[Event] Blessings of the Goddess

[Dajoji]

Some have felt her blessings, and some are still in disbelief, yet her garden blooms
with faithful ones, eager to receive her grace. She shall not ignore those who praise
her quietly as they should not wander off the path she lays for them. But whether
or not you've been blessed by her, do not forget to visit her garden for she is most
happy when her followers celebrate the beauty of her work.


*     *     *

[The Goddess is happy and wishes more people come see her garden. Do not expect a magic show, a reward or a party but celebrate her presence and grace for she sure has earned some devotion. Take this as an opportunity to post your IC reactions to the recent events as well as to visit the garden IG and RP there more often. Just remember it's a holy place and it's not smart disrespect Xiosia. No OOC post please, use the other boards for that.]

[LigH]

Erelenga Karal is confused. He had offered little things to Xiosia on any generic day before. He wears the tribal tattoo of those who respect nature. He celebrated the 4th Anniversary of his guild in front of her. He waited for hours at her side the day after he heard of all the miracles. Still, it appears that those were preferred in the blessings who were just lucky enough to be there in the right moment, no matter how selfish their wishes were, no matter how much they believe in the balance of nature... So he prays for the return of the order, that the Gods may turn their look back towards the people and their intentions, that the ones who live for the community, for the people, for a balance and order, will be blessed and rewarded some day too... Look at your children, goddess! Get to know them!

[Zontick]

Some have felt her blessings, and some are still in disbelief, yet her garden blooms
with faithful ones, eager to receive her grace. She shall not ignore those who praise
her quietly as they should not wander off the path she lays for them.

Really? It is a nice garden, and Jardet does a great job of maintaining it. But the rest - really? No, I don't think so. Her reward system is peculiar, to say the least. I think I'll stick with actual work instead of frolicking in a garden so that Xiosia can randomly bless people. 

[The Goddess is happy and wishes more people come see her garden.]

That's not what Jardet said.

The Gods are as they are. So be it. But the last time I was in the Garden, it was the home of the Wailing Wall... but people were wailing to the North Wall instead of the West...

[Elvors]

Elvors is utterly confused.
Surely Jardet Forsill would have speaken up if a false priest were to invade his garden?
Surely Xiosia wouldn't have allowed a false priest to speak under her tree?
Yet all of this happened.

Then the priest ordered slaying beasts.
Well, it was wrong... the results have proven that... but he does not understand what's wrong.
He's hunting animals for food. That's how Xiosia created him.
On a daily basis, he's slaying ill, unnatural beasts like Trepors, Tefusang and Ulbernauts that come from the Stone Labyrinth. He has pledged to protect the innocent.
Nobody ever said that was wrong.
Elvors didn't see anything in the priest's orders that he hadn't done a thousand times before. What was wrong there?

He has been racking his brain on these questions.
He hopes for an answer... fears he'll never get one... prepares to carry on, but with a darker mood.

[Re Dajoji's post below:
No, I didn't enjoy that "little surprise". Not at all.
The above questions are IC as well as OOC for me.
Besides, while I agree that greed is a path towards the Black Flame, this event got not just the greedy ones but also those who simply didn't see through the disguise.
In fact I had my reservations about what that priest was telling us, but he played his role well enough... and I know enough about GMing to write some things off as "well, his understanding of Xiosia is different from mine" (plus "some errors are due to imperfection in GMing, so there").]

[Dajoji]

Many gathered to pray to Xiosia but more than a few were so eager to please the Goddess that their vision was clouded. Little did they know they were about to be taken advantage of and that their actions would bring serious consequences. Now they are left with a strange sense of loss and a mark deep enough to be invisible...


[Thanks to all who participated. We hope you enjoyed the little surprise we threw your way and that you will use this to enrich your RP. Feel free to post your screenies and logs.
@Zontick: Please, no OOC only posts. Use the other threads and boards for that. Please edit or remove your entry accordingly.

Edit: Zontick, take Elvors and Ligh's post as example of what I mean by IC posts.]

[Zontick]

@Zontick: Please, no OOC only posts. Use the other threads and boards for that. Please edit or remove your entry accordingly.]

