A Stitch in Souragne - La Rue des Tristepas

[Ail]

Zumba leaps off the coach as soon as they arrive. He stretches his legs outside and watches Vincent go into the building. Turning back, he spies the bird creature in the coach to make sure it is still securely fastened and then turns to Goren and Lucien, if he's in sight.

"I don't want to be near Vincent right now. I'll stay here guarding the coach while you go if you like."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Lucien rides up on the horse just as Zumba steps out. He gently dismounts and strokes the horse's neck again. His own sweat and that of the horse have practically plastered his pants to his legs. He turns to Zumba and Goren and says, "If I may ask... what is your business in that building? Is Monsieur Faussé -- Vincent -- reporting to your employer?

"If so, please feel free to join him, Goren. I'll wait here with Zumba... if that's all right with you, Zumba. Perhaps when you're all done here -- and have decided what to do with that," he continues, nodding toward the bird-man, "we can meet at the Otter and Frog. That's where I've been staying. It's not the best inn, but it'll do for good drink and sane conversation without beast-men interrupting."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The Temple of Ezra in Marais d'Tarscon is quite different from the one in Port d'Elhour. For starters, it is a building made completely out of wood - and that is not even the most significant difference.

As you all take in the building, you realize that the façade has been carved with various symbols and pictures that tell stories. Prominent among the stories is one of a great goddess with a kite shield and silver sword, who spreads the folds of a great, gray cloak over the Loah, who gaze earnestly at the world beneath the goddess' feet.
Zumba may recognize many of those symbols as being the vévé associated with the good and kindly Loah of Souragne. The earthen path leading up to the Temple's front door is probably covered with moss, grass and small wildflowers during more clement times, and it is flanked by small statues of and altars to the Loah.

Offerings of flowers and small fruits wither in the heat, adding a sickly-sweet smell to the dusty air. The Temple's doors are wide open, allowing anyone in who wants to enter.
A few Clerics are around and about the Temple, but nowhere as many as you saw in Port d'Elhour. A dark-skinned young man is providing simple medicine to a group of plantation workers in the worn clothing of the lower class. A creamy-skinned young woman in Ezra's green and white appears to be having an earnest debate with a man whose many baubles made from roots, animal teeth and feathers identify him as a Voodan.

And then there is an older man with a careworn, grandfatherly face. The green borders of his robes are quite broad, signifying higher rank. He wears not just the silver holy symbol of Ezra about his neck, but also a Voodan necklace of roots and small animal bones - vertebrae, by the looks of them.
The speed with which he draws his silver longsword and bars Vincent's approach to the Temple is impressive. The weapon is not aimed at Vincent yet, but something in the old man's steady hand and calm expression says he is ready to offer violence if it should become necessary.

"You are not of Souragne," the old man says. His voice is reedy and quavers with age, but the stern gaze from his blue eyes is unsettling. "And you smell of something unnatural. What is your purpose here?"

[Ail]

By all means, Lucien. We should really make sure that the bird does not leave. But perhaps some of these priests can find a way to talk to it, or even help it somehow.

[steveflam]

Goren excuses himself from the group and goes over to the darkskinned man who is offering medicine. Souragnien: "Hi, Goren my name. I help you with healing? I Lathander worshipping. Sorry, language bad, bad but want help you." Goren is very serious with his offer and is offering the man a genuine smile.

[Guzrath]

Vincent takes in the architecture of the temple, notcing the godess with the silver sword specifically.
As he reaches the entrance and the old man suddenly bars his way, he is surprised by the speed and hastily takes a step back. He looks at the old man and smiles. He bows slightly. "Vincent Faussé of the noble city Port-a-Lucine, cultural center of the world."
He stands straight "We have business with your superior" he says, looking down on the old man with an air of superiority. "Mademoiselle Elisabeta Gugoine" he adds, emphasising mademoiselle.
"Please let her know we would wish to see her. AS for the smell, that is none of your concern, old man."

OOC: he makes no effort for diplomacy

[Ken of Ghastria]

By all means, Lucien. We should really make sure that the bird does not leave. But perhaps some of these priests can find a way to talk to it, or even help it somehow.

"Frankly, I doubt it," says Lucien. "Look around you. Even if they could translate screeches and squawks, which is unlikely, they seem to have their hands full dealing with the mundane members of their parish. Besides, revealing our 'passenger' in public right now could create problems.

