Vixi immediately recognizes that the logo on the insignia is the modern one, which was redesigned a couple of decades ago. This is definitely not something that was left over from when the Lodge was abandoned a hundred years ago.
ISEPH doesn't say much... but you notice that he discreetly unclips his holsters and nods to Vixi.
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Raia tries to be the voice of reason. "This all could have just been left in a hurry as well. It could be nothing. Though it does look suspicious." Her antennae part and twitch. "What I am getting at is we can't jump to conclusions without getting all of the facts."
You enter Area A6.
A large portrait in the northeast corner displays an intense-looking ysoki in an official uniform, while a painting on the wall nearby depicts the image of a broken chain. A bookshelf on the eastern wall contains several antique books, while a second shelf displays various pieces of broken chain. A stack of boxes has been tucked into the corner between the door to the south and the airlock to the west. A light green morlamaw stands next to the airlock, apparently on guard.
Interesting décor. Mutters Iseph
Raia points back to the airlock. "What's back there?" She asks. Her interest peaked.
Obo follows the rest of the team as they check out the various rooms.
Wonder what she's guarding. Everyone here seems so ... peaceful.
But she keeps her thoughts to herself as Id and the others address it.
As Iseph mutters, they notice that the decor is in fact, quite interesting. The painting of the broken chain is definitely unusual. It actually looks like a different painting with some chain elements was painted over, leaving only the chains visible. But as Iseph peers closely, they can make out the original: a humanoid skull, where the chains come out of the eye sockets.
The green morlamaw happily answers Id and Raia's questions. "I'm Irtrine! The broken chain is the symbol of the Weeping Knight. It represents moving past the challenges in our lives. This is the reliquary in here. It holds out most holy relics! No one is allowed in there without Oshessa."
Vixi notices that the books are quite old, dating back to shortly after the Gap. She also recognizes the ysoki displayed on the painting as former First Seeker Lezosk. The portrait dates to a period almost 150 years ago, known as the Time of Uncertainty among Starfinders. First Seeker Lezosk took command of the Society during the later end of this troubled time and was responsible for various reforms. Lezosk’s last known act was to construct the Perplexity, a mysterious proving ground that exists to this day on the grounds of the Lorespire Complex. Lezosk disappeared shortly after. Portraits of this First Seeker are exceedingly rare, and likely of extreme value to the record keepers of the Lorespire Complex.
Iseph speaks softly to the others.
Something is wrong with the painting. It's been altered. A skull with chains coming out of the eyes.
Id and Raia immediately recognize the holy symbol of Zon-Kuthon, the god of darkness, envy, loss, and pain.
Iseph stares blankly at the painting.
That could be bad.
Raia attempts to explain. "Is the Weeping Knight also Zun-Kuthon? Their symbols look exactly the same." Raia asks the green morlamaw to see what his answer might be.
"When you say b--" Navasi begins as Raia breaks in and then stops as she has a *very* conflicted look on her face.
On the one hand, if that's a bad deity, that's not good. But on the other hand, if they're worshipping a good portion of a bad deity, that's good, right? Arrghhh... I wish I'd paid more attention to the Comparative Religions tutor!! Because it could also be good if they're going their own way, and Weydan could be *anyone* and it'd be right up Weydan's alley to help people be the people they want to be...
"How long have you been following the Weeping Knight?" she finally inquires.
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Id stares a long while at the symbol, his tooth barb twitching slightly. Starfinders...we may have a problem. That symbol depicts Zon-Kuthon, a god of darkness and torture. Oshessa is the high priest. I don’t think the Manta Corps is safe.
He looks around. Scratch the “talk to Oshessa” plan. Why don’t we find the nice morlamaws that introduced us and see if we can’t reason with them for some intel?
"I've never heard of Zon-Kuthon, but perhaps? It would make sense if there were different names for him in different places! I've been here about five years."
ISEPH looks around, something tingling his sensors that this is a bad place to be, and that if they want to have any hope of saving any of the core they where sent here to rescue, they should hurry.
"Well, yes, we all have trials in our lives. Bad things that happen to us. The Weeping Knight teaches that these things are important. We would never appreciate good things if we didn't have the bad, you see?"
Iseph looks at the Morlamaw and rubs his chin.
Perhaps. But I feel we have gotten off track. We seek the Starfinders who came here. Our focus should be on them, not religious ceremonies.
"Our hosts asked us to do an inventory, that's a fair request. And they invited us to the ceremony, also a fair request and a sign of an open society, especially one that's been through the trials that the moralmaws have been through. We need to inquire about that old fuel that no one uses anymore and find that team that was here before us, so it seems like it'd all fit together, wouldn't it?" Navasi offers with a calm and measured tone.
These Pact World beings and their weird gods....
