CHAPTER 5

[faentasy]

CHAPTER 5

monday

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Almost half of the non-fairy population of Aira Niluc is gone.

Some may be feeling the absence of their fellow participants in this story. Others will stay focused on the wish they want to get. What never changes is that the story goes on, bringing you closer to the end -- and to another chapter. What will it bring this time?

Snow!

Snow as far as the eye can see, a cold blanket covering the new area. Some winter amenities are now available, ready for perusal! But that's not all there's to find: everyone also will find reminders of their homes, of people they know, of happier times.

Of their wishes.

Who will try to reach their wish this time?

[[Welcome to Week 5! Feel free to make top levels at your discretion, and remember to note it in your header if you plan on investigating any locations. However, please try to keep investigations to Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday! You can also privately contact Hamelin at your leisure.

In addition, a reminder that any Murder Proposals for this week are due by Tuesday 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST! However, please note that you have the option of submitting murder proposals for a later week as well.]]

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investigation!!!!

[crimson_flamel]

Boutique

[Edelgard has been piling on layers with a grumble. She'd gone to explore before realising that it's freezing without the correct gear. She looks a bit ridiculous, given the mismatched nature of the clothing. She stares into the mirror, looking at her outfit.

Then, suddenly, her eyes widen and she takes a step back with a scowl.]

...more tricks. Every week it's the same.

Church

[Edelgard stares up at the church with nearly open disdain. More religion, even here.

She enters, running her fingers over the benches. To anyone nearby, she'll ask.]

Is religion as mandatory in your homeland as it is in mine?

[She's going to spend the rest of the time investigating the church and looking for secrets, thoroughly. Specifically any hidden messages planted here or hidden compartments.]

Maze

I don't think we should go in alone.

[She's rubbing her hands, slumped in on herself and miserable, and turns to whoever's nearby.]

Care to accompany me?

church

[gemuinemanagement]

Not really
Most people in my village are only casually religious if they believe at all

[He has complicated thoughts on that, but...]

[crimson_flamel]

I see... and what faith is this? I've read about christianity in the archives, but I understand there's many faiths and the religious texts don't often make reference of others.

[gemuinemanagement]

Japan is mostly Shinto and Buddhist
Often people practice both
They're less aggressively Our Way Is The Only Right Way than Christianity is

[crimson_flamel]

I see. The Faith of Seiros is similarly aggressive. They branded any other lingering religious practices in the region as heretical some time ago. They never wiped them out directly, but they intentionally ingrained the prejudice into our cultural values until such lingering faiths were pushed to the edges of society.

[Perhaps religion is another of those universal evils. Fuck the Goddess.]

...I used to be religious, when I was a little girl.

[gemuinemanagement]

Lots of people are when they're young
Before they really think about what they believe instead of just what they're taught

[crimson_flamel]

I never understood those who stayed faithful after that. I can't judge, not exactly. But relying on a goddess above to solve your problems...

It feels like another version of running. Or waiting for another to solve your problems for you.

[She may be prejudiced. And also more than a bit condescending. Her brow furrows as she just stares at the church around her. She wonders, briefly, if Hamelin wants them to pray for their lives.

That would be yet another similarity he shares with Those Who Slither.]

church;

[biyishuangfei]

...I wouldn't say it's mandatory, but a lot of people do have belief in gods and goddesses.

[ Some of which he was ultimately unfamiliar with. ]

Why does your home make it mandatory, though?

[crimson_flamel]

[She smiles a somewhat bitter smile.]

A church's power is only maintained so long as the people believe in the power they hold, and in an institution founded on ideology, the only way to maintain that power is to ingraine the ideology into the minds of the people.

If someone claims to speak for a higher power, who offers salvation and forgiveness, then it makes whatever they say gospel.

[She sighs, rubbing her forehead. Fuck the Goddess.]

What about you? Do you have any religious idols?

[biyishuangfei]

I guess? There's a ton of gods and goddesses to believe in back home. Though really you're not forced or pressured to believe in them, but people are taught sometimes if they want something that praying to them can help. So there's the incentive, I think.

[ Though it's not really clear which gods/goddesses are present in the Canon but, you know, there's the beings for rain, wealth, etc. ]

I don't think we have churches back home so that may also help. Do you know who continues to push for this sort of thing back in your world? Usually there's someone at the top of those agendas.

[crimson_flamel]

[Stringing along mortals with prayer... well, it's one of the less insidious practices of religion. And she only looks down on it because it's the thing that gave her specific trauma.]

The Archbishop. She's gone by many names over the centuries she's ruled over Fodlan, swapping out one identity for another so she can continue pretending to be mortal. From what I understand, she's the spawn of the Goddess herself, and she's used her position to spread lies and misinformation to keep humanity from rising against her or against her dead mother.

She's the one who runs the academy I am enrolled in at the moment.

[biyishuangfei]

[ ...Yikes! Granted this is just Edelgard's point of view but still it sounded a little scary to him.

An awful goddess...or rather. A creature. ]

C-Centuries?! So she's immortal like her mother, maybe?

[crimson_flamel]

She's a dragon, hiding in human form. Her immortality is something I'm certain of.

But she's not un-killable. Nemesis, The King of Liberation killed her mother, afterall.

[And proceeded to commit genocide against her people but Edelgard doesn't know that, whoops.]

[faentasy]

[ By thorough does this mean Edelgard is rummaging through even sacred objects like the tabernacle? ]

[crimson_flamel]

[Who do you think you're talking to? She'll ransack a church, she doesn't give a fuck.

What's in the tabernacle?]

[faentasy]

[ In her defense she probably doesn't know how sacred a tabernacle is. Of note before she opens it up is that it's placed on the back of the altar, and is shined to perfection. Given the effects of this week she may have gotten a glimpse of a reflection or two in the process of opening it.

Inside the tabernacle is a note, though it's not a particularly big one. Still it's folded over to fit inside the tabernacle snugly. ]

[crimson_flamel]

[Yes, that is the excuse that she will use. She did not know. She definitely wouldn't defile a tomb of personal and religious significance to her enemies just to raid it for magic stuff.

Yeah...

Frankly, spotting Hubert's reflection in this case is a comfort. He, too, would support this.

She will pick up the note and try to read it. What does it say.]

[faentasy]

[ In messy handwriting: ]

This story will be over soon.

[crimson_flamel]

[She squints at it. Does it resemble any of the handwriting that she has on record?]

maze

[sempiternel]

I’d be glad to, my lady. But first...

[ Yuri reaches inside her jacket and pulls out a... cotton bag of hot grain. She holds it out to Edelgard. ]

For warmth!

[crimson_flamel]

Oh! Um... do I... take some of the grain, or do we simply hold the bag?

[This practice is very alien to her!]

[sempiternel]

You tuck the bag against your body - under your jacket or even against skin. Or you can keep it in your pocket to warm your hand. It’ll stay hot for about half an hour, and warm for a bit longer than that.

[crimson_flamel]

But what about you? Do you have one?

[sempiternel]

Yes! I have one, um, under my jacket. [ She would show Edelgard but! Body heat. ] This extra one is for my hands, but I'm glad to share. My lady looks rather cold.

[crimson_flamel]

I see... This is very thoughtful, Yuri.

[She takes the bag and puts it under her big coat, only a little hesitantly. It's warm... Infinitely better.]

I can give it back if your hands are too cold, though, or offer gloves. I have a few spares...