The Idyllic Journey (Original Fantasy RP)
- Thread starter Birdsie
- Start date
- Original
-
- Tags
- original drama ensues gm has no idea what they are doing i regret making this poor decision already oh god what am i doing? original fantasy (fantasy) possibly an horrid idea standing on the edge the gm is filled with determination this is a terrible idea why am i doing this this is going to be so much fun
Firebird Zoom
Pretty Bird
- Location
- Who knows?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Visit Siduri first. Your sister apparently became the arch-priestess while you were gone - so the two of you have something in common.
Altharis
Tovarisch Volksdeutsch, Professional Crucifier
- Location
- Poland
And now you make me want to include Iranian and Zoroastrian themes.
btw you may want to post in Player Recruitment thread. It may interest some people in your quest if they read what they are about. Or maybe not, free advertisement is always good tho.
As for the vote itself, personally I think Siduri is the least important here; our dad told us himself Etana wants to meet us, while someone marrying Shala is a big deal. I'd rather meet her the last because of that.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
I'll do that, actually.
Part 2: Brother Dearest
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
With that in mind, you walk into the garden.
***
There are all kinds of beautiful flowers in the garden. The typical, yellow and orange palette of the city and desert is not present here. There is only muddy, fertile earth - through which small tunnels of irrigated water flow and through which they keep the grass as green as it would be in the lands north from here. There are several palm trees, beautiful rose-bushes, lavish plants, and other exotic flora of all kinds – including the rare, desert Okko bush. The Okko bushes are hard to come by and are said to have magical power as they have souls of their own, and even weak – but existent minds. You know that for a fact, as you spoke to an Okko bush once. It told you a lot about being a plant. How limiting it feels. It was a weird conversation, but you did your best to show remorse and empathy for the plant, as weird as it was. You still doubt whether it could feel emotion, and if you were really talking to it, or if it was a fit of insanity.
You look forward and see Etana near an edge of the garden that looks out into the streets, where commoners walk. The garden you are in is placed on a small elevation, a bit deeper into the palace, so you can look over the walls of this place. You approach.
"Hello, brother." You greet Etana. Your face naturally forms into a greeting smile, but it is more sincere than one that you usually present to dignitaries. You are truly happy, relieved even, to see your brother after so long. He, your sisters, and your mother are one of the few people that can truly understand you. Not that your father isn't 'understanding,' but the existence of a demigod of Wisdom isn't easy. You once entered a fit of sudden hysteria just because you thought about the atomic composition of a water atom for too long, trying to analyze and theorize about each and every single part of its existence. That should be enough on its own to explain how difficult it is to be you. Fortunately, mother is always there to offer some support and explain how water works clearly and with clandestine, clarity-bearing words.
He turns around. Etana looks very similar to you, like a reflection in the mirror. He is your twin brother, after all. You expected him to smile, similarly to you, but he looks rather... dissonant. His face carries a very aloof aura to it, a serene, but distant look to it. You can tell that he is heavy in thought on first glance. You aren't that surprised, especially because every one of your siblings has a different way to deal with their uncontrollable and overwhelming minds. It is difficult to be one such demigod that no one can understand. You and your siblings aren't just 'smart.' You operate on a whole different mental plane than most mortals.
"Good to see you," he replies, his face and general body language seeming very absent. Etana thinks to himself for a moment, lowering his gaze, before he looks back up at you. His glare is deadly serious.
"I heard you came back, and I have something important to talk about." Etana grimaces, disheartened. "It's... well... I'm afraid it's no good news. You see..." He stops speaking all of the sudden, clenching his fists. Etana looks down at the ground. You can read much fear, anxiety, and other negative emotions from his face. His body is almost on the borderline of shaking.
"What? What is it?" you ask.
"Well... it can wait until tomorrow," he replies, looking up at you, a little calmer now. "I think it can wait until tomorrow. Yes. It's not as important as I make it sound, but it is still a thing you must hear," he nods as he speaks, probably in order to seek self-affirmation.
... "Oookay?" your eyebrows raise in surprise. You shrug, then return to your friendly smile, trying to show that you are open to him and always ready to talk.
"Still. I'm really glad to see you again. It's been what? Ten years?" His troubled look shifts, slowly, into a slightly forced, slightly 'sad' smile. You can read it from his eyebrows, rather than mouth. It is obvious and visible, but you appreciate the effort anyway.
