Agama

The temple has been set for high ritual this evening. All the candles are burning and a thankfully mild but bitter incense burns on the altars. THe signs and symbols are all configured towards the loss, ruin, decline, entropy: death.

Who is here? The Quick gather but they are of little consequence. Really, they are simply functional, like a door...or really, a hinge. They allow entrance and exit but what happens in between is unknown to them. Stella, resplendent in ancient Egyptian funeral finery, she is covered in a thin black ritual robe. A wide collar wraps her neck with beads and amulets of power woven into it. On her head a golden serpent crown rests against her forehead. In her left hand is a notched reed that stands just above her head. In her right hand is a plain ritual dagger. Next to her, in order of rank, is Merek. Beyond, all the apprentices and acolytes have been called to assist. This crowd of (mostly) young woman all wear plain black robes with symbols of their rank within the Order or one of it's feeder cults. They all wear hoods that cover their faces to protect their identities. They number exactly 30.

       At the center of the intricately drawn ritual circle is sarcophagus. Next to it a table covered by a cloth on top of which are canopic jars and several glass potion and ungent bottles. Last, there are the bandages to wrap the body.

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Merek is one of the males of House Shaea, however he is no less dressed than others. He has on linen attire, with a leaopard skin on a strap across his frame, and sandals made with white papyrus. The kilt which he has on is of the finest linen that one could find in the States, pure as can be. He has a ramin wood dagger in one hand, while he has a perfect stance, not much notable save the Bastet symbols which he wears. Lilian comes in with a look about dressed for her own death in a simple white shift and nothing else. It is a total contrast to all in robes with symbols of their places worn to show them off, hair down, bare feet almost naked to the world to night she comes to place for her death then just extends her hands to Stella when she stops palms up in a show of acceptance.

Lilian enters and the drums played by the acolytes are sounded three times. Stella holds up her hands and halts the sound.

She speaks and when she does it not with a single voice but her voice carries the weight of the Women Who Measure. There is a hissing whispering around every word she says. She steps forward and in this holy place it is visible to all that she has invoked within the Ancestors. They brim inside her like a spirit liquid.

"Who comes forward to knock upon the door of Duat?", she says in ancient Egyptian.

Merek stands for the time being, watching with his smouldering gaze. He doesn't speak, as he considers the proceedings. Lilian finds her self replying in ancient Egyptian except for her name, "it is I Sokjan, of many names, the ever reborn." with a squaring of her shoulders as she forces her self to look from the sarcophagus, and to all here. She is scared and not of the knife, death or well anything but that sarcophagus. But she holds pushing her fears aside for this.

Lilian finds her self replying in ancient Egyptian except for her name, "it is I Amran Thine, Bani Shaea." with a squaring of her shoulders as she forces her self to look from the sarcophagus, and to all here. She is scared and not of the knife, death or well anything but that sarcophagus. But she holds pushing her fears aside for this. (REpose)

"Amran Thine, bani Shaea. You stand before the Gate of Duat," Stella says, her voice full of ceremony and drama. Around it coils the spirit-whispers of the powers she's invoked within her. Some mock, others cajole, still others warn or weep for they know this rite to be unsavory and dangerous. "Have you a last Word before you go forth?"

Lilian pauses and thinks, really just thinks. Then she looks to Stella, "Until we meet again." that simple. There is a look to the others then back to Stella, as she waits for what is next to do.

Merek shifts a bit as he continues to watch, but doesn't speak much, for the time being. He seems to be waiting, though that is about it, it would seem.

"Let it be so," Stella whispers bitterly, almost mockingly. No time is wasted. Stella blurs as she moves forward, knife in hand, the measuring stick cast aside into the arms of an apprentice (and what an honor for that apprentice to take the cast off tool of the master). There is a flash of light as the the blade glints. The blade slides cleanly and deeply into Lilian's gut. As quickly as she moved Stella returns to her place.

A trail of blood leads from Lilian to the blade in Stella's hands. Both of her hands are coated in blood.

Lilian is standing barely and looks to the blood then to Stella with a tightening of her lips, and flash to her eyes, she does not scream, does not let the pain take her, just waits for this little death. It takes a bit longer for her to go down then most people, but she does go down without making a sound finally.

Merek watches on as Lilian is killed, and then shifts his stance a bit. He closes both his eyes, and then seems to focus upon a supplication while this transpires.

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"Take her! Get her into the barge!", Stella barks her orders sharply. The apprentices catch Lilian, scrambling to please thier master. Lilian is carried by at least a dozen young women and placed softly into the coffin.

Meanwhile, Stella is gesturing with her hands and chanting. After a moment, the line of Lilian's blood thickens and then becomes more like yarn. It grows taught and Stella pulls at it.

In Ancient Egyptian she says, "Osiris, Father. Isis, Mother. I hold the line between the Khat that walks walks under the sky and the Khat that walks below. I hold this line so that the khat may be re-awakened once work is done and the judgment complete." Stella walks slowly and painstakingly towards Lilian's coffin.

The apprentices, well prepared for this event, strip Lilian of her clothes. They begin to apply potions and ungents to the body. A scarab is placed in her mouth. Bandages are wrapped around the limbs and body in rapid succession.

"Go forth," Stella says finally and a chill comes over the room. Merek moves towards the coffin as well, and then shifts a bit so that he can touch it, as he supplicates then to Anubis to bless the passage and rite as Lilian's wrapped. He then takes a step back, and just offers a simple nod.

At first it is darkness, then it is the gray, and fog. Usually by now she is running all over looking for a way out, looking for how to get away from the dread of this place until she is pulled back to her body. Often hounded or chased. She is calmer this time and stops and looks to try and see where she wants to go for once. Then she sees her shadow, odd the dead have no shadow, and it is behaving for once. So she looks about once more then with a nod to some whisper she starts walking in a direction picked for now.

The Duat rises like the tides of the Nile filling the coffin but in the Underworld the coffin is a solar barge, not unlike that which Ra rides. It is covered with protective glyphs. Inside it is a figurine of an Egyptian spirit wearing a judge's costume. IF it's name is spoken (written on the bottom) it summons a spirit.

In the living world above Stella grasps Lilian's life force keeping her from slipping entirely into Duat with the grusome threat of her blood. The apprentices step to the coffin and begin to cry and mourn chanting in Egyptian for Lilian's safe journey. The temple space grows even colder. Stella glances around, ceasing her chanting. She takes a deep breathe and says to Merek, "Do you feel that cold?" Merek shifts his leopard skin a little bit, and then moves to the other side of where Lilian has been laid, and he looks up in thought, "Yes, it would seem that her journey is beginning. The Duat touches our world now," he states, as he reaches for a stave he brought with him, and uses it for balance, "Her Ba travels now, she has a whole day until it must reunite with the Ka." Lilian stops and looks to her shadow, "We are not dead yet are we?" to which Lilian's shadow nods it's head, then it well gone no sign of Lilian's shadow now. This is puzzling her a bit as she stands there held in place by some force looking about for her shadow. Then again that little whisper in her ear, and odd sensation of other distant sounds here, but not coming from here that makes Lilian look about. Writing reality out to disk. Please wait... Reality saved. Thank you for your patience.

Stella coughs and takes another deep breath. Her fingers are blue where they clutch the red cord. "Duat...", she whispers. A sharp inhale of breath. The ancestors within her offer her hand strength. With one of her free hands she gestures to the coffin. A plume of foul grey smoke emerges and then materializes. In the world of the living, an appiriation appears. "The apprentices...a risk...trading places...a by-law of Duat...Merek...the apprentices. Danger." The plume of smoke forms into a slimy, grey-white bird with no feathers and the firece feline head. It's eyes are totally black and its mouth is filled with sharp black teeth.

In the Underworld, a figure passes in the shadows and is gone. Otherwise, there is simply stillness as the solar barge embarks on its journey farther and farther from the world of the living. The temple passes by on a spiritual river and into a cave beneath the earth.

