Closed [Temple of Laviku] Father of the Ocean

[Paragon]

Timestamp: To be decided by Srath.

The Temple of Laviku was the pinnacle of religious worship in Zeltiva. Though the city did not claim the oceanic deity for itself, Laviku could certainly be called the patron God of Zeltiva. There were very few Zeltivans that did not revere him - the Sailor's Guild being the most fervent of his worshippers.

The building itself shone in the descending evening autumn sun. Marine limestone, caked in seashells and ornaments of the ocean. Anyone who walked in that evening would find a lone priest of Laviku, sat quietly in one corner with a dusty looking tome in his hands.

A few visitors moved about the interior, simply viewing and exploring, or bowing and praying to the portrait of Laviku that took centre place. His statue, of course, stood nearby in the city's outside.

It was said that no priest of Laviku would preach or approach a stranger unwillingly. The secrets of the sea could only be found by searching, swimming - asking.

[Srath]

4th of Fall, 512 A.V. Srath had been in the city but maybe a day's time when he had started on his journey of knowledge in the city. There were many questions he had, and many more forming as he traveled around the city. From the culture to the formation of the city, to it's arts and music, however, there was one much more important in the Jamoura's mind. He reached the Temple after a long walk through the city on his first full day in Zeltiva, having inquired of a few locals to the location of the temple, before heading there. The city was so closely associated with the ocean, from it's foundation and building to all of the shipping and docks that made up a huge part of the city's personality, that to Srath, learning of their protector deity and patron was paramount to anything else. As he approached and entered the temple, the setting sunlight of brilliant oranges and reds lit the precious limestone and seashells, creating a myriad of shadows and colors that Srth had never seen blended together; ocean pinks and greens, faint reds and rolling blues, sea greens and ocean foam white. Each color unique in its own way, representing the ocean and domain of Laviku just as the forest and jungles honored Caiyha in their very existence. Srath ambled around the other visitors here as he gently placed each foot down quietly, coming to the portrait of Laviku in the center of the temple. He looked up at it, his brow knit in thought. The portrait portrayed an older man, one who's face was aged by the ocean and hardened by the currents, with skin similar in color to pale water. A full beard occupied his face, varying colors of dark and lights blues accented by greens forming the color for it as it flowed down onto his chest, the god's hair sharing the same colors. Srath slowly sat down, out of the way but in front of the portrait, his legs crossing in front of him. His head came down in prayer as he began to pray to Caiyha and to, again, thank her for the gift of wisdom and knowledge that she had bestowed upon his race, for without this gift Srath would have no knowledge of this god or anything around him, something Srath imagined was a horrible thing. He did not sit long, by Jamoura standards, before standing up. He would meditate on this tonight, but for now he wished to learn and talk. Swinging his head slowly around, the Jamoura found a gentleman with a tome in his hand siting off to the side, a man who carried the presence of someone respected as a priest might be. Turning and moving to walk on all fours so as to be quieter, Srath approached the man and spoke in a low and gentle whisper, "Pardon my disturbing you Revered Priest, but I wish to talk with you. I am Srath, Jamoura and son of Caiyha, and I wish to learn more of your god Laviku and his domain that runs so close with Caiyha's at times." Srath waited patiently, hoping he was not disturbing the priest from anything important.

[Paragon]

The priest did not look up for a moment, seemingly reaching the end of his current page, before finally closing the book and looking up at the Jamoura that addressed him.

Lamas had respect for his race. In their lofty treetops, they were sage and wise, with a thirst for knowledge. But his eyebrow cricked at the man's words.

"Close to Caiyha's you say? Do you think they rule side by side? Or do you think Laviku holds his own domain."

He looked to the portrait, wondering on what the Jamoura's response would be. Some saw the Gods as individual. Some saw the pantheon, blinded by their own theism.

Laviku could not be compared. He was the ocean - all the water, all the seas, were his domain. The Konti were his daughters. And he had other beings too, mouldlings made in the shapes of his will.

[Srath]

The priest wasted no time with words that served no purpose to this conversation, instead choosing words to accompany his arched eyebrow, asking Srath a question that was philosophical, poised for deep thought. What did Srath mean? The priest's words conjured up images of the god and goddess' avatars side by side and ruling, almost sharing their domains, though that is not what the Jamoura meant. I believe Laviku, like Caiyha, holds his own domain, honored priest. I see the control Caiyha extends over what she has claimed as her own, such as myself my kin and ancestors, and I am confident Laviku shows no less love and protection for what is most assuredly his domain. By my words spoken, I meant that I have seen in my travels, and even here, where Caiyha's domain of all wilderness on land, from fauna to flora of all kinds, grow and flourish near where Laviku's domain is. The Jamoura's words easily took several chimes to be uttered in a low and hushed tone as he choose each word carefully so as to describe what he meant.

[Paragon]

The Jamoura's answer surprised Lamas. Pleasantly so. He gave off just the hint of a smile, welcoming the well verbalised response. He did not even get to talk to someone so intellectually minded. Most of the people that came to the temple were simply hoping Laviku could keep the waves calm, or increase their fishing yield.

"Now, what is it you wish to learn? If you dive under the ocean, you can find treasures of ages past on the seabed. Your questions are much like that. The sea will yield and give, so long as a person asks the right questions."

He looked back up at the Jamoura, blinking. Perhaps he would be a worthy visitor after all. He remained quiet, waiting for the man's questions.

[Srath]

The gentle smile that formed on the lips of the priest were a welcome sight to the Jamoura who returned the same curve of his lips, his body starting to slowly lower to the ground in a sitting position, his legs folded lotus style, his hands in front of him in a gentle manner. The priest addressed what he had initially came here for, his desire for knowledge of Laviku and the ocean. What did he want to learn? Certainly there were not enough words in all the languages to cover what he desired in knowledge, but he had to start somewhere with some word. I am not sure of your knowledge of my race, but we are seekers of knowledge in all forms, from the grandest design of nature and the world to the smallest detail on a flower's petal...or the detail of how the wave crashes on the sand. I seek much knowledge of all things, especially nature. However," Srath's voice trailed off quietly as he looked around, taking in the sight of the temple again, his mind slowly tracing back through his journey to this location, and even further back to his departure from The Spires in his desire to learn, giving him his starting point. I think the beginning is good. What is the history of Laviku that you know? Has he always had dominion of what he does now, or did he acquire it in some fashion?" Srath kept his eyes on the priest, not challenging, but with a desire to learn alight in them as well as respect for the priest who was before him.

[Paragon]

The Jamoura gave a gentle smile back, and Lamas nodded softly, waiting for a question which he could help to answer. The last thing he wanted to do was scare the man away. He did want to give answers to genuine questions about Laviku - he just didn't want to impart them so freely.

"I know a little of your race. Sages. Knowledge seekers. I have much respect for the Jamoura."

The Jamoura paused for a moment, looking around at the temple. It was a glorious place after all. In the halls of the holy, one couldn't but feel the hints of numinous.

"Yes," Lamas began, swallowing to fight a dry mouth, "we know no more than that the ocean has been his forever. You may know this, but he fathered the Konti race, with the Goddess Avalis. And there are others of his people among the waters too. His children that swim freely in the deep water."

He looked to the picture. The God himself. King of all that flowed and roared. Destructive as it was creative.

"Laviku is a God that demands much piety. And rightly so."