Temple of Inala, the Altar of Beauty
Once upon a time, this space would have been the grandest cathedral of Babel, despite being smaller than a cathedral would normally be. There are only a few stone pews, as the ceremonies of the Yodhinala tended towards private gatherings. The main Altar is made of alabaster, bone and marble and may once have been inlaid in gold as well. The sides are covered in reliefs of the Goddess of Love and Pleasure, except for one side where the sculpture was crudely hacked free. Open gaps in the vaulted dome once held beautiful stained-glass depictions of Inala as well, taken by looters or destroyed by the Yodhblakat or later forces.

A rather damp Sphynx sits on the edge of the altar, looking up through the gaps in the stained glass dome-skylights. She seems lost in thought, and generally doesn't act like a feline normally would to being wet (namely, trying to get dry as fast as possible). She also isn't wearing any clothes, since her more recent form wouldn't have allowed for it anyway.

"You're getting as bad as me, what with sitting around naked a lot and rather ... wet," Alptraum tries to joke. He heads over to the altar and sits on one of its edges too and twiddles his thumbs. "So..."

"You're wearing real clothes, so I guess that makes us both out of our usual element," Tulani notes, then looks back up at the sky. "The Procession always tells me my latitude. It's constant. Reliable."

"You're not a celestial navigational aid, Alptraum," Tulani notes with a smirk, looking back at the bat again. "So.. how bad is it this time? Soldano and Orca seemed normal when they came out of the Mists."

Alptraum can't quite look at Tulani. "Soldano is dying, Tulani," he explains, it's simple, direct, and probably the only way he could think to say it. "And to save his own life, he's supposed to kill me."

Tulani is quiet for a moment. "That wouldn't really save him, would it?" she asks. "What's going on with those pregnant women?"

"It's doubtful it would save him. The General infected him with some sort of weird parasite I cannot sense. He is supposed to plant those women, which are just hosts to monsters around the city and observe me while I destroy them ... and thus learn how to kill me," Alptraum answers. "And before you ask, I don't know if I could save him; I don't know enough about what he is carrying. Maybe the light could, but ... so many unknowns."

"So.. what do these monsters do?" Tulani asks, a bit quietly. "Are they the same ones as what was in the Tower basement?"

"Most likely. I saw how they were made. Demonic rape; and not remotely the fun kind," Alptraum comments, finally looking back over at Tulani. "I have to figure out how to save him; he's one of a few decent Eeee I've met ... and he's basically a pirate."

The Sphynx's brow furrows, and then she asks, "You heard the General giving him the orders.. did she warn him about what the creatures can do?"

"No," Alptraum says and shrugs. "Only to observe me, then find my weakness and kill me in a secret shrine on Mount Sunala. That ... I guess is the shrine I was born in."

The winged cat is silent again for a bit. "Whatever he's infected with, it must be related to the monsters," she finally says. "Think about it: he wouldn't be effective if he was insane, but he's supposed to stick around and observe. So he must be protected from the madness effect and whatever other danger the creatures pose, right?"

"Seems reasonable, yes. So he can carry it for a while and be safe. I've been depating trying to have it jump to me instead, then find a way to destroy it. I can probably last longer than he. But ... it's risky," Alptraum remarks, shrugging.

"He seems in complete control. And orca is uninfected. The General simply threatened to kill his rat whore if he strayed," Alptraum remarks and has to laugh at that. "I guess I really can be a whore sometimes."

"He has to be kept away from the monsters then, you know," Tulani says. "He won't have any protection from them."

"And how do you propose to do that? I can't be in both places at once," Alptraum notes.

Tulani grins. "Can't you? Especially if both men happen to be dreaming?" she asks.

"Well, yes I can. But that doesn't solve the real part of this when he has to actually watch me," Alptruam says as he rolls his eyes at Tulani. "I could turn you into a rat and pierce you up at the Salon..."

"Both. Sometimes I have to admit, I enjoy being a slave. I even enjoyed being that doe now and then," Alptraum says as he rolls his eyes again.

"Well, yes. They're all fun at times," Alptruam says, "But this isn't about me. I know you ... care about Soldano. But I may have to ask you to ... stab him."

"I don't know if that will work," Tulani says, a bit uncertainly. "The light heals.. but I don't know that it would cure. That's something Snowcora would do, isn't it? Do her 'sickness suck' trick?"

"Yes, but then I'm infected. Maybe that's how the General is going to try and kill me; that I can't destroy it after absorbing it," Alptruam suggests and shrugs.

"Is that how your Gorphat power works though?" Tulani says. "You sucked everything out of that hospice ward, but you didn't get sick. You just stuck it all into Velkarno."

"Except I did feel the effects for a bit before my body pushed it back," Alptraum corrects and even taps Tulani's nose. "It's a risky play she is making; probably to test my limits."

"And this thing in Soldano," Tulani asks, rubbing her tapped nose, "is it intelligent?"

"Probably about as intelligent as the larva I gestated for two weeks," Alptraum says, "Which, by the way, squirm a lot a day or so before they birth. I could help you experience that too..."

