This war and peace inside my mind, finding things I shouldn't find [Maddyn]

[Sliucha Sindosa]

Ninuka!

High Priestess Ninuka of the House of Silk, Daughter of Haya.

That Ninuka. The one who had kindly accepted Sliucha's invitation way back when to join her fledgling enterprise at the Lotus Temple, and watched over the Hayan contingent that had come along. The one who Sliucha had granted the title of High Priestess, and set her as responsible for keeping the Hayans in check. The Temple of the Black Spider within the Temple of Sinful Delights, who worked on matters of alchemy, poisons, and herbalism for the sake of the greater Temple.

And most recently, of course, the Ninuka who'd had to deal with the influx of Hayans who'd survived the Mission Vale purge in Har'oloth.

Well, Sliucha kind of wanted to know how she'd been doing, and how the Hayans had been doing. Sliucha was pretty laissez-faire about the whole thing, content with leaving Ninuka and the others to do their own thing as long as they didn't... poison the water supply... or unleash a plague upon Moonstone... or any of that sort of thing. Which perhaps neutered the Hayans just a bit in terms of what they actually had to do, which... you know, fair. Fair, maybe they were bored out of their minds. But at the same time, the aspects of Haya were sort of... super... not nice. So it was a really hard balance to strike.

Sliucha supposed now was as good a time as any to try and talk with Ninuka about that thing. In the midst of all the reorganization and brainstorming on the Alithean side, why shouldn't the Temple structure as a whole also see that sort of scrutiny? Why not talk about the future of the Hayans here - ooooh, that sounded ominous. Sliucha didn't want to imply that she was going to kick them out or anything.

Maybe it was best not to set any expectations. So, consider it a social visit! Sliucha stopping by to see her chummy pal Ninuka.

Off to the Hayan wing! They had their own section of the Temple where they'd been allowed to set things up, away from the others. See if she couldn't find Ninuka! See how things had been! See if they needed anything!

 

[Maddyn]

A survivor, first and foremost: she who’d managed to avoid having anything to do with the second contingent of souls returning to the ruins of the Temple of Carnal Love. Mission Vale and Toherro? No thanks! The renegades that had splintered off to poison the waters of Vortex in retribution for their treatment? You do you but we’re just fine minding our business in Moonstone thanks!

Ninuka, on the premise that an Elf could live thousands of years given the means? Wasn’t going to up and risk it all by being stupid and reckless.

She knew her people, her faith, and the kinds of people that worshipping Haya largely attracted and had taken a practical, pragmatic approach. Less about inflicting plague and disease - for all that she was most capable - and instead treating Haya more as a Divine Protection Racket. Pray to the Goddess for Protection and she wouldn’t visit a plague to your house and make your cows’ milk dry up and poison the wells.

Which, Sliucha’s timing really was kind of impeccable as Ninuka and a few of the lesser members of the faith were doing just that. Setting up small little pendants on rusted chains about some of the wells about the Garden Temples. Thaumaturgy and Druidism and all the magics were well and good, but faith was a different kind of shield and so? The Vysstichi Madame was setting up little makeshift shrines and wards to keep away the Goddesses’ wrath.

 

[Sliucha Sindosa]

Oh! Convenient! Hadn't had to look around for Ninuka or anything.

"Hi!" Sliucha beamed, offering the High Priestess a double-handed wave. "How's it been? Just thought I'd stop by and see how you've been. Watcha doooooin'?"

Because Sliucha sure as heck didn't know what Ninuka and the others were setting up here. This was a good opportunity to actually learn more about the Hayans that shared the Temple! (Putting it like that rather highlighted how many aspects of the Temple Sliucha had been slacking on.)

 

[Maddyn]

High Priestess! Wasn’t as if Sliucha was the only one that tended to do the rounds and look after her charges. Just, very careful also about avoiding anything that might cause undue risk either like interfering in Dragonliches and Champions of Gods and Goddesses. That kind of nonsense was a good way to end up getting oneself maimed or even killed.

