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Tepet Makara	Immaculate temples are not that common even in a city of temples filled with various creeds from across Creation. Even the Abhari creed is more tolerated than the faith of the Perfected Hierarchy. Ironically however, it has been a breeding ground for more heretical offshoots such as the Melaist faith for it outright worships the dragon of air as a Supreme sky God. Unexpectedly however, there is a dynast that is currently in the Melaist temple, chanting silent prayer to the dragon of the sky. "Oh heavenly dragon, safe guard the souls of those that perished in the war against the Bull Of The North. May they find peace and return to the Perfected Hierarchy" He holds rosaries and prayer beads dedicated to the Immaculate Dragons. The temple still has a few mortal worshippers at this time of night.
The Mournful Chorus	One of the latest arrivals slipping through the beautifully decorated temple doors leaves a trail of muddy footsteps and dripping water behind her: It's raining outside, and while the newcomer has draped herself with a purple linen cloak to keep herself reasonable dry underneath, her outer garments are damp enough to give whoever among the monks is currently on cleaning duty a very busy night. Chorus lingers near the doors, drawing back her hood and casting her gaze about the temple's main room. When she spots Makara in his familiar kimono, an exultant smile briefly touches her lips. She hangs her cloak on one of the hooks near the entrance, which seem to be there for exactly this purpose, and leaves her mud-soaked boots among the similarly dirty footwear of the other visitors. Instead of wearing lavish attire like during her first encounter with Makara in the Green Dynasty Slik, Chorus has chosen plain and modest garb, just a simple green vest and dark purple pantaloons - no silk this time, just cotton. The floral embroidery is still present on these, but far more subtle. She's not exactly in disguise, though. Of course, it would be rude to interrupt a man deep in prayer. Instead, she inches closer and closer until she can make out what the Dynast is saying, all while pretending to examine the statue of the Sky Dragon with reverence.
Tepet Makara	The prayer is almost at it's end as he begins lighting up candles. "May the waters of Danaad cleanse them, may the fires of Hesiesh burn away their suffering, the unyielding will of Pasiap protecting them, the sky God Mela leading them back to the cycle of incarnation and finally, may Sextis Jylis grant them fortune in the next life" He begins lighting up the candles but notices someone else is here. "May the dragons....and the....uhh gods that follow the perfected hierarchy" He hesitates mentioning something else in his prayer "....above protect us from the adversity that plagues Creation" He then turns to the figure watching and getting closer. "Ah, you're that lady from the goddess's bar. I did not expect one such as yourself to be at a temple....much less an Immaculate one"
The Mournful Chorus	"My apologies, mighty Prince of the Earth. I did not mean to intrude", says Chorus with an apologetic smile, settling into her familiar role of Ravi Voice-of-Longing, traveling singer. But she also bows low in front of the Exalt, who is, after all, much more powerful and enlightened than a humble mortal. She keeps her voice low, both to not disturb the other worshippers scattered throughout the chamber in their prayers... and to avoid drawing too much attention. "You would be correct not to expect me here...except for when the gods of rain surprise me with a sudden downpour." She points at the soggy lower part of her pants, which got splashed by rain where the rim of the cloak didn't reach all the way down. "To be fair, I don't mind it that much. If one is touring the beautiful temples of this city, how could they leave this one out? That statue right here... downright gorgeous." As if to prove her point, she cranes her neck to gaze up at the icon in awe.
Tepet Makara	"It's common for visitors to wander inside temples so I don't mind at all. He then recalls his "first" meeting with Ravi. "I should be the one to apologize since I had to go due to some errands" "Well, you are right about this temple. It's a holy place dedicated to the Immaculate religion after all, so gods ignore it out of distrust and experience they had for reasons I understand. But this temple is part of a more obscure offshoot since it reveres Mela as a great god of the heavens, which is blasphemy to the orthodox Immaculates as we should follow the examples of the dragons to emulate their values, not worship them like idols for they do not demand adoration but to simply uphold the harmony of the Perfected Hierarchy." He says with a hint of nostalgia while looking around this temple to Mela. "I only came here to visit even if it's heretical to my nation, for I was raised with that faith thanks to my uncle. Although I equally revere to dragons equally now, I come to such shrines to the air dragon out of respect for my household's ways. But right now, I'm memorializing my fallen comrades that fell in and after Futile Blood"
The Mournful Chorus	Ravi bites her lip, seemingly lost in thought for a bit as she absorb's Makara's words, still gazing at Mela's likeness. It takes a while before she turns around and looks at the Dragon-Blooded again with a pensive expression. "Immaculacy sure is complicated", she concludes. For a moment, she looks like she wants to ask more about that topic, but then decides against it, her interest piqued by something else. "Futile Blood? What's that? The name sounds... ominous, even for battle. Maybe you could explain it to a simple entertainer, oh great Dragon?" After another bow, she drops into a deep squat near Makara, regarding him expectantly.
