The Temple of Inari

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Fenric
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Re: The Temple of Inari

Post by Fenric »

[Winterhearth]

The kobold bows deeply

My friend was bit by a shark! So so very bit.

Caroline winces.

Take us there. You've kept him cold, I hope?

The kobold nods and heads back toward the boat

As cold as we dare, holy priestess.

---

[Sanctuary]

Felina most certainly doesn't recognize this newcomer as Mist.

Greetings, neighbor: the blessings of Inari be on you. What can we do for you today?
Last edited by Fenric on Sep 13, 2022 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Winterhearth

Steven nods and picks up the pace.
"Do you know what attracted the shark?" Those animals don't usually prey on reptiles. Though perhaps the local types do? After all, kobolds aren't usually aquatic but clearly this one was out for a swim.

Sanctuary

Mist smiles (awkwardly) at the priestess. "Hello. Um. I'm Mist Danir. I'm technically Inari and Tamamo's newest coworker since they have a shrine at the Skullfort temple." Possibly not true if someone else became a god in the last week and signed up to be in a pantheon with one of them. Inari does cover a lot of ground...
"I guess I could have just gone there but it seemed more proper to be formal about it. Does Inari um. Take appointments? I know she must be very busy."
Mist is the divine equivalent of a college grad trying to get advice from a multi-national corporation's CEO but technically they work together so maybe she can spare ten minutes.
Do goddesses have appointments? Ones as busy as Inari and Tamamo must. There's no way Inari goes around distributing miracles and such across a billion+ worlds without a schedule.
"Um. My name might come up as-" he holds up an index card he has scrawled with ♄🌫
Centaur writing is very strange to him.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

Post by Fenric »

[Winterhearth]

The kobold sighs

We had just put out the bait, yes yes: bloody fish all chopped up, when a wave did rock the boat just so and Kazk fell into the water. We pulled him out so fast, but the shark was faster, alas!

Caroline nods

Ahhh... a frenzy-bite rather than a feeding one. That's why he's still alive at all.

Coming to the boat, they find the unfortunate fisherman on the sand, wrapped tightly in what looks to be an old sail. The fabric is already soaked through with blood and the victim's breathing is ragged and shallow.

---

[Sanctuary]

Felina chuckles

Well now! You were a fox sort last time I saw you. And wasn't your last name Anders? But never mind that. Um... I don't know that she takes appointments, and time is a rather complicated subject when you talk about a six-dimensional being interacting with us down here in 3D-land... Easiest to ask.

She bows her head and concentrates, trying to get through to the higer ranks of prayer-listeners - a task made substantially easier due to being in the Nexus where the priority is raised significantly from "normal".
Last edited by Fenric on Sep 13, 2022 7:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Winterhearth

Steven nods but says nothing. In practice it doesn't particularly matter, he supposes.
Steven kneels down and begins to pray, letting a standard healing spell fall from his fingertips onto the fisherman. He doesn't even need to unwrap him, really. Which is for the best as that would probably cause him to lose a good deal of blood.

Sanctuary

"Well yes, but given that I'm Some Guy From Maryland and Leah's a knight, capital-L Lady, and goddess' avatar it made more sense for me to take her surname than vice-versa. Technically I'm still a fox." Both as the god of (some) animals and as a dark forest horse with a black and white coat, though his coloring is much more literally dark fox-like than the herd.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Winterhearth]

Caroline waits patiently to see if Steven needs any assistance. Meanwhile, the wounded kobold starts a violent coughing fit, spraying blood out of his mouth as the magic brings him back around. The others look both surprised and alarmed, but it's only a short spell before his eyelids flutter open.

Wha???

At this, cheering breaks out among the rest of the ship's crew

He lives! So so many thank-you to the fox goddess!

Caroline smiles and her tail wags.

---

[Sanctuary]

Felina looks up and tilts her head

Married to Leah, now? Well, well... I am curious to see how Keiko will react: for some reason she has always had quite the fangirl reaction. But I have been sitting with the celestial version of "hold music", which surprises me. I guess I've been rather spoiled with this temple getting unusually fast responses to what technically has a 24-hour response...

She doesn't get to finish, though, because the principal avatar appears in her grey business skirt-suit and lab coat. Glasses pushed up to her bun, she always looks like a secondary character in an anime laboratory.

