Preston has joined the pews nearest the back.

Valery checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 15, rolling 56 higher.

Merek has taken his time to put on his best umbra garments, which are surrounded by the fine cloak of the Iron Guard. He looks around until he finds a place where he can settle in for the time being to observe the dedication.

Aiden Grayson makes his way into the shrine, though he's certainly not going to take a spot up front. The Prince slips into a seat along the pews in the back, primarily because he's got a puppy following along, on a leash, near his feet. She's all tail waggle and curiosity at this point, but will one day grow into a sturdy defender.

Aiden has joined the pews nearest the back.

Fortunato drifts in, takes himself a seat at the front. It's fun!

Valery manages to walk into the shrine with quiet steps, even getting her anklets to not tinkle much. Quiet as the mice of her basket, she moves to a wall, looking curiously around.

Fortunato has joined the pews nearest the front.

Skye quietly arrives at the shrine, looking for a seat off to herself so she's out of the way. She does move to the front of the pews, taking a seat there to make sure that she can see everything.

Skye has joined the pews nearest the front.

Merek has joined the pews nearest the back.

Esoka enters. Her clothing is unremarkable, but she's cleaned and straightened it and has come correct. She strides to take a seat in the pews near the front of the shrine, smiling warmly when she spots Fortunato and murmuring, "Greetings."

Esoka has joined the pews nearest the front.

The candlelight and the light of the oil lamps provides all the eerie light of the room, warm and glowing in shades of gold and red depending on its source. Aureth is a figure in gleaming white, standing in the well of the sunken front of the shrine before the altar, and watches as people filter in and find places to be, while his favorite disciple, Gregory, putters about ensuring that everyone is at least _offered_ a glass of red wine from a number of different bottles. The man is more librarian than waiter, but still manages his assigned role with a certain bland dignity.

As midnight strikes, Aureth's smile lights his features and he says, "Good evening, Faithful. Welcome to the Shrine of the Queen of Endings. We are here to mark the new beginning of our worship of the Lady of the Twilight, here in the depths of full dark. I'll be casting a few offerings into the brazier as we consecrate the space, but I also want to offer our prayers to the Mother of Beginnings on this new beginning. I know that although she has always been our goddess, we have not always remembered that, so I encourage you all to take one of the copies of from the first printing of our doctrine from the prayer book basket if you haven't."

Under ordinary circumstances Thena is a back-row girl but not today; she enters the shrine silently and makes her way with sure steps to the pews in the front. Once seated, she leans in to whisper something to Fortunato and then settle in as Aureth begins to speak.

When Aleksei enters the shrine, it's as a fellow priest and Archlector, but one who's not taking center stage today. He also happens to enter with Saedrus at his side, hand slipping from a clasp to futz with the collar of his longcoat for a moment. He offers warm smiles to those in attendance he knows, although he does eye Octohopper with a hint of wariness. He considers the various seating options and then, because why sit in the back when you can sit FRONT AND CENTER and be closer to the center of attention, he slips ahead to the pews down in front. Ooh, wine!

Aleksei has joined the pews nearest the front.

Thena has joined the pews nearest the front.

Merek looks around a bit, and finds one of the doctrines, which he picks up and then opens to read. He notices Aiden and nods politely, then he recognizes Preston, though it's been many ages since he saw him, and nods that way. Otherwise he settles in and listens to Aureth.

Dafne is here, wide-eyed and well awake because she loves midnight to absolutely no one's surprise. She is clad in black, a lace veil thrown over her face, a black kitten riding her shoulder. She listens raptly, her doctrine open on her lap. Possibly she's already memorized it.

Giuseppe, a kindly old man arrives, following Luca.

Saedrus is draped in a white fur cloak, which he only deigns to remove once he is well inside. It slips away to a reveal a regal silk ensemble as he follows in by Aleksei's side, leaning close to the paladin to whisper something perhaps while they take their seat -- front and center apparently. Evergreen eyes are attentively turned to Aureth though, once he is seated, cloak draped on the pew next to him.

Saedrus has joined the pews nearest the front.

Shard slips in. She is, as always, a back row person, and not someone who looks terribly comfortable in a shrine at all, though she does move to take one of the offered books with an expression that's not remotely trying to hide its curiosity.

Dafne has joined the pews nearest the front.

Valery has joined the pews nearest the back.

Shard gets The Doctrine of Death from a basket of free prayerbooks.

Shard has joined the pews nearest the back.

Aiden gets The Doctrine of Death from a basket of free prayerbooks.

Skye accepts a glass of red wine and sits up in her seat as the priest begins to talk. She gives quiet smiles to those that sit in the front pews with her. She does make sure to get a Doctrine of Death from the basket when offered.

Skye gets The Doctrine of Death from a basket of free prayerbooks.

Esoka has obtained a glass of wine, of course, and a copy of the doctrine. She sips at the former as she waits for midnight to fall, then puts it aside as Aureth begins to speak. Blue eyes bright and attentive, and with a warm openness to receive these words on the formerly-lost goddess. Skye's smile is noted and returned warmly, as she's seated not far from the woman. Hello!

