1 Saik Guard, Micana, an efficient assistant arrive, following Lucita.

1 Templar Knight guards, a playful black tortie kitten, Lucita arrive, following Roran.

Nothing like being a little late! Roran comes in from the main entrance, walking along the pews to say a cheerful hello to random people before he gets up to the pulpit. The hands grip either side near the top, clenching and unclenching and thinking of what he's going to say.

Dolente, a mourning dove, Dolce, a collared dove arrive, following Cesare.

Oswyn has joined the Quiet Alcove.

Gunner, a lovable goof of a Mistward Labrador, Nara, an enthusiastic young sailor arrive, following Porter.

Oswyn has already set up at the quiet alcove. 'Setting up' consists of getting out papers, a quill, and ink. He's currently doodling a pattern of quills on the edge of his paper.

Bianca occupies space near the pulpit, greeting Roran with a deep nod of her bone white head. "Archlector. I've been looking forward to this ever since it was announced. No pressure." So much pressure. She then steps back to settle near the front.

Cufre has joined the Commoner Pews.

Lucita walks in with Roran, their conversation ending as she drops back when he continues on toward the front of the Cathedral. She glances around and eyes the pews as if debating just where to sit.

A quiet giggle escapes from the pews nearby after Bianca's statement, and Azova lifts her hand in a bit of a wave. She's busy settling in of course, because pews are... pews. They aren't designed for comfort or lounging.

Grady ambles into the cathedral a little bit early with a generally contented expression, and goes in search of a good place to take a seat and listen. The benefit to being a little early is, of course, that there's time to pick a good place before the proceedings can proceed.

On the tail end of the arriving crowd, Cufre follows the swell nearest her in claiming places in the commoner pews.

Roran hears no pressure from Bianca, and he gives a ho boy look to her. Clearing his throat as he addresses everyone he says "If you'd bow your heads, please."

He closes his eyes and lets a long breath out, a flash of seriousness crinkling his otherwise sharp facial features.

"Gods above, we thank you for this absolutely beautiful day you've given us, this beauty and majesty we can see every waking moment in your creation. We thank you for the opportunity to care for the world you've made and I ask that your blessings rest on those gathered here together, that you would give us great vision and enthusiasm to carry out your good works. Please bless the efforts of our hands, the bonds of fidelity between us and the influence of our work in Arx, the Compact and beyond. Bless those who can't make it today for reasons of health or duty, we also remember those recently parted and look forward to the day we're reunited. May Dominus Aureth continue in good health and strength as he leads us to do your good works, look after our leaders across all walks of life and Lagoma, let us achieve change responsibly. Amen."

Clowder of the Nine, they have been fed don't let them trick you, Shekies, A black and white marbled cat with yellow eyes, Capt'n Waddles the small cock with a bell arrive, following Zakhar.

Cesare swans in like a twilight breeze, flashing a small but genuine smile to the Archector who will be speaking tonight, offering polite acknowledgement to those he knows - so just about everyone, and then moving to take a seat, head bowed in prayer as Roran calls for it.

Cesare has joined the Commoner Pews.

6 Grayson House Guards arrives, following Babette.

Aedric has joined the Noble Pews.

With a clicking and awkwardly, possibly haunting noise of polished bone hitting stones in low thuds and thunks. Zakhar stops just inside of the entry to the cathedral, folding the bone over its wooden counter part and slipping it to his belt. Dressed in a combination of fine silks and tailored leathers he gives his vest a small tug then heads towards the pews

Zakhar has joined the Commoner Pews.

Azova has joined the Side Alcove.

Grady has joined the Noble Pews.

Oops! The proceedings have begun to proceed. Hurriedly, Grady takes a seat.

Babette has joined the Noble Pews.

Oswyn squints at the gathering and, realizing he is pretty much alone, gathers his stuff up and slinks over to join the commoner pews.

Oswyn has left the Quiet Alcove.

Oswyn has joined the Commoner Pews.

Lucita has joined the Noble Pews.

Lucita falls quiet and listens intently as Roran begins to speak.

And after that prayer given, Roran's face has a warm smile like summer sunshine. "I'm so happy to see those who made it today, I know you're all busy and we don't always have the time to do everything we want to. There's been a lot on the hearts and minds of many folks and the past few weeks have had lots of discussions and talks about a lot of concerns. And while I don't have the answers to many of those concerns, I do have a point to make regarding responsible change."

"The power of Change. Consider this, if you will."