Now, now: while the dear ponies improved the avatar dispatch and monitoring system, it still has its limitations.

Then she turns to Mist with a smile

Hello, Mist. Nice to see you again.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

"Oh, I think Keiko knows..." Mist laughs nervously.
Back in the day Mist had tried out disguising himself as a lady and when he'd mentioned Leah wanted kids like Keiko and Cleo had Keiko looked like she was thinking of starting some machinations immediately.

The goddess of course has a different effect. Mostly Mist blinking that Inari even remembers him given that their first meeting was such a minor affair that his player can't even remember what it was.
"Hello, Inari." Is it okay to say that? They're not really on a first name basis but that is her name! "I hope you don't mind me coming on short notice to pay my respects and uh. Maybe ask some advice. Did Message mention what happened?" Of course Inari being as scrupulous as she is, someone joining one of her pantheons (even a very minor one) might be a big enough deal for her to have noticed on her own.

Winterhearth

Steven doesn't flinch at the blood even if a little of it gets on him. He can get rid of stains and diseases easy enough most of the time.
"Get some rest for a day or two and you should be fine." he tells the "patient" as he stands up. "Drink some water and all the usual things. And blessings of Tamamo go with you as always."
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Sanctuary]

Felina bows deeply and busies herself elsewhere in the Sanctuary. Inari smiles

No, of course not: I do not mind in the slightest. But also no, I have not heard from our friend in some time now. I'm afraid the overall bustle around the Nexus makes it quite impossible to keep up with merely casual observation. Though clearly, I can see you have had a bit of an upgrade, shall we say?

[Winterhearth]

Caroline straightens up as the kobolds gather around their restored comrade and looks around. She switches from Common to the squeaky native language of the Vulpans.

Just a little further on, I think. Though it's tempting to really make the little ones' day.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

"Um. Well, yes. The terraforming goddess Meirhin asked me to take a big chunk of divine power so it didn't overload her systems. And Message suggested I use it to get myself my second and third Charities to be considered a full fey. But in the process I accidentally absorbed a dead storm god's divine spark that was just kind of lying around. Long story short, his people very much wanted me to succeed him. And they wanted a god who was reliable and one of them so um. Poof. Divine horsebutt." he snickers weakly. Is that the kind of joke you make to a goddess? Eh, Meirhin terraforms entire worlds on the regular and she's pretty casual.
Properly speaking, his third Charity (which is a Cup despite physically being his wedding ring) pushes him to be himself in the best way possible. But he got it after the divine spark, so it pushed him to make sure the divine seed bore fruit after he woke up from his dream quest as it considered it part of Mist. The fact that the Cup adjusted reality to get a result that happened both before and after it existed is a time paradox best left un-thought about for those that think in three dimensions.

Winterhearth

Steven switches as well, chuckling.
"What, do you want us to turn into dragons, throw them a party, and dunk some water on a nearby gnome?" Maybe that's a stereotype but he's yet to find kobolds that don't at least chuckle at the misfortune of gnomes. Then again many people would probably laugh at that so who knows.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Sanctuary]

Inari looks momentarily distant, then smiles

How novel... I wonder why? Finding planets already suitable is so very easy... but I suppose people say the same about my plants.

As I believe I have mentioned before, the lands where the creatures I have heard of called fae or faeries have little influence of mine - people having small concern for uninhabitable marshes, so I am very ill informed as to the connotations of what you just described. Nevertheless, you have my congratulations.


She giggles at the "horsebutt" comment

I have never been entirely certain how the physical form of three-dimensional divinities is handled, but there are far worse things to end up as then a centaur.

She gives Mist a quick glance, but dismisses the possibility of that particular dead storm god being around in any form and moves on from that line of thought.

Given all that, I can imagine what advice it is you need, but what in particular would you like to know?

---

[Winterhearth]

Caroline giggles and shakes her head

Just the dragon part. My understanding is that they consider even a glimpse of a dragon to be a special moment, and knowing that they had talked to and been helped by two of them would be a priceless gift that really doesn't cost us much.
Last edited by Fenric on Sep 16, 2022 1:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

"Why the gift? Oh, well Meirhin made it sound like someone had tricked her and had caused an influx of divine power far more than she had expected, and she literally couldn't work fast enough to get rid of it all, so the easiest thing to do was to find a few beings she trusted with it and dump some on them. Properly speaking I could have probably remade a few continents with the amount of power she gave me. But I think double-immortality and giving the Inn extradimensional qualities was a decent trade." And he still had plenty left!

