Approaching the Archives

Yelrona arrives at the Temple of Althea, which is at once strange and familiar. She chats with some of the petitioners waiting in the antechambers before asking after Diemma as she'd been instructed.

A young man points in the direction of one of the siderooms, where the elderly nun, Manus Diemma, stands outside , letting out a steady stream of female humanoids in varying stages of gestation. Some she chats to as they leave, others chat amongst themselves, and others still walk out in silence. Today the hearthguard has no hessian overalls, and instead is clad purely in the robes of the clergy of Althea. With some mud on the cuffs. In one hand she clasps a covered basket, and in the other, she holds a lightweight walking stick.

Yelrona's eyes widen slightly at the sight... so many pregnant women! Not that this is surprising, exactly... she knows that the mortal races are far more fecund than the elves. If it were otherwise, elves would quickly overrun the entire planet! But it's one thing to know about it, quite another to experience it.

She is favoring her right leg slightly as she walks, and from time to time massages her shoulder tentatively, but seems basically all right. She smiles at the sight of her new friend and gives a cheerful nod of greeting. "Good morning! I trust you slept well?"

Diemma nods sheepishly. "Of course," she says. For a moment her eyes narrow, but retain some of their crinkled smile. "Of course." She smiles broadly at Yelrona. "You are limping, Yelrona. Would you like me to take a look before we continue to the corpus house?"

Yelrona ducks her head in embarrassment. "No, no need... they took care of the healing when they, um, raised me," she explains, blushing faintly before rushing to change the subject. "I'm so sorry about the gardens! I'm afraid the herb patch you were tending didn't quite survive."

The aged manus starts. "Oh, dawn's child! But what happened? The fl---" Diemma catches herself. "Raised? But, Yelrona, you should be in bed, resting." She looks confused. "My, what happened? I had no word from the manuus."

The mornings are usually a busy time for Kira. Busy busy. Mostly helping the bakers at the big ovens to prep, then bake, then carry out the bread. She's on the last part, now, carrying out baskets and setting them out before going to get more. Soon they'll be carried out to parts of the city. Because everyone needs to eat!

Yelrona takes a breath and at least _appears_ less embarrassed, though an astute observer would recognize that it's an act. "Well, there was a demon, you see. In the gardens. Well, initially in the market district, I think... at least, that's where the shouting started. But they chased it off, and..." She pauses to take a delighted sniff "Oh my, that is glorious!" She fishes in her pouch for a couple of coins. "May I?" she asks Kira, gesturing to the basket.

Kira looks up from setting down the next basket. Her smile make be dusted in flour, but it's still bright. "Please! Help yourself. There's never any charge. But if you would like to make a donation to the temple, we'll be able to help even more in need."

Yelrona nods, expecting that. "Of course. And such generosity is much appreciated on a morning like this one. Yes, please, a donation then... consider it a contribution towards maintaining the kitchens that provide the service, then, freely and thankfully given." She places the coins down next to the basket and takes one of the rolls, then looks curiously to Kira, wondering what she's heard.

Diemma pauses, seems to contemplate something in her mind, then takes a small baton and tucks it under the fabric covering the basket. "Hearthguard," she says, addressing Kira directly. "Did you hear about the demons in the markets and lower gardens?"

Kira looks over to Diemma, her smile dimming at the topic. She nods, brushing off her hands. "Yes, I heard of demons in the city. They attacked the Adventurer's Guild, too. It's terrible. People are scared. I hope we can get them to leave soon." Then she remembers her manners and introduces herself. Mostly for Yelrona. "I'm Kira, Sentinel of The Healer's Grace. It's nice to meet you, and thank you for your generosity."

The old woman smiles. "Sentinel, we are heading to the corpus house to look through the Ithildinian archives. With demons at large on the streets, perhaps we can have your accompaniment?" Diemma eyes the baskets of bread, too. "The corpus would be pleased to receive some of Althea's bounty, too."

