|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2025 1:02 am
Cloister of the Gentle Mercy Monastic Temple
A humble, charitable temple presenting as a quiet monastic house for prayer, alms, and rest. Its architecture favors soft light, simple lines, and well‑kept spaces that invite trust.
Exterior Appearance
Facade: whitewashed lime‑plaster with faint step‑fret borders at cornice height; a modest sun window of frosted glass over double wooden doors banded in brass.
Roof & Bell: low clay‑tile roof with a small open bell cote; a single bronze bell, patinated green, hangs under a timber frame.
Courtyard: shallow forecourt behind a waist‑high wall; herb planters, a stone bench, and a cistern bowl where pilgrims wash hands.
Signage: a simple wooden placard carved with a cupped hand beneath a small halo; no gilding, just oiled wood.
East Bell Tower (Facade)
Exterior Look: square belfry with wooden louver shutters and a small sun finial; reads as a modest bell cote extension.
Belfry Interior: waist‑high safety rail around a timber bell frame; rush‑matted floor, covered lantern hook, whitewashed walls.
Concealed Mount: two hinged louver panels on the leeside fold inward to expose a low‑signature swivel behind a false service baffle. When closed, seams align with louver slats and bell boards.
Access: narrow service stair from the narthex side passage; hatch door with simple iron latch.
West Watch Tower (Rear Corner)
Exterior Look: squat, parapeted tower with lime‑plastered crenels and narrow slit windows; appears to ventilate service rooms.
Tower Room: small chamber off the cloister walk stair; reed mats, prayer stool, shelves of oil jars and hymn plaques.
Concealed Embrasure: one stone‑faced merlon is a hinged shutter masking a recessed pivot carriage; interior shelving hides a shallow cartridge niche with a plastered false back.
Access: short stair rising from the cloister walk; plain timber door with pegged latch.
Interior — Ground Floor
Narthex: narrow entry with a rack of reed mats and a low table for alms candles; walls bear simple stenciled fronds and a small sun‑disc in earth pigments.
Sanctum Hall: single‑aisle room with whitewashed walls and a timber ceiling; light enters through high, narrow slits softened by linen screens. A plain stone altar sits on a two‑step dais, flanked by clay oil lamps and a small wooden lectern.
Side Aisles: shallow alcoves with devotional plaques and woven wall hangings in muted whites and ochres; floor in packed lime with a central runner of dark rushes.
Cloister Walk: a square passage looping a tiny inner garden—potted herbs, a trickle fountain, three stone seats under a trellis of reed shade.
Service Rooms
Refectory: long, scrubbed tables and benches; open shelves with glazed bowls and plain earthenware jugs.
Kitchen: hearth, iron trivet, drying hooks for herbs; a brick oven inset with a soot‑smudged arch.
Cells: four small rooms with pallet cots, a peg rail, and a stool each; linen curtains instead of doors.
Basement Level (Visible Areas)
Stair & Landing: stone steps from a door behind the refectory; lantern niche halfway down, walls finished in limewash with slate treads.
Store Room: racks of bottled herbs, folded linens, sealed oil jars, and a handcart; floor brushed clean, with scatter rugs to keep dust down.
Laundry Niche: a waist‑high stone basin with a drip channel; reed baskets, soap bars, and a drying line strung across.
Hidden Entrance (Visual Only)
Concealed Door: a flush stone panel set into the store room’s rear wall, outlined by a faint step‑fret border painted like the surrounding mortar. At first glance it reads as continuous masonry.
Disguise Details: a low shelving unit sits before it with folded cloths and oil jars; the stone shows the same limewash brush marks as the rest of the wall, and the seam lines follow the mortar courses.