That's not out of character. Zontick's quite in character. Ask him about it inworld. Or read one of his books.

[But if you want OOC, here it is: Zontick and I agree. But I can do that and be IN character. Wonderful thing, that. Delete my post at your whim, I'll just put it on a blog elsewhere.]

[Hrothbert]

Hrothbert walks slowly back to his Guilds house, other event that he must attend this day, But still his mind wanders to the events of the last few hours:

Was he truly wishing to follow the Goddess or just receive further blessing??
If it were the latter would this be the reason he was deceived??
Had he spoken up when the thought came to him would things have turned out different??
What must he do now to earn back the respect he has lost from Xiosia??
Was this one step the start of a slippery slide into the pit of darkness where who knows what fate awaits him??

These questions and many others cloud his mind as he turns the key to the guildhouse.

"Surprise!" He is startled; but more from being brought back to reality than the excited shouts of his friends.

'Hrothbert Come stand by me' Daniequy says, Hrothbert does so putting a smile on his face for all his friends.

'Today we have a promotion......' Daniequy continues talking, Hrothbert only half listens to know where his cue will be, His mind ever falling back to think about and ponder this emptiness that is inside him, and what must he do now to fill that void once again.

[Zontick]

On further meditation... after scribing the events...

It seems peculiar that there are none of the creatures that were slain in Xiosia's name within the garden. Why is that?

[bilbous]

* bilbous , having business with Jardet several times this had passed by the garden remarked "nice tree" and continued on with kra's business
"I wondered at the sheep surrounding it in hopes of a miracle. I find it most amusing to hear that they got sheared, That'll teach them to mess with beings far more powerful than them."

[weltall]

[This is a big amount of pics ~70. There is also a ~40 minutes video  (it's about 400mb and unedited you have been warned )]

The video: http://www.megaupload.com/it/?d=ECZAEMYV

[LigH]

[ Hmm, what do you expect now? Shall I jealously look at the gifts other players received? Or gleefully at the punishment (if I understood that at all)? No, thanks. Much better ideas get consequently ignored as well. ]

[Farren Kutter]

Farren enters Xiosia's Garden and sees a bunch of people gathered at the garden, and waits to see something happen, as he is told that Xiosia is giving out some sort of blessings. When nothing happens for some time, he walks up to Xiosia, salutes her, and then says to any who are there and listening, "I merely came to give my regards to Xiosia. Every day that I live is a blessing from Xiosia..."  [[I had it bracketed cause I was just sorta recounting what happened IG xD The words themselves are the exact words he said, pasted from my logs ]]

[Dajoji]

Looking at the garden, Jardet ponders what could have caused this strange sense of loss. Was he not watchful enough? The pilgrim certainly seemed knowledgeable enough in the ways of Xiosia and his words were full of wisdom. Did he fool him as well? But why would Xiosia followers agree to kill creatures in her name? Did they not see that is not the kind of offering she expects? How much do they really know of Xiosia? Were they ever interested in learning her way or just be recipients of her gifts? Who could have taken advantage of that? And why?

Why?

All he knows now is that some have turned away from the Goddess... was that the plan all along?


[Xiosia is not the only deity that can or will show up in Yliakum in any form. For the Blackflame, deception and manipulation are its weapons of choice and it has ways to taint everything it touches without ever being discovered. For those who were fooled by his priest, remember the words you heard: "You have pleased me greatly. I am deep within you". This means you've been marked but you do not know by who or what. This opens up many possibilities for your characters to react as well as many followup events. The choice of how you let this affect your characters is yours, however. Just keep in mind that your character shouldn't know what Blackflame is. That is OOC knowledge and shouldn't be used as IC. If you have any questions regarding this event, feel free to PM me. If you wish to have an OOC discussion with the community please use the General or Complaint boards to keep this thread clean.

Thanks Weltall for the screenies and the video. This is the first event we "tape" and I hope you'll enjoy it.

Farren: I don't think your post needed the brackets. Sounded perfectly IC to me.

LigH: You lost me a bit with your post there. Feel free to PM me your comments.]