the ghost of the old church
THE GRAVEKEEPER.
▍ ❝ WEAPON VENDOR (1-3 hearts)
A Saturday market vendor who appears once the quest to repair the Old Church is activated. Runs a traveling forge, pulled by two draft horses named Asphodel and Chrysanthemum. You can buy a number of unique swords here. Alternatively, the Gravekeeper can transfer any stats and infusions from one weapon to another. You'll just need to give him two separate swords—he'll take the one whose appearance you want to copy as his payment. After reaching 4 hearts, and repairing the church, he’ll remove his hood and mask and introduce himself as Ternate Wayland.TERNATE WAYLAND.
▍ ❝ CHURCH GRIM (4+ hearts)
An undertaker and a grave warden. The groundskeeper of the Old Church. He can often be found tending the Grove, or playing the piano in the nave.
❝ Go on. Eat up, whether you’re faithful or not. Don’t ever feel bad for living the way that you want to.
THE OLD CHURCH.
A quaint old building found directly to the east of the Grove of Rest. It was built sometime at the start of the Dark Ages, and is dedicated to a funerary goddess known as Nenia, and a fertility god known as Wren.REFERENCES.
Main reference (@KatyaHam)
Underlayers (@KatyaHam)
Body/scars (@yujinstar)
Hair reference (it should be a bit fluffier!) (@weaselbites)
ternate wayland
GENERAL .
• Name : Ternate Wayland
• Alias : Birdie, Orchid, Father Wayland
• Gender : Genderfluid (any pronouns)
• Orientation : Pansexual
• Species : Human
• Birthdate : Spring 11 (March 11)
• Occupation : Undertaker
• Voice claim(s) : Romi ParkPHYSICAL .
• Eyes : Gold, with a ring of blue around their irises
• Hair : Pink (bleached white)
• Height : 5'10"
• Weight : 167 lbs
• Build : Toned
• Skin : Fair
• Clothing : Formal, muted colorsMENTAL .
• Alignment : Lawful (?) good
• Likes : Foggy weather, overly sweet food
• Dislikes : Seafood, manipulative people
SKILLS .
• Farming : ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
• Fishing : ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
• Archaeology : ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
• Cooking : ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
• Ranching : ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
• Woodcrafting : ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
• Blacksmithing : ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
• Mining : ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
• Combat : ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
BACKGROUND.
• Birthplace : Mistria
• Current residence : The Old Church, Mistria
• Nuclear family : Ingrid Wayland, Silas Ernsthaft, Cordofan Wayland
• Extended family : Heidi Ernsthaft, Johanna Winter, Diedrich Wayland, Adeline Wayland
• In-laws : N/A
• Pets : Dirge (messenger raven)
• Significant other : N/A
• Children : Tara Wayland
personality
❝ An unsettling man who wears a hood and a face cloth; his eerie moniker only lends to his mysterious aura. The right side of his face is heavily scarred, and curtained by silvery bangs, but his gaze is no less piercing for it. Though he's known for his laconic responses, as well as his macabre sense of humor, he's also known to be playful, witty, and frankly lacking much in the way of dignity. Still, even if his smithing is equally as unpretentious and unsophisticated as he is himself, the swords he produces are of exquisite caliber; they speak of someone who takes great pride in producing high-quality work.Indeed, he's fiercely dedicated to his responsibilities. Ternate is, in many aspects, driven by passion, and rarely if ever does anything halfheartedly. This is especially true of his undertaker duties, during which he sheds his trademark cloak and becomes far warmer of a person. After all, to be a undertaker means one must deal with mad, messy grief as much as one does death, and that requires gentleness and patience befitting a saint. He strives to be an attentive listener who prioritizes his clients' comfort above all else, and essays to ascertain (and diligently attend to) even their unspoken needs; he will dutifully study all local funerary rites and traditions in order to offer both the deceased and their loved ones a proper funeral. There is no time that is early or too late, there is nothing that he would consider too much trouble, and there is nothing that could stop him from getting his job done.
That quite literally means nothing. Ternate is notoriously slow to anger. She's been the target of more than a few emotional outbursts; her reflexes are, consequently, well developed (it's surprisingly difficult to catch her off guard, even from her blind side). Neither insult nor threat seem to phase her, too. What she absolutely cannot abide, though, is the denial of the dignity and sanctity of the dead. Even if they had committed innumerable crimes in the past, the deceased must be always treated with respect—if that means she must subdue dissent with force in order to perform a burial, so be it.It's easy to see him as friendly, compassionate, and harmlessly eccentric—Ternate does quite genuinely care for others, and finds joy in making others laugh. Life is fleeting, after all, and so it should be cherished; he believes everyone should seek to fill everyone's lives with warmth and happiness. But due to the demanding nature of his obligations, there are few who know or want to see him as simply "Ternate." He rarely speaks about himself even in private, and tends to forget who knows his real name and who doesn't.
