The temple district is behind another wall that splits the city into inner and outer sections. The inner side of the wall is crowded with vendors, while a large plaza circles the district with the various temples within it, along with clusters of people where someone is proselytizing outside of a temple. The crowds could be looking for enlightenment or entertainment, given the way crowds usually act.
It's definitely not as quiet as the temple district of Dianus in Amazonia, but Tasha can't help but notice a more relaxed dress code. And also the city guards, which seem to have a bigger presence here than in the outer districts.
"Well this is sort of familiar," Tasha remarks as she looks around. It's nostalgic, in fact every time she ventures in to these magical, far-flung lands, it feels nostalgic, even though she's left her home universe and is so far away from it she can't even explain the relationship. "Hey, do you think I could be the Herald of the Queen? She seems like she needs help, and I am looking after her family. And she has powerful abilities, from a source we generally trust as a whole. Ones that can tangle with entities like Boss T."
"Well.. probably want to test the waters a bit before trying," Hakeber says. "Religions don't always play nice with each other, and there could be a church here venerating Nyarlothotep or his ilk." She sniffs the air, probably to scope any bake sales.
"You have the evil priestess look down at least," Sharon offers.
"Oh, probably. And hey-" Tasha elbow-bumps Sharon, then hooks an arm around her shoulders and points at her face with that hand. "Says the maid-to-be. And besides," she then points to Hakeber, "We have Sam, so I don't think the church would go at us, not immediately."
"We didn't bring him along though," Hakeber reminds. "Supposedly his kind can't exist here or whatever. So maybe a church to the outer thingies isn't all that likely.. and there are a lot of temples here from the look of it, going all the way around the city!"
"Well, we'd better get searching, then. Boop!" Tasha taps Sharon's nose, then lets her go, beginning to walk in to the district. "We need interesting objects Titanians will enjoy, and look for anything else we might want. Or, and money."
"Ah yeah, money," Hakeber remembers. "And we can't rent out Sharon right?"
"Hey!" the human complains at the Karnor.
"Just saying.. lots of Temples and you're a virgin.." Hakeber counters.
"Nooo, I know she's got that pouty-come-destroy me vibe, but she's still a person and we can't treat our fellows that way." Tasha hooks an arm around Sharon's. "I will keep you safe! We have a nice good-evil dichotomy going, too!"
Then, in a lower voice, "If you do want to get destroyed by someone here, though, let me know and I'll cover for you."
There's a whistle, which doesn't sound like a fancy temple whistle, and suddenly all the guards in the area start heading at a brisk walk in that direction.
"Ooo, exotic magic-land crime. Lets go look," Tasha insists, then she redirects the group that way. "Don't forget to keep shopping along the way!"
"We can't shop without money!" Hakeber points out as they follow the disturbance. "I doubt the use prayer as currency."
"Fiiiine," goes Tasha as she hurries to the commotion.
The plaza curves, and past one large temple is a branching avenue that goes deeper in towards the central spire of the city. A large crowd is gathered in front of one of the temples, where some sort of argument is playing out.. or at least a lot of shouting. The guards are trying to get through to the middle of it.
Tasha also tries to get through, taking a more officious posture that she hopes, along with her outfit and general appears, may make people think she's important or, at least, demonic, and neither are to be trifled with.
"Should have gotten you hoof-coatings that kick up sparks," Sharon laments, but the ruse works and people make way.. either because they're intimidated or because they think another combatant is about to enter the ring. At the center, there is a dull-brown half-dragon standing on a crate, wearing black robes and with black war-paint on her face. She's facing off against a cleric of the temple, who is dressed in dark green and purple robes that hurt to look at, and wearing a swept-back pointy hat. His face is almost skeletal, the greenish-gray skin is so tight across it, and he sports pointed ears. "Your insults are just so much wind," the cleric rasps.
"The Gith will fall!" the half-dragon bellows. "The time of the Gith and even the Astral Empire are soon to be over!" she claims.
Tasha pauses at the front of the crowd to assess things. While she's completely willing to simply walk in and start arguing points in a conversation she knows very little about, time and wisdom have taught her she should probably listen a bit.
"The Gith will never fall," the cleric says, barely raising its raspy voice. "As for the Astral Empire, they are more likely to collapse from within."
"Politics," Tasha laments. "No fighting, no brawling, no magic being tossed around. Their Empires might just die of boredom."
"Hah!" the half-dragon laughs. "Even now, the Queen of Demise has rid the Dreamlands of Nyarlothotep!" she says to the crowd. "And soon she will drive out all the dark forces in every realm!" She then points a taloned finger at the cleric, and claims, "Especially the evils of the Astral Sea!"
"Libelous slurs made out of jealousy and wishful thinking," the cleric replies. "The Gith are not dark forces as you claim."
"You worship Dark Entities!" the scaled woman challenges.
Tasha's ears perk up immediately at the mention of the Queen of Demise. Now she steps forward, holding her hands up in a aggressively calming manner. "Right, hold on! You're making a lot of assumptions here, the Queen isn't some new talking-point weapon to hurl at your enemies just because you want to win an argument. You're making a lot of assumptions here, like he said." She thumbs towards the cadaverous cleric. She then looks to the cleric and asks, "DO you? And what makes them so dark?"
"The Gith recognize the hierarchy of power within the Astral Sea is all," the cleric explains. "Only fools would not. Or the egotistic elves of the so-called Astral Empire."
"Who in the eleven hells are you?" the dragon-woman turns on Tasha.
Hakeber takes notes. "Eleven.. that's two more than usual.." she mutters.
"Why, I'm Tasha," Tasha replies, kicking off the ground so that she can hover at eye-level with the speakers. "And I just so happen to know Nyarlothotep, Dark Powers, and I am well aware of the Queen of Demise's activities." She then turns to the thin man and explains, hands out indicatively, "While it's wise to recognize power, recognition, supplication, and approval are all different things; do you serve the powers out of love, or fear? Or a sense exploitation? Mutual agreement?"