"Around that, yeah," you nod, walking next to him and supporting yourself with the sandstone railing. You look above it, and over the wall. You observe a small caravan of goods moving around the market. The merchant on it selling food to the people. That kind of sight really warms the heart. Just citizens living out their daily lives. You enter a trance, watching the daily life of your future subjects and smile. Soon enough, you turn to Etana and look at him. He holds a similar look to you, but he turns in your direction as well.
"So, how was that... training of yours? What did you learn?" Etana asks, curious.
"Eh, not much. I can, well, write magical texts and make binding contracts. I can... make golems, I guess."
"Golems? Like, what? From clay?"
"Yeah, from clay, from metal, from stone... Anything, really. I can program commands into them, too. What I learned isn't as flashy as most mages."
"I agree, but golems are still very... functional. Don't you think?"
"You were always one to think servants need to be better than they are already," you chuckle. Etana joins in.
"What else? Or is that all?"
"I learned how to infuse architecture with magical power. Ever heard of obelisks? Steles? Anything like that?"
"I guess it rings a bell. Like the magical stones, right?"
"Yup. I can do that. Don't even have to build them, just infuse them with a bit of my magic."
"I see. That's all good. I'm happy for you. While you were studying magic, I was studying law and military tactics here. I guess I'll be your, what's it called? Marshal? Ha!" Etana smiles, a bit awkwardly.
As a child, he was close to a true pacifist. When he'd seen a spider, instead of killing it, he would start a conversation with it, and very politely ask it to leave his room or make a web outside of his room, because he disliked having his privacy invaded – and the spiders always agreed. In other words: he wouldn't hurt a fly, or, well, he hurt a lot of flies by letting the spiders live. He wouldn't hurt a spider would be the correct term. Of course, he got into a few brawls with you, but that was natural sibling rivalry. You can't stop that. With all that said, though: That's what makes it ironic. That he is now going to be a military general. After being like a calm sheep his whole life, he now has to become a ferocious wolf.
"Pretty ironic, right?" You join him in a bit of laughter.
Etana looks at you. "Anyway, I have a gift for you. But I'll give it to you tomorrow too, unless... unless you want to receive it now. But with that gift, the serious news will come as well," he warns. His smile slowly fades into an indifferent, if serious – kind of disturbed, look.
[] "I'll take the gift and grave news tomorrow, then."
[] "Go on. No time like the present."
***
There are all kinds of beautiful flowers in the garden. The typical, yellow and orange palette of the city and desert is not present here. There is only muddy, fertile earth - through which small tunnels of irrigated water flow and through which they keep the grass as green as it would be in the lands north from here. There are several palm trees, beautiful rose-bushes, lavish plants, and other exotic flora of all kinds – including the rare, desert Okko bush. The Okko bushes are hard to come by and are said to have magical power as they have souls of their own, and even weak – but existent minds. You know that for a fact, as you spoke to an Okko bush once. It told you a lot about being a plant. How limiting it feels. It was a weird conversation, but you did your best to show remorse and empathy for the plant, as weird as it was. You still doubt whether it could feel emotion, and if you were really talking to it, or if it was a fit of insanity.
You look forward and see Etana near an edge of the garden that looks out into the streets, where commoners walk. The garden you are in is placed on a small elevation, a bit deeper into the palace, so you can look over the walls of this place. You approach.
"Hello, brother." You greet Etana. Your face naturally forms into a greeting smile, but it is more sincere than one that you usually present to dignitaries. You are truly happy, relieved even, to see your brother after so long. He, your sisters, and your mother are one of the few people that can truly understand you. Not that your father isn't 'understanding,' but the existence of a demigod of Wisdom isn't easy. You once entered a fit of sudden hysteria just because you thought about the atomic composition of a water atom for too long, trying to analyze and theorize about each and every single part of its existence. That should be enough on its own to explain how difficult it is to be you. Fortunately, mother is always there to offer some support and explain how water works clearly and with clandestine, clarity-bearing words.
He turns around. Etana looks very similar to you, like a reflection in the mirror. He is your twin brother, after all. You expected him to smile, similarly to you, but he looks rather... dissonant. His face carries a very aloof aura to it, a serene, but distant look to it. You can tell that he is heavy in thought on first glance. You aren't that surprised, especially because every one of your siblings has a different way to deal with their uncontrollable and overwhelming minds. It is difficult to be one such demigod that no one can understand. You and your siblings aren't just 'smart.' You operate on a whole different mental plane than most mortals.
