Tresmeer helps Conall inside, and makes sure that Melisana comes too.
You are led through into the temple, across broken furniture it seems, and then into a larger chamber, to judge by the echoes. You can hear the old man gathering together bits of wood into a heap.
"Aye, get nice 'n' warm, so we will." he wheezes.
Silently Siobhán sets to work helping Coinneach, her mood obviously a little dampened in the wake of the knowledge that her travelling companions may start to treat her differently from now on.
Leaving Ynyr behind for the moment Siobhán quickly makes her way back towards the entrance. "It's alright" She tells her companions certainly "Perfectly safe and nice, just a little dark" She adds, feeling guilty for taking so long to come get them as she sees their raindrenched forms.
"So, if you're not good with low-light conditions I can guide you through the debris until the fire gets started. Coinneach is working on it right now.."
Tresmeer looks around inside. He doesn't appear to have noticed any conversation about anyones' heritage.It must be the wind or his thick hair
"Bit o' warmth'll do us all good."
Fabesmini spoiler
"Connitch, you be tellin' us'll bout Brigid ways an' what she be after frum us. Be a fire upsetting her. Should us be prayin' somewhere or somehow? I don't want that storm in 'ere."
|
Fabesmini spoiler
Spoiler:I have taken to rolling for any of the Treasure Hunt encounters where I remember snippets of info so that I can roleplay a bit more randomly than letting the info influence my decisions. This Temple Tresmeer rolled a 19.
"Connitch, you be tellin' us'll bout Brigid ways an' what she be after frum us. Be a fire upsetting her. Should us be prayin' somewhere or somehow? I don't want that storm in 'ere."
At hearing Tresmeer's words Siobhán feels guiltstricken for being so caught up in her own selfish upset that she hadn't thought of it herself. "I.. can pray for us if need be, but I don't see how the goddess would be upset, unless we end up burning something of importance to her.." She offers quietly, suddenly missing her own holy symbol all the more.
You hear the old man say dismissively, "Dinane fash yersel' did I no say tha' the goddess would nae mind ye takin 'shelter. Ah be no priest but she's allas looked after me, aye. All the furniture and that was wrecked by them big Formors lookin' fer treasure. They left reet sharp when the storm started though."
He carries on making a fire. Will anyone aid him?
Nodding at Coinneach's wisdom Siobhán continues helping him start the fire, they were visitors on his island afterall and he's obviously done this before and is still alive. Besides, the others need to get warm, any potential fallout could be dealt with later.
Anxious to help Siobhan as a small gesture of amends, Healaugh goes to aid the girl.
Tresmeer will help around the room getting ready for rest.
Handing the axe back to Tresmeer.
"Will you please be having my thanks for the loan of this? But you see, I don't think I would be so good with it, you know?"
Seeing others help with the fire. "Goodness and me just standing here like a fool eh?"
He starts casting around in the gloom for bits of wood, looking as best he can at each piece to make sure that it would not be blasphemous to burn it.
The group helps Coinneach build a fire and eventually it takes light. Now that you have warmth and shelter, you do indeed feel much better. By the light of the fire you can see that this chamber is very large, and two stories in height. There is broken furniture (some of which you used as fuel) all over the tiled floors - it looks like the remains of chairs, tables, and perhaps low couches. Most of the wood looks aged, but you can see that the breaks are all fresh. Everything has been smashed recently.
On the south wall, in the middle, is a set of double doors, closed. On the west wall is the set of double doors by which you entered the chamber. On the east wall, in the southern corner, is a very small and inconspicuous door. All the doors in the chamber are still intact and on their hinges.
The north wall is actually a flight of three shallow steps leading up to a line of pillars. Between the pillars, you can see the cloths or tapestries, now rotten or sagging, have been hung, blocking off your view of the chamber beyond.
The walls of the hall of the goddess were once plastered smooth and painted with frescoes. Now the paint is curling, the plaster is broken and peeling, and their are large cracks n the plaster - probably from the foundation of the temple settling over the years. Additionally someone has taken a club to the walls here and there, evidenced by deep gouges and tears in the plaster, and pieces of the wall have been smeared with filth.
Standing swiftly Siobhán walks around the room, a fascinated expression on her face as she looks over the frescoes. "Coinneach?" She asks in a polite but curious tone "What's behind the other doors and the tapestries?" Part of her was demanding that she just go look but she couldn't bring herself to do it, in case the older man had made one of them a kip for himself, it would just be rude.