That is, perhaps, less a result of their occupation than it is of a deeply rooted and long neglected guilt. Though Ternate avoids acknowledging it at all costs, their heart is often clouded by the fear that they have, somehow, exploited the lives of their brother and March's parents in order to continue living themselves. It is a crushing weight that they have buried under layers and layers of excuses, mostly of how their work must always come before their own feelings; it is a weight that they carry, and perhaps will continue to carry into the far future. For though they will spend countless sleepless nights tending to the health and happiness of others, they—like so many around him—often forget "Ternate" exists, and thus forgets also to afford themselves their own kindness.
MONOCULAR .
He's done a lot of training in his own time to make up for his lost eye, so his depth perception isn't too bad. That being said, anything that's unfamiliar and dimly lit can still trip him up (if you toss him something he's never tried to catch before, it'll probably fall to the floor). This gets worse when he's tired—he will absolutely start running into things.
Also, much jumpier and alert on his right."You can't tell, but I'm actually winking at you right now."
RIDICULOUSLY NICE HANDWRITING .
Highly practiced, as she often needs to draft wills, letters, or cards. Seriously, it's kind of scary.
A FEW HABITS .
Needs coffee when she first wakes up (often works through the night), will write in books, will overanalyze you the moment you meet, likes to spend her mornings perched in a high, sunny spot for a while before doing anything else.
IGNORES HIS ALLERGIES .
Lactose intolerant (he will lick a bowl of ice cream clean), dogs and cats (he will pet every single one that allows him to)
DOESN'T LIKE DRAWING ATTENTION .
He takes care to make as little noise as possible when moving around—he'd prefer to stick to the shadows, thank you very much.
NEATLY GROOMED .
He can tolerate being dirty for a number of days, having lived on the road for so long, and barely notices when he's covered in something the average person would consider grisly or revolting. That being said, he will rush to groom himself the second an opportunity presents itself; it's best to be as hygienic as possible when you work with the dead.
history
YOUTH .
So it goes like this: he’s born the second child in a small family of priests, and reminded on a daily basis (if not by his parents, then by his chores) that he is expected to become the caretaker of the church. He’s told just as frequently that his future role is one of great import, and that he must never shy away from his responsibility to others. So even if the halls are a little lonely (which, really, is a good thing, his mother says) and even if he sometimes wishes he could spend a little less time on music and swordplay (which are skills he must hone to perfection, his father says) Ternate Wayland never complains. The weight of his duties isn’t too heavy, after all, when he has his brother to help him out.And then a new family moves into Mistria. It wouldn’t really have been anything to write home about—it’s a beautiful town, and unfamiliar faces frequent the market—but on a quiet winter morning, Ternate learns her brother cares little for priesthood, and by proxy helping her at the church; he has begged said family to take him on as an apprentice.(Wren’s priests might have held weekly services, once upon a time, but the Waylands are followers of Nenia—and so nowadays, the church is very quiet indeed.)
to be organized/rewritten
• born and raised in mistria.
• played with his brother, cordofan, a lot growing up. when march's parents moved in, his brother became their apprentice (he wasn't very interested in churchy duties)
• ternate probably would've been a lot less busy if cordy hadn't chosen that path. there was a part of them that wanted to resent him, but mostly they just missed having him around
• spent a lot of time working at the church and learning the ins and outs of being a priest
• not inseparable friends with valen and hayden, but they were close
• cordofan helps care for march and olric a lot after their parents pass away
• cordofan then passes away during a forging accident.
• ternate has to bury him alone (parents felt like they were hurting him whenever they tried to prepare his body)
• likely his first experience working with a corpse, or at least working with one alone
• i think at this point... he's always at least somewhat struggled to separate his work from himself (after all, he was so busy all the time, he didn't get to be a kid that much). but it's this that really leads him to start treating himself as like. a tool. as something to be used.
• (again, the whole thing with "i had to be the gravekeeper before i was a sibling")
• (this is your first time handling a real dead body. the decedent: your own brother, in the early stages of decomposition. you've read the texts. you've done the practice. your parents' assistant stands behind you, ready to help if necessary. just like the animals that have to be killed or die on hayden's farm, you think to yourself, but that isn't true. this was your brother, once. he's not meat to be eaten. you talked to him, once, laughed with him. he gave you your flute, once. holy and profane and frankly disgusting. "most people conceptualize 'the dead' and 'a corpse' differently.")