"Good to see you," he replies, his face and general body language seeming very absent. Etana thinks to himself for a moment, lowering his gaze, before he looks back up at you. His glare is deadly serious.
"I heard you came back, and I have something important to talk about." Etana grimaces, disheartened. "It's... well... I'm afraid it's no good news. You see..." He stops speaking all of the sudden, clenching his fists. Etana looks down at the ground. You can read much fear, anxiety, and other negative emotions from his face. His body is almost on the borderline of shaking.
"What? What is it?" you ask.
"Well... it can wait until tomorrow," he replies, looking up at you, a little calmer now. "I think it can wait until tomorrow. Yes. It's not as important as I make it sound, but it is still a thing you must hear," he nods as he speaks, probably in order to seek self-affirmation.
... "Oookay?" your eyebrows raise in surprise. You shrug, then return to your friendly smile, trying to show that you are open to him and always ready to talk.
"Still. I'm really glad to see you again. It's been what? Ten years?" His troubled look shifts, slowly, into a slightly forced, slightly 'sad' smile. You can read it from his eyebrows, rather than mouth. It is obvious and visible, but you appreciate the effort anyway.
"Around that, yeah," you nod, walking next to him and supporting yourself with the sandstone railing. You look above it, and over the wall. You observe a small caravan of goods moving around the market. The merchant on it selling food to the people. That kind of sight really warms the heart. Just citizens living out their daily lives. You enter a trance, watching the daily life of your future subjects and smile. Soon enough, you turn to Etana and look at him. He holds a similar look to you, but he turns in your direction as well.
"So, how was that... training of yours? What did you learn?" Etana asks, curious.
"Eh, not much. I can, well, write magical texts and make binding contracts. I can... make golems, I guess."
"Golems? Like, what? From clay?"
"Yeah, from clay, from metal, from stone... Anything, really. I can program commands into them, too. What I learned isn't as flashy as most mages."
"I agree, but golems are still very... functional. Don't you think?"
"You were always one to think servants need to be better than they are already," you chuckle. Etana joins in.
"What else? Or is that all?"
"I learned how to infuse architecture with magical power. Ever heard of obelisks? Steles? Anything like that?"
"I guess it rings a bell. Like the magical stones, right?"
"Yup. I can do that. Don't even have to build them, just infuse them with a bit of my magic."
"I see. That's all good. I'm happy for you. While you were studying magic, I was studying law and military tactics here. I guess I'll be your, what's it called? Marshal? Ha!" Etana smiles, a bit awkwardly.
As a child, he was close to a true pacifist. When he'd seen a spider, instead of killing it, he would start a conversation with it, and very politely ask it to leave his room or make a web outside of his room, because he disliked having his privacy invaded – and the spiders always agreed. In other words: he wouldn't hurt a fly, or, well, he hurt a lot of flies by letting the spiders live. He wouldn't hurt a spider would be the correct term. Of course, he got into a few brawls with you, but that was natural sibling rivalry. You can't stop that. With all that said, though: That's what makes it ironic. That he is now going to be a military general. After being like a calm sheep his whole life, he now has to become a ferocious wolf.
"Pretty ironic, right?" You join him in a bit of laughter.
Etana looks at you. "Anyway, I have a gift for you. But I'll give it to you tomorrow too, unless... unless you want to receive it now. But with that gift, the serious news will come as well," he warns. His smile slowly fades into an indifferent, if serious – kind of disturbed, look.
[] "I'll take the gift and grave news tomorrow, then."
[] "Go on. No time like the present."
Firebird Zoom
Pretty Bird
- Location
- Who knows?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] "Go on. No time like the present."
I is worried.
I is worried.
Altharis
Tovarisch Volksdeutsch, Professional Crucifier
- Location
- Poland
We... know about atoms? The hell? Is that common knowledge or does it come with being demigod of Wisdom?
[X] "Go on. No time like the present."
^This. And it will only become worse if we wait, with anxiousness, maybe fear etc. Better to know now.
Firebird Zoom
Pretty Bird
- Location
- Who knows?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Poor guy, I'm sad to say that water is a molecule, not an atom, however.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
I actually wrote that on purpose to screw with your fucking minds and make you rethink what was written, but you had to correct me and ruin it.
Besides, I doubt more than a third of the readers would get my point either way.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
The latter... and former, I guess.
Science is weird in this setting. It borders on modern knowledge except people use magical appliances instead of electricity in some places, while other parts of the world are at the "UGA-UGA-TRIBE WAR!" level of development.
