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Tuvah leads you through the hallways of the monastery, past a variety of insectile creatures who all regard you with a friendly curiosity. Tuvah shoos off a few lallygagging shirrens in robes once the group reaches an open set of heavy bronze double doors carved with images of Hylax. A low murmur of buzzing and clacking drifts from the room beyond, as heads turn and necks crane to peer at the newcomers. Tuvah whispers to you that you should follow her lead as she strides into the chamber.
The door opens into a massive temple. Pews ranging from small to large fill the bulk of the room, while additional seating in boxes on the walls seems meant for climbing and flying parishioners. A towering statue of an insectile creature wearing long robes stands against the western wall, just behind a dais supporting a long, low wall with five seats behind it. A double door leads out to the south, and a smaller door stands in the western wall near the platform.
Dozens of monks fill the pews, and the Sacred Assembly — two shirrens, a formian, and a trox — sits in their seats behind the wall on the dais, with an empty spot in the middle where Tuvah would sit. After gesturing for you to sit in one of the front-most pews, the trox abbot steps up onto the dais and addresses the room, directing the occasional comment to the Sacred Assembly behind her.
“Fellow devotees of Hylax and members of the Sacred Assembly, greetings. I have been your abbot for many years now, and I would like to think that I have earned your trust. For my part, I trust you all implicitly, though I understand that you have reason to doubt that from my behavior over the past few weeks.” Tuvah folds a pair of hands onto her chest. “Truth be told, Hylax has seen fit to grant me visions of the future, and what I have seen has made me sorely afraid. The Swarm is poised to overtake the entire galaxy as we know it.” Gasps ripple through the crowd. Tuvah raises her voice to speak over them. “But all is not yet lost! The Forever Queen has also shown me our potential salvation in the form of a group of outsiders. I believe these newcomers are those Hylax prophesied to me.” There are further murmurs. “Before we can ascertain their intent, let’s have them speak to us all as to why there are here.”
Tuvah invites you onto the dais to introduce yourselves, and explain your presence on the Prodigal Stone. Tuvah does, however, ask permission to cast Zone of Truth, to ensure the veracity of your tales...
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DRACOS nods, and submits to the spell.
"Fellow sentients, I am Lieutenant DRACOS of the Suskillon Defence Force. I have seen the Swarm invade my home system, and seen the evil they can unleash, both through their direct actions, and the psychic spill-over that influences others. That said, I have also helped to entrench resistance on another planet, and I seek to do the same on Suskillon. To that end, I am here because intelligence has indicated that the Swarm is desperate to uncover this location... Figuring that anything that the Swarm wanted that badly must be of use to others as well, I have travelled here, hoping to uncover something that could be used to defeat them!"
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Tuvah then speaks again.
“I hope that you were indeed sent by Hylax, but you must understand that we guard a most important secret here that is meant only for true champions of the Forever Queen.” Tuvah turns to the group assembled on the dais. “Therefore, I propose that we use the portal room to place the newcomers through a series of trials to test their commitment to Hylax’s ideals: to diplomacy, to peace, and to the defense of the innocent.” This suggestion is met with the nodding of several heads and a general buzz of excitement among the monks gathered. “The first of these will take place tomorrow morning, with two more on each of the subsequent days.” This suggestion is met with further murmurings of approval, and you are ushered out of the hall.
One of the junior monks then gives you a tour of the Monastery.
NORTHERN WING
The northern wing is the religious center of the Forever Reliquary and includes the temple and the library, as well as small meeting and prayer rooms. The library is decorated with several tables and chairs for reading, as well as a few decorative pieces of art.
EASTERN WING
This part of the structure houses a dining hall, exercise facilities, an infirmary, schools for the young, and recreational spaces. Most residents of the reliquary spend good portions of their days in this wing.
SOUTHERN WING
The monastery’s living quarters are found here. Families and those in long-term relationships usually share their own private units, while single individuals have private bedrooms and shared washroom facilities. These quarters can accommodate Small, Medium, and Large residents. There are also a handful of extra quarters for guests, which are empty most of the time; you are given rooms here.
WESTERN WING
The western wing includes the reliquary’s utilities, including a power generator that is shielded from scans from the surface and an artificial gravity generator. The monastery must be kept in good repair at all times, particularly the life support systems keeping the atmosphere breathable. This facility includes a tech workshop and tools.
CENTRAL GARDEN
The center of the temple contains both a water-treatment plant and several agricultural areas. The monastery uses hydroponics and artificial light to grow grains and vegetables, which are rotated on a yearly schedule.
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DRACOS' attempts to talk intelligently with the Monastery's librarian about Hylax and the Monastery's collection go over like a lead balloon.
On the other hand, after DRACOS helps Doctor Ithavine with some medical preparations, the infirmarian warms to him considerably.
After demonstrating his physical prowess to Nuritch and Yachern, both Haan warm to him a little; they haven't forgiven him for their brother's death, but they don't blame him for it.
DRACOS then helps Meershmar with some engineering grunt work, winning over the Formian.
Following that, he manages to show the head chef Rakorant a new recipe, much to the trox's obvious delight.