“Hey there.” Ninuka replied easily, inspecting a heavily tarnished piece of metal that was being set about one of the buckets that got lowered into the well itself.

“Me? Trying to avoid becoming the next Mission Vale.” With a dry, pained voice. “Mostly though, setting up… appeasements to the Goddess so she might turn her attention elsewhere. Hopefully far, far away.”

 

[Sliucha Sindosa]

There was a bit of an internal wince at the mention of Mission Vale.

Let's... just not dwell on that, yeah? Nothing good could come of lingering too long on that particular discussion. Let's move along!

Ahem. It didn't even feel like Sliucha should offer to help.

"Shall I wait until you're finished here, then?" she went with instead. "Or, can you let me know when a better time to stop by might be?"

 

[Maddyn]

Just what Sliucha might need, having the next Mission Vale also being a part of the Temple of Sinful Delights and with their agenda not entirely matching the Alithean’s own. Which Madame Ninuka was all for, that’s wonderful and all having the Blessing of Haya, but an expandable Champion of the Plague Goddess? It didn’t at all feature into Ninuka’s long-term plans.

Expendable, and living for thousands of years didn’t really mesh with Ninuka’s vibe.

Skipping over!

“I’ll be at it for a little while, but I’m mostly just checking that the seals are done correctly. This can wait, I’ll be at this until the next Vale is appointed…” not quite skipping over.

 

[Sliucha Sindosa]

Agenda shmagenda.

But again, think less about it! Don't think about it! Avoid the bad thoughts!

"If you're sure that I'm not bothering you!" Sliucha reassured. This felt important. Quite important! Was NInuka sure that it could wait? Was that all right? Only if Ninuka was sure, of course! "I just wanted stop by, chat, see how things have been was all. Hopefully everybody's been getting along?"

What with all the Hayans that had moved in from Har'oloth and all. Sliucha had been careful about slowly releasing the groups over time so that they could be absorbed into the overall Temple, but there was no denying the fact that the Hayans had gone from the top dogs in the Temple of Carnal Love to a secondary group to the Temple of Sinful Delights. Granted, Sliucha would argue that working under Ninuka was waaaaay better than having to deal with Mission Vale, but... well, no accounting for taste.

 

[Maddyn]

“You’re not the one on my mind right now, so no, not a bother Sliucha.” As Madame Ninuka was far more concerned about being thrown into the Hayan meat-grinder. Her style of faith with the Plague Goddess? Definitely more about avoiding an encounter than encouraging.

Chat? Getting along? Short of potentially being recruited by the Powers That Be? Things had been just great!

“The two new ones are a bit uh… messy, I think they spent a little bit too much time at the old Temple really. Some bad habits that need breaking, like being a little too keen on harbouring diseases within themselves that are still contagious.” with a wince, quite aware that that kind of behaviour wasn’t going to win any friends amongst the other members of the Temple.

Might be able to get away with it at the Temple of Carnal Love, but the Swirling Lotus Gardens? Not so much!

 

[Sliucha Sindosa]

Inajeon and Oloren?

...eh. Kind of a grimacing smile at that. It was... unfortunate to hear!

"Anything you need help with?" Archmage thaumaturge! "I hope that, at least, they haven't been problematic in... being willing to learn?"

Problematic habits, of course, those were the sort of baggage one might expect from the Temple of Carnal Love. But there was a rather big difference between those who realized the problem and worked to resolve it, and those who refused to do anything about it. The pair had been pliable enough when faced with the High Priestess and Champion of Alithea, but were they respecting the Temple's High Priestess of Haya?

Priestesses of the Temple of Carnal Love, Vysstichi who had been around long enough to climb the ranks. But at the same time, having lived this long, surely they had good enough heads on their shoulders not to do anything to risk their necks?

Survivalists! Surely they and Ninuka were birds of a feather?

