The little rowboat sped across the water, Leao rowing with practiced, easy strokes and barely sweating despite the heat and humidity. Vittorio wondered if he had a skill or was just that strong, but the [Sailor] didn't have much breath to spare so he didn't ask. As they neared the mouth of the harbour he realized that the Soaring Harpy was big - really big. It towered over them, the size of a three- or four-story building and fitted with three tall masts. Vittorio felt dizzy just looking at them, yet he could see people moving up there! By the front were two large signs: One painted with a red gem, and one with the name of the ship.
Leao moved them up alongside the ship where two chains hung well off the side. "Hold on now, you hear? I don't wanna go swimming for you", he said before standing up and moving about. The little boat rocked gently and Vittorio held on for dear life. The [Sailor] attached the chains at the front and back - Vittorio had a vague idea that things had different names on boats, but didn't know what they were - and then the chains grew taut and began to lift them up. Gloria laughed in delight. Vittorio did not.
When they reached the railing, the side of the rowboat was tied to the ship and they stepped off. Vittorio saw that the chains were pulled in and coiled around a round device, clearly magical. He felt vaguely better knowing that there hadn't been people up here physically lifting him.
Leao led them to a woman peering down through an opening in the deck.
"
She turned around and gave him a nod. "Thank you, Leao." She turned to Gloria and Vittorio. "Welcome about the Soaring Harpy, a Bloodstone Trading Company ship. I'm
"Come on", Leao said. "I'll show you your cabins."
The cabins were one... floor? Level? Vittorio wasn't sure what the word was. One set of stairs down. They were small but the space was efficiently used: A narrow bed with storage underneath, a seat and desk that folded down from the wall and fastened on the floor, and shelves with high edges to prevent things from falling off. Vittorio expected to spend most of his time out on deck so he wasn't too bothered. Gloria and he spent a good long while stowing their things - this was to be their home for weeks, so they may as well get everything tidy and proper right away. That done, they went up on deck again.
Vittorio could see five people working on deck, which to his untrained eye seemed few. One was up in the rigging, the captain and two others were doing something by the opening they'd met her by earlier, and two were moving the rowboat they'd arrived on. It was hard to say where might be in the way, so they just sat down as far away from everyone else as possible.
It didn't take long for him to realize that the captain was overseeing some sort of balancing deeper in the ship, telling other crew members to move things around. Once that was done, she called out to prepare to sail, and the crew exploded into activity. A few more people came up from below and joined in but not knowing what they were doing, it all looked like well-organized chaos to Vittorio. It must have been skills that let so few do so much so fast, most notably rope seeming to coil on its own. He assumed the
Despite the speed, there was still quite a lot to do, so it took close to twenty minutes before the sails were unfurled and the ship gently began to move. As they did, Vittorio got his first look at another officer, who seemed to be the only non-human on the ship. It was a merfolk, with silver scales on his front shifting to dark blue on his back. His face was sharp, his head bald and earless under a wide-brimmed hat. "We have the wind for as long as I can feel them", he said to the captain in a high, shrill voice. "The sea won't hinder. We'll make good time today."
Gloria and Vittorio spent a few hours just watching the crew. Vittorio had no idea there was so much to do while sailing! He'd assumed you just put up the sails and sat back, but he doubted the crew were just playing around. At dinner, they struck up a conversation with one of the crewmembers, a woman named Monica.
"Yeah, we know what we're about", she said, nibbling on a biscuit. "Is a good job. Good pay, see the world, work with good crew. Lots of people want it. Everyone's at least tier 3 and good at their job or the company wouldn't hire 'em."
"How many are in the crew?", Gloria asked.
"Twelve, plus three officers: Captain, navigator, merchant." Seeing the surprise on Gloria's face, Monica continued with a smile. "Is a big ship, but we're good. Don't need more with our skills. Could get by with fewer. How 'bout you? You adventurers I heard?"
"Yeah, just reached tier 1."
"Ah, that first major Talent's a real game-changer, eh? And you're headed for Kara? Ever been?"
"No. Six months ago I'd barely left my village."
"And now you're sailing off? Bit of [Sailor] in you, eh? Kara's... strange. I've been round the Shallows. Set foot in most countries. All of 'em have their own feel, you know? They're their own thing. Kara's sort of messy. Chaotic. No one thing. One place feels one way, go a couple o' blocks and it's different. Strange. And hold on to your stuff. Lots o' crime."
Vittorio's eyebrows raised. "Crime? Really?"
"Heh, yeah. Crowded, not many guards. Harbour's fine, the rest? Not so much."
They also learned a bit about the Bloodstone Trading Company. It was a Virian company and originally ran a ruby mine, hence the name. The mine was long gone, but by then they'd expanded with their own shipping and trading and had changed to a purely mercantile company. Monica was Virian and seemed proud to work for the company, and told them it was one of very few big trading companies that let [Sailors] join in on the profits - not a big share, but it still made for some of the best pay a [Sailor] could get.