If only Inari knew that Leah had apparently been responsible for the deaths of TWO storm gods. Still, Mist had said he was a successor to his predecessor and is currently a horse-person, so he couldn't be the god Inari is thinking of. This was just a local god.

"You know, I don't know if I'm exactly three dimensional anymore. Fey are weird. And I can say that because I am one. But anyway, I think my portfolio and some of me was determined by what they wanted and expected of me. As for what I need to know, well...I know that you aren't physically present with your people all the time, but I still would like to know how best to handle keeping their confidence. Helping them without serving them. And um. Long term planning. I've never had to plan more than five years ahead and now I need to think about the future. Very, very far into the future." And that's before they factor their kid into the equation.

Winterhearth

"Well, it's close enough to the shore for our purposes. We'll just have to watch out for sharks, won't we?" Steven smiles and begins loosening his robe. He presents his back to Caroline.
"Just like we planned. On three, grab my robe and I'll change. Then you." This guarantees there will be a second or two where if the kobolds turned towards him they'd see him naked, but he can obscure himself with a suddenly placed solid shadow. Very tasteful.
On three seconds (assuming Caroline agrees), Steven slips out of his robe and into his dragon form, sliding his sword-belt around his neck. He walks past the kobolds with a knowing wink to them and slips into the water.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Sanctuary]

Inari smiles

I was more bemused by a goddess who terraforms, but I am glad it all went well for you.

The demise of random minor deities is of no particular concern, as long as Mist hasn't taken on Karai Tenjin's tainted persona everything is fine. Inari listens patiently then nods.

I have found that responsiveness is key. In all honesty, I have run my operation as a sort of "call center" for a very long time now: I sub-contract with lesser Kami to listen for prayers, and depending on their ability they can either resolve the issue directly or pass the message along. As none of them are physical beings, all of this happens far below the perception threshold of the mortal making the request.

She spares a smirk at Felina

Some exceptional people excepted, of course. We pay them with defined amounts of divine energy that compensate them for their time and any energy they had to use. The Nexus is truly very unusual for how often myself or a Messenger comes in person - there are temples that we haven't visited directly in centuries and that isn't a problem.

Ah, but now planning

Planning is not my strong point, I must admit. I rather grew into this position, making decisions as best I could as I went along. And in all honesty, there's no plan that would have lasted even one billion years let alone the fourteen that I've been working. The best advice I have is to set your goals based on your heart and your powers, and then always measure decisions against those.

-------

[Winterhearth]

Caroline quickly takes Steven's robe and shifts herself, giving the Kobolds a nod before followin Steven into the frozen sea.

For their part, the Kobolds are absolutely flabbergasted. Some of them even collapse to the ground at the sight of not one but TWO dragons, and knowing that they had spoken with them. This is a day they will never forget, and will tell their children and grandchildren for decades to come.

The water feels a little cold to Steven, though not dreadful. Caroline, however, looks practically in ecstasy.

Oh! The water! It feels so GOOOD!
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

"I think she's technically a weather goddess too but terraforming is what it sounds like she does." Mist muses.
"Ah, well. Right now I'm running the inn half of them are living at, so they know where to find me just fine. And my total parishioners are about fifty so...much smaller than most gods I know about. I'm glad for the chance to start small, to be honest." he admits.

Winterhearth

Steven can survive cold. But it's fun to see Caroline like this. She certainly wasn't this ecstatic when they were visiting the inland sea.
"Take your time, Caroline. But you're steering so just give me an idea of which direction we're headed."
Away from shore for now is his assumption.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Sanctuary]

Inari smiles and nods

That's good: it is best to start small and learn the intracies of the position when it is simpler. And also to determine the rules that you have to follow: the Nexus is a fascinating place where "all things are true" but there is still your truth to learn. This is easier when you are not too burdened with the constant demands of your followers

Then she chuckles

Beyond that, the only weather-related gods I am personally familiar with are not people you would wish advice from, and the only "goddess" with a tiny following that I am acquainted with is Keiko.

Felina involuntarily snorts, then immediately turns with ears folded down to try to look busy.

