Called to Serve

Few folks are about in the city, save those who need to be there. The dark and cold night, with no stars or moon above, sees to that. But a particular Gobbo is out enduring the cold, seeking attention at the Temple of Eluna. She pesters any who would stop to listen, and she makes sure people do stop, generally by being in the way. "Seeress Damael?", she asks of one priestess, who simply points deeper into the Temple. "Seeress Damael?" The small, scratchy voice repeats itself, over and over. Getting closer to the Temple's Heart. And the reflecting pool found there.

When Murder finally finds her way to the sacred reflecting pool, among the clergy present is a figure Murder will recognize at once. Still cloaked, still in full plate, the cloak held by a simple and unadorned cloak pin, his pack next to him, Seldan has only just arrived perhaps ten minutes ago, and is apparently engaging in some form of brief prayer. He is mostly clean, if tousled, but clearly is not long in from the field.

On the other side of the reflecting pool, a slight, slim elf wearing a hood that casts her eyes in perpetual shadow seems to be tending the pool. Her movements are slow and deliberate as she collects duckweed from the surface near the pool's rim, enough that the ripples caused by her hand barely extends father than her own vicinity.

The handful of waterweeds are transferred to a small cloth-lined basket at her side, and only then does her head rise, as Murder calls her name. Her mouth, the most visible feature on her face, curls up into a gentle smile, and she brushes the last of the weeds from her hand, collecting the basket and rising to her feet in one smooth movement. Her mantle trails in her wake, as she approaches the goblin, and finally comes to rest with a deep bow. "I am Seeress Damael," she says, voice pitched low to keep the meditations of others from being disturbed. "Is there something I can help you with, milady?"

The Gobbo is quickly making her way towards the pool, having been pointed that way by several people who were not Seeress Damael. She walks up to Seldan, who is in prayer, and tugs on his arm. "Seeress Da... oh... Sorry. Seldan. Eheh." She blushes in embarrassment, and walks around Seldan to Lillianeth. "Seeress Damael? Erm. So. I we it's just that..." Murder shakes her head. "We're looking for some help in turning a couple of werejackals. They were under contract by a devil, and they're thoroughly evil. We've broken their contract, and well... some of us did not want to slay them. So... rehaaabilitaation." She says the very unfamiliar word slowly and exaggeratedly.

Seldan looks up at the disruption, and chuckles quietly. "You move quickly, little one." He, too, keeps his voice pitched low out of respect for those here, although the clank of armor puts paid to the idea of true quietude. He stands, slowly and a bit stiffly, as Murder goes looking for the Seeress, and trails behind her. "The evening's blessings on you, Seeress. It is as she says. Their contracts for service to the Infernal may be broken, but the Great Hound yet holds them in his jaws. I cannot say if they can be saved." A heavy Myrrish accent accompanies the words.

The hooded head turns from Murder to Seldan, gentle smile slowly disappearing, transformed into a deep, worried frown. "My... I'm very glad to hear of this, milady, Silver Guard," she says, sipping a brief curtsy to Seldan. "May I ask, since it seems the both of you were witnesses... How did they *react* to the contract being broken? Only... if I had to place one thing as the chief measure against which the time of their rehabilitation may be weighed, that... would be the one."

Murder blushes further. "My name's Murder. I don't deserve the title milady, Seeress." She glances to Seldan a moment, and then back to Lillianath. "Well, beforehand they indicated they'd rather not die. They had wanted to retrieve their contracts before we arrived. And they were amazed to watch us beat the demons sent to retrieve them after their contracts were burned. Their reaction seemed to be one of great fear. It might have been the dragon sitting on their tails, too."

"They wished to be released from their contracts," Seldan adds, nodding at Murder's words. "Still, when attempting to wrest such contracts from a dragon, one may say and do many things to avoid being eaten, and I think that Tangisir would have done, did he see an advantage in it for him. They were devils, creatures of the Infernal. It may be that they deemed service to a dragon better than service to the Hells. I cannot truly say whether they wished to repent of their evil, or save their own skins, or better their lot." One hand reaches up to free a lock of hair from the simple silver headband he wears to keep his hair out of his eyes.

"Service to a dragon... oh my," Lillianath says, sighing. "That... may snarl things a fair bit, for all that it makes them simpler in other ways."

She falls silent for a moment, then bestows a warm smile Murder's way. "Well, if that's the case, then I shall call you Murder." Here she trails off, likely trying to sort through the logic in how the goblin came by that particular name, but shakes her head. "But only, if you call me Lilli, yes? So..."

The hood turns again, toward the back of the pool and the doorway to the staff-occupied areas of the Temple. "How about... we continue this in the library? There are always a fair few readings rooms going unoccupied, and such weighty matters are best discussed in comfort. Join me?" Gesturing to the door, she begins to lead the way through the Temple's passages, through the grand library, and into one of several empty nooks, composed of a table surrounded on three sides by a wooden benchlike seat, with many a cushion for long-term sitters.

"Yes, Lilli.", the Gobbo says softly, with a nod. She strides through the inner part of the Temple, and looks up and around as they come into the Library. "Whoa.", she says. "Is this all the world's books, then? You have an awful lot." The seating gets a sound of approval from the Gobbo, especially when she settles down on the cushion.

Seldan, on the other hand, scoops up pack and swordbelt readily enough to follow, but hesitates when they enter the library, and looks around. "I would neither scar the furniture nor disturb those working, Seeress," he nods to the armor. "If I may have a moment?"

"Hardly," chuckles the priestess. "Ni'essa is a goddess of magic, however, thus Her devotees are as often scholars and mages as they are contemplators of the Divine." With this, she bobs her head toward Seldan. "Of course, Silver Guard, take all the time you need."

