Patchwork Universe

The Cardinal · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 5:48 pm Post subject: The Fall of a Sparrow

[ooc: From Chantry 'A Poisoned Chalice']

A procession of people entered from the mists to the west. First a young boy, dressed in white, swinging a censer on a chain. Next two middle-aged men in black robes, then four strong youths carrying a red litter, finally two brown-robed men each leading a pack mule.

They made their way with difficulty through the jungle terrain. From the litter a man in red robes looked out at the scenery. His eyes were hooded and his expression unreadable.

The Cardinal · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:56 pm Post subject:

Bird calls rang from every part of the jungle as the procession made their way across the land. The waterways that ran this way and that through the jungle proved difficult to transverse and all the party, save the man in the litter, were dripping with moisture.

Eventually the shape of the golden building loomed ahead of them, at first seeming abandoned and overrun. But as they neared it the boy who led the group spotted moving figures amid the arches and pillars of the building and alerted the rest of the group.
"The design suggests a temple," the man in the litter mused. "Perhaps to a god or spirit of this place." As another burst of bird calls rang out he added: "Or even to these arial creatures themselves, certainly this place seems to belong to them as much as any one else."

The procession had paused, waiting for his order, and now he gave it.
"Let us go onwards to the building," he decided. "We may hope that the occupants are indeed priests who will recognise in us others of their calling. If not, it is in the hands of the almighty."

Avinneyya · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 8:02 pm Post subject:

As the procession approached the temple, an Azure-robed preist swept down out of the building. He drew himself up to full height in front of them like an owl bearing down on its prey.
"P-pilgrims!" He said, with surprise. It was impossible to say anything for certain about the preist's face, but he did have the air of a flustered bureaucrat. A mind-bogglingly graceful flustered bureaucrat.
Getting his bearings, he continued. "Oh, I am sorry. F-forgive the ap-p-pearance of our temple. It has b-been a v-very long time since w-we have had p-pilgrims, and although w-we have tried to keep the p-place tidy, I'm af-fraid it m-may have f-fallen into a slight state of disrep-pair." He seemed to think for a moment. "M-master Avv-vinneyya is out travelling at the m-moment, and I am the highest ranking p-preist here. If-f there's anything I can do f-for you-?"

The Cardinal · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:16 pm Post subject:

The procession came to a halt. The boy with the censer stood still and the other priests came to stand behind him. The litter bearers lowered their burden and the Cardinal stepped out of the litter.

"Peace be with you," he said to the azure-robed priest. "I am the Cardinal of the house of God that currently lies to your western border. It is unfortunate that your spiritual leader is away. In his absence I ask only that my brethren and I might pray with you and learn of your beliefs."

"To what God or saint is this temple dedicated and of what manner is your worship?"

Avinneyya · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:45 pm Post subject:

"P-peace b-be with you, Cardinal." the azure-robed preist said. "Our temp-ple is a p-place of quiet contemmp-plation, of wholeness." He seemed almost as though he were repeating lines from a brochure. "Wwe do not w-worshipip any p-particular entity, rather we try to p-provide a calm sanctuary where p-people can reach their innermost b-being, where they can m-meditate, and come closer to enlightenment." as though second-guessing this line of thought, he abruptly changed the subject.
"We harbor no ill wwil against those of our b-brethren with diffferent b-beleif-fs, and if you wish f-for a p-place to rest and f-follow whatever you b-eleivve to be the correct p-path for yourself, you may f-feel ffree to use our f-facilities to do so. We will not disturb you."

The Cardinal · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 9:02 am Post subject:

"We thank you for your consideration," the Cardinal said.

Turning to his own party he addressed them in a language of melodic liquidity.
"Andiamo..."
Having confirmed that they were indeed in a temple, he instructed the group to make camp and perform the parts of the office suitable for such an environment.

Then he turned back to the azure-robed priest.
"My brethren and I would like to stay at your temple until tomorrow. Then we must be on our way. But while they perform the offices of our faith, services your people are welcome to attend, I should like to hear more of your beliefs."

"I am a scholar," he explained. "And meditation on the subject of enlightenment sounds most interesting, especially if you would guide my meditations with further explanation of the temple complex."

Avinneyya · Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:35 pm Post subject:

"Wwe are glad to be ab-ble to helpip you, Cardinal." said the Azure-robed priest. A small, white bird landed on his shoulder and he seemed to whisper something to it. It flew off.
"If you w-would care to join me, I shall explain things to yourself and any who w-would be interested on a...tour, p-perhapps, of out temmple."

Several priests in shimmering robes emerged from the temple, following the white bird.

"M-my Brethren w-will help-p you become settled." The Priest in Azure said to the cardinal's entourage.

[ooc note- the religion of the temple is markedly similar to early Buddhism, with similar beliefs and terms. However, there are some fairly large discrepancies between the two religions, and the temple does not come from a world where Buddhism as we know it exists]

The Cardinal · Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 11:31 am Post subject:

"Thank you," the Cardinal said. "I would appreciate the tour."
He gestured to the boy in white who ran to his side. "My acolyte will attend me."

