The Offering (SH 19 TT)

[Tristam]

"Go on, lad." Merrek urged. "I'll be here when you return." He smiled at Ssinith in reassurance.

The priest led Ssinith through the corridors of the Temple and through a door shaped with a stylized lowing lava pattern around the door. The office was a study in black and reds. Where a simple room might have been in basalt and bloodstones, this room was done in obsidian and ruby. It shone and gleamed with quiet intensity. No doubt this explained the dim light in the room where most room were filled with the bright glows of fire and magma. The priest led him past his desk to a table with two chairs and gestured for Ssinith to sit.

"Proclaiming is thirsty work I find." He smiled at him and reached for a crystal decanter of some amber liquid on the table. He poured two glasses and offered one to Ssinith. "My name is Caldera, a Temperer of Molten." (A Temperer is a Priest of Molten dedicated to increasing the faith of worshippers, usually through difficult experiences.) He took a sip from his glass. "Your sister has always spoken well of you but I do not think even she knew the depths of your faith."

[Ssinith DIllil]

"... I am still learning about faith, father." he replied. "But anything I desire to learn, I put my entire heart into."

He accepted the liquid and took a small sip. He pondered himself for a few moments before returning his gaze to the Temperer and sitting down.

"Illissin was one of the few who at least took me seriously when I wanted to be a sorcerer... even though she did not fully agree with my path. I suppose it was because she respected my dedication."

[Tristam]

"I am pleased to see that this dedication has been focused upon both your studies and upon Molten." Caldera replied taking a sip of his drink as well. It was a light and sweet alcohol of a type Ssinith has never had before. It soothed the throat as it went down.

"When I had heard of your experience in the Inner Sanctum, I admit to experiencing great confusion." He shook his head and chuckled. "You would think that I of all people should simply trust to Molten's wisdom."

"Ssinith, the temple seeks your aid. I know not if your skills in sorcery have progressed to where you can truly aid, but I think another point of view is needed here. Are you interested?" He asked.

[Ssinith DIllil]

"Why confusion, father? ... Was it because I was a sorcerer?"

He enjoyed the drink, but knew it was a drink to be sipped and not guzzled. Waiting patiently for instructions, he tilted his head curiously and listened to the dillemma.

"I am at Molten's disposal." Ssinith replied. "How may I assist?"

[Tristam]

Caldera nodded yes to Ssinith's question. "Yes it was because Our Molten Lord urged you to learn sorcery. Usually those that gain His favor are granted His power. To simply grant you leave to learn elsewhere puzzled us all. Now we know." Caldera reached out and clapped Ssinith on the shoulder. "The more skills brought into the service, the stronger we all become." He smiled at him.

"Come to the temple tomorrow when your studies are done." Caldera asked. "Then we shall see what you can do for us."

[Ssinith DIllil]

Ssinith paused in silence, getting clapped on the shoulder by the priest. He looked up at him, looking slightly hurt.

"Why is there such a stigma between sorcerers and priests? It seems to be on both sides." he replied, absent-mindedly rubbing his chest where the mark of Molten was. "And one could argue that he has not denied me his power either."

He paused for another moment, looking up at the priest.

"Perhaps when I have graduated from the Mages Acadamy, I will become a laymen here to better understand this conflict. It seems... foolish to me."

[Tristam]

"Let me put it to you this way, Ssinith." Caldera offered. "My powers come directly from Molten. It is he alone that decides whether my prayers are answered. I can work great things but only by his leave. Thus to any priest of Molten to any follower of Molten, my powers are no threat. Whatever I do is the will of our god, and we trust him in all things."

"Whereas you gain your powers from another source." Caldera explained. "Were Molten to disagree with how you used your sorcery, he could send you his misgivings or warn his priests of the dangerous paths you tread but in the end you can use your powers for or against Molten at your will. It is a rare person that would take that kind of power and willing put it at the complete disposal of another without any reservations or personal agenda. That is why some will mistrust you lad."

Caldera patted him on the shoulder once more. "Don't let them bother you. Such opposition will only strengthen your resolve and your faith I think."

[Ssinith DIllil]

"It seems illogical not to, father." Ssinith replied. "For even in the eyes of many sorcerers, the only difference between a god and a sorcerer is immortality. Even if such were the case, to not align yourself to a greater power is foolish. With Molten's will at being the best being possible, I do not see why even the mercenary sorcerer would not at least consider this."

Ssinith looked down at his feet a little chagrined, his ears slightly drooping.

"... I know it will strengthen me in the end. It will also strengthen our bretheren as a whole. I was not born for mundane a purpose, that is for certain. Particularly when we are now exploring the reaches of the surface... we will need to bring people to Molten who do not understand him. In order to do that, we must think outside of ourselves before we can reach outside of Gulanadur."

[Tristam]

Caldera nodded in agreement. "I am pleased to hear you say so. Yes, more and more, I am glad I chose to speak to you of this. I will speak to the others in the temple this eveningtide. When you return tomorrow, I feel sure they will agree with me."

Caldera stood up and offered Ssinith his hand. "Until tomorrow Ssinith. May the glow of Molten light your path."

[Ssinith DIllil]

"Farewell, father. May the embers of Molten burn brightly for you."

He bowed respectfully to the higher priest and returned outside to where Marrek was previously, looking for him.

[Tristam]

Ssinith found Marrek sitting in one of the seats at the back of the temple calmy meditating upon the eternal flame at the altar.

"Ah there you are, my friend." Marrek smiled at him and Ssinith approached. "How went your meeting with the Temperer?"

[Adrian Elsonrae]

"It was... enlightening." He replied, not really hinting that it was good or bad. "I just pray that I will be ready for what lies ahead."