Firebird Zoom
Pretty Bird
- Location
- Who knows?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Ehh, just pity the guy when he comes across Cithulu-expy or some other Lovecraftian entity.
Which makes me think, could a place like Yharnam exist in this setting, or in it's future?
Also, I'm working on Annabelle's lore as we speak, and I've gotten a friend to draw a picture of her.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Prolly, yeah.
Firebird Zoom
Pretty Bird
- Location
- Who knows?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Is Loki a thing in this setting? I need to know this for reasons.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Er, no?
Why?
Firebird Zoom
Pretty Bird
- Location
- Who knows?
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Looking was a fire deity in Norse mythology, in addition to being a trickster, my original draft of Annabelle's lore gave her mother a pretty direct connection with him. Looks like I'll be re-writing that part.
Part 3: Friendly Reconciling
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
"Go on. No time like the present."
...
Etana nods. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Okay," he replies. "Then visit me in my room once you're ready. It's a surprise, but there's no need to hurry. Go visit the sisters first, I'll prepare the gift for you in the meantime."
You're curious. What gift requires preparation time? It has to be something special, perhaps magical? Maybe Etana delved into alchemy and prepared some kind of extract from goodberries? Oh, you love goodberry tarts. And they're very healthy too.
According to correspondence from your mom, your sister, Shala is preparing to marry someone. Siduri, on another hand, became the local arch-priestess. And so, you set off toward Shala's room to have a little brother-to-sister talk and to show her that you came back.
***
Knock-knock-knock.
You knock on Shala's door three times...
The door opens, revealing a beautiful woman in a white gown –– it is a common tradition in these parts for a bride to wear white clothes for at least a week before her marriage, to show everyone that it draws close. She had blonde hair and red eyes, clearly related to you from facial appearance. It was easy to tell at first glance. The woman gasps, full of shock. You take a step closer and embrace your sister in a hug.
"Shamash! You're back!" she exclaims, hugging you back happily. The two of you enfold each other like this for a few seconds.
"Yup! Just in time for the wedding, right?" You let go of your sister. The two of you stare at each other happily, smiling. "So, who's the lucky man, Shala? When do I get to meet him?"
"A king from an allied city-state. His name is Kushko. He's just two years older than you and me."
"Is he handsome, or a good husband?" you ask, wanting only the best of men to be your sister's betrothed.
"Come on, it doesn't matter! Love is the important part, right?"
"Of course. You wouldn't make any babies without love!"
"Quit it!" The now-blushing Shala hits you on the shoulder. Although she puts some effort into the punch, it's not that powerful to you. At least not enough for you to feel any major pain. "But yes... he's a wonderful man – one from my dreams. I'm hoping to spend my life with him in his palace, so after the wedding, I'll be leaving."
"I see," you grimace a bit sadly. It's rather uncomfortable to lose your sister. Of all siblings, your bond with Shala was always close. The two of you often played together as children, so it's a shame, but you completely understand. You intend to marry too, perhaps when you're older. "I'll make sure to visit."
"I'll make sure to do that as well."
"When's the wedding?"
"In three days, actually," she says. "If no complications arise, of course."
"I sure hope not. Wouldn't want my sister's happiness drained."
Shala laughs. You join in.
Shala then gives you a curious look, gesturing inside her room. "Come in, Shamash. You probably traveled for a long time. I want to hear about what you saw!"
"Yeah, I've seen lots of things to the north. But, I'd rather tell you later. I still want to pay Siduri a visit right now."
"Okay, come along later!"
You face away, about to go down the hallway and proceed to the temple, but... a thought crosses your mind. A rather dark one, at that. You gulp, stopping completely.
"What's wrong?" Shala asks.
You stand unresponsive for several seconds, considering the odds of your thought being true or false – because if you speak it out loud without evidence, it might severely damage your relationship with your sister. The shock graps your heart, but regardless – you want what's best for Shala. In three more seconds, you muster up the courage to speak and turn around.
Your previous carefree joy is no longer there, replaced by a stern, serious look. "Shala."
"Um, yes?" she asks. The look on your face is infectious, her happiness, too, fading away into some kind of anxiety. Her eyebrows raise, her eyelids push apart further, her neck shakes. She tries to mentally prepare herself for whatever you're about to say, or ask of her.
"Is this marriage father's idea?"
"W-what? No!"
"Did he talk you into it?"
"No! I'm telling you!"