It took over a week for them to reach their next stop: Pithos, capital of the Sacred States. By then, Vittorio's boon had improved again:
Enduring Boon: While traveling, you and any mode of transport you use face no headwind and reduced air resistance. Price Evaluation: A small fraction of wind stopped this way is added to your paid price.
Vittorio and Gloria had split their time between training, socializing with off-the-clock crew, and being sick. The sea sickness potion they'd bought worked, but on bad days it wasn't enough. As for their training, Vittorio felt like he'd started to get a grip on the structure of Weakening Hex but was still far from being able to use it, while Gloria had improved her mental resistance by using the Nopain.
The Soaring Harpy would be anchored in Pithos for two days as the ships [Merchant] plied their trade, and the adventurers were equal parts excited to see the city and happy to get on land. They didn't have enough sea in their legs to make it uncomfortable, thankfully.
The harbour was overseen by clergy of three gods: Sky, Sea, and Planning, each group based out of temples right there by the docks. Most [Sailors] arriving or leaving stopped by one or more of the temples to give thanks or ask for guidance. The harbour was crowded with [Sailors], [Labourers], [Merchants] and more, but wherever a [Priest] walked, the mass of people would part to let them pass.
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As they ventured further into the city, this proved to be a common sight, with people sometimes pressing themselves against walls to let [Priests] pass. This was not the only sign of the importance of religion in the city, as they passed a number of small temples as well as many, many statues and murals in the Gods honour - the city was practically bursting with art. It was also far more diverse than even Roccante, with humans making up maybe six in ten people. Of the remaining four tenths most were dwarves, elves, or mikhuq, though Vittorio did see a centaur for the first time and had to keep from staring.
They made their way to the Free Company hall and found that it, too, had strong religious elements. Most of the great hall was occupied by half a dozen statues to gods favoured by adventurers: Destruction, Growth, Liberation, Planning, Predators, and Secrets. There were also two for the God of the Lost and the God of Peace. There was a frightening number of names by the shrine of Peace, recording adventurers who had died on the job. The people in the hall reflected the city at large with many non-humans at the tables.
"Greetings on this Diseis-blessed day. How might I help?", the woman behind the desk asked as they approached.
"We're members passing through and need somewhere to stay for a few days."
"Ah, welcome! May I have your badges please?"
She checked with the records, confirmed it was them, and showed them a simple map of the compound on the wall. Mostly it was what they'd come to expect, but in addition to the public statues in the great hall, there were smaller shrines dedicated to each lesser god, as well as one for all the primal gods, on the ground floor. The compound was also very large, which was unsurprising with the size of the city, and they learned that the government and a number of temples recruited quite heavily from the guild as security or problem solvers.
After making sure they knew where the sleeping- and eating halls were, they went back out into the city to explore. The streets were neatly paved and strangely straight, even going up or down hills. In addition to the many pieces of art in the streets and on buildings, they also found large parks, also with statues or art pieces. They walked far inland, confident they could find their way back thanks to the straight streets and many signs.
That was how they found themselves in the busiest and most important part of the city: The Liberty Plaza, where the rebellion against Nulbumundi originated and where the Sacred States was proclaimed. At its center was an enormous statue dedicated to Casyn, God of Liberty, and around the square were grand temples of the most popular Gods in the city. These also served as governmental buildings for the theocracy.
Largest was the temple of Casyn, a vast structure of marble barely visible through a forest of rusted chains rattling in the breeze, many ending in broken manacles or collars. Vittorio was reminded of [[The Breaker of Chains]], the [Pactmaker] who'd reached level 100 and aided in the revolt, and he wondered if any of those chains were from that time or if they were all just decoration.
While they were curious about what the inside looked like, they decided not to go. There was a long queue overseen by [Priests] in the grey and white of Casyn, all wearing a small piece of chainmail on their chest. Vittorio thought it sent rather mixed messages with the broken chains on the building. They passed by, exploring the rest of the plaza.
The other temples, while smaller, were still awe-inspiring. The Temple of Bones, some seven stories of black stone carved to look like it was made from human remains, stood out starkly against the other, lighter buildings. Vittorio had not expected the Forger of Death to have such a prominent place, but perhaps he should have: Thaan was the god of art as well. This, too, they passed by.
What ultimately drew their attention and curiosity were none of the grand edifices, but rather a small alley, entirely out of place with its surroundings. Walking down it they foud six smaller temples, hidden away behind the facades of the temples of Growth and Secrets. These were temples of the Primal Gods, and they were strange. Temples were blessed by their god, affecting them in ways the god wished. Vittorio had experienced that in the heat and humidity of a temple of Growth, and the silence and calm in a temple of Peace. The Primal Gods were inherently different from the Lesser, however, and it showed in how their temples were blessed.