Tepet Makara	"Futile Blood.....it's a tragedy that afflicted my house in the North as we were warring against a dreaded Forsaken anathema that was building an empire. I was a mortal soldier back then and had friends in the legion" He says fondly once he remembers them but it's only the beginning on what's to come. "At first, it went smoothly but we faced dreadful anathema magics and even the spirits they had pacts with." "Tragedy struck in Futile Blood as my house's legions were rend asunder. We also struck a blow against the Bull's forces but with a terrible cost. My comrades and me retreated into the cold wastes but" He then chuckles grimly with sorrow as if he experienced some sort of sick joke. "The monsters and anathema of the north isn't what claimed most of us after that, but the frigid snow and lack of food. We ran out of rations and slowly one by one, my companions died leaving me all alone in the cold winds of the North. As I survived the tribulation, the dragons blood awakened within me. If only it awakened while my comrades were still alive." He then gives a deep sigh as he tells the story. "Once I arrived back at the Blessed Isle, I began hearing urban legends in the North of hungry ghosts from fallen soldiers. I sometimes wish they may find peace someday. Admittedly, I wonder if I died in someway myself. Reborn as a dragon baptized in Futile blood"
The Mournful Chorus	Ravi simply listens, and watches Makara's expression and subtle clues in his body language as he recounts this tragic tale. Sometimes, she slightly shifts her pose, cocks her head, or makes a soft, sympathetic noise. There's no indication that she has ever heard about these events before... indeed, she seems entirely oblivious about the subsequent fall of House Tepet. After he has finished, the "mortal" woman runs one of her canines over her lower lip, eyes turned towards the depth of the chamber before finally returning to Makara. "I cannot thank you enough for speaking so openly about these painful memories, Exalted One", says Ravi. "The irony, being blessed by the might of the Dragons only after having suffered through this and seeing your comrades fall... what a heartbreaking tale. Someone should compose a song about it." A short pause, then she smiles tentatively: "I just might. With your permission, of course. And of course, I would also speak about the victory your House's might achieved, albeit at a great cost."
Tepet Makara	Makara doesn't know whether to let this singer write a song about his house's tragedy in Futile Blood. He stays silent and ponders for a minute until he reaches a final decision. "Although it may offend the sensibilities of some members of my house, I do not mind if you do. I even remember there is a poet in my house that wrote similar stuff. Other great houses of the Blessed Isle mock us of our failure, yet they forget that we halted the anathema empire's progress." He says with a hint of enmity at the ones that are vultures to his dying house. "Yes, it's depressing that the dragons blessing reached me after my fellow soldiers died. I could have led them to safety if they have granted me such power earlier. I would have even lead them to continue in our fight against the Bull, but that's all in the past now yet I will never forget." The past cannot be changed but it mustn't be forgotten. "This is one of the ways I honor their memory, even if they passed through the cycle of reincarnation or remain as lingering shades of war"
The Mournful Chorus	"Honored Dragon, if I wrote such a song based on your story, and performed it not only in your honor, but also for the souls of the fallen - to give them some comfort, should a few of them linger in the Underworld... would you be offended?" Ravi tilts her head, nestling her cheek into the palm of her hand, with one elbow resting a knee. The other hand, still free, she extends half-way towards the Tepet, palm facing upward and fingers curled into what looks like a deliberate, yet unfamiliar pattern. What could this gesture mean? "I'm asking because most Immaculates seem to take a dim view on those who revere their ancestors, or so I've heard. I don't know all that much about your kind." Her lips reveal a sudden grin as she adds: "I gotta say, you don't seem to mind wasting your time with a mere mortal."
Tepet Makara	"Well you are right about that, I mostly wonder if such tributes are offensive although I guess the living may dislike it. Many people enjoy happiness but denies the sorrows in life" Makara mentions as there must be acceptance that failures and sorrows happen in life just as there is joy and wonder. "I don't know if they would hear it, but I will be glad if it brings them peace beyond the grave." Then he shifts to the topic why he is interacting with a mete mortal. "Like you, we princes of the earth are people. Some are raised to be apathetic of mortal affairs out of a sense of superiority. Others were raised normally before their exaltation and didn't even expect it such as outcastes. It's also up to the individual dragon in how they interact with mortals." He then shifts back to the topic regarding the song. "This isn't the Blessed Isle, so I don't mind if it's written by someone who revere their ancestors" He wonders what Ravi's gesture could mean.
The Mournful Chorus	Ravi withdraws her gesturing hand and nods, seemingly satisfied with this answer. "Oh, is that so? I had no idea. Never met one of the mighty Chosen before. Now that I've got your permission, I will have to make that song ~really~ good. It has to do your story justice, and also pay proper tribute to the fallen, yes?" She flashes him a quick grin, then her expression settles back into one of curiosity. "So you were fighting against that anathema, the one you call 'the Bull', and it was all futile-like. I wonder... was that why you asked Lady Sunrise about the gods of the anathema in Heaven? I've never heard that they have gods, you know. That seems peculiar, with them being demons and such."
Tepet Makara	"I was mostly wondering. They are still demons as they usurped powers from the gods.....although there are tales that tell a different story. I also heard an urban legend among survivors of Futile Blood of a lone legionnaire looking for food. He was possessed by a voracious hunger that he lunged himself into a deer as if he was a beast himself, which attracted the attention of a great spirit that cursed him. A civilized soldier he was no more, for he was corrupted into a silver anathema. Admittedly it strays far from the beliefs that anathema are those that stole power from the gods, but with stories like that, those gods either curse mortals or give them power for reasons unknown. A heretical theory but still interesting nonetheless." He mentions a story he has "heard" from fellow survivors "I also forgot the Anathema's name in that story I told a while ago, but I remember it's venom tyrant king or was it lizard lord. Oh I remember, it's Demon-Dragon Tyrant. Such a foul monster that was once a pious soldier of the Realm." "I bet your song will be as great as those performed in the Blessed Isle. I can't wait to hear it once you are done."
The Mournful Chorus	"Oh? That sounds familiar, actually. Someone else around here might have mentioned that horrible creature. Maybe in one of the many teahouses I've visited with my crew." Ravi perks up, straightening her back. "You know the most amazing stories, oh Exalted One. I feel inspired, just listening to you talk. Thank you for enduring my nagging questions, and gracing me with our wisdom. I am humbled." She rises, then bows just as deep as before. "But I don't want to outstay my welcome. Do I have your permission to leave?" Assuming that is granted, she bows again, then picks up her cloak and boots at the entrance and swiftly vanishes into the rainy night.