You know your father to be the type of man who loves his family endlessly. But in spite of his love, his authority as king sometimes comes above human emotion. You've known him to put the good of the people above the good of his own family in nearly all situations. The dark thought in your mind ––– it is you wondering if this is a political marriage. She mentioned her husband is a king, so maybe your father agreed to give him his daughter's hand in exchange for some kind of alliance? You love your father, but you'd have his head on a pike for this. Good of the people or not.
"Shala, are you lying to me?" you ask, truly unsure of the answer to your question.
"Of course not! Shamash, why would I? You know I'm the last person that would follow material gain or a shaky alliance through matrimony! Pfft," she folds her arms, scowling at you. The aura of reconciliation and joy disappeared by now.
Despite her words. Deep down, you know she's lying. It's plain as day because Shala was always a bad liar. Still, without evidence, you won't get her to admit anything. You fold your arms and think about the situation for a while. Yes, trying to get her to admit it is pointless...
There are two ways you can be at peace. The first one is to get Shala to admit the marriage is a bad idea, or to meet this Kushko yourself and ensure that he is a worthy husband who would treat your sister the way she deserves. You look at Shala, trying to replace your frown with an indifferent look to stop creating any more enmity between you.
"Shala, you know that as your brother, I want the best for you. So, I will take your word for it now," you say. "But if you're lying, then know you don't have to do this to yourself."
"I'm not lying... but alright," she replies.
You nod, then walk away.
***
The temple is next to the palace, inter-connected with it. Because Gods, however, are meant to be worshipped by everyone, commoners are also allowed into the temple, or at least the grounds outside of it when they want to pray. The inside of the temple is mostly used during rituals or ceremonies.
The temple is devoted to, first and foremost, Nisaba; your mother, but also several other Gods and Godesses in the same pantheon as her. The temple was rich and lavish. Twelve columns were laid out in the nave, leading to a central stairway in the shape of a circle, on top of which was an altar. Near the stairs, stood the figure you recognized as your sister, orchestrating several priests to move some of the interior decorations, plants, vases, and other items that adorned the temple.
"Siduri!" You call your sister from afar, walking rapidly in her direction.
"Oh, Shamash. You're back?" The woman in ornate robes looks at you. Siduri, out of all siblings, was always the most mature one, with you being second in close pursuit. Even though the difference between all four of you in terms of birth is only by a few seconds, you perceive Siduri as the big sister of the family, always taking care of everyone else.
She is similar to Shala, only slightly taller and with a bigger... well... as weird is it is to admit this about your sister, her bust size is... excessive... er... grandiose. Yes! That's the right word.
"Shala's marriage," you name the topic you want to discuss with her as you walk near.
"Ho? What about Shala's marriage?"
"Do you think dad might be talking her into it?" you ask.
"Maybe. Maybe not."
"And you won't do anything about it?"
"Why would I? Kushko is a fine husband."
"Is he?" you ask, just to make sure. Just to have some peace of mind. You want her to describe the man that your other sister is about to marry. You want to know, make sure, that she won't have to suffer as the consort of some tyrant.
"Of course," she giggles. "Rich, moral, faithful; both romantically and religiously. And he's extremely good-looking. Even if father talked Shala into this, he did her a favor."
You nod, slowly calming down your nerves. Siduri is right. Her judgment is hardly ever lacking, or wrong. When she says something, then it is that way. She never sugarcoats or lies about anything, especially her own opinions. If Siduri thinks that you're human scum, she won't pretend to be your friend. She'll just state what she thinks. Straight into your face. Without respite or mercy. She's kind of cruel in that way but at the same time, you admire that brutal honesty and integrity in her.
"So... how are you doing?"
"Me? I'm doing well–––Oi!" Siduri points her finger at a pair of priests walking by next to the two of you. Both of them were carrying a bench. "What are you doing?"
"Moving the bench?"
"Why are you moving the bench?"
"You told us to, just a minute ago!" One of the priests gestures, confused.
"No, I didn't. Move it back to where it was, you buffoons!!!" she yells at them madly. "Agh," Siduri facepalms. "How can some people be so incompetent?" she looks at you, as the priests drag the bench back to where it was previously.
You look at Siduri and shrug. "Well, anyway, how about any magic? One would think an arch-priestess can perform miracles."
"Of course," she waves her hand.
You feel a sharp, burning sensation on your left hand. It moves away instinctively. "Yeouch! What was that?" You examine your hand, but see no mark of anything on it.
"A fire miracle. I only agitated your hand slightly, don't worry."
"No burn marks?" you ask as if this had happened before.