"Still, the possibility that this monster may have information is the only reason I agreed to keep it alive." He looks at the female cleric speaking with the Voodan. "I'll be back momentarily. Please don't let anyone see that thing if you can help it."

He walks over to the young cleric and the Voodan. "Hello," he says with a charming smile. "Please forgive my interruption -- I didn't mean to eavesdrop. The two of you are clearly knowledgeable and passionate people. My name is Lucien." His gaze lingers on the woman for a second before continuing to address both. "I need your help. My companions and I encountered something -- strange -- on the road here. A monstrous mix of animal and man, as impossible as that sounds. Have either of you heard of such things in Souragne before or know how they come to be?"

[Ail]

Zumba nods silently and stays by the coach, soothing the horses and trying to make them feel more relaxed (and forget about the contents of the coach, stone and creature).

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The Anchorite approached by Goren blinks, then shrugs. Souragnien: "All who serve the side of the Light are welcome here, friend. Help Mrs. Baptiste, please. She has burn wounds on her feet from having to walk on the road during midday."

Mrs. Baptiste turns out to be an elderly, grandmother-aged lady in the same labourer's clothing as the other natives. She gives Goren a nervous smile.

***

The old man smiles a little at Vincent's superior air, but his eyes never waver.
"The safety of this House of Ezra and the Loah is my business, boy," he says in flawless Mordentish. "That means the stench you carry on you is my business, especially if you wish to see La Gugoine. I'll have your name, the names of your companions and your business now."

***

The Anchorite and the Voodan addressed by Lucien give him puzzled looks, look at each other and shrug.

Souragnien: "Alors, is this 'mix' thing you speak of a man who is also an alligator?" the Voodan asks. "If so, then yes, I know of such. Best to leave a Lezard be or kill it, is my advice to you, mon fils."

"It could be a Minx!" the young Anchorite says, her tone of voice triumphant as she waggles a finger in front of the chuckling Voodan's nose. "Didn't think of that, did you? So, is it? A Minx, I mean. They look like women or large minks, usually, but they might be able to take a halfway form..."

The two seem to be a bit puzzled by Lucien's appearance and questions, but are clearly enthusiastic about solving the puzzle he seems to have brought them.

[steveflam]

Goren nods and smiles warmly at Mrs Baptiste. He moves next to her and motions her to sit where she can comfortably. Souragnien: "Mrs Baptiste I help bad foots. Please pardoning language. Now let me see foots."
When the old woman complies Goren concentrates and grasps his holy symbol with a hand while the other tenderly holds one of her feet. He utters a strange sentence and then grasps her other foot with the same kind gentleness. Blue energy flows through his fingers into her feet. He smiles again at Mrs Baptiste and now stands. He looks over where Zumba and Lucien are. He won't leave his charge but waves at the man.Souragnien: "Zumba, Lucien. You come please. I need you help me minute please. Mrs Baptiste need footclothes, but she no have. Come, come here. I show you."



OOC: Cure Light Wounds http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2813071/
10 hp.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2813071/
Heal check on feet 24.

[Guzrath]

Vincent looks at the old man as if he is insulted. "It is true then, at a more mature age, when the body seems to want to take it slower, the mind creates gaps or lets information slip." He says and puts a finger on his lips as if thinking about it. "I'll have to be prepared for that."
"Anyway, you may be old, but you are stubborn as well. Which is admirable in certain locations, but I believe it is unnecessary in this specific case. As you can see" he nods his head in the direction of Goren who tends to the feet of a woman "your bases for suspicion is not well grounded. We have only the best intentions in mind." He then looks around. "Seeing how people are chattering and you are the only person guarding this entrance I feel offended by your questions of suspicions. Is it because of my clothing?" He inspects his own clothing, which are stained after the journey. "Is it my hair, my ring, my skin? This is not a good start of introduction, especially since we have been sent here by the Sentire to help you in your stuboorn quest to keep people outside this lovely temple." He looks expectantly, with widened eyes, at the old man, hoping that his intelligence grasps the fact that they are not enemies. "As for the names of my friends, you may ask them personally as I am not inclined to assisst you in getting futile information for entering a holy place. I need a bath to wash that smell away that you seem to fixate on and more explanations about why we are here to help you out."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Souragnien: "Zumba, Lucien. You come please. I need you help me minute please. Mrs Baptiste need footclothes, but she no have. Come, come here. I show you."

