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| Action Id: 2438 | Crisis: | Participants: Jeffeth and Etienne | |
| Status: Resolved | Submitted: July 2, 2018, 2:28 p.m. | Public: True | GM: Puffin |
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Economic Resources: 52 Military Resources: 55 Social Resources: 55 |
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Action by Jeffeth
Back when Jeffeth was an orphan, he felt a connection to Gild. He would pray to her above all else. He often attributes Her being the one who got him through on those cold bitter nights when he was freezing and he was starving. When the Cullers were calling his name, offering him silver for running a delivery here, or bruising an eye there. He never gave in. As much as he needed the food, as much as his bones shook from the cold. Instead he would say a little prayer, and murmur it to himself and Gild, rocking to stave off the bitter cold.
Once upon a time, a grown Knighted Jeffeth Bayweather would be at the Shrine of Gild at least once a day. He would spend a great deal of time there. Scrubbing the shrine, spending time with the templars, forcing hugs upon Archlector Etienne. That time is long gone. Since the replacement of the altar, Jeffeth has shown up a grand total of one time, to look at it, and he has not set foot in the shrine again, since then.
But there was a bet. A bet that if the plan worked and the Bloodsniffer was beaten, he had to pray at the Shrine once more.
And so Jeffeth returns to the shrine. He's wordless for a long time. The Archlector is there, trying to make smalltalk, but it doesn't really register. Etienne guides him forward and so Jeffeth marches forward, sitting down at a bench that Etienne directed. Looking at that new altar. There's a long pregnant moment of silence, going well past awkward, where Jeffeth doesn't answer any of Etienne's questions. Until, finally: "Do you think--" His voice is gravelly, strained from emotion and that biting feeling in your throat when you try to hold back from weeping. Jeffeth clears his throat. "Do you really think she can still hear us? With that?"
Etienne soothes and urges the big man that of course she can, dismissing his fears and affirming the power of the Goddess.
And so with a tear running hot down his cheek, Jeffeth falls to his knees in front of the altar and with trembling hands, begins to pray:
"My Lady Gild. I've always felt close to you. I've always talked to you when I thought no one else would listen. Times have been hard but it's always easier when I can come tell you about it. But the last few months I've been afraid to talk to you. I'm afraid you can't hear me, afraid that someone else is listening. I'm sorry, Lady Gild. I don't mean to abandon you, I've just been so afraid. I was afraid that it hurt you, what happened to the altar. I guess that's silly, but I don't understand how these things work, I just know that I love you and have always tried to do right by you and make you proud. And when something happened here..." He would grow silent for a long moment, and when he continues his voice is strained. "I felt like we let you down, and I have no way to fix it. I've learnd things about myself, about my past. I've been tricked in past lives, I'm pretty sure. I've done horrible things in the name of good because I was deluded."
"I don't want that to happen again. I don't want to serve the wrong master. I want to serve you, and I want to make sure we're doing it right. So, my Lady Gild, please tell me if you need something, if you want something done. I will do my very best to fix what you need fixed. If this altar is wrong I will break my back to pull it out of here. If you want anything, whatever it is, Lady Gild, I will give my heart, and my body, everything I own, I commit to Gild. Just please, tell me that you're alright."
After a long moment of freely weeping on his knees before the altar, Jeffeth would finally depart. He would then offer evertyhing he currently has as far as resources go. It's not much, but it empties out everything he currently has in sacrifice.
Action by Etienne
Etienne helps Jeffeth, attempting to bring him back to Gild, offering all sorts of Archlectory wisdom and nuggets of spiritual reassurance that regardless of form or presentation that Gild remains as strong and healthy as before and that faith will conquer doubt in our hearts.
Result
Jeffeth prays, and makes an offering to Gild - everything he has, everything he is. Oh, maybe it's a small thing to some rich person, but he knows perfectly well that when he leaves his offering on the altar, that's all he has. And when he prays, so heartfelt, so fervent, there is that moment where it seems like the whole world holds its breath. Etienne's comfort and supervision and encouragement vanishes, and in that moment there is only Jeffeth, his offering, and the altar he fears.
And then there is warmth, like a hug, like a warm presence. And he gets a vision of a village, small and simple, and feels a deep and abiding love for it. But then as though he is an immortal himself, he sees that village become a town, become a city, become a stunning capitol of an unknown empire, with graceful arches and beautiful spires reaching into the sky. But that deep and abiding love never changes.
And then he sees a rich man - in fact, Jeffeth recognizes Rook approaching the altar, making a rich offering - and there is that deep and abiding love. And then he sees himself, offering what is by comparison a poor and pitiful one - and yet still, that love never fades, never falters.
At last he sees himself again - faithful as a hungry child. Faithful as a growing boy. Faithful as an adult. He sees himself taking Vows, and feels the love and the pride, like a mother proud of a son that achieves great things. And then the silver he has left on the altar glows, much as it did a few weeks prior, and he feels - a push, and amusement, and love. A push to action, and then the silver stops glowing, and he is abruptly returned to the moment.