THE EXECUTIONER'S ASSISTANT .
• parents couldn't bear to stay in mistria, so they left for the capital, and she went with. they joined the church there, though it was a lot more corrupt (e.g. the order of the requiem, a group of executioners, plays much more of a role in the capital church)
• "is whatever they do really necessary?" she thinks. upon learning that heretics are forced to join the requiem for a period of time, she begins delving into forbidden research on her goddess, and purposely leaves tracks behind
• ("the capital's church is corrupt. i want to prove they are. surely nenia wouldn't approve of what they're doing—i want to learn more about her.")
• beyond that, she's angry, having been all but forced to work on her brother's dead body alone. it's a petty and stupid and ridiculous way to get back at her parents.
• when she’s caught, she’s forced to recant and sentenced to working for the order of the requiem for two years—that is, she becomes an executioner’s assistant.
• ("the capital church is full of pinioners." vanya, her new boss, sneers.)
• more reason for her to think of herself as just her job... she's not allowed to question things or think too much for herself.
• i think she quickly learns that she really, really fucking hate being an executioner's assistant. she's supposed to be helping people through the early stages of grief, after all. she's not supposed to be causing it
• this is more or less what causes her to start messing up really badly (that, and cordy's death). she begins to say the wrong things to the wrong people, and forgetting things she shouldn't. vanya protects her from the worst of the consequences and rarely says anything, but...
• anyway i like to imagine that younger ternate was always a little mischievous and very friendly. but over time, requiem era ternate stops smiling entirely
• shortly before her release from the requiem, vanya informs her that he knows of a group of merchants who need some help—the snowforge.
• she agrees to join them.
THE SNOWFORGE .
• part of a small, unique merchantile guild. contracted to an adventurer guild in some way? adventurers can't always get back to a town safe and sound, after all, so there's business to be had in tracking them down in the most remote of locations
• it's called a "traveling forge," but it provides quite a bit more than repairs or upgrades to your weapons. loosely inspired by corpse retrievers (dunmeshi) and pokémon rescue teams?
• all that to say, the snowforge is not what ternate is expecting. edurne is the only one with actual ties to the nenian church, and she's retired. skerry is a doctor, and casper is a researcher/magic historian.
• he helps them out anyway...
• tries to help out the adventurers they meet, but he's still a little... out of sorts (probably hasn't been taking good enough care of his physical body for a while)
• scene where, after he almost gets killed by a group of graverobbers, edurne tells him to knock it off ("you're more of a burden if you take on more than you can handle").
• ("he's a good kid," the others say with a shrug, "he just needs to figure some things out." who didn't at that age?)
• realizes he enjoys smithing. perhaps maybe even remembering how much he likes music? probably didn't have the chance to practice it much while working with vanya, even if he almost always carried his flute around
• relaxes, regains his confidence in himself and his skills. (he starts doing burials again; he does them well this time. he doesn't make any mistakes. he knows what to do.)
• gets letters from valen while on the road, reconnects with her, starts thinking about mistria again and going home
• when edurne passes, the others ask him what his plans are, they'll be okay with whatever he chooses to do—whether he wants to go back to mistria, or take edurne's place in their little group (he's probably mentioned the idea of returning to them)
• he probably still stays in the capital for a while afterwards, makes somewhat of a name for himself as the bladesmith/gravekeeper
• does a lot of boring ass paperwork stuff and formal training to become a nenian priest. his father, silas, passes away shortly before his induction
THE GRAVEKEEPER .
• the first thing he does is conduct his father's funeral. ternate coming home after years away and him having to perform his dad's funeral before getting to even rest. and after it's done he smiles and talks to all the people he used to know, the people that he knows he will have to serve in the future. and then he just goes inside the church, alone, and his footsteps echo so loudly down the lonely halls, and he's so tired but instead of going to his room maybe he goes to his dad's and he lies on the bed and falls asleep there because tonight, it feels too disorientating to have said bed be empty
• extraordinarily nervous when he gets home. only in the early stages of separating gk from ternate... please be patient...