---

[Winterhearth]

Caroline stretches and shivers then looks around

It's like the first time I drove in the tank, only better! Um... so, I'm supposed to feel the... OH! This way!

She turns sharply south and zips off and an angle that takes the pair rapidly deeper
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

Mist still hasn't entirely worked out how much the herd intends to interact with him directly. Or what rules they expect of him. Message mostly told him not to make any trouble and no more gods.
"Well, being fair, I'm also god of travelers and the beasts of the woods and plains."
Technically fox is included in there somewhere. Though his colors are more a hint to his previous nature (and a pun off the herd's coloring).

Winterhearth

Steven dives, making sure he doesn't lose Eclipse. It's a good thing it's enchanted or this water would be terrible for the wooden scabbard.
"Well, maybe we should try to get ourselves a pool after all." he muses. Of course a pool for them would be a small lake minimum
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Sacntuary]

Inari smiles and nods

It's rare for any divine portfolio to be particularly "pure" - that only happens if you actively reject domains that your followers add, and there is a tendancy among people to want to add everything to their favorite. For instance, that has made it such that I am revered as a god of bladesmithing among some people.

she chuckles

It was quite a shock, let me tell you! I had to go study to answer those prayers, and it caused one of the times that I went to answer in person in a very long time indeed because none of my main servants had built up sufficient skill.

---

[Winterhearth]

Caroline giggles

We could, too! Put blue-ice on one end to keep it cold for me and let the other stay warm for you! At least you aren't a tropical sea dragon.

Down, down, down. Steven can feel that Caroline is following a small current, less salty than the rest of the sea around. The water smells old, and it is getting stronger as they progress until finally Caroline has passed the base of the glacier and comes to a stop at a large cavern in the rock beneath from which a steady stream of glacial melt-water is coming out under reasonable pressure.

Hm... I am just as glad we didn't give any deatils back at the temple: I don't think our friends will be able to follow this route...
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

"Yeah. I think part of it is that I inherited all the things my predecessor had. They won't tell me his name. I think it was stricken from the record. But he had a whole thing for storms and terrible beasts and hunters. So I got all of that but I sort of...pared down the murdery aspects of it all, you know?"
Mist likes animals too much to encourage murdering them even for food.
Mist also doesn't know the story of how Inari got her fox and rice portfolio, so he doesn't know how familiar she is with taking another god's concept anr running with it.

Winterhearth

Steven never bothered to check what the temperature of the Inland Sea was. It felt pleasant to him so he didn't ask further questions, but he imagines that it was at least a little cold.
"Yeah, unless the priests get their hands on a submarine I don't think they'll be able to handle this way in. And even then I'm not sure a sub could handle the cargo space they'd need." Glacial water. Brr.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Sanctuary]

Inari nods

For a faith-generated deity, it is critical to remove all trace of their name or they can return. I am just as glad to be in the far preferable situation of having my own existence independent of anyone's belief. As to the aspects... I think that far more is the being's personality than their portfolio as such. Granted, those who only exist because of people's beliefs had their personality chosen for them but still, it isn't being a god of the wilderness that makes one vicious - there are plenty of perfectly reasonable nature gods who's domain inclues the most aggressive predators known. As I said: the most important thing for you to grasp is ... well ... you. Many people and events will come to test who you are, so make sure you have made those decisions ahead of time.

----

[Winterhearth]

Caroline giggles. Then swims inside, against the current.

Up we go!

Up indeed! The cavern is smooth from the constant rush of water that seeks to push the pair back out again. It's like walking against a decent wind: noticeable, but not really all that much of an impediment. The cave winds gently as the water found its way, but going ever up closer to the base of the glacier.

It's dark now, and even Steven's senses for finding fish and obstacles show nothing but smooth walls and rushing water as the minutes tick by. But then, abruptly, he feels the surface!

The pair come out of the rushing water into an enormous cavern. The air here has been swept down from the surface and is under the same pressure as the water current which keeps the cavern from filling. Calling it 'breathable' is a stretch as the oxygen content is very low, and of course it is completely lightless: the surface folks have no prayer of ever getting here.

