Concussion
Tenebrae - Tuesday, September 16, 2014, 7:10 PM
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--<* A10: Temple of Althea *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
The term 'marble temple' only holds up insofar as the temple's outer edifice is concerned. Twin statues of Althea, each of them bearing gently glowing blue staves, provide welcome either side of the entrance, a door which has never been closed in recent memory. A place of community and warmth, a sense of warmth and welcome quickly overtakes most visitors upon entry.
Serrielite and Angorite devotees guard the outside entrances, while blue star-robed Hearthguard wander just inside, performing and guiding various charitable tasks. One can even see a smaller, more discrete entrance if one looks, from whence comes and go the Mourners of Vardama, carrying their somber burdens.
Designed to be open and welcoming, the place is a bustle of family and community-centered activity. A great, central oven serves the double duties of fireplace and food preparation on a grand scale that makes the temple a favorite for gatherings. Althean worshippers and Hearthguards alike tirelessly bake and cook for the less fortunate, while younger Hearthguards sit on comfortably cushioned divans with worshippers and petitioners, dispensing advice and Althea's kind words. Wreaths of herbs hang from the ceilings, giving a pleasant scent, while a pool fed by a small artificial waterfall provides fresh water for bathing wounds or blessing of children and worshippers. A procession of doors and halls lead off to various rooms. While many lead to places such as rooms, offices, and libraries for the Hearthguard, there is also a well-known hospice, as well as the transient bunks, and even counseling rooms for when a family member nears their end. This last area is overseen by Hearthguard and Mourner alike, in respectful accordance with local customs.
Munch isn't big on temples. But every now and then the metal man makes and apperance for one reason or another. This particular time, it might have something to do with the young human along with the golem... the human is bruised and bloodied, unconcious, and currently held by the thick collar of his jacket.
Benthus turns his head to look at Namira and offers her a polite nod and a smile. "Greetings." He says to her, then he shifts his attention back to Godwyn. "yes, well, it seems like the man had lost an organ. Guess what organ it was?"
Taurmuindyr enters not far behind the big golem, his perpetually spaced eyes flickering about the temple with twitchy brows. He taps his fingers, index against thumb, rhythmically with a humming cadence.
Namira stands off to the side and quietly listens. She can do this being a dark elf.....and the fact she's so open about it. Anyways, she looks over towards Munch and nods her head....then looks to Taur and tilts her head. but she's still listening.
Godwyn's eyes widened as a quite familiar golem entered with someone quite injured. She took in a breath, hoping that she had a bit more influence around here than she did a few months ago. "Hearthguards to me!"
Three heard her call, and as soon as they did, they saw the issue. "Althea have mercy!" "What happened?" "Here, give him here!"
Munch peers around a moment and holds out the bloodied human. "Was rounding a corner when he rounded the other direction and bumped into me. He panicked, and ran, right into a manapole, then down some steps. It wasn't pretty. Never seen him before."
Godwyn huffed as they took him away. "Over such nonsense. We'll take care of him, thank you Munch." She nodded toward the other newcomer. "So many in the house of Althea today! And what might your name be?"
Benthus shifts his attention to Munch and the man he his holding by the coat collar. He immediately looks concerned and tries to get the man in a more supine position. "was he already unconscious when you picked him up?" He checks the neck for signs of bruising or worse, dislocation.
Taurmuindyr blinks a little as he seems to come briefly out of whatever clouds his head is in. At least long enough to reply,"Greetings, I am Taurmuindyr. Astrologer and scribe. Also, new to the city." He nods to this, and looks to the small child with a quirking of his lips in concern.
Namira nods to Taurmuindyr and steps back. "Greetings Taurmuindyr." She says as she approaches him. She would lend a hand, but the youth seems to have plenty of help already. No need to add more bodies.
Munch nods to Benthus. "That or fakeing it well. Not sure if any of that was before we collided. Breathing and pulse were both good, nothing was bent the wrong way. The rest, I leave to you Squishy experts." Turning around, the metal man nods to the newcommer.
Benthus checks his vitals by pressing two fingers at the neck area. He then applies pressure on the person sternum using a knuckle and then rubbing it. "Sir!" He calls to the young man a bit louder. "Are you alright?" All the while applying the sternal rub. While waiting for a response he checks the rest of the body for anything out of the ordinary.
Taurmuindyr rubs the back of his head as he looks in curiosity at the event,"A metal man would indeed be quite an obstacle for such a wee lad..." He then chuckles absently and steps back one before glancing to the Sentinel with a raised brow."So this is the temple taking in all the orphans from Rune?"
Godwyn nodded. "This is the one, all right." She turned toward Taurmuindyr. "Why do you ask? Do you have a contribution to make? Or perhaps you are leading one of them here yourself?"
Munch flexes a bit and flutters his stubby little wings. "To be fair, I'm an obstacle for most anything." He blinks a moment. "I'm not sure how big Rune really is, but I don't think -all- the orphans would fit."
Namira says, "Sad to say, but yeah. I don't think the temple of Althea would be able to take in all of the orphans. Just not enough room, or resources. Good intentions and all.""
Taurmuindyr nods curtly to this,"Indeed I am. As an arcanist, I also have a personal stake in this. I had hoped to study there but if it gets sacked, I fear for whatever they have for astrological research." He exhales then and adjusts his posture as he adds,"Just doing whatever I can to help."
Godywn sighed. "A lot of resources wasted, indeed." She walked over toward him. "Goddess bless you, then. So you said you were an astrologer? I must say, I've never really understood that. What is it that you do?"
Benthus draws open the young man's eyelids and observes them both. He then takes out a tindertwig from one of his pouches and strikes it against his pouldron, igniting it. He draws the light source near the man's eyes one at a time and observes the reaction...
Benthus extinguishes the light source with a snap of his finger and looks at the three heartguards that were about to take care of the lad, "Restrain his neck movements until he becomes conscious. Inform the healer in charge that the man had a serious fall although no abnormalities could be detected in his optic response. Vital signs appear normal, although there are signs of bruising to certain parts of his body. Sternal rub has been performed so this is not a malingering patient." He stands up and leaves it to the three heartguards to do their work.
"Understood. Thank you, Benthus." One of them looked toward his fellows. "You heard him, let's go. Gentle, now..." With that, they picked him up and carried him to one of the back rooms.
Godwyn shook her head. "You're far better at this than I am. Where did you learn that?"
Benthus shifts his eyes away from the three departing heartguards bearing the concussed lad and looks at Godwyn, for a moment confused. A look of realization appears on his face and he says, "I used to help in triages." He does not expand on the answer, shifting the topic to another. "Ah yes, the murder case. The man lost his heart. Literally."
Godwyn blinked. "Lost his... heart?" She took in a breath and traced the sign of the goddess with the index finger of her right hand. "Goddess above... so they cut him open and took him out, whoever it was?"
Munch shrugs, and starts to wander out. Pacient is in good hands, and no one is attempting to restain him. No reason to linger.
Taurmuindyr hmms as he thinks for a moment, looking downards as he gathers his words before looking back up to elaborate on the subject of astrology,"Simply put, I study the movements of the heavens and their possible impact on the lives of mortals. There is a theory that the will of the divines can be read in the stars, we try to ascertain if there is truth to this." He nods at that,"I don't know myself, but I do think there is a great deal to learn from the night sky."