who's simply commanding the weapon to their whim and will. So yes, the finest craftsmanship will be used...but by the one who's will it shall follow. Until that day, it's creator will continuously refine and care for their creation. Like a parent to their child...or a deity their people."

Emily opened her mouth like she wanted to say more but stopped. Instead, she said, "From your lips to the gods' ears," and left it at that.

Kitt turned from Emily, entering the temple of Taros, holding the stolen blade in hand. It was obvious that she didn't understand the ins and outs of what the Forgekeepers and Taros' followers believed, but then again...how could she. Not many would be able to comprehend the manner of those weaponsmiths who pour their heart and soul into a weapon for Taros... Nevertheless, Kitt entered the domain of his patron, his demeanor, still seemed that of...being lost. But at least he was "lost" within a familiar location.

[radio414 906]

If You Can’t Do It Good, Do It Hard

Dia was there waiting for Olive as he breached the inner sanctum of her temple, her back against the currently barren altar and her feet splashing against the surface of the pool. “I want you to realize what a dangerous precedent I’m setting here,” she said as Olive approached. “Communing with dedicated worshippers, even my own watchdog, those things already barely skirt by on vague wording and technicalities in ancient law. You know watchdogs only exist because of a loophole, right? You had better prostrate yourself at the very least and pretend that you haven’t completely dedicated yourself to some cause other than mine.

“I did choose to manifest before you, though,” Dia said, “because it is presumably to both of our benefit. Some of my will still needs to be carried out on this island. This isn’t me telling you this myself, it is what my watchdog decided and I am now communicating to you. That is the scope of the discussion I will be able to have, lest I be in danger of breaking more rules than I already am. But if I understand your intentions in coming here, I imagine that will suffice.”

---

Alarm

“My sword…” Caleb didn’t even have to be close enough to be able to double-check, he could sense it as the girl and the watchdog stopped outside Taros’ temple. The moment he saw it change hands between the two he said it again. “That’s my sword.” It called to him, that must have been it. It was that thought in mind that got him walking over. Maybe he wouldn’t have to get it stolen back after all.

He very nearly yanked it out of the watchdog’s hands when he took it, unsheathing it in one swift motion to get a better look himself. Immediately his eyes zeroed in on the differences -- the little imperfections -- between the sword in his mind and the one in his hands, and they were enough to comment on. “This has been dropped. It’s not irreparable, but it does need a little work. The ceremony certainly can’t happen today, in any case. Even if it could, I definitely wouldn’t allow it.

“But that’s fine.” He sheathed the sword again and looked up at the watchdog. “Thank you for returning it to me. I’ll get to work again right away. In the meantime, though…” Caleb said, shifting his gaze to the girl. “I assume this is the one who stole it? What do you suggest we do with her?”

---

Faith

Medeis’ temple always had a dreary sort of aura to it. That was what happened when there was no more of the thing that the temple was meant to worship. But Rose and Gil did not mind that, especially when there was other business to attend to. But what business? “What would she like to speak to us about?” Rose said, loud enough for Neasa to hear even if the obvious target of the question was Gil.

“She wants to make us the same offer she made Simon.”

“Well, we accept, do we not? It would be going against one of his final wishes if we were to renege on a deal now.”

“Yes,” Gil said, nodding their head. “But she also wanted to ask us questions. She said we knew as much about ‘the void’ as Simon did, so I believe she will be asking us about that.”

“‘The void,’” Rose repeated, “Certainly an area of expertise of ours, yes. I presume she means specific aspects of our worship and not the emptiness underneath the world? That is understandable, especially if we are to be your guests. Simon would have said the same.” Rose nodded to Neasa. “Well then, ask. We are your humble servants.”

---

OOC

Spoiler

The subtitles are names of songs from Against All Logic's album "2017-2019"

Pretty obvious follow-up points, I think, given that you're all in conversation. I know I say this all the time, but it's especially important because of that: let me know if/when you need lines. I'm always happy to provide. The only other big note I have is reiterating that you shouldn't expect other gods to appear at your beck and call like Dia is right now. I would have probably said something in chat if I hadn't immediately thought of a way to work it into the story. But hey, it's all good. Maybe this'll actually get me to figure out the narrative consequences for breaking rules like this are, that'll be fun.

Happy posting.

 

[Comrade Duck 178]

A Debt Owed

As Olivander crossed the threshold to Dia's temple, he found himself blessed. She had chosen to manifest before him, and he was now present before a god besides his own. Even though he did not serve Dia as a watchdog, Olivander was still aware of the power she carried. He was also not ignorant to the fact that he was standing before a diety in a temple that was meant to bring praises to them. He wouldn't be brash and so he approached carefully.

