Thena LEAVES the Grayhopes has started at Arx - Ward of the Compact - The Great Cathedral of the Pantheon.

6 Thrax Guards arrives, following Abbas.

2 Solace trained guards arrives, following Armel.

When the Warlord of Thrax enters The Great Cathedral of the Pantheon a number of Arvum's finest lose bets as he does not explode in a ball of fire nor does lightning fall from the heavens to incinerate him on the spot. That is not to say Abbas does not toss a tentative and cautious glance upwards once he crosses the threshold of the place of worship. Abbas is covered in cold austere steel and his helm is tucked in the crook of his arm. Wild dreadlocks drape across his shoulders and his axes hang from his belt.

"Ah..." That fretting sound is Gisele. Bright in aeterna, attired and coiffed as priestess of the Faith and attending witness, she worries her way over the Thrax's Warlord with concerned eyes fixed upon his axes. "My lord, gods bless you and keep you, but you cannot bring weapons into this blessed sanctuary. They will need to be left outside if you wish to worship."

Magpie is a little early, and actually here, as promised. He's wearing his *nice* seasilk shirt and his hair is slicked back and tied in a little pony tail. He's even shaved. He glances over as Gisele speaks with Abbas and the Grayhope will just offer the prince a grin and a little wave from behind Gisele's back. (Noted, Magpie is not wearing any weapons) He just leans against a pew after that, drumming his fingers against his leg in some impatience. Or maybe he's nervous.

The Warlord of Thrax calls one of his men to take his axes and they proceed to leave them outside with his guards. Abbas does not talk or otherwise protest. He moves and goes to take a knee. Head bowed he goes through his private prayers. The austere armor must be uncomfortable but he does not seem to mind. He is out of the way and he goes about his holy business.

the hour is mid-afternoon, with the light streaming through the stained-glass windows framing the scene before whoever may be in the Cathedral at this time. Standing before the altar is Armel, in silver-edged plate and white tabard that refracts the light in an almost dazzling way. He is flanked by no knights at this time, but by Gisele (until she rushes off to deal with an errant worshipper). The grandmaster lifts his gaze to the others and calls out roughly, "Alright, are we ready, folks? Everyone know their lines? Because once I start, nobody best interrupt or flub this holy event..." It might be noted that he alone is wearing a weapon with no peace-tie in this holy place, a large silvery-white hammer that only addds to his hard-to-look-at-ness.

Gisele's smile for Abbas when he complies is sunlit and sweet. "Thank you, my lord. May they keep you in their light," she bids on behalf of the gods. Then the man is left to his private devotions and Gisele hurry hurry hurries back to her place at Armel's side. She arrives clearing her throat, a little flushed, a little breathless-- alas, her injured lungs. Adopting the correct serene and dignified stance, while Armel takes on instructing the supplicants, she sneaks a reassuring smile towards the attendant Grayhopes.

Thena emerges quietly from the sidelines in her stark black leather armor, clean and brushed for the occasion. Her own dagger in sheathed at her side and she clutches a string of green prayer beads in her hand, wrapped around her palm. The woman looks rather worn around the edges but composed enough as she takes her place at Magpie's side, with only a quick mildly curious glance at Abbas and his retinue. To Armel's question, just a brief nod.

Magpie drags himself from his lean when things seem to be ready to begin, and the sailor walks over to stand with the others. He'll give Thena a smile and reach to give her shoulder a little squeeze (likely unwanted, but he does it anyway), then nods to Armel. "I'm good."

Armel nods once, firmly, to all assembled before him. Abbas? The Prince gets a shallow, respectful nod if looked his way, but otherwise leaves him to his prayers in peace. He clears his throat, his rumbling voice carrying easily to every corner of the vast edifice.

"Very well, let us begin. Thena Grayhope has petitioned the Faith to join the ranks of the Godsworn. To do so is to remove him/herself from the bonds of his/her previous fealty, his/her responsibilities to his/her family, and no longer to provide them succor or shelter save as the Faith might provide succor and shelter to any other. Who is here to speak for the Family Name?"

He looks from Thena to Magpie with an expectant air of solemnity, all trace of good cheer vanishing as the ritual begins to be replaced by a look of authority and sternness.

