[PQ] Fun Home

Abasi

Love is one thing, knowledge is another.

With the sun appearing and the world beginning to move again, Abasi was eager to get started with his new endeavour. He was tired of moping around. The situation was awful and confusing and weird yes, but he was not going to get anywhere by feeling sorry for himself. He could at least work it out while he did something useful.

A building in the settlement, small but serviceable, would be his starting point. There were cupboards in the wall that with some adjustment would hold bodies; he wondered if he could find a magic user to make it cold, if not he had his ways. He did not have the same salts and ingredients here, but he could speak with people at the market to find supplies.

Before any of the little things like that though, he had to deal with the mess inside the building. It had once been a residence and the old occupants had apparently left most of their things in the place to rot. Old bed frames, piles of mould that had once been food now covered in mud as well...it was disgusting. There was a lot of cleaning to be done as well as lifting before it could be ready for his work.

He had put a notice up in the market asking for help, written with help as his hand automatically wanted to create the characters of his old world; sadly no one here understood hieroglyphics.
---
This PQ has 3 spots. Please write your character arriving.

1. Oia'i'o
2. Loren
3. Kaimana

& this too, shall pass

You are not here to help, but observe. Having seen the notice you found yourself intrigued. Why did the human-animal require so much assistance? Why could he not complete his task himself? What would the dynamic be? Was this man well known? Was it good will that would bring others out to aid him, or would he be left alone? And what, precisely was the task itself?

You have a long list of things written into your notebook as you arrive, having found the location with only a bit of difficulty. Navigation is not your strong suit, not in in-organic places anyways.

Rather than knocking, ringing a bell, or in any way indicating that you've arrived, you merely linger awkwardly by the door. You of course don't feel this awkwardness; instead you're taking notes to capture the initial conditions that exist around you. As you do, mosses begin to grow up your legs and your feet appear to have turned to stone. You don't notice, you're too busy on writing.

The white sheep of the family

Loren was definitely here to help, though he supposed he would be observing as well. Regardless, after basically promising Abasi that the summoner would help set up the other man’s new business, there was no way he was missing this. Besides, he found that he was excited to see Abasi; while the Launceleyn didn’t know exactly where things would lead between them, he was eager to find out. And if it didn’t pan out, well, at least they were having fun.

A now familiar figure—though still strange, given the mosses crawling up her body and her stone feet—appeared before the building with the note. Loren found himself smiling broadly. ”Hello Oia’i’o.” Although his tongue tripped a little bit over the foreign sounding name, he thought he’d gotten it mostly right. ”Here to help out? Come on, I’ll introduce you to Abasi.” With that, the summoner gestured for the demi-god to follow him into the soon-to-be mortuary. Well, hopefully. Assuming all went well today.

Walking in, Loren let his eyes adjust to the darkness inside. ”Abasi? It’s Loren.” The Launceleyn’s voice came out cheerfully. ”And a friend of mine is here as well.” Actually, that might be a bit premature: he and Oia’i’o had exactly one interaction, but it had been pleasant. Even if they were merely acquaintances, it sounded better to refer to her as his friend. While he waited for the other man to respond, the summoner glanced around at the space. It was definitely a fixer-upper, but it had potential. Maybe. He wasn't a builder, though hopefully his many talents would prove useful in the efforts.

Will blood tell

Coding base by Sky!

kaimana

You are here to help. You arrive behind Oia with your eyes wide and your smile wider, freckled face peering around your twin to look into the musty house. "But why do they need a home for bodies that are dead?" you ask, not for the first time, utterly bemused by this notion. Bodies are organic material used to house intelligence - why would they be used for anything but fertilizer, following their demise?

You are about to walk inside and investigate further when a familiar figure appears, addressing Oia with a friendly greeting. You're not particularly perturbed by this - you lack the self awareness to see when you are being ignored. "Hullo, Loren! What's an Abasi?" Popping out from behind your twin, you obediently follow Loren inside, grabbing Oia's hand to pull her along. You know she does not like being indoors, so you offer her a reassuring smile and squeeze, letting go as you cross the threshold so she can remain near the door.

The building is a little bit, well, decrepit, though you think it has a bit of pleasantness given that. Buildings aren't your favorite, either: you much prefer open air and big wide spaces where life is persisting and finding a way. "Why do you need a house for bodies? Are you gonna plant 'em here?"

as the world comes to an end

i'll be there to hold your hand

'cus you're a queen and i'm a lionheart

Abasi

Love is one thing, knowledge is another.

