[Open] And Did the Countenance Divine

[graveling]

Who: Angel and You
What: Properly priesting, or trying to at least
When: July
Where: Yes!
Warning(s): None yet

1. I will not cease from mental fight [Temple Matters]
With Degas on his sabbatical, Angel is taking on the full mantle of Priest of the Mothers. He’s wearing the brown robes of a priest and the green stole with braided knotwork patterns similar to Celtic designs along it, even though doing so makes him feel a little like a child in their father’s shoes.

Still, he’s here if you need guidance or blessing, trying to fill the role.


2. Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand [Milk and Honey]
As he’s trying to fill the role of full-time priest, Angel’s still in his robes as he brings products from Kasprak farm into town. Vegetables and fruits, eggs and goat’s milk. And, of course, honey, in small glass jars all with a wax stamp on top–a bee with a pair of stylized feathered wings.

He’s visiting stores and restaurants, but if you catch him on the carriage Arcadia’s pulling, you might get tossed a ripe tomato or offered a melon. There’s plenty to go around.


3. Till we have built Jerusalem [A Day Off]
Sometimes, it’s all a bit much. Angel occasionally runs away from his duties. Never on days when there are services planned, never when he’s scheduled for something. But when restlessness strikes, Angel’s feet take him to the wild parts of the island. Paradesium, Lockwood Forest near Elsie’s Tree, and even nosing around the cave near Tawny Beach, though it’s been caved in since he and River had their adventure. He isn’t wearing his robes, he hasn’t combed his hair, he might be up a tree or sitting on a rock, and he surely isn’t expecting company.

But still, if you approach, there’s a sheepish little nod and a wave.


4. In England's green and pleasant land [Wildcard]
[find me on discord at darkersolstice to plot]

Comments

A Day Off

[hereticofthewilds]

One minute Angel is alone. The next, Elsie is perched beside him on the same branch of his tree.

"Hello."

[graveling]

"Els." Angel glances sidelong at her, nodding instead of forcing his face to make a smile for her. "You been?"

Milk and Honey - time for a talk

[lordoftheozarks]

Erik spots Angel in town carrying those jars of honey and something clicks into place for him at last.

"Angel, do you have time to come talk with me? I want to ask you about something."

[graveling]

The look in Angel's eyes--it doesn't read through on his face, but it's very there in his eyes--is am I in trouble? He nods, though. "I can talk, though I need to get these eggs to Venka, before I can. Walk with me?"

Milk and Honey

[lovinglefthand]

First Aid is a frequent visitor of Eddie's farm, both to monitor the on-going penicillin cultures and to look after any farmhands with small injuries, and whenever Angel is planning to deliver something heavy back to town First Aid offers him a ride. It's easier than harnessing up Arcadia, and First Aid enjoys feeling useful.

"Are you enjoying it, being a priest?" he asks Angel with friendly curiosity, the living corpse in his driver's seat and the cargo tucked safely in First Aid's compartment. "I hope nobody's been giving you a hard time." Yes, he is still annoyed with the firefighters, as a matter of fact.

[graveling]

"Does me giving me a hard time count?"

The question's quiet. Yes, there's no one in the vehicle but Angel itself, but it still feels like something you don't ask too loudly.

day off.

[abhorrently]

He's not the only one who needs to disappear into the forest. Fever has been trying to walk off her thoughts, letting herself utterly disconnect and think of nothing but the surroundings. There's an absent look in her eyes in her wanderings, and at first, it seems like she hasn't seen Angel at all. Until she inhales, focus restored, and looks upward to wave back.

"Angel. What are you doing up there?"

[graveling]

"Not pretending to be a person for a moment. If you need it back, though, I can get there in a couple minutes." It recognizes that absent look. The one it's had all morning.

"There's room on the branch."

Temple Matters (ish)

[batteryacid]

Eddie adjusts the green stole one more time, then smooths out any (imaginary) wrinkles. "There!" he declares, reaching out to pat Angel on the cheek. "Just right."

(The whole point is to give Angel some assurance before he goes out to assume his priestly duties. Since Eddie is trustworthy when it comes to presenting themselves well.)

[graveling]

"Mmh." Angel rests his head heavy against the comforting hand, closing his eyes and relaxing in the manner of someone who just took a deep breath, without breathing at all.

"Thank you."

temple matters flavoured

[littlefairytale]

She's not strictly seeking out Angel in an official capacity. But she knows she can find him here and it's fitting enough, considering. Despite being in the height of summer she's wearing not just her usual cloak but a knitted shawl beneath it, the red-orange of autumn and flecked with gold. Somehow she's not sweltering.

"Hey, Angel—you got time for kind of a social call?"

[graveling]

"For you? Always."

He steps closer, tilting his head slightly as he notices the shawl. That has Celestine's vibe all over it.

"...You're sure this isn't Temple Business, instead of just social, though?"

I Will Not Cease

[misbegottendreamer]

There is a sound of bells ringing in the temple, again and again, as rhythmic as the sound of footfalls. There is a figure in the temple, hooded and masked and kneeling by a new, small shrine- a three-sided fresco. They've set down a bundle of flowers and seem to be arranging them.