"No burn marks." Siduri affirms your question.
Much like yourself, Siduri was always proficient in magic. Fire magic specifically.
"You know, I expected you learned something more than fire magic from the priests."
"Such as?"
"Necromancy, or alchemy... nomenclature, effigy-crafting, talismans, celestial magic..."
"Yes, yes. Maybe Hermetic magic and Qabbalah, too?" she says ironically.
"So you didn't learn anything?"
"Oh, no-no-no! I can do some celestial magic. Watch," she snaps her fingers.
...
...
Water? You feel a droplet of water hit your hair. You look up...
There's a dark cloud just under the roof of the temple. Clearly, obviously supernatural in origin. The dark cloud releases droplets of water, but not in a big enough quantity to make anyone or anything in the temple wet. She wouldn't want the place damaged, after all.
"I can predict weather too, and mask people, objects, or places from scrying, divination and localization spells – including any kind of teleportation. I can also cause a sandstorm by summoning a powerful whirlwind of hot sand."
"Seems... interesting."
"How about you?" she asks, curious of what the people of the north taught you.
"Most of my magic takes some time to complete. I can build and program golems, write magical contracts and scribe thaumaturgical documents... er... I can infuse constructions with powe––"
"Boring. I was expecting something flashy from my brother. Like elemental spells, or at least... I don't know, maybe mind manipulation? Or even curses? The local traditions fall behind on both subjects. You'd bring something new to the country."
"You're saying what I learned isn't anything new?"
"Of course it is. What I said is, even if you build an academy based around your techniques, no one will come to learn them. Youth among mages nowadays are only interested in instant and interesting effects. Those that do put in effort are typically weaker, with less mana."
"Speaking of which, is this temple built on a node?"
"You feeling energized?"
"Yes."
"Well, not on a node. But there's a leyline running through here. A rather small, if rich one. The city's spiritual value is rather low, but it exists."
"I see. Well, I'll be going for now. I want to get accomodated in my tower again."
"Make sure to come by sometime soon, Shamash. For some wine and exchange of stories," she offers.
"You know I will," you smile at Siduri and leave.
***
Well, that's it for reconciling with your family members. What now?
(Leisure time.)
[] Go to Etana to see if the gift is ready.
[] Go to your tower.
[] Take a walk.
-[] Where?
[] Go to a shop.
-[] What shop? Buy what?
[] Write-in.
...
Etana nods. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Okay," he replies. "Then visit me in my room once you're ready. It's a surprise, but there's no need to hurry. Go visit the sisters first, I'll prepare the gift for you in the meantime."
You're curious. What gift requires preparation time? It has to be something special, perhaps magical? Maybe Etana delved into alchemy and prepared some kind of extract from goodberries? Oh, you love goodberry tarts. And they're very healthy too.
According to correspondence from your mom, your sister, Shala is preparing to marry someone. Siduri, on another hand, became the local arch-priestess. And so, you set off toward Shala's room to have a little brother-to-sister talk and to show her that you came back.
***
Knock-knock-knock.
You knock on Shala's door three times...
The door opens, revealing a beautiful woman in a white gown –– it is a common tradition in these parts for a bride to wear white clothes for at least a week before her marriage, to show everyone that it draws close. She had blonde hair and red eyes, clearly related to you from facial appearance. It was easy to tell at first glance. The woman gasps, full of shock. You take a step closer and embrace your sister in a hug.
"Shamash! You're back!" she exclaims, hugging you back happily. The two of you enfold each other like this for a few seconds.
"Yup! Just in time for the wedding, right?" You let go of your sister. The two of you stare at each other happily, smiling. "So, who's the lucky man, Shala? When do I get to meet him?"
"A king from an allied city-state. His name is Kushko. He's just two years older than you and me."
"Is he handsome, or a good husband?" you ask, wanting only the best of men to be your sister's betrothed.
"Come on, it doesn't matter! Love is the important part, right?"
"Of course. You wouldn't make any babies without love!"
"Quit it!" The now-blushing Shala hits you on the shoulder. Although she puts some effort into the punch, it's not that powerful to you. At least not enough for you to feel any major pain. "But yes... he's a wonderful man – one from my dreams. I'm hoping to spend my life with him in his palace, so after the wedding, I'll be leaving."
"I see," you grimace a bit sadly. It's rather uncomfortable to lose your sister. Of all siblings, your bond with Shala was always close. The two of you often played together as children, so it's a shame, but you completely understand. You intend to marry too, perhaps when you're older. "I'll make sure to visit."
