(052) Reckoning the Abbey

[ehiker133]

Desmond nods and lets out an (almost) audible sigh of relief as he was not terribly interested in actually picking the bowl up off the statue (though he's certainly willing to carry it). Then he begins to examine the bowl and its surroundings to see if he can determine if any action will result from removing it from the statue...

If he can find nothing, he gives Josiane the OK nod(s) to go ahead and remove the bowl.

(If she wants, and if he can see that high, he will attempt a similar investigation of the book first.

[doctorx]

"The book first, friend Desmond, if you would be so kind," says Josiane.

[waysoftheearth]

The two-headed fighting-Hobbit casts his eyes dutifully over the statues in the other two naves, first the book nave and then then the staff, while Josiane conducts the prayers known to Templars. It's plain to see that the three articles merely rest where they lie upon the states, but no other tomfoolery is apparent to either set of his eyes...

...meanwhile Ulric and Gustave surmise the environs thusly:

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#######.----------.#####.-`
######/            \#.-`   
#####/              %   .-`
####/       Entry--> %-`###
###/                  \####
###\                  /####
####\         Nun    /#####
#####\         x    /######
######\            /#######
#######'-u--u--u--'########
######## 3 naves ##########
###########################

[waysoftheearth]

Having observed prayer and precaution, Josiane then reaches for the book... her hesitant touch causes the opened page to move ever so slightly, but nothing more. With growing confidence she lays a hand upon it proper to no ill effect. Then lifts the tome wholly from its place, and is not struck down by any force whatever.

Josiane steps back to examine the extracted tome; it is a weighty, leather bound thing -- a substantial work wisdom. Josiane's eyes flick over a few paragraphs of Empyrean letters therein, recognising portents and libations for the faithful; the book is a measure of Thuul's Testament; these are said to comprise one hundred volumes in all, though most have not been seen by mortal eyes in living memory.

[ehiker133]

Desmond makes room for Josiane to retrieve the silver wessel...

[Tonneau]

Gustave offers his pack as storage for the relics (dusting out a substantial quantity of pastry crumbs as he does so).

[doctorx]

"My thanks, Lord Gustave," breathes Josiane, her eyes still wandering in awe over the wisdom contained within the tome she holds; "but I believe it is my duty to have care of this."

She proceeds to stow the holy book within her backpack with all the care and reverence she may before turning her attention to the staff, seemingly oblivious to Desmond/Mondes' attempts to steer her in the direction of the silver bowl... ( )

[danhem]

Ulric sets himself to studying the nave containing the statue holding the staff. He looks for details that may allude to the use of the staff. He then inspects the staff itself, without touching it, to see if he recognizes it from any of his studies.

[coffee]

Since everyone is so focused on the artifacts, and this would be a perfect time for an attack, Dieter continues to keep watch, scanning the room for any possible threat. (Including the ceiling and the floor).

(Dieter thinks of this as proper caution, and ignores small-minded people who refer to it as paranoia...)

[waysoftheearth]

"My thanks, Lord Gustave," breathes Josiane, her eyes still wandering in awe over the wisdom contained within the tome she holds...

as her eyes dally further, Josiane notices a glyph that is imperfectly formed. That is not to the impeccable Standard of Thuul... how could that be? And what is this symbol here? And that there? Thumbing through a few pages, she is soon convinced that this tome is a painstakingly copied facsimile of the original. It is a thing to be treasured, still, but is it not a Holy Relic as the original surely must be. According to the gold leaved embossing on the spine, this is volume XI of Thuul's Testament; an uncommon work she is quite sure, but not vanishingly rare.