• arc from here? learn to be more open, learn to be yourself, learn to love yourself, don't forget that people love you and sometimes all you have to do is ask
• probably still needs to learn to not overwork himself too much, he can still fall into the habit of doing too much, especially because early on he sees himself as the main caretaker of the church... something that his relationships with irene and julius might help him to undo? (even if it's only done unconsciously)
• (still will take on the gk persona when he needs to be professional... i think he always will tbh)
timeline
Main Fields of Mistria timeline, involving multiple farmers (Sie, April, Ari), and NPCs such as Julius.▍ ❝ BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE.
| Y.A. | EVENT |
|---|---|
| 29 | Born to Ingrid Wayland and Silas Ernsthaft. |
| 21 | Begins preliminary training as a Nenian priest. |
| 18 | Meets Ari and Felix. |
| 12 | Cordofan passes away. Moves to Capital. |
| 10 | Begins working under Vanya Lyod. |
| 8 | Joins the Snowforge. |
| 4 | Begins writing to Valen and Hayden. |
| 3 | Snowforge is disbanded. Returns to the capital and begins formal training as a priest. |
▍ ❝ WINTER, YEAR 1.
Begins to appear once every season at the Saturday Market.
▍ ❝ FALL 4, YEAR 2.
Arrives in Mistria to conduct a preliminary inspection of the church, a fortnight after Valen asks Adeline and the farmers to fix the place up. Begins to appears weekly at the Saturday Market.
▍ ❝ WINTER 5, YEAR 2.
Meets Julius. Conducts Silas's funeral. Moves into the Old Church within the Deep Woods.
loved gifts
▍ ❝ MISTRIL SWORD.
“Now that is one hell of a sword. Did you smith it yourself? Thanks.” (6+ hearts) “You’re quite the marvel, Ari.”
▍ ❝ BELL BERRY BAKEWELL TART.
“A bit of indulgence can’t hurt too much. Thanks, kid.”
(6+ hearts) “You’re a lifesaver, Ari. Surely even Valen will understand that I just couldn’t turn down this nice of a gift.”
▍ ❝ LATTE, MOCHA.
“Mm, my favorite smell. Thanks, this’ll make my next shift a lot more tolerable.”
▍ ❝ CALDOSIAN SWORD, ALDARIAN SWORD
“A historical sword, huh? What a stupendous specimen. Thank you.”
▍ ❝ SPIRIT MUSHROOM TEA.
"Now here's something that always lifts the spirits. Heh. Thank you."
▍ ❝ HYDRANGEA.
“These grow near the church! Aren't they beautiful? ...huh? It's for me? O-oh. Thank you.”
(6+ hearts) “Hydrangeas! These really take me back. In the summer, my parents always put a bunch or two in every window.”
liked gifts
▍ ❝ ANY OTHER SWORD.
“Cheers, kid. Thanks for thinking of me.”
(6+ hearts) “Always the thoughtful one. Thank you, Ari.”
▍ ❝ ESPRESSO, COFFEE, ICED COFFEE, HEAVY MIST.
“Ahh, caffeine—just what I needed. Thanks!”
▍ ❝ POMEGRANATE SORBET, ICE CREAM SUNDAE, APPLE PIE.
“S… sugar…!”
disliked gifts
▍ ❝ FROST LILY.
“Ugh. Sorry. Thank you, I really appreciate it. I just... can't stand the smell.”
▍ ❝ FOG ORCHID, CHRYSANTHEMUM, MARIGOLD.
“Flowers perfectly suited for the obsequies... They’ll be sure to make someone happy. Thank you.”
▍ ❝ ROSE.
“The flower of choice for a traditional Nenian funeral. I'll put it to good use. Thank you.”
hated gift
▍ ❝ PINE SAPLING.
"A... gift? Uh, alright. Thank you."
(6+ hearts) “Look, I get why you’d think I’d like this, but... I don’t want to be just the Gravekeeper to you.”
story quests
▍ ❝ REPAIR THE OLD CHURCH.
Valen’s asked you to meet in front of the Carpenter’s to work on a new project.Deposit the required materials in the Donation Box outside of the Carpenter's Shop, then talk to Adeline.
Crystal: 50
Hardwood: 150
Glass: 150
Refined Stone: 150
requests
▍ ❝ REQUEST FOR LAVENDER SEEDS.
I'd like to start an herb garden in the churchyard. Could someone swing by and bring a couple of lavender seeds for me? Thanks.COMPLETION .
"Quote"REWARD .
Leaf Blade
A sword with a leaf-shaped blade. The back edge is serrated, ideal for sawing through muscle or sinew.
▍ ❝ REQUEST FOR A ROSE.
The Grove could use some color, yeah? Could a kind soul bring me some a rosebush or two? Thank you.COMPLETION .
"Quote"REWARD .
Roseglass Dagger
A dagger, with a blade made of incarnadine knapped glass.
▍ ❝ REQUEST FOR AN APPLE.