But beyond all that is another sensation: there is somthing cold up here. Not just an absence of heat: this is hungry, active, cold. A wall of anti-heat that makes something deep in Steven's mind alarm him to serious danger.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

"Yeah I feel like...I'm actually mostly the same. It's more of a difference in...context you know? Wind and storms are the same basic idea, but it's a connotation thing. But anyway. I'm trying to figure out exactly what they want me to do for them and how much of that is really me. I know I have to learn how to shoot because they really do want someone who can be expected to protect them." And the throwing knives aren't really suited for someone actually standing around defending a home. Or for someone whose shape is suddenly quite less suited for acrobatics.

Winterhearth

Steven shakes his head, creating a small burst of fox-fire over his head to illuminate the place.
"Is it...supposed to feel like this, Caroline? This doesn't feel right." This is not giving him the vibes of just special magic ice.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Sanctuary]

Inari nods

That's good: keep testing what is you and what isn't until you have a firm grasp of what you are.

Then she smiles

At least archery is easier to learn than blade-smithing, and is taught in a great many places.

---
[Winterhearth]

Caroline also looks concerned

It's not ... right ... somehow.

The flare of Steven's light doesn't show anything immediately. Most of the cavern is normal, pale-blue glacial ice, but all along one side is the deep intense blue of the magical substance. It is from that direction that the sensations are coming, and now with the light there is a distinct and growing feeling of malice and anger.

Something doesn't seem to appreciate being disturbed.
Last edited by Fenric on Oct 03, 2022 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

"Leah gave me a Winchester rifle, actually. But it's not a Mare's Leg." he winks, having no idea if Inari will get that movie reference.
"I did fix some of it when I got the spark but it was like...during a dream quest? It's hard to remember what happens during a dream quest. But yeah. Rifles aren't an uncommon skill to learn."

Winterhearth

Steven slides his head slowly over towards Caroline.
"Sooo...should we just bail? We can just get the ice somewhere else."
The nice thing about sealed evils in cans is that they can just stay in the can sometimes.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Sanctuary]

Inari didn't get the reference immediately, but as this is only one avatar out of many and her actual self isn't honestly that busy, so she looked it up effectively instantly. Which puts her one up on this author: I have no clue.

She nods

Indeed. Dreams can be very tricky! Leaving aside the fact that the dream world is possibly even more varied than the Nexus, it is just a bit too vague for my tastes. To be completely honest, I leave all things dream-related to my Kitsune to hande, as that is one area that I have never particularly mastered. Do you have any other questions for me?

----

[Winterhearth]

Caroline looks wistfully at the deep blue walls

That's the purest ice I've ever seen, though...

Then she sighs

I suppose it's best to not disturb ... whatever that is. Isn't there an old story about a dwarven kingdom that was destroyed when their mining released some dreadful demon?

A low rumble fills the cavern now, and a glow flares in the wall off to the left of center.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

(The Mare's Leg was a cut-down lever-action rifle carried by Steve McQueen in Wanted: Dead or Alive. Like all his gun knowledge Mist knows about it because of Fallout: New Vegas mods).
"Um. I think that's it. I got the big questions out of the way. Now I just need to work until I can meet my herd's expectations of my hero status and figure out parent things in the next...eight months." Right. That. Still terrifying.

Winterhearth

Steven cringes.
"On the other hand, it sounds very angry to be something directly below our Winterhearth. We could call on Inari and attempt to exorcise it."
They don't want to go releasing ancient evils, but HAVING an ancient evil under your city when there's two high priest dragons already on site might be a good opportunity as any.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Sanctuary]

Inari chuckles

Ah, that last I cannot help you with: my experiences with Myobi and Myobu will not help you in the slightest and other than that I am eternally the indulgent Aunt, never yet the parent. But there are enough and more people around who can give assistance in that area.

She nodds politely

By I shall be on my way, then. I wish you the best of luck.

---

[Winterhearth]

Caroline looks thoughtful

It is possible that is why we were sent to this particular location - I can't imagine she would have sent us here accidentally.

The section of wall is now visibly shaking and bits of ice are breaking off. The normal ice rushes to the roof while the magical ice falls directly to the floor.

Caroline looks around

I think we should move as far from the wall as possible.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Sanctuary

"Well, thank you for your time. I'll try to do my best to keep the folks at the Fort happy so it's one less Shrine you'll have to worry about odd requests from."
He can only imagine what sort of tasks he's going to get up to learning skills for here.

Winterhearth

Steven backs up to the far wall and concentrates. A dome of shadow rises up around the two of them, both for protection and camouflage.
"Sit tight." he whispers.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Winterhearth]

Caroline comes backs up beside Steven, trying to not distract him.

