Temple of Gwanwen

[Marullus]

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The Temple of Gwanwen

This thread is intended for adventurers to roleplay when they visit with the followers of Gwanwen. Players may ONLY post to this thread while the character they are speaking as is in town (obviously). Occasionally, NPCs may share information in this thread as well if they happen to be privy to something of interest and think it worth sharing.

The Temple of Gwanwen was built by its own followers, rather than the ArchDuke, during the first years of the outpost. A columnade with a natural pool and garden, it quickly became a place of respite popular among the exhausted townsfolk. The columns are of carved wood, then whitewashed to look like the limestone plinths of the south without the benefit of imported stone. The center of the temple, open to the sky, is a large slab altar for the burning of sacrificial livestock - smoke billowing upwards on almost all days as the beleaguered farmers offer their prayers to make this land civilized and farmable. The sad sound of mourning doves echo through the hall, which is otherwise quiet.

The Priestess Senira resides in the inner sanctum, seldom seen closely and shrouded in her deep robes. Xavor the Mute provides for the needs of supplicants by the pool.

Wares for sale:
10gp - A wicker cage with ten mourning doves
2gp - a goat or piglet (sacrificial animals, kept nearby)
25gp - Flask of Holy Water

Services:

• Any human who's body remains whole and has not passed seven days dead can be restored to life for the cost of another human's life, willingly given, who knew the deceased well. (OOC: PC of another player, have been on an expedition together.)
• For 20gp and the sacrifice of a living mammal, the priestesses will fill the cisterns of a landholder, even during drought.
• Detect Magic: For a 20gp sacrifice, a clergy member will cast Detect Magic on an individual adventurer's items, separating the imbued and created items. The adventurer must consent to a geas to properly destroy any Created Items identified.
• Food and Housing: Any may stay within the ascetic 'Cells of Silence' located deep in the stone beneath the temple. For normal characters, this counts as housing and Poor Meals (only bread and water provided in silence once a day). For Clerics and sworn devotees, this time of deep ascetic reflection is spiritually cleansing and fulfilling and counts as if they had good meals (+2 save bonuses accrued).

[hedgeknight]

Casper White, Servant of Gwanwen

Casper goes to the temple to offer a sacrifice for the expedition leaving on the morrow. Embarrassed by not bringing a sacrifice, he asks the attendant by the pool "Are there sacrifices for sale? I'm afraid I came without one in hand or in tow."
Touching his holy symbol, Casper lifts up his eyes and prays, walking around the garden.

[Marullus]

Xavor the Mute nods solemnly to Casper, then offers a silent gesture honoring him as a devotee of the Goddess. Xavor indicates the wicker cages of doves, then holds up both hands to denote the price.

[hedgeknight]

Casper White fishes a few gold out of his pouch and asks, "How much for a goat? Or a lamb? What other animals do you have?"

[Marullus]

Xavor the Mute redirects Casper to the farmstand just outside the grotto. There he finds a helpful farmer's lad, and similar livestock to other temples Casper has visited in the south. He inquires about lambs, and finds they can get a lamb from a neighboring farm for the same price as a piglet.

Wares for sale:
10gp - A wicker cage with ten mourning doves
2gp - a goat or piglet (sacrificial animals, kept nearby)

[hedgeknight]

Casper White

"No need to bother the neighbors today. A young goat will do just fine."
He fishes in his pockets and produces two gold."And for your kindness, young man," he slips the lad two silver to keep. He then waits patiently while the lad fetches the goat, looking around the temple, humming a farmers tune he learned as a boy.

[Marullus]

The lad re-appears with the goat and gratefully accepts the coins.

You don't have to wait on these posts - it is okay to assume that merchants do what they're supposed to do. You can just proceed with your roleplay.

[hedgeknight]

2 gold, 2 silver deducted

Casper takes the goat from the boy and walks it toward the sacrificial altar. He speaks soothing words to it, while also humming a calming tune his mother used to sing to him when he was a wee boy.
He first takes the goat and washes it, making sure it is clean, especially its hooves. He then gives it something to eat > he saved a couple of carrots from Ted's vittles.
As the goat eats, he leads it to the altar and ties it off. He positions a large bowl near its front legs, continuing to feed it and hum a soothing song. When the goat is somewhat calm, he nods to the mute man. The man holds the goat...while Casper begins to speak.

"Gwanwen, Giver and Taker of Life. I offer this sacrifice of life and ask for good fortune for me and my companions on our upcoming journey. If we are to live, let us live to your glory; if we are to die, embrace us in eternal peace."