Falling into step with the azure-robed priest he continued.
"Forgive me, I'm not sure you to address you. In my church most priests are addressed as Father. Is 'Master' the equivalent term in yours?"

"I am also curious about your holy books? Does this temple possess a scriptorium or library?"

Avinneyya · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:54 am Post subject:

The three walked past statues of what could have been lions, between widely-spaced and elaborately carved pillars into the main building of the temple. It was spacious, with no distinction made between inside and outside.
"M-master Avvinneyya is a somimwhat... special case. If you m-must call me by a title, brother would not be inappipropriate. Brother"-he paused for a moment, dropping something into a small, rectangular pool in the floor, something that was greedily gobbled up by an unseen fish- "Nabhovanna. As to the writings, Cardinal, we do have several holy books stored in the temple, although none to match the great libraries of the Empire." Brother Nabhovanna led them to an unsupported spiral staircase emerging from the floor and seeming to lead up past the roof. "I shall show you to them."

Avinneyya · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 1:56 am Post subject:

The birds, seeming to move in a current, surrounded the three as they emerged onto the roof of the temple. As they cleared, an elaborate sructure could be seen hanging in midair, almost directly overhead. Several more structures, all different but similarly elaborate, floated off in the distance, connected to each other and the Temple by a thin web of rope and wood. Brother Nabhovanna led the three to the east, out onto a thin and slightly unstable rope bridge.

The Cardinal · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 9:33 am Post subject:

"Fascinating," the Cardinal said, looking at the structre and unable to determine how it was supported. The acoloyte followed Nabhovanna on to the rope bridge, rounde-eyed with amazement, and the Cardinal followed more circumspectly.

Having noticed the priest's earlier interchange with the bird the Cardinal asked:
"Brother Nabhovanna, may I ask the significance of the birds in your religion?"

[ooc: Sorry for posting delay. I managed to miss the earlier post.]

Avinneyya · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:45 pm Post subject:

[ooc- no worries! ;)]
"There are those who come to the temp-ple on p-pilgrimage with little goal other than fulfilling a spiritual v-void, and we do encourage them-m in this- it is, affter all, b-better than allow-wing it to remain emimpty."
Brother Nabhovanna paused, as though this ought to be sufficient, then continued, seeing that it wasn't.
"but there are also those who seek to remain, to dev-vote themselves to enlightenment. We b-believe that those who w-wish to attain Enlightenment may seek to remain at our tempple beyond life." He paused again. "In short, we beleive the birds to be the souls of those who are close to enlightenment." A small, green bird flew by, pursued by a larger, dark blue one. "Or not, as the case may be." Nabhovanna finished, glaring at the blue bird. It fluttered off, looking decidedly embarrassed.

The Cardinal · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:35 pm Post subject:

The Cardinal thought this through and considered the implications. If what the azure robed priest was suggesting was literally true, the implications were very interesting indeed. But without any disparagment of the temple's beliefs he did not understand them well enough yet to leap to any conclusions.

"So, how long does your religion suggest that it takes to attain enlightment? May a young man achieve it, or does enlightment come upon death."

"I see that you are able to communicate in some fashion with the birds, these souls of the departed, are they able to tell you anything of their progress towards enlightenment?"

Avinneyya · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 8:14 pm Post subject:

"Enlightenment," Brother Nabhovanna said, "Is not...B-bounded by time. F-for some, it can be acheiv-ved with m-mere years, or evven mimonths, of m-meditation, b-but others require m-many liffetimes to reach it." The bridge seemed to be longer than it had appeared at first, and the three had barely gotten halfway across it. "M-many of the B-birds are close to enlightenment, very close indeed, while others are only beginning their quest to reach it, b-but w-we do not often disturbib them w-with questions on their p-progress."

Avinneyya · Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 4:40 pm Post subject:

There was a flurry of white, and something landed on the Cardinal's head. "Oh, Really?"
"Yes" Brother Nabhovanna said, sounding distinctly unamused.
"Because I could have sworn that one of the novices-"
"Look," Brother Nabhovanna interrupted, 'This gentleman, which you ap-pear to b-be using as a perch, is amongst the f-first v-visitors that w-we have had in years, and I w-would app-preciate it if-f his stay was p-p-pleasant."
"I merely wished to offer any help that I could in doing just that, but if you don't want me to, I can always go back to contemplating the mysteries of the Universe. "
"Alright," The priest in azure said, "Stay if you m-must. B-but I'm not sure how The Cardinal fffeels about your p-present location."
The Cardinal, meanwhile, was only aware of Brother Nabhovanna's side of the conversation, and the somewhat distressing fact that there was what appeared to be a large, white songbird on his head.
[ooc- the white bird enters from 'further signs of the times]