The Aquaregia
Purpose / Function
Deep in the core of Zelthuma, one of the newest Dwarven Cities built in the side of the Central Mountains at the blessing of the State of Huron, a place of worship was built. Though the small settlement is still growing, the pains endured in the fledgling city municipality, it has become a Mecca for a certain type of worshiper. The City boasts no walls, adopting the Galus tradition of the Pomerium, needing no wall due to the stout guards supplied by the Dwarven wandering States. Soldier Nomads were taken straight from the clans ranks, trained to a higher degree in Mhuzchet, and shipped off to guard their new stronghold.
However, Zelthuma is home to a certain sect of the Eternal Watchers. This Sect was rebuilt from the ground up after the Gjorn Fourth king of Dwarves returned from The Elsewhere. Known as the Sun's Path, where they revere a single member of The Forgotten Family, Syn or Warmth as they call her. This Sect built up a mighty shrine for any to call home, however there is an interesting piece that has flummoxed any and all who have set foot into the grand building. While the Shrine is dedicated to Syn, a goddess of a small religion found almost exclusively in the City of Glaion, Azu the Raven is seen wandering its halls.
Now, the Shrine is a modest building on the outside, but is draped in a luxurious interior made from the devoted hands of the Sun's Path. Polished marble, glistening fountains lining its walls, comfortable seating anywhere and everywhere one could look. A true comfort to the city and any pilgrims that make their way to the settlement. For the shrine serves one function and one function only. To feel peace, within oneself, within one's mind, to remedy the ills that surround the pilgrims. This is by no means limited to personal trauma or any mental illness at all. The Priests and Priestesses offer no sermon, and will not enlighten those about their faith or the paths to follow.
The Holy people of the Sun's Path simply wish to comfort and guide. As the Sun guides the day across the sky in an inexorable march that is as certain as a new dawn, so too do the clergy follow in the steps of the shrine. If one comes to the shrine with woes of finances, relationships, political advice, or even just a foul mood, they will help you in any way they can, asking for nothing in return. A refuge, that many do not accept the physical help the clergy offers, taking the advice and wisdom they have to offer instead.
Though one should walk the Path of Solitude, a grand vaulted archway leading to a private fountain, scented with roses and thyme, one can experience something unique. On occasion one can hear a soft voice, accenting the subtle harp music dancing in the wisps of incense. A voice many have heard, though could never place. A conscious to ease the weight of a heavy mind. As one can walk closer to the private pool, if they have listened to the words whispered into their ears, if they accept that many of the world's problems are out of their control, that many of their problems are their own making, you can see someone.
by Thereasonwhy
Azu the Raven, Azu the Great Butterfly, Azu the Beautiful. The Goddess of Love and Beauty is frequently seen at this pool, speaking to the worshipers of the world. Discussing their worldly problems and the best ways to deal with them. Maybe not the easiest or quickest ways, but what is best. As the worshipers speak with the goddess, they often forget about their problems wondering how insignificant it all is. While this isn't to say that the problems one faces is not a trial to overcome, there is always a solution that will fix the situations people are in. Many more take the moment to enjoy the presence of the goddess, an overwhelming feeling of warmth and comfort that leads legions of people to want to visit the shrine over and over for the chance to speak with her once again.
The Aquaregia is one of the very few places the Mistwalkers have ever been seen outside the Valley of Mists. Taking a circuitous route through the mountains to avoid being seen on the paths, they often wait until the dead of night when there are not many people of the streets of Zelthuma. Wishing to speak with their goddess in a more direct communion. The Clergy never comment on it, never tell anyone they are here. In fact, they will often close the shrine down for "cleaning and maintenance" for the Mistwalker to worship in private, unseen by the general public.
Tourism
A visit of Neaves Emberwing of the Clan of the Wide Eyes, following shortly after her time in a thunderstorm.
Her pace was quick as she padded through the wet cobblestone streets, the humid air clinging to her hair. Knowing what Aafje had told her, the brass doors with the symbol of the clan carved into the front. She lifted the heavy knocker poised to strike it, just as she was about to let go the door swung inward noiselessly, pulling Neaves through. She stumbled but caught herself, spreading her wings wide to balance once again.
The gravelly voice of the Dwarf greeted her in a reverent manner. "Come Child, Gjorn has always told us to treat your people with the same respect as we would our own. So please, Sister, come." He motioned for the staff to clear out the shrine for Neaves.
Ushering her into a side chamber, another woman with soft hands began combing Neaves wet and tangled hair. Though she had little cause to use it, she spoke to them in the broken common that she knew. "What, why is doing?"
"We know the truth, we know the reasons. The Sons and Daughters of Sy, Azu are always welcome. There are not many on the Branches of the tree that can claim heritage to the gods themselves, now are there?" The woman said somewhat quickly for Neaves to follow.
"You know, Azu?" She asked, feeling a little foolish at her inability to speak fluently as she would in her own tongue.
"Would this help?" A Priest asked, walking in, shielding his eyes. The woman had very suddenly removed Neaves sodden dress, handing her a clean traveling garment, far more suited to the roads and mountain skies. Though her face flushed deep red, whipping her head at the woman she wasn't looking at her. Hands clasped over one another facing the other direction, offering a bar of soap and a scented towel.
The Priest cleared his throat, though never taking his hand from his eyes. "Would this help?" She had suddenly realized the man had spoken in her own language.
She stuttered out, "Ye-yes, it would. Thank you, for ah."
"Think nothing of it, while this isn't a bathhouse, we would offer the road weary a place to cleanse themselves. After that you can tell us what ails you, and we will offer any help we can." He said, holding his arm out for her to grab and follow. "Madam, you can wear the robes while we walk to the chambers."