The Temple of Change shifted and moved before their eyes, while the Temple of Life seemed to breathe like a living beast. Around the Temple of Structure, there was a small lawn of grass growing in perfectly straight lines, every blade at the exact same angle. Zolphion's temple was in absolute darkness despite the bright day, and would no doubt be lit up in the night. The paint on the Temple of Time was wet, as though it had only just been applied, and the ground under the Temple of Worlds was undulating as it was constantly reshaped. Lesser blessings paled in comparison.
"It is rare to see new visitors to our little corner of the world", a voice said. It was a man standing in the door to the temple of Khixemis, God of Time. He looked young, though his voice and eyes seemed old, and he was dressed in light-blue robes. "If I can help you find what you seek, I shall."
"Uh", Gloria said. "We were just looking around and noticed this street."
"Ah", the man said. "Not many do, you know. The... splendor of the plaza is overwhelming, I assume. Still, if you'd like a chat I'd be happy for it." He gave them a friendly, welcoming smile and gestured for them to come inside. Gloria looked at the wet paint.
"Is it... safe?"
The man chuckled. "Oh yes, of course! It is eminently safe. I dare say there are few places safer in the city! Please, come in."
After sharing a look, they did. The interior was simple and sparse, and the air had a strange feel to it - and "feel" was the right word, as for the first time they could actually feel air on their skin. Not temperature, not the movement of air, but the air itself.
The man still smiled. "What you feel is a blessing of preservation. Within this temple, the ravages of time cease. Food does not spoil, people do not age. Time continues ever onward, of course, but we are protected from some of its effects."
"But... that's incredible! Why aren't there people here?"
The [Priest's] smile turned sad. "Once, Temples of Time were built to be vast, and throngs of devotees would spend all the time they could spare within walls like these, but those days are long gone. Khixemis rarely answers prayers and does not enact their will on the world, and so people look to more... present gods. They fail to see that the Maker of Time is ever-present."
"How do you mean?"
"What is a life, but the passage of time? And every moment is a gift from Khixemis. They are present in every breath you take, every joy, every triumph, and without them, none of those things could be. Few prayers are answered, for what request could compare? They give us more than we mortals can use already. If you gave someone a thousand tons of gold and they asked for another copper, would you give it to them? Or would you think them greedy, and to be happy with what had been given?"
"But if it's always there, people don't notice it."
"They do not. Followers flock to the Temple of Growth, yet what is growth but Change and Time? Fragments and intersections are venerated, while the whole is nearly forgotten. The people of this time do not see the big picture, but are focused on details."
"Is that how you see the Lesser Gods? Sort of... pieces of the Primal?"
The [Priest's] lips thinned a bit. "'Primal' is a name given by the [Lesser Priests]. There are no 'Primal' Gods - only Gods and Lesser Gods. I am a [Priest], not a [Primal Priest]. But as to your question - yes. The Lesser Gods embody fractions, consequences, of the Gods. Time, of course, is part of all their domains, but look at Teris, for instance. They want everyone to be at peace in life and death - yet what is that, without the God of Life? And if there were no Teris, would there be no peace? There would be. The Lessers promote their ideals, but they do not command them. The Gods are their domains. The seas would not dry up without Attris, but time would cease without Khixemis. You see?"
Vittorio was troubled. "That's not what I've learned. I thought the Pri- uh, the Gods were just sort of stewards of their... things. That Khixemis makes sure nothing interferes with time, that sort of thing."
The [Priest] did not seem offended. "That is what the [Lesser Priests] say, yes. They say the Gods are just there to look after their domains, to ensure their continuation, and that they are alien, strange, and distant. The Gods do look after their responsibilities of course! And they appoint mortals to aid them, similar to how the Lesser can grant Blessed classes. But they are so much more. And distant? Time is with all of us, always! How much closer could one get?"
They stayed there for hours, talking to the [Priest] who was all too happy to have company. In all that time not one other person entered the temple, and by the time they left Vittorio was confused. The [Priest] had seemed honest and what he'd said made sense, but then so did what he'd learned before. Who was right? Had the Lesser Gods somehow supplanted the Primal? Or was the [Priest] just bitter about people choosing the more personal and direct Gods who could offer aid over his ever-present yet never-acting God? Shame there was no god of truth who could tell him.
By the next day, he'd put it behind him, however. Religious habits didn't affect him much and he preferred to trust himself and Gloria over them. Instead, the two of them spent the day trying out the training equipment at the company hall and found a number of devices they hadn't seen before, among them an opposite of a Nopain: A Truepain, a device that actually inflicted terrible pain so you could practice pain resistance. It had a warning next to it saying it could cause permanent, unhealable damage if used on one place for too long. They decided to skip it. Gloria was a bit annoyed about not having brought her equipment off the ship when she saw they had training dummies that could attack back, an enormous improvement over the ones in Pogna.
They decided to play things safe and returned to the ship in the afternoon and stayed on the ship until it left late the next day.