[Temple] Sraoth goes to the temple

[Sraoth Ngolang]

11th Candlemark
The 20th Brightening of Kalendryas
Winter, Era II of the Celestine Mandate
Era XIV Post Fractum
Second Era of the Regency of Milo L'Evienne

Though at 68 ordinations he was old by human standards, in relation to the life of an elf he was still an adolescent (although he liked to think of himself as adult, of course).
He had lived in Natura for the better part of his life, but, as warned by his parents, had never ventured as far as the Temple of the Blessed Hand. Now, it was upon their urging that he go there and, what was more, ask to see a priest!

It was still early in the day, and the birds were singing in the trees. For a second, Sraoth thought he could almost understand them... but no, it was just his imagination. He grinned wryly to himself, thinking of his lifelong wish to be able to converse with animals.
He wandered about outside for a while, slightly nervous about entering the imposing-looking temple. He thought he had an idea about what to say, but was afraid of stumbling over his words and making himself look a fool.
"Come on, you've always wanted to do this," he told himself, "are you too afraid to just walk in there and talk to a priest?" He hesitantly approached the great door to the Temple.

[Nimh]

Despite the cold there were usually any number of individuals from the Temple seen outside, executing chores that ranged from simple errands into the town to gathering fallen wood from the forest floor. This brightening a small handful of initiates stood outside of the temple, wrapped tightly in warm, woolen clothing and shivering as they spoke quietly to one another. Amongst them was a tall elvish girl, gangly and still in her own youth and yet managing to tower a head above the other youngsters. She spoke with a calm air to her, her fine-boned face set with a passiveness that seemed both gentle and sweet. Although she did not smile, her words seemed to amuse those around her and they laughed heartily, stifling their noise only as they spotted Sraoth approaching them.

Clearly the head of their little band, the elvish girl took a step forward and away from them as it became clear he wished to enter the temple. There were no guards here, just priests and priestesses with a thrall of curiosity. "Vedui," she greeted him in that smooth, sweet voice. "Can I help you find something?" Her mouth quirked in the faintest hints of a smile, adding warmth to her rose-tinted cheeks. She was a pretty creature despite her gangly limbs, her hair a dark black twined into a loose braid draped over her shoulder, her eyes large and brown.

"Leave him be, Lilaera. He's probably just going in to pray," one of the other initiates commented, clearly wishing to urge her back to their small cluster. Lilaera must be one of the popular ones around the complex.

[Sraoth Ngolang]

As Sraoth came up to the door of the Temple, he was met by a group of people, one of whom stepped forward to greet him. Sraoth was surprised to see another elf of his age here; he thought he would have remembered seeing one such as her around Natura.
At his first glance, she seemed rather tall and gangly, but upon closer examination, appeared to be rather pretty. Lost for words as he was, he heard another group member calling her... was it 'Lilaera'? Well, whoever she was, she was waiting for an answer.
"Vedui to you too, Lilaera!" he replied. "I am here by my parents' bidding to find out about some training. You see, my parents left for Alleria Prime recently, and instructed me to receive some training at the Temple. I know that I want to heal people, and I think that means becoming a priest." Here he blushed slightly, and nervously continued, "If so, could you teach me?"
Hoping he was not being too forward, he waited for her reply.

[Nimh]

"Really? You're honestly interested in all of that? Your parents aren't just making you do this?" Lilaera looked genuinely interested, her mouth turned upwards into a smile as she clasped her hands behind her back. "Not too often you hear that being said." The smile slid away, her expression not unkind, merely thoughtful. "I'm only an initiate, but perhaps we'll have some classes together. You'll wanted to talk to High Priestess Lhyllis. She's the head of the Temple and accepts all new recruits." She mimicked a quick salute, as if addressing a soldier, then smiled again.

"Come with me. I'll show you to her office!"

The elvish Prietess motioned Sraoth after her, leading him inside the main hall of the temple with its beautiful glass windows and cavernous hall. "Aren't they lovely? They depict all the deities. Which do you follow? Mine's Carmelya." She paused before the great glass window that depicted the goddess that many within Natura bowed their head towards. The goddess was swathed in a myriad of vines and blossoms, a true woman of the grove. Her brief gesture of respect was a low bow of her head, her eyes shut. "The deity I find most interesting of them all is Kaimelea. Planetar of Dreams. I wonder. Does she put dreams in our heads? All of us?"

