[CoF] Introductions... (Llanwyn & Aerienne)

[Llanwyn Siannodel]

Last Month of Summer, Era XIV

Llanwyn had stayed at the basilica for two cycles now and he was still not used to his surroundings. It's not that they didn't suit him, he was honored to be here, only that they seemed quite too powerful for the Fae. He was used to falling to his knees once inside the basilica, not walking around the statuary and places of worship freely. His perpetual state of awe while inside was becoming quite the hinderance. Llanwyn knew he'd have to seek out other living situations within Diana, and close by. He would arrange a meeting with Sir Dimitri about helping him as soon as this meeting was over.

On instruction from Aerienne, Llanwyn had invited everyone she had suggested to him in order to meet them face to face. Every single one of them had agreed to come to the basilica at the allotted time and it was approaching quickly. He wouldn't know any of them by face, nor by title in most cases... he simply hadn't had the time to study as he wished he could. But he had faith in Aerienne that she would introduce him to who he needed to be meeting and speaking with on a regular basis. After this and after his ceremony, he would be the new Archprelate in the eyes of the common faithful. This he yearned for greatly, to follow in the footsteps of the greats before him.

Llanwyn doned his finest white robes for the occassion, slipping on each carefully around his wings and readying himself in a mirror fixed to his wall above a large bowl for washing. A knock at the door and Llanwyn turned to invite whoever it was in. The door opened and in walked a small lady, old in eras but young in her step. She bowed and Llanwyn returned the gesture, something that made her blush...

"Your excellency, something to eat before your meeting?" She said in a small but pleasant voice.

Llanwyn nodded, "Please... fruit, and can you send a messenger here at once please? Thank you." He grinned.

The maid smiled, bowed again and left the room in a hurry to fetch the fruit and messenger. Llanwyn walked to his desk and sat, taking up a quill and quickly writing on a sheet of parchment. He sanded the ink, folded it up and placed it in a paper envelope that he sealed with the crest of the Church. A quick few moments later, a messenger knocked on Llanwyn's door and came in.

"Your excellency, what message do you wish me to deliver?" He stood regally in his vocational uniform.

Llanwyn thanked him for coming with a nod and handed him the letter. "See that this is delivered to Sir Dimitri at once and receive from him an acknowledgment please. Thank you." The messenger nodded, bowed, and left in a hurry, nearly knocking down the small lady maid as she reentered the now open room.

"Your excellency," she said, smiling as she placed a silver tray on his bed... on it were several types of berries and pears, plums and apples. "An assortment, I hope you'll like something on there."

He walked over to the tray and immediately took a raspberry, put it in his mouth and swallowed after a chew or two. "Some of my favorites." He smiled and she returned his smile. He grabbed a plum and began to walk and talk... "I will be leaving in just a few moments for my meeting. Please have someone bring in a map of the city and a new roll of parchment. Thank you."

A few moments later, Llanwyn left his private room for the main offices where he would be meeting Aerienne and several other people. He was nervous, but also excited, as this was the first time he would meet so many new people as the newly crowned Archprelate of the Church.

[Thoth]

The servents returned with the requested map of the city. "Sir two priest are waiting for you. They have requested to meet with you. They said you Lady Aeri would know them. One is Chrison Readlow and the other Bishop Astellione."

OOC: Reason for the vanishing tiths are still not clear, and also the basilica still needs to be redeicated, but that could be part of the whole corrination process as well. The touch up are still occuring for repairing it at this point.

[Aerienne Sarista]

It was a bit strange to view the Basillica from the perspective of a visitor again. Aeri took in the grand splendor with a fresh gaze while she contemplated what she would be doing with her life now that she would not be spending her days in here, tending to the Church.

Fortunately the top officials Llanwyn would need had agreed to come and meet with him. She looked about the room and smiled to each of the people present. She had known them for eras and she just knew they would be a great help.

When Llanwyn entered she turned and waved to him. "Serale! Everyone's here now so let me introduce you!" She gestured to a tall human man clad in full platemail armor of oceanic-blue with an iridescent sheen to it. A floor-length cape and a face-concealing helm completed the outfit. "This is Sir Ashton Dalandan, the Head of the Paladins." The man fell to one knee before Llanwyn. Aeri turned next to an elven woman clad in armor that was the crimson-and-silver of the Prelatine Guard, the Church's army. "This is Lady Chrysilis Selanara, General of the Prelatines." The woman saluted sharply.

"Over here is Captain-Marshal Edwards. He commands the Vigiles, Diana's city guard. The Vigiles are a part of the provincal government, not the Church's, but Edwards has been a loyal and brave friend for many years and he can help you keep track of things going on in the city." She waved over to a stout human man with thinning brown hair and twin brown mustaches, clad in the silver uniform of the Vigiles. He nodded politely.