"This world we're on, this dream we're all in, this creation. That's here, it's home. It's us. In this world will be everyone you've ever loved, known or heard about. It'll be the place that every single person who ever was or will be, will live out their days. It's the culmination of our vaulted triumphs and joys, and the dark valleys of suffering and hurt. A place where all our ideas and fears exist. Every hero we sing about, every villain we whisper. Every builder of great civilizations, and every one who destroys them. Every legendary king and queen, every infamous tyrant. Every explorer or child full of hope and wonder, every mentor that's spent their limited time with you. Everyone, absolutely."

He lets that settle for a bit, and then Roran continues and as he talks, he gestures with vivid movements. "This world is vast and yet quite small. For every terrible war or tragedy we experience, it's for this small piece of dirt or rocky outcrop that was before we were here and will be there long after we're gone. Really, what we fight for is just for a small moment in time. A world where on one corner terrible acts are experienced that we can't even begin thinking of here. Where something said or done here or somewhere else will be misunderstood and in our eagerness to act, we harm. Sometimes we harm others, often times we harm ourselves or those close to us. Our emotions tug at us hard, that hurt we have in our hearts speak so loudly crying out for justice or vengeance. That isn't to say we can't use those feelings for good, how often have we seen a rise in knighthood to answer the call of some terrible action like Bastion in the past? But often it's very hard when we're hurting to not just react without thinking. Very hard. And there's an example of what happens when you react, when you try making change without responsibly understanding why you're doing it. I'd like to talk about Him and the horrors of Bastion. Of change and responsibility, and what happens when you do the opposite, becoming an agent of chaos and destruction of creation."

Cesare is sitting forward in his seat, hands clasped in his lap. He nods, listening to Roran's words, and apparently in agreement. His attention is very clearly on the speaker and his message.

Azova is nodding along, with a brief smile here and there as Roran speaks. Though by the end, when he is talking of speaking about 'Him', her eyes widen a little, and she leans forward. Her forearms rest against her lap and her hands clasp together, brow furrowing as she considers. Honestly, this probably was not the sermon she was expecting.

Lucita lowers her voice to speak to those beside her softly. "He has a real knack for putting things in perspective."

Grady smiles through the first part of the sermon, nodding along from time to time, but as the tone shifts, his smile fades a bit into a hint of puzzlement. But he's still listening, willing to go wherever, metaphorically, Roran's words happen to take them.

Bianca's lips move silently in prayer as Roran speaks, the Legate perhaps committing the Archlector's words to the Gods even as he himself does so. And then there's moments of simple silent reflection, pondering his words. There's a firm nod to Lucita, agreement evident.

And now Roran speaks firmly and with strong conviction as he begins to relate current issues with Bastion and the meat of why they're here today, change and responsibility. There's a sharp and firm tone in his voice as he speaks, wielding his index finger to point and gesture. "And so there's this man, this person who so badly wants to effect change and in doing so he hurts far more than he's helping. A man who has been hurt and is lost to those emotions, unable to pull himself out of that spiral. A man responsible for Bastion's hurt and countless others, called all sorts of grandiose titles and names in which he diverts glory deserved for the pantheon alone and in his gross misguidedness, perverts and distorts. A man I won't name by the titles like a spoiled child is clamoring for but I'm sure we know who I'm speaking of."

"At first blush he might be thinking that he is making change according to Lagoma, it's quite clear he isn't. He's an agent of chaos, he forgets that Lagoma is about responsible change. Not to just willy-nilly turn things topsy-turvy for the sake of change but to understand why we're doing things, to think carefully and help heal while we tend to ourselves and those near us. To reflect on why certain things don't change even though other things around them do, and to preserve and protect that which should be protected. If there was a simple lesson to grasp about Lagoma, I'd say it's fire. Fire needs to be handled responsibly, it can do a great many amazing things from baking a loaf of bread to sustain our bodies, to forging a plow to move across fertile soils, to purifying metals to arm and armour ourselves."

Roran then has a pause, so there's silence in the Cathedral before he speaks quietly and his voice rises. "But if you don't treat fire properly and with the respect it needs, it does great damage to ourselves and anything else we feed it and we all have a responsibility then to come together collectively and prevent that destruction from spreading, like when folks came here with water buckets and stopped destruction from spreading even at great personal cost. And that's like change. To make change without rhyme or reason, to upend things that protect us and guide us, to pervert the laws of justice or the ideals of the gods like this man who is responsible for attacking Bastion and harming so many of our northern families of the Compact? He isn't making change, he's creating chaos and going against the designs and good works the gods desire to see for us all to succeed. And so this destruction of creation, because that's what it is, is about harming and Lagoma is about healing. So we have a responsibility to deal and respond with this betrayer of the gods and faith and protect that which needs to be protected. And sometimes that means we have to fight with everything we can muster, because the gods expect no less from us. We must be strong, we must be courageous, we must commit each day to help heal and protect the world because it's a world that's been given to us as caretakers by the gods themselves. Lagoma calls us to use discernment to be agents of change and protectors of creation." Roran ends this long speech against the betrayer and the forces of evil to the north that attacked Bastion, his voice hinting at sharp anger. He steps away from the pulpit, moving down to walk among the pews and aisles.