She shrugged and motioned him after her, towards a hallway with a low ceiling. She walked until they reached one of the first offices, its wooden door standing open to visitors. The woman seated behind a rather plain, ordinary desk was an older woman with aged blue-green skin and graying black hair she wore knotted at her shoulder. Her head was bent over a large tome, a cup of steaming tea settled at her elbow. She looked up as she felt the presence of others in her doorway, her strange eyes--for they were dark with black encasing the pupil rather than white--settling on the two of them and her mouth widening into a pleasant smile. "Vedui, Lilaena. I trust you are well?"

"Yes, Mother, I am. I've brought someone who wishes to speak to you. He wants to be a priest. I uhm...oh, I didn't catch your name..." She frowned, looking apologetic as she turned her attention back towards Sraoth.

[Sraoth Ngolang]

OOC: sorry for the long break, have been doing a bit of touring round New Zealand before I return to the UK on Tuesday. Also, is it Lilaera, or Lilaena? I only see Lilaena once, so I'll assume it's Lilaera for now :P

IC:
Sraoth nodded, then looked up in puzzlement. "Why would my parents want to make me do it? I've wanted to do this since... well, as long as I can remember!"
Sraoth liked the idea of possibly having classes with Lilaera. He laughed, enjoying her joke, but also slightly apprehensive at meeting this High Priestess, who sounded slightly intimidating.

As Sraoth followed the young priestess up the aisle, he gazed around at the huge building, and instantly fell in love with it. The dust motes that were floating in the beams of light from the windows moved gently with his passing, and the slightly musty smell of old parchment combined with the smell of incense filled his nose. At the sound of the Goddess' name, which he recognized, he nodded, but as he heard the second name, he found that he wasn't quite sure.

He had been admiring the pattern of tiles on the floor, and he found himself in a small office, facing an elder elf, with strange eyes. He liked the look of her smile, and smiled back politely, for a second lost for words. At Lilaera's introduction, he became annoyed at himself for his own bad manners, and quickly introduced himself. "My name is Sraoth, Sraoth Ngolang." He found himself wishing she would smile again. After a second or two of silence, he realised he was being rude and quickly switched his gaze to the High Priestess, adding after Lilaera, "I hope it isn't too much to ask?"

[Nimh]

ooc: It's definitely Lilaera x.x My silly, quick-paced fingers got ahead of me

ic:
The High Priestess laughed a pleasant, low laugh that served almost as a reminder of water burbling over rocks. "Sraoth Ngolang," she repeated the name gently. "I am High Priestess Lhyllis and it is a pleasure to have you in my office." The old woman's dark, gray-threaded hair shifted over her shoulder as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. The chair was padded but even with the extra cushion her old bones were having a rough time of getting settled these brightenings.

"You may leave, Lilaera," she murmured to the younger elf, who bowed her head in reverence and moved out of the office, shutting the door behind her.

This left Sraoth and the old elvish priestess alone, but she was a woman with a sweet expression, almost motherly in her pose, and she stood, curling her wrinkled hands around a teapot and cup. "How would you like some tea, Sraoth? This is one of the best of blends. Black tea." She tipped the pot without waiting for a response, the steaming liquid trickling down into the white porcelain. "If you want milk or sugar, it's right here for you." She nodded at the tray on the corner of her desk and sat down again.

"So you wish to become a priest, Sraoth. I don't think it too much to ask at all, although I would love to hear why." She lifted her own teacup to her lips and took a slow, tiny sip.

[Sraoth Ngolang]

Although Sraoth's parents had never been affluent, they had always had a good blend of tea in the house at all times. If someone, maybe a neighbour, was ill, they would make a special tea that would help them recover. Despite Sraoth often asking, they never imparted much of their knowledge on this subject.

He carefully poured a little milk into the cup, the way his mother had showed him. He waited for his host to take the first sip, as was polite, but for a second found himself torn between taking a sip from the teacup, or answering the question posed by the High Priestess.


He opted for the latter. "Well... I'm not entirely sure, but somehow, I've always just... well, wanted to heal things." His eyes glazed slightly, as they were wont to do when he was recalling an event from the past. "When I was about 55 ordinations, I was walking in the woods, and came upon a little fawn that had been caught in some thorns. I freed it, but soon after found its body. Its cuts had festered and it had died of fever." Here Sraoth looked down, still a little upset at the memory of seeing his first death. "I felt that somehow it was my fault, that if I had tried harder, or done something, it wouldn't have died. But there was something else..."