Yelrona nods a greeting to Kira. "And you for yours. I am Yelrona," she replies, tilting her head towards the basket, then grins at Diemma's 'suggestion' and adds "Here, let me help," before deftly taking one of the baskets and starting to move in the direction Diemma indicates. "And, yes, exactly: demons," she continues, talking as she walks, confidently expecting the others will join her. "One appeared in the market last night, I think... in any case, there was some kind of disturbance there. I think they chased it off and it came south to the Gardens. Where I ran away." She seems entirely untroubled by this. "There was a cleric from the hospital, and some others as well... I think they took care of it. But the herb garden was somewhat damaged in the process," she explains sadly.

(Editor's note: see http://tenebraemush.net/index.php/RP:_Demon_in_the_Garden for more details.)

"I'd love to," Kira's quick to answer, "and everyone needs to eat." The somber news of the gardens and demons there keeps her smile subdued. But never gone. To Yelrona, "I'm glad that you weren't hurt, and I hope the others are well. So many demons, lately. I still can't believe that they came here. But we'll make them leave here, and we'll make them leave Dragonier, too."

Diemma nods to them both, giving Kira a kind smile. "You will, and we will all help. Shall we?" She marches after Yelrona into a corridor leading to the back of the temple, where a side door leads out and across a small internal courtyard to the Ithildinian corpus house afterwards. The hand-eye symbol of the order stands above the door, and as they step through the front door, overhead a sonorous brass bell rings brightly across the square. As they stand inside the cool chapterhouse, younger nuns dash to and fro, carrying baskets similar to Diemma's own. "Welcome," Diemma says to Kira and Yelrona. "This is the corpus house, the heart of our activity in Alexandria."

Yelrona is noticably limping as she walks, but nods agreement to Kira's comment about her being unhurt by the demons. "Yes, me too. I've never run so fast in my life! I asked around at the hospital this morning, and they didn't mention any injuries, but..." she shrugs, doubting they'd have told a stranger much. She hadn't mentioned being involved at all... why ask for trouble? She frowns at the news that the demons are in Dragonier as well. "Why --" she begins, and stops as the bell rings, then lets whatever she was going to say drop.

Kira didn't notice the limping until, well, Yelrona was walking. "Thank you for inviting us in. It is a lovely house." That's for Diemma and the nuns moving about. To Yelrona, she has to ask, "Are you alright? If you are wounded, I can help."

Yelrona looks abashed at Kira's question, and attempts to walk more normally, with reasonable success. "It's nothing, please don't trouble yourself. Nothing a good night's rest won't cure. The natural consequence of making poor choices. The house _is_ lovely," she hastily echoes, eager to change the subject. "So, what work do you all do here?"

Diemma is momentarily distracted by a young lucht female dashing out through the door. "Is it Corten Seffran?" she calls as the little humanoid passes. "Yes!" The lucht nods, grabbing a loaf from Kira's basket. "Thank you Hearthguard!" A moment later she is gone. Diemma turns back to the group, apologetic. "Ahh, we are healers, midwives, and teachers." She says. "Second, of course, to praising Althea." Another warm smile. "Have you visited before, Sentinel?"

Kira dosn't press the issue, but is still a little concerned for Yelrona. She's distracted nicely by Diemma's quesiton, though. She blushes at the question, suddenly feeling that she should have visited before. "No, this is my first time. I'm sorry. With the wars and the demons and the missing Navosian, I've been very busy."

Yelrona nods to Diemma. "Much the same as my mother did in Eluna's House," she agrees. "Although there was much less need for midwives back home, of course." She seems I hope this isn't a rude question," she adds after an uncertain pause, "but is it true that humans can... I mean, I read somewhere that when humans are with child, it is not always by choice?" She is a little horrified at the thought, though is politely trying not to show it.

Yelrona nods to Diemma. "Much the same as my mother did in Eluna's House," she agrees. "Although there was much less need for midwives back home, of course." She seems about to ask a question, then thinks better of it, then laughs -- not unkindly -- at Kira's comment. "Yes, I imagine that wars and demons _can_ make quite a dent in one's social schedule. Missing Navosian?" she echoes, curiously. "I haven't heard about that."

The brass bell rings overhead, and a giantborn nun passes back inside from the courtyard. "Manus Freeborn," Diemma says, in greeting. "Welcome back. We are heading down to the archives." Diemma, Yelrona and Kira are standing in the entrance hall of the corpus house of the Hands of Ithildin, which is attached to the large Temple of Althea.