One of the acolytes in their rough, simple blue garb is signaled, and the elf leans in to murmur into his ear. At the boy's nod, she straightens and turns back to the pair, clasping her hands in front of her and smiling warmly. "And soon we shall have tea to accompany our discussions. So... As I gather, you've come to ask how to go about breaking the shackles of the Beast from these two men?"

Murder nods slowly in reply to Lillianath. "Still quite a large number of books." She settles down with a somewhat pleased noise. "Well... there is an interest in doing so, yes? Rather than just kill them. I suppose. I mean.. it might be better to execute them if they can't be purged of their evil."

"Please, call me Seldan." Seldan flashes a smile, but turns and slips back out of the library, closing the door quietly behind him.

"And there we come to the central conundrum," Lilli says, sliding into the booth and taking up the back seat, leaving an entire side free for the departed Guard. "It's all very well to say that they want to live, and that they'll do anything to remain alive... But self-interest is a powerful, insidious thing. As long as 'I want to live' remains stronger than 'I want to be free,' then there's every possibility that nothing *will* work, and they'll return to their old ways the moment they can get away with it. And right now... they're under the service of a dragon. Dragons may be well-known for thinking in the long term, but they're also creatures of great and terrible dignity. So unless I can speak to these men and learn the truth of their hearts... In my judgment, they're likely only to pay lip service to any genuine attempt at rehabilitation, and find their lives ended as an object lesson to all who would think to waste the goodwill of a dragon."

Murder nods slowly to the priestess. "Well, that is true, likely. They are only saying nice dragon, nice dragon until they can escape, or find a big enough stick... or die trying." The Goblin shrugs her shoulders. "Maybe that is how it has to be, I don't know. If you need to talk to them, I am pretty sure it can be arrange, we simply need to talk to the dragon. Erm. They might be at a temple, currently, I actually don't know. Perhaps Seldan will recall."

Presently, Seldan returns, divested of armor, fully clean and dressed only in shirt and trousers with a blue and silver open robe over it. He makes no comment regarding the nature of his errand, but it seems clear enough. He still moves just a little bit stiffly, but says nothing of it, instead taking up the side of the table left him by the Seeress and settling in to listen.

"'Simply,'" Lilli echoes, shaking her head in wonder. "The greater world truly is astonishing... hm. Well if it *can* be arranged, I would be very honored to help." Bobbing her head in greeting to the now-unarmored Guard, she settles back in her chair, lacing her fingers together. "It will be a work of many years, mind... Even allowing for the... deep roots... of Sil thought, past experience tells me that any such rehabilitation efforts will require a good, long time, and constant, patient, determined effort. After all... rehabilitating a feral lycanthrope involves essentially requires one to change themselves so fundamentally that the shackles fall away because they simply don't apply to that person anymore."

Murder quirks her lip in a crooked smile and nods. "Yes, simply. I could help with that if you like." She giggles and grins toothily, before looking to Seldan. "DO you know what the two werejackals are up to right now? Where are they being held? Seeress Damael asked if she could have access to them." The Gobbo looks back to Lillianath, "Yes, you say? Is it worth it?"

"Clan Ahl holds them, or did when Serraphine and I were relieved of our duty," Seldan answers, quietly. That had been a long journey. "Perhaps. Any that may be torn from the jaws of the Hound is a victory for the Light, though I am not versed in such endeavors."

"It was for me," Lilli says, fingering the artful, if oddly rough pendant that hangs around her neck. "Because of that patience and determination, a dear family member who would otherwise have been exiled, was able to take up his life again. For him, also it was worth it. For any, I would imagine, who succeed in the learning of how to make their lives their own again, so it would be." She smiles, tilting her head slightly to one side. "It is not a question of worth, but of hearts strong enough to see the journey to completion. Sometimes... Sometimes the climb is simply too great. But that does not mean it is better not to attempt it."

"So you are willing to spend the time to do this for others." The Gobbo gestures lightly, "I know you are long-lived, but even still you would give up years?" She rubs her cheek and nods. "Well, I'll help get you access to them so that you can at least talk to them." Murder glances to Seldan. "Will you help?"

"If I may be of aid, and I may be found, then I will aid you. I prepare for another journey, soon, but I will aid as I can." Seldan nods, slowly, resting both hands on the table. "Your dragon friend is better known to you than to me. I have met him but once, before this job. Know, though, that if they threaten or harm someone ... I will strike them down without mercy."

"It is the duty of those with much, to see that those with little are afforded more," Lilli says serenely. "All who serve the gods are called to serve in their own ways, and by their own paths, and I am called to see that while the Beast may interrupt lives, he does not have to claim them. To this end, I would spend all the days of my life, and wish only to have more to spend."

"Well, I will do what I can to assist you.", the wee Gobbo says. "I don't have much in the way of magics, but I can be helpful in other ways, I guess." She looks to Seldan and nods. "I have dealt with the Merchant a few times already. He can be bargained with." He glances back to Lillianath. "While I am certain he has no concern that they could harm him, they could damage him in other ways, and I don't think he will want to babysit them."

"He will not," Seldan agrees, his bearing and expression set and determined. "You heard him. One foot misplaced, and he will not hesitate to order them slain, if indeed he does not do it himself. An incident with such as they would be most embarrassing to him, I gather."

"Then their situation must be adequately explained to them," Says Lilli, leaning forward and resting her clasped hands on the table. "And if it is possible that you can aid me in gaining an audience with the wyrm, my friends, then you will have my deepest gratitude."