Sojaveña Wilds Stormbringer Shrine

[Chibi Pika]

Relampago was a tiny village comprised of only a few dozen people, most of whom had both townies and roughlanders in their ancestry. While they didn't live the nomadic, free-roaming lifestyle of the Escarpa, the influence was obvious--the clan's style was easy to make out in the village's manner of decoration and accessorizing, with bright, jagged patterns emphasizing light and movement. But at the same time, it seemed like the village mostly kept to itself, away from the hustle and growth of Frontier Town, living life at their own pace.

The buildings were mostly built from sandstone, with carved wooden totems scattered throughout. A tiny, mostly-dry creek trickled down from the hills, which would eventually meet with the Silver River further downstream. Standing atop the ledge that the village resided on would let one gaze out across the whole of the Escarpment. At night, the occasional flash of a Thundershock would pierce the darkness.

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"Welp, here we are in Relampago," said the old Flaaffy driving the wagon. "The shrine'll be just up the hill between the giant ironwood trees; can't miss it." He tilted his oversized hat back to glance at the wagon's passengers.

Jade slid down from a barrel of acorn flour and fished a few coins out of her bag before handing them to Flaaffy. "Thanks for the ride."

"Ain't a problem," he replied, accepting the tip. "'Fraid I can't offer a ride back, but I reckon you'll be alright, what with it downhill an' cooler temperature. Just don't get lost after dark."

"We've got an electric-type, so I think we'll be okay."

Flaaffy tipped his hat and the wagon rolled off down the road. Jade turned to the rest of the group. "Might as well head right in, I guess." She glanced from Koa to the others who'd joined them on their outing. "So, uh, I guess I never asked about your reasons for wanting to visit the shrine." She knew all about Koa's starry admiration of the legends, but the others seemed a lot more reserved by comparison.

 

[Namohysip]

"Nostalgia," Mhynt replied in her usual, cryptic way. Perhaps even needlessly so.

The Treecko eyed the surroundings, then looked over at Jade. "This seems like a good place to drag someone to never be found again," she remarked idly. "Think that will be relevant later?"

 

[Cresselia92]

Silver shot to the Treecko a stare that screamed ‘Why would you say something like that?!’, but he merely rolled his eyes and dusted off his pelt.

“…Hmph. I guess this place would be the ideal spot to build your own hermitage, or if you were a misanthrope running away from society,” he quipped, hoping to deflect more questionable thoughts.

“As of why I’m here, well,” he shrugged, “I was mostly curious, I guess. Legendary Pokémon are a big deal where I come from, so I’d like to know what kinda roles the legends of this world cover.”

And, perhaps, some legendary here can help me figure out what I need to be a pure heart…

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade blinked at the Treecko. "I--wh..."

She… she was probably joking, but that was a whole new level in deadpan.

“As of why I’m here, well,” he shrugged, “I was mostly curious, I guess. Legendary Pokémon are a big deal where I come from, so I’d like to know what kinda roles the legends of this world cover.”

Jade nodded. “Yeah, they’re a pretty big deal where I’m from too.” For better or worse… “I wanna know what kind of relationship they have with the Pokémon here. It doesn’t seem like they’re spotted all that often…”

Elusive legends just made her inevitably wonder if they were staying hidden for a reason…

 

[Namohysip]

"Well, where I'm from, most of them are trapped in a dimension of torment and darkness, so I doubt it can be much worse here," Mhynt commented with a thoughtful hum. "Myself included, but that's beside the point. So. Where is this shrine..."

 

[windskull]

Nip slipped off his perch, eyes darting about as he took in their surroundings. Something about it - perhaps the bright, abstract art or the relative isolation - reminded him of... Well, not home, but his old tribe.

"So, uh, I guess I never asked about your reasons for wanting to visit the shrine."

Nip turned his attention to the meowth (Jade, if he'd heard her name correctly), deciding to ignore the Treeko's comment with little more than a scrunch of the nose. "I suppose it's somewhat the same for me. I would like to understand the beliefs and stories surrounding the gods of this world." He paused, fiddling with the scarf tied around his arm. "In my world, they're quite important, formerly leaders worthy of worship, or so the stories say. And the cause of mystery dungeons"

 

[Tetra]

"This seems like a good place to drag someone to never be found again," she remarked idly. "Think that will be relevant later?"