“I want you to realize what a dangerous precedent I’m setting here,” she said.

Olivander nodded as he approached. "I am grateful that you're here, Lord Dia. It is an honor." It was funny. He did mean the words he said, but it was ironic that he had been planning to steal from her before. Mind you, he was ignorant to the properties of that mighty pearl before now.

“Communing with dedicated worshippers, even my own watchdog, those things already barely skirt by on vague wording and technicalities in ancient law. You know watchdogs only exist because of a loophole, right? You had better prostrate yourself at the very least and pretend that you haven’t completely dedicated yourself to some cause other than mine," she commanded.

Olivander couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't know the ancient law well, but he could imagine the trouble Dia was going through to simply speak with him now. "I like to think that your being here is indicative of one of two things: a lack of prayer or a lack of service. I'm here to offer my services."

“I did choose to manifest before you, though,” Dia said, “because it is presumably to both of our benefit. Some of my will still needs to be carried out on this island. This isn’t me telling you this myself, it is what my watchdog decided and I am now communicating to you. That is the scope of the discussion I will be able to have, lest I be in danger of breaking more rules than I already am. But if I understand your intentions in coming here, I imagine that will suffice.”

Olivander nodded again. "I may be a thief, but I don't seek to do unjust harm to the poor and the downtrodden," Olivander said. "That pearl. Did your watchdog take it? The people of Galatea have no water and I believe that has a lot to do with it."

Olivander had a simple goal: restore water to the people of Galatea. If that meant he had to undertake an assignment from a different god, then he would be inclined to do so. After all, he was already here helping these people. He may as well do his damnedest.

[Chaos Sonic 442]

“My sword…That’s my sword.”

Well, this meant his mission was definitely accomplished. Kitt turned to face Caleb, about to present him the sword, but it was practically yanked out of his hand. A bit rough to do, but he figured it had to happen like that, after all...this man was the creator of this sword, finally having it in sight is something that would leave anyone jumping for joy.

“This has been dropped. It’s not irreparable, but it does need a little work. The ceremony certainly can’t happen today, in any case. Even if it could, I definitely wouldn’t allow it."

"I did notice that myself..." Kitt added, nodding slowly as Caleb inspected the blade. "Nevertheless, you truly have heart and love for the craft of weaponsmithing. That blade is truth to this statement...it shouldn't take much for you to fix it at all if you put that much blood and sweat into that."

“Thank you for returning it to me. I’ll get to work again right away. In the meantime, though…I assume this is the one who stole it? What do you suggest we do with her?”

Kitt paused for a moment, glancing back towards Emily. There was silence for a while, as he continued to stare at her. "...no harm befell the blade, no blood taken...the sword has not been stained nor tainted." he said with a small sigh, before now directing his speech towards Emily. "Return to your home. You have had quite enough happen to you today...I shouldn't add to your issues. May Taros refine you daily..." With that, he turned towards Caleb, nodding. "I doubt she'll be of any bother to you again. Now, I believe you have a sword to prep for a ceremony...we'll make sure it gets done tomorrow. You have my word."

Not another word was spoken from Kitt, as he entered the temple of Taros once more. The smell and the sounds brought comfort to him once more, but it couldn't ease his spirit too much. The events of today still weighed heavy on his mind, as if a limestone was tied to his feet and he was dropped... He needed a moment or two...but that's only if he was able to.

[radio414 906]

Can’t Let Go

Emily heard the words the watchdog had said but didn’t really comprehend them until Caleb stepped away, cradling the sword in his hands as he continued to inspect the blade. “That’s it?” she said, not so much expecting to be heard as making sure she was still where she thought she was. What else was she to do? Simon Weatherson was dead, her parents were gone, she’d just been told to go home. “Alright.”

She turned away. away from the two, away from the temple, just away from all of it. Not that home seemed like a better place to be, of course, but it was the only place that made sense, right? She’d just been told -- by a watchdog, even -- that it was time to go home, so shouldn’t she?

But. There was that small “but” in her mind that hadn’t quite given up; there was a little more she could do. Emily turned back around and returned to Taros’ temple. His watchdog was still there, of course, and it was he that Emily targeted. “Have you spoken to Nuumu’s dog about my parents or any of the other people succumbing to Simon’s teachings?” she said. “She said she would, but she had not last night. And, perhaps if she did in the meantime, you would like to see exactly what she was talking about.”

---

To the Sea

Dia did not react favorably to Olive’s antics. She wasn’t violent about her displeasure, but she did let out an audible “tsk” as he laughed in her face. “When I said to prostrate yourself, to take this seriously, did you think that was just a suggestion?” she said. “Do you think I am somehow lesser than Hinder? Or do you just treat all gods with this same irreverence? Not all of us would grant you this same mercy.”

