tushanshu_logs | [EVENT | TAVIMBI] HAPOYELA'S BLESSINGS

[EVENT | TAVIMBI] HAPOYELA'S BLESSINGS

Characters: Come one, come all!
Date: March 5th
Location: The Sabonile Temple, in Hatal
Situation: The Foreigners, as well as many prominent kedan, have been invited to the great Temple of Hapoyela in Hatal, where the Sabonile priest class wishes them to participate in a celebration!
Warnings/Rating: Character nudity in the after-feast comment. Indicate content warnings in subject headers as applicable.

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According to the Sabonile priests, Hapoyela wishes to properly welcome the Foreigners and the kedan to the full scope of Tavimbi's hospitality, and has instructed the clergy to organize a suitably impressive celebration for the citizens of the oldest living Great Turtle. All Foreigners, as well as many notable kedan including the Family heads, are invited to attend a grand feast and celebration at the Sabonile Temple, one of the largest buildings in all of Hatal.

The clergy has promised an evening of good food, lively entertainment, and the magnificent blessings of Hapoyela. At the same time, the Sabonile will be hosting a soup kitchen in the Temple's courtyard, feeding the hungry and the poor, as dictated by their religious tenets and beliefs.

While those who receive an invitation to the event, which the Sabonile consider a sacred charge from Hapoyela, are not required to attend... it could be seen as a disrespect to their deity.

MOD NOTE: For the naked after party section, soul gems are still allowed to be worn. If your character isn't up for stripping down, they can excuse themselves from that segment of the evening, which will have no negative repercussions with the Sabonile. In this case, they will simply do a wave-over blessing from Hapoyela around the person, and bid them a pleasant evening before they go.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Padmé gives a dismissive wave of her hand, muting it with a small smile.

"Don't worry about it. Us Foreigners should stick together, right?" She watches as the priests move around the area. "Besides, I wasn't very attached to those bracelets and I'm sure that the people here need them more than I do."

Simon nodded, relaxing.

"I appreciate it nonetheless," he replied. "And you're right- having good relationships with each other is just as important as fostering good ones with the others we meet. Because to them, we are the Others, after all."

"I'm used to being looked at differently." It's part of the territory when you spend most of your life caring for others. "However, I the fact of the matter is that we're stuck here whether we like it or not and it behooves us to be kind to one another."

She holds out her hand for him to shake. "I'm Padmé Amidala. You are?"

"I'm Simon," he replied with a warm smile, taking the offered hand and shaking it. "And I have to agree... on the one hand, it's rather sad that the arrival of so-called Foreigners is so common that there is a welcome center and everything, but on the other hand, I would have been utterly lost without it. Of course, my sister could have explained things to me, as well, but not everyone is lucky enough to have someone they know already here."

"Yes, it is sad that they had to establish something like a Welcome Center for newcomers, but we are extremely lucky in that regard. I am also fortunate that a few of my friends from home are here as well." And she feels that. She knows that there are others less fortunate than herself. "Have you been here long? You sound as if you're still adjusting."

"Good... it's good to have friends here," he agreed. "And yes, I only arrived here around a month and a half ago. My sister arrived some weeks before I did, so both of us are still learning our way around. I at least have employment and lodgings, so I am thankful for that much."

"Oh, and what is that you've been roped into doing while you're here? Everyone I've met so far has been so kind that I've actually found more than a few things to do already."

"I'm with the healer's guild," Simon replied. "I'm a doctor back home, so I was recruited into their ranks right away. Which is good- I would hate for my skills to get rusty."

"That's a good thing for you, then. I somehow found myself agreeing to help Pepper Potts with helping set up some sort of government here. On my first day." She smiled a little wryly. "But, honestly, I still find it strange that healing is done by people here. It's usually handled by droids where I'm from."

Simon laughed.

"Now that is something I can see Pepper doing," he replied. "And recruiting people into doing it right away. I wish the both of you luck in trying." He then tilted his head, listening with interest. "We have the assistance of droids back home sometimes, but we've found that nothing is quite as precise as a human touch."

"I don't mind it, since I am a politician back home. The thought of a place such as this without a properly functioning government makes it a little difficult for me to fathom. Then again, there are lawless planets where I'm from as well. But your wishes are most welcome. I have a feeling they will be needed."

She heard the stories about the former emperor. Dealing with that would be hard. Very hard.

"Not only do we have droids, but there is a substance that facilitates the natural healing process in humanoids called bacta. Tanks are filled with it and the patient is immersed into the liquid with a breathing apparatus. I can't recall the last time a human was an actual healer. I suppose it will take some getting used to."

"It is pretty frightening," Simon agreed. "The Foreigners seem to have done well taking care of themselves, but I don't see the harm of having a more formal system in place. We might not be able to be completely autonomous, but it will help us in case there is ever a crisis."

He raised his eyebrows.

"Wouldn't that be handy to have here," he remarked. "But then again, it may put me out of a job, hmm? As far as I know, we have nothing of that sort here- just our own hands, and some among our number have healing magics."

"The first step is to get the Kedan on board, but that sounds a lot easier than it might be, if any of the stories I've heard are to be believed about their last leader. However, I'm not really the type to let a little hard work stop me. Pepper doesn't strike me as someone like that either."

Which is good, because she'll need a backbone of steel to deal with some of the jerks running around in the world.'

"It is handy, yes, but it doesn't cure everything. Lightsaber scars and missing limbs are some of the things that come to mind right away. If that was the case, it would be a miracle indeed."

"Oh?" Simon perked up at that. "I have not heard much about the Kedan yet, save for the fact that we- as in we Foreigners- have good relations with them currently. I'd like to know more, if I am going to be here for a while."

He nodded.

"I'm not quite sure what a lightsaber is, but yes... one can only do so much for certain types of injury. Losing a limb can't be reversed by anything, only compensated for with a prosthetic."

"After a little digging, you can find out about the families that are no better than criminal syndicates and the former Emperor who was a thug. I am surprised that the Kedan are as happy as they are." She shrugged thoughtfully. "However, the Emperor was deposed and the families have lost a great deal of their former power and influence, so perhaps that's what most of it is."

She let out a soft huff of amusement.

"A lightsaber is a weapon that has a plasma laser as its blade. Most wounds are cauterized as they are made and cuts are usually clean. My husband knows just how dangerous they can be. He has a cybernetic replacement arm."

Simon listened to these facts with interest. He was, of course, aware of the crime syndicates, but he gave those sorts of people as wide a berth as possible, having no interest in getting mixed up with a criminal element again.

"They are on more of an equal footing with the others now, so it behooves everybody to try and get along," he concluded. "Which is a good thing for us, because dealing with hostile kedan would make it that much harder for us."

He raised an eyebrow.

"That does sound very dangerous," he agreed. "Where I come from, lasers are mostly affordable only to the very rich... they are seen as being as much a status symbol as a weapon."

Padmé, as a lifelong politician, knew that sometimes the lines between criminals and the ruling class and politicians was blurred even with the best of intentions. It was just a fact of her business, sadly.

"You would think that, but some are inclined to think they are better than others, despite being set low." She shook her head sadly. "However, most of the Kedan here seem to be friendly and open to Foreigners, which is definitely helpful. I plan on helping Pepper as much as I can when dealing with the natives. I expect it won't be easy though."

Nothing worth doing was, in her opinion.

"They're fairly common place in my world, I fear. A necessary evil of sorts. Most of the effective guns and other weaponry rely on plasma lasers. The lightsabers are...used by a small number of people, as opposed to blasters. I myself arrived with one."

"Pepper will be a good asset, at least," Simon smiled. "She seems to get along well with everyone and has plenty of energy and enthusiasm to go around. She was one of the first friends I made here, so I am quite fond of her."

Simon tilted his head, interested at how Padme's world differed from his own- he'd encountered several people who knew of other planets and space travel, but this was all new to him.

"Whereas most people where I come from tend to rely on bullets and knives if they're in close quarters," he replied. "We do have some handheld laser pistols, but for the more poorer people on frontier planets, they have physical ammunition."

"Yes, I'm lucky to have spoken with her almost as soon as I arrived. She was very excited to talk to me after having met a friend of mine from home."

She smiled at his obvious interest. So many people here weren't well-versed in space travel and she didn't mind talking about it.

"There are the more traditional weapons, such as blades and staves and the like, but blaster weapons are far more prevalent. If you'd like, I can show you the small pistol that I arrived with." She shrugged guiltily. "I might come from a pacifist planet, but there's a difference between promoting peace and letting oneself be led like a bantha to slaughter."

"I had a similar experience- she was the first one to tell me she knew my sister. She seems very keen on making sure everyone settles in as comfortably as they can."

Simon grinned and then shook his head.

"I'll be fine- and you're right, the fact that you might be seeking peace does not mean others will agree, sadly. They believe that being peaceful equates to weakness and vulnerability. It would be foolish to travel unarmed."

"Hm, yes, she does. There are worse personal traits to have than a welcoming nature."

Padmé could think of many, in fact.

"And yourself? Do you walk around unarmed or do they give you a wide berth because you are a healer?"

"I go unarmed- mostly because the people I travel with can defend me if need be," he replied, quiet for a moment as he thought of Mal, of Jayne, of Zoe- the old soldiers and the ship mercenary. Would they have been glad to be rid of him? Perhaps. And not knowing how to shoot a gun had proven detrimental to him more than once. "Our enemies tend to leave the medic alone for the most part, although I was once kidnapped by a group of people for my services as a doctor."

"I'm sure that Queen Jamilla would prefer it if I traveled unarmed, but after so many attempts on my life, it would be folly. Even with a full guard and decoys, I carry a pistol."

It was a habit that Anakin and Obi-Wan and Captain Panaka all encouraged. It lessened their burden to keep her safe in case they were busy. You know, trying not to die as well.

"I have been kidnapped a time or two. You have my sympathies."

"Believe me, I've considered carrying a weapon," Simon admitted. "But... I also know what bullets and lasers and knives can do to a person. When I became a doctor, I took an oath, and part of that was to do no harm. I'm not sure I could bring myself to fire on someone, even if a life-threatening situation."

Reavers, of course, excepted- because it was easier if he didn't think of them as people. They weren't able to be saved, no matter what Book- rest his soul- had thought.

"It was a difficult situation," he replied. "Because I wanted to help those people. They didn't have access to a doctor. Still, kidnapping was not the way to go about it."

"Honestly, I find the fact that I can defend myself if the need arises comforting. Although, I admit that I have made no such vow." She looked around before speaking again. "Although, to be fair, most of the enemies that I myself and my allies fight against are mostly droids, not people. I think that clarifies the situation a great deal."

She nodded in agreement.

"I can understand your dilemma. In something like that, no one wins and everyone loses."

[EVENT | TAVIMBI] HAPOYELA'S BLESSINGS

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