 

[Maddyn]

There was a shake of Ninuka’s head as she rose from the task at hand, dusting them off and sending a small shower of little brown flakes into the air from the rusted metal that she’d been handling. “Nothing that’s not already under control. Old habits die hard, and it’s largely just making sure that they acknowledge that they have to be a little more… aware… of others well-being. And that if they don’t like it, they need to consider than I’m perfectly fine assigning them to the Turtans to see how they like a lack of empathy for their well-being.”

Carrot was all well and good, but every now and again a smack with the rod didn’t hurt all that much if it was used in moderation.

“They’ll learn, or they can find their own path if the Gardens don’t meet their liking. Nobody’s forcing them to remain after all and I’m not going to treat them like children who need to be coerced.” She added with a grim smile.

“A lot of the… ahem… bad habits, tend to be ingrained in the Hayan Faith. It’s a lot of re-training there that some behaviours just aren’t normal.” With a gesture to Sliucha, having had to discover the hard way that Zyrgra’s ways weren’t exactly for all and that there were other paths one might walk.

 

[Sliucha Sindosa]

Oh, good!

And... glad to see that Origa-Kuroi seemed to have a strategic relationship with Ninuka! Always good to know that the High Priestesses were getting along well enough!

A gesture at Sliucha and a bright "send them my way if they misbehave and they'll wobble their way back, lesson learned!"

'Normal' indeed. There were all sorts of rods.

"I'm glad, though, to hear that things seemed to have settled relatively well," Sliucha mused. "I was a little worried about the potential for friction, considering they came from Har'oloth... and the way they conducted themselves there just doesn't quite mesh with how things are here."

That is to say, being a backstabbing asshat was just the way to make sure you kept breathing over there. Here, you were just an asshat.

"I'm hoping there haven't been any problems with Sam, either?" Sliucha was pretty sure the Tri-Anklios was content to simply hang around Origa-Kuroi's area, but it was a double-sided questions. Just as likely that certain Hayans might still have a grudge about the one who'd stomped all over some of their comrades.

 

[Maddyn]

Well, not that Origa-Kuroi was exactly aware she was being used as the ‘stick’ for the Hayan sect. When almost everyone that wasn’t Sam, Dynne and Sliucha went out of their way to avoid the Turtan and tended to be afraid of the Liche? It was largely akin to threatening someone with a very literal Boogyman.

“Hopefully won’t come to that, but I’ll keep it in mind.” especially given Madame Ninuka was inclined to think more, a certain Hayan Demon rather than Sliucha being personally involved in the re-training efforts. “Neither are quite so challenging as to warrant that kind of deep cleaning involved as a means of re-aligning their thinking to the current status quo than our predecessors.”

As for Sam?

That one took a little bit for Madame Ninuka to clue in before an ‘Oh!’

“The Tri-Anklios? Haven’t had any dealings with it really. I don’t tend to go near Origa-Kuroi and so, paths don’t really have much chance to cross. Probably for the best I’m given to understand.”

 

[Sliucha Sindosa]

Deep, deep cleaning!

And no apparent problems with Sam? Good! "I'm glad to hear that everybody seems to be getting along!"

"How have Debam and Ilari been getting on with the others?" Sliucha asked next. The two Vysstichi shrine maidens had been the only other clergy that had joined Ninuka in the relocation to the Temple all those years ago. There were other Hayans, yes, but these two were the only ones within the "shrine maiden - priestess" hierarchy of the old Temple.

In the same way that Sliucha had wanted to try and reduce friction between the "old regulars" and the "new wave" among the Alitheans, she hoped that it wasn't going to be a problem for the Hayans, either. Especially when the Hayans of the "new wave" had been the top dogs at the Temple of Carnal Love, before Sliucha had come along and swept everybody off their feet.

The 'good news', at least, was that Sam had squished enough of the Hayans that there weren't really all that many to incorporate. Two priestesses, two shrine maidens. Still enough to practically triple their ranks, of course. Hopefully everybody was getting along.

