The Logs of the TDFS Tindome

Chapter 89: The Temple of Healing

However, our translator has not arrived here yet, and we had agreed that he would join us here. We'll have to go fetch him. As we step outside, we spot a pair of City Guards standing on the corner we'll have to pass. Ah. City Guards, not Palace Guards.

We pass them on our way to the main boulevard. We nod and smile as we go by. Two blocks later, we reach the main drag, and spot two more groups of three City Guards each, in either direction. We nod and smile some more, and turn right, in the direction of the city gates. (We decide that this direction is East.) As we approach the gate, Tala-a'zahd comes hurrying down towards us, his robe flapping.

He apologizes for his tardiness. It seems that he was detained by the Gate Guards because he looked like someone who had been seen breaking into a building. He dismisses this strange incident as unimportant, and asks what we plan to do today. We explain that we intend to visit the Temple of Healing. (We didn't have a finished version of the letter to Grandfather Healer to send off.)

We are uneasy about the situation, so we move briskly in order to bring ourselves into the proximity of the City Guards marching ahead of us. We pass a doorway that had held unfriendly people on our last visit here, and it has a pair of unfriendly men in it again. We pass them without incident. Next, there are men in a window embrasure. We are closer to the guards now, and pass them without incident. We take the appropriate cross street to the Temple of Healing.

There are doctors (or priests or monks) strolling around outside the building, and on the temple steps. Eir looked over the people on the steps and picked out the man who looked different. She then asked T. if there was a guard for the doors, and if we should speak with that man, and points him out. Eir had no intention of gifting him and did not check with T on this. If others mentioned it, she said "no" on her own.

He comes up to us immediately, and recognizes our little healer from our visits the year before. He welcomes us, and invites us inside. He will see if Grandfather is available. He offers us the use of the refectory. We admit that we have dined, but say that we would be charmed to visit it anyhow. He offers that, or a tour of the temple, but asks that we remove our shoes. The captain and the dwarves opt for the tour, and remove their boots. A nervous acolyte, who speaks no language in common with us, shows us the main room, and gestures to the columns which support the great arches of the roof. We appreciate the raw material and the workmanship of the columns, and say so. Mannie finds the area to have a lot of comparatively pleasant vibes. We are shown altars and fonts and such like, and comment favorably on those pieces we like best.

Meanwhile, Eïr and the others are escorted by the white-robed official to Grandfater Healer's room. Partway there, three priests come up to and consult with the official. We hear "Lanthili" and "Eïr" in the conversation, and they go off. The official, who had been addressed as Uncle H'n'arah by Tala-a'zahd, explains that their problem involved some patients. Eir responded, "the needs of those who are ill or injured come before those who are healthy and can wait."

We are brought into Grandfater Healer's presense. Eïr eplains that she has brought him the herbs we had promised. He protests that we should not have spent so long seeking the herbs for him. Eïr explains that the time, to us, had been only a few weeks, and explained that it was something about the journey that caused the change in time. Grandfather nods, and says that he had heard that elves' time was different. Eïr corrects his misapprehension, explaining that we had seemed to have been gone longer from Lanthil than we ourselves thought. Grandfather nods, and makes a note in a journal.

Eïr has Jacko put down the sea chest with our gifts to the temple, and smiles to Grandfather, motioning him to open it. There are the sieves and infusers and the herbs needles. She explains that she has a book provided to her by head gardener of the palace at Lanthil, which Eric could copy for Grandfather, and her own kit of herbs, from which she would be glad to give Grandfather samples. Everyone watches as Eric begins to produce a decent copy of the book for Grandfather Healer. As this goes on, Grandfather sends out a brief note. Soon thereafter, a young man comes in and watches Eric work. (Since a lot of the book is done with symbology, and since some people here understand Elvish, we expect that his temple will be able to make use of it.) She points out that there are symbols on the jars of herbs that match the symbols in the book, and Eir and Grandfather spend quite a lot of time going over each herb; Grandfather makes notes of his own.

She goes on to explain that we are engaged in diplomatic activity, and hope to be able to import more of these herbs, once we are approved for such things. Perhaps Grandfather can help this along? Grandfather remarks that Hanalia has done very well. (Ah, yes. The young woman who aided Eïr in caring for the priestess who was hit by Sarah. She came from Nalshramidan's temple to be trained here.) She will be returning to the Fifth Temple shortly. Her training has given the two temples a reason to work together, and this has gone well. Perhaps, during our visit, we could see Nalshramidan and mention that we have visited the temple of healing, reminding him of this cooperation? We surely could.

Eventually, the dwarves' tour guide flags, and brings that group to the refectory. Mannie mimes drinking something. We are led down from the refectory to the kitchen. Mannie mimes drinking again. The cook pulls open an enormous door, and cold wafts out through the opening. The dwarves first examine the beautifully counter-weighted door, then the source of cool – ice on the shelves and giant amphora sweating cold water. We select two of the – non-alcoholic – drinks, and the door is closed again. We are offered, and accept, some small loaves of bread. We break and share them with our hosts, who are puzzled, but accepting. We are given a tour of the ovens (They must think it's the sort of things dwarves would like to examine.) and then we are given some water for washing our begrimed feet. We are then led back to the rest of our group.

Eir asks about Hanalia, and whether she could come visit with us for a moment. A monk goes off to look for the girl.