Campaign Thread

[Paula Ridgeway]

Paula followed Bela and stood in line to give her offering. She looked into the eyes of the goddess' golden statue - sapphires, from what she could see - said her small, secret prayer to Jove, not sure if the goddess would grant her boon.

[I'm Murrin]

While Bela and Paula make their offerings at the altar, Richard begins to look around the temple. While still marvelling at the opulence and excess of the place, he begins to notice that among the people in the temple are not just the wealthy, finely-dressed citizens of Jovian, but a few who are dressed much more plainly, commoners of a type you've rarely seen since entering the city's walls. One of these, a dark-haired woman, he sees moving from person to person near the entrance, apparently seeking something. After a short while she comes up to Richard himself.

"Please," she says, with a sad desperation in her voice, "I have nothing. Spare a coin so I can make an offering?" The woman looks tired, her clothing dishevelled.

[Richard Slade]

Richard smiles at the woman. "An offering? I am new to this city." Not unkindly, he says "Do I look like someone who has any coin to spare? Look around you, there are a hundred people here who look like they could spare a coin. I'm afraid I'm not one of them." He shifts his eyes to a nearby patron, and then back at the woman. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

Slowly, Richard moves to the side and casts his eyes on another carving. *There are more than one of these people*.

[I'm Murrin]

"Oh." Her face falls. "Sorry." She moves away, heading off toward the next person.

[Paula Ridgeway]

Paula finished with her prayer and moved away from the offering area. She moved around the room, looking at the people, the faces - looking for the familiar and at the new.

She spots Richard who looks like a fish out of water. She looks around for Bela and spots him nearby, lost in his own thoughts.

Paula looks around for a Guild member who may perhaps be able to answer some questions.

[Bela Gin]

Walking toward Richard, I see him talking with a woman. She walks away before I reach them.

"Who's your new friend, Richard?"

[Richard Slade]

Richard smiles at Bela. "You know I don't have friends. She was asking me for money to make an offering. Unfortunately I couldn't help her." But he does recognise the look the woman gives him before moving on. It looks like desperation, which could mean she is genuinely desperate, or a gifted con artist, or both.

[Bela Gin]

"RICHARD!!" *brilliantly overacting a look of pain and sorrow* "No friends?!? After all the things..." *looking around, desperately searching* "PAULA! Oh, Paula, it's just horrible!"

[Richard Slade]

"Present company excepted of course" Richard says with a rueful grin. [SRD eat your heart out!]

[Bela Gin]

"That's the spirit!" *hand raised to clap Richard on the back* "Maybe we're not there yet." *lowers hand*

"Now where is that woman who spoke to you? We haven't gotten approached all that much. Ah, there she is."

I go stand within several feet of the woman who asked Richard for money. I look around at the carvings everywhere, apparently lost in wonder.

[I'm Murrin]

Paula: You can see there's one guard near the temple's entrance, and at the far end of the temple, near the large statue, is a woman in official-looking robes you think may be a priest of some kind.


Bela: After a short while the woman does approach you. "Excuse me, sir, could you please spare a coin so I may ask the Lady's blessing?"

[Bela Gin]

"I don't see why not. I'm Bela. What's your name?"

[Paula Ridgeway]

Paula noted the guard as she moved closer to Bela and Slade.

"RICHARD!" Bela exclaimed, his voice echoing off the walls of the temple. He looked around and caught her eye.

"PAULA! Oh, Paula, it's just horrible!"

She smiled at Bela's exaggeration and cast a quick glance at the officiant who heard the shout and searching the crowd for the culprit.

Bela parted from Slade before she reached them and she slowed her pace to watch Bela interact with a woman who seemed in dire need. He gave her a coin and spoke to her.

Concern creased Paula's brown so she made her way to Bela's side.

[I'm Murrin]

The woman's face lights up when you agree and hand her a coin. "Thank you, sir, thank you. Goddess bless you. My name is Sara."

[Richard Slade]

Richard watches the scene from a short distance away. Paula joins Bela with this woman - he notes her "Goddess bless you" comment. Since Bela and Paula seem to have more belief, or at least understanding, of the religious way of things, Richard keeps his distance, and scans the temple once again. *It will be interesting to see how they deal with this woman. I'm sure Bela is making a show for a reason*.

[Bela Gin]

"Hello, Sara. I'm getting hungry, and wondered if I might buy you something to eat? My friends and I have never been to Jovian before. I'd like to learn a little about the city, and thought you might be able to help."

[Paula Ridgeway]

Paula's eyebrows raised as she looked at Bela with surprise at his bold proposal. It was innocently made, she was sure, but that was hardly a way to speak to a strange woman. It sounded as if he wanted a date.

In an effort to ease the comment, Paula inserted herself into the conversation and with a gentle smile said, "Hello, my name is Paula. I think my friend here just wanted to know if there was any way we could help you."

[I'm Murrin]

Sara hesitated at Bela's request, looking a little at a loss for how to respond. At Paula's intervention, she visibly relaxed, though there's still that desperate, pained look in her eyes as she says, "Oh, I couldn't possibly ask for more." She glances briefly toward the golden statue at the end of the hall, then looks back at you, shaking her head. "No. The goddess will help me." She gestures with the coin Bela had given her. "Bless you." She takes a step back, but still hesitates to leave - it seems like she's torn between the offer of help and not wanting to impose on strangers.

[Bela Gin]

"Sara, I want nothing more than to talk. In a crowded, public inn. I have nothing devious in mind. I want to hear about Jovian from someone who is not in power. Someone who knows truths those in power would not share with me. And if I make a friend in the process, all the better." I nod toward the street. "Make your offering. Then go on your way if you want. If the Lady tells you to have a meal with us, come find me. I want to see more of this building's incredible beauty."

With a small bow, I go off to look around more.

[I'm Murrin]

Sara gives a bit of a nod toward the two of you, then heads over to join the line at the nearby altar.

As far as your continued examination of the temple itself:
[Roll: 8 [+1 Wit, +2 Perceptive] = 11]
[Bela gains +1 XP]

You can't see any signs of anything secret in this hall, in fact it is pristine. You make note of the other entrances into the space - there are a couple of small doors in the back past the statue, presumably leading to the areas where the priests live and work. There's also a second door to the outside of the Temple, on the side of the hall, and you realise this is why you did not see any of the poorer petitioners in the main square - they appear to enter and leave through this smaller side entrance.

[Since there wasn't really much to find out, I'm going to let this successful perception roll stand for Bela's whole visit to the Temple.]