"I'll make sure to do that as well."
"When's the wedding?"
"In three days, actually," she says. "If no complications arise, of course."
"I sure hope not. Wouldn't want my sister's happiness drained."
Shala laughs. You join in.
Shala then gives you a curious look, gesturing inside her room. "Come in, Shamash. You probably traveled for a long time. I want to hear about what you saw!"
"Yeah, I've seen lots of things to the north. But, I'd rather tell you later. I still want to pay Siduri a visit right now."
"Okay, come along later!"
You face away, about to go down the hallway and proceed to the temple, but... a thought crosses your mind. A rather dark one, at that. You gulp, stopping completely.
"What's wrong?" Shala asks.
You stand unresponsive for several seconds, considering the odds of your thought being true or false – because if you speak it out loud without evidence, it might severely damage your relationship with your sister. The shock graps your heart, but regardless – you want what's best for Shala. In three more seconds, you muster up the courage to speak and turn around.
Your previous carefree joy is no longer there, replaced by a stern, serious look. "Shala."
"Um, yes?" she asks. The look on your face is infectious, her happiness, too, fading away into some kind of anxiety. Her eyebrows raise, her eyelids push apart further, her neck shakes. She tries to mentally prepare herself for whatever you're about to say, or ask of her.
"Is this marriage father's idea?"
"W-what? No!"
"Did he talk you into it?"
"No! I'm telling you!"
You know your father to be the type of man who loves his family endlessly. But in spite of his love, his authority as king sometimes comes above human emotion. You've known him to put the good of the people above the good of his own family in nearly all situations. The dark thought in your mind ––– it is you wondering if this is a political marriage. She mentioned her husband is a king, so maybe your father agreed to give him his daughter's hand in exchange for some kind of alliance? You love your father, but you'd have his head on a pike for this. Good of the people or not.
"Shala, are you lying to me?" you ask, truly unsure of the answer to your question.
"Of course not! Shamash, why would I? You know I'm the last person that would follow material gain or a shaky alliance through matrimony! Pfft," she folds her arms, scowling at you. The aura of reconciliation and joy disappeared by now.
Despite her words. Deep down, you know she's lying. It's plain as day because Shala was always a bad liar. Still, without evidence, you won't get her to admit anything. You fold your arms and think about the situation for a while. Yes, trying to get her to admit it is pointless...
There are two ways you can be at peace. The first one is to get Shala to admit the marriage is a bad idea, or to meet this Kushko yourself and ensure that he is a worthy husband who would treat your sister the way she deserves. You look at Shala, trying to replace your frown with an indifferent look to stop creating any more enmity between you.
"Shala, you know that as your brother, I want the best for you. So, I will take your word for it now," you say. "But if you're lying, then know you don't have to do this to yourself."
"I'm not lying... but alright," she replies.
You nod, then walk away.
***
The temple is next to the palace, inter-connected with it. Because Gods, however, are meant to be worshipped by everyone, commoners are also allowed into the temple, or at least the grounds outside of it when they want to pray. The inside of the temple is mostly used during rituals or ceremonies.
The temple is devoted to, first and foremost, Nisaba; your mother, but also several other Gods and Godesses in the same pantheon as her. The temple was rich and lavish. Twelve columns were laid out in the nave, leading to a central stairway in the shape of a circle, on top of which was an altar. Near the stairs, stood the figure you recognized as your sister, orchestrating several priests to move some of the interior decorations, plants, vases, and other items that adorned the temple.
"Siduri!" You call your sister from afar, walking rapidly in her direction.
"Oh, Shamash. You're back?" The woman in ornate robes looks at you. Siduri, out of all siblings, was always the most mature one, with you being second in close pursuit. Even though the difference between all four of you in terms of birth is only by a few seconds, you perceive Siduri as the big sister of the family, always taking care of everyone else.
She is similar to Shala, only slightly taller and with a bigger... well... as weird is it is to admit this about your sister, her bust size is... excessive... er... grandiose. Yes! That's the right word.
"Shala's marriage," you name the topic you want to discuss with her as you walk near.
"Ho? What about Shala's marriage?"
"Do you think dad might be talking her into it?" you ask.
"Maybe. Maybe not."
"And you won't do anything about it?"
"Why would I? Kushko is a fine husband."
"Is he?" you ask, just to make sure. Just to have some peace of mind. You want her to describe the man that your other sister is about to marry. You want to know, make sure, that she won't have to suffer as the consort of some tyrant.