I'd like an apple for something I'm trying my hand at. As usual, I'll offer one of my swords. Thanks!COMPLETION .
"Quote"REWARD .
Floral Sword
A rapier with a vine-like guard. The words "all theory is grey" have been carved into the blade.
heart events
▍ ❝ INTRODUCTION.
Repair the Old Church.
Valen’s asked you to meet in front of the Carpenter’s to work on a new project.She leads you to a forest that’s a little ways to the south, and shows you the old church. She says that, as most of the town has been cleaned up, she’d now like to request that some work gets done on this place. You can ask her what it’s for and who’ll work here, but she just says she’ll figure it out.
▍ ❝ ZERO HEARTS.
Good to meet you, stranger.
Valen’s told me you’re planning on fixing up the old church―and she’s asked me if I’d be interested in becoming its caretaker.
I’ll be coming by Saturday to check it out. I’ve heard you’re an adventurer; swing by my forge if you’ve got the time. I tinker with swords now and then.
G.
▍ ❝ TWO HEARTS.
A helping hand.
The church has way too many rooms to clean, doesn’t it? Sorry I can’t be around more often to help. I’ve been given the next week off, so I’ll spend it by doing some make-up work.
G.
▍ ❝ FOUR HEARTS.
Hey there.
The church doors are open again.
Thank you. I mean it. I'm really happy to see this place in such good shape again. I'll look after it well, so pay me a visit whenever you're looking for the Gravekeeper or his swords.
P.S. I hope you're not pushing yourself too hard. Rebuilding's important, but you don't get to carry the burden of doing so much on your own.
T.W.
▍ ❝ SIX HEARTS.
▍ ❝ EIGHT HEARTS.
Thank you for last time.
As promised, I’ll talk.
T.W.
vendor
▍ ❝ FIRST MEETING.
"Hey there, stranger."
"Call me Gravekeeper. Pay me a visit if you've got a sword you want strengthened."
▍ ❝ WHEEDLE ALSO AT MARKET.
"Be careful where you go spending your hard-earned coin. There're a lot of shifty, suspicious merchants out there."
▍ ❝ RETURNING A SWORD.
"Hey again. Here, take a look at this and tell me if it's to your liking."
"Yeah? That's good. Sorry for making you wait; I've got a strict time limit on how much I can work. Doctor's orders."
heart dialogue
▍ ❝ 4 HEARTS.
"…Valen was right about you, huh? Alright, let's dispense with this then."
"The name's Ternate. Sorry, it's rare that someone approaches me this much... So I don't usually bother giving my real name.""How does my smithing work, you ask?"
"Heh. I'm afraid that's a trade secret. It'd be a grave mistake to reveal it to a potential customer."
"I'll teach you when I've got the time.""Reina and her siblings / Celine and Dell seem to love one other dearly... I hope their happiness is preserved for many, many years to come."
▍ ❝ 6 HEARTS.
AFTER MEETING VANYA.
"What did you think of him? ...yeah, it's not a pretty job. By any means."
"I used to think he'd disagree, but now..."
▍ ❝ 8 HEARTS.
"The dead would make excellent test subjects, don't you think? They don't cry or scream, after all."
"…I’m kidding. No, seriously. I’m kidding.""Valen says I talk about my assistant an awful lot. I wonder what she means by that..."
seasonal
▍ ❝ NEW YEAR'S EVE.
(Dating) "I've heard Wren's priests have a pretty unique way of kicking off the new year."
"You'd like to know what it is? Good. I'd love to tell you all about it. Stop by tonight, yeah?"
▍ ❝ SUMMER.
"Are you making sure to stay hydrated?"
"Here, I've got a waterskin if you've need. Don't worry, it's brand new."
(Dating) “...though if you'd like, you could take mine.”SUMMER 26-28.
"Valen's birthday is coming up soon!"
"She likes her greens and her medicinal herbs; I was thinking about getting her a bunch of rosehips."
▍ ❝ FALL.
"Take time to smell the flowers. They'll die soon."
▍ ❝ SPRING.
"Celine was talking about floriography yesterday."
"Romance, fertility, purity... How novel."
(6+ hearts) "I'm used to flowers meaning something completely different."
▍ ❝ BEACH.
"The others asked me to play beach volleyball with them."
"Heh. They don't know I'm absolutely incapable of aiming. No one—not even me—has any idea what's coming."“I’m really good at burying people. See for yourself, lie down right over here.”
▍ ❝ WINTER.
"Ugh, it's cold."
"I hate when it gets dark early. The lanterns here are too dim."WINTER 5-7.
"Don't tell anyone, but lately, I've been trying my hand at baking."
