Death in Freeport

[Erekose13]

ooc: sorry Voadam, I'm going to have to drop out of this game too. I look forward to gaming with you in the future when my time frees up a bit more. Thanks for the fun times in Freeport.

 

[Le Noir Faineant]

OOC: I am still interested to play, and have been lurking all along.

 

[Neurotic]

I'm here too, waiting for something to pop up, as far as I see it, we don't have a clue where to find lucius unless dogrynn digs somethin out of slums

 

[Graybeard]

I'm still around as well.

 

[Walking Dad]

I'm back on ENworld.

 

[Shayuri]

(I give this game the Penultimate Ping...Voadam's posting to his other game. Lets see if he comes back to this one.)

 

[Voadam]

ooc: Does Wilbur know about a Khemti sacrificial ritual, that is similar to a Uraqi one?
Religion +6, Lore +3 (like Bardic Knowledge)

Neither Khemti nor Uraqi religious sacrifices are burned or eaten by the lay followers.

Your understanding is that Uraqi sacrifices are designed to deal with the care and feeding of divine images. The images are representations of the gods and so the actual sacrifices and rituals deal with the physical upkeep and symbolic needs of the statues rather than with those of the gods themselves. The gods savor the smell of the sacrifices and they are designed to waft pleasing scents to the statue.

In contrast here is one passage you recall Egil bringing to your attention on Khemti ceremonies:

"After the offerings had been placed on the altars and purified, the highest-ranking priest opened the doors of the sanctuary at the exact moment in which the sun appeared on the horizon, accompanied by hymns that were intended to propitiate the awakening of the god who lived within the temple. This marked the beginning of the most important and solemn phase. The priest entered the darkness of the sanctuary, barely lit by torches, and opened the door of the shrine containing the statue of the god. The deity then revealed himself to the eyes of his officiant, privileged by his sight of the idol in which the god allowed himself to be seen.

"The laying of hands on the statue and the recital of prayers preceded the sacred meal. This was composed of the offerings that had been placed on the altars, the actual possession of which was "turned," as the Khemti said, to the priests and other temple personnel, who used the food for their daily meals. The god received only that part which evaded the perception of the senses. The rest, composed of a denser physical reality, was for human consumption.

"The next phase involved tending to the actual person of the god, that is, his statue, which was treated as though it were a human being. It was washed, made up, and dressed in new clothes, which replaced those it had worn the previous day. It should be noted that each of these acts was surrounded by precise ritual prescriptions, such as the offering of four strips of the finest-quality linen in four different colors: white, blue, green, and red. In certain circumstances the god was adorned with jewels and other symbolic objects connected to his typology. Finally, the priest who had opened the shrine and performed the entire ritual anointed the statue with oil and made an offering of grains of rice and resin. This was the end of the ceremony. All that remained was to close the door of the shrine once more and to reattach the seal, which would be broken the following day. While some final acts, such as the libation of water and burning of incense, were performed, darkness once again enveloped the shrine in which the statue of the god was kept."

You understood it applied specifically to ceremonies for Ra but that it was also applicable to Thoth and Isis.

 

[Voadam]

Dogrynn begins asking the local dock workers and layabouts to find if anyone knows anything about the two bodies. He finds out one was a big orc with, he swears, some scales that glittered like metal. One person Dogrynn spoke with said he saw them being dumped at night into the bay by two rough looking guys with swords and distinctive yellow shields, but that was enough for him to decide it was none of his business and he made sure not to look at their faces and headed the other way back up the alley he came down quick.

All of a sudden the layabout shuts up as a gnome steps out of the shadows of an alley followed by two barrel chested bruisers.

Dogrynn spins around and his hand reaches for his blade but then catches himself and moves his hand away. The jackal man seems to shrink within himself at the sight of the gnome.

"Well, well, well, this is a surprise." the gnome says "Dogrynn, my deadbeat boy, your debt is racking up quite impressively, good thing we ran into each other so you can pay the interest. I didn't expect to see you today or outside of a tavern but I can stop for an old acquaintance. You do remember that you are late on last week's payment. That compounds the interest with a little penalty." He eyes Dogrynn speculatively "The armor and blade you bought with our money, has it gotten you any of those mercenary jobs you promised us would be your ticket to working off your debt?"

Dogrynn seems to wilt a little bit more as he shakes his head.

The gnome's eyes sparkle maliciously. "Well then you are in luck. You can join me for a little job today. What say you?"

Dogrynn whispers to Anton that he hates to bail on him but that he can't cross the Syndicate and he'll meet back with everybody at Lucius' house when he can get out of this.

Anton has heard the name the Syndicate connected to money lenders who back up their investments with violence and some say magical enforcements. They are known to be a ruthless and powerful force in the shadows of Freeport, who most avoid crossing.

Dogrynn heads off with the gnome, looking downcast and grim, while the gnome just smiles and gives the sibeccai instructions in a low voice that Anton cannot catch.

 

[Voadam]

"Oh lesshee." Mother Agnes says to Arcata and Julian. "Las' time he bought something was last week, then I only saw him one time after that. He only shtopped to say hallo as he wash on an assignment running an errand. Heading tha' way I think it wus." She gestures off in a southeasterly direction through Drac's End on the way to the more well to do Eastern district.

 

[Walking Dad]

The slight loremaster says "Brother Egil is one of our scholars. Uraqi rituals are not in his area of expertise however, he is more familiar with Khemti rituals I believe. I have read far more of our Uraqi collection than he has and the gaps in his knowledge show when I check on his work. For instance I do not let him near our latest Uraqi acquisitions, I have kept those for myself." He gestures at a bound set of scrolls on his desk with a smile that seems quite satisfied with his own expertise. "However yes, Brother Egil can be assigned to aid you if you wish, it falls within the purview of tasks I have assigned him. What ritual are you researching?."

"I think the Khemti sacrificial rituals are to different. You mentioned a librarian, Lucius, I think. Is his unavailability temporary? Can I wait for him?" Wilbur continuous the talk.