“I’m here to offer my services,” Olive said. The lead-up to that also seemed a bit like she was being spoken down to, but again Dia was feeling merciful. She did stand up out of the water, though, starting to pace around her pool as Olive continued. “That pearl,” he said, “did your watchdog take it? The people of Galatea have no water and I believe that has a lot to do with it.”

“My watchdog did remove the mother of pearl stone,” Dia said, gesturing at the empty altar, “but this is not what I am asking you to retrieve. The mother of pearl, it’s a nice rock, a good thing to focus prayer on, but it is not the reason Galatea has no water. As you can see, this pool right here in front of you,” she splashed the water again with her toes, “it will likely be used as a reservoir should the drought continue, but would you say that things would change if the mother of pearl stone would return? So few people even enter here, I am not even certain its absence has been noticed.

“No, what my watchdog had determined was that the real place people should be worshiping was the well on the outside of the city. And as it is his will so it is mine. Causing the well to dry up was meant to draw attention to this. But the water did not just disappear; it is still on this island somewhere. My watchdog, meanwhile…” She paused a moment and looked Olive in the eyes. “Do you understand now what I am asking of you?”

---

OOC

Spoiler

Subtitles song names are from Hey Ocean's album "The Hurt of Happiness"

Pretty straightforward again, Olive was already in conversation so just continuing that, and giving Kitt something to do with this old subplot if he wants. I had this other idea involving either helping set up that sword-dedication ceremony or helping Caleb fix the sword, but Emily kind of stole my attention, I guess. Feel free to tell her she's too tired and sleep it off if you want.

Other than that, same stuff as always, I guess? I'm generally around for questions or lines, so feel free to speak up if you need something.

 

[Chaos Sonic 442]

“Have you spoken to Nuumu’s dog about my parents or any of the other people succumbing to Simon’s teachings? She said she would, but she had not last night. And, perhaps if she did in the meantime, you would like to see exactly what she was talking about.”

A very swift moment of rest...if that was even what Kitt wanted to call it. The young girl was persistent if anything, so he had to give her that...but only that. "If you happen to be referring to the possibilities of Simon's teachings being connected to the fate of your parents, the stone transformation...then yes, Nuumu's Watchdog brought this up..." he simply said, slowly turning to face Emily.

"Unfortunately, at this moment I'm...at a loss for what I need to do." he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "...there's a lot on my mind as of current and things seem to continue to drop on top of me...even within the last few hours." Kitt sighed, before staring Emily down. "...however, your persistence is noted...so something tells me I won't be able to truly rest until I indulge you in your request." That was one thing that he was taught at a young age: the women always were persistent in getting what they wanted, least that's what his father told him...that and Flynt also echoed this remark. Perhaps there truly was weight to it?

Kitt turned back towards where Caleb was, before nodding. "I'll return to personally assist you in fixing your blade. I have a feeling two of us working on the weapon should be more fruitful than just a singular individual." he said, before looking back at Emily. "...if you please...lead the way."

[Comrade Duck 178]

I Love Democracy

 

Olivander shrugged. "I think I understand what you would like of me," he answered. "If you have few visitors, that means you have even fewer prayers. As a goddess, I know how important that is to you. It's an implication of respect and gratitude for the things you provide to the people of the world. That being water, it is an absolute necessity for us humans. If the pearl has gone missing without anyone noticing, that means they haven't noticed you, Lord Dia," Olivander said, straightening himself up.

"I will call the attention of the townsfolk to your temple and to your well, to have them offer you the prayers and thanks you so rightfully deserve. It is my belief that your temple should still be treated with respect. It is where you have chosen to manifest before me, and I know that this was a choice you did not make lightly. As such, I will also bring to the attention of the religious council that your temple be better kept, like the rest of the temples here. I realize I'm not your watchdog, and that I'm a brutish, offputting, bastard and much more. Regardless, I appreciate you allowing me into your temple, and furthermore, allowing me to assist you. Truly, it is an honor," he said with a proper bow, his eyes never leaving Dia.

This was possibly one of the few tasks Olivander would take that wouldn't cause him to draw his dagger. It was a nice change of pace.

"Thank you for your time, Lord Dia," he said before he stood up straight. He took his leave quietly and exited her temple, making his way to the town square where he stood once again over Simon's bloodstain. He would clean it up later himself.

He motioned over to a guard and began barking orders. "You there. Gather your townsfolk once more. Galatea's problems are yet to be fixed. We must address your water crisis."

[yui 575]

“‘The void,’ certainly an area of expertise of ours, yes. I presume she means specific aspects of our worship and not the emptiness underneath the world? That is understandable, especially if we are to be your guests. Simon would have said the same. Well then, ask. We are your humble servants.”