Esoka gets The Doctrine of Death from a basket of free prayerbooks.

Saedrus takes the offered wine with a bright smile to Gregory, resettling himself a little on the pew. Scooching an inch or two closer to Fortunato as he does, if able. Mm, wine.

Still quiet, Valery sneaks to pick a book, and moves back to the wall again, looking at the gathered faces and around at the building.

Valery gets The Doctrine of Death from a basket of free prayerbooks.

Merek has left the pews nearest the back.

Merek has joined the red-lit alcove.

Merek smiles at Aiden who speaks to him, but then he looks around, and seems to just move a bit deeper back into the Shrine. He seems to be interested in the going-ons, but otherwise also seems to be avoidant of people in general, much unlike him.

Luca has joined the pews nearest the front.

"So, let's begin," Aureth says. He stands with his feet planted wide, his hands braced at his hips. "Each of us is a soul: some of us are here on our first life, some of us could be here on our hundredth. But each of us began this life. And each of us has had a new beginning, at some point; a new birth, within our own lives. This shrine is a new beginning for the Faith of the Pantheon, and a new beginning for Death: the beginning of the return to her of her human children. So to celebrate that, I want you all to think of something from your own lives, something that ended, something that begun. I'll start us off." He rests his hand over his heart, bows his head before the gleam of all the candles in the chandelier, and says, "My life began anew when a girl I never met stepped into it, and turned out to be my daughter."

Aiden looks a little confused as Merek changes his mind of where to sit. It's one of those moments that the Prince considers subtly, if he smells. He might even pull on his tunic a bit, until his puppy distracts him and he goes to correcting her again to sit at his feet rather than trying to tromp over everyone.

Luca arrived somewhat awkwardly a bit before the midnight opening, looking frankly as if he just rolled out of bed in his usual rumpled lack of care in simple white linen shirt and dark satin of pants. He's at least peacebound with black silk the alaricite and steel sabres riding low in duelist stays at either hip in some semblance of effort though. And while he's seeming a bit out of place, it was with a certain degree of real curiosity that led him up somewhere nearer the front of the pews, cinnamon eyes taking in the sights and the gathered, a somewhat muted upnod and smile given for those he recognizes. The wine though, was turned off with a quick show of a black glass hipflask made to appear from somewhere at the belt, apparently not having a wine night. The arrival of the priest of endings earned a broadening of the smile and solid attention, but he didn't go to grab one of the books directed, apparently content in his sprawl on the pew and here to just see what this night's all about. Faith takes a lot of effort and the Lazy Prince may be curious, but not exactly here looking for effort seemingly.

Shard flips through the prayer book. Here and there her eyes narrow thoughtfully, though, when Aureth begins to speak again, she looks up and gives him her full attention. A little of that narrowed look remains.

Octohopper, a prismatic jumping spider sproings! off Ferrando's shoulder and disappears amidst the pews. Not too long after that, an indistinct spider-like shape starts crawling up the side of the wall, vaguely glittery when it reflects a bit of light at just the right angle.

"My life began anew when Blackshore Keep was destroyed and I was forced to seek shelter with my cousin," Skye stands up and openly admits to the gathering, interrupting the priest's words to mean that they are suppose to join in, "I am grateful to begin my life anew." Then she sits down once her words are said.

Dafne rests a hand on her prayer book. The disciple's face is rapt in thought, but the movement of the spider catches her eye, and her gaze follows its movement beneath her downcast lashes. It's a spider; that's sacred and perfectly suitable.

Aleksei is in the midst of consider Skye and Aureth and speaking quietly in the pews when he suddenly /startles/ in his seat upon seeing Octohopper glittering on the wall. Maybe he also recognizes that it's sacred and suitable, because he doesn't try to smash it or leap out of the pew, but he /sure doesn't like it/.

Saedrus startles a touch -- probably more for the fact that Aleksei did. Evergreen eyes blink out of thoughtfulness and towards the springy Octohopper skittering up a wall. Shudder.

Thena looks because some of her pew buddies do; when she spies Octohopper scaling the wall she turns to look for Ferrando in the group, then casts her gaze down and forward, a little smile just visible at the corner of her mouth.

Small against the wall, Valery listens to the others. She has pushed the book inside her full bag (that broke her silence with a light tinkle of metal and glass) and now hugs her basket. Tighter, as she, of course, also gets startled by the spider.

Merek watches the spider and does not seem too bothered with it, mostly because it seems prismatic. He smiles, then his attention turns to what others are saying all-in-all.

Valery puts The Doctrine of Death in a black shoulder bag.

Fortunato offers, glancing over to the spider, "My life changed when I saw that arachnid marvel. New start, new start."

For his part, Luca the Lazy seems content after a wry sort of comment quietly down the pew towards Alek to sprawl where he is, sipping at his hipflask and watching the proceedings. The spider's arrival doesn't seem to freak him out nearly as much as others. In fact, he greens to it like he's seen a familiar puppy, actually toasts the shiny thing with his flask and then looks around for its owner, grinning that lopsided grin to toast in turn to Ferrando with real amusement there.

Saedrus' voice is soft, but carries well enough, at least for those in the foremost pews. "My life began anew when I learnt true freedom, and all that followed it."