Gisele's smile remains. Gentle, warm, encouraging. Hers is not a speaking part for now but rather seems designed to contrast the high authority and stern bearing of the Grandmaster of the Knights of Solace. She might /also/ be the living cheat sheet for the festivities-- as Armel calls for the speaker for the family, summer blue eyes shift unerringly to Magpie. The priestess will even silently mouth the words if his memory needs a nudge. Gisele is nice like that.

Mags is family, and family shoulder squeezes are tolerated and even acknowledged with a quick little quirk of a smile. Thena even tucks her hand into the crook of her cousin's elbow for this, and turns an earnest dark gaze on him when it's his turn to speak.

Magpie checked composure + etiquette at difficulty 15, rolling 19 higher.

Magpie grows serious when the ceremony begins, waiting quietly with Thena while Armel goes through the familiar phrases. There's no trace of any of his earlier attitudes when the man speaks the traditional response, "Magpie Grayhope speaks for the Grayhopes." He answers with measured respect. He doesn't even glance at Gisele.

Armel dips his head to Magpie, and is that relief that the man is showing the proper respect? No, there is only a stony gaze as blank as the Sentinel's as he continues with the ceremony.

“Do you release Thena Grayhope from the bonds of family, and the duty to carry on your line? Do you release your kin to the Faith, acknowledging her among these witnesses that her responsibility to the Family Name has ended, and she may take up the yoke of the gods?"

Such approval! And pride. Gisele radiates both as the call and return go smoothly-- so far.

The hand on Magpie's arm may or may not be there to apply meaningful squeezes if things start to go south, but Thena's expression is focused forward and nothing but rapt attention to the ceremony.

Magpie checked composure + etiquette at difficulty 15, rolling 8 higher.

Magpie just waits with the same patience, his eyes on Armel as the next part of the rite is spoken. He draws in a breath, then speaks clearly, "In love, I release Thena from her bonds and all responsibility to the Grayhope line. May the Faith embrace her as a sister, as an aunt, as a daughter," there's a pause as Magpie grins and glances over at Thena, deliberately letting the silence hang, "and as a *cousin*, as we have." Then he gives her arm another quick squeeze and steps back.

Thena checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 8 higher.

Armel has the briefest twitch of a tired smile at Magpie's pausing and dramatic delivery, any hint of warning at such a delay erased as he gestures for Thena to approach the steps to a spot he indicates before him.

"Kneel. For those entering the Faith, there are oaths to be taken. For Gild, do you, Thena, swear to leave behind no wealth in your passing, save to the Faith itself? To support none as a spouse or son might, but only through works of charity? For Limerance, do you freely devote yourself to the gods and put these oaths you take tonight above all others? For the Sentinel do you swear to always seek the truth in the grace of the gods?”

While there is the easy rote of delivery from lines he's heard for years, there is also a weight to the oath, a meaning that he stresses with each syllable as he awaits her response.

Thena offers a shaky smile to Magpie when he speaks his part, then hangs on to his arm long enough to lean in and whisper something before releasing him. Then she takes a deep breath, approaches Armel and Gisele, and kneels. In a clear, carrying tone, "To Gild I promise in all things: no wealth shall be left. To Limerance I promise my heart and that none of mortal blood and flesh shall claim it otherwise. To the Sentinel I promise a clarity of mind and words and that no pursuit shall be met of my own interests, but only that of the divine."

Magpie just gives Thena a little smile, murmuring something back and saying nothing further as he watches. As she smoothly gets through the first section, he smiles.

Armel continues the ceremony after her response, nodding once with that ghost of a smile to show his approval of her delivery, but even that fades quickly.

""As Petrichor grants dominion, do you, Thena, swear to uphold his ideals and enforce the traditions of Sanctuary to those granted it? To Mangata, do you pledge yourself to the waters, your ministry knowing no boundaries of land? And for Lagoma, do you swear to always be open to change?" Getting through the Gods one by one, each name said with the utmost piety and purpose.

Thena checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Gisele takes up for smiling where Armel leaves off. Hers will not fade, and there's something almost tender in the way she observes Thena in her place. Memory of her own vows being spoken, perhaps. To her credit, the priestess doesn't sniffle, or show even a hint of teariness-- though it might be noted that now and then, a glance is stolen at Magpie to gauge his condition.