"We appease them, and thrive because of it," the cleric explains. He doesn't try to hover in the air though, so may not share any of the power of the such entities.
"Right, I know that is. Note my ominous hovering," she then gestures grandly to herself, "But, and you probably understand this on some level, dark powers are dark for a reason. Did you know Nyarlothotep has an entire citadel the size of a moon composed of black material that looks like screaming people's faces? And can you guess what those are?"
"Screaming people's faces," offers someone in the crowd.
"I have no dealings with the Crawling Chaos," the cleric claims. "His reach does not extend here."
"But you want to draw your dark gods here," the dragon-woman accuses. "Why else build a temple! Admit that you are only here to recruit sacrifices!"
Tasha's laugh is very light and musical now, and fairly loud, though not as loud as it used to be. "True! They're screaming people! The end result of worship, locked in eternal torment." She shrugs with her hands. "The others are likewise creative. I've walked through the ruins of civilizations that spanned the void, and the worlds swallowed in white. The dragon woman's right, though it can vary a lot in depending on the power. Don't think you're beyond their reach."
Ignoring the half-dragon, the cleric asks Tasha, "And what powers do you serve, exactly?"
"Wow, how personal!" Tasha touches her chest, affronted. "Lets just say mentioning them aloud wouldn't do for the health of the lot of you, and as I am trying to respect the city's laws and those glowering guards over there, as I have business here, I will not promptly curse you for pointed -- though understandable -- curiosity."
"Besides, it's more like we have certain agreements, and partnerships," Tasha adds, more seriously.
"Eh? Oh, I get it," the dragon-woman says, and points at Tasha now. "Succubus!" she shouts.
"It always comes back to that," Sharon mutters.
"Is she flirting with me?" Tasha turns to look to the cleric, palms raised, questioningly.
"I AM NOT FLIRTING!" the dragon-woman bellows. The guards have finally penetrated through to the center, and the one with biggest hat says, "No preaching on temple grounds without a writ of license from said temple." He gestures his men to close on the dragon-woman. "I wasn't preaching, I was threatening!" she claims, but is goaded down off the crate, which she picks up." The captain turns on Tasha next. "No displays of magic, miracles, fortune-telling or offering sexual favors outside of actual temples," he tells her, and gestures for her to return to the ground.
Tasha lowers herself to the ground, then clasped her hands together in front of her, head bowed. "I was merely trying to diffuse the situation by presenting a chaotic and strange presence. They did calm down a little until she," she points at the dragon woman, "started calling me names. I'm hurt." Her expression goes very pouty. It makes her look younger somehow.
Sharon glowers. "Hey, that's my thing!" she tells Tasha.. and pouts.
And so the two pout at each other, then at the guards.
"Are you not a succubus then?" the guard captain asks reasonably.
"When people suggest something enough, does that make it true," Tasha asks, head tilting, tapping her chin. "It happens a lot, you know?"
"Are you a summoned or supernatural entity?" the captain asks next, sounding like he's done this pretty often.
Tasha drops the act, "I'm not summoned, or at least I've never been summoned. I might be supernatural. I'm not from your, ah," she gestures vaguely around herself, ".. universe and I have certain power. Which I am keeping in check, I'll add! And I wasn't lying when I said I've experience with the lot of them. I've been to Avalon as a hero, too, if that helps?"
"Oh.. you're an adventurer then," the mans says. "You need a permit to perform religious ceremonies in public in Elesteria, if you didn't get the pamphlet when you entered. Please refrain from flying around, magically or via wings, as it makes people nervous and you will be shot at if you try to fly over the city walls."
"Or anywhere else, people like to shoot at things," he adds.
"Well, glad I didn't do that," Tasha admits, ears flattening. "Can I have one of those pamphlet? I'm actually just here to buy some wares to trade with void-fairing wolves for their own artifacts. We kind of need money, too. Our wealth doesn't, mmm, translate. Well, maybe the elf-gold does."
"Elf-gold is only good in the Night City, if it's the right kind of elf-gold," the captain says, and does produce a rolled up paper pamphlet from a tube on his belt, and hands it over. "You can always earn cash at the Temple of Ishtar, if you need it."
Tasha unrolls the scroll and peers at it, asking distractedly, "Is that sex work? It's sex work, isn't it?"
"Not all of it," the captain claims. "They also have a school for children, an orphanage, and a restaurant."
"Well, might as well give it a look until the Night City pops in. Thank you, sir." Tasha gives a little salute. "I'll try not to cause trouble."
The crowd is already dispersing now that that show is over. The Gith cleric has retreated into the temple as well. "We could have just watched you know," Hakeber says. "I hardly got any notes out of that!"
"I wanted talking practice! I've been bad at it lately. Besides, we can just ask a temple. Lets go find the Ishtar one." And so Tasha waves the two to follow and heads off in to the crowd, saying, "And besides, I didn't like the dragon-lady using the Queen like that, she doesn't know. And I wanted to warn the crowd about dark gods, hopefully someone will take it to heart."
"What if she's right though?" Sharon asks. "We have no idea if the Queen is out of control. She's made of pain and insanity and stuff! We'll need a new mentor then. Well, probably not you, if Tia turns you to living stone or imprisons you in a crystal or glues you to the front of her ship like a figurehead or..." Sharon can come up with a lot of horrible things that aren't death but somehow worse.
"Wow," Tasha says, coming to a halt, "When did you get so frantic and grim? Tia and I are getting along very well now, I'll have you know. We talked it out and we're doing better, now. She knows I was trying to save her and I am also trying to save her mother, and perhaps as importantly, what happened was inevitable with or without me. Are you worried I'm going to disappear? Do you want me to?" She perks her ears, fully regarding Sharon now, full-on-attention.
"No-oooo," Sharon says, looking away. "But.. if something did happen to you, which one of us would be next in line?"
"Ooo, do we get to vote?" Hakeber asks.
