Dear Efil
Jan 31, 2009 14:54:43 GMT -5
Post by Kender Bard on Jan 31, 2009 14:54:43 GMT -5
Rajani stood just out of sight of the primary dias. She saw the teeming masses fill the temple. For once she had not bothered with the order of castes; the higher up front, the lower in back. Tonight she had simply flung open the doors and let Nissar drive the masses into her sanctum. As a result, some of the noblefolk rubbed shoulders with the lowliest beggars. Probably something that hasn't well happened since they came to this land. The only exception was that Sombra had been given a special seat, almost a boxed in area, near the front where she could sit surrounded by loaned slaves. The other exception was the rest of the front rows were taken up by confused acolytes of Efil, most but children.
Strolling out in her most regal of vestments, the ones that marked her as both the high priestess and the imperatrix, she took on a priestly air. Rubbing her fire sign she threw flames into each brazier she passed until the temple was lit up with the firelight in front of it like a gruesome pyre.
"My children of New Morilanta!" Rajani said loudly, voice carrying well. The majority of the noise died down. "I come to you with shame in my heart for what has been revealed to me!"
The people stirred slightly. This was an odd confession.
"You see, Taed, our merciful lord and master, has sought to place favor and blessing on his children for their continued quest to purge the land of the evil in our breasts," she proclaimed. "And for a while, all was well with our land. The Forces smiled fortune upon us. HOWEVER!"
Several people jumped as Rajani spat the word out like the crack of a whip.
"...We have FAILED the right to their indulgences! But, my children, I know when to place blame and where. I know that many of you have done nothing wrong and so I beseech you to continue your efforts as you have in the past. But one group - one group in particular - has not only turned away the smiling face of the Force they represent, but have actually managed to bring punishment down on our heads!"
The room gasped and the murmurs rose again. Rajani let them stew and speculate until quelling the masses once more.
"I hear you ask who would be so profane as to do this? Who is so treacherous as to wish to see the fall of our land and our ways? Rather than say, allow me to SHOW you!"
And then she gestured discreetly and her own priests dragged out the entirety of the Priests of Efil wing. Most did not struggle - some did. Rajani had seen to it that the more violent ones had been drugged into obedience before being brought out here once the wing had been captured. The priests were all made to kneel, gagged and bound, still wearing the robes of their faith.
Not bothering to quiet the temple now, Rajani said, "And so we must purge our home of this unpatriotic filth." She held out a hand and another of her priests handed her a sword, a special ceremonial one rarely used. Its edge was honed to razor sharpness and the entire thing had been gilt in gold with onyxes inlaid in a pommel wrapped in black leather and ringed with a fine later of gold. Wordlessly Rajani went through the ranks and beheaded each and every one of the priests, taking special care to try and splash the acolytes in the front with the blood of their former mentors and masters.
When she was done Rajani placed the sword point down and declared, "My people, we are one step closer to regaining the favor of the Forces. I implore those of you who follow Efil to work doubly hard to regain her favor for our fair land - to not make the same errors that these priests had!"
Strolling out in her most regal of vestments, the ones that marked her as both the high priestess and the imperatrix, she took on a priestly air. Rubbing her fire sign she threw flames into each brazier she passed until the temple was lit up with the firelight in front of it like a gruesome pyre.
"My children of New Morilanta!" Rajani said loudly, voice carrying well. The majority of the noise died down. "I come to you with shame in my heart for what has been revealed to me!"
The people stirred slightly. This was an odd confession.
"You see, Taed, our merciful lord and master, has sought to place favor and blessing on his children for their continued quest to purge the land of the evil in our breasts," she proclaimed. "And for a while, all was well with our land. The Forces smiled fortune upon us. HOWEVER!"
Several people jumped as Rajani spat the word out like the crack of a whip.
"...We have FAILED the right to their indulgences! But, my children, I know when to place blame and where. I know that many of you have done nothing wrong and so I beseech you to continue your efforts as you have in the past. But one group - one group in particular - has not only turned away the smiling face of the Force they represent, but have actually managed to bring punishment down on our heads!"
The room gasped and the murmurs rose again. Rajani let them stew and speculate until quelling the masses once more.
"I hear you ask who would be so profane as to do this? Who is so treacherous as to wish to see the fall of our land and our ways? Rather than say, allow me to SHOW you!"
And then she gestured discreetly and her own priests dragged out the entirety of the Priests of Efil wing. Most did not struggle - some did. Rajani had seen to it that the more violent ones had been drugged into obedience before being brought out here once the wing had been captured. The priests were all made to kneel, gagged and bound, still wearing the robes of their faith.
Not bothering to quiet the temple now, Rajani said, "And so we must purge our home of this unpatriotic filth." She held out a hand and another of her priests handed her a sword, a special ceremonial one rarely used. Its edge was honed to razor sharpness and the entire thing had been gilt in gold with onyxes inlaid in a pommel wrapped in black leather and ringed with a fine later of gold. Wordlessly Rajani went through the ranks and beheaded each and every one of the priests, taking special care to try and splash the acolytes in the front with the blood of their former mentors and masters.
When she was done Rajani placed the sword point down and declared, "My people, we are one step closer to regaining the favor of the Forces. I implore those of you who follow Efil to work doubly hard to regain her favor for our fair land - to not make the same errors that these priests had!"