Abasi did not hear his first guest, only becoming aware of her when he turned to look at the door, vaguely aware of a presence in that direction. He jumped as he saw her, not only because he had not expected a figure; she seemed to be half-statue, growing greenery up her legs yet still apparently very much alive. Cautiously he approached, unsure if he was dealing with a spirit or God and anxious to please.

Before he could stumble through questions Loren appeared, apparently with knowledge of the strange woman: a friend of his, he said. "Hello, Loren. Ah--" Attempting to give his best fond hello, Abasi reached to take the Launceleyn's hand, giving it a quick squeeze. "--And your friend. Welcome."

Another stranger appeared then, one who seemed familiar with both of his current guests and came bearing a question. "It is not a home for the bodies. It is somewhere to prepare them for rituals for the benefit of the living." Funerals had never been for those who were dead; giving them the supplies to be successful in the afterlife was, but the rituals, the parts of the ceremonies where family could stand around in tears? That was entirely pantomime for those remaining, an attempt at comfort.

As strange as the two strangers were, he hoped they might help him anyway. At least he knew Loren would. Nodding to each of them in turn, he began to speak of what needed to be done. "If you could help me with the needed work on the building, I would be very grateful. There is filth to clean and things to clear, as you can see. I also need to make a sign, but I am still learning the writing here and would like some help with the creation of it, so I can be sure it says the correct thing."

"Lastly..." He looked towards Loren, hoping he might be able to assist with this task, but it was open to any who could accomplish it. "I wish to store corpses in the alcoves in the back. I do not have the right tools for swift preserving here, so it would be best if they were cold. In Egypt I accomplished this by placing the bodies deep underground, but...here we do not have that luxury close by enough to be practical."

With all the things needed set out, he picked up the wood for his sign and put it against the wall by the door, so it was clear it was not one of the things that needed to be taken out. Then he watched to see what everyone else would begin to do, so he could take on the remaining job.
--
There is much to do!
Either:

• Help to clear the mud and mold
  
• Magically (or otherwise!) make the wall-alcoves cold
  
• Help to lift the debris and fallen building parts from the ground
  
• Write 'Funeral Home and Morgue' on the sign
  

No Order!

& this too, shall pass

"Primitive superstitions." You tell Kai with a knowing nod. "In some parts of Caido where access to Mort is limited, misinformation has been spread regarding souls and death. In these instances, the human-animals believe that there are additional requirements that must be met in order for a soul to be taken to Mort."

It hasn't even occurred to you yet that Outlanders might have brought with them their own strange traditions.

Looking at Loren, you nod. "That isn't how you say it." You tell him, as his tongue unskillfully carves out the raindrop-like quality of your name. "Greeting." You add, before stopping as he enters. You don't want to go inside, and were it not for Kai's hand suddenly in yours, you certainly would have remained where you were. Instead of letting your fingers simply slide against your twin's as you normally do, you grip his with an unhappy clench as you're lead deeper inside.

However as Abasi begins to speak, you pull out your notebook and record what he's saying. He's clearly an Outlander based on the way he mentions places you've never heard of, which suddenly makes this barbaric ordeal all the more interesting. As he mentions preservation, you stop, looking properly surprised. "You can stop things in time, too? Or, you could?" You ask.

Feeling unhappily obligated to help now that you've been forced inside, you look warily towards the sign and inch uncomfortably towards it.

---

Oia will write on the siiiign.

The white sheep of the family

Apparently, Loren was still unclear on how to properly say Oia’io’s name. ”Sorry. I’ll work on my pronunciation.” Somehow, though, the Launceleyn had missed Oia’i’o’s twin, which was funny because she was the one who tried to blend in while Kai was the one who stood out, in more ways than one. ”Oh! Hi Kai. Didn’t see you there. And Abasi is a who, not a what. Come on, I’ll introduce you both.” Then Abasi was there, and the summoner took the other Abandoned’s hand gratefully. And if Loren stroked Abasi’s palm for a brief moment, well, neither of the twin could see that. ”Friends, I should say. Abasi, this is Kai and Oia’i’o.” The Launceleyn did a slightly better job with her name this time. He hoped.