Across the cavern: the wall vibrates and finally cracks, dislodging a great deal of ice. With a roar, the formerly-entrapped entity emerges!

Who dares disturb the slumber of the mighty ...

He stops short when he sees the shadow dome and more particularly, it's size. For while he is a properly fearsome looking demon of some frozen variety with rippling muscles, icy blue skin, batlike wings and many a horn and spike... he only stands most of eighteen inches tall.

Um... haven't had visitors in a while... and you caught me napping.
Last edited by Fenric on Oct 05, 2022 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Winterhearth

Steven lets the shadow-shield fizzle. With a mighty force of will he keeps his face completely blank and does not laugh at the poor demon, who looks like or is some variety of imp.
"Sorry about that. We had just been looking for a scoop of pure ice, to be honest." he responds. He can't avoid the fact that he has to look down quite far to speak to the demon. That's just his fate for being so short.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

Post by Fenric »

[Winterhearth]

The little ice devil's eyes go wide the moment the shield drops

Oh by Mephisto's short and curlies! Look: if this is about the hatchlings, I didn't really curse them: I just was trying to scare them away...

But then Steven mentions the ice and he immediately starts to bob like some sort of comical merchant

You came here to get ice... oh... of course you did, sir! The pretty lady there shouldn't have to settle for anything but the very best, no doubt! Yessirree, the best ice outside of Cania right here at the great glacier!

Caroline tilts her head

What a peculiar fellow.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Winterhearth

"Well, alright. If you don't mind us collecting some ice from your cave.
Um. Are you okay? Just...living in a glacier under a city? Have local children been bothering you?"
Steven can't assume that just being a local devil means he's a bad person. He is technically now a sort-of relative of Orochi after all.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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[Winterhearth]

The devil sighs and shakes his head

I would not be hiding here in the ass-end of nowhere if I was okay...

He bows apologetically

Apologies, lady.

I am from Cania, the Eighth Circle of the Nine Hells, where I was a chamber servant in the great Lord's employ and failed to properly clean up all of the evidence of one of his many indescretions. The Mistress found out, and I escaped in the ensuing ruckus: knowing full well Lord M would take his rage out on us once it had passed, which I have heard from undoubtable sources is indeed what happened to my former co-workers.


He looks around

So I'm hiding here: he can't actually see through ice all that well, which is why he thinks it's such a great building material. In case you haven't noticed: he's really not the brightest bulb in the box. I figure a half-dozen centuries or so and he'll have had enough other things happen that he won't even remember I exist, then I can sneak off to the Plane of Ice and serve some random mortal or planar lord instead.

Then he grins at the dragons

So please, consider this my "hush money": take all the ice you need, just never breathe a word about me.

Oh... and it's not the city - ice wyrm hatchlings like riding the sluce like some giant water-slide. One time, a rather more chubby one than the others broke my wall and I had to act fast. The real spell was to wipe their memories of exactly what I was and what I looked like, but I put a super-junior-level curse on them so the adults had something to dispel and then moved my hiding place further back.
If I hadn't been napping, I wouldn't have reacted to you two at all unless you dug really deep... but your auras startled me.


Caroline chuckles softly at the flood of talk worthy of Keiko herself.
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Re: The Temple of Inari

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Winterhearth

Well, that's certainly a story. But Steven does not get the idea that the little devil is lying, so who is he to judge?
They could simply take the goods and leave as offered...but Inari did seem to deliberately point them to this spot. Why would she point them to such a harmless-seeming devil? Hmmm...
"Well, we had been planning on using the ice to barter with the local dwarves to build us a proper lair. And Caroline would require at least part of it to be rather cool. Would you be interested in a position as chamberlain? As one of our workers you would have the protection of two goddesses, of course. Though I would need a vow of service as well as one that your story is true and you have not and aren't planning on causing any trouble in the mortal realms."
Mephisto is certainly a powerful entity but he would probably not pick a fight with Inari and Tamamo over such a minor minion. This arrangement would allow Steven to keep an eye on the devil without having to harm him at all.
Of course an extraplanar being swearing loyalty to a servant of Inari could result in a sudden severe increase in fluffiness but who knows if the devil is willing to pay that price. He'd probably make a cute snowfox-imp.
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