"Hayden's birthday is on the 8th, and he loves a good pie."
weather
▍ ❝ WINDY.
"Oh, geez, my hair is getting all tousled."
▍ ❝ RAIN.
"The skies have seen fit to bless your crops today!"
"Take care not to get soaked, though. Watering yourself won't make you grow any taller."
▍ ❝ BLIZZARD.
"Do you know how many people die on snowy days?"
"Heh. Bundle up."
the old church
▍ ❝ MORNING.
“M—(yawns)... Mor—(yawns)... Mo—(yawns)...”
“...night.”"It's too early. I'm not much of a mourning person...""Want some coffee? I find work's easier to handle once you're properly coffin-ated."
▍ ❝ AFTERNOON.
"Hey there, Ari."
"What can I do you for? Need to look through some records? Wanna tease Julius? Or... are you just here for me?"
▍ ❝ THE NAVE.
"You should talk to Jules if you need any help with matrimonial matters. I could officiate a wedding if need be, sure, but I am first and foremost a priest of Nenia.""Don't get lost poking around all of the empty rooms. Who knows when a ghost'll try and sneak up on you.""I've always loved watching sunsets from the bell tower. The stairs aren't very well lit, though, so the last time I went up myself I fell the whole way down. I think I almost gave Julius a heart attack!"
"I'll need to get lighting installed before I'm allowed up there alone again."
▍ ❝ THE GROVE OF REST.
"O Nenia, lady of the long night, we entrust to you the mortal forms of our beloved. May their souls follow the nocturne of your bells to your sweet repose, and find solace in the down of your..."
"Oh, Ari. Sorry, I'll be right with you—just give me a second, yeah?"(8+ hearts) "It's not uncommon for cemeteries to fall into disuse; when unfamiliarity with the interred or physical distance becomes too great, people lose interest in maintaining them."
"Here in the Sister Kingdoms, cemeteries owned by the Nenian church have a better chance at long-term survival. But even priests run out of time and money."
▍ ❝ THE GARDEN.
"Feel free to take whatever you find. The bounty of the land is meant to be shared."
▍ ❝ THE DORMITORY.
SUMMER 5 / FALL 28.
"Huh? Oh. Ari. Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you."
"I've just been feeling under the weather lately. Don't worry, I'll be alright."(8+ hearts) "Once, I was Cordofan's younger brother. And then I was Ingrid and Silas's child. Now? I'm just Ingrid's son."
"...it's like an amputation. Even when it's no longer physically there, it still hurts."
▍ ❝ THE GROVE OF REST.
(UNKNOWN TRIGGER)
"Hey. Don't push yourself through the pain. Time can't heal all things."
"A wound needs to be treated, yeah? Otherwise, it'll just fester and rot."
events
▍ ❝ SATURDAY MARKET.
VERA.
"My roots are starting to show... I'll have to ask Vera for a touch up soon."
"Huh? No, I have natural pink hair. Have I never mentioned that?"
"...did I also forget to tell you my right eye is a prosthetic? Oops."
▍ ❝ WIGHT'S EVE.
"You don't believe in Nenia? Ha! That's fine. You're still welcome at the dinner table!"
"Plenty of Nenian priests don't care for her, either. Sure, we take our name from her, but the cornerstone of our faith isn't a goddess we'll never meet in life. It's the love of the past and the future; it's the love and the hope our ancestors had for their children, and their children's children, which then paved the way to our present."
"This festival begins with hymns dedicated to Nenia, but it purposely ends with a dance that only the living can dance, and a feast that only the living can eat. We gather here to celebrate life, and everything it took to get us where we are today."
"So go on. Eat up, whether you're faithful or not. Don't ever feel bad for living the way that you want to."
miscellaneous
▍ ❝ RESCUE FROM THE MINES.
“Easy now, kiddo, it's just me.”
“It's okay, I've got you. Just hang on until we get to Valen's.”
▍ ❝ AFTER PASSING OUT IN THE MINES.
“It's difficult to deal in any matters of life and death in a town this small.”
“Take Valen. She’s responsible for the lives of everyone she sees daily—that you see daily.”
“It’s a lot of pressure. So don’t make things too difficult for her, and take better care of yourself, yeah?”
▍ ❝ AFTER COMPLETING AT LEAST ONE ARTIFACT SET.
“Eiland and Errol have built up quite a nice collection in that museum of theirs.”
”What sorts of stories have those artifacts experienced? I suppose most have probably been lost to time.”
(6+ hearts) “...but there's much that has been recorded. Remember, Ari, dead men do tell tales. It's just that the living aren't always wise enough to listen.”
group conversations
▍ ❝ WINTER.
