Video | August 16th | Locked to Dreamfolk

[redlightgreenlight]

[The room is mostly dark, but there's enough light to see that Valdis is sketching and almost not even paying attention to the camera.]

Ban Om. Kaka'i. The Sabonile. Tariku. Tifaut. Tia-Cheal.

[The six major religions in Aifaran had recently drawn her attention, but for less than ideal reasons.]

Organized religion is usually something to be wary of on some level, and while these may operate in the light of day, what of the ones that don't? Any summoning of powers based in the sensation of death, on harnessing the final moments of life, in consuming the moment the soul breaks...this is dark magic. Dangerous magic.

[She makes a few notes then goes back to whatever she is drawing.]

With the current state of Konryu, meaning the collisions between the planes, it is prudent to wonder about the darker side of things. There's an underworld to every religion. Parts that break away to interpret texts differently. Pieces that twist and morph and remake themselves. It is not exactly hard to think that at least one of these six has potential for darkness.

[She flips the book around to show the details of her sketch. Faceless figures wrapped in shadow, all surrounding a bound animal. But the animal isn't alive, its skin and fur are rotting off, leaving a half covered skull with gaping, empty eyes. To those who explored the depth of the Narrakra, they may recognize the animal to some extent.]

I just want to know which one.

Comments

Private Video

[ninjainviolet]

[ Sheena's expression is calm, but there's no hiding her bitterness when she responds. ]

You have two options: The largest and the smallest.

Private Video

[redlightgreenlight]

Ban Om is the largest, I do not discount them, and in fact they are my biggest concern...Their history is fraught with the remnants of death.

[She hums and makes a note, not over Sheena's bitterness, but of her advice.]

And from my observations, the remaining religions do not condone violence and in fact desire life and wellness.

[It is not difficult for her to imagine a sect of the Ban Om that leans toward Death. They may not even realize what they are playing with.]

Private Video

[ninjainviolet]

Then you want to look at the one small religion who is very vocal about life and wellness.

That usually means they're hiding something.

[ Experience is a wondrous thing. ]

Re: Private Video

[redlightgreenlight]

You mean the Tifaut?

[Another note]

Acts of kindness will heal the world and all that jazz...If repair is what they seek, then consulting the Death Plane for answers would not necessarily be out of mind.

Re: Private Video

[ninjainviolet]

[ Sheena believes in letting people live and worship the way they want, but she has a problem with those who run the religion. ]

Heal the world? As in make it perfect for everyone--or only a select few? Yeah, keep an eye on them.

Groups like that will do whatever it takes to get what they want. And time is usually no obstacle.

[video]

[necrocabbage]

That's -

[Trahearne pauses and sucks in a breath, steadying himself from his initial surprise.]

Where did you see this, Valdis? Do you suspect that the people here are practicing some form of necromancy?

[video]

[redlightgreenlight]

[Valdis blinks, Trahearne had mentioned necromancy before, why didn't she think of asking him?]

I saw it when I walked through the memories of the dead...on the Narrakra.

[She held up the drawing again.]

It died very painfully...I do not know why, but I can guess.

[video]

[necrocabbage]

The Narrakra? Interesting...

[He's leaning in closer to his yimo now, peering intently at the picture.]

If you could provide me with details about that ritual circle, I might be able to glean something about what they were trying to accomplish. Assuming that it matches what I know, of course.

Re: [video]

[redlightgreenlight]

It wasn't necromancy as I know of?

[She flipped the drawing around to look at it.]

It was definitely some sort of ritual sacrifice. This drawing is a compilation of what I saw through the eyes of the creature...

[Minus the faces of those she knew had been involved.]

Usually such a sacrifice is meant to appease something...an offering to gain something else.

Video; private

[afoolsgold]

[The Fool is presently at work on a carving of some kind, the details of which are well hidden. He has paused in his work to watch this update to the network, and now wears a pensive frown. He has seen religion's darkest aspects in his own world, a prophet tortured and tormented by an imposter; what Valdis proposes is not implausible. And yet,]

What would an Ioduanese faith gain from turning against its own in such a way?