Basement Ambience: cool, dry air with a slight herb scent; simple reed mats underfoot and a single shielded lantern give a soft gold glow.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2025 3:52 am
After some time of travel the Remaining Redemptioners and the Capture team with their prize gagged and a hook covering her face to keep her from seeing anything as well as her hands and feet bound they entered back into the Cloister the Jaguars warriors moved to deposit Bast in the same holding cell as the rest who were currently chained and bloodied to the walls, the Interrogator walked in “(Low Solian) put her there” he spoke in a language she didn’t understand, and waited as they unbound her hands and feet and then chained her to the wall, and only once she was secure did the hood come off that blocked her view. Her eyes followed the wry man who was still wearing his battle vestments a syringe in hand as he approached her, his offhand grabbing her face and moving it to the side before plunging the needle into her neck to administer the antitoxin, of which needed to be given now lest they lose her from the toxin before she could be questioned. The Antitoxin came with a feeling of her body loosening up, her breathing becoming easier, she could manage small motions of movement with her head admittedly she didn’t need to move it much since her captor had pointed her eyes in the direction of the missing bears that were dangling from similar but very different chains, their bodies were a mess like they had been beaten to an inch of their life but not given the release of death, bloodied and for one of the males whose identify couldn’t quiet tell due to the blurriness of still present from the toxin, appeared to have been used as a pin cushion, his body having his chest and arms exposed cuts and bruises everywhere, the others in similar states of torture, the men worse off than the woman, but not without her share of serious injuries.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2025 4:26 am
Bast felt Desmond inside her snap back in and allowed him to have full knowledge of what she was seeing and hearing. Of course, he got everything with it so the smell was probably going be a bit overwhelming. The sight of the bears showed them both what was in store for her. That knowledge was daunting and terrified her but she didn't let it show as she worked to breathe regularly again. It quickly became obvious to her that she had been the target of these people all along. But how they knew about her to begin with was beyond confusing. Only Cassarria and Wolfgang had known about her, the people in the Club, Cassarria's siblings, the people on Sebastet's island, and the old American Puma Clan where she was supposed to be sent for a marriage. That was it- Except for one other person... Z.... Could the Fallen Angel have given her up to these people? She didn't hide her thoughts and considerations from Desmond, knowing that he'd get information from Cassarria and Varos on any of it. But right now she needed to feel him in her head so that she could survive this without going insane. She made no reaction as she was cut out of her clothes, able to see even now that they saw her as nothing more than a beast. The bears got to keep some kind covering because they were in human form. The female bear looked at the young Hylarr as she was brought in but said nothing, knowing that it would be useless. Plus, she'd been a bit of a pain in the a**... She would scream, but she never spoke. She briefly touched the minds of her brothers and knew that one was nearly dead. If they didn't get out soon, they wouldn't make it at all. But it seemed that someone was on their side... That Hylarr was their ticket out... She just hoped that they came soon...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2025 9:41 am
Once she was sorted the Redemptioners left Bast, and the bears with the Interrogator who walked over to a tray of instruments the whole time he was whispering rites that were required to perform his job, a monk comes in with a bucket sloshing with a liquid who in turn simply threw the contents on the Bears, immediately pulling pained screams from those who still had life left in them, the one who was in worse shape screamed but it was horse and immediately went limp from the pain going unconscious from the shock to the system, the Interrogator glanced over at Bast who just grinned and spoke something she could understand “blessed water, with...” he put a finger to his chin to think a moment and continued a cruel grin on his face “quicksilver to add to the importance of giving what we want in a timely manner and truthfully” he stopped what he was doing to stand a distance away from Bast and simply continued “you beast, we have other means that i think you’ll find much more personal, you see” he stepped back over to the tray and pulled a scalpel off of it as he spoke “we don’t see your kind very often anymore, in fact we were certain that we had completely eradicated your blight upon this world, and yet... “he sighs in a frustrated way “here you are, to remind us that even now the cancer remains after we went through so much trouble to cut it out from the wound. So! You get to have the most important task of your life before we sent you off to be cleansed by pyre to be sent to the Radiant Sun for Judgement” he finally stepped over to Bast the scalpel in hand and continued “that task is simple, so that you aren’t too overwhelmed, we want information on who else of your kind still live, and best of all you allow me the pleasure of putting skills rusty from long under use to good use, skills much of my brethren have put painstaking measure to master especially when your kind were in abundance” he placed a hand on her black fur and ran his fingers through it “very nice fur, it’ll be better used with someone who can appreciate it, much like the our Orders walls... along with the rest that we’ve skinned off your kind” he stepped back a chuckle coming from his lips at her futile resistance, and stepped back over to the tray putting the scalpel down “but first answers, can’t have you dying before we have all we need from you, though i must say the nature in which we remove your fur is up to you, tell us all we know truthfully and you may be given the swift release of a bolt to your head before we remove it, resists and lie, well we’ll begin removing it bit by bit until you are but a shell of flesh and meat” he stepped towards to door of the pausing slightly to look at all of them “you shall be given a sinners grace to decide how we proceed, when the first bell tolls, we shall begin, for now i suggest you rest as... best you can considering your circumstances, we don’t want you to break to quickly from exhaustion, it drags this out longer than it needs to as these fellows can attest.” At that he left, leaving them to their thoughts. Desmond was in the back of her mind aware and reassuring that they would get to her swiftly even if he had to tear the entire city apart trying to find her, he gave her the information about additional help from the Marsonians and his packmate Trey who was the best tracker in the pack.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2025 10:25 am
Bast did whimper when the bears were doused, the knowledge of what was used sending a sharp bolt of fear through her. But what the other one described... She looked at the bears again as he left them alone, the female very obviously shook her head at her. Vulture tried to connect mentally to her brother but he was unconscious again. The other was silently telling her to stay strong. They all knew why she had to survive. That didn't mean that she liked it. Bast knew Desmond was being a pain about getting healed up but she urged him to healed up enough to come after her once they had the location. She was likely going to need him... She looked around the cell again, looking for what she needed to identify for him to pass on. She also gave him her senses: sound, scent, even the feeling of the air around her. Anything could help and she was giving him all of it. There were no cameras, just someone that walked by every five to ten minutes to put eyes on them. There was magic, but she'd never encountered anything like it. Well, not exactly. It was almost Angelic but it was a little different from what Z had used so she wasn't sure. Vulture shook from the pain, still whimpering as the quicksilver stung even more. But she watched the Hylarr as the cell was examined and wondered what she was doing. Then she saw her hand and arm... That gave her a tiny bit of hope... She knew a Mating Mark when she saw it and that meant that someone was going to come. They had about five hours. She told her brothers to get ready. There was still no response from Riddle. Reaper gave a soft groan of acknowledgement. None of them spoke a word out loud. But Vulture moved one hand and rattled her chain, gaining Bast's attention. She tilted her head and looked at the barred window above her head that let air in. It didn't look outside but there were feet walking by about every twenty to thirty minutes. It was one of the upper hallways. Screams were apparently not an issue to those above. It gave Bast something else to pass on. She also opened her hand to indicate a five count. Five hours.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2025 12:25 pm
Bast found her eyes on the table that held the instruments and swallowed hard, blinking hard as she tried to keep herself under control. But she had to admit that she was terrified. They were going to skin her alive if she didn't tell them where more Hylarr were. She pictured her brother as he'd looked at her when she'd left the village. It felt like another lifetime. Maybe it was. She hadn't been able to see him again before they'd left the Club. She wondered how he'd changed. Her eyes looked at the sharp instruments again. She might not get to find out... She pictured Sebastet and Khajhan. They were just starting their relationship but were already so seamless together. She pictured the young cub she'd seen in the garden before they'd left. It was a passing glance but the cub had been laughing with a group of kids from the village. She pictured her parents, knowing that they were dead now somehow hurt worse than the uncertainty she'd had about it before. She blinked back her tears and turned to the bears, finding the female looking at her. She opened her mouth to say something but she shook her head at her. Bast looked at one of the males then at the female. Her nose had caught that they were related, siblings most likely. Her ears told her that one of them was in really bad shape. But the woman shook her head again, her eyes resolved. Bast knew that the woman already knew. Vulture didn't want the girl talking. Someone would overhear them and report it to the interrogator. Best to stay silent. Still... She felt bad for the Hylarr female. These people had a real thing against the feline race. The siblings, they just wanted information. They'd asked about Hylarr in the city but the bears wouldn't break their word to Wolfgang. They wouldn't break. Still... What he'd described doing to the girl was something worth breaking over... She looked at Riddle and touched his mind, letting him know that he wasn't alone. She did the same with Reaper. She shifted the slight amount she was able, hoping to alleviate the cramp in her back. It didn't help but it made the guard pause at the door to look them over. Bast kept picturing the Hylarr shed grown up with; the happy village, the Mating Runs, daily life... She silently mourned each face, silently saying goodbye to each one all over again. She felt something stirring deep inside of her with each face that she remembered, a deep well of emotion that she couldn't identify just yet. She didn't know what it was, just that it was connected to each Hylarr she remembered. The emotion slowly turned into rage. How dare he?! This is wrong! She couldn't help the thoughts. They just happened as she kept staring at the things that were on that table. But one word kept circling her head. WHY?! She knew there was no answer. There never was with fanatics. But some part of her couldn't help but build the emotions as they built within her and her mind kept supplying the faces of people she'd known who were likely either dead or would be soon. Vulture frowned as she watched the Hylarr, hoping that her mind wasn't playing tricks on her at this point. Was she seeing light and shadows playing with her fur? If so, it was subtle right now but it felt like something was building up in the room...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2025 6:53 pm