There's a beat of thoughtfulness from Esoka, jaw set as she considers whether to speak aloud or not, but there's no real hesitation as to //what// she arrives at. "My life began anew when my tribe was divided and I joined the faction which swore to the Rivens. Putting aside my old life and becoming prodigal and citizen of the Compact." The jumping spider is blinked at, considered, and ultimately gets a little bow of her head. Fortunato's contribution gets a low chuckle. "Indeed."

Aureth pours himself a glass of the red wine once Gregory makes his way back up to the front, while he watches his congregation, smile slight and lingering on his lips. "Spiders are sacred to the Queen," he says, in case there's anyone who missed that. "Though her symbol is the skull. She also enjoys red wine and awful jokes, in case anyone is keeping track. I'll be happy to answer questions in a few moments."

Preston furrows his brows a little at the talk from Aureth - his mind whirls as he tries to pinpoint just one moment of change. Finally he speaks "I was first reborn as an orphan when I was placed in the care of the church, and again when I first killed a man for the faith, and again when I was knighted for those efforts. But, most recently, my life began anew when the convocation chose a new Dominus, and I was forced to realise the world is not as I would have it but instead is how it is. And if I would defend those things that are precious, I must first recognise the field on which we fight."

Shard's eyes narrow a little further, before she says, flatly, "My life began anew twice. Once when I first came to Arx, and before, when I was a child."

Aleksei drags his attention away from the spider with a careful clearing of his throat. "My life began anew when when I spoke my vows in the Cathedral," he says. After a beat, he adds, "Among other times."

"When Petrae found me." Thena's words are barely audible, and she looks over at the memorial wall, swallowing hard.

Dafne is still following the path of the spider, but murmurs, her voice lowered but somehow pitched to carry (possibly it's a trick they teach duchesses), "My life began anew when all those I relied on died or left," she says, "and I realized I was no longer a child, and my path was my own. Thank you to the Queen, for the star of a new beginning when all else was dark."

Aureth checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 6 lower.

More seriously, Fortunato says, "When I began to understand what, exactly, a dream is for."

AIden doesn't offer his voice in with the others or if he does, he's talking too quietly to be heard, but there's a soft smile on his face. He's sitting just with his puppy so it's not like anyone else would hear.

Aureth finishes off the glass of wine in a long swallow and begins to pour a second. Holding the glass in his off hand, he begins to light the flames on the brazier before the altar. It takes him a few tries. He has to put the glass down. Finally, he gets smart, snags the taper and wanders up the glowing candleflames of the chandelier. He swings up onto his tiptoes, reaching up to catch the end of the light in the candle's flame, as he says, "All of us have lost. All of us have had things end. Many of you spoke of old things ending when you spoke of your new beginnings. These things are linked. Some of you have already donated to the Faith for the creation of memoria for our wall here at the shrine, and you can see -- when you have time -- that we have graven those memories into skull images on it. Death does not choose our endings, but she does embrace us, drawing us back into her arms when they come. Remember what came before, remember what we have lost, but remember that all things must end so that they can begin anew."

Luca freezes mid-sipping from his hip flask at Aureth's claim of the red wine being sacred. He's got a clear look of embarrassed horror, realizing his refusal of the 'sacrament' might be in some way insulting to the Queen. He's given Aureth a kind of searching look if glanced his way. Whatever silent answer regarding whether the flask was inappropriate or not, apparently the prince is trying to make up for his potential religious faux pas being taking up part in the apparent ceremony, sharing his own part with a blithe sort 'don't give a crap' air that doesn't very well mask that he certainly gives a crap about what's admitted to openly. "Mine began anew when love shattered me into pieces and I was lucky enough to find love again to put me back together and give me what was missing for a new beginning." Not so subtly, Luca's thereafter signalling Gregory to bring the wine back around so he can snag a glass, looking askance toward altar as if making silent apology to the Queen for preferring rum.

Skye looks to the memoria that was donated by the faithful and smiles to herself at the sight. She seems more at peace here. There is something about the shrine, the skulls and darkness that comforts the girl. The priest's struggles with the candles gets nothing but sympathy.

Dafne watches Aureth's struggle with the candles with the sort of dismay and growing tension that makes an observer exactly how close she is to running up there and assisting. The set of her shoulders relax as the flames spring up.

Ferrando watches Aureth with only a mild expression of concern as he starts combining tiptoe leaning and fire. Everything seems to be working out, however. He does look to the memoria wall when it's mentioned, though.

Preston looks over to the memorial and....yes, that is indeed a lot of skulls. A little garish for Preson, but then no-one is asking him to have it in his bedroom. Of course, he doesn't have a bedroom which helps. Still, he bows his head and says a soft prayer to the fallen.

The taper is lit; Aureth circles back around to light the brazier. He looks up over the new flames and gives his congregation a wink. That wasn't at all ridiculous, right? Right?! He begins to gather a handful of smaller offerings -- paper, some of them, but also a few other things, to burn them in the brazier as he says, "Pray with me as we dedicate this shrine to the grace of the Mother of Beginnings, who started us all on our paths. We give thanks to the Queen of Endings, for all things must end so that they may begin anew. We open our arms to Death, as she opens her arms to us. We may have forgotten, but we know again. This is your Shrine. Hear our prayers and be welcome."