Tasha scratches her head. "That's.. a good question," she says, at a loss. She's quiet for a moment, then she admits, "It's been my hope you'll each find your own way. You don't need to be me. And, well, maybe I won't be doing this," she gestures around again, "..much longer. It's become increasingly obvious to me if I fall, everything falls with me. Even Tia and Kai will likely split. The Queen will lose another anchor to reality. Our organization out here will collapse. Someone does need to take things in to the field, but there doesn't need to be just one operation, one ship, one figure head. And there won't be more Tashas if I don't, well, have them. You know I'm not doing so well. I'm not quite what I was."
"Sasha is the closest to you," Hakeber says. "He could lead some operations as well."
A rather large temple complex lies ahead, and it seems pretty busy as well. There's even music coming from it.
"It's weird the most me-like one has a penis," Tasha admits, momentarily losing track. She shakes her head and then says, "But you're right, he is. You're all capable of leadership and acting as a symbol if you try, and someone needs to defend out home, which will probably end up being me. I'm sure Gabriel would like that, he's been quiet about it but I know he suffers every time I end up injured, or turn to someone else for comfort because I'm lonely."
"Or bring home more girlfriends?" Hakeber teases. "Nobody can resist the succubus!"
"Lots of people resist the succubus," Tasha notes, rolling her eyes but grinning. "Well, something to think on, right? My retirement may not be tomorrow, but it's something we need to deal with as a group. I can't be the peg that holds it all together. We need to build beyond me."
"And get you pregnant," Hakeber adds with a grin. The temple may be the one dedicated to Ishtar. The main facade is covered blue mosaic tile with feminine symbols, including a dragon.
"Well this looks promising, and I admit after that talk, I could use some festivity and joy." Tasha grabs Hakeber and Sharon's hands, walking with them towards the entrance. "You know, dragonesses are really dry? I had to get creative. And they like biting."
"You all like biting," Sharon points out as the pass under the arch. There are a lot of pregnant-looking females of various species, including some of the ones clearly dressed as priestesses, wearing outfits that fully expose their stomachs. "Welcome to the Temple of Ishtar, Goddess of Life, Love and Fertility," one of them greets the trio. "Are you all together?"
"Yes," Tasha replies, releasing hands to pull the two other women in to a one-armed hug. " We're new to the, um, plane and the guards recommended this place. I suppose we have questions about the Temple, fertility, and all the rest. Oh, and money."
"Well, which one of you wishes to be the mother, or do all three of you wish to share in the experience together?" the priestess asks.
"Uhh, just me," Tasha admits. She also perks her ears and quickly adds, "We have a father in mind, too. Hake-here will probably want to be around for it too, as will another woman, Katherine. Sharon can decide herself, too." She nods to Sharon.
"I'm still breaking in my body," Sharon claims.
"Oh! I assumed you wanted a child made from each of you, with a father," the priestess says, looking embarrassed. "We often get inter-species or same-sex couples wanting children, you see."
"That's an exciting ability. I wonder if Katherine would be interested?" Tasha tilts her head, tapping the side of her head. "As long as she doesn't get pregnant herself, she might. I should ask. Give me a moment."
Tasha then turns to look off in to space, sending, "Kai, could you ask Gabriel and Katie to come by the Temple of Ishtar?"
"I'll let them know of the request," Kai replies. "I should have sufficient local funds secured soon."
"You're the best humonculus I know," Tasha replies, smiling to herself in that eerie way of someone mentally communicating. "We'll be waiting here." She then turns back and nods. "They should be here sooner or later. Also I am, at least I was told, a kind of.. universal being. But we don't know how universal. Can you find that out?"
"A fertility reading then?" the priestess asks. "We do offer that, if you would follow me."
"I'm on it." And so she follows along, as directed.
The other two aren't about to be left behind as they weave through the temple. They pass a section that reminds Tasha of the clubs in Abu-Dhabi, with exotic dancers. But beyond that is a smaller inner plaza, where there are a lot of children, and then into a smaller building that has clouds of incense giving it an (literally) relaxing atmosphere. At the center is a pool of water, surrounded by pillars of alien stone covered in many of the same symbols as the outer archway. In the center of the pools is a very large female.. something. She has six large breasts resting on a huge belly, and a face that is somewhat cow-like in appearance. If she has hooves they're hidden by the water.
"This is Womb-Seer," the priestess explains to the trio. "Disrobe and approach her for your fertility fortunes to be read."
"So many of my adventures involve getting naked," Tasha mock-complains, but she doesn't hesitate. Luckily her outfit isn't hard to remove, being largely cloak, hood, and strappier things. She puts her clothes aside and stretches, "In to the pool, right?"
The priestess nods, and says, "May your fortune be a good one."
"Thank you!" And so Tasha clip-clops off, then slides in to the waters in a slow-wade. Hooves are not the most grip-enabled of feet, after all. Then she looks up, "Hi!"
The bovine woman opens her eyes and smiles at Tasha, saying, "Come closer child. I am Mother Thyme. Press your belly to mine."
"Hi Mother. I will." Tasha finds the large cow woman soothing, for some reason, and the experience like a doorway into a world she belongs to, but never really considered deeply before -- or considered entering. But, now she's here, and part of her feels like it's time. She wades forward and touches bellies.
The size difference really does make the woman feel motherly. And her belly is very soft. She then holds out her hands, and says, "Now place your hands in mine."
Tasha resists giggling, there's a weird feeling about all this, and a comfort, she's never known before. She's not sure why it makes her want to giggle. She's been many places, but this is something entirely new. Or, maybe very old. She reaches up and touches her hands. "I feel even shorter than usual," she admits, though she doesn't sound upset.
It's a bit like completing a circuit, as Tasha feels a sort of energy entering into her core from Mother Thyme's belly (which moves) and then flow up and out through her arms. "You've never been pregnant before," the large woman says. "It isn't a currently active goal of yours either. But I feel that you can be quite fecund, despite being.. let's say of varied origins yourself. You have a mate, as well. With you here in the city." The odd 'massaging' from the woman's belly stops, and with it the flow of energy. "I do not foresee any difficulties for you in bearing children, but caution you to not be disturbed at how your daughters' feet will look at birth."
