Open!

[sing_for_me]

Who: Alex and you!
When: Last week of August (edit: oops I got the timing wrong)
What: Catchall
Where: Oshun's Temple


Something brought you into this forest, fate, destiny, curiosity, the lack of a sense of direction... whatever it was, here you are. It’s dense with trees, the sounds of birds, insects and other unknown animals all around you. If you go in further towards the heart of the forest, you’ll find a river cutting through it,and over it, a concrete bridge leading to what looks like an abandoned building covered in overgrown plants and worn out by the elements.

Welcome to Oshun’s temple!

[ Here are some more references for the temple. Just imagine..more plants.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

A.

80% of Alex hoped someone would hear her calling for help, 20% didn’t, considering how embarrassing and stupid the situation she was in right now was. In an attempt to clean up the building a bit more, Alex has been working on lessening the amount of greenery inside. But vines, branches, and the like were everywhere. She could snip the leaves and branches without much problem, but the vines were tricky. They were wrapped all around the railing along the second floor and snaked up the walls. Alex didn’t really mind, but she wanted to at least lessen the amount so it looked a little neater. That was where she made her mistake.

See, the vines in this forest weren’t regular vines. They guarded the place, and were cohabitants with the god residing there. Alex, however, was unaware of this and while she tried to pull at a stubborn piece of vine, it decided to defend itself, yanking her over the railing as it tried to slip out of her hands.

So, there she was, hanging by the railing, unable to pull herself back up over it. Not an optimal situation when you're in a dress...or at all, really. The only options she had were to keep trying, try to call for help, or drop and maybe just break a few bones. It was starting to look like plan C was how it was going to go. 

B.

While the serenity of the forest was nice, it got too quiet even for her. Her ‘temple’ came with everything she needed, except for a radio. Alex made a mental note to buy one the next time she went to the Near Shore. She didn't mind having some quiet time, but when it went on for too long, she'd start to hear things she'd much rather not. Music helped.

For now, she'd have to fill that silence herself. There should be nothing to worry about since the place was secluded enough, plus the building had some pretty damn good acoustics.

The soft tune carries throughout the building, and even a bit to the outside of it as she continues to sing without a care while sweeping up the floor. It’s not like anyone was around anyway.


C. Wildcard! Maybe the vines decide to mess with you if you get to close to the building, whatever floats your boat! If you’d like to do anything else hmu at mightycheese

Comments

[declamando]

[With a soft laugh, Maria waves a hand as if to mellow her concern a bit.]

Only a minute or two, don't worry. I overheard you from outside and got curious. So this is your temple?

[sing_for_me]

Y-yeah, it is.

[She holds the broom behind her back, looking at her sheepishly]

It's..a little cramped with all the plants, sorry. I've been trying to clean up, but it's never ending with all the leaves.

[declamando]

[There's a bit of an understanding laugh from Maria at that.] My temple is a treehouse, so I can relate to that a little. Though that's usually less overgrowth and more occasions of a branch growing through the middle of a room.

[At least none of the bedrooms are like that, but still.] I think it has a certain charm to it, anyway.

[sing_for_me]

A treehouse?

[Her image of one of course was a childish one, but she just assumed it was better than what she was picturing.]

That sounds fun actually. Do you have to climb a ladder to get up there?

[declamando]

A very complicated one, yes...hang on. [It's a very difficult place to describe without a frame of reference, so Maria pulls her phone out of her pocket and opens up a picture to show Alex. It's of a colossal tree in a large cavern, colourful moss growing at the bottom and rooms scattered around the trunk and branches of the tree all the way up to where the top half sticks out of a hole in the cavern roof.]

There are ladders on the upper boughs, but there's actually a staircase inside the trunk that we use to get in. The temple just moved recently, as well, and it got a little bigger when it did. [She points out the lowest room on the tree, a semicircular one that goes most of the way around the trunk.] That library wasn't there before the move, for example.

[sing_for_me]

[Alex leaned in closer to peek at her phone screen.]

Oh wow..!

[She didn't know tree houses could be so big.]

That's..definitely bigger than I imagined it to be.

[declamando]

[The comment makes Maria laugh a little in understanding.] Yes, that's a common reaction. It's definitely not what I was expecting a temple to look like when I came here, but I've gotten rather fond of it.

[Whenever Alex finishes looking at the photo, Maria will withdraw her phone and put it away.] In any case, I'm very used to a temple filled with plants one way or another.

[sing_for_me]

Any tips on...making them behave?

[declamando]

Hm. Mine aren't quite this wild, but it is your temple. Have you tried testing if you wield any kind of control over them, or if they listen to you?

[It's a bit of an odd thing to suggest, even for her, but it's the first thing that comes to Maria's mind.]

[sing_for_me]

I have..but I think they don't acknowledge me...

[Not that she blamed them. Alex didn't think she was fit for this position either.]

[declamando]

[Maria hums a little at that, not sounding totally convinced acknowledgement is the issue.]

In that case, what are the biggest problems you have with them? Is it just that they're overgrown?

[sing_for_me]

When I step on them by accident they'll trip me...or move my things around.

[They've never really done anything dangerous. It was almost like a kid pranking on her.]

And yeah, it's like they're trying to take over the place. Which I don't mind...it's just a little much.

[declamando]

[That's...odd, and Maria mulls on the information for a few moments.] I wouldn't say they don't recognise you, then, if they're not actually doing you any harm. Maybe they're used to having run of the place, and just need to adjust to having others here at all.

[She's not sure Alex has been here a hugely long time, so that could factor into it.]

[sing_for_me]

That could be it.

[Was there some kind of peace offering she could give?]

Other than them, the place has been alright. It's very...quiet.

[declamando]

[That point definitely gets an understanding nod from Maria, with a somewhat wan smile accompanying it.] It seems a lot of temple grounds are, though mine is particularly like that as well since it's inside a cavern. It's a little rarer to get people wandering onto the grounds when they're like that.

[Which is sometimes good, but on the other hand, Maria wouldn't say no to more visitors.

[sing_for_me]

[Speaking of hard to reach.]

What are you doing all the way out here, Maria?

[declamando]

[Maria seems surprised at the question before she laughs a bit and waves a hand.]

I was just checking on things, I suppose. Since we had some nasty incidents last month, I've been trying to keep an eye on what's happening on the Far Shore every so often.

[sing_for_me]

And you do that on your own..? That's really brave of you.

[declamando]

Not quite. [Reaching around to the back of her skirt, Maria unhooks and presents a short sword, laid flat in the palm of her hand.] Uta prefers to take her vessel form on patrols, is all.

[sing_for_me]

Ah--

[But of course.]

Sorry, I just meant...that you'd go on patrol of your own accord. Or is that something all the gods are supposed to do?

[declamando]

Oh, well, I couldn't say. I certainly don't think I'm the only one, but we have all kinds of people here, and not everyone is experienced with that sort of thing. [Maria seems a little thoughtful about it for a moment before waving a hand.] It just doesn't feel quite right to me not to do it, considering what things were like in my world. But don't think too much of it if you don't, either.