Only once all the offerings have been burnt in the brazier does he add a splash of the dark wine from his glass to hiss and smoke upon the embers, and leave the incense smoking in the brazier. His features lit by the glow of the flames as the smoke rises. "Thank you all for coming," he says, "and I hope that you will all be ready to use the shrine for your prayers to Death, and remember Her in your prayers to the Pantheon. Now -- hey, enjoy a drink, enjoy your neighbor, I'm here for questions. I see my disciple, Duchess and Harlequin Dafne Zaffria, in the pews, so I bet she's open for questions too."

Merek stands up once all is said and done, and then moves off towards the Sanctum outside with a small prayer before he does.

Merek has left the red-lit alcove.

Aneka, 3 Iron Guardsmen, Meeka leave, following Merek.

Esoka has left the pews nearest the front.

Saedrus' dips his head respectfully, a tumble of snowy white hair falls over one shoulder as he does. There's not a word heard, or he speaks to quietly to be heard in his prayer. By the end Saedrus lifts his glass in a polite toast then sips from it with a smile, glancing beside himself to Aleksei.

Skye quietly stays in the pew, closing her eyes and then offering her own silent prayers to Death. She does not look up when Aureth finishes the dedication because she's still having silent words with the Goddess.

Aiden rises after the prayers are said, with the excited shepherd puppy wagging her tail as he wanders out.

Aiden has left the pews nearest the back.

1 Grayson Guardsmen, Severa, the Guard Shepherd leave, following Aiden.

Thena's focus stays on the memorial wall while the offerings burn, then, rubbing at her eyes furiously, she fidgets with her prayerbook while Aureth takes questions.

Esoka stands and lifts her glass as Aureth concludes. She seems content to move away from the pews and mill after that. Taking in the scent of the place and admiring the skull memorial. She'll drift out of the shrine eventually. Though she might look for that spider on her way out. It is a //very// grand spider.

Fortunato exhales, then bows his head. We're sure he's being at least /respectful/.

Valery blushes lightly and looks down to her feet, seeming surprised and kinda embarrassed for being heard.

Shard taps a finger on the pew she's sitting on, then stands up. She does not, however, look to be leaving just yet. That expression of blatant curiosity is back on her face. She tucks the prayer book under one arm as she moves out from the pews.

It is more curiosity than anything that brings Maeve into the shrine to the Queen of Endings. She slips in and off to the side, remaining in the back. Those blue-violet eyes turn about to look at the area, finally focusing on the skull bits. They seem horrifying to her and she takes a step closer to the door.

Shard has left the pews nearest the back.

Luca kind of took his cue from those around him for how to join in the prayer, bowing head awkwardly, but seemingly willing, and when it comes to an end, he's actually toasting his wineglass towards the wall of skulls as if to toast the Queen in his own way. The talk of Dafne though earn's an arch of brow and he's asking something down the pews to the nearer Dafne with amusement lighting his cinnamon eyes.

Dafne has her head bowed in prayer, and her hands folded in her lap. She waits just a heartbeat after Aureth's words to lift her head and look over those gathered. Helpfully. Helpgothfully.

Saedrus' attention turns sharply towards the memorial wall. The courtier gets up to his feet like he is on autopilot and not entirely thinking as the white-haired Lycene drifts towards the many skulls.

Saedrus has left the pews nearest the front.

Ferrando checked perception + investigation at difficulty 30, rolling 10 lower.

Saedrus checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 1 lower.

Shard asks, to neither Dafne nor Aureth specifically, "Does she," the 'she' doesn't sound particularly reverential, "have any other associated animals or symbols that you know of?"

Aleksei blinks when Saedrus gets up so quickly. He stands a moment after him, following him over to the memorial wall.

Aleksei has left the pews nearest the front.

"No questions?" Aureth seems a little bemused by this. His eye flicks amidst the crowd for a moment. "Oh, good," he says. "I was beginning to wonder if somebody needed written invitations or something." He tips his chin to Shard, smile slight. "The skull, the spider, and also the bat, although nobody has actually seen a live bat since they're extinct, so we kind of guess about bats."

Shard nods slightly. "I'd heard about those," she says. Although her manner suggests she might have been hoping for others, she doesn't actually ask anything else. At least, not at the moment. Instead, her attention shifts to the flames for a moment.

"They looked a little like this," says Dafne helpfully, putting a hand up to the choker she wears, with a reasonable-for-an-extinct-species-no-one's-seen-depiction-in-metal bat sitting in the hollow of her throat. "Little mice with wings." Or rats, less kindly.

Ferrando bows his head in prayer and once concluded stands up to look around to see where Octohopper got up to. Or to put it more specifically, to find a softball-sized spider who's had plenty of time to wander around anywhere inside of a generally dark, candlelit shrine with a big domey roof and lots of little nooks. Not to put too fine a point on it, but after a bit of looking around he has clearly has no idea where the spider is.