Lilian watches now not sure what to expect this time, not sure where this goes so lets it take her instead. her mind still flexible and accepting where this Barge is taking her, there is of course some looks about, over and well ahead. Then there is the cave, and a soft curse from Lilian as she hates being under ground, hates caves as much as being buried alive.

Lilian moves to look over the odd things about her then, spots the judge figure and looks it over, notices the name on the bottom and just reads it, then says it out loud letting it roll of her tongue.

Merek shifts around his stave, and then taps it a few times on the floor. "Ikenty, reveal your name to me, o' Guardian. Do you find some offense in our actions? I beseech you, on behalf of my Patron, to consider that this is a necessiy. The Ba has been allowed free travel for era," he then knits his brow in thought, "Look upon me, and understand who I am, and whose Name I hold. Allow this passage and rite to continue, grant us amnesty for this sacred act."

In Duat, the figurine vibrates at the same frequency as the spoken name. The boat carrying Lilian slowly creaks to a halt in front of a Middle Kingdom arch. Pillars hold it up but the doors are shut. A stair leads from the canal the boat has been traveling in up to the doors. One has a choice to leave the boat and it's protective hieroglyphs and go to the door or to stay in the boat, shove off and journey deeper into the Underworld.

In the world of the living the apprentices are in a panic. They were prepared for the ritual blood letting but not an apperition. The cat-bird creature scans the crowd with feline arrogance. It offers a dreadfilled hiss at the scattered girls in robes. A few of the new apprentices clutch each other for comfort. Then Merek speaks and it turns its cat head to stare at him with dead eyes.

"My name is secret and only the gods may speak it. Address my by Ikenty for this is the order given to me by the gods! The soul will do what it will. It takes flight. It travels. -It- -must- -go-! You, however, and your mistress?" A gesture to Stella with a greasy, featherless wing. "She casts stolen magic. I am the consequence of that. The Name you Hold holds no meaning to my purpose. I have a mandate from King of The Living himself. I come seeking blood and life in retribution. Will you offer it to me? Perhaps I'll simply take it. It is my right by His law." The cat-bird licks their lips and glances around at the apprentices.

"You will not take any of these, who were not the cause of offense, nor will you take she who does this to the benefit of others," Merek states then to the creature. "Ikenty, if you so wish to be called, I offer my own self to you, you have no need to take it by law. I will not cause harm to a servant," he adds. He seems to be completely willing, which is not too usual for most people.

He shifts with his stave to place it aside, and then nods a bit, "It might not quite serve your purpose to know who I am, but know the power the rider of the sun holds, and know what sway She holds before the thrones." He holds out a hand to the side, and summons up a witchlight of fire with ease. He then holds it up, and focuses upon the Ikenty through it. Lilian hmms and moves to take up the statue with her and make for the doors. She did notice the vibrations of the statue when the word is spoken that is on it, and again she speaks the word as she stops at the doors still closed to see what happens. As to the boat well, she looks back once at it, then looks at the doors tying to see how they might open.

Upon speaking the name again the doors crumble into a pile or rock and dust. Beyond the dullness of the canal is the court of the the Assessors of Maat, or at least one of them. Or perhaps not. In this court the sun shines from nowhere and everywhere. Upon the walls are written the myriad laws of the Underworld. She stands between two pillars a robe on her person and a feather headdress on her head. Above her head is her name: Bringer of Offerings. She looks upon Lilian and sees her as she was, as she is and as she will be. She rises and her court rises with her. THe record keeper, her attendants, her pets. They all rise to her will.

In the living world the Ikenty replies, "Magelings," the thing spits. "Come then. Try to banish me." Stella watches helplessly beside Merek doing all she can to hold the most difficult spell with her Will.

Lilian looks to all over this with a bit of real awe then moves to bow to the one between the pillars with some formality. Then straightens up Looking at it all for several moments.