Thena delivers her vows steadily and calmly despite some indications of deeper-running emotion. "To Petrichor, I promise to defend the tradition of Sanctuary with unending ferocity. To Mangata, I promise my trust in carrying the ministry abroad no matter the destination." Here she pauses and looks down, fingers tightening on her beads. There's a thickness to her voice during the next part, and some mist in her dark eyes though no tears. "To Lagoma, I promise an open mind and accepting heart."

Magpie's smile does fade as Thena gets deeper into the vows, and there's a trace of melancholy that Gisele might pick up on, but he keeps silent, his eyes on his kneeling cousin. When she gets to Lagoma, his brows crease together in concern as Thena's words come with more difficulty.

The vows are getting powered through, the devotion to each of the Gods and Goddesses addressed and assured before moving on to the next, the man's stoic demeanor at odds with his sudden motion, to lay a light, steel-clad hand upon Thena's shoulder, sensing her emotions. But his words are as clear as the daylight through the windows behind as he carries on.

"As First Choice fought for our ability to choose, do you choose of your own free will and without reservation, to serve the Pantheon now, and to make that choice again, each day, until your time of passing? As the Queen of Endings shelters souls in the realms beyond, do you swear to shelter souls in the lands of the Compact, from their birth until their death? And in the name of the Dreamer, do you swear to serve the creations of Aion, and preserve the Dream Eternal?"

It's going well! Isn't it going well? Gisele dips her head, a soft and subtle gesture meant to encourage the woman kneeling before Armel.

Thena swallows hard and dips her head in a little nod that she is all right to go on, though no one asked aloud, and rests her fingertips on Armel's gauntlet before continuing. "To the First Choice, I promise my defense of every soul's freedom to choose their path. To the Queen of Endings and Beginnings, I promise to protect the souls of every one of her children until they return to her care. To Aion, I promise to preserve the Dream in the face of any that would bring her creations harm."

Magpie presses his lips together, his eyes on Thena, but focus going a bit distance as he listens. The man stands more stiffly, some of that earlier ease hardening, but it's not terribly obvious unless on were watching him.

Armel is not watching Magpie, all his attention on the supplicant before him as his fingers curl slightly into a reassuring squeeze, the only part of himself that shows any emotions he might be feeling at the present as the final vow is asked.

"One final vow remains. Tehom, the Reflection, requires of you a vow to channel your passions and not allow yourself to be ruled by them. Do you swear this as well?"

Tellingly, perhaps, this is the moment when Gisele's gaze slides to focus on the weave of her clasped fingers. A small breath is taken and slowly released while she waits for the appropriate answer.

"In determination, I swear this will be true." The final vow, and while there is a short pause before it comes, it's a pensive one and Thena delivers the words themselves, when she delivers them, with the strength and clarity of the others.

Magpie shakes off the wandering of his mind as Thena speaks the final vow, a little smile pulling at his lips again. He casts a glance around the cathedral, blue eyes resting briefly on Abbas in thoughtful study before looking back to Thena. His smile grows.

Binky, an asshole crow, Gregory, an unassuming disciple arrive, following Aureth.

There is a slight pause, and here, Armel breaks with the standard swearing ceremony that has been seen in Arx more than once in recent days. He gestures with his free hand toward the wings, where a novitiate of the Knights comes forward and presented a folded leather garment to the Grandmaster. He brings his hand back from his supporting of Thena to spread it out, displaying a tabard much like the one he himself is wearing at this moment, if a touch plainer in stitching and with an odd backing to it.

" You join the Godsworn not just as a member of the Faith, but as a Knight of Solace. Our Order is as ancient as the Compact itself, countless generations wearing these very colors. They represent our devotion to Gild, and to the example of Silver, She who never yielded. For Silver's sacrifice and for Solace, may you wear it proudly, for all of your days, and remember the example of all who have stood before you." And, bidding her to bow her head, he makes to place the tabard over her, to drape loosely across her armored form (a belt can solve it later when she has the time.

"This night, the Faith welcomes Sister Thena as one of the Godsworn. I bid you rise."

Aureth looms at the back of the Cathedral as a pale figure in gold and white. His arms are loosely crossed, his mouth and beard caught in the spread of his hands. He is not here to heckle. He's quiet.

