For the Sake of Knowledge [Jenn]

[Kari Muffin]

Since she had heard about the region she had always been interested in traveling there. Of course there were several problems with that notion. The first was her region, and the second was the fact that it was a protect community.

She never really thought having her fur change color would actually be a benefit. The idea popped into her head one day as she was disciplining one of her children. She could pretend to be a Hisstor mix. Hisstor Morganberry. Then she could write a letter requesting to study the religion of the region. How could anyone object to her begging to be converted?

It was a brilliant plan.

Except she had to wear clothing the entire time. If her wings were spotted she would be thrown out--or suits knows what else they would do to her. Of course Sage was willing to help her out. It was far from fun for the Queen to be dressed up by her perfect sibling. Ultimately she ended up buying a light brown and tan outfit that matched her fur. It was strange actually having to wear pants, wrapping up her wings and chest and wearing a shirt on top of it. And then she had to wear a coat, but at least that was actually rather fashionable.

Rosemary now found herself standing in front of a wooden building. Nervously she flipped the collar up on her her trench coat, and readjusted the bag that was filled with books and writing supplies. She took not of the words that were still forming on her fur. At least she had the advantage of knowing what people were thinking.

[The Jenn]

Vanja sat in the warm wodden lodge, his eyes half-lidded and his whiskers alert. He had to actively concentrate on his nose to keep it from twitching, a nervous, excited gesture that would probably have others in the building hiding their smiles behind hands and paws. His tail draped around his feet, the white tip curling every now and again while the black twined around a foot.

His second encounter with a 'true' outsider, and this one even more of a test than the first. Months had passed and he was very close to his advancement within the priesthood. Soon, very soon, he would become a Missionary. And this outsider?

According to his superiors, she desired knowledge of the True Gods. She actively sought the light of Odom. All he had to do was keep her spirits high and then pass her along to a community beneath the Fjords, to be received by a third-ranked priest. Well, that and cast an eye towards her aura, to verify that she was not some sort of subversive. But that was inconsequential.

A Hisstor-Morganberry mix. Doubtless she would be beautiful. Pale? Fiery? What sort of spiritual being would come from those two realms? He looked greatly forward to finding out.

When the door to the lodge opened, he had to refrain from springing to his feet. The heavy wrappings of his robes helped quell that urge. Instead, he stood slowly and moved forward to greet her.

Bundled against the cold as she was - which made a great deal of sense, considering her desert blood - the first glimpses were of creamy fur, brilliantly pink eyes, and silver decorations strewn about her face and head. A hint of dark writing crept up just beyond the edges of her collar and he wondered what sort of script that might be. Was it script? He did not know.

"Greetings to you, Rosemary, and a blessing upon you," he murmured, inclining his torso with his hands clasped tightly together. In the same moment, he cast the ability his superiors placed value on and eagerly glanced back to her face.


Moderate Ability: Once a week, he is able to perfectly read another Card's aura to see if they are at all suceptable to his willingness to teach them about Odom. He will see their capacity for spirituality... even if it's a different religion... if they believe in something then they have the abiltiy to believe in the true Gods, do they not? The aura appears in various colors; the darker the color, the less of a chance he knows they have. If he has absolutely NO chance of converting them, their aura will appear to be black. He will find this to be morbidly terrifying and may even run from them.

To the Owner: What would you gauge as his aura's depth of color?
Converted Believer - Highly Spiritual - Moderately Spiritual - Casually Spiritual - Skeptical Agnostic - Spiritually Embittered - Militant Atheist

[Kari Muffin]

As Rosemary entered she held her breath. She wasn't particularly sure what to expect, and when she entered she was surprised by the silence. The inside of the building wasn't much, but really it was just a greeting center. What were they going to put on the walls, cute little motivational pictures? Not likely.

It took all of her willpower not to read the thoughts that were showing up on her fur. It was tempting to find out what the people potentially thought of her, and what was generally going on around here. However she suppressed the urge to as the priest rose to greet her.

Suits. Why was she so nervous all of a suddenly. She smiled at his greeting and gave a slight bow of her head. Her aura would read as "casually spiritual." It was something that Rosemary never really considered as an integral part of her life, but she did pray every now and again. Something had to exist beyond understanding, after all, how else could magic exist?

"Good day to you, sir. It's such a privilege to be here."

She felt like she would jump out of her skin.

[The Jenn]

Very interesting. Paler than the Highlander's aura had been, but still nowhere near the blinding brightness of a true believer. She was receptive enough of the truth to visit the Fjords, however, and that was the perfect start.

Vanja moderated his excitement into a proper expression of serene piety and smiled. "I am delighted to hear that you feel that way. The gods have a way of showing us the correct path, if only we pay attention to their signs. Please, come sit by the fire. I would imagine that the cold is quite bitter and am glad that you bundled so well. Much of our time traveling will be spent in the elements. I would recommend taking advantage of the warmth and comfort while you can."

He led her to the main hearth, where a woman had already added several logs to the roaring fire. As soon as he drew near again he began to overheat, but he was used to dealing with the sensation.

[Kari Muffin]

At least he seemed to be nice and on the younger end of the scale. She was happy that she didn't have to deal with some old stoic priest. She may have been good at weaving tails, but she probably would have fizzled out horribly in the face of someone aged.