"It's about both, as a matter of fact." As much as she was curious about the practices and worship of the great emptiness below, both the void and its worship were of equal importance here. If nobody worshipped it, its existence would be no threat to the afterlife, and if it didn't exist, its worshippers would be little more than a cult of lunatics who simply wished to reject Nuumu. If Neasa wanted to get the full picture and come to the most logical course of action, she need the full picture. "This may take some time, since I would quite like to leave this conversation knowing Inanis almost as well as the two of you do. I suppose it would be best to start with the question that's been bothering me the most..."

How long would it take to get every scrap of information, anyway?

[radio414 906]

Keep It Together

“Go home,” Emily had been told. Well, she was going home, she was just dragging a watchdog along with her. She would not call herself reinvigorated by any means -- the most she could do was disguise her fatigued shuffle as best she could -- but the alternative was, well… She’d had this whisper in her head since the previous night (since her mother… if she really wanted to dwell on that some more), something daring her to give up. The whisper was not somebody she recognized; it certainly wasn’t hers.

There was a crowd gathering outside Taros’ temple, and Emily resisted the urge to wonder just what was going on that a second (or was it third? She was having a hard time keeping track) mass of people needed to gather. Surely those attracted must have been annoyed at the very least, right? Maybe they wondered why they’d bothered dispersing after Simon had died in the first place if they were just going to be called back, Emily thought. She resisted the urge to grab at the Taros watchdog’s wrist, trying to trust that he would follow her instead of being sucked in by anything else.

Fortunately, her home was close, and even in her rattled state she wasn’t about to forget the path. But Emily didn’t go in, she stopped at the threshold. Even being near the house provoked this indescribable feeling in her. What was it, nausea? Vertigo? A mix of both? She knew she had to continue -- the whisper in her mind was still there, perhaps even louder than before -- and yet just like in Dia’s temple her willpower could not manage to overcome her weakness. “You are going to have to observe what remains of my parents without me. I…” She leaned against her door frame to avoid collapsing completely. “I cannot. Even with Simon Weatherson dead and their souls laid to rest, perhaps I cannot bear to look again.”

---

One of Us

What pleasant negotiation and interview session that was! Rose and Gil certainly thought so as they exited Medeis’ shell -- husk, even -- of a temple. They were a religion!... at least, in the sense that Nuumu had indeed provided them a stable place to preach and worship. There was still the fallout of Simon Weatherson’s death to deal with, but the added stability could only help in such matters.

There was a crowd gathering. Curious. “I wonder if somebody else is about to die,” Gil said. “Though we would have known if another one of ours had gotten in the way of these watchdogs, correct?”

“We would have known,” Rose affirmed. “Or we would have known about anyone of consequence.”

“Nevertheless, we should see what is going on,” Gil said. “Just because Simon does not need to be told of Galatea’s goings-on does not mean we should not still be aware. Perhaps we should even more so now.”

“Yes,” Rose said. “I will go inform Nuumu’s temple of our agreement with his watchdog. I will catch up in but a moment.”

Rose turned off, away from the center of the Temple Square, but Gil stopped them. “A thought occurred, Rose. Just making sure, when Simon met with Dia’s watchdog last night… Do you still…?”

Rose nodded and patted their chest. “Yes. I assume you do as well?”

Gil reciprocated both the nod and the gesture, feeling the pocketed stone against their breast. “Do not be long, then. See you soon.”

---

OOC

Spoiler

Subtitles are Mystery Skulls songs because say what you will about later Mystery Skulls but early Mystery Skulls slaps.

Kitt: It's a bit of a cul-de-sac to have you go in and learn about the same things Neasa and Amir did, but hey, what're ya gonna do, right? I would recommend going back out and checking on Emily afterwards? Maybe even get some lines. This is just me thinking narratively, like, unless Kitt has some adverse reaction to seeing a statue lying in a bed (maybe he would? He is an artificial human too...). Let me know when you're exiting the house either way, even if you're not getting dialog from Emily, 'cause her situation's likely to change and you may want to react to it.

Olive: Yes the stone is what you think it is. Yes, Rose has the other one. It wasn't really something I was trying to hide (outside of obscuring how Finn exited the RP, I guess) but it became apparent that it wasn't really something either of them had brought up yet. In any case, even I'm not actually sure what's going to happen with this second crowd but you got it. Let me know if you need anything else, I guess.

And then there were two, huh? Well, it means the host posts are shorter at the very least. I've had variations of "Let me know about any problems" just about every OOC spoiler, but it's much more serious now with only the pair of you; if this RP implodes I don't want it to be because of poor communication. I mean, I don't want it to be because you decided to play gatcha games instead either but one thing at a time.

Stay excellent.