Kira curtsies to the Manus greeted and introduced. Waiting to be led on, she nods to Yelrona. "A Navosian scholar travelled to Dragonier searching for some lost knowledge. We went to find him and bring him home." Now nearly a frown. "He was wounded in a great battle against demons. Poisoned. We brought him home to be laid to rest. Now we're trying to honor his final wishes."

Yelrona looks up at the giant, regards her carefully, then nods and takes another bite of her roll as Kira explains about the Navosian. "I'm sorry to hear that," she says. "May his journey be an easy one, and his memory bring joy to those who remember him." Those knowledgable about the gods might recognize that expression as common among Tarienites. "So, what were his final wishes?"

Walking her way into the Temple, Sorscha rubs her jaw a little, like she got her bell rung but good. "Ow." She says with a chuckle.

The giantborn leans down to the relatively tall Diemma and whispers in her ear. Diemma's eyebrows raise, and she says to the others simply, "Excuse me; we must discuss a patient in private. Please, make yourselves at home in the library; any nun here will be able to show you there. I shall return shortly." With that, the pair head off into a corridor, discussing something heatedly in furtive whispers.

Yelrona nods to Diemma, reminded suddenly of her original reason for coming here. "Yes, of course. I'll wait for you here." She seems at once disappointed and relieved... if truth be told, she's ambivalent: both excited by the possibility of finding some trail of her missing father, and anxious about the possibility of finding the trail leads to a grave. Her eyes light up at Sorcha's arrival, though, and she waves an enthusiastic greeting... wincing slightly as she pulls a bruised muscle in her arm. "Glad to see you up and about," she says as the group gathers together. "Kira, Sorscha, do you know each other?"

Sorscha chuckles a bit. "No, I don't know Kira yet.' She says as she walks her way over. "Still, Lions pack a punch, don't they?" She says to Yelrona as she cricks her neck.

Yelrona smiles wanly. "Yes. Yes, they do. And I'm sorry for not listening to your very sound tactical advice about not fighting with them face-to-face... what I _ought_ to have done was put some distance between us and a few arrows in them, but, well, ah..." she blushes faintly, "well, I just got caught up in the battle," she adds, ducking her head slightly.

Kira nods to Diemma and curtsies again to both her and the giantborn nun. Then she turns to the latest arrival. "Oh, hello. No, I don't think we've met." Another curtsey. "I'm Kira, Sentinel in server to The Healer's Grace. It's nice to meet you..." Her speech hangs and hesitates a little as she looks from one pained-looking person to the other, and back. "Are you both alright?"

Sorscha says, "I thought I could take them on myself, but....down I went." She then shakes her head. "I'm okay. I have my own prayers to work with. I'm Sorscha, Sunblade of the Shining Knight. those mages really do need to worry about survival rather than their own personal honor.""

Yelrona laughs good-naturedly at Kira's well-meaning concern. "You should see the other team!" She nods agreement to Sorscha more seriously. "Or at least, give over having others fight their battles for them. Do you know who --" she begins, then looks over at Kira and laughs again. "I'm sorry, we're being rude. We were involved in a... well, I suppose you could call it a babysitting job, of sorts. Involving mages, and enchanted lions, and politics well over my head. But it all worked out in the end." She pauses and adds "I think."

Sorscha says, "We got a babysitting job and ended up being someone's personal gladiator for a night. If they don't stop squabbling, Rune is going to fall, and it won't be our fault. They'll be too busy arguing with themselves to realize that the enemy has knives pointed at the backs." She then shakes her head. "One of them did say the other used demons in an attack.....""

(Editor's note: see Ending the Paralysis event for details.)

Kira nods to Sorscha. "So long as you're well. I'd prefer that prayers weren't needed so often. For the sick, the wounded." She turns her smile to Yelrona, then, listening. "It's alright. You weren't rude to talk to a friend. I'm glad everything worked out, though I'm sorry it didn't happen without any battles fought. If there were less battles, or they were fought differently, we wouldn't need Her Grace so often.." She blinks at Sorscha. "Personal gladiator?"