Tasha needs a moment to absorb all of that, but then her expression flickers with incomprehension. "My daughter's feet? And, do I work the way I've been told? My daughters will be like me, my sons like their father?"
"Yes," Mother Thyme confirms. "And did your own mother never tell you about the angel fingers?"
"Huh," goes Tasha, who, having believed it but not believed it, now believes it. "So it's true." She then blinks away her surprise, head tilting, "No..? Which mother do you mean? I have two, one father, and my, well, recreator."
"The one who actually birthed you," Mother says. "The original you."
"Nooo, all she said was that I was a surprise one day. I was so small she didn't realize she was pregnant until she gave birth, and, well, she's not the most informative of people." Tasha shrugs a little. "I love her anyway."
"And you've never attended the birth of a child?" Mother asks. "If not you should avail yourself here at the Temple."
"I haven't. I've been more on the, uh, death side of things lately. Plus, I was avoiding a certain kind of life and, well, I couldn't have children before, so.. I avoided the reminder." Tasha lowers her head, but nods slowly. "I will. And, aside form that, I do need to make some money. I have tasks to attend to here, besides this one."
"You should ask to work in the nursery then," Mother suggests.
"I guess I have my job, then." Tasha steps back and bows, head low. "Thank you for your help and guidance, Mother."
Hakeber and Sharon are still where Tasha left her clothes, and don't seem inclined to have their womb-fortunes read. The priestess is also still there, only now she has a towel.
Tasha gladly accepts the towel. "Well, that was enlightening. It turns out I really do work the way Persephone said I do. And I need to not be alarmed by my children's feet. I'm supposed to work in the nursery, so, that's my job. Did you two come up with ideas?" She looks between the two. "Scribe work and education for you, Hake?"
"I'm a great teacher!" Hakeber claims. "Everyone listened to me at the pizza tavern, even when I had my shirt on!"
"If it's sex-education I would agree that you are overqualified, Hakeber," Sharon says.
"Careful, here you might just end up as pregnant as me," Tasha arms with a laugh. "And don't tease Hake! You need some education, yourself." She turns to the priestess and notes, "Sharon here's basically another me, but she's going her own way, and she's shy. Any idea what she could do? She's good at, um.." The pause is telling. "Being afraid and being dire?"
"And virginal," Hakeber offers, possibly in retaliation.
"Can she dance or sing?" the priestess asks.
"SO virginal," Tasha confirms, nodding solemnly.
"Maybe?" Tasha then replies.
"Allegedly she can sing," Hakeber offers.
Sharon turns pink. "I may need to be drunk first," she claims.
"Easily arranged!" Tasha slings an arm around Sharon and leans in. "You have to get over your shyness some time, and this seems like a safe enough place. I'm not getting any menacing vibes or spiritual impressions of danger here."
Sharon sucks in her lips and looks terrified all the same.
Tasha then just picks Sharon up, "Off we go! Kai will help you, and if you embarrass yourself, you'll probably never be back here again, right? Off we go! We have money to make."
Tasha has often heard of the 'beauty of childbirth' but it did not prepare her for dealing with it from the outside. She assisted with three different births from three different mammalian women, and at first did not think it ominous that she had to strip down again and don a rubber apron. The washing up was normal as well, with a midwife explaining about the risk of infection that the mother could be susceptible to.
She had not be warned about the screaming and cursing that the process could evoke from the mother, and what her own birth may have been like. Desdemona has a sailor's vocabulary after all. The fluids and tissues and smells were another shock. Babies were floating in their own urine within the womb, and so things were pretty rank. The larger women seemed to have an easier time, or at least the process went faster for them. The third mother took an uncomfortable amount of time and Tasha was employed to push downward on her belly during the pushing efforts to help things along.
By the end of her shift, she was covered in blood, urine, the disturbing goop of afterbirth and some of the contents of the mothers' bowels that hadn't been fully washed away by the hasty showers between deliveries. Her nose feels a bit numb and her ears are ringing slightly from some of the higher-pitched labor-induced screams.
Tasha does not miss her third shower, and she takes longer than the first two. There's a lot to reflect on and she's inwardly ashamed to realize the experience has left her a bit traumatized. If she does step back from the front line, is she just going to subject herself to increasingly feel obsolete, and worse, to pain, and being though of as little more than the creator of the new generation?
And yet if she doesn't do it, who will? Not Katherine, and she wouldn't want to push Hakeber to do it, either. Beyond that, only she can reproduce with anyone, at least not without whatever magical or spiritual intervention happens here, and maybe elsewhere.
By the time she's done thinking, and the line affords her less time than she'd like, she's decided on a few areas on inquiry and has a somewhat better idea of how to busy herself to keep from becoming largely irrelevant.
In the area for friends and family that adjoins the birthing center, Katy, Gabriel and Hakeber wait while browsing a brochure. "Water birth," Hakeber says. "Wouldn't that make baths seem weird afterwards though?"
"Very," says a tired sounding, but quite clean, Tasha now dressed in her original outfit, if without the original energy. "I just spent most of my day learning about childbirth, and having children." She plops herself down between Katherine and Gabriel and promptly drops her her upper torso and head across Gabriel's lap.
"Ah.. well, there's a special chemical that the mother's brain secretes almost immediately afterward that makes her eventually forget the scary parts," Gabriel explains, petting Tasha's head. "And then there's the bonding chemicals too, which.. I've heard some women can become addicted to, actually, so you know they're good."
"I have been feeling a sad absence of addictive chemicals in my life." Tasha tries to snatch the brochure from Hakeber's hands before flopping back down. "So, I've been thinking, I might not be.. I'm not sure I should.. " She takes a deep, deep breath. "I feel like I'm not what I was, I think? Tired, like I'm pushing myself to be out here, and that feeling like if I keep pushing, I'm going to lose everything I've worked for. All of you. What we've built. I'll stumble, and then I'll die, and everyone will scatter. No legacy, no victory, and no more home for the lost to belong to."
"You're still young to be thinking like that," Gabriel claims. "I'm the old one that's already lost everything once."