Merek moves towards his belongings, and then lifts up a custom black sword which he has, the hilt runed in Enochian. He shifts it about as he allows the Primal flow to enter it, then he shifts it before he holds it up towards the Ikenty, "Let us do this fairly, then. I challenge you to a duel, for the honor of House Shaea and our knowledge. If you win, you can have me... If I win, upon your return from your lands, you shall be a servant to our House in the name of your King." Who even talks to spirits like that? He's definitely different.

In Duat, Bringer of Offerings looks impassively at Lilian she says, "You are not Amenti and yet you do not die. Unusual." It is impossible to say whether or not she is impressed, scornful or simply noting the difference. "I see you, Lilian Hanover. I do you a courstey to use that name. It is the last you will receive from my court." She scrutinzes Lilian once more. "I see now why you have come here. There is a flaw in your soul. This is why you cannot pass into the underworld nor can you sleep an awaken as the Amenti do. This will bring you much sorrow, this imbalance." Writing reality out to disk. Please wait... Reality saved. Thank you for your patience.

In the living world, "I am duty bound to pay for the transgressions with blood. Call it what you will, trifling Seshati." The feline-bird creature launches itself into the air to come down on Merek with its piercing talons.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Merek rolls Dexterity + Melee vs 6 for 3 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> Lilian looks to Bringer of offerings, and then asks, hmms, "Imbalance, there is not a way to Balance things?" then looking to her, "But I have awakened, I do not understand this sleep and Awaken you speak of, and I thank you for the courstey you have given me." in a soft polite voice. <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Stella rolls 5 (5 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> You paged Merek with 'roll your damange' <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Merek rolls Strength + 2 vs 6 for 2 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Merek lifts up his blade, and a shimmer of the Prime Energies deflects the assault, then he shifts his foot and comes around with the weapon across the Ikenty's form. He then moves to his stance once again. Star Platinum.

"You have -long- outlived what is balanced," the Bringer replies. "Did you come here thinking that no punishment would be exacted for your transgressions? There is a price for everything in this world. Living forever even more so." There is no malice in the question. Perfect impartiality.

THe foul spirit offers a piercing cry and putrid smeling black plasm sprays Merek and the nearby apprentices. It flaps in the air and moves again to pluck Merek's eyes with it's talons. <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Merek rolls Dexterity + Melee vs 6 for 2 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Stella rolls 5 (5 dice) vs 6 for 3 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Stella rolls 5 (5 dice) vs 6 for 5 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> You paged Merek with 'oh damn you just got hosed. lol' You paged Merek with 'can you soak aggrevated?'

Lilian looks to the Bringer, "I came not knowing what would happen, and if there is punishment so be it, I do not really know why I am this way, or how it came to be, what is one more punishment for what I am, and did not chose." with a calm look to the Bringer. "But I ask that if I am punished what ever made me like this is punished too."

Merek pages: Nope. Merek pages: Unless he was able to use Forces or Matter 2 for defense beforehand. Lol. Merek pages: Idk how shielding works here. You paged Merek with 'it's mage so...you make shit up. Roll you're Arete diff 5. I'll allow you to add it to your soak.' <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Merek rolls Arete vs 5 for 2 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> You paged Merek with 'Roll 2 at 6 to soak the damange.' <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Merek rolls 2 vs 6 for 0 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <OOC> Merek says, "Why, dice." <OOC> Stella says, "WW's defeatist system." <OOC> Stella says, "take 5 agg." <OOC> Lilian says, "Ow"

"You have a choice," the Bringer replies. "Either give up the gift and come to the end of your days. Allow your shadow to heal or keep your gift and learn to deal with the growing imbalance. It is simple. You knew this in your heart when you came here." There is no sorrow or joy in her voice. Only the plain truth.

Merek pages: Do me a favor?

You paged Merek with 'Yez?' Merek pages: Can you have his arm get cut off. o: You paged Merek with 'Oh i like you. Sure!' Merek pages: Ty! Main one.

Lilian looks at the bringer, and huh, "You can make me mortal, normal?" that is something soo tempting now but she does take a few to think on it most seriously.