At the memorial wall, Saedrus just stares up at the skulls for the longest time. One hand reaches out towards one but he never actually touches any of them. Unless anyone is close enough they probably won't notice how he is biting into his lip, or the brief, hitch pull of his shoulders.

Skye finishes her prayers and looks up. She gives a quiet nod to others in the pews and then gets up to go approach the priest to have a few words. She doesn't push her way in, she waits for him to acknowledge her.

Skye has left the pews nearest the front.

Weight balanced back on his heels, Aureth looks up at Skye with cheerful curiosity. "Yeah?" he says. Formally.

Thena finally gets to her feet and slides out of her pew. Saedrus at the memorial wall gets a long look, but instead she makes her way over to Ferrando as he searches. "Maybe she should just stay here. Wasn't that your plan anyway?"

Maeve furrows her brows at the talk of bats being extinct. This saddens her! Poor little winged mice! Her hand goes over her chest in mourning for the poor things. Though, she had never heard of such a creature until today. The thought of a winged mouse being extinct is just saddening.

Aleksei stands behind Saedrus and sets his hands on his shoulders, his brow cinching with sympathetic worry at his reaction. He glances back over at the others, particularly noting those who approach Aureth to ask questions.

Skye gives a shy smile and then murmurs softly to the priest out of ear shot of the others.

Valery also seems sad by the extinct winged fellows, and hugs her basket of non-winged mice a pinch tighter.

Dafne's gaze slides to Aureth at his 'Yeah?' It's not really approaching the level of 'A Look' but more a short calculation on whether those who are loved by gods require etiquette lessons or not.

After a moment, Saedrus seems to compose himself and turns about. A small smile is offered to Aleksei, that and a touch to the man's hip before he nods towards Aureth to head that way. A less delicate, and modest mouthful is taken of his wine as he goes.

Ferrando glances at Thena as a matter of course in normal social recognition, then takes just a little extra time to see if there's a spider hitching a ride on her. Apparently not. "Well. I figured I'd give her the opportunity, at least. It seems like she's taking it. Which is fine! I suspected that this may be a better spider habitat than the Whisper House."

Aleksei watches Saedrus move closer to Aureth and then turns his attention to Ferrando with faint horror. "You're /leaving her/ here?!"

Aureth murmurs a quiet answer to what Skye asks him, looking thoughtful.

Cognizant of a few beats extra examination, Thena tries to be all casual about checking her back for spiders, but it's difficult. Anyway, no Octohopper. "She seemed to like it." She cuts a look at Aleksei and quirks a smile. "If Death doesn't object, who are we to argue?"

Saedrus waits at least until Aureth is no inundated by question when he asks, soft, "are all souls returned to wheel, and to another life? All of them?"

Shard untucks the prayer book from her arm and briefly flips it open, as if checking something. She then pipes up with another question. "What does it mean to take souls from the Wheel? I get that it means taking them out of the cycle of reincarnation that's described, but how does that even happen?"

Luca asked something of Dafne and after toasting her with his lopsided grin easy, he moved to rise up from his sprawl to begin taking leave. As he's doing this though, he's catching that searching looking of Ferrando and grinning even brighter. Quite oblivious to the potential for stampede of terror he might induce in people, he's calling out merrily amused. "Did you lose Oct again, Rando? How in the Abyss to misplace a softball sized shining jumping spider?" He does helpfully start looking around as well though with curiosity to see if he can spot it. And catching that look of horror on Aleksei's face, he can't help but add as he approaches the ex-Champion turned Archlector of Freedom. "Well the alternative is she could hitch a ride on your back to go back to your shrine instead, eh Alley Cat?"

Skye finishes her quiet conversation with Aureth and then thanks the priest. Now that her prayers have been made, the young woman makes her way out of the shrine.

Preston pushes himself to his feet and lifts his helmet to slide it back onto his head. There is a lift of an armoured gauntlet over to the archlector of death, followed by as much of a bow as an armoured man can manage, but Preston doesn't seek to interupt the man from his guests. Instead, he looks again to the memorial wall, muttering a small prayer under his breath before disappearing back out into the world

"If Octohopper shows up in my shrine I am--" Aleksei purses his lips, perhaps considering whose shrine he's in /currently/. "--politely asking Ferrando to show up and remove her." Ahem.

Ferrando shrugs at Aleksei. "She's a -spider-!" he explains a bit blankly, as if he doesn't understand how any of this is his fault. "She does what she wants anyway. It's not like I've got her trained or I even -invited- her back to Arx from a weird-ass jungle island or anything," he points out before turning to Luca with a grin. "Hey, Prince Luca. And come on! There's lots of places here for a -big spider- to -hide from sight- before -suddenly jumping out-," he says in his defense. The emphasis is not at all in revenge for Aleksei's criticism, no way.

Maeve silently pads through the shrine and to look at what there is to see. She picks up a book, curiously reading the tale on how the Queen creates souls and brings back souls. Though, there is a very perplexed look on her face as if she is rather confused.

Dafne flashes Luca a smile, but adds, "She cannot be misplaced, not here. She's a spider, and this is the Queen's shrine. No, she's simply..." Dafne seems to try to think of a clever ending to that, but only comes up with, "...in place."

Preston has left the pews nearest the back.

Thena smiles, an expression contained but amused, and makes her way to the exit. She spends a long moment before the memorial wall before heading out.

Thena has left the pews nearest the front.

Aureth shakes his head, slowly. "All souls are returned to the Queen," he says, "but only those the Queen chooses to grant another life are given a new beginning that way." He glances thoughtfully over Saedrus, studying his expression with a hint of crease to his brow. "Some souls wait in the Shining Lands."

"Nice save." Luca offers dryly to Aleksei past a huge grin which only gets bigger at Ferrando's emphasized phrasing. He shakes head ruefully and turns to see how inundated Aureth is, decides just to toast him with the wine before finishing it off and moving over closer to Aleksei to murmur something there to the muscular priest.

Aleksei glares at Ferrando, openly and emphatically, for a long moment. He sees what you're doing there. He finally pulls his attention away and over to Aureth and Saedrus. "And some might get sent on to Elysia for final rest, but it's kind of hard to know."

Fortunato stands up, gives his brother a deep bow, and then slips out on talk of Elysia.

Fortunato has left the pews nearest the front.

Ugarte leaves, following Fortunato.

Saedrus checked composure + performance at difficulty 20, rolling 24 higher.

Maeve glances up to Aureth. "What are the Shining Lands? Is that Elysia mentioned in this book?" She inquires curiously. The Shamanistic woman continues, "Why are the angry or cold souls sent there?"

Valery waves her fingers in greeting to Maeve, when she passes close by, but otherwise she stays quiet near the wall.

Ferrando checked perception + investigation at difficulty 30, rolling 5 lower.

"The Queen only grants new lives to souls that she feels need a new life, or to souls that she suspects the world will need," Aureth says. "Each life is a new chapter for those souls, in a story whose end has not yet come." His mouth lifts at the corner and he says, "I suggest you try reading the doctrine from the book basket. Sister Gisele's children's book is charming, but it is a simplification. The Shining Lands are the place where souls await reincarnation if Death is not ready for them to begin a new chapter. Elysia is where they go for eternal rest."

Saedrus smiles brightly then and dips his head to Aureth; warm, and courtly brand composure. "I see," he nods. The wine is brought back to his lips for a quick taste, "well, even to wait in the Shining Lands could not be so bad. The Queen of Endings, I am sure, takes care of all her children." Another mouthful of wine -- that's disappearing steadily, "thank you, Blessed Aureth."

Ferrando is briefly back to looking around for the spider, but still doesn't seems to be picking Octohopper out of the various alcoves, skulls, and various architectural features of the new shrine. "Ah, so you won't mind if Octohopper decides to stay here, then?" he asks Dafne politely, although from the slightly helpless note in his voice he seems to think it might be a done deal already without any actual human involvement in the process.

Shard closes the prayer book, and again tucks it under her arm. She shifts a little restlessly from one foot to the other.

Aleksei startles just a touch when Luca leans in, although that might be because the hand at the small of his back feels an AWFUL LOT LIKE A SPIDER. He settles, listening to Luca, and then his lips curve in a warm, wry smile as he murmurs a response.

Maeve looks to the book and returns it back into place. "I am sorry for my ignorance in your theology." A blush comes to her cheeks. She catches Valery's wave and she seems to perk up. A friendly wave is given back to Valery. "Hello!" She glances back to Aureth and nods, "I will read it!"

Luca gets The Doctrine of Death from a basket of free prayerbooks.

Maeve gets The Doctrine of Death from a basket of free prayerbooks.

Valery checked perception + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 2 higher.

Saedrus turns about, excusing himself politely from Aureth since there are probably more questions to be asked by others. When he does spin about he pauses catching this hand-on-back-whispering business between Aleksei and Luca. Quiet. Headtip.

Shard asks a different question. "Why did humans forget? And how did the elves remember?"

"The theology is new, even to us," Dafne says gently to Maeve. "Because She has been Lost to us," one can hear the capitals in her voice, "for so long. The important thing is that you are willing to learn, and to do honour to Her." She smiles, and glances to Ferrando, "Of course," she says. "Spiders are sacred to the Queen, and so this shrine is her home, if she wants to stay." Whoever is in charge of cleaning the temple is probably thrilled by this.

So much talking and looking for the spider has the nervous woman getting even more nervous, and she looks around, moving a bit away from the wall, just in case.

Luca glances up from rolling his eyes to something Aleksei says, and just then catches that headtip from Saedrus. Looking a little embarrassed, Luca's hand drops away from the Champion-turned-priest's back and he murmurs some reply there with a conspiratorial sort of smirk before slipping off away towards the exit.

"Not at all," Aureth says with a slight lift of his chin. "Everyone is learning about Death; that's what the books are for. I'm glad you came and asked." His smile is slighter as he glances back at Shard. "That's a complicated question, but the simple answer is that the elves never forgot in the first place. I touch on this very briefly in the doctrinal book, but the City of Arx was built to placate Death after souls were removed from the Wheel, and her wroth smote the world for it. It was then that we forgot her, and that other gods were mistakenly believed to fill her roles for the Faith."