"I'm glad that I decided to wear so much then," she said as she edged closer to the fire. Oh warmth. She loved it so much more than the cold. If only it could snow when it was warm. Her tail twitched a bit as she shifted in her coat a bit. The thoughts of the various people in the room would be clearly scrawled out on it, fading in and out.

A small part of her had wished she could have covered it. "I'm happy that the weather is at least nicer than the Glacier. In my extensive travels I haven't visited a place more terrifying and freezing."

Did priests take part in casual conversation? She really hoped so.

"Ah, Might I ask your name, Sir Priest, if it's proper?"

[The Jenn]

Vanja's expression flicked to something far more startled for a moment. He hadn't even introduced himself? Where in heaven were his manners? At least no one had been paying attention enough to notice that, and the Hisstor seemed to be taking it well. Unless that was a barbed hint rather than a light one. He hoped not, he really did.

"My sincerest apologies. Normally I would not be so remiss in an introduction. My name is Vanja Lacković, priest of the first order. Whether you wish to address me with my family name is entirely your prerogative. I am uncertain if your realm would normally do so." A fact which he hoped his comment would prompt her to rememdy.

She had visited the Solandria? A brave soul, to venture into that hellish land of snow and heathens. "I can only imagine the trial that must have been," he murmured. "Neither the residents nor the landscape of the Glacier are rumored to be welcoming to outsiders. Were you there on a pilgrimage of some sort as well, or by the invitation of the Governors? I hear that it is very hard to travel the realm without a guide, much like our Fjords."

[Kari Muffin]

"It's nice to meet you then, Sir Lacković. Since we don't exactly know each other on a friendly basis I think I'll stick with your surname out of proper respect. I am a stranger here, after all." She gave him a rather bright smile, her tongue sneaking out for a tiny bit of air.

She chuckled at his comment. "The sayings are all true. I didn't make it very far into the realm before I had to leave because of some nasty bandits. Next time, however, I think I might appeal to one of the Governors. I wanted to try to avoid that since I enjoy collecting tales from the working class first. I eventually work my way up the ladder for the scholastic information from the nobility, but I get more honest answers out of the working class. However, I should have better anticipated the antisocial nature of the Glacier."

She gave a small shrug. "I shouldn't rant, should I? I'd be more than happy to tell you about my adventures if you're interested later. I'm sure you have proper plans to show me around and I don't want to hinder you."

[The Jenn]

So she preferred the family name as a measure of respect. That made sense to Vanja with what he had learned of the Hisstor culture. "Indeed, and I thank you. We place great value on our family here as well. I am very proud of mine." And he would leave it at that unless she inquired further, so as not to derail the conversation too far.

Her account sounded exceptionally interesting. Bandits? Ugh. How distressing. He would have to remain wary of banditry as he traveled between realms during his years as a Missionary. "You aren't ranting at all, Miss Rosemary. I will be traveling many regions in the near future, though I will most likely avoid the Glacier, and I would be very interested in hearing some of your tales. Perhaps they will serve to prepare me for some of what I may encounter."

But he could leave that for now, as she was correct. "With the blessing of the priesthood, we will travel to one of the nearest communities to this outpost so that you may learn under the guidance of a more experienced priest. He is a community leader and will doubtless introduce you to many of the residents under his care. We can set out immediately, if you wish, and thus arrive there sooner. Or we can stay here for a longer spell by the fire, if you are still quite chilled. We are not under time constraints, but I am uncertain how eager you are to reach your destination."

[Kari Muffin]

Right. She was a Hisstor today. A Hisstor Morganberry to top things off. Oh this was a delightful game. She shifted for a moment with her hands being warmed by the fire.

At least she wasn't ranting. And the Priest didn't seem to be overly nice and just humoring her in some silly adorable way. "A missionary huh? That sounds more dangerous than traveling for the sake of knowledge. Be careful when you do start your journey, and feel free to look me up."

She stretched a bit as he explained things. Her eyes trained on him. "I think we can get going then. We can always chat and walk. I'm not fond of the cold, so if we stay here for too long I'll never want to leave." A wide grin spread across the canine's face. It was probably the most relaxed she had felt. Suits, her chest and wings were going to complain this entire time weren't they?

[The Jenn]

"Many people do not like to see the truth when it is not what they have always known," Vanja agreed, sighing lightly. "There will be danger. Hopefully, there will also be enlightenment and joy along the way. As the end result, preferably. I may indeed search for you, Rosemary, as a friendly port in the storm of the outside world."

He shifted, trying to alleviate some of the warmth of the lodge by discreetly tugging at a lower part of his ribe. He also met her grin with a smile of his own. "Ah, yes... that is a sentiment I understand all too well. I fight it daily as I rise. The bedding is far too comfortable to be worth leaving. In that case, however, please allow me to speak with the other persons in this place for just a moment as a preparation."

Making a polite gesture, he stood and approached one of his hosts. They spoke for several moments and he returned with a small metal canteen, offering its strap to his travel companion. "A savory soup," he explained. "It is best fit for drinking quickly and serves as a ward against the chill, at least for several hours."