Good cup, Bad cup

Log Info

• Title: Good cup, Bad cup
• Emitter: Durrankar
• Characters: Durrankar, Cryosanthia, Svarshan
• Place: A10: Temple District
• Time: Friday, February 07, 2020, 6:40 PM
• Summary: Durrankar and Cryosanthia venture into the temple district to find the owner of the Chalice she has and return it. Surely it's missed by someone. On the way they discuss the nature of good and evil. Durrankar's position is that evil must exist to balance good, and by negative example, define it. Cryo disagrees, but is unable to form a coherent counter-argument. Their discussion is interrupted when they encounter Svarshan, who has been basking atop atop the Daeusite temple. Cryosanthia summarizes her experiences with demons and the chalice, then hands it over to Svarshan, who explains that it can no longer be used in good rituals, and would be safest encased in lead. They agree to meet later so Cryo can fully detail her experiences and name names.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A10: Temple District *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The air of solemn, heavy divinity in the area is often broken by laughter. The dual presence of the deities Althea and Daeus, man and wife, stand towards the center, with their children and their children's temples positioned around them. The presence of the divine is felt not only by their temples, but also by the actions of their worshipers. The great plaza is as a social center, paved in brilliant, white flagstones and covered in benches and sitting areas. Priests, acolytes, and servicefolk of all stripes roam the plaza, going from one task to the other.

At the front of the temples of Daeus and Althea, at the Plaza's centermost point, rests a great fountain, the cheerful waters reflecting the Sun during the day, and the Moon and Stars at night. The fountain is strategically centered, and is oft a place for wisdom and lesson-giving. It is not uncommon for a priest of some stripe or the other to stand there, surrounded by the curious and faithful, delivering messages of hope or contemplation. At other times, it and the plaza become a landscape of celebration of the holy holidays.

Few vendors are seen in the plaza--the nearby temples provide most food or services. Towards the west, the great Bridge stretches across the river, and towards the east, the Redridge mountains. The plaza rests in the midst of it all, the temples massive and grand on the Alexandrian scale.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'7"     245 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female      A dashingly tall, lithe white lizardgirl with tattoos.        
Durrankar    7'0"     398 Lb     Sith-Makar        Male        Silver Sith-makar with blue eyes                            
Svarshan     6'4"     307 Lb     Sith'makar        Male        Demons: Another name for spicy BBQ                           
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

Well after the sun has risen and is near setting.....the temple district is still a bustle with activity. Some proclaiming that the gods of good are wonderful, blah blah. That is the absolute chaos that Durrankar and Crysanthia come upon as they enter the district. "Mmm....Gods of good are all. Sadly...there should be balance in most things." he then shakes his head....as he wanders into the fray...

Cryosanthia follows along, her head on a swivel as she looks about. She's been here before but still doesn't know all the names and it's interesting to see the various facades and coloured cassoks passing in and out. Or, whatever the particular temple's fashion is. "They're all what? Sad...? Don't the bad ones balance them out?" She slips into the crowd after him, twisting around and past the other individuals.

"Peasse to you." A heavyset sith lays perched atop the Daeusite temple. He lays on his stomach, one forearm over the other. Closer to the Sun, mayhap. Overhead, the rain sprinkles down. It tap, taps on his armor and he looks up at it, looking disgruntled.

"It wass...warm when. Thiss one went to ssleep," Svarshan says, calling down to them. His voice is warm, peacable. A Sunguard looks up from the streets, and waves. He returns the gesture, with a raise of his muzzle.

"When there is no evil in the world...how can you tell when you are doing good? When does a good intention turn into a bad application? You do not know without an example. Otherwise, unless you are this one person, you will never be good." Durrankar says softly. "As much as you wish to eradicate evil, you cannot...for you would upset the balance." he says before looking towards the Daeusite temple....and thumps his tail. "BRIGHTSCALE!" he calls out

"Uh..." Cryo's mind slips on the question. "It's... how the story ends. The roles... I don't think they have to balance, you only need a couple evil things or bad notes to show the rest are good."

