Anarea 1-off D: Breaking the Law 7 to 26 Aval 2000
Scenario 9. (C)
Directions for contacting the DALA Cult in Valdran might be obtained from the Sage Tandrys, from the surviving followers of Namaja, or (at a price) from the Thieves' Guild. Or maybe the Questors will just happen across them. Information concerning the Cult is not known to KOROS or SARAN, and has been expensively protected against Demon Summoning. Also for reasons of security the Cult keep themselves quite separate from the Ones. Misdetect Spells are kept up on all members. Although such measures are quite contrary to the nature of most DALA Temples, the Cult have been forced to maintain them in order to ensure their own survival from the intensive efforts of the Valdrean security forces to wipe out all remaining Chaotics in the City. Anyway, they would argue, whoever said that all DALA Temples follow consistent practices?
Around the Circus (where the Imperial Games are held) in the New City is a permanent fair and bazaar. Amongst its attractions (not the right word in some cases) is a "wishing well", made up of wood painted to look like stone, and erected over a shallow, water-filled pit. It is tended by an old beggar. To make a wish, he will explain, you must throw a coin into the well. The more valuable the coin, the more likely it is that Lady Luck will grant your wish. The Questors' informant should have explained that one has to inscribe one's wish of DALA (In those days, before TIPRE's rise to Godhead, "Lady Luck" was commonly understood to be one of DALA's multifarious titles.) upon a worn-smooth coin, and wait for Her followers to make contact, if that is how She chooses to respond.
Thieves generally watch over the well for DALA. They identify supplicants, and often follow unusual ones. The old beggar, who is honest to a fault (which is probably why he has ended up as a beggar), hands all the coins he takes to the Beggars' Guild at the end of each evening, so that they may take their one third cut. The Guild take all marked coins, and hand (or rather, sell) them to agents of DALA, who, in appropriate cases, contact agents of the Temple through a "whispering wall" in the sewers, and the Cultists direct them whether to bring, or quietly dispose of, or leave well alone, the supplicant.
The latter, if he is lucky, will be contacted, through some elaborate security ritual, by Thieves, who will eventually blindfold him and lead him to the sewers, where he will be left to await another guide (with appropriate warnings about the consequences of removing the blindfold), and so on several times until he passes into the hands of the acolytes of the Temple, who will lead him up out of the sewers and to the Temple, the physical location of which varies, depending upon the whim of its priests.
The Secret Temple of DALA in Valdran may meet anywhere in or around the City, and often somewhere daring and/or public. Consecrated ground is provided by large prayer mats, which have certain chameleon-like properties (+ varies; up to 20% on the main mat). It will not be obvious to the visitors that the location is purely temporary, and the Consecrated Ground transportable. The authorities' search for the Secret Temple all these years has been based upon the idea that it is some normal building, like the many closed-up old Temples in the older parts of the City, which date back to the time of the First Alliance.
Suggested possibilities are as follows (C Player to decide):
A. A summerhouse in the grounds of the Imperial Palace (accessed via the sewers)
B. In the main arena of the Circus, at midnight
C. In the Forum of the Old City, amidst the midday crowds
D. In a little-used antechapel of the High Temple of SARAN on Decus Island (the then name of the Temple of Heaven on Earth Site)
E. In a boat(s) on Lake Zarak / the River Alma, probably overlooking the Sacred City
F. Whatever the C Player chooses
However, the Temple will be aware of any Law State of +1 or greater, and will not hang around in or return to it. When the Law threatens to overwhelm the City, they will flee before it.
The DALA Cult in Valdran forms the hub of Chaotic resistance in the City, and, indeed, in the whole area. It has survived partly by adhering to strict security measures, but more fundamentally by having no set organisation or headquarters, and a constantly changing personnel. Parts of it are destroyed from time to time by the authorities, but its true core is no more than an idea, which cannot so easily be dealt with. For some time now, the contact point through the wishing well, the central priesthood and the Consecrated mats have been secure, and have remained the only constant element of the structure. The wishing well was established following the suppression of the Great Riot of 1997. The other central elements predate the Riot.
DALA (C) N/C Goddess of Chaos, Mistress of Rumour, Mother of Lies (or rather let's say Mother of Invention), oh, and various other titles too, some of them pretty impressive, honest. But I digress... Clerical, current Usual B = 60% - 10% per level of Law (on increased power, substantially in deficit).
DALA is Goddess of Chaos, and therefore Her ultimate aim is the total dissipation of the universe into utter Chaos. Naturally, She is hardly so precise about this (indeed, to be so would be self-defeating). DALA does not act or react according to any particular rationale, but She is, on the whole, and give or take a little here and there, really quite upset about the Law. It simply is not the sort of stuff She wants around, not even if Old Po-Face keeps it within Her private meddling-ground. Ever since Her favourite Valdrean decided to cut his losses, back by the lakeside a few years back, the place has just gone downhill.
Now She sees what is happening, DALA realises She should have paid a bit more attention to what was going on, but then She never has been One to be blinkered by foresight, and hindsight is just looking up One's own arse (You’ve seen it all before).
So what is She going to do about all this white stuff? Well, She expects something that will come up that will sort it out, and She'll be glad to give a hand where She can. If She's not too busy, that is. The Hermaphrodite is bound to be up to something, and She has high hopes for those brave boys who stood up to that unspeakable Decus the Whatever (a spoilt child, who was long overdue for a good hiding). The way they are going, those chaps will make Chaotics yet.
But seriously, it really is no good to plan against this sort of thing. That's just not the way to deal with it. DALA will keep Her eyes open (and She has them everywhere, if She chooses to use them), and wait for the right opportunity. When it comes, She will back it all the way.