She then gestured to a tiny blonde fae woman in a green dress who curtsied. "This is Selene Olios, new Dean of the Tower of Serenity, Diana's resident Church-sponsored school of magic and theology. I often consulted with the Tower on arcane and theological issues. They have a great library of religious and other knowledge."

She pointed to a towering Orc in plain brown breeches and a simple white shirt. "This is Karseth. Before I stepped down, I appointed him to be the Chancellor in charge of Church funds." She looked apologetic. "I didn't make this public but there was recently a really big dust-up. During the Schism tithe money went missing. The old Chancellor didn't keep a very good eye on it and well, it's complicated but the Church went bankrupt." She blushed. "So I used my own personal fortune to stabilize it and prevent widespread panic. Then I asked Karseth to come over from the Provincal government as Chancellor because he's really good with money and loyal too." Karseth inclined his head, his corded neck muscles barely seeming to move.

Finally, she gestured to an elderly human man in wrinkled, food-spotted robes. "This is Bishop Vannen. He runs the Rectory here in Diana and handles taking care of the poor, the homeless, and the sick. Before I stepped down, I asked him to try and coordinate the same services for people across Carmelyn Province." The Bishop nodded with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

"And that's it. Everyone, this is Llanwyn Siannodel, the new Archprelate of the Faith. He's a wonderful, caring, and intelligent man and I'm confident that he'll lead the Church well for many eras to come. Please serve him as well as you have me."

[Llanwyn Siannodel]

Llanwyn nodded and smiled as he met people. The heads of the prelatines and paladins were stone-faced, which impressed Llanwyn. He had been in the military for a short time as a Colonel in the Mage Corps, so he knew the role and was very impressed with these two. To the head of the city guard he nodded as the man waved, Llanwyn's white robes bobbing about his feet.

When he met the fae, his heart jumped a bit as a member of his race was in such a respectable position. Then again, perhaps it shouldn't have surprised him... after all, look where he was. He smiled to her and commented, "Then I know where to go when I need to do some reading, nice to meet you." She nodded and returned the sentiment.

As they moved on, they came to a large orc. Llanwyn couldn't help but think about the spar he had entered into in a contest a long time ago. He had faced off against a giant of some sort and he had felt so small. This was a similar situation except that these two weren't going to try and pummel the other. Llanwyn nodded to him, glad that Aerienne had found a trusty keeper of the Church's finances. He had heard of the financial problems of the Church through a contact and felt a bit better about them now.

When he met Bishop Vannen, he grinned and shook his hand. It was always nice to meet someone who dedicated their life to the less fortunate. He smiled and thanked him for his hard work, "Those less fortunate count on us don't they? It's a beautiful thing you do."

As the crowd turned to listen to Aerienne introduce him, Llanwyn took a deep breath and turned to face them, immediately being greeted by applause. He blushed and nodded to each of them, smiling. "I pray that the gods will lead me to lead you and the faithful with diligence." He smiled and bowed.

Llanwyn heard knocks on the door behind him and turned to face the servants. "Let them in," he said to them, turning to the crowd and saying "Please excuse myself and Lady Aerienne for a few moments. If you need to leave, feel free. Otherwise, enjoy some fruit." With that, Llanwyn looked to some of the servants who scurried to bring fruit out.

[Aerienne Sarista]

Aeri looked around at her friends as they left, then looked to Llanwyn. "I hope that wasn't too nerve-wracking for you. They're all good people and I think you will come to like them in time."

She looked at the fruit bowl. "May I have some?"

[Llanwyn Siannodel]

"Of course," he said, speaking of the fruit. "And I am sure they will be helpful as well, if you trust them then I believe I can as well." He smiled and winked at her, a signal that he wasn't nerve wracked at all, in fact, he was feeling more and more comfortable in his new role... especially when it came to meeting new people he would be working with.

He awaited the visitors, wondering what they would bring. Perhaps they just wanted to meet him? Perhaps they brought urgent news that could not wait another candlemark. The idea of them bringing such news shook Llanwyn a bit, after all he was knew to this Archprelacy. He found comfort in knowing that Aerienne was there with him though and he smiled, waiting for them to enter.

[Thoth]

The two religious persons arrived following one of the servants. One appeared to be a middle aged elf, who was dressed in the robes of a bishop. The elf looked tired and worn but their was a sparkle in his eye that spoke of both love and wisdom. He entered and bowed before the new Archprelate. "Serale Holiness, I am Astellione."

The second was a human male in his youth. His eyes were sharp and alert, but not in an unkind way, just in an intellectual and youthful way. He smiled and also bowed. "Chrison Readlow, your Holiness." The both turned and gave Aeri a bow as well.