"You are not going to make me a bug brooder.. breeder.. whatever you'd call it!" Tulani says, crossing her arms a bit squishily over her chest. "No bugs!" After a moment, she thinks to add, "Or tentacles. You could do that with a tentacle too.."

"But it's fun. Believe it or nit, it actually is," Alptraum claims and scoots closer. "The squirming feels kinda good..."

Tulani pulls her legs up and hugs her knees to her chest as she shivers. "Gah, you Eeee really are weird! No squirmy! I just spent a day as a dragon, so I'm... warmed up a bit.. but even that isn't enough to let me try squirmy..."

"But if you try it you'll feel better! Don't you trust me?" Alptraum asks and even give stulani a bit of a pout. "I'll go through it again with you."

"You know I'm not that.. experimental," Tulani claims. "The dragon thing is pretty weird already. You're just trying to freak me out, admit it!"

"I'm trying to expand your horizons!" Alptraum claims and spreads his arms, "And don't give me that line; you enjoy when I'm a savanite and get quite controlling. So I know you're experimental."

"Well, that's not squirming though," Tulani claims. "And being with a Savanite is hardly experimental. We're both felines.. mostly.."

"But you know deep down you do really want to try it," Alptraum teases. He even noses her shoulder.

"It'd be like when I eat Jadaiian food and my guts go grumbly," Tulani claims. "Are you gonna try and contact Soldano in a dream or anything?"

"I guess I could. But as who?" Alptraum asks, now pouting she's changing he subject. He was rather amused.

"Why not as yourself?" Tulani suggests, and stops trying to hug herself for protection.

"Would he really want to talk to me, though? He might blame me for everything," Alptraum notes, frowning.

"Well.. you could reassure him?" Tulani suggests, leaning towards the bat now. "Say you'll try to help him. At least tell him what to expect from his srinala-bombs."

"That much I might be able to do. You know him better than me. What sort of ... surrounding would be most comfortable for him?" Alptraum asks. There's this pause, then he says with a huge grin, "Other than you bent over a bed..."

"Well... uh.. the Shadowdrake probably?" Tulani guesses. "You know what his cabin is like." She leans in a little more now.

"I can probably fake the ship, yes. I really don't know how he'll react to me," Alptraum admits, "And you really need a towel."

"What? You want my clothes now? Just can't take it when I wear clothes?" Alptraum teases, "Like I'm your slave!"

"And why would they get wet, hmm?" Alptraum teases, "You do know if anything happens on this Altar Inala might 'help out'..."

"I don't have the Light handy, so.. you may need a little help," Tulani says, eyes narrowed. "I've been a dragon a lot recently and haven't killed hardly anything so I need to vent some of that frustration.. and dry my fur of course."

"I could go find a big ball of yawn for the kitty," Alptraum says, still grinning like a fiend. He doesn't often get to be on this end of things.

"I was more curious to see if I could wear an impression of your backside into the altar," the Sphynx growls.

Alptraum laughs. "Okay, I've only ever heard that soft of expression from a Yodhblakat before," he teases as he does finally start undressing. "So I suppose you won't be willing to become a follower of Gorphat..."

"I'm barely a follower of Barada," Tulani points out. "Besides, you wouldn't want the competition for Favorite Minion would you?"

"Oh, you wouldn't be any competition. I just need a minion," Alptraum teases as he sheds the remains of his clothing and lies back on the altar, then stretches out.

Tulani pounces and pins down the bat! "No way, you're my minion," she claims, and starts.. doing things with her hips..

"Oh, am I now? I thought that was Pierce," Alptraum coos at the sphynx. One thing he does have in common with the cat is ... he remains quite studded in particular places through the shifts.

"Well, you're just chattier is all," Tulani claims, as the cold water starts to transfer from her fur to Alptraum's. "Of course, you get to bite me.."

"Invitation accepted!" Alptraum quips .... and before Tulani knows it, the bat has bitten down where her neck and shoulder meet! It always hurts for the first few seconds, at that.

The cat retaliates by grabbing the bat a bit lower down. "Does my blood make you squirmy?" she purrs.

And Alptraum counters by grabbing her side once his hand is free and rolls it to make her gut squirm! "Rrrr," is in quite intelligent comment.

Alptraum cackles, though it's muffled since he's still actually drinking. He does at least stop tickling./

Alptraum bites down a bit harder, just to tweak her, then releases. His lips are all bloody now, as are his teeth. "Heheh," he cackles, and leaves a bloody kissy-mark on her nosetip. "You going to do something with what you're holding?" he teases, "You have a better way to grip it, you know."

Tulani narrows her eyes, and follows the suggestion.. and soon enough, is trying to make good on her suggestion of leaving an imprint of Alptraum's behind on the altar.

"Good kitty. I won't have to get Mave to spank you," Alptraum practically purrs as he settles back. It is a good thing to have this distraction because, man, Tulani is cold.

Well, soon she's more just wet, as she does generate a bit of body heat as things progress..

And so does Alptraum. It's probably the most action this Altar has seen in a while. Quite the tribute to Inala, really! Yet, the bat can never quite let go when teasing someone ... because when the explosion of passion comes ... Tulani can swear she hears the bat whisper briefly in her ear ... "Squirmy squirmy!"