"Plus, we're the proxies of god-like beings in the struggle of chaos versus order," Katy points out. "Presumably that means we can secure some sort of divine aid when needed."
"Don't forget the world's most powerful pacifist and an amoral genie," Hakeber adds. "Also the ghost girl we know nothing about. But you've got extra heads to put together to solve things."
"I have lost everything once. I'm the reincarnation of a splattered remains of my last self. I have holes in my soul." Tasha pulls her feel up and rolls over, so now her legs are across Katherine's lap. "I'm not giving up, I just think I need some time to rest, and to work on building our foundations. To have those kids, to help poor little Whisper build a place to be happy in, to build a place for all of us. You guys, poor Tia, Kai, and everyone who comes. We're more than just god hunters, and we're more than just our one ship." She then flips open the brochure, flipping quickly as she looks for a certain section: egg-based births. Her expression goes very intent -- which means frowny -- as she starts reading between words. "I think others need to rise up to stand against these beings. It can't be just me."
"It still needs to be a secret effort, all the same," Katy claims, and picks between Tasha's split-hoof 'toes'. "We don't know if the Ogdru-hem communicate with one another, but we do know that they can have regular people under their influence. You said Thotep had lots of rich and powerful types at that party. That's the sort we need to be wary of. But we do need to extend our... fingers. We need more than Mrs. Teatime's extended family."
"Who was that Eeee?" Hakeber asks. "The one that helped with the Tadpole, who knew about dark beings. Dark-something the deep-whatever? The one who mapped out hyperspace routes?"
"Yes, we need -- and to some extent we have -- more allies, we just haven't reached to draw them in to a more solidified alliance. I can think of a number of candidates: The most immediate and accessible one is the Titanians, they're willing and very able to help, to supply us, and it is their obsession and nature to want to deliver the universe form what came before. Other options include the lost third species created by the Vril'ya, who is said to have hidden themselves. There's also, at least secretly, the Terragens, and maybe other Galactics."
Tasha squints. "Darksight? He's from, we think, another reality entirely. Or another time, which is basically the same thing. I tried to recruit him once, but he declined. That said he has encountered both the Waymakers and the Ogdru'hem, or at least something like them. I think he may have even encountered the Null."
"The Seeders must have ties to every government as well," Gabriel adds. "They already have a pretty lofty agenda, but that can be used to mask our own activities."
"He could become a powerful champion, though. I feel it. He has a drive deep down, he's lost, but he has the fortitude to have endured so far alone." Tasha then nods to Gabriel. "Yes. I think once I reveal everything, assuming they don't just go mad an commit suicide in mass, they may be willing to help. We know the answer to their deepest mystery. Knowing that will galvanize them if it doesn't break them, and they'll see us as the deliverers of that message."
"Yeah, Darksight," Hakeber says. "I bet he'd come on if you told him about Charon and Persephone and what else we found out in the void. I've met a lot of haunted men in my research, and I like him."
"Can we convince the leaders of the Seeders without extraordinary proof though?" Katy asks. "We've got two members of an alien species that we need Starseed routes to try and find the homeworld of, and we've got one genuine extra-universal alien who doesn't like attention. If we had Thoth back it would be easier, he's already known to them."
"We've got the Praxafallopus incident too," Hakeber points out. "Lots of eyes on that, and most of them were xeno-archaeologists."
"And the group we took out to the battleground. They've got firsthand experience with what we found and with.. Samael," Gabriel says. "All told, we have a lot of people that've been exposed to this stuff who are trained observers."
"I do, too. He feels familiar. Like Kainudy, he feels a bit like me. On my level. Kainudy feels above me, but similar. That's why I have tried to help her all I can, and as an apology for my failures. I have some ideas about her, too. A church, maybe. Beings believe in what she represents, I think it's our duty to steer their belief so that it doesn't become a vile curse, a source of fear, and the darkest parts of pain and loss. We can fight pain and loss with comfort and community. We can reinvent her to be a source of solace for those who have been betrayed, have lost, are sad and alone. And their wishes can give her a beacon to return home." Tasha tilts her brochure, head tilting the other way. "So we'll track down Darksight. Maybe I can find out which Waymaker saved him, and have them back me up. I may recruit Tia to help with the religion effort. As for the Seeders.. that's harder. And Katie's given me an idea."
Tasha places the brochure on her chest and spreads her hands, indicating all of herself. "I'm basically a polished up version of what I used to be, a kludged together person. That said, I'm not finished. I'm still in development. Maybe it's time I talked to Persephone and that being who lives within me and become what I need to be. Something convincing. A being who can endure all these things, something more than just a mortal. I need to step up, or step down, but cute little beat up Tasha won't last much longer."
Then Tasha nods again to Gabriel. "We do, they should be enough. And if they're not, we can think of alternatives."
"So.." Gabriel says, and turns the brochure to a page about Conception Rooms for Tasha. "When Kai 'cloned' you, did she also grant them the same fertility setup that you have?"
"Vasha must be Sinaian Vartan, right?" Hakeber asks. "They can sorta hybridize with engineered species there."
"Maybe," Tasha admits, uncertain. She flips the brochure several pages, to ovipositing births. "I made a joke about this before, but then I remembered some beings do this -- including dragons. If my children can be born comfortable and develop independently, that would let me grow out family with less burden on me. So that's one way I could change." She then nods again to Gabriel. "Most likely, but they won't be happy being relegated to breeding stock. Sharon seems cute and easily pushed around, but she's still me, and I think she'll hate it. And she'll hate us for taking advantage of her."
"They were intended to be puppets, originally," Katy notes, shaking her head. "They may not be able to reproduce at all."
Tasha grimaces, but nods to Katherine now. "That's could be, too. And, well, their base is different from mine. They may still be mercurial on some level, changelings. It may take time for them to become truly static."
"We could ask, but.. maybe that's something they should ask about for themselves," Hakeber says. "Presumably Tia can reproduce. Kai can make people so it's sort of moot with her."