He looked up at the Priestess Lhyllis, slightly embarrassed about what he was on the verge of saying. "I think... I seemed to hear the fawn crying out to me, not exactly in words, but I'm sure I felt something."

Sraoth paused here to take a sip of the tea, feeling its heat flow through his body. It was a very good tea, but then, what would one expect from the High Priestess of a temple? He looked up, interested as to what Lhyllis would say in response to his answer.

[Nimh]

Lhyllis listened quietly as Sraoth explained his own reasonings for wishing to join the temple. It was a touching story and sweet despite the obvious distress that the sight of the fawn had settled within Sraoth. She had always enjoyed the varied stories of those who sat before her, wishing to join the priesthood...or the monks, of which she was presently overseeing as well. Some stories were traumatizing, others simple, others just complicated.

"I am surprised you did not decide to speak with the Druids, as many in such a situation would feel more inclined the protection of the woodlands. Although I could see where it would instill a desire to heal...and that is a core value in which many of us partake, although not all." She sat back with her teacup cradled in her hands, sipping it slowly. "Is that your primary interest? Healing? As an acolyte of the temple there is much that you would be expected to learn and partake in...such as theology, of course, and herbology. Much of our function here is to provide the locations with teachings of faith and other learnings, such as reading and writing. Of course, should your primary interest be in healing, we have priests and priestesses who focus on these things and quite a number of whom push to learn a more arcanic form of the art: Thaumaturgy."

She took another slow sip of her tea. "What do you wish to accomplish in the priesthood, Sraoth?"

[Sraoth Ngolang]

Sraoth listened intently as Lhyllis explained the many different possibilities that were open to him at the temple. However, he knew that his biggest desire was to be a healer.

"Well, I haven't heard of the word 'Thaumaturgy' before, but if that is healing, then I think that that is the option I would like to pursue." He added hopefully, "but some of that other stuff, like theology, sounds interesting!"
Sraoth looked forward to finding out more about the complicated-sounding process of Thaumaturgy. Perhaps he could be a lone traveller, healing those in the wilderness... his quick imagination took around several different occupations that he could do if he could heal those who needed it.

[Nimh]

Lhyllis looked somewhat surprised as Sraoth confessed to having never heard the word Thaumaturgy before, but she covered it quickly as she sipped her tea, the edge of her porcelin cup concealing her expression. "Thaumaturgy is the process of arcanic healing, Sraoth. It is when we reach into and without ourselves, drawing on the arcanic energies to heal wounds with not the skill of a common healer, but something more...magical. If it is your wish, I would be glad to tutor you myself in the realm of Thaumaturgy. Of course, if you would not learn the arcanic ways of healing, we have other sisters or brothers who could attend your studies. You could, of course, learn both forms, if you wish it."

She set her cup down, hands folded in her lap. "So. Healing and theology. We would gladly get you settled in those areas. We have on-going classes with our acolytes as well."

She was silent a moment, considering. "Would you be staying with us, Sraoth? Here at the temple?"

ooc: you can start training threads, if you want - two at a time, no more than that. You'll have to find a peer-mod or poke at an AGM other than myself - am too busy for other threads

[Sraoth Ngolang]

Sraoth listened interestedly as Lhyllis explained the meaning of Thaumaturgy, and felt excited that he would be starting classes soon.
"Actually", he said, "my parents left me a small house in Natura, where I'm quite happy to stay." It still felt odd, saying it that way, but he supposed that it was indeed his now.

ooc: that sounds good... I'll try and get that started soon.

[Nimh]

Lhyllis smiled warmly. "Very good, Sraoth. Should you ever wish to find quarters here, I hope you know you are welcome to do so. Simply come find me and we will get you situated."

The older woman finished off the tea in her cup before setting it aside and pushing herself from her chair. "Well now, Sraoth. I believe that this interview is concluded. All that remains to be done is getting you acquainted with the grounds here as well as getting you some new clothes." She smiled and gestured him after her back into the hallway.

What proceeded from there was a quick stop over at a vast chamber that served as a community wash-chamber wherein several sisters and brothers worked regularly, assisted by the community as a whole. A pair of white robes were given over to Sraoth for him to keep and wear during his time at the temple. After Lhyllis saw that he had the attire, she dismissed him from her presence, bidding him to roam the halls and grounds as he saw fit.

Sraoth now had free run of the Temple of the Blessed Hands!