The white-scale sith looks upwards, waving wildly and trying to be visible. She thumps her tail as well.

"..." Svarshan tilts his head to the side, and leaps down from atop the temple. Wings flare for a moment, and then vanish. He's soon settled, on all fours. And ambles peacably that way. "What iss the wont of sshaman. And Sspeaker. Casste?" he asks when he arrives there. His eyes are merry, the movement easy. A sort of peace surrounds him--protection. Kindness. A sense of kinhood.

"No. there must be examples of good and evil before someone in a very visible and powerful position says 'that is evil' and points someplace that is not evil, but misunderstood...and be nearly wiped out before people realize they were misled." Durrankar says before he walks straight over to Svarshan...as soon as he lands....and he places his hand upon Svarshan's shoulder. "it is good to see you my friend. I had to become one with the shamans again.....hence why I was away. Yet....I return and....find this speaker in possession of a strange item. Perhaps you can help." Durrankar then looks to Cryosanthia....as if to say 'It is your time to speak'.

this might've been a bad idea.

Cryosanthia is practically vibrating when Svarshan lands, she's been looking for him for days and eager to tell someone, everything. When Durrankar looks at her, the floodgates open.

"Peace be on your nest. So, the beginning, the parts I was involved with. I went to a village with some humans where no one had died. It was because a demon had captured a Claw of the Death Singing Dragon. The demon was taking orders from Lord Eclavdran, communicating with him through a Chalice. We captured the demon, freed the Celestial, I have the Chalice. Zeke, a blue scaled sith with sapphire limbs on one side you might know him, he examined the Chalice, it's not magical. The humans I associate with, some others, have some demon blood from a different encounter. One also found out who summoned Lord Eclavdran, and... children of Alexandria might have been part of that bargain. He was definitely summoned, bound, bargained, to defeat the Fae Queen."

One explanation a high speed one, she takes another breath, "So. We, I, well my human friend needs a way to send his captured demon back. There is a way to talk to a Demon Duke, I think, if anyone wants to try, which I don't. And, I have this Chalice, which is really nice and ornate, and... it probably belongs to some temple that wants it back? And... not sure who to tell about who was responsible for the summoning. A couple others know, obviously, but they asked me to be careful with it. And here's the cup. " She produces said Chalice from her backpack, showing it off.

"You usse many words. Sshaman," the brightscale says fondly. When Cryo begins to speak though, he settles on his haunches, and looks to her. She has the warrior's full attention. And well, quiet. So much quiet.

Quiet. And then the quiet begins to gather some sort of alarm to it.

"...tools associated with a fiend, tools which they hate, may be ussed. In banisshing them." And he eyes the chalice, and does not seem to know what to think. In fact, seems to be attempting to process all of this at once.

Durrankar tilts his head to Svarshan. "Yes. I had to return to myself." he then looks to Cryo and gets the information on the chalice. He tilts his head the other way and looks to Svarshan. "I did not know all of the information for it when I brought her here, Brightscale." he then looks to Cryo. "If Svarshan asks.....would you let him have it?"

Cryosanthia is bouncing up and down as she stands there, her body language saying 'look I did a good thing' and begging for approval. The aura of pleasant emotions she's in likely encouraging this. She bobs her head up and down, "Of course! I was worried it might be listening, or someone or something would come after it, then I found out it was just itself. I have no use for it, it'd be silly to put soup in it. The demon must have taken it from somewhere, it should be returned."

She holds the Chalice out for Svarshan to take if he wishes.

The brightscale looks to the chalice a moment. A while. And then reaches out, and takes it. Carefully. "Thiss one will ssee it covered in molten. Lead. ...I..."

"Sspeaker. Thiss one makes a sstudy of demons. Would you honor thiss one of ssharing words--your knowledge of what you ssaw of these demons, their names, and what wass encountered, sso that it may be recorded?

He sets the chalice down, and looks at it. After a while...he goes silent.

Again.