He then takes a small knife from the mute and says, "The blood is the life..." as he slits the throat of the goat. The blood gushes forth and while the mute holds the kicking creature, Casper directs the blood into the large bowl. Once the goat is pretty much drained, he takes the large bowl in both hands and offers it upward facing the altar.
The mute places the dead goat on the altar and as Casper pours the blood upon it, he intones:

Blood for blood, life for life
Preserve and protect from pain and strife.
Be it weal or woe, pain or death
Guide and guard 'til my ending breath.

Casper then takes his finger, dips it into the bowl, and smears the blood from his forehead to his chin, making sure to lick and suck the blood from his fingers afterward.

He then spends a few moments in quiet meditation to Gwanwen, bows to the mute, and takes his leave.

[Stirling]

Issachar

The hooded priest humbly approaches the nave altar. He offers a supplication of goats and rams for his absolution.

He speaks to Xavor the Mute regarding the experiences of the expedition. "The grave will not be cheated, I fear the dark shadows will seek recompense. I shall journey around the farmlands and offer atonement to keep pestilence away from the harvests and salt away from the irrigation canals."

Unless the resident clerics offer any wit or wisdom, Issachar will take a furlough by the Trombley Orchard farms.

[Marullus]

25 July 2021

Xavor the Mute nods humbly, accepting and acknowledging Issachar's supplication. He draws with a finger on the altar in the blood to indicate the offenders that Issachar has named. He draws the circle of the city wall, then drags his bloody finger outside of it. By pacing his hand across the moonsigns, he indicates the coming day of Harvestide.

[Jernau35]

Tollander Kane slips into the temple at sunset and begins to meditate. He focuses on the smell of the rising smoke, allowing it to calm his thoughts and bring him clarity. After a while, he rises and walks around the perimeter of the building, admiring the craftsmanship and hard work that went into erecting it. Better than my own meager skills.Truly, they were blessed by Gwanwen he muses.

He goes in search of an attendant, to arrange a sacrifice, and finds Xavor. Handing Xavor the money, Tollander asks for a basket of doves to be brought to him. "I've travelled far, Brother. It is a pleasure to be in a house of Gwanwen again. Sadly I fear it will be a while before I return here. I've offered my services to an expedition that wants to destroy something called The Orb of Endless Suffering. From all I have heard it is a thing that summons the undead, and needs to be destroyed as soon as possible. For Gwanwen's sake, I must go."

"Though truth be told, I don't feel up to the task. This Orb seems far beyond my power to contain. This is why I am here seeking guidance tonight."

Tollander sits to await the arrival of the doves. Upon receiving them, he takes them to the fire with his sickle and sacrifices each reverently.

10gp deducted for doves.

[Marullus]

19 August 2021

Tollander meditates upon the life and death matters before him, sacrificing ten lives to the God as he prays for divination on their quest ahead. The pool of blood ripples, the Gods pleased, and in its surface he sees images form.

A female halfling wearing battle-worn armor of a dwarven hero.
A pair of dwarves, similar enough in appearance to be father and son, bearing human swords upon their backs.
Glowing orange eyes, watching in the pitch darkness.
A round stone door engraved with a pair of crossed axes.

Watching silently as the Gods reward your devotion, Xavor steps forward as the visions fade and hands you a scroll case.

[Jernau35]

Tollander returns briefly to the Temple before his expedition leaves, to purchase a flask of Holy Water.

25gp deducted.

[Jernau35]

Tollander returns again with Neegan's money and purchases three more flasks before departure

75 gp

He also leaves his iron-banded staff in the care of Xavor, after deciding to travel light on this trip.

[Stirling]

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven

Brother Isaachar hums a Gwanwenian festive hymnal. He approaches Xavor the Mute in the temple courtyards. "Harvest time shall be upon us soon brother. The Reaper shall reap, even where no seed was sown. Join me in devotion."

The hooded cleric shepherds along a brace of young lambs to the altar stones. An offering from Trombley Farm after hosting him these past weeks. He slits the throat with the hand scythe, spilling the blood as he prays in unknown tongues.

Isaachar would like to understand more about the blood moon at harvest time and any prophetic insight into the blood circled location. He debates the wisdom of going there to witness for Gwanwen.

[Marullus]

What 'blood circled location?'

[Stirling]

Okay re-read previous Xavor post, he circled Gaul in blood but jnferred a harvestime retribution on others outside the city.

[Jernau35]

Returning to Gaul after the Orb quest, Tollander goes to the Temple to seek lodging in the Cells of Silence for a time. He stays for 38 days until he leaves to travel to Pinewood Vale for Golgarth's quest. Upon his departure, he leaves Normal the mule there until his return.

+2 bonus to saves accrues due to spiritual enlightenment whilst staying in the Cells of Silence.

[Jernau35]

Before leaving for his journey to Pinewood Vale, Tollander purchases two flasks of Holy Water and a cage of ten doves to take with him.

60gp deducted.