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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Akunin" data-source="post: 150887" data-attributes="member: 15">OOC:  Please put any OOC thoughts or "Hey, you slacker, when are you gonna post?" messages to the OOC thread.  Thanks! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />  Real life has conspired against me this week - my Vampire LARP group elected me as their new Storyteller, so I got bombarded with character questions, rules questions, approvals questions, storyline questions... It's a good thing I love gaming and gamers!Sodarin Underwood"Why the Children," Spencer muses, "return year after year is a mystery.  They are unwelcome by many, and feared by even more.  But they bring tales of realms beyond our humble Heartland, and trade in exotic goods unseen in these parts.  Trade brings them, but there is something else.  They risk their lives coming back here, yet still they insist on returning.  Perhaps their gods have a plan for them which we cannot see.""You asked WHY we wish to protect them.  We do so because many in the priesthood do not think them responsible for all they are accused of."  He goes on to describe the events of past years - the fire, the mob, the missing children - and adds his own conclusions.  "They may be to blame for the ill fortune that has settled upon Beregost, but none yet have been able to pierce through this mystery and find the truth of things.  We, the priesthood, have our hands full maintaining the peace, and hope this year to employ those with some cunning and skill - not only to prevent bloodshed, but to perhaps discover if there is a connection between the Children of Toril and the disappearances."The two of you stand before the temple doors.  They swing open easily, and he leads you into an opulent narthex.  A small door on one side reveals to a stairway, and he leads you down into a basement living area, showing you to a screened-off washing area."Feel free to wash up and refresh yourself.  I'm sure it will feel good to be rid of the dust and grime of your travels.  I'll get you something from the dining hall."If Sodarin has no questions, Spencer smiles, excuses himself, and disappears through another door.Savris "Shade" Ko’thariAs you pass through the inn's common room, you attract little attention.  You don't see any of the inn's staff, however.  You easily find the room containing your mark.  Nobody about, you try the door, and aren't surprised to find it locked.  With tools in hand, you quickly go to work.  A few moments later, the dull clicking from within the mechanism announces your success.  You enter without making so much as a sound, and case the room.The man is snoring softly on the bed, his face turned toward you.  There are a few sets of clothes scattered about the floor, and you see the shards of his broken pipe.  A small leather satchel rests under the bed near his feet.The man stirs for a moment and without having to think, you shift to a ready stance.  He does not wake up, however, but mutters something in his sleep.  You make out the words "money" "temple" and "card".MarinaGideon leads you to the temple doors.  "Here you go, m'lady!"  He makes a slight bow, and produces a fine candle from one of his pockets.  "May this aid you in finding what you seek."  He makes his good-byes and walks back toward the center of town, whistling the tune that the priests were singing.Several priests, noticing the symbol of Lathander you carry, hurry toward you, excitedly greeting you and asking of your travels.  "Did you slay any evil beasts in Lathander's name?"  "From whence have you traveled?"  "Please, let us go inside - you look tired and hungry."  "Tell us of your journey."  You are shown to a common area beneath the temple, given clean clothes and food, and are shown a private area in which you may bathe and dress.Killian Maxwell The temple is easy enough to find - it seems to be the largest and most ostentatious building in Beregost.  The priests busy themselves with various tasks - gardening, tending to the building, repairing a crumbling rock wall.  There seems to be no real leadership, but all are working quite hard.  Looking over the group of holy men and women, you pick out one that appears to be taking a quick break.  She is a matronly woman, and sits fanning herself in the shade of a tree.You introduce yourself and ask about the caravan and their hiring of extra protection for the town and its visitors.  She beams and introduces herself as Marta.  "So good to have such a handsome and strong young man eager to help the good people of this city.  Lathander himself will be pleased as well, to have a traveler from so far away come to aid his people!  Let me show you to the temple proper - you look a little pale and tired - have you been eating proper on the road?  No matter - Marta and Lathander are here to fix that!"She shows you to the basement common area, and sits you down at a long table.  The room is filled with chairs and tables, and there is a small lecturn at one end of the room.  Banners bearing imagery of the Morninglord are hanging all about the room, many emblazoned with phrases and passages from holy writings.  Although it is spartan in comparison to your room at the inn, there is no denying that it seems much more comfortable.  Marta provides you with milk ("To keep you strong," she says), bread and honey, and a bowl of fruit and cheese."I'll be back to check on you in a little while.  I need to get back to weeding the garden, but I'll come down after I finish that and my noontime devotions."Dashelinil "Dash" Eventide "No churches to Corellon in this city - you'd find those to the south, among the Elf-folk.  But Corellon and Lathander seem to agree on a few things, and the Morninglord watches over this city, so I'm certain he'd extend a little of his kindness to one of the Forest Lord.  The temple is over there, at the Eastern end of Beregost."He points you in the direction of the church and whispers to you "Don't take people's reactions to personal-like.  Elves are uncommon here, but that's no reason for folk to go and start to talkin'.  And certainly not just because the Moon Elf they're a-talkin about happens to be the color of the moon."  He smiles and laughs in a friendly tone "You should spend a little more time in the sun, my friend!"The temple is easy enough to spot, shining in the sun, and the priests do not even bat an eyelash at your unusual appearance.  One of them, a young woman sitting behind a spinning wheel, calls out to you."Welcome, friend.  Are you looking for someone?"</blockquote>

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