Then the children of Rae started asking questions in that characteristic way of theirs, and the summoner released Abasi’s hand, before leaning forward to whisper in the other Abandoned’s ear. ”They’re both demi-god children of Rae and they’re a bit odd, but harmless. They’re here to observe and record everything about the Hollowed Grounds.” At least that was how the summoner understand the twins’ task. Stepping back, he was pleased to see that Abasi was well able to handle the deluge of questions. Then the team received their instructions.

Loren could definitely help with all those tasks. However, there was one he figured he was particularly well suited for. Luckily enough, he could basically be in two places at once if they needed him to tackle two tasks. For now, though, he’d hold off on that, especially because Oia’i’o was already working on the sign. Instead, he nodded at Abasi and gave him a fond smile.

Then the summoner walked over to lean on the doorway to the backroom. Once there, he tapped into his deep pool of magic and extended both hands to the alcoves. Ice flew from his fingertips and coated the stone. He kept pouring his energy into the spell as he walked from the front of the room to the back. Once each alcove had its own coating, he stood in the center and solidified the coating of ice, doing his best to cool the room. He couldn’t make it permanent, unfortunately, so he’d do his best to make it last as long as possible.

Will blood tell

Coding base by Sky!

kaimana

"What're they gonna do to benefit the livin'?" You wonder earnestly, curious about these rituals (and everything else). You know there is a strange sentimentality many humans feel about death, like Oia said, but you've never heard of someone keeping a body for rituals before.

Even as you continue to question you are poking your way into the holes and corners of the building, admiring the buildup of fungi and mosses that had accumulated in the darker spaces. So it is with some surprise that you hear the Abasi wants them removed, your head popping up as you turn to look at the man. "Y'want all of it gone?" You are especially fond of the strange sentient mud, proud of it for evolving to such a spectacular level. The mud, the mold, the mushroom- they were here first. It feels so rude to evict them, and you glance at Oia, biting uncertainty on your lip. You're supposed to observe and learn, not interfere - but you really, really, really want to interfere right now.

With an almost palpable level of discontent you turn to the small patch of mushrooms you've discovered, extending your hands for them to climb on. "C'mon, we're gonna go find a new place for you to live," you inform them apologetically. As you rise and make your way towards the door more life seems to flock around you, animated by your magic and ushered toward the door, as though you were the world's strangest shepherd and this your incredibly motley flock.

---

Kai uses his magic to get a bunch of mushrooms/mold/mud to follow him out the door

as the world comes to an end

i'll be there to hold your hand

'cus you're a queen and i'm a lionheart

Abasi

Love is one thing, knowledge is another.

Abasi heard one of his guests speak of 'primitive superstitions' and just about held his tongue from telling her of the wonders of his people, of pyramids and statues far greater than any of the architecture here, of maths and science that seemed far beyond the capabilities of the average grounder. But she was here to help and he had to pick his battles, so he simply ignored it.

Ignoring the scribbling in the book too, he instead answered the question she posed. "Not literally. But we can make the body less likely to decay and rot, so it may be kept whole over many years." It was almost the same as stopping time, he supposed, but he had never been one for semantics. He was about to ask just what she meant by 'too' when Loren whispered in his ear and he stared, wide eyed, at the summoner. "I...see."

Kaimana's question was at least one he had an answer prepared for. "It helps living people to have rituals to put their loved ones to rest. It helps them to cope with the grief. While I believe there is a correct way to do these rituals...I will let people choose, if it gives them the security of believing their dead are on a safe path." He had already thought to write out a document to keep in his room for whoever would organise his burial, giving them precise instructions. Hopefully they had the stomach to...well. Remove stomachs.

Oia took to making the sign, something that he was relieved by because he had dreaded the job. Kai seemed...upset about some mushrooms and the only reason Abasi remained civil was because these guests were Gods. "They are not sanitary. I need a clean workspace. If I am to clean my body and hair before I work, it is pointless to come to a filthy room to do it." That even the Gods in this place couldn't value hygiene was somewhat distressing.

Watching with amazement as Kai whisked mushrooms out of the door as if they were a herd of sheep, he turned his attention to the debris on the floor. Dragging it out took some effort, but he managed, secretly wondering if he looked attractive to Loren while he did the work with his muscles.

Speaking of Loren...he came to the back of the room to see that he now had a cold storage area for bodies. "Thank you. This will be most useful." He smiled at Loren then turned back into the room, looking it over. With a cleaner floor and a cleared area, a sign beginning to take form...it was starting to feel like something.