Merek walks along and into the Great Cathedral to listen to the sermon talk, while he takes the time to adjust the collar and scarf which he wears, then he finds a place to settle in, relaxing.

Zakhar has left the Commoner Pews.

Clowder of the Nine, they have been fed don't let them trick you, Shekies, A black and white marbled cat with yellow eyes, Capt'n Waddles the small cock with a bell leave, following Zakhar.

Bianca is overheard praising Roran.

That's certainly a fighting spirit and call to arms if Azova has ever heard one, and the fiery speech leaves the Mercy whispering a few more words under her breath for Lagoma. Praise, of course! All praise.

Bianca brings her hands together for Roran and his sermon, a resounding smile on her ethereal features. "Well spoken. Well spoken, indeed! To courage in the face of adversity and to working in the name of the Gods against all who would seek to betray their teachings."

Roran makes his way through the pews and aisles, a hand giving a pat to a shoulder here, a smile over there even if he's got frowning eyebrows and eyes hot with anger. It's the walk that calms him more though, and he continues. "I love to ramble and talk, so I'll keep myself from taking your time. I leave you with this last thought regarding change. The power of our choices and change underscore our responsibilities to one another and to all. To cherish and preserve this world. To respect this home until the day comes we depart for our heavenly home and be welcomed by the gods as good stewards with what we were given in this life. I would encourage you to take every negative moment, every failing, every bad feeling and hurt and make it yield to a positive outcome. While we might not all be knights who wield swords and wear flashy amazing armour, we all can be courageous in facing our inner demons and emotions with a brave face. Despair can build heroes, avarice can build cities, so let us pray to Lagoma that our choices change ourselves and our situation for the better for that's what she wants us to strive to do. And when the going gets tough, may the Queen of Beginnings help you find some little joy to get you to smile or laugh."He smiles now, it's one of immediate warmth and friendliness that you'd expect to see from your favourite innkeeper greeting you with a brew after a long day.

Roran looks a bit around. "From the very moment we're born all the way up to the last second before we die, there's no other place to call home except this world we temporarily occupy. And isn't it Petrichor who gives us domain of nature but even more? How he gives us domain of this world and with all the gods, urges us to make it a home we're proud to live and care for now as we know that it really isn't ours, we're just temporary caretakers."

He smiles. "So go out from this cathedral and be good stewards as you go about your lives and find ways to heal the little hurts you encounter each day so that tomorrow is a better day. Forgive those of the Faith who hurt you so you can reap the blessings of the gods and your family of the faith grows even stronger. If you fail, then have hope what tomorrow brings and that others might act differently, act better. Tend to the house my friends, tend to your souls and look after one another. May you remember that tomorrow won't be quite like today, a million million possibilities all waiting for you to try. Dream a better tomorrow and work for that today. We all have felt keenly the pain from the Silent War, the Gyre War, the Skal'dajan War and now the destruction of beautiful Bastion. We hurt. But I pray now every day for each of you now that you take that hurt and look to the gods. Stand up with your leaders, do your individual part however small because each and every one of you deciding to stand up and protect the Compact, to protect and defend this beautiful creation is just as courageous as our valiant knights like Sir Preston. For darkness cannot stand where even the smallest of candles remains lit. May Lagoma spark a fire in your hearts yearning to help heal the world and make a responsible change today, and may our collective light shine bright against those who'd desire to see darkness engulf the world."

Lucita is overheard praising Roran: Well spoken!

Azova is overheard praising Roran.

Grady is overheard praising Roran: A rousing sermon by a leading light - pardon the pun, can't be helped - of the Faith.

Azova has left the Side Alcove.

4 Redoubt Buccaneers, Orion, a healer's surly Assistant, Fernando, the pygmy bear leave, following Azova.

Merek is overheard praising Roran.

Oswyn squints over at Roran when the man passes near; he offers a faint little smile but that's about it.

Merek is overheard praising Roran.

Merek is overheard praising Roran.

Merek is overheard praising Roran.

Merek is overheard praising Roran.

Grady is whispering with Lucita at the noble pews, apparently stimulated into some kind of spirited (but whispery!) discussion by the sermon.

Cesare applauds warmly for the lecture as Roran finishes up. "Very well said, Archlector," he offers. "I hope that your message will be taken to heart in this battle we must all endure."

Cufre is overheard praising Roran.