View source for Speculation on the Vardamite Temple

Alexandria at night is almost as beautiful as the city during the day. The
parts of it that are well-maintained, at least. The gleaming marble of the
various temples shines under even the faintest light, though the area is well
light -- not by the moon, which hasn't revealed its face, but by the fleeting
stars in the sky, and the various sources of illumination in the area, both
magical and otherwise.

Not many figures are out tonight, having found shelter against the chilly wind
blowing in. But two can be seen clearly enough. Malik walks outside of the
temples, an older man beside him, dressed in the robes of Eluna. The two stick
to the shadows, it seems, keeping their voices low and their heads pressed
together, the conspiratorial whispers losing any semblance of meaning through
the gusting wind, like they're avoiding being seen, for some reason.

Although most of the temples are quite at this late hour, there is still
activity around the Temple of Eluna, and the doors to that temple open again to
allow a lone figure to exit. Wrapped warmly against the chill, Seldan emerges
from the Temple and makes his way to the fountain in the center of the plaza,
to look up at the stars above that drift in and out of the clouds. He says
nothing just yet, and does not appear to have seen the others.

Skribbles walks through the square, a lantern in her hand as she hauls a couple
of books in a large backpack with her. She grumbles about something because
she's a Gobbo and that's just what they do. She is wearing her formal robes
today, pure gray with red piping at the seams. She also wears a scarf. It's
fancy. Shut up. She doesn't quite notice Malik at the moment but does turn her
head to spy Seldan, giving a wave in greeting.

The other two might not have noticed Malik and the older priest. But they have
certainly noticed the other two. A series of hushed whispers, and a quick nod,
and the two part in opposite directions, Malik heading toward the two newcomers
to the plaza with an easy smile on his face, only sparing a single glance back
over his shoulder to make sure that the other man is departing.

"I take it that prayers were fulfilling, and ablutions were -- chilly," he
chuckles, moving up beside Seldan and putting a hand on the man's shoulder in
greeting. Though as the goblin moves into range, he calls out, "I think those
books might well weigh as much as you do. Light reading?"

Seldan starts in surprise as Malik emerges from the shadows to put a hand on
his shoulder, and allows himself a faint smile and a snort of a laugh. "The
water was hot, at the least." He waves back to the gobber in turn. "Forge, it
has been a while since I have seen you. Light reading indeed, what brings you
this way?"

Skribbles looks at the two before pointing towards her backpack, "How to catch
a Dire Corgi. I wanna Dire Corgi mount. I saw one and it was so amazing." She
nods once, "Want one now..mine.." She looks at the other two and smiles, "What
are you two up to tonight?"

"Waiting on this one to leave the Temple once again good with the gods," Malik
laughs, nodding over in Seldan's direction. "I do enough to make all of them
blush, and their servants, too. One of us has to be engaged in regular prayer.
He just happens to be much more professional at it than I am. I never did quite
figure out all the ritual involved, with the incense, and the water. I'll stick
to spellcraft."

At the mention of the dire corgi, he gives a slower nod. "A -- worthy pursuit,
I suppose, if treatises have been written on the subject." Though he turns his
head just enough to mutter out of the side of his mouth, to the paladin, "What
is a dire corgi?"

The look on Seldan's face at the mention of the dire corgi says volumes, none
of it good. "He talks a great deal, and yet will argue the merits of
Korillian's Theory with anyone who will listen for hours on end. Let him not
fool you with his claims of simplicity." His smile broadens into a grin for his
friend. "I have met such, Forge. A more loyal companion, a man could not ask
for, but if it is an intelligent one you would have, I commend to you the
relative virtue of a rock."

Skribbles laughs uproariously and says, "They are only the most awesome mounts
I've ever seen! A giant Corgi with a saddle and just happy tongue all the
time!' She laughs and spins around on one foot, but the weight of the backpack
causes her to fall backwards with an oof.

Malik seems utterly confused. "So the -- tongue is used as a weapon of some
kind?" It's clear that he has no idea what the hell is going on right now, but
his eyes widen a bit as the goblin spins and falls over. He takes a step
forward, offering a hand to help her back up, unable to suppress a laugh of his
own. "You look like me after too much lagmi," he teases. "Though with less
singing." A glance to Seldan, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"No, Malik." Seldan shakes his head. "I will explain later." He, too, goes to
help the gobber as she falls over, though he is too slow. "Are you all right?"
The paladin, though, laughs a little. "If I recall, there are at least some who
greatly enjoy the Forge's singing. With any luck, they are far from here."