"In Egypt, when we prepare a place to house the dead, we paint on the walls the tales of the afterworld, in the hopes it might prepare them...perhaps I could get different people to paint their ideas, so that corpses of any kind of person could be prepared." Picking up a wet charcoal-based paint he'd made, Abasi placed it on the table in the middle then took a crude brush he'd created as well to begin to draw on the wall, crude art that was only there to communicate a point.

"It may be good if we could begin this now...if you have any traditions or beliefs of your own, feel free to paint them." He offered, adding in a hieroglyph prayer over his diagram of the weighing scales.

---
Please paint on the wall what you think the afterlife is like! (oh jeez.)

No Order

& this too, shall pass

"Why would you want to stop it from rotting? How else are the nutrients meant to return to the soul and continue to feed the ecosystem?" You fall silent as Abasi answers your twin's question, though you find his answer to that as uninteresting an unappealing as the answer to your own. Writing furiously now to record what is being said, you add several offshoots that include many questions surrounding the same theme: why does embalming bodies help with grief, why does keeping them in an unnatural state make these human animals feel better, etc.

Task completed, you look up as Abasi begins to speak again. "This is not Egypt." You point out, thinking that perhaps this man is confused. "Those that die here do not require murals on walls to prepare them. That is the job of the herald of Mort."

Tilting your head as you watch him work, you grow more and more distressed as he speaks. "But if it's true that the dead are meant to be pacified by tales of the underworld, why would our traditions or beliefs matter. Isn't it better to paint what will actually happen to them, rather than subject them to falsehoods?" You nod towards what Abasi is painting to indicate its inaccuracy.

Giving Kai an unhappy look (which to anyone else likely looks the same), you nonetheless comply, given that follow instructions is one of the few things keyed directly into your brain. Picking up a brush you write, not draw, the following:

a herald of Mort will collect your soul and take you to Mort's domain where you shall remain unless other factors interfere.

The white sheep of the family

If Loren hadn’t been so wrapped up in his spell casting, he would definitely have taken a good look at Abasi lifting heavy objects, and been more than impressed. As it stood, the summoner was pretty single-handedly focused on making the ice last as long as possible. Which was why he didn’t notice Abasi until the other man actually spoke up.

Glancing up, the Launceleyn gave Abasi one of those special smiles, the one that transformed Loren into almost an entirely new person. Then again, they were coming often enough these days that it might just be the new Loren. ”You know how much I enjoy being useful to you.” If the Launceleyn had been bolder—and if they’d been in private, without two curious demi-gods in the room—he might’ve winked at the other man. As it stood, the summoner just hoped Abasi would get the teasing joke for what it was.

Then it was time to go back into the main area. Loren would leave answering Oia’i’o to Abasi. Instead, the summoner walked up to the other man and dropped his voice to the barest of whispers. ”If there’s paint left over, maybe you can show me how to adorn myself properly later.” It wasn’t exactly flirting, but it was an invitation. Again, the Launceleyn was sort of hoping Abasi would appreciate the call backs to their previous encounters.

However, unlike the daughter of Rae, Loren would take this assignment seriously. He wasn’t an artist, though he would do his best; the paintbrush would rise in the air, carried by the summoner’s telekinesis. Then it would sketch a crude diagram on the wall. Above a flame, a baby would float, or at least something that came close to resembling a representation of a baby. Then, a body would appear next to it, eyes closed, and this time the flame would cover the body.

That was the Launceleyn way: from the fire of magic they were born, and to the fire of magic they returned. Abasi knew that, and maybe remembered. While the demi-gods might be correct about the metaphysics of this world, it weirdly brought Loren some comfort to follow one of the few family traditions that wasn’t steeped in pain and horror.

However, that wasn't exactly the afterlife, unfortunately. Try as he might, he couldn't come up with something suitable. Then, though, his mind supplied something. It was dumb, but it was all he had. The brush darted through the air in jerky motions, painting next to the fires.  A hump appeared, with small scribbles to hopefully indicate grass. A hill, kind of. Two crude figures lay on their backs, holding hands. They gazed up at the sky above, which had clouds and a sun. It was simple, and certainly not a masterpiece, but it held a kind of peace and serenity to it. Rest and comfort and love. All that seemed suitable attributes of an afterlife. Satisfied with his work (and knowing he couldn't do better) he returned the brush to the paint.