"Of course," she giggles. "Rich, moral, faithful; both romantically and religiously. And he's extremely good-looking. Even if father talked Shala into this, he did her a favor."
You nod, slowly calming down your nerves. Siduri is right. Her judgment is hardly ever lacking, or wrong. When she says something, then it is that way. She never sugarcoats or lies about anything, especially her own opinions. If Siduri thinks that you're human scum, she won't pretend to be your friend. She'll just state what she thinks. Straight into your face. Without respite or mercy. She's kind of cruel in that way but at the same time, you admire that brutal honesty and integrity in her.
"So... how are you doing?"
"Me? I'm doing well–––Oi!" Siduri points her finger at a pair of priests walking by next to the two of you. Both of them were carrying a bench. "What are you doing?"
"Moving the bench?"
"Why are you moving the bench?"
"You told us to, just a minute ago!" One of the priests gestures, confused.
"No, I didn't. Move it back to where it was, you buffoons!!!" she yells at them madly. "Agh," Siduri facepalms. "How can some people be so incompetent?" she looks at you, as the priests drag the bench back to where it was previously.
You look at Siduri and shrug. "Well, anyway, how about any magic? One would think an arch-priestess can perform miracles."
"Of course," she waves her hand.
You feel a sharp, burning sensation on your left hand. It moves away instinctively. "Yeouch! What was that?" You examine your hand, but see no mark of anything on it.
"A fire miracle. I only agitated your hand slightly, don't worry."
"No burn marks?" you ask as if this had happened before.
"No burn marks." Siduri affirms your question.
Much like yourself, Siduri was always proficient in magic. Fire magic specifically.
"You know, I expected you learned something more than fire magic from the priests."
"Such as?"
"Necromancy, or alchemy... nomenclature, effigy-crafting, talismans, celestial magic..."
"Yes, yes. Maybe Hermetic magic and Qabbalah, too?" she says ironically.
"So you didn't learn anything?"
"Oh, no-no-no! I can do some celestial magic. Watch," she snaps her fingers.
...
...
Water? You feel a droplet of water hit your hair. You look up...
There's a dark cloud just under the roof of the temple. Clearly, obviously supernatural in origin. The dark cloud releases droplets of water, but not in a big enough quantity to make anyone or anything in the temple wet. She wouldn't want the place damaged, after all.
"I can predict weather too, and mask people, objects, or places from scrying, divination and localization spells – including any kind of teleportation. I can also cause a sandstorm by summoning a powerful whirlwind of hot sand."
"Seems... interesting."
"How about you?" she asks, curious of what the people of the north taught you.
"Most of my magic takes some time to complete. I can build and program golems, write magical contracts and scribe thaumaturgical documents... er... I can infuse constructions with powe––"
"Boring. I was expecting something flashy from my brother. Like elemental spells, or at least... I don't know, maybe mind manipulation? Or even curses? The local traditions fall behind on both subjects. You'd bring something new to the country."
"You're saying what I learned isn't anything new?"
"Of course it is. What I said is, even if you build an academy based around your techniques, no one will come to learn them. Youth among mages nowadays are only interested in instant and interesting effects. Those that do put in effort are typically weaker, with less mana."
"Speaking of which, is this temple built on a node?"
"You feeling energized?"
"Yes."
"Well, not on a node. But there's a leyline running through here. A rather small, if rich one. The city's spiritual value is rather low, but it exists."
"I see. Well, I'll be going for now. I want to get accomodated in my tower again."
"Make sure to come by sometime soon, Shamash. For some wine and exchange of stories," she offers.
"You know I will," you smile at Siduri and leave.
***
Well, that's it for reconciling with your family members. What now?
(Leisure time.)
[] Go to Etana to see if the gift is ready.
[] Go to your tower.
[] Take a walk.
-[] Where?
[] Go to a shop.
-[] What shop? Buy what?
[] Write-in.
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Umi-san
Procrastinating.
- Location
- ꙮ
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Our character is the protective big brother type, so I feel like the former, but he'd be willing to give up if she said that 'no, just no.'
There's probably a single shop or two with magical stuff in the city.
Our tower is one of the several towers of the royal palace of Eridu. Built for the MC by his father to act as a mixture of a study, workshop, and room. It's what you'd expect from the typical lair of a mage; it has bookshelves, desks, books, a bed, some alchemical ingredients (That the MC doesn't know how to use,) and other stuff of similar nature.