Skribbles laughs hilariously as she's helped up, wiping the dirt off of her
bottom. She laughs again and takes a deep breath, "Oh no, I'm not going to
sing, don't worry. I'm not nearly drunk enough." She sets her backpack down so
that she doesn't fall down again. "So I was just returning these books to the
Gilead Temple. I was borrowing them."

Malik seems content to let the topic go for now, as the paladin's word is as
good as gold. He watches as Skribbles straightens her robes. "Well, at least
you learned what you need in order to procure one of your own," he chuckles,
clearly thinking that this is some manner of highly dangerous creature. But
something else catches his eye, then, looking over to the Temple of Vardama,
and the ongoing work there due to the recent attacks, a pensive look coming
over his expression. "You have to wonder why an undead would attack a Temple
full of specialists in their destruction -twice-. It's enough to make one
wonder if there is maybe more than a simple grudge going on there."

"A good question," Seldan agrees, eyes following Malik's to the path of the
temple just up the mountain road a little ways. "It may be a simple
demonstration of power, or it may be more. We have little more than speculation
to go on, really. Things have been quiet, and that is good ... but I cannot
help but wonder if they will try a second time."

Skribbles shrugs her shoulders, "In my experience, when the Undead attack
something more than once, then there is something inside that they want. Might
be the Temple got themselves a nice artifact that they're studying and someone
wants it back. Two Undead attacks didn't work, they'll try something else.'

Malik nods his agreement. "Something. Or someone." He glances at the other two.
"I mean, the Temple is essentially a large tomb, is it not?" He gives a little
shrug, clearly not up on his religious dogmas. "If there were something, or
someone, dangerous, and important to the undead, I can't think of a better
place to hide it. And I can't imagine that the priests would be very talkative
about its presence, for fear of advertising to the likes of those who would
come searching. But," he muses, "if it's important to Kol and his masters -- it
might very well be important to us as well. And one has to wonder why the
Temple has been relatively silent after the attacks."

Skribbles nods her head, "I mean, it's just one theory but the Undead just
don't decide among themselves to run into a suicide mission on a temple against
people who basically know how to destroy them with a movement." She shrugs her
shoulders, "There's something there someone wants. Maybe..oo...maybe a vampire
or something."

"Or a wizard," Malik muses, watching the Temple curiously. "What's left of him,
anyway." He glances between the other two. "The idiot, and his harem," he
wonders. "He said that they destroyed the lich. And the magic that was keeping
him animated. But yet, they seemed to have no clue how to help in this
particular situation, and were rather eager to get away from it. Too eager, for
someone that has faced this down before. Are we convinced that they know what
it is they destroyed? What they might have been looking for?"

"He refers to the son of the wizard that created the plague that ravages
Alexandria," Seldan explains quietly to Skribbles. "We were able to find them,
but ... they were of minimal help before they fled. They did provide a few
helpful remarks, and those I pursue, but he speaks of the rest.

Skribbles ah's and nods her head, looking back at the Temple. "Well, they may
have moved the item, that's why they didn't attack for a third time. Or whoever
is raising the dead has decided that strategy isn't working anymore, or perhaps
whatever they were studying is now done." She shrugs again and smiles, "As long
as they aren't attacking my Temple.'

"Or it's still there," Malik suggests, "and they've decided to pursue it by
other means. Spells of dominance. Tactics of stealth and trickery. The things
typical of such creatures." He crosses his arms. "I prefer to start with
subtlety and move to force if necessary. But I would not be surprised if they
revert to subtlety when force fails. Moving whatever they're after would be --
incredibly risky. To the point of practical stupidity. The Temple is the safest
place it can be. Moving it exposes it. Makes it defenseless for whatever time
it takes to transport."

Seldan frowns at Skribbles at that remark. "You care nothing for the other
temples, or for those that would be harmed in such an attack?" He nods at
Malik, though, as if he has heard these theories before. "If that is so, then
why would they not have done so the first time?"

Skribbles smirks and says, "Knew that would get a reaction." She grins widely
and laughs, "Well, not everyone is as subtle as you are, Malik. The person or
creature that sent them might only know force."

Malik nods, agreeing with both of them. "They might think they have no reason
for subtlety," he suggests. "They unleashed a plague, after all, perhaps in the
hopes of decimating a country. It would weaken the defenses. Leave a pile of
corpses for an army. Going in by force would almost make sense," he muses.
"Crash through the doors and take what you want." A web of ideas is starting to
form in the wizard's head, not all of them spoken, if his gaze and tone are any
indication.