Gradually warming up by the fire, Healaugh takes in the desolation around him.
"Sad sight this. Brigid lass deserves better I'm thinking. Sea scum do this Coinneach?"
"Aye 's'right, wee man." Coinneach replies to Healaugh, "The Formors smashed it to bits whilst they was looking for treasure. Flew inta a rage, they did, and they would o' done more, but the storm scared 'em."
To Siobhan he says, "Ye can take a look, lass, tis the altar to Brigid."
Healaugh bristles.
"M'halfling. Tisn't same as human."
"wee man". Hah.
"Should be tidy-like for Brigid-lass. T'would be respectful. Reckon on doing some tidying when I'm warm."
'Coinneach I don't mean to be brash, but none of us have ate in almost two days time... do you have any food or provisions?' Bran ask thinking of his empty belly.
Relaxing considerably with the old man's permission to look Siobhán grows bolder in her exploration of the temple, walking over to the stairs to the north first. Pausing briefly she observes the tapestries closely before gently pushing them aside to look behind them.
Tresmeer follows Siobhan past the tapestries.
"O'im gots to see dis, taint seen inside no temple before, specially not Brigid."
The old man turns to Bran, "Ah can tell ye where ta find the best rats, aye!" he says with a trace of glee.
Tresmeer and Siobhan
There are only two items in the chamber:
One is a statue of the goddess. She stands life-size with a thoughtful expression, a slight smile on her lips. The sculptor must have had a great talent for the statue is posed in a very natural manner, head slightly bowed, and her right hand extended in a gesture of blessing. But it too is a ruin now. the nose has been broken off, the right hand likewise, a great crack runs across the torso and the face and torso are smeared with filth.
The other object in the room is a low table, obviously an altar, set down before the statue of the goddess. Since it bears no trace of bloodstain, new or old, it must have been an altar for offerings rather than sacrifices.
Both statue and altar are sculpted out of fine marble. The walls of this chamber are white and unadorned.
DM/Siobhan
"We're ont' island. What's wrong wi' fish? They gurt spiney things wi' poison?"
Warmer and happier than he's been for a long time, Healaugh gets up and wanders around the room.
"Tell thee what Coinneach, if'n you can get me twine, I can fish for us all. Better than rat. Roast up fine do fish. Happen Brigid-lass might like smell an' all."
"Hehe, you're a fine jester, lad. We'll no be goin' out in this." the old man wheezes before a hacking cough.
Healaugh shrugs and trails after Siobhan and Tresmeer.
"T'were only thought." he says over his shoulder.
Fool of a human. Can't make or mend, can't fish. Can't do owt seemingly save wail about treasure. Ah well, sixty year ont' island, reckon he's gone a bit soft. Not his fault.
DM/Tresmeer
Blushing slightly at her excited outburst she releases the young man's arm and sits herself in front of the altar, her gaze fixed on the statue. "I'm almost certain she'd be happy for us to be here" She whispers, her voice holding a great deal of respect "but I could try praying to her if it would make you feel better"
DM/Siobhan
"Lets do it. Me un yum prayin', I reckin I owes this goddess me life and that bledy 'alfling's too." Tresmeer grins at the thought of his mate, Healaugh.
DM/Tresmeer:
Not used to praying alongside another person she keeps her prayer silent, she'd made the young man beside her feel embaressed more than enough for one day he didn't need to hear her prayers.
'Mother, thank you for giving us our freedom, for keeping us safe and for letting us recover within your walls. If I had anything to offer it would be yours within an instant. If there's anything we can do to thank you just give us a sign and it will be done.
Please watch over the others that are travelling with me, they're all such good people and my village, please keep them safe and healthy..'
Slowly she clasps her hands even more tightly together at the thought of her home, momentarily wondering if they'd hate her for 'abandonning' her duties, whether they had a new healer or wiseperson already, replacing her so she'd have no home to go to.
And Mother, if it's not too much to ask could you help guide me to wherever I truly belong?
Thank you
Slowly she opens her eyes and waits in silence for Tresmeer to finish his prayers.
DM
DM/Siobhan/Tresmeer
Healaugh takes in the sight of Siobhan and Tresmeer giving their thanks to the goddess, and stands quietly waiting for them to finish.