It was getting close to time. The Interrogator walked past the cell to look them over then led the guards out for morning prayers. She heard them lock up the weapons and the rustle of cloth as they apparently changed clothes. She looked back at the bears and saw the female nod to her. A few minutes later and she heard a bell toll. That was it. She heard nothing else for what seemed like forever. Then she heard one person rush inside. Then the Interrogator rushed into the cell and grabbed a blade, mumbling something about no time for a proper cleansing as he headed to Riddle and stabbed him without warning. But apparently he thought he still had enough time because he turned to Bast. "I may not get the information from you, Beast... But I will get my pelt before I leave here," he said in an annoyed tone. He did start with a shallow slice down her center, pulling a scream from her. He made a few other slices, preparing for what he'd intended. Reaper saw them moving through the hallway over the interrogators shoulder and knew what to do. He cleared his throat and drew his attention. He felt his sight dimming but pushed on anyway. Beside him, Vulture felt her heart breaking. She knew what he was doing but knew that there was no stopping him. She could hear Riddle on her other side, his breathing rattling in his chest. But she couldn't show anything yet. They needed every second now. "So... The other Beast plans to speak now... Well?" the Interrogator demanded as he moved away from Bast to get what he was after, "Where are they? Telling me may grant you a quick death," he lied, of course. But it would be forgiven under the circumstances. Reaper focused on the interrogator as he spoke, "None so blind as the one blinded by the light, None so deaf as the one deafened by the fanatics hymn, None so blood as the one who willingly took the life of a child, None so dead as the one who doesn't cherish every life." As he spoke his final word, the human stabbed him deep and he simply growled at him in defiance. He knew he was dying. He'd accepted it. So had Riddle. They knew it. Something made the human turn and a blade went across his throat, nearly taking his head off. Only now did Vulture let out a sound that could only be described as grief, knowing that her brothers were dying. She could feel how bad they were hurt and knew it was too late. Someone unchained her and she collapsed, her body hurting so badly that she wanted to give up. But she moved anyway. She crawled to her brothers as they were unchained, saying their names in a hoarse whisper that told their rescuers all they needed to know. Bast watched as the bears were put on stretchers and carried out while Desmond unchained her, then buried her face in his neck as he picked her up, not wanting to see anything else in this room. Upstairs, someone was stripping the place of everything. Even the pelts of the Hylarr kept here. Proof of what had been done. Trey, for some reason, was making sure that the fanatics were dead. Philana and Toross were collecting what information hadn't been purged.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2025 4:24 am
Trey and the Elves stood by Philana spoke with a few others and before long a second vehicle was parked behind theirs on the corner, a third came up behind them depositing Desmond in his gear along with the medicae and anyone else who’d been coming along, it was nearly first light so time was short, walking over to the lead vehicle he tapped on the window which was rolled down to reveal Philana “what’s up?” Desmond gestured towards the temple “is this the place?” a lethal grin confirmed that “oh yeah, the tower off a ways from the temple is a guard tower, caught sight of two pairs of guards doing the change of guard, wearing the same uniform that we saw at the warehouse.” nodding he looked in the back seat Trey popped out of the back seat to stand next to him “brought a present” she revealed the c4 breaching charges “well that’ll work” everything stopped when they heard what appeared to be the first bell coming from the temple, a moment later the two guards left the tower and made their way to the back to the temple. Desmond saw this and was about to move when he caught sight of two shadows moving catching the two guards unaware as they fell suddenly before being dragged back into the tower, Desmond looked at Philana who just looked amused “Valerius and Gideon made it to the tower unseen, they have surprising quite a few blind spots when you know where to look so those two snuck in to catch those two” she paused a moment listening to comms and just patted Toross shoulder “time to move we’ve got to breach before they realize their perimeter guards aren’t showing up” Toross nodded and got out of the truck moving to the back and just pulled his gear from the back putting it on and checking his rifle briefly before he started moving towards the temple, Philana right behind him moving as a team Trey and Desmond moved behind them his bow ready but surprisingly the only thing Trey was carrying was the charges and then it donned on him that she intended to change when things started. They all met by the door Gideon holding the door at gun point, his storm Cannon ready to unleash death, Philana and Toross moved in behind Valerius, Desmon moved to the opposite side of the door and just nodded. Trey taking her cue moved to the door planted the breaching charges and then stepped back a bit, she held both detonators in her hands, everyone backed up a bit to give the charges room to work and then without much warning She activated both simultaneously