[Taocow PBEM] Taocow PBEM] [Anne, Oz and Ithdalkal] Book 3 - Chapter XIV - Belmont Abbey

[Aaron Clausen]

>>>>>> [GM]
>>>>>> As Alex talks, they pass the Abbey's Retreat, and it is indeed a much
>>>>>> nicer looking inn; three stories, well lit and well kept, and
>>>>>> sufficiently advanced that it even has its own parking garage! The
>>>>>> delicious smells of fine cooking waft from the kitchen.
>>>>>> [/GM]

>>>>> [Oz]
>>>>> Oz, leading Ithdalkal, tours the village first, making a circuit
>>>>> inside the wall before investigating the cybernetics store and then
>>>>> the arena. He looks around for anything that looks like a center of
>>>>> government or people who look like town officials.
>>>>> [/Oz]

>>>> [GM]
>>>> The most obvious center of the government for the town is the Abbey
>>>> itself, which Anne [OOC: the new PC] is walking towards.
>>>> [/GM]

>>> [Oz]
>>> That being the case, Oz steers the blind warrior woman toward the
>>> Abbey. He gawks like a tourist as he always does when he's in a new
>>> place.
>>> [/Oz]

>> OOC: To quote from my post upon Anne's arrival:

>>> [GM]
>>> Anne attempts to identify the denomination of the Church, but it is
>>> difficult to say. There are stained-glass windows with pictures of the
>>> Saints, the Virgin and child and a good deal of Christian iconography.
>>> As she approaches, she can see a wonderful stain-glassed motif showing
>>> a Wolfen in priestly garb holding up a cross to some sort of
>>> multi-tentacled beast.
>>>
>>> The building has been damaged at various points, and while the repair
>>> jobs are tolerable, they're still not what a major city or kingdom
>>> could afford. All in all, even in this rough frontier setting on the
>>> edge of the wilderness, people have cared enough to put some effort
>>> into maintaining the old structure.
>>>
>>> A wall surrounds the Abbey, and this makes the town a two-walled town;
>>> an outer wall surrounding the whole community and an inner wall. This
>>> inner wall seems quite formidable, built of mega-damage steel welded
>>> together. There are score marks from energy blasts, but they seem very
>>> old. There are turrets and heavy weapons emplacements, but few guards.
>>> Clearly, at some point, the defenses were moved to the outer wall,
>>> though the inner wall is maintained.
>>>
>>> A great gate of megadamage material sits open below a tall arch with a
>>> cross on it. Several guards in Medieval-looking livery, crosses on
>>> their breastplates, stand at attention. Several people are strolling
>>> into the Abbey grounds, and a bell begins to ring.
>>> [/GM]

>> [Ithdalkal]
>> The Altaran looks with her strange senses at the great structure,
>> wonder in her eyes. "It is not as big as the great towers of Splynn,"
>> she says, "but it is so... beautiful. There are ruins like this in
>> London, but the Lord has ordered them toppled. They are too... how do
>> you say... human."
>>
>> She sees the newcomer Anne in the distance, already in the courtyard.
>> "There is the strange new companion of yours." Ithdalkal then laughs.
>> "I suppose I am a strange new companion, too."
>> [/Ithdalkal]

>> [GM]
>> The main entrance of the Abbey looms before them. It looks newer than
>> the rest of the building, and is a wide staircase; at least a hundred
>> feet in width, with wide stairs. A great oaken door that seems to
>> shimmer, possibly from sort of enchantment, opens into the dark
>> cavernous space within. The bells of the Abbey are ringing now, and
>> people are flocking to the entrance.
>>
>> All in all, the building is spectacular... almost too spectacular,
>> considering the quaint English frontier nature of the rest of the
>> town. There is wealth in the town of Belmont Abbey, but this building,
>> and its recent renovations and expansion must surely have consumed
>> many years worth of taxes on trade along the road and the river.
>> [/GM]

> [Anne]
> Anne will look around for a priest, and if there is one handy, approach
> him and inquire as to the exact denomination of the Abbey.
> [/Anne]

[GM]
As Anne is looking for a priest, she sees Oz and his companion, the
Blind Warrior woman Ithdalkal, walk up.

As they near the entrance to the Abbey, a priest, or at least he looks
like a priest, walks up. He is a short fellow, perhaps five foot two,
with a tonsure and simple brown robes, rather monk-like in appearance.
"You are new here," the priest says to the three travelers. "I welcome
you to Belmont Abbey."

To Anne's question, the priest answers "We are Catholic, of the New
Latin Rite, m'lady. I am Father Arthur, and I serve under the
Archbishop."

The inside of the Abbey can be seen now. The main cathedral itself is
a great vaulted affair, with gold, silver and other precious metals
and stones evident. It is an extraordinarily opulent place.

"We are almost ready for evening mass. Will you be joining us?" Father
Arthur asks.
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com