2017-09-04: Heretic, Heretic
- Log: Heretic, Heretic
- Cast: Amelia Rose, Tipheria Aredor
- Where: Wayside Village
- Date: 17-09-04
- Summary: Tipheria has a no good, very bad day, after returning from hunting just in time to meet a priestess of Althena.
=============================<* Wayside Village *>============================== Wayside Village sits at the midst of a road exchange leading into the neck of the Badlands. Decades ago, this village was abandoned due to increasing pressure and risk from roadside thieves and bandits, as well as aggressive wildlife, but it was resuscitated recently by the Ebony Wings. Now, Wayside Village stands as a haven "for those who have been left by the wayside" - it houses an orphanage, school and a homeless shelter and soup kitchen to aid those that have been abetted. A vulnerable, but growing community has gathered here, slightly odd in shape, size and appendages, owing to them being mostly "Tainted" -- rumored to be broken Metal Demons, or perhaps just Beastmen and other demihumans; the real story isn't quite widespread. Besides, those that have nowhere to go seem to be happy enough to coexist here. For Drifters, a large roadside saloon called the "V4L-H4LLA" acts as an inn, a watering hole and a stable all in one. Those with vehicles that require repair can also find some mechanics who can enact some basic maintenance and a top-up of common fuels. A dojo with all kinds of martial training equipment has been set up near the village centre. Wayside Village sustains itself largely by trading and selling water for other services, owing to its recently repaired water purifier unit - served to the village via a Qanat with a robust irrigation system stands at the edge of the village, where a Garden with simple hardy crops and other agricultural pursuits can be followed. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4uR39jNeGE
<Pose Tracker> Amelia Rose has posed.
Amelia cares about her debts, even to an enemy. And technically her orders are to investigate rather than kill Metal Demons, unless they're out hurting someone. And so it is that the Priestess doesn't find any person problems with helping this town of misfits and the broken. There's a tent set up with a tacky sign on it. 'Free Healing To The Poor'. No business name, just a white tent and a scruffy looking drifter in typical clothes keeping watch.
Good help is hard to find. He smells drunk. Luckily Amelia hasn't noticed yet, or she'd probably kill him.
Amelia is currently inside, as a bandaged young man makes his way out of the tent. The flap closes behind. On the front of it, there's the symbol of althena boldly there in the open. This particular healer has decided subtlety isn't much use out here.
<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.
Setting up a village takes all sorts of work.
Tipheria knows this, because Tipheria is from a village that doesn't always feel very different than this one. Wayside is more set in place; the village of her birth moved every decade or so to new ground, to avoid using up the limited resources of that land. There's more water here, and the scenery is slightly less dreary. But it still feels similar: small, vulnerable, and ignored by most of the world, which is full of people who would just love to blow it up.
So she's been hunting; scouting the area, gathering supplies for Wayside. She came in this morning with a bunch of meat, some of which she intends to smoke and turn into jerky and some of which is immediately available. But the one thing Tipheria never expected to see here was sitting bright and proud: a tent with the symbol of Althena on it.
Tipheria dealt with the meat first, because she's a good citizen. But now she's approaching the tent with a scowl on her face, bow slung over her shoulder as usual. She doesn't even look at the bandaged man as she walks past him. The drunk guard is no problem to ignore; Tipheria walks right past him, light on her feet as she ducks into the tent, which is probably the first sign Amelia has someone else is approaching; Tipheria is quiet when she wants to be.
<Pose Tracker> Amelia Rose has posed.
As Tiph enters, it's a small place. One section is covered by another falp, though from the light it's clearly an operating room. There's even a sink installed in here, and a number of tinctures, herbs, and even a bottle of what looks like whiskey. Likely for cleansing wounds rather than drinking, given it's an Althena ran place. There's a chair or two for patients, but right now it's just Tiph and Amelia. The priestess, clad in her unmistakable robes, doesn't turn around from washing her hands.
"And this is what I get for trying to help a drunk. People wandering in. Althena give me patience." Comes the grumpy elf. She finally dries her now clean hands, and turns.
"Althena's blessings upon you Child. Are you injured? I don't mean to sound rude, but I'm very busy, so curiousity isn't something I appreciate. Or do you need a priestess?" Blunt, very blunt. Her accent is distinctly rough and Larpan.
<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.
Tipheria Aredor stares right back at Amelia as she turns around, looking almost challenging.
This loses some of the effect because, as Tipheria sees after a moment, Amelia has a cloth over her eyes, but it happens anyway.
"I don't want your accursed 'blessing'," Tipheria snaps angrily, slightly off-balance because she wasn't expecting a blind lady. How does she bandage anything? she thinks to herself. Her own accent is... hard to pin down. Not local, at least; this isn't an annoyed church woman from November City. "And I certainly don't want the attention of a priestess."
"What are you doing here?" Tipheria moves forward into the tent, her body posture aggressive. "Why is there a priestess of Althena in Wayside, and when are you leaving? We don't need someone like you here."
<Pose Tracker> Amelia Rose has posed.
