conversations: human
conversations:  [Liraheim] 
  
  When Marvella had first seen the capital of the Holy States, she had remarked to her commanders that it was no small wonder they thought of themselves as Yphine's chosen, nor that they had chosen this place as their home. There was no greater trial than winter, and this city was surrounded by it.
  
  The city was carved within a colossal block of ice, once a mighty glacier. Within the ice, tunnels and passageways twisted and wound their way through like an anthill. Strangely, the ice did not melt, and so did not provide as slippery a surface as one would imagine. (supposedly the city had been carved into the largest block of true ice ever discovered, a blessing of Yphine's) At the center lay five massive atriums, one at each compass point and the center. At the southern position, the first atrium was covered in housing. Bridges and pathways honeycombed throughout this atrium to the various dwellings carved into the walls and the homes in many of the massive spires of ice. The citizens of Liraheim went about their daily business here in their strange, exotic animal skin clothing that seemed to cover far too little for the climate, simply chatting and living their lives.
  
  The second was the mayoral seat, in the northern position, and this was perhaps the most grand of the five atriums. On the walls were small balconies with the seats for each of the city's many officials, and room for several thousand more to speak. Old politicians in rich, dark red robes (to separate them from the white and blue of the priestesses) bickered and yelled in this room at all hours of the day, some leaving in the middle of a speech or debate and coming back later through the pathways behind the seats. At the center was a chair and podium, for whoever happened to be speaking to the city.  Behind the chair and podium was a throne, presumably for the high priestess. Now, of course, the chamber was empty and waiting to receive diplomatic guests.
  
  The third atrium, in the eastern position, contained a bustling marketplace, and was one of the few chambers not entirely composed of ice. The people of the city bustled about with their purchased goods as merchants shouted out their wares. Most of the stalls were selling some sort of food, but there were goods from all across the Iero Dominion in this place.
  
  The fourth atrium was the military district, in the central position. The entire structure was placed into a grid pattern, with the four largest roads going to each of the other four atriums. They were the only way into the atrium, and each was both gated and guarded. The district was arranged into a mighty castrum, with the district laid out into a grid. The final atrium, at the western position, was a massive warehouse district used for storage. The city sparkles in the daylight like a cavern made of stars, and at night it shines the silver of the moonlight.
  
  This was a city that a high priestess - nay, that a  goddess  was meant to live within.
conversations: HalfTangible:
conversations: human
conversations:  A group of priests in long white robes and hooded fur-lined mantles of deep blue silk covered with rich silver embroidery entered the great atrium. They numbered nine, four men and five women and were led by a man of average height whose mantle was not blue but pure white. He wore a stole of red and black silk edged in silver and carried in his left hand a staff topped by a silver raven. They stopped just inside the doorway and bowed respectfully in the direction of the throne before standing and lowering their hoods, revealing them to be the expected delegation from Ashenia.
  Assuming they are not stopped by a welcoming committee, they slowly begin to make a circuit of the room speaking softly among themselves in Ashenite.
conversations: Elemental:
conversations: human
conversations:  Vurima, still High Priestess of the Holy States until the conclusion of this council, stood front and center of the atrium watching the invited delegates arrive in form. She was quite tall, almost eight feet in height and her skin was a cool light blue, her hair a flat white. Her eyes too were white, though tinted pink in coloration as though suffering from some form of albinism. Her Head Priestesses, the twelve women representing the twelve most important regions of the Dominion as laid out in the Holy Script such to keep balance maintained wandered below her, themselves as well giants though of less stature, darker blue skin, and deeper colored eyes of blue. The Pagos Autokratos was present as well, the Voreal man looking strong but tired as he stood amidst the gathering of religious officials. He wore a purple cape lined with fur around his shoulders and possessed a well crafted scepter topped with true ice shaped in the likeness of a raven and of silver cane. Beside him was his son, the Despot Maraat who was dressed in less grand but no less well made clothing to his father but bore a far more disillusioned and angered look than that on his father's own.
  
  The atrium was quite crowded with various other Priests and Priestesses from throughout the Voreal Kingdom and the now defunct Despotate of Anavia, all eager to begin discussion on the matters of faith and the proper interpretation of the ancient texts now that it was known they had been reinterpreted, some said  mis interpreted, beyond the Ice Wall.
conversations: QuintonBeck:
conversations: human
conversations:  [Sycia] 
  
  The procession from the Holy Kingdom arrived with Glazfell. It was strangely modest, despite its large size. While the group numbered just as many as the Holy States, they were oddly... subdued. The group wore robes as white as snow, and many wore necklaces set with gems and crystals. High Priestess Marvella herself wore a robe of deep sapphire blue, and her favorite pair of bracers set with true ice. Her skin was icy blue, her hair snow white and atop her head rested a pair of cat ears. In her right hand was the rod of Yphine. While it would remain in her possession until the proper ceremony was held in Sycia, this was the last time she would hold it as part of her office.
  
  Behind Marvella were her Head Priests and Priestesses, exactly half and half. While the Holy States had deigned for their priests and priestesses to run their own territories, Sycia had traditionally given each head priest and priestess their own specific role within the church to fulfill. How true that would remain would depend on what happened here today.
  
  Amongst the Head Priestesses and the High Priestess was a young catfolk woman in a deep emerald robe. While her face was hidden from sight, the unique color that stood out from the other priests and priestesses indicated that this was their candidate for High Priesthood. She was perhaps young, but she carried herself well.
  
  Their guard was two wolfborn packs and 16 knights of Fabula. Evidently they were not very trusting, though given the circumstances that was understandable - with the way this city was designed, escape would be nearly impossible. Marvella had sieged the place by cutting them off from outside supplies, she'd never actually entered the city proper. However, they'd delibrately made sure none of their guards were drakeborn - the last thing they needed was to be accused of corruption by the dragon -  again  - at what was supposed to be an attempt to unify the church.
  
  High Priestess Marvella bowed to her hosts with the grace and respect due to foreign leaders and dignitaries. However, she did so stiffly, as if she found the need unpleasant. Again, not surprising: they were about to depose her.
  
  "'Tis a beautiful city." Edea said calmly, brushing her hair behind her shoulder. "It must be wondrous during the Frostmoon."
  
  ---
  
  Marvella stepped forward. "Before we begin discussing the matters of the actual Doctrine, I feel we should select our next High Priestess to serve as an arbiter between the two parties." She raised an eyebrow. "Granted, she'll be biased towards whichever half of the faith she comes from, but we're going to be trusting her with ruling the faith once we're done in any case. Might as well begin with this."
conversations: HalfTangible:
conversations: human
conversations:  The leader of the Ashenite delegation, the recently appointed Exarch of Ashenia, Lorien Catanath stepped forward.
   "A wise suggestion Eminence. Though I feel we need not worry ourselves over the potential of personal bias in yours and High Priestess Vurima's successor. With the wisdom of Yphine on our side, we need not fear making an poor choice." 
  He bowed politely before continuing.
   "Tell us Eminences, what method has been decided to choose her? I imagine there was some difficulty reconciling your disparate traditions." 
conversations: Elemental: