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

"I suppose you're right. If anything, it proves that I'm not trying to secret a weapon in my hair, despite my elaborate designs."

Padmé laughs self-consciously at being found out about staring at the strange, diaphanous fabric. "It's gorgeous. It reminds me of a gown I own back home. But your fiancé is extremely talented if he's crafted that for you."

She takes the other woman's hand and shakes it firmly. "I wasn't aware that there was a Healer's Guild here, but I'm also not surprised. It's taking me a while to find my footing since my arrival."

"Precisely." Raine gives her a tiny, firm nod of agreement. Padmé does have impressively long hair-- there's quite a bit that could be done with it, by someone knowledgeable and inventive enough.

There's the obligatory moment to wonder if Padmé's world has magic, or something equivalent; Raine runs into it almost every time she meets someone new. "Is crafting," she says, still a bit wry, and she pauses to glance around the courtyard. Before long she points out one of the corners to Padmé, where there's a man telling stories with shadow-puppets that aren't precisely coming from the shapes of his hands. "He's a necromancer; he has magic with shadows, among other things. Is there such a thing, in your world?"

Overall, despite the possible awkwardness of the encounter, Raine's finding her first impression of Padmé a positive one. Not everyone can maintain so much aplomb in such a situation. "It's situated in the Water sector," she says. "If you'd ever like to volunteer, I can always use the help, whether it's healing or administrative. Have you had much of a chance to explore the city?"

"I've never thought of doing that before, actually." And she's not at all sure why that's the case. Maybe because it's so much easier to just grab a blaster and use that. "I suppose that if I fail at being a politician, I can't fall back on being an assassin."

Padmé follows the line of Raine's arm as she points out the man she'd noticed briefly. "There is something, yes, but I'm afraid that I'm not very closely associated with it. You'd be better off asking my...friends from home about it."

She's not sure why, but she doesn't feel comfortable disclosing her relationship with Anakin to a stranger without actually talking to him first. A part of her is sure that he'd be happy to scream it to everyone he's ever met, but she...needs to talk to discuss it with him first. Hence her hesitation.

"I'm afraid that I'm not very good with healing. There isn't much chance of it when I spend most of my time in committee meetings back home." Besides, most of the best healers were medic droids. "But to answer your question, no, I haven't yet. I've been remiss in that aspect because of the suddenness of my arrival. And the fact that I've had to barter with Anton for room and board at the hotel."

Raine laughs quietly, mostly because she is thinking of an assassin who was not exactly competent at her job. She's not entirely surprised by politician, though if she had to judge by Padmé's bearing alone she would likely have said noble; then again, her world doesn't have many who make politics their entire career.

The hesitation over friends is noted, but for the moment not commented on. "You're fortunate," Raine says, a little wistfully. "To have others from your home with you." She moves on from any of her own emotions relatively quickly, though, to more interesting matters. "Who would be the best to talk to? I've been making some study of the differences in magical conventions-- it's fascinating, the commonalities you'll find between completely disparate worlds."

To the rest Raine nods, understanding. "It will likely be best to explore with someone," she says, "but in general, Keeliai is a beautiful place. And you're in good hands at the Hotel."

Well, then Raine wouldn't be surprised to know that Padmé started her varied career as a queen. However, before then she was just the younger daughter of a normal bureaucrat on one of the Core planets.

And she's grateful for not bringing up the hesitation. It's a sensitive subject for her and she might not talk about it, even if she's asked. "I feel that I am, yes. They've made my arrival here fairly easy." However, she can't help but smile at the other woman's enthusiasm regarding the 'magical' situation. "If you're looking for someone who would be willing to give you concessions, I think you'd be better off talking to Master Obi-Wan Kenobi."

However, she can't help but smile at a private thought. "Yes, I'm sure that I'll be able to find someone who would be willing to escort me around to explore. If you're ever interested in some delicacies from Naboo, I'm sure that I can whip something up."

"Kenobi," Raine murmured. She had heard the name, she was sure of it. Most likely on the network. "That sounds familiar. I'll have to find him later."