Slowly, Amelia scowls. "Do you always burst into people's places of healing and start screaming? That's bad manners." This elf might just be an elfjerk.
At first she looks as though she's just going to ignore the questions. Fingertips travel the desk until they touch some herbs, all meticulously laid out in an orderly manner. Then she sniffs some, and finds a mortar and pestle. Some whiskey, some water, and then she's grinding it up as though Tiph isn't even there.
"It's my duty as a Priestess to heal the wounded. Why wouldn't I be here?" She offers in turn. Grind grind mix.
"And as far as when I'm leaving, I'm not inclined to answer someone that is so rude that they don't even give their name first before asking. Perhaps I'm going to live here." Up closer, the reason for her being here might become clearer: she has quite a few bandages on her, still looking a bit battered. There's also what look like patched up bullet holes in her clothes.
"Besides, until I pay my debt to Miss Riesenlied and Miss Noeline, I can't leave. Amelia Rose. Charmed." Her voice is utterly deadpan.
<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.
Tipheria did kind of burst in. The only thing she checked was that Amelia wasn't actually sewing someone up before she did.
"You had better not," Tipheria replies to 'maybe I'll live here', completely humourless. "We don't want your preaching. Is that why you came? Your bosses got in with Adlehyde, now here - are you trying to make Filgaia a little outpost of Lunar? But only your kind of Lunar, of course," she finishes, a little bitter.
Yes, Tipheria is being horribly rude. Yes, she knows it. And yet, she's not going to stop.
She watches the priestess for a few moments. Tipheria doesn't seem any calmer. "Tipheria Aredor," she says, eventually. That seems like a name. She can't say that telling her that hurts anything.
<Pose Tracker> Amelia Rose has posed.
Her head tilts. Slowly the elf 'looks' up from her potion making. Her face looks puzzled. The anger in it drains as she considers. "You're asking a priestess whether or not she'll spread the faith." A statement, not a question. Silence. She'll let it sinking in. Like setting bones.
"Welcome to my healing tent, Miss Aredor. There's so much anger in you. Why? We haven't met, so this isn't personal." Adds Amelia calmly. She leans on the desk. A pause. Sigh. Then she's over to the teapot, and is pouring. A cup is offered. "Drink. The desert is harsh and dangerous."
<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.
"There's a difference," Tipheria says into that moment of silence, "between being a priestess and worming your way into all the cities in Filgaia."
Tipheria bursts out laughing, though it's less 'amused laughter' and more tinged with bitterness. "You're damn right we haven't met. I would have kept it that way if I could. But here you are, and here I am." She does not accept the teacup. "Keep the tea," she says, looking long and hard at Amelia. Then the room around her. Then Amelia again, cataloguing her injuries and long-term wounds.
"Do you really want me to answer that? Think about it before you decide," Tipheria says, her lips curling back into a scowl. "I don't think you'll like the answer."
<Pose Tracker> Amelia Rose has posed.
Shrug. Amelia sips it herself. She takes her time in answering. The bitterness. The anger. Amelia's mind swirls. What happened to this woman?
"I've been called abrasive, but I didn't realize my personality was quite that displeasing, Miss Aredor. Such a pity."
A pause, and she actually smiles a little. "I insist that you do. Don't worry, it won't leave my ears. On my honor as a Priestess of Holy Althena." At least she sounds sincere. Technically she's doing her job right now.
"I wouldn't be much of a healer of souls if I couldn't handle a few harsh truths. This entire world is one."
<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.
Tipheria Aredor bites back her first thought rather than saying it. It's not like this conversation can go much worse, but still, she has limits.
"You asked for it." Tipheria clears her throat. "I'm sure you're going to tell me 'oh, no, you've got it all wrong', but this is what I was taught as a child, and I don't trust your church's history any more than you're going to trust mine. So:"
Tipheria takes a different tone, now. Like she's reciting, almost. "Once upon a time my people had a land of their own. A continent, in fact. Glenwood, it's called nowadays. We lived there, and Althena's people lived on Meribus, and everything was fine. But Althena's people saw us prospering on Glenwood, and they said: why don't we go there?"
"So some of them did. They went to Glenwood. We fought back against the invading army and took them right back to where they came." Tipheria pauses for a moment. "Then we were beaten. Fine. We would be happy going back home. But no; that wasn't enough for Althena. She sent more people to Glenwood, and expanded her Boundary over it."
"Except for us." Tipheria jabs a thumb at herself. "My kind, my people, we were told: You will never live within the Boundary. These lands are not for you. The Boundary was to keep us out, so that the blessings of Althena could spread across the world, and be damned to whoever lived there first."
"A thousand years ago, we were desperate. My ancestors joined the Magic Emperor, and were struck down. Our queen was crazy, sure. We deserved to be fought for that. But after she died, her sister ruled. All she wanted was a place for us to live. But no. We were monsters. We didn't deserve civilization. And so you pushed us into the dead lands again, and there most of us died. We had to go into the mountains to live at all. I don't know what happened to the other tribes."
