A Gloomy Shrine

[mangel]

A gloomy shrine has been set up next to the entrance to the graveyard.

A drab grey slab of cut rock decorated with a carved out skull holding a scroll in it's jaw and a quill penetrating it's cranium is hewn into the front. Several human like skells decorate it's edges.

Next to the shrine lie several wooden coffins, waiting to be filled.

A lone woman in grey, wearing a skeletal mask can be seen overseeing the small shrine. Staring at anyone who passes by into the graveyard and occasionaly doling out blessings to those who enter to fight the dead. Or seen entering the graveyard to bury those who fall to the claws of the endless dead.

Occasionally a cart of bodies arrives which are then placed in coffins with necessary ritual and rites said over the deceased before they are carried into the undead infested graveyard.

It stands as both a workstation for the grim priestess and as a safe spot outside the graveyard for people to mourn their lost ones.

[mangel]

A cart of bodies of those either long dead from the plague or recently dead rolls up to the shrine. It takes the hauler and the lone priestess long hours to lift the bodies and lay them down in coffins who appear somewhat cheaply made. When the cart is empty the hauler returns to the city.

The priestess dips her long fingered hand into the skull holy symbol on her waste, extracting a greyish paste from within the cranium. Touching the forehead of each dead body as she arranges their arms in a restful repose. Murmuring a soft prayer over each. *

"Now you have come to the end of your road. Rest well and forevermore. Life is but a path to death and your eternal reward. Let there be finality and fixedness in death."

As soon as she finishes with all the dead delivered to her care she places a wooden lid ontop of the coffin. And busily starts drawing runes into the wooden seal. The front is cowered in odd looking glyphs along with the symbol of Jergal as she finishes.

After each coffin has been nailed shut she begins the arduous task of dragging the coffins onto a makeshift small cart which she uses to haul each coffin into the graveyard.

[mangel]

A lone priestess drabed in grey robes stands within the graveyard, a skeletal mask covers her face and blonde locks of wet hair blow in the wind. A long scythe made from long femurs and a skull resting in the nook of her arm as she watches the lumbering dead walk towards her. Mindlessly seeking the death of all that live.

Reaching down she clasps the top of her skull holy symbol, murmuring to only herself as she closes her eyes. Ignoring the imminent risk of death.

"Only death is absolute and only at it's appointed hour"

A wave of energy washes forth from her holy symbol. Invisible to most as it spreads in a wide circle around her. Causing the dead who lumbered forth to immedietly halt in place. In empty skeletal sockets and hollow rotting eyes a small yellow glow appears as the dead immedietly turn to another task.

Grasping at shovels at the priestesses feet they lumber into the graveyard and begin to dig. Each rebuked undead digging with either old rusty shovels or long clawed fingers. Dragging dirt up from the wet ground.

Sitting on a outcropped rock the priestess watches. Resting weary feets as she absently gazes down at the rocky ground as the dead continue with their task. Idly she arranges the rock on the ground into the shape of an arched window. Leaning down she places her holy symbol in it's center. Watching the makeshift symbol of another god with sad eyes.

Sighing she looks up looking over the dead as they finish their instructions and move to a set of coffins to drag them to their intended spots.

"Fate will be as it will be."

The undead finish their task with a clunk as each coffin falls into it's own grave. They slowly walk into a small group.

"Thank you for your service, now return to your rest."

Holding the bone scythe out as she gathers power. Her voice rising in prayer and imploration to Jergal. The skull on her scythe seeming to radiate bleak gray energy until finally it explodes outwards in a screen of power. The world around her turning muted grey if only briefly as the energy that sustains the dead is overwhelmed and the walking dead fall to dust.

[Tsidkenu]

A blue-robed woman passed by the guards to the city graveyard with her holy-symbol adorned staff held firmly in hand. She passed through its weather and time worn gates and looked around for someone, or something. When she noticed the altar of Jergal standing near the entrance she cautiously approached it and stared at it for another uncomfortable while. She then took a seat under the leanto as a measure of reprieve from the rain and waited, hoping that whom she sought would not be long away.

[mangel]

*The priestess soon returns, sleeves and ends of her robe caked with mud. Her hood drawn low to shield her face from the endless rain. Stopping when she spots a rare visitor to her meager shrine. Taking a moment to recognize the blue robes.*

"Lady Aeli. I take it this means your efforts have borne some fruit?"

*Her voice as cold and grim as her attire*

[Tsidkenu]

The Mystran quickly rose to her feet, leaning on her staff for support. She seemed cautious primarily due to the location, hence her rather open display of her deity's holy symbol atop her staff.

"I have indeed, Cara," she replied, meeting the Scriviner's gaze with a serious one of her own and then proceeded to tell her all about what she had uncovered.

[MedalOfValor]

*Eleanor, clad in her simple, black tunic approaches the shrine, carrying a small package in her hands, she looks around for the Priestess. Not being able to stay long the girl leaves the bundle at the edge of the altar with a small, folded note beneath it before departing.*

[MedalOfValor]

*Not long after dawn Ellie visits the gloomy shrine looking for Cara. Not seeing the jergalite she leaves a medium-sized ceramic bowl, wrapped up in a linen cloth with a note hidden in between the layers of the fabric, on the surface of the altar. Before leaving the young squire casts a sending spell, muttering the message quietly.*

"Cara, I need to meet with you as soon as possible. And I left you something at your altar."

[rick2222]

A quiet clud of whispered half secrets and lies descends upon the Shrine for several extended moments, the shadows seeming to stretch and grow in the area, hanging in the air before the noises fade away into the night, the area returning to its usual gloomy atmosphere as if nothing had distracted the place.