 

[Maddyn]

“Nothing we can’t overcome.” Ninuka agreed with a smile, for all that she had Divine issues on the mind as one of the more prominent Hayans about and really didn’t care for the ‘promotion’. The Plague Goddess mind wasn’t exactly the kind of person the faithful tended to want to seek out so much as appease and keep at arms length (or more).

The sane Hayans anyway…

Others? “Well enough, though they think I’m crazy about setting up the charms. They’ve yet to be burned or seen the horrors first hand of what can happen if things are left to run their own course…” the side effect of trying to stay alive? Doing so tended to eventually lead to a certain kind of seen it, done it, didn’t care to repeat it attitude.

“It’s… well, it’s a challenge. We’re pretty much rebuilding from the ground up as the lunatics of the Hayan sect keep getting themselves killed. Short term? Hard getting new recruits, but better we end up with quality than more madmen and women in the ranks.”

 

[Sliucha Sindosa]

The horrors of experience. What things had Ninuka seen that the others couldn't even comprehend?

It was a little similar to, although not the same as, what Sliucha would likely have to do deal with on the Alithean side. It was probably more of a clash of ideology there, her far more liberal views towards lust and love as opposed to the more conservative tenets of the Ves'Alitheans.

Besides offering the Temple as a safe space for them to gather, though, was there anything more that Sliucha could do to help the Hayans with their attempts to rebuild and recruit? Uh... well, to be frank, Sliucha wasn't sure she wanted to be that public or ostentatious about the presence of the Hayans. So there was definitely a conflict of interest there. But at the same time, Ninuka's whole spiel was more "protection from disease", so... maybe they could make something work that wasn't super gross.

"In terms of active recruitment, then, have you given some thought about how you might try and do outreach?" Sliucha asked. "Obviously there's only so much that can be done through the Swirling Lotus Garden given its theme, not to mention Haya's... uh, reputation. But considering what you're doing here isn't really the traditional spreading of disease... if you have any ideas, let me know, and I'll see what I can do to help."

It did feel just a little gross to help Haya at all, not to mention the very possible reality that doing this would just draw more attention on Ninuka which was obviously not desirable for the both of them. Once again, a curious conflict of interest.

 

[Maddyn]

Things would improve! Eventually, most of the old style of Hayans had ended up being on the wrong end of some disease, plague or the like. The few outliers like Mission Vale? Well, they’d managed to antagonise something or someone that was just as disinclined towards diplomacy and negotiations.

“At the moment, I’ve been admittedly avoiding recruitment and instead making sure that our current clergy don’t regress to any old ways. Especially when I’m making sure that the last aspects of the Temple of Carnal Love don’t infect us with their bad habits.” Inajeon and Oloren? Oh they’d doubtless be fine, but neither did Madame Ninuka right now want them anywhere near potential new recruits either.

A gesture at some of the tarnished metal talismans, “Think of it as the opposite of Materna: instead of trying to invite the Mother in, we’re trying to keep her out… but, happily at a distance. Not unwelcome so much as also not drawing attention to ourselves. Faithful without being ostentatious about it.” Namely, it was all about respect without fawning lest Haya decide to ‘help’ and throw her presence about where it could do the most harm.

 

[Sliucha Sindosa]

Ah. In other words.

"Not making a fuss of things," was what came to mind as Ninuka described what she was trying to do with her operation.

Don't draw attention! Try not to make a big deal out of anything!

"All right, I think I understand." From the sound of it, then, Ninuka... pretty much had a solid handle on things, then? And there wasn't really anything that she needed from Sliucha at the moment, just still doing a bit of cleanup in regards to the newcomers?

Okay! "Whatever the case, feel free to reach out if you need anything, all right?" But, seemed like it was fine to leave things to Ninuka for now!

 

[Maddyn]

OOC;
1 Material Point Awarded to Sliucha