Though as she walked out of the side chamber with the Priest she was in wrapped awe at the splendor of the main Shrine. The fire in her wings glittering softly off the fountains leaping from the basins of the cool water, the polished marble floors offering a mirror like reflection that even a noble woman would be jealous of. Her skin covered in goosebumps at the magnificence of it. "I'll be fine" She said to the Priest, far more preoccupied with looking at everything around her to be concerned with her nudity.
The chamber that held the Bath, if you could call it that, was something oddly familiar to Neaves. The marbling stopped at the doorway, giving way to rough sandstone that waved in fossilized patterns of ancient seabeds. The hot spring was one of the last things she had expected, though she quickly slipped in, grateful for the familiar sensation of her wings being soothed in the heat of the waters. Laying back to float atop the surface, the hot water easing the tension she held in her shoulders and back. She lay there for quite some time before remembering the woman had handed her soap, lazily moving her wings below the water to push toward the edge.
She was pleasantly surprised to have the aroma of cloves and nutmeg fill her nose as she scrubbed away the dirt and sweat she hadn't noticed before. "Why are you unhappy, daughter of mine?" She didn't react, only thinking back to the argument she had with Afjie not too long ago. Lost in the maze of her own mind, not realizing there was no one else in the room with her, she answered.
"I don't understand why we can't get along with the humans. Mother says that they wronged us in times past and that's why the Guardians exist. I exist. I watch them in their shipyards, building those grand vessels. The life and movement in the city is interesting to me. So why is Aafje, the Father, Tythi and the rest so afraid of them? Aren't we the ones offering them safe passage through our Valley?" Her voice was flat, trying to keep emotion out of it. Her hard beaten training kicked in, emotions suppressed under duress. Emotions made mistakes, emotions got the family killed.
Chapter 25: To See Our Progress in The Great Tree: Soft and Subtle Wind Neaves was given the nickname of Fotia by the shipyard workers as the fire in her wings can clearly be seen at almost any distance.
"Why is feeling such a bad thing?" The voice said, ephemeral, glancing off the surface of the waters. Neaves got out of the water, the heat from her wings quickly drying her skin without need for the scented towel laying forgotten.
She stood, hand on her hip. "Keep calm, keep quiet. The Guardians must not be seen, they must guide the trespassers away without conflict. Keep outsiders away from the family, don't let them smell the adrenalin on your skin."
The voice did not answer, though she thought back to it. The time she was spotted at the shipyard, that group didn't try to intercept her, didn't try to stop her. She could faintly hear a harp being played in the main chamber, walking out, peering down the halls she noticed most of the doors had been shut. Leaving only one door open for her to wander down, a Priestess watching her, waved her toward the door. Neaves noticed her eyes were milky white, blind. Though Neaves could still shots of cerulean through them, like sky trying to peek through the clouds.
She walked through the door, and stood again in awe at the shrine. A seemingly endless hallway columns of archways spanning the entire way down. The floor was like a placid lake, thin tendrils of ivy growing up the stone lattice work, though their lack of sunlight didn't seem to matter to them. "There is merit in control, though if control is all you are after, then you are missing much." The voice sounded as if it was coming from further down the long passage.
Neaves began walking, not particularly knowing what was down there, but unafraid of the conversation. "Then what am I missing?"
"A sense of belonging. You are an Ember, a child shunned by all by your Mother Aafje. You grew up never having known anything besides her, you grew up with a duty you didn't understand. Now here you are trying to feel like you belong to something greater." The voice was kind, a patient tone impervious to the denials it had heard time and time again.
"I am not! I feel fine with the clan, I feel proud of my duty to the Family, to Mother, to them all! I am not ashamed or resentful of the culture I was born to." Neaves shouted, her voice echoing back to her.
She continued walking down the passageway as the voice responded. "I never said anything of shame or resentment. You did. Do you resent your people?"
Neaves didn't like where this was going, archways passing overhead like thoughts floating on by. "I... I don't know."
"Then why do you feel this way? Was it not you who harbors in your mind that emotions are unneeded for your duty? Was it not you who came here and for what? Clearly you see value in feeling. Alive? Purpose? Sane? Do you seek a place where you can heal? A place where you can grow?" The voice was louder, calmer, sweeter.
"I was just a child, I hadn't even opened my eyes yet to the world." She whispered.
"So you resent the path chosen for you." Neaves rounded a pillar just on the outside of a central dais. In a grand fountain rimmed in silver and gold, there stood someone. Clearly the source of the voice she had been speaking to this entire time, Neaves stood unsure of just what she was looking at.
The woman with flowing black fair turned, bare the same as Neaves, her iridescent monarch wings burning softly despite the water sheathing them. "Azu?" She asked.
"Eyes clouded by hate, by abandonment of her people. Yet she can still find peace and beauty in the world. The quiet moments basked in the warm waters to sooth away the nerves, to unclench the jaw and relax. Able to see the beauty that surrounds her, able to see even the smallest pieces of magnanimity in a blind girl's eyes. Yet you claim that you have no need for feeling, yet you constantly search out for things to feel. How can you deny yourself the simple dignity of enjoyment? You sat through a thunderstorm just to feel the cold rain against your wings, you love your Mother, yet have never met her. You hold everyone at arm's length so you can what? Tell yourself you don't need to feel to protect them all? You deny yourself a basic need, you deny me the beauty of seeing one of the children grow."
Neaves slipped down the column she was trying to hide behind, legs tucked under her, wings tucked away to not be seen. Only she felt the warm arms of Azu wrap around her, saying nothing, only holding her there. Waiting patiently for her to accept her words.
Alternative Names
Crystal Fountains, Whispering Halls
Type
Temple / Religious complex
Parent Location
Owner
Additional Rulers/Owners
Owning Organization
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