before changing and rushing forward into the chaos that ensued. The Elves moved with precision their attacks swift as they put shots into enemies who were struggling to get up, Trey in the thick of the crowd ripping through anyone see got her claws on, Desmond put arrows into a few targets before he saw one trying to slip away and when he realized he had been spotted ran downstairs as did a couple of others, Desmond took off after them as Trey and the Elves cleaned up upstairs, Desmond followed them down into the basement and found a door wide open one that would have been hard to find if they didn’t know where to look, but he followed those in his hand release a couple of arrows when he realized what the those who’d run down were trying to do, burn anything and everything that was potentially important, Desmond heard Bast Scream which made him run forward his hand holding a dagger which he used to slice through the man’s throat leaving him to down in his own blood as he uncuffed those who were on the other wall before he rushed forward undid Basts cuffs and held her close, realizing she was bleeding from her chest she keyed her comms “i need a medic now!” a moment later the Medicae rushed in and found Desmond hold Bast, Bast’s chest was sliced in a deliberate manner which only meant that the b*****d was going to skin her before he fled the building. The Medicae helped him lay her down and started working to stabilize Bast, the injuries were sizzling somewhat and that made him look at the scalpel to find it was silver he looked at the Medicae who just nodded and pulled out a counter agent and simply poured it on the wounds Desmond had tears running down his face as he stayed by Bast’s side suddenly being highly protective with her, the Medicae seeing how shallow the cuts are grabbed a jar and simply opened it, putting the opened jar next to BAst as the Medicae was suddenly pulling out supplies to clean the wounds before applying a malleable putty like substance to the wounds spreading it evening across the wound and just sighing in relief before she put a calming hand on Desmond Shoulder and squeezed lightly before moving on to the bears to tend to thier more serious injuries. Desmond spoke lightly “sorry got here as soon as i could” he was a bit of a mess seeing her in such a state, but it also meant that if they had been any later, she would have been in worse shape than this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2025 5:07 am
Bast was shaking badly but she didn't cry out as her wounds were treated, grateful to get the silver neutralized. She'd have some new scars but she didn't mind that. She cuddled into Desmond and shook her head at his apology, "You got here. That's what matters," she whispered then focused on the bears. She nodded towards Reaper, "He... He distracted him... He did it on purpose," her voice choked up as she watched the woman ignore the Medicae trying to keep her from Riddle. It was obvious that she was saying goodbye. Vulture pressed her forehead to Riddle's, saying her farewell to him through their bond, tears moving down her face as he stopped breathing. She'd expected it. He'd swallowed a good bit of quicksilver. Next, she moved to Reaper and pressed her forehead to his, both of them crying now, "Suicidal b*****d..." she said in a voice rough from screaming and disuse. He gave her a lopsided smile, "Had to... Couldn't handle any more screams... Besides... I wasn't going to make it anyway... Tell them what to do, Sis... Then make us all proud," he said, his voice halting as his own breathing started to stall. She nodded then backed away, finally letting the medics have her. But she turned away as they turned Reaper over and saw his back. While they'd used Riddle as a pin cushion, they'd destroyed Reapers back. They'd used silver on both of her brothers, hoping their pain would make her talk. But none of them had broken. As for her... Well, her injuries were slices, getting doused in quicksilver, and getting beaten. They'd also broken one of her ankles so she wouldn't be going anywhere without help for a while. They started to carry her out but she held out a hand to Bast as they'd started past her, "He protected you as he did me..." she started then looked at Desmond, "He considered it an honor to have helped your Mate," she told him, knowing exactly what was behind her brother's actions. Then the medics carried her out, taking her to the Healer at the Club as fast as they could get her there. Vulture was so mentally numb that she welcomed it when someone gave her something that knocked her out. She didn't want to feel anything for a while... Bast curled into Desmond, "Take me out of here... If there are any... I don't want to look at them..." she said, her voice breaking over the idea of there being skins of Hylarr somewhere as grisly trophies. She said nothing else as Desmond carried her, her face turned into his neck. She still couldn't stop shaking. Pain and shock, most likely. While they'd neutralized the silver, the slices still hurt like hell and stung something fierce. Toross and Philana approached, but Bast stayed curled up in his arms. She didn't want to see anything around her, she didn't want to talk about what had happened, she didn't want to know what they'd found in the place. She just wanted to leave here... As it was, she still smelled it when they carried the male bears past her. The bodies were covered but she still caught the scent and remembered the look on Reapers face when the fanatic started slicing her. Then she remembered the look on the fanatics face when he'd talked about skinning her... For a wall decoration... She felt the outside air move through her fur and tightened her arms around him as he carried her towards the waiting vans, hearing someone call out to him. She didn't pay any attention though. She was done with everything for a little while. As he was carrying her towards the van, the beat of large wings could be heard overhead. A sign that leaving would be best for now, as quickly as possible...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
