Quote from phillberrie >>

Midian now has the full attention of both guards. 

"You are not dressed as Donai acolyte," says the guard who stopped him. "And you are unfamiliar to me."

He then looks at the other guard, who shakes his head at the implied question.

"Do you have any proof you are who you say you are?" asks the first guard.

Quote from phillberrie >>

Midian now has the full attention of both guards. 

"You are not dressed as Donai acolyte," says the guard who stopped him. "And you are unfamiliar to me."

He then looks at the other guard, who shakes his head at the implied question.

"Do you have any proof you are who you say you are?" asks the first guard.

 Midian sighs.  "I am Master Harlan's understudy.  We laid him to rest today.  I need to consult with the priestess Aloma immediately on an urgent matter.  If one of you will escort me to her, she can verify my identity."  

"Seeker Harlan?" says the first guard. "So you're his apprentice?"

He then turns to his partner and says, "Go get the handleader. We'll let him deal with this, it's way above our level of responsibility."

The second guard heads off as the first one turns back to Midian.

"Commiserations on your loss, Apprentice. Seeker Harlan was quite the Seeker. He will be missed."

Midian nods, and crosses his arms. “That he will. It’s been an eventful day, one that began with the solemn funeral of a seeker, followed by the proclamation. I don’t blame you for being on edge.” 

"Yes," agrees the guard who is a Sorian. "Though I suspect the next few tendays won't be any easier."

Shortly, the second guard reappears with their handleader, a wiry-looking Stemian man who Midian has seen before and knows by the name of Samswell.

"It's Voda, isn't it?" says Samswell leading Midian inside so that the other two can get back to guarding. "You wanted to see Priestess Aloma, I believe. So, to what do we owe the honour of this visit?"

“Priestess Aloma has been aiding me in some inquiries on behalf of the seeker order,” Midian says. “Some new information has come to light that I believe she might have special insight on.” 

Handleader Samswell smiles and says, "It's not often you Seekers come to us for help. But if anyone can, it will be her. Follow me." 

Midian is led through the Temple of Aieda, which has a different, more feminine, feel to it than the Temple of Donai; as would be expected from a sect where the clergy are generally of the same sex as the female god they are devoted to.

The two of you head into the living quarters and eventually reach a door upon which the handleader knocks respectfully.

"You can come in," says a voice from within. 

Samswell opens the door and says, "Priestess Aloma, you have a visitor: Apprentice Seeker Voda."

Aloma's room is only slightly bigger than Voda's own cell, but in terms of actual space, there is less in this room because of the desk and the packed bookshelves that line the walls, which make the untidy bed and bedside table look more like an afterthought.

The priestess looks up from her desk, pulls the hood of her robe up to cover her untidy but lustrous black hair and says, "Thank you, Arthur."

The handleader then steps back and says to Midian, "I will be waiting out here to escort you out when you are finished."

"Come in," says Aloma, gesturing for Midian to enter and then adding, "I'm not surprised that we should meet again. Have you found anything that might bring some light to this mystery?"

“Not specifically as of yet, no,” Midian answers. “But I have learned some more information, and given the timing it doesn’t seem to be a coincidence.”

Midian provides the broad strokes of the attempt to look into the bookstore owner who is almost certainly a magus, largely glossing over that as it didn’t yield any concrete information. 

“At the tavern where Harlan was slain they mentioned he had arguments in the past with Simud Moonson,” Midian says (forgive the spelling if incorrect). “Given that the bookstore didn’t seem like a safe place to investigate further I sought out more information on Moonson. I’ve heard him speaking out near the schools before, and assumed he recruited from among the brash youth of the city, intellectuals in training and the like. I came across a pair of young men who could have fit the profile for such indoctrination, when they told me a rather fantastical story, but evidently it has at least some kernel of truth to it.”

He pauses for a moment, clearing his throat, then stated flatly, “They claim that a physical manifestation of your own goddess has been at the school for the arcane in recent days, evidently arriving with a man, then evidently having some kind of skirmish with one or more men, the details still need to be sorted. They also claim this avatar or manifestation or whatever she purports to be healed a faculty member’s wounds, and evidently caused some sort of school assembly to turn rather... amorous. Evidently in line with the fertility aspect of the goddess.”

He gives her a moment to react, then adds, “Given the timing aligned with Harlan’s death and Harlan having been seen with one or more women at or near the time of his passing, it seems unlikely to be pure coincidence. The timing of the edict against heretical practices is also too much to ignore. Have you or your sisters been aware of this person or entity claiming to speak on behalf of the goddess, evidently still in residence at the school for arcanists?”

Aloma sits quietly while Midian speaks but he can tell from the expression on her face that a lot of what he is saying is news to her.

When he finishes, she thinks for a moment before saying, "I have heard nothing of this avatar of which you speak, but I consider her appearance at the secular School of Occult Studies of all places a very unlikely event." She then gestures at the building that surrounds them. "Why would she not appear here, where—if is were a true manifestation—she would be received with open arms by her sisterhood... I think we must consider the veracity of the report of those young men dubious at best..."

Getting to her feet, she says, "However, considering the source of your information and the fact that nothing has been officially said to the Temple regarding such an auspicious event, I suspect that either something unusual did happen and that the School might be trying to hide it for some reason, or that someone has gone to great lengths to make you think something has happened for some yet unknown reason."