[graveling]

"Lo, there." He certainly can't complain about someone making the space even more holy, even if their pantheon (or hagiopoly, as the case may be) is very unfamiliar to him. "Stupid question, while you're here: is there anything I need to do to tend this shrine when you're absent, and will doing so bind me to anyone?"

I will not cease

[not_the_last]

A young woman leans in through the temple door, looking around, as though trying to find someone to talk to before stepping over the threshold.

"Hello?"

[graveling]

"Come and be welcome." He's trying his best to sound like a proper priest, but the way he toys nervously with the end of his stole makes it a little less convincing in practice. Angel steps into sight, staring unblinkingly at Cassandra and, like. Not smiling.

2

[hotproblems]

A priest tosses Lorenz a tomato. This is not, by any account, a situation he's familiar with. What is the meaning of the tomato? Does it bear religious significance?

(He is not, let the record show, familiar with the concept of free produce handed out in town, either.)

So a few restaurant stops down the road he catches up with the carriage again, holding the tomato up. Goddess forbid he be accused of thievery. "Good day," he says, "Was this delivered in error? I've not purchased it."

[graveling]

"No, right, no. I gave it to you. Because you looked like someone who needed a tomato. Sorry if I was wrong?"

There's more weirder things to notice about the priest: he's not breathing or blinking at all.

wildcard, in the temple

[lovethyneighb_or]

It had already been a bit of a problem for a little while, but it begins to become especially noticeable only a week after the first mention of the Dirt Man in the paper. Mulcahy begins to arrive late and exhausted, dropping apologies like he'd gathered too many in his arms and can't seem to hold onto them all. He forgets things at home, forgets what time it is, forgets that things have or haven't been filled out already, that things have or haven't been done. He moves too slowly between tasks and has trouble both standing and sitting, with his body aching like it is. He dozes off. He stays late nights to make up for the slow and missing work. Sometimes it feels like it's on purpose, like either he doesn't want to go home, or he doesn't want to sleep.

His Klefki follows him each day. If it isn't hovering at his side, it wanders placidly about the temple, occasionally peering over Angel's shoulder or pestering him for extra snacks. But mostly it's been nudging Mulcahy every time he's been staring vacantly for too long, which happens too often. Even when he isn't, he walks like he's in a daze.

That is how Angel will find him one day, as he has on other days, frozen in the middle of the temple with a broom in hand and a half-done job at his feet.

[graveling]

"You look like shit." Well, perhaps that's not the proper priestly thing to say, but it's the words that come out of Angel as he walks over to retrieve the broom. "Do you need me to send for one of the doctors?"

Till we have built Jerusalem

[amourtician]

Anzu finds Angel sitting up a tree on the outskirts of Paradesium — he was, without much hope of accomplishing anything, looking to see how much citrus trees he can find without needing to venture in too deep. He's got a spool of bright blue ribbon with him, to tie around tree-branches. Thus far, he's only had cause to tie two bows.

He waves.

"A gutn, dearest! Art thou occupied, or shall my company distract thee not?"

[graveling]

"Anzu! Do you want to come up? There's room." His face doesn't change much beyond eyebrows lifting. Part of coming out to the wilds is not needing to do the full facial manipulation part of masking; he hopes Anzu won't mind too much.

post mortanne.

[abhorrently]

Good morning, Angel. Very considerate of you to let a questioning soul rest in the shelter of the Mothers for the night. She did sleep quite well after the initial disturbance.

So why then is she coming to find you with such a serious expression? Almost like she woke up deeply annoyed by something. And she's carrying the bedding - she at least folded it up.

"Didn't know where you wanted me to put these."

That's not an answer to the question that's in the air.

[graveling]

"Back in the storage closet's fine. I can make tea, if you want some."

There is no smug in Angel's face or his voice, no implication of 'told you so'. He seems to take Fever wholly at face value, holding in whatever questions he has. Her experience over the course of the night is hers to integrate, not his to poke at.

3

[hadnoright]

The thing about not having a pulse is that Daisy both does not hear Angel before she sees Angel, but also that, despite this meaning she absolutely jumps out of her skin once she does spot him up in a tree, there's no heartbeat for the blood in her head to latch onto.

So what happens is she turns towards the sound of an animal, sees Angel instead, jumps, curses, "Fucking hell—" and then just groans.

[graveling]

"Asexual hell, thanks."

Don't ask how he's speaking without breathing. He's so absolutely still, still like a gravestone, looking down at her with those sharp blue eyes.

august, post blight.

[abhorrently]

It's a quieter moment in the Temple, which means it's the perfect time to come and bother it for something she's been thinking about for a while. She's already discussed things with a woodworker, but the question is where. And, of course, if it'll be approved. But it's easier to ask Angel than to wait for Degas to come back.

"...I want to put up a shrine. A little one - it can go wherever there's room, with the rest of our varied faiths."

[graveling]

"Sure. Near the confessional booth or Drelasa's shrine or something? We have the room, and the Mothers aren't going to mind. What sort of a shrine are we thinking?"