"For Silver's sacrifice and for Solace," Gisele says in the moment which follows, "the Faith welcomes your vows, Sister." Her smile blossoms full and radiant then, as the priestess adds, "As do I, Sister Thena. Gods bless for your commitment." Right to first hug is, of course, granted to Armel. So, stepping forward, she angles herself towards Magpie's side. Side-hug? Squeeze?

Magpie looks a little confused as Armel pulls out the tabard because this part is not on the sheet from the rehearsal. He grins though, as the Grandmaster explains things, brows lifting. "I didn't realize you would be a *knight* too. Congratulations Thena." He really should have, but he gets pretty wrapped up in himself a lot of the time. As Gisele comes over he'll happily give her a hug.

6 Thrax Guards have been dismissed.

Thena remains kneeling, motionless but for the prayer beads moving through her fingers, then raises her head and watches as Armel fetches something from the novitiate. Obediently(!?) she bows her head as he lowers the tabard over her head, then gives Armel's gauntleted arm a squeeze and rises. At a loss for words, she just stands there awkwardly, tugging the tabard into place and smiling a tiny private smile at something about it. Then, "I'm still not a KNIGHT-knight, Mags."

The veneer of stony pride and severity cracks and falls away as soon as the last vows are said and the woman rises. "Welcome to the Godsworn, Thena. And to the Knights of Solace proper. You'll love it." And he smiles, a rare and true broad and even grin as he does clap the woman's shoulders and go in for the hug, if she allows it, although a brief one if there's discomfort. A brief murmur in her ear before calling out to Magpie, "What she said. Although if she does well and keeps her nose clean? It could be /Dame/ Thena before you know it. Maybe even Knight-Commander Thena someday." A wink and a chuckle at that, admitting quietly, "I have expected Mags to throw something."

Gisele gives Magpie a /thorough/ hug and like Armel, murmurs something which is just for him. Then she steps back and gives the man a glinting smile, before turning to congratulate the new Godsworn. "Dame Thena! Won't that be a grand day?" she asks, opening her arms to the younger woman. "I am so happy for you, right now."

Thena checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Aureth drifts forward from the back of the Cathedral to drop into a forward lean on the brace of his palms on one of the empty pews. Lots of empty pews at a small, private oathtaking. His hair is long and loose, his expression thoughtful. The sleepless shadows under his eyes are probably just because he's old. "Congratulations, Sister Thena. Welcome to the Faith." His smile lifts his mouth at the corners, warm and quick.

"Oh.." Magpie says as Thena corrects him. "Well, congratulations anyway." He says cheerfully, then glances at Gisele as she mutters in his ear and gives her long gaze. He says nothing. Instead, he trails after her as she moves in for the hug, commenting with a grin, "You did way better than Aureth did. He was super-nervous and forgot some of the vows." He says with a snicker, then spots the man, "Oh! There he is. Hey Aureth."

Thena isn't a hugger, that's true, but this is a special day and she throws her arms around Armel as soon as he drops the Very Serious mien. There's a clearly audible "Thank you" that is DEFINITELY NOT AT ALL SNIFFLY before she releases the Grandmaster and hugs Gisele, tears finally running down her cheeks. "I am too." Then, "Thank you, Aureth. It's good to be here."

Armel grins, not noticing anything out of the ordinary or sniffly at all, let alone mentioning it as he lets Thena go on to celebrate with the others. "Oh hey Deathlector. Here to see your...Cousin join the family?" He really should have learned all the Grayhope relations by now, right? He is almost beaming himself with pride however as he notes, "At least she didn't swear at anything. And Mags didn't." That part comes as a shock, apparently. "And seriously, don't 'lose' that tabard, or I'm taking it out of your new salary."

Aureth checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 4 lower.

Gisele is beaming as she steps back from hugging Thena. "That was beautifully done. /Both/ of you," she says to Thena and to Magpie as well. And for Armel, an equally bright look which glows with pride. "Practice really does make perfect, doesn't it? Gods bless, Aureth!"