"I'm wondering about that," Gabriel says, and looks to his lap to ask Tasha, "When you met with Atum, and saw all those 'variations', did any of them look like Vasha, Sharon or Sasha?"
"Tia can, but she's experienced a lot of loss, we should be careful with touching on her attachments and pains. Despite her apparently considerable power and vitality, she's emotionally vulnerable." Tasha taps her chin, thinking, then shakes her head. "No, there was Blackwings, the manifestation of the spore The Source left in me, Melchior, annnd.. " She squints even harder. "I think maybe the Karnor and Vartan version of me, but they were versions of that me, not this one. Can you see the old me producing someone like Sasha? He's so adorable and friendly, it's all I can do not to want to hug him."
"I'm just wondering if there needs to be some sort of seed," Gabriel says. "I prefer to think there's some sort of element like that, rather than that she can just create any person. I hear that creating the new one was fairly involved."
"They've all been copies of real people," Katy suggests. "Incomplete copies, at that. Sasha is not Tasha, anymore than the other two are. They have her experience.. except for Sasha who has different experiences. But we know Sasha actually existed. Sort of."
"Well, we can always ask her, but I have a feeling it's not straightforward. If it were so easy that they could create an army of themselves, or custom people, then they'd have probably done it already. From what I understand Sasha, Vasha, and Sharon are connected to me on a deeper level even Tia doesn't understand -- that they are to me as Kia is to Kainudy. Kia is the prototype and original for all beings like Tia, so they're built on that 'technology'," Tasha explains.
"Vasha is the only 'new' one, but she's not entirely Tasha either," Gabriel says. "I bet there's some of Colonel Rapatia, who was a genetic donor for Tasha's first major injuries."
"Kai can perfectly mimic someone," Hakeber says. "I know that firsthand. So actually identical clones are probably possible."
"She does seem a little different, but then I sometimes get surprised by what I used to do, so maybe I'm just too biased to tell what's me and what isn't." Tasha's ears splay at that weird realization. "Anyway, I think what we've decided here as that they're unreliable sources for legacy-production. I can probably make my existence and my reproduction easier on myself by calling in the completion of myself. Kai's capacity to produce new beings is unknown, but it's old, and it's also apparently draining."
"I like that there are limits to her energy," Katy says, a but quietly in case Kai is listening in.
"I need a drink," Hakeber says. "Like soda or juice, I mean!" she quickly elaborates. "So if we aren't going to an orgy pit, we should find Sharon and keep shopping. I don't know that Titanians will be interested in what you can pick up in the gift shop."
Tasha laughs at that. "Oh whispering won't stop her, she's way beyond that level of effort. But, yes, she is limited. More so than Tia. And she likely maintains a connection to Kainudy, even now. She was assigned to watch over me, too." Tasha nods to Hakeber now, and sits up. "We do need to keep working, don't we? Well I learned a lot here, I hope Sharon did, too. She should be sining, um.. " The red woman looks around, " ..somewhere."
"Off to the.. Palace of Earthly Delights or whatever they call that section," Hakeber declares.
"I think they call it.." Tasha drops her voice and wiggles her fingers, "..the lounge." She then hops up, remarkably spry for someone who had looked stepped on by the world for a while there. "Lets go look around, she's probably in the entertainment area."
Looking around involved less looking than sniffing, as the three wolves with noses not still recovering from the birthing chambers zeroed-in on the human quickly enough. In one of the curtained side nooks, they found her dancing. Or rather finishing a dance. It must have been similar to the Abu-Dhabian Dance of Seven Veils because Sharon was already down to her last one, not counting the one over her face. Someone had really done up her hair as well. There is quartet of musicians on semi-familiar looking instruments, and lots of patrons lazing on cushions. One reptilian sort is paying close attention though, and licking its eyeballs every so often.
"We talked too long," Katy complains.
Tasha observes this, arms folded. "I do seem to attract a lot of reptiles, don't I. Well," she gestures to the seats, "We can stay for the last part, for Katie's sake."
It may be due to the human's movements being rather serpentine, more like a Naga than a biped. The penultimate veil is shed after being dragged across her body a few times, and then the music stops and she bows to applause and... sounds that probably mean the same thing. She then seems to snap out of whatever fugue she was in and heads off the stage in as direct a line she can towards Tasha and Karnors.
Tasha also raises her hands to clap. "That was some fine Kai Dancing," she admits, nodding slowly. "Do you remember any of it? I may need a copy for later. And, are you alright? Come here and sit with me." She pats the cushion beside her.
The all-but-naked girl sits down and tries to shrink between Tasha and Gabriel. "I could do that dance again in my sleep," she says. "Which scares me, you know. I tried singing but all I know are tavern songs."
"You may be dancing it in my sleep tonight," Katherine teases.
"I know the feeling," Tasha commiserates, using her wings to conceal Sharon from view. "At the very least you seem to have done very well. We're leaving, so I assume you'll want to get dressed and head out? We should collect our earnings, too. And Katie can collect her drool."
"I outsource my drooling to Hakeber," the elegant Karnor claims.
"Yes, clothes and money," Sharon agrees.
The local currency is comprised of differently shaped metal coins with square holes in them. Between them, Tasha and Sharon earned five oblongs, two ten-sided coins and seven round ones. The metal is a bit like gold and a bit like bronze.
"So should I call this bold or gonze?" Tasha peers at one of the coins, sniffs at it, then bites it. "Well, it's shiny and it's money, at least. It's also been a while since I truly worked for money."
"Well you can still probably get free drinks at a bar," Gabriel says, and winks. "Now.. how much is this?" he asks.
Sharon nudges Tasha, and suggests, "Maybe that visitor's guide you got off the guard talks about money."
"I have no idea." Tasha puts her money away, then fumbles around for her visitor's guide. "Oh yeah, I forgot I got this off a guard when he was lecturing me to not be a demon or religious figure in the street. I decided to get in an arguement with some locals -- who were fighting with each other -- for practice, and, well, I thought I'd learn something. Also, one was painting Kainudy like her personal dragon bogeyman, and that made me her personal annoyance."