"Oh sure," he replied dryly. That was sarcasm, right? He hoped so. He really hoped so. It was hard to tell if she meant her second comment about being 'trapped'. His stare lingered, but he decided he didn't want to ask.

Koa eyed the rest of the group curiously. It was nice to be traveling with Nip again, though Silver and Mhynt were less familiar to him. He supposed he should explain why he was here, even if Jade already knew. "I wanted to see what these 'saints' are like on this world. Back home a lot of legendaries are protectors of the world. Maybe see if they can help us here."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade decided to file Myhnt's comment away as 'some of the other summons come from really freaking weird worlds.' She glanced up the path and said, "We might as well head over, I guess."

The village wasn't exactly big, and it was only a few minutes' walk before the group would be able to see a gate flanked by two huge, extremely wrinkled trees with bluish leaves. Faint carvings in one of the gate posts read 'Stormbringer Shrine.' A Pawmo was busy sweeping the front steps, but glanced up as the visitors approached.

Jade raised a paw. "Hi. Um... we were hoping we could take a look around the shrine?" she asked, realizing that she had no idea what their visitor policy even was.

Fortunately, Pawmo looked pleased. She put her paws together and said, "Of course--are you folks from Frontier Town?"

"Something like that," Jade replied. "Do you... get visitors often?"

Pawmo leaned her weight against the broom. "Usually just roamers from the clans, come to pay respects--but you folks don't look like the roughlander sort, so that's why I asked." She gestured inside. "Be sure to wipe your paws on the mat first, and I can show you around--what brings you out here, anyhow?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Curiosity," Mhynt replied. "Part of the deal when it comes to exploring around the frontier and its neighbors." She studied the tree, running a finger along the trees thoughtfully. She closed her eyes and breathed gently with the wind, wondering what kind of attunement she had with her element in this world. How old was this tree? What environmental troubles had it endured in the past? Was it in pain now, or recently? Was the soil nice? Perhaps the trees could also speak a story of this place, how old they were.

 

[Cresselia92]

Now, Silver wasn’t exactly the religious type, but the procedure of cleansing the body before entering a place of worship wasn’t a foreign concept to him. He glanced around, idly wondering if there was some pond with sacred water, before resorting to washing his claws with some water from his canteen. After a few thorough and careful rubs, his claws gleamed with a bright purple hue, devoid of traces of venom.

The Sneasel nodded to himself, satisfied with his work, and focused on the tiny… Pika-something.

“Yes. We’re here to learn more about the Saints around here and, eventually, ask for guidance.” His ear flicked when he heard the low rumble of a distant thunder. Hopefully the deities were in a good mood and didn’t consider smiting them with a bolt of lightning. “Hm. And if there is something we should do to appease and appeal to them, we’re all ears.”

 

[Tetra]

Koa was lost for a moment as he took in the beauty of the shrine. It was simplistic, and humble, but there was a certain... draw to it. Sinnoh didn't have the same sorts of shrines to its legends. They had the church in Hearthome and Celestic's murals, but those were more like historical sites. These felt closer to what he read about Johtonian legends. He restrained himself, but it was hard not to feel excited at the propspect of seeing how legends in other worlds were like. The tip of his tail wagged ever so slightly.

"Knowledge and guidance," he said, nodding along in agreement with Silver. He paused to wipe his paws thoroughly. "We're not familiar with some of the saints here, so anything you can tell us would be good."

 

[windskull]

Nip tilted his head to look up at the gate, in awe of the size. This was bigger than the shrine to Regigigas in Theran Village. Which was, in turn, bigger than his own tribe's place of worship. And if made him feel very, very small, and even a bit insignificant.

With nothing new to add, he dipped his head in agreement with his group.

 

[Namohysip]

Mhynt was now hugging the tree with her eyes closed. For some reason.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Pawmo seemed quite pleased at the Sneasel's formality. Jade took a moment to carefully wipe her paws on one of the woven mats until the fur was free of dust or debris. It was an odd motion--she couldn't help feeling that it was a lot easier to just slip your shoes off at the front door to a building.

She walked up the smooth, freshly-swept stone steps, noticing Mhynt out of the corner of her eye... communicating with the tree? Well, she was a grass-type... The Treecko seemed to have the habit of showing up places out of the blue, so Jade figured she'd catch up once she was done.

