<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/7/79/Tevinter-aesthetic.jpg)</div><strong> Ualan Yoson (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=274532.msg13563593#msg13563593)</strong><br/><strong>Location</strong>: Naitoshiatā temple (Kabuki shrine, western mountain range)<br/><strong>Tagged</strong>: None – it’s just flavour text for painting the map!<br/><hr/><br/>Entering the cavernous main hall of the Kabuki temple, Ualan initially struggled to see much of anything. Four massive lanterns were spaced out across the floor, but they guttered violently, casting a tangled web of jumping shadows and crazed slashes of light that hindered almost as much as it illuminated. As his eyes adjusted, though, he could soon see that the temple’s hall was set out in strange parody of a traditional theatre: the chamber comprised of a stage, sectioned floor spaces for rows of seating, and viewing booths set into the walls.<br/><br/>Ualan supressed a shudder, and gripped the hilt of his sword for reassurance as he peered into the flickering shadows, half-seeing temple attendants drifting around at the edge of the light. It was not the people that unnerved him: it was the ephemeral realm of spirits and magic they represented.<br/><br/>At first it was merely unsettling, but as Ualan traversed deeper within the hall, the nightmarish incongruity of the Kabuki temple slowly revealed its twisted depths. What he thought to be lines of seats were, on closer inspection, actually rows of burial mounds. More chilling still, the architectural dimensions of the entire hall were grotesquely skewed, like something out of a delirious fever dream: the floors of the elevated viewing booths, for instance, were angled so steeply that any occupant would assuredly slide right off and fall to their death. The monolithic pillars supporting the roof were just slightly off, too – or maybe it was the floor that was crooked. Deprived a frame of reference, Ualan couldn’t tell which was which. The whole place filled him with equal parts nausea and dread.<br/><br/>“Who is in charge?” Ualan bellowed out into the dancing shadows, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “I was told the temple’s leader is here. I would speak with them.”<br/><br/>The nude figure of a woman emerged from behind one of the columns, and began shambling towards Ualan in the strangest gait that he'd ever seen. Her legs moved with a clumsy, prancing bearing, as if constantly stepping over some knee-high obstacle, while her arms remained outstretched at truly bizarre angles, the elbows raised with forearms drooping listlessly below. The woman’s ivory-masked head flopped from side to side with every strange step, her face perpetually cast down towards the floor. Was she injured? Afflicted? Lame? At last it clicked, though the realisation brought Ualan no relief, just more questions. The stranger was pretending she was a marionette, as if suspended by unseen strings and controlled by an imaginary hand. Ualan took a sharp intake of breath through his teeth, trying to supress his repulsion and nervousness at the bizarre display.<br/><br/>“The Emperor has died. The Aka ka Clan is now assuming control over this land, including your temple. Do you understand?”<br/><br/>The melodic tones of the woman’s reply were completely at odds with the clipped, unsteady pace of her speech. It was like every sing-song word was being forced from her throat against her will.<br/><br/>“Emp-er-or. Then the Ak-a-ka. Then your suc-cess-ors. We care not. Who rules.”<br/>“... Right. Well, we’re at war, so this temple and its surrounding townships will have to pay a…”<br/>“Tell your lead-er. You will get. Your tithe. Now go.”<br/><br/>The strange woman gave a violent jerk of her elbow, such that her listless arm produced a wave. Ualan took it as a dismissive, perhaps even contemptuous gesture – something he’d ordinarily resent, but on that occasion he heaved a sigh of relief as he turned to leave the twisted, surreal vision of hell. At least he had some good news to relay when he returned to camp.<br/>