"Agreed! I, for one, would be perfectly content to avoid the need for further healing prayer hereafter," Yelrona replies cheerfully, "and that goes double for my own. My own need for healing, that is, not my own prayers. I suppose that lion was Tarien's way of reminding me not to take too much pride in my sword. Though," she adds confidentially, "I _did_ get a couple of good blows in. And, yes," she continues more seriously, "our... patron... did accuse that redhead nilesthipektuarian," she spits out a Mysandraalian term that is ambiguous among several translations, all extremely rude, "of associating with the demon-summoner. I intend to follow up on that. Speaking of which," she adds, "Kira was just telling me about demons in Dragonier who killed a Navosian scholar."

Sorscha says, "Last I heard Dragonier was overrun, so someone going in that wasn't a demon or one of their corrupted was foolish." She says rubbing her chin, and looking to Kira. "One can't always sit by and give ground when people want it. Arendt has his mind set because of a grudge of a former warlord, and I don't think he intends to let Rune remain standing. So Rune is literally fighting for survival. The question now is, how far is rune willing to go." She then looks to Yelrona. "I fear that they'll only pick a short term solution though.....""

Kira nods, solemnly. "Dragonier is... terrible. A ghost of what it was. But we can't abandon it, it's people, or their history." The talk of Rune and what they might do causes a concerned sigh. "I hope that they won't do anything rash. They are still reasonable, but also very scared. I hope to find that Arendt will listen to reason, too, or find out what he does listen to. Then the war can end peacefully."

Yelrona listens intently as she finishes her roll, connecting the pair's comments to what she'd been able to follow of the discussion last night, and the occassional discussions of realm politics in Mother's Temple over the years. She has nothing to add, but is hoping to learn as much as she can. It's all still pretty obscure to her, but if she's going to end up bleeding over it she should at least try to understand why.

"If they could only engage the enemy," she mutters darkly, "with the same enthusiasm they bring to battling each other!"

Sorscha says, "Arendt has already killed one delegation, and tried to kill another. I don't think reason is in his vcabulary, Kira. the man only seems to know black and white: you have strength, or you don't have it. Rune is willing to talk, but Arendt doesn't wish to listen. So, the only option I'm seeing is to break the back of his war machine, then make him listen." She then looks to Yelrona. "It's like they don't see the real threat, except as each other.""

Kira's lips purse at all that. "There are always other ways. Violence just begets more violence. Bullying isn't negotiating. With Her Grace, I can tell you what Arendt believes, after I return from his camp." Or there may be more missing delegates.

Yelrona nods to Sorscha. "'We always hurt the ones we love,' my father used to say -- _says_, I mean" she corrects herself sharply, " 'because they're the ones in range.' Mother hated that expression, but he was right: the worst fights back home were always between family, between lovers, between business partners. I suppose it's like that for the mages as well, although if some of them really are involved in making pandemonia out of our cities, I suppose they have real grounds for conflict as well."

She brushes some crumbs off of her leathers idly and adds, to Kira, "He also used -- says that everyone can be made to see reason, but some require the blade of a knife to aid their vision. I think Sorscha is right... Arendt seems to be one of those. But I wish you the Singer's Grace to go with Her own, if you're going to his camp." From what Rona has heard of Arendt, she would go there herself only under cover of darkness, with a blade in her hand.

Sorscha says, "Violence brings more violence because the other side is forced to defend themselves, Kira. Like in the case of Rune. Dran started attacking. I really....really don't see Rune just stepping aside and saying 'I don't wish to fight....here, take our home, so we don't have to fight.' They would end up getting cut down for being perceived as weak." She then looks to Yelrona. "Eventually, there will a cause that will make your heart just a little harder, and make you stand firm. Violence should be a last resort, but to some, it's the only option, and they don't wish to pursue other options." She then looks to Kira. "Many people make choices, Kira, and depending upon the choices, some or all have to face the consequences of those choices. that is free will. If you're going to meet with Arendt....I want you ready to defend yourself, Kira. you being unwilling to fight might be perceived as a weakness.....""

"Please, don't misunderstand." Kira tries to kindly clarify. "I will protect others and myself. I just choose to do that without bloodshed and death. I strive to save lives, not take them."

Yelrona looks back and forth between the pair as the discussion grows more serious. Her own position is rather closer to Sorscha's, though the other elf is decidedly more... martial... in outlook than she herself is. That's nothing new, there were soldiers back home like that as well. But Kira's attitude is not new either. For Rona's part, she's always preferred to stay out of fights, but Sorscha isn't wrong... she's basically talking about the same instinct that led Rona to do hand-to-hand battle with a lion, despite knowing the foolishness of that, and she suspects that will happen again.

Sorscha says, "I don't wish to either, Kira. but I will, if I must." the intent behind it is what Sorscha has. "I strive to save lives too, but again....I will take them if I'm given no other choice. Thankfully, it wasn't the case in Rune." She then looks to Yelrona. "those summoned lions aren't dead. One benefit of taking on summoned creatures, and downside. Especially if someone summons demons." She then sighs. "I need to go do a few prayers at the temple." she says waving. "I hope to see you two soon." She says waving."

Kira curtsies to Sorscha and wishes her The Healer's Grace and The Sun's Light upon her. Afer turning back to Yelrona, she remembers why they came, originally. Well, not why, but for where. "Diemma said that you were going to the archives? May I ask what you were looking for?

Yelrona nods. "Medical records," she explains. "I came to Alexandros hoping to find some clue to my father's... location." The last word is awkwardly chosen. "Avourel is his name. Not a warrior, but quite likely to be in the middle of any battle against necromancy. Which, under the circumstances..." She shrugs. Yes, she knows that necromancy and infernal summonings aren't quite the same thing, but they are close enough for her purposes.

"Oh! Would you like help searching? Do you know when and where we should look, in the records?" Kira's smile is rekindled with more energy and exuberance. "So you think he might be here, now?"

Yelrona blinks. "Well, I'd been hoping Marus Diemma could help with that," she begins uncertainly. "She's been here a long time, and I gather her order helps maintain the records." But now that she thought about it, there was no particular reason to wait. She was new to Alexandros, certainly, but she'd spent decades in the Temple Library back home. Mostly sneaking out of it, admittedly, but still... she knew _something_ of how one was organized! "But... sure, why not?" Any new voice, she reminded herself, could be Tarien's, prompting her along her path. As well, Kira's exuberance was contagious.

"I don't," she admits as she walks purposefully down the hall. "I don't even know for sure he came here at all... though it seems likely. Everyone does, after all. As for when... well, he left thirty-four years ago, on an assignment, and we haven't heard from him since."

Unfortunately, finding the library by themselves proves challenging, and Kira is soon called to another service.

Yelrona entertains herself while waiting for Diemma's return by exploring the local areas of the temple. Like many old and well-used buildings, it has a lot of history embedded in easily-ignored little corners, and nobody gives her too much of a strange look as she stares at and touches things.

After a few minutes, the elderly nun reappears down the corridor from whence she came, now without the giantborn. Diemma, on spotting Yelrona, says simply, "Hello again, Yelrona. Are you alone now? Did you find the library?"

"Yes and no, respectively," Yelrona replies easily. "Sorscha and Kira had to leave... I do hope it isn't my breath?... and I've been exploring here. I hope your patient is all right?"

Diemma moves her head from side to side; not quite a nod, not quite a shake. "We will see. They have our prayers, and our attentions. Although not personally." She is quiet for a moment, before continuing. "Well, follow me to the library; the archive is beneath. Very welcome on a day like today."

Yelrona follows Diemma through a labyrinth of passages filled with busy people intent on errands, all of whom seem to know the old woman personally. She's left with the impression that they're taking a shortcut to the library, which, like a lot of shortcuts in her experience, often takes longer than the main road. That's fine with her, as it gives her more of an opportunity to get the feel of the place. In general she likes what she sees. Most of the people moving about seem content to be here, and the exceptions -- mostly either injured or obviously grieving -- are being well tended to. Tarien would approve, she suspects.

Soon enough they find themselves in the aforementioned library, a strangely familiar space. For all that it's a different temple to a different god maintained by a different species in a different town, it seems that temple libraries have certain universal traits.

(Continued in To The Archives!)