Ternate: Fifty tesserae if you nail 'em with a snowball. A hundred for two.
Ari: I'll throw in another hundred if you get them with a third.
Sie: How much to hit them with five in a row?
Ternate: Dinner or a discount on my services, you pick.
Sie: Dinner. I don't know when I'll die but I do know I'll be hungry later.
▍ ❝ SWEETWATER FARM.
Hayden: Look who it is, girls! Your papa's come to pay you a visit!
Ternate: Whoa, easy now, you two! You've been spoiling them rotten, haven't you?
Hayden: Only as much as they deserve!
Ternate: Oh, geez. Haha. Hayden, thank you again for looking after—
Ternate: Oof, stop shoving!
▍ ❝ SWEETWATER FARM.
Valen: You've never liked horses, have you?
Ternate: They can be cute! They're just... big.
Valen: Hayden says you took very good care of them.
Ternate: Ah, hey, don't embarrass me in front of Ari.
▍ ❝ WHEEDLE'S STALL.
Ternate: If we had soup to wash it down, how much more fast food could we eat?
Sie: So much more than if we didn't. Should we raid the inn?
backstory
INGRID WAYLAND
mother
she/her
5/10 A shrewd woman with a strong sense of justice, and an unswerving dedication to her responsibilities.You, admittedly, don't know her that well.
SILAS ERNSTHAFT
father
he/him
6/10 A gentle soul with mysterious origins.Whatever his past was, it left him physically weak; he passed away while you were studying to become a priest.
CORDOFAN WAYLAND
brother
he/him
7/10 Your
VANYA LYOD
ex-partner
he/him
5/10 One of the Capital church's executioners. For two years, you worked as his Löwe. For two years, you were his lover (but alas, you did not know how to express your love, and he did not know how to be gentle).
SKIP
friend
she/her
10/10 A cheery, talkative bounty hunter.
EDURNE MEINE
ex-boss
she/her
5/10 A former member of the Ravenguard.
CASPER MORGENSTERN
ex-coworker, ex-fwb
he/him
7/10 A quiet, mild-mannered man with a bent for apothecary duties. Though disinclined to participate in most conversations, he was always quick to stand up for himself in your relationship; you believe you owe much to him because of that.
SKERRY BEYER
ex-coworker
she/he
6/10 A graduate of the College of the Eighth Serpent, and a wandering doctor.She has a sharp tongue, and frequently scolded you for neglecting your health.
original characters
ARI
friend
she/her
6/10 She's a familiar face from bygone days; she's the child who freed you from your responsibilities as a Nenian priest for a spell. You were torn between irrepressible delight and a bone-deep uncertainty when you first saw her face again. ("Thank the gods fate has been kind to you, and thank the gods you are well—but when I'm finally brave enough to unmask myself, what am I do? Do I lie to you and tell him he's away in the capital? Or do I...")(In the end, though, you suppose you didn't really have anything to worry about. You find that you rarely do when you're around her and Felix.)
FELIX
friend
6/10 A childhood friend, and Ari's older brother.
SIE IRONROSE
friend
they/them
6/10 Someone you met as a child, long, long ago.
JULIUS FAUST
church assistant
he/him
10/10 A priest from a far-off land, whom you invited to take refuge in your church after learning of his unfortunate run-ins with a pickpocket. You were, admittedly, unsure of this decision; he was a follower of Wren, and so the church's doors should always be open to him. But the two of you did meet shortly before your father's funeral, and he did learn of your brother's death far before you were even willing to acknowledge it.And yet, you soon learned that the two of you were very much alike—and that he was not only gentle, and kind, and terribly patient even with someone as afraid of vulnerability as you, but he was very, very attractive. And so hesitation turned to friendship, and friendship led to sex, and before long you were singing him to sleep and thinking oh, gods, I'm in love with you.
IRENE
friend
she/her
4/10 A bird who was forcibly devocalized; a fly who's been taught to love the spiderweb. You'd like to help her unravel herself from that thread, and learn to love instead the freedom of the sky. She's a layperson whose history with her church has, clearly, had a terrible effect on her. You've yet to outright ask what happened, as you'd like to wait until you're closer—but you're fairly certain it has something to do with her simultaneous trepidation and great affection towards music.Perhaps it's because you both belong to a faith, but you take quite a lot of responsibility for her well-being. Her bizarre sense of boundaries and obsession with sin are reminiscent of your experiences with... certain other temples.