Svarshan explains, slowly. His audience listens with undivided attention. He's going to take the chalice to the Iron Book, and see it coated in lead, protective runes, and stored away. Even if it's just itself, items can have power when used in spells or ritual, if people know about them. It would make a great focus for scrying, for example, or as a communication enabler as it already served. Less so if coated in lead, so that must be done. The demon's use has irrevocably tainted the Chalice, so it can no longer be put to good purposes.

Explanation complete, the Chalice is hidden away from sight.

"This one would share all she knows. She would bring the humans she knows, that can tell more, if that would help." Cryosanthia offers Svarshan, "And the one, is in need of a banishment for his prisoner. This one will come when you call."

The Silver scale thumps his tail. "Seems the wisdom of the ancients prevail once again." He then places a hand on Cryo's shoulder.....emenating a warmth to her shoulder. It's a light warmth to her before he looks back to brightscale. "Do what you must, Brightscale. I know you'll protect us all."

Dramatis Personae

Cryosanthia
Cryosanthia is a tall, lithe lizardgirl with flamboyant mannerisms and a flashy style. Her scales are a bright, snow white, complimented by her frills and keratin-scale 'hair' which are the pale blue found in glacial ice. This gleaming tapestry is marred by dark tattoos gouged in her hide, green-black in colouration, which at times have a dark glow. Her snout is long and tapers elegantly. Her legs and tail are likewise graceful, despite being a significant portion of her size and mass. She seems light on her talons and energetic, head glancing quick from side to side. Her eyes are bright and like her frills, the palest of blues with a dramatic slit pupil.
Cryosanthia's clothes are a simple kit of kilted leather armour in white. It is close fitting enough to seem a part of her, but it lacks the lustre of her scales having instead a dull finish. She has sandals that leave her talons free, as well as a hat that is hanging to the back as often as it is on her head. A long blue feather is tucked into the woven band. Finally, she wears a cloak, likewise fashioned from white leather but with a satin interior that matches her eyes. It gleams when the light catches it right. Belted to her hip she has a rapier, a couple of pouches, and a tiny bag on a thong around her long neck.

Durrankar
Standing 7 feet tall, this sith-makar has dull silver scales running all over his body. He has horns arcing over the back of his head, and tendrils underneath of the horns, earfins framing the tendrils. He has light blue eyes, and is almost constantly breathign out mist from his nostrils...except in cold weather.
He wears numerous tiger skins upon his form and typically carries a walking stick, with his tail sometimes dragging along the ground when he stands fully upright, or just off the ground when hunched over.

Svarshan
With smoke curling from his blunted muzzle, the creature here resembles a thing smote from the earth's primal rock. His scales are the color of the earth's molten underbelly hardened to rusty obsidian, with a faint red glow running beneath. The overall look is volcanic ore, with pale-moon eyes and a heavy, blunted dragon's jaws. Daeus' markings rest on him in brand form, as one would use to mark cattle or livestock, and a necklace of fangs hangs about his neck. Long, twisted and unusually framed, they belong to the demons and devils of Hell.
At his full height, he stands over six foot tall, but only just, balanced solidly upon the tripod formed from his backward curved legs and heavy tail. He usually bears a solemn expression, an expression that changes with the reworking of rocky scale--but any and all is a mimic of the world around him, a study in different species.
Most days he wears a tribal cut--a wrapping made from darkened jungle-wood scales that begins around the waist and goes below it. The folds leave room for the downwards-sloping tail. Old-style symbols of the Platinum and Father Dragon, as well as Am'shere's Silver Empress embroider the waist-sash and folded sides of the wrap. His legs beneath show the marks of a 'scarleg' dragonkin, raggedly formed from old fights and youth's tempers.
When in armor, he wears a heavy suit lacquered the color of jungle darkwood and molded into scale-shape. It's decorated brightly, with bone and sinew and hide. For a modern-day comparison, think Aztec, Mayan, etc. A set of mithral chains wrap about his waist, for binding demons. Beside them hang heavy blade, javelins, and axe. A long profession of hunting demonkind has stained them gray and ash.