[Aerienne Sarista]

Aerienne bowed back, smiling in recognition. "Serale, both of you!" She lifted a fruit. "Llanwyn, both of these men helped advise me during the period when I was looking for my successor. Hopefully they'll be as big a help to you as they were to me." She took a bite out of the fruit and delicately wiped away the juices.

[Llanwyn Siannodel]

Llanwyn grinned and addressed both men at once, "Serale and thank you for advising Lady Aerienne. I likely owe you more than I know in this regard, yes?" He laughed, as he was not even half-serious about what he had said. Then he looked to some chairs in the near distance on the other end of the room and suggested they move to them.

"Please, come sit and speak with us. I am eager to hear what consultation you have for me regarding the schism. If you were advising Lady Aerienne in finding her successor, I would think you are probably the experts on a top-down view of the schism and who in the Church is where and what."

Llanwyn made it to the chairs and had a seat before the others. He chose a hardback chair, which made him sit upright. He figured he looked more dignified in such a position, having decided that today was a day of serious topics, and the Archprelate looking dignified was much expected.

[Aerienne Sarista]

Aeri moved and took her seat, folding her hands in her lap. She gave them all a smile and went back to her fruit. She was proud of Llanwyn's poise and how relaxed he was. It spoke of a confidence that would serve him well in his new position.

[Thoth]

The two nodded their heads and took the seats that were offered. The elf sank back into his chair and appeared to relax while being alert. The human sat at attention. "We each can provided more of the common persons priest view, as well as the views of the superiors, and even the regular citzesn, but to do that would take to long now. To try and impart all of that at onces would be overwhelming." Astellione said from his chair. "I think it would be best to begin simple. Which would I think be were would you like to begin."

"I do think we should begin with how to introduce his Holiness to the church at large and the empire." The human said with a pause. "You Ladyship what occured when you were ordanined."

[Aerienne Sarista]

Aeri blinked. It seemed like so long ago. "Well, the Concilium Sodalitatis sent word to the Empire that they were looking for those who wished to be Archprelate. I came to Diana, then an Apprentice of Thaumaturgy on leave, and I saw a vision of myself clad in golden armor, with eight wings and a blazing sword, fighting some great darkness to the northeast. Then I met the then-Governor, Engon, and afterwards I presented my application to the Concilium. It was many months before I heard back. The Concilium handled the details of getting approval from the Emperor, Valerian Constantinus, and setting up the ordination ceremony."

She tapped her chin, thinking. "The ceremony itself was...amazing. Overwhelming really. But in a good way. I remember feeling so nervous right beforehand, and then I felt the calm of the Gods descend on me during the ceremony. I made a speech, and there was a grand celebration. I was elated, and nervous if truth be told. I didn't know how I would handle things. But I remembered what my grandfather had always told me about trusting in the Gods to guide you." She smiled fondly, then looked back to Llanwyn.

"I wish I could tell you about my first days in office, but I didn't have any. I left on a grand tour of the Empire, to see where the Faith needed the most strengthening, and my older sister Lilienne kidnapped and tortured me for four eras, so I never had a chance to settle into my office. Once I returned it was one crisis after another, with the occassional period of peace between them. But I think, and hope, that your first days in office are far less interesting than mine were." She smiled again, banishing the brief shadow that mention of her sister and her time in captivity had brought to her face.

[Llanwyn Siannodel]

Llanwyn nodded and looked to Astellione, "The ordination will be an important statement for the faithful and the growing threat of darkness in and around the Empire. It must be a shining beacon in a world of darkness." So young to the office and already speaking as if he had been there forever, but Llanwyn had always been a theologian and philosopher at heart and in action. "See fit that it is above all else a witness to the greatness of the gods."

Then he looked back to Aerienne, "I believe a tour of the Empire will by my first action as well. I can't think of a better way to send the message that the ArchPrelate is a serving leader than for him to be among the faithful." He smiled, "And there is much corruption that I must see with my own eyes if it is ever to be addressed. There are too many clergy with too deep of pockets."

[Thoth]

The two nodded. "Oh course." They said and thought for a moment. "Something to truelly show the glory of the gods? I think also including the rededication of the Basilica not only with words but also with magic, and spells."

[Llanwyn Siannodel]

"Interesting," Llanwyn said to their suggestion... yes, enchanting the Basilica could be something quite useful and special in deed. "Tell me," he said as he thought it through, "How many magi are in the employ of the Church? How readily accessible are they? Enchanting the Basilica could in deed be something that would glorify the gods."

He was thinking it through in his mind, perhaps arcana could be used to better protect the Basilica, or perhaps to grant those there great peace of mind and presence. This was an opportunity for greatness for the Church.