Addressing the neon-green morlamaw, Obo comments "This Weeping Knight doesn't sound so bad when you put it that way. But, yeah, what ISEPH said. You see those Mantas?"
"Well, if you'd like to learn more, the sermon should be starting in just a few minutes!"
To Obozaya, "I did meet them briefly! They seemed very nice."
"Where do we go for the Sermon?" Raia asks. Her skin nearly crawls with the thought that these creatures actively worshipping Zon-Kuthon. That and they were right in the middle of this cultist camp.
The sermon is in the main room where all the benches and the stage are.
Raia nods her understanding and takes a seat near the front. She feel s tad bit nervous leaving so many followers of the dark god behind her.
ISEPH follows Vixi and takes a seat.
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Obo trudges over to keep near Navasi. She looks at the bench for a moment before leaning against the wall instead. She lifts her left foot slightly and presses it flat to to the wall behind her and uses her tail for extra support. If anyone asks why she doesn't sit, she slaps her heavy, armored tail on the floor to emphasize her anatomical differences, and grunts something to the effect that she'd rather stand.
And this gives me a better vantage point.
You find seats (or standing positions), and the morlamaws file in soon after. Just about then, Oshessa emerges and takes the stage. While her demeanor was somewhat brusque when she greeted you earlier, her persona in front of the crowd is magnetic. Every morlamaw is rapt at her every word.
She speaks— in Common, for the benefit of the sect’s new guests—on the importance of loss to have meaning in one’s life, and “how, without pain, we would never appreciate the joyous things in life.” She tells the story of their journey to this place, after being cast out of their city. They faced dangerous animals and violent currents, but eventually made it here, to their new home. Oshessa makes large, expressive gestures with her flippers, to drive every point home.
Id
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Id begins nervously scratching his knee as he takes in the sermon. He reaches out telepathically to his allies. We've got big trouble. Oshessa is an active devotee of Zon-Kuthon, she's got tons of scars on her flippers that might be self-inflicted. The "Joyful Things" are some of the pain god's most dedicated servants. I think this sermon has been altered to make these morlamaws loyal to Zon-Kuthon and his most brutal servants, and she's leaning on appreciating them pretty hard in this speech. I think Oshessa is trying to brainwash them and pave the way for them all becoming cultists!
Assuming he's still listening to her thoughts, Obo silently replies to Id.
I dunno about any of this joyousness stuff, Id. But pain has its place. My drill instructors used to say, "Pain is the price of mistakes in training. Death is the price on the battlefield."
But if you say this philosophy stinks like bad squalmishka, I'll follow your lead.
Of course, if he's not listening, her thoughts and memories remain her own.
Raia perks up. She replies telepathically as well as her antennae glow. "We can't say much here. There are too many of them. We need to get to that back room with Oshessa."
The sermon continues on the topics of loss and pain, but nothing else stands out as unusual. Unfortunately for Charli, there is no audience participation, although none of the morlamaws seem bored.
After about twenty minutes, the sermon comes to an end. The morlamaws begin filing into the other half of the room for dinner, while Oshessa leaves the stage and moves back toward A8.
"Miss Oshessa?" Navasi inquires politely, "Would it be possible to hear more at length privately about the Weeping Prince and the joy of life through trial? We don't share the same pains that the Moralmaw do, and it would be very helpful to have a sense of perspective of how much pain the People have endured on the path -- without disrupting everyone else while they are at dinner?"
If this is allowed, we can find out what is in that private area without a huge fight... and we might even get some insight into Oshessa's faith. She may NOT be as bad as we might think... it takes all kinds in space.
Iseph stands behind Navasi, not trusting Oshessa, his hand resting seemingly on his hip but just above where his gun is holstered.
She pauses, before entering the airlock. "Yes? I hope you enjoyed the sermon."
"Yes, Navasi, that would be wonderful to spread the word of the Weeping Knight. I could show you the reliquary in a little while, but for now I am quite tired. Perhaps after dinner?"
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Id telepathically contacts the other Starfinders. I think we should try to get into the reliquary during dinner, while Oshessa rests. We'll tell Irtrine that we received Oshessa's express permission to enter, since she just invited us there. If it works we'll scope out that area first; if not, let's try breaking into Oshessa's chambers during dinner. I don't want her scheming away from us if she's a Kuthonite. Can anyone get us through the airlock if she locks it behind her?
{"I can attempt to get past the lock"} Raia explains telepathically. {"They are hiding something here."}
Obo follows along with the machinations as best that she can. After Oshessa has departed and left the Starfinders alone, she murmurs to her allies.
"I vote to go back and try to get Irtrine to let us in. But talkin' ain't my thing," she finishes while looking pointedly at Navasi and Vixi.
"We can try that while we wait for the distraction of dinner to break in." Raia nods in agreement.