She looks out the small window of her room to where the shadows are lengthening in the late afternoon then turns back to Midian and says, "Would you be free to escort me to the School of Occult Studies, Apprentice Midian? The Temple has a great friend there: their gatekeeper, Hareld Minton. He is of the Mithran faithful and, as you might be aware, very little can be kept secret from him. If anyone can tell us the truth about what, if anything, happened, it would be him."

Midian nods and extends a hand. "It would be my distinct pleasure to be your escort on this inquiry, m'lady Aloma, I can always make time to investigate dubious manifestations of divinity with you" he says, giving a small smirk and regarding her with sleepy looking eyes. He then speaks normally, more businesslike, the momentary allowance for mirth gone.  "I agree, there is a great deal about this that does not add up.  I can't believe the goddess would genuinely choose to manifest to the arcane school, rather than to her own devout, here.  As to what is really happening here, I agree, let's go find out ourselves.  This Hareld Minton sounds like an excellent contact.  Shall I remain garbed incognito, or change into my vestments?  It matters not to me."  

Priestess Aloma takes a look at Midian's clothing and says, "No. I think you are right as you are. I would think it unlikely that anyone would try to molest a priestess of Aieda at night with the goddess herself looking down on them to witness their act. However, it is not unusual for we priestesses to go abroad at night with protectors to light their way. We can pick up a lantern for you on the way out."

She steps over to the small table by her bed and picks up something up before continuing, "I also think that we might bring unnecessary attention to our investigation if both a priestess and a Seeker were to front up at the School's gate... Whereas, I will just be an alumni visiting a friend."

At this, she pulls the silver medallion she picked up off the table on over her head, and as it settles into place on her chest the silver pendant begins to glow softly.

[Make an Arcana check against a DC of 5.]

Arcana:  21

Quote from Izraal1 >>

Arcana:  14

[OOC: Midian would know that the ability to make the silver journeyman's medallion of the School of Occult Studies glow is not only proof of ownership of the medallion, but also proof of graduation from the School as each medallion is only gifted to its wearer upon graduation and is magically crafted so that only the owner of the medallion can cause it to glow.]

Priestess Aloma looks at Midian and smiles before saying, "I was not always a priestess, Midian."

“So we will re-visit your old stomping grounds, then,” Midian says. “I wonder how it has changed since your time there? Aside from it now having a goddess in residence, apparently.”

"We shall see, won't we," she says, picking up a shoulder bag and putting it over her shoulder.

She then leads the way out the door of her small cell to where the handleader is waiting. He quickly pulls himself away from where he is leaning against the wall and says, "Shall I escort the Seeker back to the entrance."

"You can escort us both, Arthur," replies Priestess Aloma. "I will be heading out for a while."

"Do you need an escort, Priestess," says the handleader. "It may be dangerous in the streets at this time."

Aloma looks at Midian and asks, "Do you think we need an escort?"

Perhaps surprising the priestess, Midian says, “I would welcome it if the hand leader is able to depart from his position for an undetermined length of time, and if he is willing to take on the manner and appearance of a more common form of hired muscle, and perhaps to show some discretion regarding the specifics of the investigation.”

He looks at the man seriously. “I don’t expect overt confrontation but expecting the unexpected is wise in these strange times. That said, we are investigating a matter on the campus of the school of the arcane. We do not have a great deal of information and we want to be welcomed, not to appear as if this were some formal inquisition. If fear if we obviously brought both a priestess and hand leader it might appear more confrontational than we want. So, if going incognito and not having a clear time table for your return it acceptable, then you are certainly welcome. Otherwise it is best for us to handle this alone.”

The handleader thinks for a moment and then replies to Midian, saying, "Officially, I would have to enquire with the watch commander for permission for such an action. But, as my watch finishes with the calling of the next candle, and if you are willing to wait, then I would be able to accompany you at that time in my normal clothes..."

He then turns to the priestess and says, "These are uncertain times, Priestess. It would perhaps be wiser for you to also change into some other clothes. The protection of your priestly vestments may not be what it normally is."

The priestess considers for but a moment before saying, "If you say so, Arthur, then I will take your advice."

Then to both of you she says, "Shall we say then that we will meet at the entrance to the Temple Ward a little after the calling of the next candle?"

“Agreed, let’s meet up there, dressed for field work where we don’t display our church affiliation,” Midian agrees. “If you have any inconspicuous armor, however, that might be worth wearing.” 

Quote from Izraal1 >>

“Agreed, let’s meet up there, dressed for field work where we don’t display our church affiliation,” Midian agrees. “If you have any inconspicuous armor, however, that might be worth wearing.” 

[OOC: Is there anything you want to change regarding Midian's equipment or disguise? If so, that will mean he will have to return to his own temple. It's not far, so he might have time to grab something to eat as well; he didn't eat any of the food he was given at the Leer Inn.]

As Handleader Samswell escorts Midian to the front gate, he asks, "Has this trip we're going on got something to do with the death of your master? I don't think I've ever heard of you Seekers asking for help from the Temple of Aieda before."

OOC: He will probably take the time to have a meal, but equipment wise he is well enough prepared, he assumes, given that they will be in a group. 

“This matter specifically does concern the temple of Aeida, it seemed prudent to involve the priestess,” Midian answers. “As to whether it connects to Harlan’s death, I suspect so, if only because of the bizarrely coincidental timing. Constantine is a big city, but too much suspicious timing can’t be ignored.”