For whatever reason, at this particular moment on this particular day, the appellation <i>Deathlector</i> appears to hit Aureth more or less like a brick. He scrubs his hand over his face, and then summons up his smile again, as though nothing was ever wrong. He has, in his life, covered better. Emotions are stupid. "Yeah. Soon we will have conquered the Faith from top to bottom," he says after a beat's pause, perfectly normally. He rubs his eyes, and then: "I didn't /forget/," Aureth feels the need to defend himself at this point. "I didn't /forget/ the vow to /Death/, Magpie."

"I practiced a lot," Thena admits, and probably a low of Robbery patrons got to hear way more of the vows than they ever imagined. "Cousin," she confirms with a smile nearly as bright as Gisele's, though she also looks tired and a little worn. And also damp, now, as she self-consciously and ineffectually mops at her face with the sleeve of her shirt where it sticks out from under her armor. "I'm not /losing the tabard/, Armel."

Magpie just throws Armel a grin, shrugging. "I aim to surprise people, I guess." Then he gives Aureth a concern look, wandering over to him. "Everything alright, man?" He asks softly, "You look like you haven't been sleeping. I was just teasing about the vows. You both did great." He says, smiling as he stuffs his hands into his pockets now.

Armel helpfully produces a spare rag from a pouch at his belt. "I have a couple other things coming your way Thena, but shopkeeps take their damn time with everything these days, it seems. Here, use this. Gets hot as the abyss in plate," he explains for why he's carrying rags around. Aureth gets a wince as he sees how the title of Deathlector affects the man, moving close enough to murmur something in his ear, sounding earnest before he snorts toward Aureth (thankfully having moved his face away from the Archlector beforehand). "You often do, I'll admit it."

"Come here, you." Because he is an annoying man who has forgotten what family he no longer is in, Aureth acts like a ruiner by straightening away from the bench to hook his arm across Magpie's shoulders and reach up with the other one to, of all things, scrape his knuckles along his scalp. Noogies. Like a mature adult priest in the middle of a cathedral, you know. "I'm fine." He glances up and flashes a slightly wider smile at Armel. "I've still got my tabard around if you want it, but it very clearly has a bat sewn on it, and it's not very /Solacey/."

"What the shit is a bat?" Armel shoots back at once.

Gisele's eyes linger a moment on Aureth too but she is not /nearly/ as pushy as some. And the fact the man's willing to give noogies is heartening, leading to a return of her smile. "Something Death likes, supposedly. The sigil looks a little like a rat with wings," she says, giving a teeny tiny shudder of ew.

Magpie is on board for the hug when Aureth drags him in, but that hair-ruining noogie has him shoving, "Hey!! Hey!!!" He retorts, pushing the man off and reaching up to smooth back the curls that he painstakingly slicked back and tied in a pony tail JUST for this ceremony. "Damnit Aureth." He mutters, then just sighs and gives him one more shove for good measure. "For the record, in case any of you were wondering, I will *not* be joining the Faith."

Thena looks even more abashed now that she's being offered a rag just to contain the tears, but she's past the point of being able to suck the things back into her face so she wipes at her face determinedly. "That's all right. Probably couldn't handle more presents right now," she tells Armel.

Armel blinks a couple times, then peers at Magpie as he is being noogied. "You know, you /are/ the only one in the room who isn't a Godsworn...And I have the vows fresh in memory...Sure you don't wanna be a servant of Skald?" He's teasing. Probably. Then he shrugs to Thena. "Not so much presents as 'perks of the job', any more than my armor was a present."

"His hammer too," Gisele puts in. Not that she's trying to put ideas in Thena's head. Probably.

"He'd make a good Mangatan," Aureth says, laughing in a wheezey rush of breath for having wreaked utter ruin on Magpie's hair. He is a little unbalanced in the shoving match. Magpie is noticeably stronger than he is. It's not actually that hard to be stronger than he is. He doesn't shove back, though. He yields readily in this combat he began. "Freedom on the high seas and so on. And booze, and all that."

Thena blows her nose rather loudly, then starts to hand the rag back but thinks better of it and stuffs it in her pocket. "Perks, presents, whatever. You all need to stop making me cry." She rubs a corner of her new tabard between thumb and forefinger. "We don't have anyone to give him away here."

"No no no, really. I'm fine. This is your thing. Someone has to stick around and help Fort and Moira run the family." Magpie says with a grin, giving Aureth a hug, and then Thena, because hugs are on the menu. "You guys are making the rest of us look better."