APRIL JAHODA
friend
she/they
4/10 One of the farmers you met.
mistrians
VALEN
childhood friend
8/10 Your childhood friend. You'd do anything for her—even listen when she tells you that you don't need to carry the weight of the world alone. (The only thing you won't do is give up sugar.)You've always thought her irresistibly beautiful, both in looks and personality. She's calm, collected, clever, learned, and several times sharper than your swords. You don't think there's anything you could possibly hide from her, even if you wanted to try. You know each other so well that you can easily finish her sentences, and she yours. It's a comfortable relationship for someone like you, who can't quite voice the ache deep within your heart.Still—there's a part of you, who, like Hayden, can't help but miss the girl who would catch frogs in the rain with you. You understand, of course. It's difficult to hold the lives of everyone you know in your hands.
HAYDEN
childhood friend
4/10 Your childhood friend. You left your horses in his care.He's always been like an older brother to you. You oft got up to mischief together, but were rarely in touch during your time away... Though it seems he still understands you quite well.
the nenian church
▍ ❝ INTRO.
A religious organization that spans both the Caldosian Empire and the country of Mistria, with a history that's said to predate even the Witch Queens. The vast majority of undertakers in the Sister Kingdoms hail from their ranks.Well... It's called a religious organization, but they don't do a whole lot of praying or anything. Nenian churches are more like funeral homes than places of worship.
▍ ❝ HISTORY.
It's believed that Nenia was a dragon, though she was rarely if ever depicted as anything but a horned human. Most scholars agree that she was not very powerful, and that in prehistoric times her worship was centralized in a small region—one that experienced some sort of cataclysmic event (one that she did not have the power to stop). As such all she could do was grieve her followers, and bury them as well as she could... Hence her association with funerals.The Nenian church was fairly obscure early on. When a plague struck several of the old Alda tribes during the Dark Ages, though, their services became desperately required, and they hereafter rose to prominence.
▍ ❝ TEMPLES.
Her churches always have bell towers (which usually feature Nenia, as well as scenes from her scriptures). A metal crank in the lobby allows for anyone to ring the carillons whenever they require the services of the clergy.
▍ ❝ REPUTATION.
They're sometimes likened to mercenaries, as their faith dictates they must bury everyone with respect, regardless of who they are or were. (Though not every clergyman is so diligent; Ternate's kindness is not the rule.) Even as impartial as they are, though, they do have their own rules. For example, they will not serve those that harm another member of the church; a law implemented during the War of the Lilies, which even now serves as a strict reminder as to the necessity of their work.They're often regarded as unclean, or suspicious, or something best avoided. There is a great difference, after all, between the beloved dead and a putrid corpse. For the Nenian clergy to handle the latter so easily, and profit off of the former—there are many who would consider this unforgivable. Several towns constrain their lives by ordaining where they can and cannot stay, when they are allowed to be seen in public, etc.It isn't all bad, though. Over the years, many Nenian clergymen have striven to better their reputation among the general public, and so there are also several towns that treat them as actual villagers (and not just ominous beings who dwell on the fringes of society).
▍ ❝ TEXTS.
BOOK OF ORDER.
A book describing the tenets of the Nenian faith.All are equal in death—thus, all who pass must be treated, and prepared for burial, as though they were your own family.
The sanctity of the dead and their resting places must never be disturbed.
Follow the local rites above all else.TOME OF LAST RITES.
A tome that details local rites from all over the Sister Kingdoms. There are a number of blank pages as well, which may be filled out by the owner.It also talks about some Nenian rites, which usually involve music. These are typically used for the funerals of her clergy, though some of them are widespread throughout Aldaria.
orders
▍ ❝ ORDER OF THE CARILLONS.
These are the undertakers; they handle anything related to funerals. A larger church might delegate specific tasks to specific groups, but a smaller one—like Mistria's—usually have one or two people doing all the work.Members of this order possess a small bell with a handle shaped like a feather, which is rung when they're walking through the streets to the home of the deceased, during funeral processions, etc.—basically, it's used to announce when they're conducting business.They usually stay in one place, but many also service an entire region; Ternate sometimes leaves Mistria to serve the neighboring towns.
▍ ❝ RAVENGUARD.
Mounted on their pale white steeds, members of this order are rarely if ever stationary. Their primary role is to carry news between the Nenian churches, and distribute updates on the Tome of Last Rites. They also serve adventurers, merchants, and anyone who passed away on the road.
▍ ❝ ORDER OF THE REQUIEM.
Also known as the Blood Court.Clad in a deep, blood red, they work as the executioners of those who commit capital offenses. Usually live in a small abbey that's attached to the main church. Like the Carillons, they typically service an entire region.