Saedrus looks away from Aleksei and Luca, and just quietly returns to the memorial wall. To sip his wine, a little more also

"How?" Shard, a little belatedly, seems to catch herself, because she elaborates on that question a little, with just the faintest sense that she realizes she's being a little difficult. "...That is, I mean, how were souls removed from the Wheel? That part I didn't understand."

Maeve glances to Dafne, nodding with her words. She bends over to pick up one of the books and opens the cover. Finding a seat to the side, she pulls her feet up onto the pew and rests her chin on her knees as she read what the book has to say. She glances toward Aureth, "How did the souls get removed?"

Maeve glances at Shard as he asks the same question as she.

"By pride and consort with the abyss," Aureth answers with his hands folding behind him. "Souls were destroyed rather than returned to the Wheel; it was anathema to Death."

Ferrando looks reassured by Dafne's assurances and exhales at length. "I've become a bit more familiar with shrines now that I've joined a discipleship myself, and I have to say if Octohopper does decide to stay here I'd feel a bit... well, relieved, I guess. Trying to keep a large jungle spider from being squashed in such a huge urban environment like Arx can be kind of stressful sometimes." He glances around the domed ceiling. "But in here, I think there's very little danger of that happening."

Maeve furrows her brows. "I see.. The Abyss can do so many evil things it seems. What is it even for? Is there a way to just destroy the Abyss so it will stop being dumb?" Such a simple resolution in her mind!

Shard's expression has gone thoughtful again, her eyes narrow, even a little distant. At Maeve's question, her gaze flicks to her, and something seems to click. "...It's a reflection. Isn't it? It's the opposite of the cycle."

With another glance thoughtfully towards Saedrus-at-the-skull-wall's back, Luca starts to make his way out. On the way, he casts a wave and a thumbs-up to Aureth, whether giving approval for the ceremony, or just giving his thumbs up to the Queen's new shrine, isn't clear. 'Big spiders, good wine, bad puns. Would worship here again.' would say the Yelp review.

"I think if anyone squashes any sort of spider in here there will be grave consequences," Dafne assures Ferrando. From the Queen, or possibly Dafne Lover of Spiders. More reassurance for the cleaners. She glances over to the questioners and says, "That is its purpose, isn't it? Everything started in twos...or with the reflection, rather."

"Indeed. The Archfiends are the Dark Reflections of the Gods." Aureth grins at Dafne, his pale gaze flicking towards her. "''Grave consequences,'' absolutely."

Aleksei is left with a knowing smirk for Luca by the time the prince steps back and begins to meander in the direction of the exit. His gaze slides brief to Saedrus before returning to Aureth and his questioners. "Nice to think about," he says to Maeve with a sort of sadly sympathetic smile. "But yeah, the Abyss is a Reflection of Aion's Dream. The Creation. Some call our world the Prime. I don't think we could actually exist without the Abyss in mirror of us. Which doesn't mean that we shouldn't fight its influence in our world, of course."

Luca has left the pews nearest the front.

Giuseppe, a kindly old man leaves, following Luca.

Maeve considers the words spoken. "There is just so much." She closes the book and tucks it into her own basket for reading at a later time. "I will have to learn more."

Ferrando glances to Maeve, overhearing despite himself, and can't quite suppress an approving little grin. He seems to identify with the sentiment quite a bit. "Well then, maybe she's building a new web as we speak," he replies to the declarations of a no-squashing zone here.

Shard's questions may have quieted, but apparently she has at least one more in her. "What would the Queen of Endings do to someone that helped the Abyss like that?" she asks. "Does she remove souls herself, if she's angry enough at them?"

Saedrus finally pulls himself from the memorial wall, stepping light and graceful back towards the altar. He excuses himself passed those surrounding Aureth, pardoning himself just to brush a hand to Aureth's shoulder. A warm smile accompanied by a fond kiss to the Archlector of the Queen of Endings' cheek, if permissible, Saed excuses himself. "A wonderful beginning," Saed compliments, "take care, Blessed Aureth." He says smiling to those about before he goes to collect his cloak and make his way out, pausing at Aleksei's side on the way.

Valery waves her fingers to Saedrus when he passes to the door, a very light smile on her lips. She also seems considering the door.

"No," Aureth says firmly. "The Queen does not destroy souls." His certainty on this point is absolute. He smiles, returning Saedrus's kiss with the brush of his lips against Saedrus's cheek, and then straightens as he raises his eyebrows. "There are souls that may remove themselves from the Wheel, taken by the Abyss-- by binding themselves to the Abyss. But the Queen creates souls from her own self, her own blood, and starts them on her path. She does not destroy. She creates, she protects, she honors. But oblivion-- /is her Reflection/. She does not create it. It is the opposite of what she is."

Shard rubs a thumb along her jaw. It takes a few moments, and she doesn't look entirely satisfied, but eventually she nods to this.

Ferrando observes a bit dubiously, "That undead army of yours seemed to be awful worried about not pissing off the Queen 'again'." He glances to Shard with a bit of an implied shrug. "So maybe that's one thing that happens if you cheese off the Queen too much."