(Mhynt might have been able to feel that the old ironwood was centuries old, and had weathered countless storms, though none in recent memory were nearly as great as those of its prime.)

Past the entrance gate was a small courtyard ringed with desert sage and decorated with wooden carvings in elaborate, jagged patterns. Some woven mats were positioned along the outer edge, possibly for visitors to sit and meditate?

"Everyone's got a bit of a different way o' connecting here," Pawmo was explaining inside, gesturing around the inside of the courtyard. "Some folks meditate for a bit to calm their own storms. Others to reflect on history to try an' get a better understanding of the present. 'Specially in these tumultuous times."

Jade had never been great at meditating, and she'd never really needed it to get in touch with the legends back home when she could just... talk to them. She shuffled a paw against the smooth stone floor and found her attention drifting to an aromatic burning scent emanating from the sandstone cave at the far end of the enclosed yard.

 

[Namohysip]

Mhynt walked after them, wiping her eyes quietly of a few tears. In moments, she was back to her stoic self again and said, "These trees are very strong for where they are. They haven't weathered a storm in a long time, but I can sense they used to."

Calm their own storms. Hm. Mhynt could see the use of that, with enough mindset framing. She wondered if she was already being healed.

 

[Tetra]

Koa studied the shrine around him. Meditating, huh? Normally he wouldn't mind but the idea of sitting and reflecting on his thoughts made his fur crawl. And there wasn't much history to reflect on, given his knowledge of the world was shaky at best.

He studied the carvings curiously. The jagged style was definitely giving 'storm' vibes. Zapdos? Raikou? "What kind of pokemon is the Storm Bringer said to be like?"

 

[Namohysip]

"In my world, 'Stormbringer' was a title for Lugia," Mhynt commented. "I could see it applying to others..."

She scanned the shrine for signs and symbols that could tell the story.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"These trees are very strong for where they are. They haven't weathered a storm in a long time, but I can sense they used to."

Pawmo's eyes lit up. "You could tell? I've heard that the storms around here were a real sight back when the Stormbringer would visit. And, y'know, I've sen lightning stretching cross the whole Soja'--wild to think that it pales in comparison to back then."

What kind of pokemon is the Storm Bringer said to be like?"

Pawmo scratched the back of head, looking puzzled. Jade cleared her throat and added, "We're, uh, new to the area. There's a guardian of storms back where we're from, but I figure they're a different one."

Recognition came over Pawmo's face. "Right, right, didn't realize you folks were new to the Soja'! It's probably easiest if I just show you, then."

She gestured with her broom in the direction of the cave, with its wisps of burning sage drifting from the entrance. Inside, the flickering light of an oil bowl illuminated a scene painted on the stone in rust reds and oranges--a brilliant sunset streaked with light, and a broad, jagged-winged figure at its center, its long beak piercing the sky.

Jade sucked in a breath. Different world or not, she'd recognize that silhouette anywhere.

 

[windskull]

Nip felt a sense of peace as he passed beyond the gate, taking in the scenery. This was not the domain of his god, but it was the domain of a god. And that meant it was deserving of respect. His eyes followed the jagged markings, dancing around the courtyard, lingering on the cave.

"You could tell? I've heard that the storms around here were a real sight back when the Stormbringer would visit. And, y'know, I've sen lightning stretching cross the whole Soja'--wild to think that it pales in comparison to back then."

He returned his attention to the pawmo. "How long has it been, since the Stormbringer last came. Or is that beyond the memory and records of the living."

 

[Cresselia92]

Silver glanced curiously at his surroundings, fascinated by the various markings carved in the architecture (which reminded him the patterns inside the temple leading to Bellchime Trail) and his gaze lingered on the various woven mats. Calming inner storms through meditation… That felt very much like what the monks in Ecruteak City did back in his homeworld.

To tread through the storm like a Lugia and aim for the clear sky like a Ho-Oh — that was the mantra.

Perhaps I should try that out someday. Only the gods know how many storms I had to quiet down on my own.

Then, the tiny ‘mon gestured to a dimly lit cave. The shape of that bird, piercing through the sky with its long beak and carrying lightning in its spiky wings… there was no person in Kanto who didn’t know about that deity.

“Zapdos,” Silver said automatically, his eyes widening in recognition.