Perhaps not right now, though. As fascinating a cultural phenomenon as this was, it did not rank among her favorites.

"One of your friends, I take it?" Raine inquired with some quiet amusement. It seemed that sort of a smile. "I don't cook much, myself -- for some reason, my friends don't like to let me." Just because she likes to experiment a little--! Honestly. She isn't over the sign in the Hotel kitchen. "I'd certainly be interested, yes."

"He lives at the Midnight Hotel, if you need to find him. As do I."

And Padmé loves discussing all the differences and similarities between cultures. It is part of finding a way to negotiate with others, part of what she lives for.

"Yes, Master Kenobi and I have known each other for a very long time. He has been a great help whenever I have needed him." She is extremely lucky to be able to call him a friend and she knows it.

Padmé blinks in surprise. Oh, she's that Raine. "Well, any time you're interested, please come by and I will make my mother's recipe of four-flour bread."

Raine nods. "That should be simple enough. I'm there with some regularity these days, in any case." Obi-Wan Kenobi. Perhaps she should send him a message first, to ensure he has the time for her questions and the notes she's going to want to take.

It is, really, good to hear that Padmé has someone like that to rely on; it's a much better situation than arriving and being completely a stranger in a strange land. Raine smiles -- there's a bit of that same wistfulness, tucked away quickly into something more peaceful.

She has not expected to garner any infamy for her cooking pursuits. Padmé's response is, at the least, somewhat restrained. "Four-flour bread?" she repeats, openly curious now. "I take it you use flour from different grains? Why is that? Is it for texture, or taste?"

This may not be the best conversation to have with someone so dangerous in the kitchen, but the topic's there now.

"I can let him know that you'd like to talk to him, if you want." Instead of having some woman coming up and asking him questions that he hardly knows. It would probably ruffle her dear friend to no end. Although, he does need to have his feathers ruffled a bit more in her opinion.

As much as she's pleased that Obi-Wan is here, she much prefers her husband, given that time with him back home was an extreme rarity. And she notes the other woman's look of sadness interspersed with her pleasantness. Fiancé or not, she must be alone. It's enough to make Padmé temper her own happiness back a bit.

"Hm, you know, I hadn't really thought about it, but it does take four different kinds of grain flour. And it's easy to substitute them for others, which is probably is for the best. I don't think I'm going to find a Gungan trader any time soon."

"Thank you-- I'd appreciate that." It would be somewhat more polite than some of the ~~interrogations~~ studies she's made, to be fair, and it would ensure that she's introduced beforehand.

"Gungan?" Raine asks absently, but she's already on to the problem of flour. "Many of the ingredients here are likely subtly different from what you'll expect, and it does take some adjustment, but they compensate for each other. There's fruits here nothing like those in my world." Some of them have quickly risen up her favorites list, though nothing quite compares to lemons.

"--Still, you should be able to find at least four suitable grains here; I don't think you'll have much trouble." Raine looks relatively pleased by this conclusion. "My brother didn't have much trouble in finding substitutes in his recipes, when necessary, at any rate."

"What sort of friend would I be if I didn't at least give him fair warning, right?" She'd be Anakin, that's who.

"The Gungan are the aquatic race of people that share my home world with the humans. They are very interesting, but they also have a grain that grows in their cities that aren't like anything on Naboo's surface. I'm sure that I'll be able to find replacements for everything I'd need. Until then, I will have to bake a lot of bread." Pity.

NO! NO LEMONS, RAINE!

"Oh, your brother is here then?"

Look, there is nothing wrong with lemons.

"Aquatic," Raine murmurs, and puts that together with 'not like anything on the surface' to come up with a people that have entirely submerged cities.

It's several different kinds of interesting, actually, wondering what sort of technology they've developed underwater. Raine is also quite certain she never wants to visit. "How fascinating," Raine says, with feeling, but she's just as happy to not be discussing living underwater.

"He was for several months. He-- isn't any more," Raine explains after a moment's hesitation. "He returned home last summer."

There is everything wrong with lemons when you abuse them like that. Some things aren't meant to have lemons. Like...sandwiches.

"Hm, yes, although I believe they are actually semi-aquatic, since they have no problem breathing air like the humans on the surface. I was lucky enough to get to meet the Boss of the clan nearest my planet's capital and to team up with him and his people during a time of strife. They didn't care much for the humans before that."

Padmé is also of the opinion that living under the surface of Naboo's many waters would not suit her, so Raine isn't alone in that.

"Ah, I'm sorry." She smiles sadly and looks away. "It isn't easy being separated from those you love, no matter the circumstances."

Just because you haven't yet met a sandwich that uses lemons well, doesn't mean you never will. It is possible and so help her she will prove it. Someday. She will revolutionize the world of cooking.

"Ah-- that makes sense, as an evolutionary adaptation." Raine considers this. "Fortunate. It sounds like they may actually be more suited to the planet than humans, if both water and land are open to them as livable terrain..." And she shakes her head, coming back to herself and the fact that perhaps now is not the best time for speculating on the evolutionary lines of a species she may never meet. "It's fortunate you were able to manage a peace. It's hopeful for the future."

They're agreed, then. No one will be living underwater. Ever.

"No," Raine agrees. She recognizes the sorrow in Padmé's face, and she offers, when she looks back, a sympathetic sort of a smile. "I know he's safe, at least, which... helps."

Please don't, Raine. Please don't. Unless this is some diabolical trick to get people to not only eat your cooking but to increase your healing business.

"Perhaps that's so. I do believe they were the true natives to Naboo, but humans have lived there for so long that the records of when they arrived from the capital planet." It's that little bit that lets her know that Raine is a woman of learning and Padmé likes her all the more for it. If she's to be stuck in this strange city, it's nice to know that she'll have good company outside of her husband and old friend. "It was a time of strife for all our peoples. I was just lucky that he was willing to listen to reason."

No, Padmé will stick to cities on the surface of planets for the bulk of her life, thank you.

"That is a relief for you, I suppose. To know that someone you love has returned to a safe time and place, even if it's not with you..."

~~Raine yes.~~

"Ah," Raine says, with an air of enlightenment. "Of course-- that's more than likely. Our own planet was also settled in a similar manner; the old stories indicate the elves must have arrived from another." And there, suddenly the disparity makes sense; it's simply that interplanetary colonization is not the first thing she tends to suspect.

"Fortunate, also, that you were willing to speak reason," she points out in a moment, sharp-eyed. That seems like the kind of woman Padmé is, and it's promising, to have someone new be so reasonable.

"It's the best I can hope for right now," she agrees finally. Diplomatically. She's not sure she'd prefer Genis with her, given the upheavals they've seen, but she does miss him. Knowing he's safe is the best available option.

"From what I understand, Naboo's hardly the only planet to suffer from colonization by humans and then no one can remember when they came." The galaxy was full of humans and they all thought they owned the worlds over the other races. Bah.

"The truth of the matter is that my people and I were desperate. We needed the help of the Gungan almost as much as they needed us. I couldn't let my people, any of them, be slaves to our enemies while I could still fight. Words were the least I could do but my last resort at that point." Even twelve years later, she still remembered what it was like to be a scared, desperate fourteen year old, newly elected queen facing a horrible crisis. "And I've always been good with words."

She nods in understanding. As much as she loves her handmaidens who are her oldest and dearest friends, she can't wish them here. If she could, she'd prefer it if Anakin and Obi-Wan were home as well. Their being here left a heavy, sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I can understand that completely. However, I'm selfish in that I plan on taking advantage of the time here with my friends."

Raine spares a moment to consider the possibility that her planet might truthfully be within the same world as another's here, and they simply can't tell for the distance between them. But-- the elves had to come from somewhere, after all, and mana isn't something many other Foreigners are familiar with.

Still. An interesting thought.

"I'd be interested in hearing the full story at some point, if it's not too personal," Raine says thoughtfully. Too personal, there, could mean any number of things; it's meant to give Padmé a way out. This isn't the all-consuming curiosity that usually has her racing ahead, but rather something more considering, wondering at the ways others have resolved such large conflicts.

The understanding between them, too, is a reassurance. "I'd hardly call it selfish if you simply don't have the choice to return home," Raine points out. "Additionally, since we don't retain the memories of this place upon our return, it's... logical, to choose to live this life while you have it."

"I would be glad to tell you about the incident at a later time. My companions here helped at the time and they can verify anything you would like to know."

Why should she hid a moment of pride for her people? While she found no joy in the actual fighting aspect of it, she found joy in united the races of Naboo under a common cause and making it a stronger member of the Senate as a result.

She frowns at that tidbit of information. She'd heard it before, but she hadn't put much into it. Having it reconfirmed means she can't ignore it. "You have a point. We simply don't have this sort of relative peace back home. It's saddening to think that we won't even have the memories of it should we return."

"Perhaps over coffee or a meal," Raine suggests, tactfully not mentioning that she would also likely prefer to have that discussion while they're clothed. She would certainly forget about the current environmental factors if she was involved enough in her curiosity, but it would be optimal not to be thinking about it in the first place.

The difficulty of their memories gets, from Raine, a sympathetic smile. "When I came here, my friends and I had just finished a long journey with a great deal of fighting," she says. "I arrived while Malicant was still living, and became part of that fight instead. In contrast, things as they are now are a welcome change." And she sighs. "As much as I want to return home someday, and I miss the people who remain there, I've made friends here who I don't relish the thought of forgetting, either, and my fiancé is from a different world, as well. It's... a difficult situation."

"That sounds fine. I can be found at the Midnight Hotel normally." Having a conversation while naked isn't exactly Padmé's forte either, but it could be worse. It's definitely not the strangest conversation she's had, that's for sure. And it's about a million times more interesting than listening to a budget committee meeting.

"In that light, I suppose fighting a Galactic Civil war seems...mild. I can't help but find myself immensely grateful to have arrived at a time where the fighting here is at a low, especially since it gives my friends some sort of a reprieve from being soldiers."

Raine nods. She knows the place well, and it won't be difficult to find Padmé. That settles that well enough, then.

"A galactic civil war?" That... actually does sound fairly serious. Even if Malicant had the potential to reach through many worlds, as well, a war that -- if she's understanding correctly -- involves multiple planets would have a great potential for destruction as well. Raine shakes her head. "Yes-- that's part of the benefit of this place. A reprieve. And there are a number of people who've found the freedom to be different here, as well, removed from the pressures of their native worlds. I can't help but think that losing our memories, even if it's intended to be a balm, is no good thing."

"Yes, I was against going to war, but I was part of the minority in that call." If she sounds like she resents it, then her point is made. The loss of life makes her ill on a daily basis.

"As for the benefits and repercussions of our time here, that's yet to be seen. Some things, I've found, are unavoidable."

Raine hums a thoughtful note under her breath. Padmé advocates for peace, yet another mark in favor of her character, but she's not quite convinced of that last.

"Perhaps that's true," she says at length. "Some things can't be changed; but it's difficult to know the difference before trying." As Padmé said: yet to be seen. "I"ll be curious to know what you think, as time goes on."

She is a politician who actually advocates for serving her people and does to the best of her abilities while staying above the corruption. It makes her a bit of a walking contradiction to most people she knows and has met in her lifetime. She's not at all sorry either.

However, she tries to keep a realistic outlook as well. War was unavoidable. It didn't need to involve everyone everywhere.

"Oh, I agree. Just because it looks impossible doesn't mean you shouldn't try. I've never let 'no' stop me." She smiles sharply. "But find me in a few weeks and ask me then. I enjoy lively debate from time to time."

[EVENT | TAVIMBI] HAPOYELA'S BLESSINGS

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Funny you should mention Lloyd~

gee I wonder why that might have happened :P