"The know about her out here?" Gabriel asks, looking uncomfortable and looking around. "Kai knew about this city though, so maybe that's not so far-fetched."
"Well, the entire Outland, which is apparently a major pan-universal and pantheonic plane, has been disrupted, as has the Unformed, which is power source for many. Thotep was displaced from his seat of power out there, and he's a big player. That kind of news travels." Tasha flips through the brochure. "Don't fly, don't religion without a permit, no biting, all monstrous creatures must be on a leash of magically mind controlled.. Oh. Here," she holds up a visual guide to currency in multiple languages.
According to the guide pamphlet, the round coins are the lowest denomination, with the different sided ones are equal to that number of round ones. The oblong ones are worth twenty rounds, and seem equivalent to a good meal or a bed, from the drawings.
"I could eat," both Sharon and Hakeber say in unison upon spying the drawing of the meal.
"Well, if this is true and we don't stay overnight, or we leave late at night or early day time, we can probably buy something. I suggest the Night City, then I'll be able to use my Fairy Gold along side this, unless we want to split our purchases. Anyway, lets start wandering around, we have until nightfall to find something, then it's on to the Night City." Tasha starts walking, assuming everyone will follow. "And we can eat, just keep it to street vendor food."
There are a lot of vendors. "I found out more about the Night City," Gabriel says as they wander. "It's apparently part of the Astral Plane that overlaps the bay, and when the moon is out the barrier between them softens and you can go back and forth."
"Most people avoid it," Katie says, pointing a stand with cubes-of-meat on sticks, although Sharon sees a sandwich stall next to it. "Very unsavory and with a black-market sort of vibe, apparently. At least according to the crafters Sasha and I talked to. But you can get weird stuff there."
"That's what I heard, too. So we need to be done before the moon is gone, or else we'll be stuck there an extra day. How much time do we have, anyway?" Tasha cranes her neck to the sky, which is mostly water. "Um, hmm."
It's definitely inching towards evening, but then the guide pamphlet didn't see say how long a day is here. But nothing is shutting down just yet, or else this section is far enough from the bay to be safe, but if the gates shut they could easily be stuck here as well.
"I suggest we start walking towards the Bay. We can look around as we go," Tasha says after a moment of puzzling over the dusk. "We don't want to get trapped in a section over night. We'd probably be fine, but it won't be comfortable."
After grabbing some food suited for walking and eating at the same time, the group heads on towards the gate that is closer to the avenue leading to the bay, which is the way they were headed anyway. Off to one side of their target gate is small shrine that seems to have a lot of people.. specifically dragon-kin and the local breed of elves. There's a fire, a shiny statue and a lot of smoke.
Tasha's own meal is decidedly bloodless and devoid of any mysterious goos. "Ooh, interesting species shrine! Lets take a look, maybe the deity would be of interest." And so she angles the party that-a-way, in case it is, indeed, of interest.
The line is long, but it's only on one side of the shrine, where the fire is. From the side, the flame is confined to a circular pit that resembles a well. On the opposite side is another that is filled with water, and has fewer people. From the side, they see a statue made of the same metal as the coins, of a tall, severe-yet-matronly looking human or elfin woman, with a dragon partly coiled around her with angelic looking wings. It reminds Tasha of the shrine statue at the entrance to Kainudy's refuge.
At the firepit, people come up and say their prayer before dropping little cloth-wrapped bundles into the fire. The shrine is apparently to a deity called Danae, which is close enough to Danu that they're probably the same, since it's both elves and dragon-types making the offerings.
"Isn't that.. what's-her-face.. Oh I can't remember, but she's Big K's creator. I think she may-or-may-not have showed up to stare at me sternly and politely tell me to sod off, too, during the invasion." Tasha leans forward and peers at the woman. "Oh, right Danu. She's some sort of ancient magical creator being, of interest to Elves and Dragons. I'm not exactly sure what she's known for, though. Is there a priest or priestess around here?" She leans back and glances around.
There doesn't seem to be any sort of attendants or obvious clergy. There's no church, just the statue with the fire well and water well. The ones at the water well aren't making offerings though, but gazing into it after they say their prayers.
"You'd expect a temple for a creator deity," Hakeber says. "But not for an Earth-Mother goddess. Those were more personal. Danu was the goddess of the ancient Celts on Terra, and there's a major river named for her.. but no surviving writings or descriptions."
"From what I remember, she's apparently very strict and demanding, and they ultimately had a sad falling out. I suspect she's upset with me for my contribution to how things are going," Tasha says, ears laying back. "So is old Null. It's something K and I both know. You can do very well for a long time, but then you're held higher, and so you also fall further. Something she's dealing with now, too, I suspect. Maybe we should go, before the statue notices me."
The gate looks like it's being readied to close once they pass through, along with a stream of others. The avenue leads straight down towards the harbor, where ships and boats bob as the tide starts to come in.
"I left Sasha with Kai," Katie notes. "Not sure where Lacci and Shojo are."
Tasha starts walking again, but then she pauses, bites her lip, and halts the others. "I'm not sure either, but Kai should be able to keep an eye on them. Look, I'll be right back, I should do something." She holds her hands up in a wait gesture, then she pulls out a note pad and furiously begins writing. After finishing she hurries back to the statue.
Once there Tasha tries to nudge her way around the supplicants, trying to get close enough to toss the crumbled up ball of her writing in to the fire.
The line is shorter now, since it's getting late. Tasha moves up quickly enough, almost stepping on the tail of a half-dragon. But then it's her turn.
Once close enough to be sure of her shot, Tasha tosses the paper in, and then she's quickly gone.
The letter reads thusly:
Mother to daughter, daughter to child
The cycle of disappoint and abandonment endures
If you would help make things better
Whatever our differences
Come and see me
Here in Night City
Tasha, Apprentice to Kainudy and aid to Khryss
Catching up to the others, Tasha and the group head down through the next city gate to the outer ring, where things are definitely starting to close up. Shutters are closed, lamplighters hurry along to complete their tasks, and fewer city guards are to be seen.