Dafne hesitates for a moment, but adds, softly, to Aureth's words, "The Queen loves all souls, each and every one."

"Yeah, some people who choose to serve the Abyss use magic to extend their lives to avoid their souls returning to the Wheel," Aleksei says, head canting slightly. "After long enough, once the Abyss has sunk far enough in their souls, they're not really human anymore. Or sane. It eats away at them." He pauses a moment. "But if they did die -- when they do die -- she is still there. To receive them." He looks over at Saedrus, offering a warm smile and pressing a brief kiss to his cheek before watching him slip out.

Maeve suddenly looks to Ferrando, "There is an undead army?!"

Valery keeps listen for a while to the others, but after some time, she also makes her way to the door, still quiet.

Valery has left the pews nearest the back.

Boots, Chip, a small mouse leave, following Valery.

"I mean, that's possible," Aureth says to Ferrando a little dubiously. He blinks at Maeve in mild consternation. "Yes," he says. "The Queen granted them to my command by miracle during the siege. They fought the Army of Silence at the Battle of Arx."

Shard blinks, and looks toward Aleksei. "So even when /they/ die, they still go back? Is that because they had to keep their soul intact to stay alive, or at least as alive as they were? This...other way, where they were actually removed from the Wheel, that was complete destruction?"

Maeve goes wide-eyed. "That is a powerful resource there. Where are all these undead soldiers hiding? Can they die? If they die, do their souls go back to the wheel? Do they even have souls? Do they feel pain? Are they tormented by being undead?"

Maeve just rattles off all sorts of questions!

"Most of them don't seem very tormented," Aureth says, even more dubious now, "although the zombies were kind of a pain in the ass." He fails to explain this more, adding only, "They are the guardians of the catacombs. They don't get out much."

Aureth drops Skeletal Warrior Figurine.

Aureth drops Bob the Rotting Figurine.

"Complete destruction," Aleksei confirms to Shard with a bit of a grimace. "It was practiced by the Rex'alfar -- another race of elves -- in sacrifice to Death's Reflection. But I think -- even if someone had harmed their own soul by practicing Abyssal magic, by being a servant of the Abyss -- when they die, I don't think there's any wound to their soul that She can't heal." There's a particular warmth of conviction there.

"Oh yeah, skeletons, zombies. They live down in the catacombs, I guess? Stay down there and keep people out of the depths usually, but they came out at the end of the siege of Arx to help fight off the chunk of the Silent Army that made a water landing in the Lowers, yeah. I fought in the middle of that. It was, uh." Ferrando has a blank look, as if it's hard to find words to describe the experience. "Different. And I still don't understand how skeletons talk." He shakes his head at Maeve. "They didn't seem very tormented. Honestly, if I had to describe them they were more like... well-intentioned idiots?" He glances apologetically at Aureth. "No offense."

"Sounds about right," Aureth sighs agreement.

Maeve glances around as information comes her way. "Whoa.." She says softly. "Well, if there is an undead army, it is better that they remain on -our- side instead of on their own side!" She blinks. "Do they stink?!"

Shard falls silent again. Thoughtful again. Her gaze goes to Aureth and Ferrando, and there's little doubt she's listening to the recounting of /an undead army/, but it's clear she's mulling other things over as well. One finger runs along one of the raven feathers twined into her hair.

"The skeletons don't smell," Aureth answers, scratching a little at the back of his head in a stirring of his long loose hair, "they're very sturdy and they don't talk much. The zombies reek, generally smelling of rot, and they -- well, they whine and argue. But they were very able fighters. One of them ate a Bringer all on his own at one point."

"The Queen appeared at the Festival of Lights, stealing the light from the memorial lanterns to tell us all she had granted the army to the Archlector," murmurs Dafne. She is quiet again for a beat, but adds, "Yes. Keep this in mind: no matter how badly you mess up, there _is_ a new beginning. The Queen will grant these."

"Not gonna lie, zombies smell pretty horrible," Ferrando nods with a grimace. He shrugs at Shard. "They're some weird-ass infantry for sure though. And the dominated Shavs and Bringers coming at us weren't any more normal either." He gets wide-eyed for a moment. "I'm pretty sure I'll never see another mass combat engagement like -that- again."

"At least not until next year," Aleksei says with an uneasy sort of laugh.

Ferrando doesn't quite slap his forehead but emphatically covers his face with his hand at the very least. "Please don't say things like that," he grumbles.

Maeve pushes back a wild strand of curly red hair as she peers at those present with near-violet eyes. "I am unsure if I should feel badly for those that are a part of the undead army. The idea of an undead army is quite terrifying, but as I said, I am glad they are on -our- side." She smiles softly. "I should get going. I have many things I must do. I still have questions, can I harass you at a later point to learn more things about your Arxian gods?"

"Of course. The Faith of the Pantheon is always ready to explain ... stuff," Aureth says, apparently kind of losing the formality partway through. He winces a little between Aleksei and Ferrando, clears his throat and says, "Right, then. Let's-- let's pray... not. Gregory! More wine for the people who are sticking around, and then we can maybe ... let people start heading to bed ..." Since it's now ... like, well after midnight.