[the sound of a chisel on wood follows; he distractedly works upon his carving.]

Video; private

[redlightgreenlight]

Conflict is an intrinsic part of being alive. People will agree or disagree on a whim. Start wars over a differing translation...

[Years of experience taught her the folly of organized faiths, she never trusted them, even knowing what she knew of the Heavens and Circles.]

People often act out of fear. They desire power to conquer these fears. It can appear as anger, or calm...The crew of the Narrakra no doubt acted out of desperation, and desperation can make even the most moral man fall to his knees. But I am less concerned about the why and more with how they learned this ritual.

[afoolsgold]

I shall hope, for our sake as well as for those who follow the Ioduanese faiths, that it isn't so.

[which isn't the same as saying he does not believe in the possibility; he does. But he knows only too well what it is like to have the fundament of one's world compromised. He wouldn't see that happen to the citizens of the Alliance unless these suspicions were proven true.]

How will you search for more clues?

[redlightgreenlight]

The most obvious route is to go temple by temple and check for death magic, but aside from that, I'm not sure.

[She doesn't particularly want the religions catching on to her.]

Do you have any ideas?

text, private

[rutility]

My own experience with religion is limited to my observations in Aifaran, which are from a distance at best. How would you recommend investigating your accusations?

text, private

[redlightgreenlight]

[Valdis decides to overlook the word 'accusations', no point in riling Rutile any more than she already has. She'd be quite happy to be wrong about this in some ways.]

We can't just walk into a temple and ask if anyone has been practicing Death Magic lately...But I can sense the power behind death, if there have been any rituals within a certain radius of my location. If I searched every single temple, I might be able to figure out if someone has been using death magic. But with the Death Plane breaching at random, it's not a foolproof method.

text, private

[rutility]

[ To be fair, ‘accusations’ wasn’t intended the way it sounded. Rutile just always sounds contrary. ]

Perhaps draw them out instead. Make them come to you, somehow - offer up an animal for sacrifice, or make incendiary comments about the current state of affairs to find people who agree with you.

[ Several minutes later, Rutile sends another missive. ]

Or tell them something they want to hear. I have found that is highly effective.

text, private

[redlightgreenlight]

That would certainly take less time. Yet they've managed to remain hidden, so I doubt I will be able to draw them out so easily.

[Darkness knew how to hide.]

Besides, I don't want to alienate half the city in my pursuit of this. I may have to make nice and go temple by temple.

text;

[mandatoryfun]

I've had my fill of religion to last me a lifetime.

text;

[redlightgreenlight]

Even knowing what I know, I have little faith in any religion.

text;

[mandatoryfun]

Life experiences have a way of doing that.

text

[redlightgreenlight]

I'm simply tired of meddlesome deities and their games of chess...mortals do not understand the truth of what they worship, nor do they care to, unless it offers some sort of advantage to their goals.

[Valdis realizes belatedly that she doesn't recognize this ID]

I don't think we've met. My name is Valdis.

text;

[ilda]

Do you still need help with your research, Valdis?

text;

[redlightgreenlight]

That depends on how you feel about potentially upsetting the religious groups in the area.

text;

[ilda]

[ She takes a moment to think it over. A couple of months ago, she'd have been concerned. But since the arrival of those temporary Dreamfolk and Tolunai's card reading... something seems to have shifted within her. ]

I don't think I can upset them any more after starting that riot.

This is still related to the visions and the Narrakra, right?

[ Her reasons are personal, now, but Valdis doesn't have to know. Yet. ]

text;

[redlightgreenlight]

[That was not exactly the answer she expected, though Valdis had to admit that Ilda had a point.]

It is. There's been some less than ideal information that has come to light concerning the Narrakra.

[As the girl may have noticed from her post.]