Then he says
"Not much of a halfling for praying. More practical me. Still, Brigid-lass is giving us house space, and tis only right to thank her. Likely that storm of hers helped keep me daft self alive too. M'thinking I'd like to clean up statue - get filth ofn't it. Got nowt to give her bar that. Would that be respectful Siobhan? M'not versed in goddess ways."
Everyone who knows me plus Siobhan/DM/Healaugh
"Bugger me! er sorry Madam Brigid. Oi'l try not to swear no more."
Getting the hang of this is going to take time.
Brigid, I mean, Your Worshipfulness Brigid, thanks for saving us from the pirates, thanks for keeping us alive and thanks for this here abode to rest up in. Anything you want from me just ask I ain't proud and I'll do want I can.
Behind the curtains:
"We all show respect in our own ways" She replies softly to Healaugh's words "I'm sure she'd be glad of you cleaning her statue. I'll even help" She offers with a small smile.
Tresmeer/Siobhan/DM
"You're a mite taller than me, so that'd be helpful. Ifn' you reckon our Brigid-lass would like it, let's give her a brush down then. Tis only right."
Happier to be doing something constructive, Healaugh searches around for a piece of cloth to get the worst of the filth off the statue.
DM/halfling/halfelf
farmer/healer/DM
"That's a bit more like."
Healaugh reaches up to thump his tall friend's back in thanks.
"Now we can pretty up Brigid-lass proper-like."
He scampers to the foot of the statue and starts wiping away the worst of the mess.
Beardy, shorty and elfy
Everyone else
Still behind the curtain:
DM/Bran/Connell
"Now haven't I been dreaming all this while? While others is doing what they should be don't you think? Shall I see what the others are up to in yonder room?"
With that he goes and joins the other party.
Everyone bar Bran and Conall
Bran and Conall
"Heh, 's'right, lass," Coinneach adds, "Aye, if it weren't fer the storm, I'd be showing ya the hill where himself liked to look oot over th' island. Aye, he fair loved that spot, he did. Used to go there every few days.'Coinneach' he'd say ta me, 'Coinneach, from here ah can see greatest symbol o' ma rule. Nae pirate nor demon can touch this realm, so long as ma home is here.' He was fair proud of it, as well he might be."
All behind the curtain. (And the DM)
Ynyr picks up the nose and scrutinises the face. "Do you know that if I had some fish oil and some of the plants out there I could possibly make some glue that would hold this in place? Now how would you feel about that? But the hand though, well I could try couldn't I?"
Ynyr hates things that are broken and can be quite distracted by their presence.
Trying his best to look reverent he places the nose to the face to see how good a fit there still is.
DM and curtain crew
Healaugh nods approvingly.
"There's right thinking. Practical."
He shivers suddenly, his energetic cleaning reminding him that he's still wounded.
"That said, think I'll be off back t'fire. Been a busy old day and I'm reckoning it won't be getting much easier any time soon."
He turns and bows politely to the statue.
"My thanks for letting us ragbags make free with your home Brigid-lass."
If'n it were you raised storm Brigid-lass, we're in your debt. Best keep an eye on us all in't future if'n you'd be so kind. It's the closest Healaugh can some to a prayer.
Healaugh returns to the fire and sits down again, trying to get comfortable in his horrible cloak.
"Fine gurt statue to Brigid-lass in t'other room. Cleaned her up a bit - respectful like." he tells the others.
Everyone bar curtain people
She warms her hands by the fire, and continues, "What do you think we should do about sleeping?"
Tresmeer moves to the doorway and levers the tapestry to one side. He waits watching both rooms.
Fire people plus Tresmeer
"Daft, not brave. Should've waited. Hurts a bit, but night's sleep will help I'm reckoning. Safe to sleep here are we Coinneach?"
The old man nods, "Aye, aye," he says confidently, "Safe here, y'are. Have nae fear o' that."
"Hmm," ponders Melisana, "So, do you think we'll need any kind of watch then? I don't really know." This is addressed to the group in general.
"I reckun on sleepin' wiv the nice lady Brigid in 'ere. Anyone cun sleep 'ere too. Don't think she be saving us just to die in dere noight."
Tresmeer finds a quiet corner near the altar and rests. Soon he falls asleep, snoring out loud.