(The exact composition of the group may vary, and some may adopt different guises: C Player to decide.)
Tanya (C) "High Priestess of DALA in Valdran"; a 12 year old ClL1 acolyte, with waist-length blonde hair, sparkling mischievous eyes, and a winning smile. Tanya has only just completed her basic instruction. As the most junior member of the inner circle of priests, she has been appointed their "leader" in mockery of Imperial religious customs. She is, however, a bright girl, and not without ability as a priestess of Chaos. She is also ThL 2, having grown up as a street urchin. She stumbled across the Temple one day not too long ago, and has stayed ever since. She usually affects a very good imitation of the accent of the Nobility, but this will crack into the broader tones of the street in moments of levity.
Martin (N) ClL 12.0; aged 85; senior member of the inner circle. Renowned for his luck in evading capture (in fact he is also ThL 6 and FtL 5). In his old age, and with experience, he has calmed down from his wild youth, and he now says little and watches much. So he remains a survivor. He is a survivor of the Great Riot of 1997 and the Massacre of Lake Zarak, and knows Robbi the Beggar Boy (see separate Scenario "The Betrayed").
Yabor (L) Carsus of Satril, 8th Champion of that House, pretends to be N/N and Faithless, but in fact is DALA Cl 6.3, his true identity being known only to his fellow members of the inner circle (who are not all sure they believe him). He disguises himself as a commoner, wears a rubbery mask (and not a particularly convincing one, at that), and talks in gutter tones. His abilities as a Noble Champion are FtL 8.8, ThL 2.4 & ElL 5.7. He is a Charmer, who undertakes a certain amount of work for the I.D.S.
Albia (C) ClL 7.2; aged 47, an opinionated woman, who tends to think she knows everything, and that everybody else is wrong. Fortunately for her, and infuriatingly for others, she usually is right. Her domineering nature has also imposed a kind of discipline upon the Chaotics, which has been beneficial security-wise. Like all of them, she is not without humour; including the endearing ability to laugh at herself. In appearance Albia is rather plain, though her angular features suggest perhaps she is the bastard daughter of a nobleman.
Frith (C) FtL 4.0, ThL 5.1, ClL 3.5; aged 27; a Chaotic rebel and terrorist, with connections in the Thieves' Guild, of which he is a member. Whilst the reaction of the others to the Law is somewhat unpredictable, Frith will be in favour of direct action, aimed at its destruction. He is crafty, and fairly bright, but headstrong.
Secud, Denouncer of DALA, False Goddess of Chaos (C) (pronounced "Say-sood", formerly known as "Susran"); Secud is a rumourmonger, preaching and dispensing rumours on the Street of False Gods (see separate Scenario "The Rumourmonger"), but may sometimes be found at the Secret Temple. He is notorious on the Street for denouncing DALA as not existing. He asserts that she (sic) is a False Goddess made up by Chaotics to justify their ludicrous beliefs. In fact his denunciations of her come dangerously close to preaching her Creed, as his denials of it involve detailed explanations of what he is denouncing, in a way which may seem superficially attractive. He is aware that the I.S.S. are keeping an eye on him, and is very careful what he says. He specialises in rumour, gossip, speculation and lies, which he serves up as examples of the sort of ludicrous things made up by people (not by DALA).
Plus several acolytes and other characters decided upon by the C Player (all to be played by the L and N Players, as they may decide).
Tanya knows virtually nothing of any importance or relevance, but she has enough sense to let her elders have their say, if they fell so inclined.
The experienced Clerics know nothing about Law (Yabor will not admit to such as he understands) but they, and Martin and Albia in particular, do know a fair bit about Chaos. They might explain that in truth there is nothing they really can explain. Chaos can do absolutely anything, because none of the normal rules of the World apply to it. It defies description, as it can manifest itself in any form. They will happily give many examples, most of them fictitious or the stuff of rumour. According to Yabor, Chaos can take shapes so alien that the human mind is incapable of comprehending them, and perceives them only in normal terms to which it is able to relate. He claims this was revealed to him by DALA Herself in Commune.
If questioned further, the Clerics will explain that the "magic" of Chaos can be "used" by someone with the right aptitude. They will not be able to explain how this is done (although they may offer some facetious observations), as they do not consider there are any particular "rules" which apply. The art is of course that commonly known as "ChaosMastery". The greatest, and indeed the only proficient, exponent of ChaosMastery they have known here in Valdran was Namaja, the self-styled "ArchChaosMaster".
They are unlikely to talk of Namaja's history, as he is something of a taboo subject after his betrayal of so many Chaotics and sympathisers, which led to the Massacre of Lake Zarak. But, briefly, he was an ex-acolyte of the Secret Temple, who returned, after several years' absence, as an experienced ChaosMaster. He claimed to have learnt the art in the Underworld, in a land whose people fought a great war against an Evil version of the Valdrean Empire, peopled by orcs. It was an imaginative tale. Namaja was a charismatic leader, recalls Frith, and after only a year or so from his return he led them in the incitement of the Great Riots. With his powers, the people felt they could at last defeat the powerful Noble Champions of SARAN. The rest is history. There were few survivors, but one or two of those closest to Namaja did escape, and went into hiding.
The Clerics may well offer a Commune with DALA. See Scenario "The Wisdom of KOROS" for the rules of the Commune. Whilst DALA is subject to these rules, Her interpretation of them naturally differs from that of more Lawful Gods. Her replies to questions put are seldom direct or truthful, but they are usually imaginative, sometimes enlightening, and sometimes obscure. DALA's likely views upon the current situation are speculated upon above.
The worshippers (and Secud in particular) are also a source of current rumours (See separate Scenario "The Rumourmonger").
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