Seldan levels a look at his counterpart, but before he can speak, the door to
Eluna's Temple opens again, and a boy in the plain blue robe of an acolyte
dashes out, in the way of young boys with too much energy. "Seldan, can you
return to the Temple for a minute? The Seer wants you." 

The paladin shuts his mouth, sighs silently, and favors both of them with an
apologetic look. "I will return in a few moments." That's all he says before
the boy bounds back to the temple with Seldan in tow.

Skribbles laughs and shakes her head, "He's not coming back." She sighs happily
and looks at Malik, "You could speculate all day as to what is going on over
there. Until you go, though, you'll never know." She stops and blinks, "Lots of
rhymes there..." She blinks again and shrugs, "As if the temple guards would
tell you."

"I don't expect them to tell me much," he agrees. "Not much use in having a
secret if you can't keep it. Assuming there's something there, and Kol and his
masters aren't just having a very strange year." He glances toward the
direction that the paladin left, and then back over to the goblin. "There are
other ways. But they aren't without their risks. Not just from the temple
guards. Certain parties would not approve of such actions." Clearly a reference
to the paladin that just left. "It would have to be done very quietly."

Skribbles holds up her hands and says, "Whoa, I am a Forge of Reos, and to
violate another temple is, I'm pretty sure, a huge no. Even if they have a
secret to hide, then they do, but to do something illegal to it or inside of
it...I'm pretty sure Reos would spank my perfect green butt over that."

Malik raises an eyebrow. "Who said anything about violating a temple?" He can't
help but chuckle a bit. "All I said was that there are alternative ways to find
information that one doesn't want to share. The guards might not approve, but
learning isn't illegal, the last I checked, and I think that they would have a
rather difficult time making a case of such." He gives the little goblin a
wink. "Especially if the information can be used for the greater good. No?"

Skribbles points at Malik and says, "You need to bring that point across better
next time, because it sounded like you wanted to do something like that." She
takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, "What were you thinking about doing
that doesn't violate that whole...you know...don't piss off the other Gods kind
of thing."

"Depends on which god," Malik reminds her. "But no matter how well you try and
hide a secret, there's a record of it somewhere, or a sign. If Kol and his
masters can figure it out, so can I. It's just a matter of figuring out where
to start. Luckily," he adds, that smile growing, "figuring out where to start
is sometimes the easier part." He glances back down to the goblin, asking,
"Would you like some help with those books? I think the Temple of Gilead and I
have a date, anyway."

Skribbles awww's and says, "You willing to help a Gobbo? You a good guy." She
nods her head and smiles, "I would like that very much." She sighs and points
to the books, "I was silly to get these books, way to big for me. I'm surprised
I made it home and back." She looks at the Gilead temple and points, "That's
where you going to find your secret?"

"No," Malik says. "That's where I'm going to find out where to start." He leans
down, taking the backpack and hefting it over his shoulder. "All I need is one
clue, or stray mention of something, somewhere. I know how to speed up the rest
of it." He nods in the direction of the Temple, starting to head that way, slow
enough so that the gobbo can keep up. "One of the more curious aspects of
magic. If you have a bead on something, and it's solid enough, the rest is
essentially just cheating."

Skribbles shakes her head, chuckling a bit. "I try and understand magic and
magic theory and all of that and it's all a lot of wierdness for me." She walks
beside Malik, able to keep stride with him as she's been practicing walking
alongside the taller people all of her life. "If it's going to be something
that doesn't violate the temple property, I'd love to help. It's got me all
interested."

Malik nods. "Depends on what there is to find, first," he tells her. "And even
so, it'll have to be done quietly. Priests who want to keep a secret don't tend
to smile on people trying to unearth them, even within the bounds of the law.
Nor do paladins," he grumbles, glancing over at the Temple of Eluna, where
Seldan disappeared to, a pensive look there.

Skribbles holds up her hands and says, "Whoa...definitely no paladins. I mean,
I am loyal to Reos and all that but Paladins are...like...fanatical. Have you
ever seen a Paladin of Reos? Their warhammers are like..bigger than a giant's
dic....er....well...they're big."

Malik laughs brightly at that. "No, I don't believe I've ever met a paladin of
Reos," he answers "Nor from that description do I think I particularly want to.
I can't say that I'm all that familiar with the anatomy of giants, but my
imagination tells me that a comparable hammer must be something I do not want
to ever be on the business end of."