Tipheria raises her voice. "That's why I don't like you, priestess of Althena. Your Goddess is a grasping, greedy being who wants to rule the world, and you're her minions. Your Church is a worse villain than anyone else on Lunar! Your Goddess hates us because of who we are. Because I'm Tipheria of the Aredor tribe, part of what you call the Vile Tribes. That's why I never want to see another damned priest of Althena!"
<Pose Tracker> Amelia Rose has posed.
Tipheria at least gets to give her entire history uninterrupted. The reason for that would be the interesting colors that Amelia's face is turning. From tan to deep red to finally a weird purple color. She is visibly trembling by the end of it all. Worst of all? That insult to Althena physically makes her flinch. Her mouth opens, closes, and she lets out what can only be described as a snarl. Anger is writ on her face, and then suddeny she marches right up towards Tiph. She grasps for the hem of the taller woman's shirt, and tries to yank her down until they're face to face.
"You blaspheming heretic! How dare you spread such sedition against Holy Althena! Your people were banished for their crimes and sins! Althena loves her children, and would never openly steal from others! She has no need to! Her Chosen are here to ensure the world remains safe and whole!"
"Your parents filled your ears with poison, Child! But there is hope for your soul yet! Repent, and you shall be forgiven! Even if you are of that tribe of heathens, through the love in my heart, I would see you saved. Kneel!" That's right, the priestess is actually trying to angrily convert a member of the Vile Tribe. Thankfully the yelling hasn't yet summoned the guard. And Silver isn't in sight to help protect her!
<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.
Tipheria is part of the Ebony Wings. She might be the guard.
Archers, as it turns out, have really good upper body strength. They have to - especially an archer like Tipheria, who uses a heavy bow capable of firing iron arrows (because wood straight and even enough to make arrows from is very rare in the Frontier; don't even ask what that bow cost).
As a result, Tipheria resists being pulled down much. It might almost be easier for Amelia to pull herself up - at least for a few moments until Tipheria breaks the hold, pushing Amelia away. She does so with surprising gentleness; enough to push Amelia away from her, but not hard or abrupt enough to push her over. It's Amelia's disability working in her favour; even furious, Tipheria just doesn't feel right striking the blind.
"You haven't any love for anyone but yourself or people who you can lord your piety over!" Tipheria practically shouts in Amelia's face. "If her Chosen are to keep Lunar safe and whole, why were they sent here? With a landship, even! Why would you bring that except to try to claim Ignas? I hear there are Seraphs here, too!"
"I won't kneel to someone like you," Tipheria snarls. "You're damn right I'm a heretic: I don't want anything to do with your church, and all your church thinks I'm good for is to be treated like an animal." She takes a step back, then. "You're not welcome here, as far as I'm concerned. "If you lay hands on me again," she finishes, "you will regret it."
<Pose Tracker> Amelia Rose has posed.
Pull. Pullll! Well, Amelia tries. She's decently strong, but not archer strong. The surgeon tends to use anatomy and skill versus pure force in fighting. Leverage is just a little much for the tiny elf.
And so she lets herself be shoved away, leaning back against the desk. The whiskey bottle gets knocked down. Frown.
Her ears wiggle, and she feels a headache comeing on. "Please lower your voice. This, humble though it may be, is a place of healing." Froooown!
"And shouldn't that be obvious? A calamity has visited this land. It suffers, from lack of faith and the unholy Destroyer that walks it. We were sent here by Althena to stop her from harming the wayward children of Filgaia. If you truly wish? Hate and scorn me all you like, Miss Aredor. Insult me personally, beat me if you want. But do not insult our holy purpose!"
Her own voice rises. "This isn't about land! This is about saving souls, healing the wounded, and stopping pure evil!"
And then she lets out a low sigh. Already, she feels exhausted. "Whether I'm welcome or not is entirely up to the leaders of this place. But by all means, go ahead and throw out a healing woman who is putting her skill and blessing into ensuring those of this place are healthy and whole. Is this town really so prosperous that it can afford to cast someone with my skills out?"
<Pose Tracker> Tipheria Aredor has posed.
"I haven't seen any holy purpose," Tipheria snaps. She does lower her voice, though. "Plenty of people calling things holy purposes, though..." She leans past Amelia, picking up the whiskey bottle and setting it down back on the desk.
She rises to her full height. "You're going to save them from their lack of faith? From pure evil? What, are you going to save them from me? Like you said, I'm a blaspheming heretic from a tribe of heathens. You told me to repent, but you haven't even told me what I'm supposed to have done yet. I'll take my chances with the so-called 'Destroyer' over you any day."
Unfortunately (for Tipheria), Amelia has struck a chord. Tipheria has always been taught that you never, ever throw a resource away, because you just might need it. If Amelia is helping, honestly, then... She scowls.
"I'll talk to them. Better deal with a nest of vipers before it turns into a problem, no matter how much they keep the rats away." With that as a farewell, Tipheria turns, heading back toward the entranceway to the tent. She's still fuming, but now she wants to do it away from Amelia.