"Definitely time to hurry along. Crime's going to pick up a lot, too. Also, I might need to meet with someone later, and it'd be best if it was just me. So if I look like I need to go suddenly, just let me go -- and definitely don't intervene if I look like ZI don't want you too. Whatever happens." With that ominous warning, Tasha hurries the group along, picking up the pace.
"That does not sound worrying at all," Gabriel says as they make their way to the docks. The sun is touching the horizon now. The various fish markets are closing up, as late customers hurry through their purchases. Although not all of the shops are closing, and certainly not the tavern house. But the boards are soon clear of people.
"I mean, it's a little ominous?" Tasha's smile is rather tight. "We'll see?" She then looks around, and her ears flick. "Shouldn't there be more people wanting to visit the Night City? It seems a little vacant for the appearance of an entire city."
"They probably aren't going to show themselves until after the moon is up," Hakeber guesses. "Wouldn't want the neighbors to see what they're up to after all."
"I am so glad we don't have to deal with civilization's disapproval in our daily lives," Tasha admits. She walks around with nervous energy, arms swinging. "At least the sea smells nice, and I'm appreciating the real sea-wind. Maybe we should get a sea."
At least there isn't an ominous fog coming in off of the sea, but there's soon a.. thumping sound. Pause.. thump.. pause.. thump, as if something it striking the boards of the dock behind them.
Tasha straightens a bit, and her hackles rise. Very slowly, she turns around.
An armored figure seems to loom out of the shadows, thumping the butt of a spear against the ground with each step. It's armor is the same odd local metal, and the spear is made of it at well. Another figure steps out from behind it, wearing bangles of the same metal. "We found you!" Lacci says. Shojo is nearly unrecognizable in the shiny armor.
"Gah, don't scare me like that!" Tasha hurries up and swats Shojo on the breastplate, then, standing on her tip-hooves, asks, "And where did you get this? Were you fighting in an arena or something? This looks expensive. Did Kai get it?"
"He won it," Lacci explains. "Arm wrestling. It's pretty heavy though."
"He can lock his muscles though," Sharon points out. "Surely that's cheating, isn't it?"
It's easy to imagine the Vartan just slowly moving his arm like a ratcheting lever..
"It sure looks that way. All I got today was some coins and a lot of things to worry about." Tasha then laughs, head shaking. "It's not cheating if it's not in the rules! Anyway, Night City's almost here. Also, if I have to go for a bit suddenly, or if I wave you a way and act like I don't want you to interfere suddenly, uh, don't."
"Well.. they were gifts," Lacci claims. "This stuff is called orichalcum. It's supposed to be resistant to magic."
"Maybe we can throw some at Kai and Samael to see what happens?" Tasha pulls out a coin, peers at it, then pits it back. "I suppose anti-magic money makes sense in a land full of magic."
"Can't be magically conjured up," Katie suggests. The stars are coming out now, and reflecting off the surface of the ocean. The rising tide suggests the moon will be up soon.
"How'd you get money?" Lacci asks Tasha.
"Well, not long, now." Tasha looks around, then walks over to sit on the edge of the dock, feet dangling out across the water. "Me? I helped with child birth for a few hours. Blood and guts, lots of screaming and cursing, sex-stuff, you know, my usual. Sharon danced."
"Hmm, where is Sasha? Didn't you say he was left to find Kai? I don't like that he was left alone," Tasha admits, peers down the dock and looking worried.
"Kai said she had money, and Sasha wanted to pick up some tools we saw," Katie explains. "He said the fancy, exotic looking hammers would be good for Titanians. So they're probably together."
"Well that's a relief. Kai is many things, but she's strong, and she knows how to survive." Looking more at ease, Tasha leans back, hands on the dock, legs swaying in the breeze. "Well it sounds like everyone got something out of the trip at least?"
"So, we didn't have to work for money?" Sharon asks, looking peeved.
"Guys just gave me stuff," Lacci notes.. a bit smugly.
"Yeah, that happens," Tasha remarks, as if Lacci had said 'it just gets wet when it rains'. She looks out across the sea, a bit distracted, or at least seeming that way.
As Tasha watches, there seem to be more stars reflected in the water now than there are in the sky. The moon isn't visible, but she feels a sort of vibration, as if something heavy were being moved nearby. Then more people start to arrive, usually wearing cloaks to obscure their features, but the occasional pair of wings, tails or horns are hard to miss.
Tasha looks up and takes in the slowly approaching mob. Noting the features, she half expects the people coming think she must fit right in, in the Night City. Maybe in her next form she should move away from looking like a succubus, she fears it's too nail-on-the-head, and too dangerous to tangle with. Only fools would flirt with such an obvious danger, and many people see her through that lens. "Well, almost time it seems. I can feel something big shifting."
The water begins to split at a point along the shoreline, revealing steps leading downward below the surface. The new arrivals make their way along it, keeping their distance from one another as they do.
Tasha angles a bit to the side, pushes off, and lands on the steps. "Down we go.. in to the night." She turns back long enough to waggle her fingers spookily.
Once below the water, things change. The stairs behind them seem to fade into nothing with each step, and instead of seeing the bottoms up boats above there is a miasma of colors, garish and clashing and hinting at infinite depths, with streams moving through them and vessels that look like her familiar airships, some even pulled by beasts, but with no gas envelope to support them. The Night City is dark and ancient looking, with odd ghostly lights, some fixed and some in motion, built from dark stone. The sounds that come up from it hushed, save for the occasional brief, shrill shriek.
"Ooo," goes Tasha, who makes no show of hiding her gawking, thinking herself demon-looking enough to be taken for acting, perhaps up to some sort of ruse to fool people in to thinking she's naive. "I already like it here. Airships! Astralships? Whatever, just look at them! And look at that stonework! That is ancient-god stonework, and the black suggests of the more dire, or at least nocturnal, sort. Which makes sense, given the name. Oh, and the shrieks make me think of Undercity, where I grew up!"
"I think this will be fun," Tasha concludes, and so she heads on down.