Will blood tell

Coding base by Sky!

kaimana

"Why d'ya have to clean 'em?" But Oia's question answers yours, if not in a particularly satisfactory way. "What d'ya do with the bodies, if y'don't recycle 'em? Cremation?" You've heard of cremation as a means of bodily disposal, and though it still seems like an awful waste of a valuable resource it is, at least, functional. Keeping them around, persevered forever? Unless they're being used as some sort of long-term flower bed, perhaps, it doesn't seem to make a great deal of sense.

Like the Pied Piper of Fungi you usher out your charges, sending them squelching ans squeaking away in search of better corners to inhabit.

The next task is to paint the afterlife for the benefit of the dead, which is problematic in a couple regards: a, because you have never been asked to make art for dead people before; b, because dead bodies to not seem as though they have any great appreciation for art; and c, because you cannot really be what the afterlife does look like, having never been dead yourself. Though Oia's comments once again earn a nod of agreement, your wide brown eyes turning expectantly to the wall as you wait for the Abasi to explain.

Regardless of it all, though, you are here to be helpful, and so even though you do not know what an afterlife is like and what would make the dead feel better about it you aim to do your best. Picking out a wide array of colors, you begin to apply them to the wall in a haphazard and abstract manner, something like a landscape slowly taking shape. It is shockingly skillful, actually, impressionistic and vibrant with trees on a cliff before an ocean (how do you know what an ocean is?), the sky soft hues of blue and purple that dance upon the water below. Turns out, you're a pretty good painter. Well then. Who'da thunk?

---

Kaimana paints a scene of the ocean

as the world comes to an end

i'll be there to hold your hand

'cus you're a queen and i'm a lionheart

Abasi

Love is one thing, knowledge is another.

Everybody put something on the wall, but not necessarily what it was Abasi had wanted. It seemed their contributions would come with a lot of questions, too. First he went to Loren (as the other two spoke) and squeezed his shoulders, a silent 'thank you' to the man for just getting on with a painting. Leaning down to whisper in Loren's ear, he tried his best flirt: "I think this time I may be so bold as to adorn more than just your eyes." (Did this mean he was going to put charcoal on Loren's dick? Who knows)

As for all the many, many questions from the twins...Abasi closed his eyes and took a breath, summoning the patience to deal with it all. "My people believe the body needs to be kept whole and complete so the soul may find it again once it has been judged and rest within it forever. Not everyone will want this, though." He shrugged. Honestly, less people who wanted bodies embalmed the better, as it was an awful lot of work. "I could cremate, yes. I was intending to find a space for a regular pyre out in the fields. I am sure in time I will learn of even more things...we will have to find a plot for burial, too - I have heard the Goths of my world do so, and I am sure it will be a practice here."

Oia's questions on the paintings and their purpose (and her rather condescending reminder that he was not in Egypt) would have earned her a cold shoulder were she anyone else, but Abasi replied to her knowing she was a relative of a God. "I am from Egypt and I am operating this service. I have decided to bring some of my home traditions into it. As for falsehoods...well. You may think so, but not everyone will believe the same thing. Many things can be true at once. Loren can return to his magic and I can be weighed on the scales. You can be...ah..." He stopped to read her message. "Collected by Mort."

His patience was beginning to run a little thin. There were still things to do, but now it was mostly detail work and lighter cleaning. "Thank you all for your help. I still have things to work on, but I can manage on my own now." Abasi spoke to the twins mostly, glancing back at Loren and mouthing 'you can stay'. "You may return if you need my services."

--
Thanks! feel free to post a wrap up.
No Order

& this too, shall pass

“I don’t know why anyone here would want it. It’s not the case at all.” The look on your face is one of unhappy dislike. You’ve clearly told this man that his practices are incorrect as they pertain to this world, and he is carrying on as if his beliefs about where he came from matter at all.

“Cremation is selfish and speciesiest.” You protest, not lowering your voice even though this criticism is aimed at Loren as well, who you’ve noticed has painted flames on the wall. “Everyone can believe what they wish, but that doesn’t make it any more true, or make it any less of a misdeed that you do by pretending to know otherwise and allowing people to spend their last moments living out your poorly drawn lie.”

Relativity theories of truth get under your skin like almost nothing does, and though you are not one to ever really display emotion, there is a flush of colour in your cheeks now.

“You should work on believing more truths than falsehoods.” You suggest, before putting down your brush into the pot of paint and turning to leave. Only...you don’t remember the way. Hyperventilating slightly your eyes grow wide as sweat beads out on your brow. Turning for Kai you extend a shaky hand, needing and expecting your twin to lead you out of this place of ignorance and death.