Don't lose your focus, Lucien. Keep to the task at hand. Yes, yes. "One moment, please, Goren," he calls back. He turns his attention once more to the female Ezraite and the Voodan. "A 'minx,' you say," he says with a warm smile. "That's a very interesting -- and comfortable sounding -- creature, and it might be worth discussing at a later time, Warden...? Forgive me, I don't know your name."

After the priest responds, he continues, "But neither that nor a alligator creature is what we came across. It was more like an eagle's head on a man's body. And we believe it had once been a man. I suspect--" he glances left to right, feigning fear that they might be overhead "--that sorcery or mad science was involved. Do you know of such things?"

____________________________________________
Lucien isn't really expecting help from these two as much as he's curious as to their reactions to what he describes. Rock, the thing that we've discussed is continuing.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lucien:

"Comfortable? A Minx?" the Voodan says, disbelief writ large across his face. For a moment, the Souragnien tries to maintain his composure, but then he bursts into laughter, doubling over with the force of his mirth.

The Anchorite is bravely fighting her urge to giggle, but her lips do twitch a bit. "Warden Hélène Sarosse," she says. "And this is my good friend, monsieur Belhomme. Pleased to make your acquaintance, monsieur...? I am afraid that Minxes are very beautiful, very wild, not exactly bad, but... ah... Shall we say, 'high-maintenance'?"

The two spiritualists' mirth rapidly subsides at Lucien's description of the monster locked in the coach even now. "I have never heard of such a thing," the Voodan says, "and I have lived in Souragne for all my life. Would you consent to let us look at it?"

Vincent:

The old man nods patiently at all of Vincent's comments, and smiles tolerantly, almost like a grandfather acknowledging the chatter of a child, although it is of little interest to him.

" A bath would do you good, yes," he says. "Fresh clothes, certainly. But whether it would do La Gugoine good to see you is not a certainty yet." His smile widens an inch.

"The state of your body does not concern me. I am the guardian of this holy place. Before the Loah and Ezra, I have sworn holy oaths that no one should enter this place without giving me satisfaction, and I have held those oaths as I have held onto life. Even when Pêre Laissez-Faire himself came here, I had my satisfaction of him before he was allowed to pass through my door. Ezra and the Loah willing, not even the Lord of the Dead may pass by me without my permission.

I will know what I will know, boy."

Goren:

Mrs. Baptiste gives Goren a sweet smile and pats his cheek.

In smooth Souragnien, she says: Souragnien: "You are a kind boy, to think so of an old woman. But if you do not mind, if you would show me such kindness, I would rather have shoes for my fifth grandson. He is starting to walk, and his feet are softer than my own."

Zumba:

Standing by the coach, Zumba can see all the interactions between his comrades and the locals. And possibly something more, as well. (Spot check, DC 15.)

Regardless whether he sees or not, Zumba can certainly hear something; the creature inside the coach is stirring again, probably struggling against its bonds. The coach moves about a little, indicating the prisoner may have stood up.

[Ail]

While watching his companions, and for the moment ignoring Goren's request for assistance, Zumba suddenly notices a motion in the coach. "Bastard, the creature must have got loose." But as he is about to turn and tend to it, he notices something behind the temple. He could see some childish figures, just for a moment, desperately asking for some kind of help, and then bolting away in apparently great fear of something. From the corner of his eye, he received an impression from the top of the temple. A fleeting wave of green and pure white.

"Look out", he bellows for his friends. "Danger from above!"
Waiting for the others to take care of themselves, he takes his staff and tries to enter the coach. He guesses the position of the creature from the motions it creates and tries to surprise it from the back.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Warden Sarosse, Monsieur Belhomme," Lucien says after the female cleric makes the introductions, "my pleasure. I am Lucien Jetté, at your service. And I'm pleasantly surprised that my humor was appreciated. In my travels, I've discovered the hard way that jests don't always translate well from land to land."

When Belhomme suggests looking at the creature, Lucien raises an eyebrow as he smiles. "As it happens, I do..." He then hears Zumba's warning! He first sees Zumba jumping into the coach, then he whirls around and looks up to glimpse whatever menace Zumba may have spotted.

________________________________________
Spot check (1d20+11=13). Feh.