He walked over to Marrek's side and smiled, his satchel slung over his shoulder. The walk back to the Mage's Guild would be slow, taking time to talk with his new friend.

"Hmmm... what does Gulanadur need in the physical realm, Marrek? I know a little of the economics here, but fresh ideas must spring from demand. In order to bring the merchant ties of Molten over the weapons trade, we must supply a demand."

[Tristam]

"To create a demand for weapons?" Marrek exclaimed inhis booming voice. "That sounds like you want to start a war, friend Ssinith." He chuckled. "Well it is a truth that people are always fighting or preparing for that fate. If we are not fighting, surely someone in the surface world is. Perhaps that is where we should look."

[Adrian Elsonrae]

"No, I meant that the weapons trade is currently above the masonry trade that we offer." Ssinith stated. "The surface would indeed be the place to look, but... how would we get up there? I would like more information from those who have been there at least before attempting to set up a market."

"Actually..." he replied, pausing a moment in his walk. "The DeVir house is the one promoting the ties with the surface. Perhaps if we know the political ties that we currently have with outside lands, we can begin to cater to their demand."

[Tristam]

"There is no doubt that the nobles of Devir sell our goods on the surface." Marrek nodded at that. "But it is clear that they prefer us down here producing the goods while they ascend to the surface to make the bargains."

Merrek paused for a moment to look about the street around them and then continued in a lower voice. "I know there are many within our house that wish it were we ascending to the surface and paying the Devir's their cut rather than the other way around. No one is willing to persue the matter for fear of risking our current level of prosperity. Infighting would make us seem weaker to the other Houses."

"However," Merrek paused a moment and then forged on, "there has been a rather persistent rumor that the Magic Guild has rediscovered the means of using magical portals to travel to distant lands. Would you know the truth about this?"

[Ssinith DIllil]

"I can not confirm or deny it as this is the first time that I have heard anything about it." Ssinith replied quietly. "But I wouldn't put it past them... and keeping it a mere rumor if it is indeed a truth would at least get my foot in the door. It would more than likely take quite a bit more study for that level of power, but I am certain the other houses have their own in the Mage's guild looking into it. I will surely keep an eye open."

[Tristam]

"Please do." Merrek nodded to him. "Any route to the surface must be investigated and hopefully taken advantage of. I would also say secured against misuse but I cannot imagine the Magic Guild not being able to handle any unfriendly visitors." Merrek looked to Ssinith for confirmation.

[Adrian Elsonrae]

"Some of them are the unfriendly visitors..." he quipped. "But considering the opportunity for extra coin for their research, I am certain they would be more than open to the prospect. Besides, is not the mason business done by mages? Perhaps an "after study" program for some extra coin may appeal to some mages... it is two crown to enter, and for some, that is all they have."

He pondered a moment and decided that plans needed to be made.

"I will see what I can do. Where would I go to leave you a message, brother of the flame?"

[Tristam]

"The MasterForge of House Marrett of course." Marrek smiled at him. "A message given to any of the House will reach me in time but that will reach me quickest."

The blocky shape of the Magic Guild loomed ahead of them and soon Marrek has brought Ssinith to his door. "Rest well, my friend. May Molten's warmth lull you into restful sleep."

[Ssinith DIllil]

((What was the event that was supposed to happen on the 20th here?))

[Tristam]

OOC: It was an event that may still happen in the future so I am not going to divulge details. Let me go back over my notes and I will work out a summary .

[Tristam]

The temperer called back Ssinith into the depths of the temple into some more natural caves attached to the constructed temple. In some of them, in a makeshift infirmary were several dwarves. All were in either a catatonic state or simply wide eyed and shivering even in the volcanic warmth of the caverns.

The temperer then took Ssinith to where they had appeared from: a basalt archway seemingly carved into the bedrock itself that led to nowhere. It sat against bare rock. They had tried their priestly abilities to both aid the dwarves or open the portal but found it beyond their skills.

They wanted Ssinith to try and aid them but for the moment it has proved beyond his skills as well. So we shall say that this was something he was researching but has now been put aside for greater concerns. If that sounds good, I'll skill this thread.

-- Tris

[Ssinith DIllil]

((Hmmm... he would definately have spent his time in study at the Acadamy to further understand how energy moved. The Assention, if he survives the war, may give him enough skill to further understand the anomaly. This would also give Ssinith a second excuse to study portals after this and Marrek's suggestion.

One question, though. What sort of energies are around the catatonic or "fried" ones? Any abnormal signs of supernatural force that could give an extra clue as to what all is up with what happened?))

[Tristam]

((There were traces of an energy about them that Ssinith did not recognize but so little that it certainly wasn't a spell or curse being maintained on them. More like the residue of something they had been exposed to. It had a slick oily feel to it and seemed to slither away from his vision whenever he tried to examine it more closely.))

[Ssinith DIllil]

((Ssinith's advice would be, then... do NOT open the portal. A portal is a doorway, while there can be an exit on the other side, it could very well also be a locked room holding something in there which shouldn't be out in the first place... OR something WAS locked in it and came out of it which still might be out and about in another form. Until he can come across some way to safely define what the hell that energy was, keep a watch over the stasis of the dwarves while he looks into it.

Although I wasn't going to have him study it initially, would runecraft offer some clues about the archway? There are dwarves around, plus I must wonder... are dwarves all that common around Gulanadur? Any clues from their clothes or tools? *Ssinith will be writing all of this down for study* Maybe if they hand him some samples of the rocks around the archway and maybe blood samples of the fragged and catatonic dwarves that maybe he could find out why some are catatonic and others are just... shivering. That could be more alchemy work as well as study on dwarves and their mining habits.))