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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 4703488" data-attributes="member: 3285">Sibling Rivalry: Part 1 – The Shrine of AnsharAn Ansharan priestess, wearing the plain robes of her order, stood before the Gate.“Stand before the opening,” she said imperiously. The dwarf, the dark-kin, and the Milandisian lined up in front of it. “Are any of you carrying an excess of blastpowder? We can store it for you, for a fee.”Sebastian smirked.  “Kham’s not with us today, so no.”Intoning the ancient ritual of benediction and supplication to Anshar, the priestess made a nearly imperceptible gesture towards the portal. The glyphs inscribed upon it began to glow with a life of their own. Within seconds, a pinpoint of blue light appeared and instantly erupted outward, filling the Gate’s central opening with a soothing blue glow. Howling winds blew through the opening. Yelling so that she could be heard, the straining priestess told them to leap through. As soon as they broke the plane, the light weaved itself through their bodies, a feeling of euphoria. In the blink of an eye, the impossible journey was over. They arrived in a chamber lit only by a half dozen smoky and oily torches. Behind them, a Gate of Anshar stood silent and cold; no indication of their passage was evident. “Well, that was more pleasant than the Ssethregoran gates,” muttered Sebastian.The Gate appeared different from the ones they had seen previously, looking more antiquated and rougher. Gone was the polished marble, replaced instead by a darker stone. A being wearing the same threadbare robes of the clergy of Anshar approached with arms outspread in a gesture of welcome. Wrapped around his left hand was the ever-present thorn vine, holy symbol of the Ansharan priesthood. “Welcome to the Blessed Shrine of Anshar, pilgrims,” he said. “I am Ney. Know that here your woes and wailing hearts are songs of supplication to the Suffering Goddess. All have an allotment of misery that must be endured before traveling through to the Paradise promised to us by the Gods. Anshar gives us the opportunity to wash away this debt now rather than having us boil in Beltine’s eternal cauldron.”“It’s good to see the clerisy of the Goddess of Outcasts and the Unwanted accommodates even dark-kin,” said Sebastian with a slight smile. Unlike other priests of Anshar, Ney’s skin was milky white and crisscrossed with black spider web markings.  “All are welcome, but a small donation from the faithful is asked so that our work here may continue.” Each of them made a donation of a few imperials.“Do you know if a legionnaire named Quintus came through here?“I knew that he did,” said Ney.  “It was another priest, Torric, who traded with them.  He is in the Shrine and should be able to help you.”As they passed, Ney smiled and make a special show of welcoming Beldin. “Humanity, in all its various forms, could learn much from you, noble dwarf.”Beldin hesitated.  “That is very kind of you.”“No one,” said Ney, “knows more of suffering and pain than the dwarves.” Ney called to one of the members of the Legion of Grim Lamentation that stood guard outside the chamber and they were escorted to Torric.</blockquote>

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