The spirit evades the blade but just barely and strikes a grevious blow to Merek's body. The talons sink deep and cut like blades cleanly severing arm from socket. The apprentices scream in horror as the blood pours forth after a brief pause. The bird-cat takes the arm to the far corner of the ritual space, now profaned with so much blood and gore, and begins to feast upon it. It undulates and sloppers as if it hasn't tasted flesh in centuries. It lets out a piercing scream of macab joy and then returns to its feasting.

Merek loses one Willpower

"No," the Bringer replies. "You have come here under false pretenses to be judged. You have been judged unworthy yet we cannot take you. It is simply the way of it. Those who have died come here and we ease their passage. You cannot die. I have no power over you. Once you have died it is too late. Only in the living world can we atone for what we have done."

Merek does not seem to register the fact his arm was just clean cut off from him. Then blood splashes from the wound as he winces, his blade shifting to hit the floor. He uses all the willpower he can to keep back the feeling. He watches as the Ikenty feasts on his arm, and considers for a moment. He reaches for his blade, summoning up his well, all he can, and then with a few quiet steps he moves behind it, and then tries to finish the spirit with anithe strike while it's distracted. Lilian then looking to the Bringer, "What gift, and if I give up the gift am I dead, you confuse me, your words are mixed not plain. Unworthy, why because I am different?" just looks to the Bringer, not really sure, "Take the gift it does not matter."

The Bringer holds a hand up. "This court is ajourned. Either find your way to the living world or be trapped here as the restless dead." She takes a seat again and her entire court sits with her. An unbearable silence falls upon the court. This silence is painful. It is not possible to endure it for long.

The spirit is lost to the world. Feasting with savage abandon. It mutters to itself in slurring ancient Egyptian about the sweetness of the flesh, the heat of the blood and the texture of the bone. It does not notice the Hermetic as he climbs behind it.

Lilian just leaves she closes her eyes and lets her self fall. It is how she always gets back.

You exit back to the canals. You, however, are deep in the underworld. Deeper than you've ever been. There you find the bloody strand that can lead you back to the temple and the little boat built for you by Stella. The glphs glow softly offering protection. It is exhuasting, however, this journey. You are spiritually tired and this causes a biforcation. The bloody trail, miles and miles away, leads back to the living but the Underworld offers an alternative. A rest of sorts, a rest in restlessness. What do you choose?

You paged Lilian with 'You can choose to stay in the underworld and just become a wraith while your body is comatose and soulless or you can attempt the difficult journey back to the temple.'

Lilian pages: She crawls her way back, she is tired confused and will come back. She will journey back. Wraith is worse maybe someone will behead her for a true death then she can move on again. You paged Lilian with 'make a Stamina roll vs 6. You need to get 6 successes. Each roll represents and hour spent trying. If you fail, raise the diff by 1. If you botch raise it by one and double the time it takes to get out.'

Mwrek draws his weapon across the spirit and strikes true, as he then moves back as he shifts the blade back towards him. He winces a bit, and moves then towards where Lilian is, checking to see the spirit dissipate or whathave you, likely covered in the black plasm and his own blood. He uses what energy he has to place a hand upon the Duat-covered 'boat' so to speak. "Anubis, send your guidance to those souls that have went past and... Nngh, make sure they... Find what they seek." Writing reality out to disk. Please wait... Reality saved. Thank you for your patience. <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Lilian rolls Stamina vs 6 for 1 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Lilian rolls Stamina vs 6 for 1 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Lilian rolls Stamina vs 6 for 1 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Lilian rolls Stamina vs 6 for 1 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============-------------> <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Lilian rolls Stamina vs 6 for 2 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

The spirit vanishes in splatter of black plasm but it doesn't go quietly. As it returns to the underworld the it offers a deathrattle of a scream. Several apprentices vomit upon hearing it. More than a few faint dead away. The rest simply cower holding each other.

Five hours later, Lilian emerges from the coffin her wound entirely healed. As she does, Stella nearly collapses.