As the various guests relaxed in the gardens of the Lodge Emperor Benson proceeded to, along with his family, give blessings to those with passes to allow them access to the Lodge to see its opening, meanwhile the rest of large gathering crowd around the building were blessed by a large number of Hougon and Mamba happy to take bowls of the deep red blood with them to anoint the heads of the faithful. As the last of the guests entered the lodges green gardens Benson appeared his family fanned out behind him. It would have appeared Benson had changed into a reddish pink set of clothing however on closer inspection it was only the slick red blood that had dyed his outfit. He seemed unfazed by the feeling of the thick cold blood on the clothing making it cling to his legs and arms and made his way happily through the crowds. "Please follow us up." He gestured to the foreign guests. "You'll forgive me but ladies please ensure your head is covered before we enter." They had made their way through the gardens and now reached a doorway which featured no actual door within it. "The home of the Loa is open at all times, they must be permitted to come and go as they see fit, the faithful must be able to visit whenever they wish too." Benson explained and watched as two reed clad Zangbeto stood either side of the door inspected Princess Sophia to ensure she had properly affixed her head scarf. Benson had ensured he had explained to these religious enforcers the importance of today and while he didn't want them to forgo their duty to the spirits he also didn't want them to offend the guests from overseas and so the women within the group were given just a casual glance over and so long as their head seemed covered the two men stood in silence.
The inside of the Lodge was in some ways not as impressive as the outside. It was rather dimly lit and had very few seats and those it did have appeared more like long benches than anything else. They were arranged in a kind of diamond shape leaving a large open space in the Lodge's main chamber. The main chamber itself was diamond in outline with the roof looming high above them creating a vast open space decorated with richly coloured wood carvings in the form of masks representing the different Loa. It seemed like to the uneducated eye the masks were haphazardly placed along the walls but each of the four walls represented one of the seasons and the Loa on that wall were at their most comfortable during those periods. For example in the spring there was Ayida-Weddo her mask a writihing mass a brightly coloured snakes for she was of course the "Rainbow Serpant". Arranged around her mask were images of flames, phallic and yonic symbols and farm tools representing her role as the Loa mainly responsible for fertility, fire and the harvest. Prince Christian helped the visitors find a seat. "Its likely to get a little chaotic" the Emperors brother seemed to relish that but pointed to a large table at the side of the hall opposite where they had come in. "That is the alter table that gets used for certain ceremonies, its unlikely to get used today. Next to it you'll see a door. It leads into a walled garden outside, we've instructed the Zangbeto to only allow you guests into it. Should things get too wild then please feel free to have a moment or two." The Prince watched as the chamber began to fill up until finally one of the Zangbeto by the door raised a hand as a signal.
Emperor Benson had gone and stood in the middle of the room a circle of people pressing close around him so that had he reached out a hand he would have touched those on all sides of him. A simple wooden chair was passed over the crowds head and soon Bensen appeared above the crowd standing on the chair. Without any warning to those watching Bensen sang a few words in Paracambian. "Since I was small, I have been singing for the Loa" No sooner had he sung the words than drums were rattled and rather haphazardly the crowd sang back the words. "Oh it wasn’t a little guy who showed me how to sing" Bensen's voiced boomed and echoed around the hall and once more but more unified this time the faithful sang the words back. Bottles of the nations favourite dark rum were already being passed around the Lodge floor as people began to drink. "Oh friends, let me teach the Loa’s songs!" The crowd applauded and then repeated the line back in the same tune the Emperor had. Between him and the assembled masses they were gathering the attention of the Loa ready for the ceremonies. "Ever since my mother’s womb" someone had handed Bensen a bottle of Rum and he took a great swig from it as the crowd sang his own words back to him. From across the room the guests would have seen him then pour a large stream of the thick brown liquid into his son's mouth as he sang the next line. "the great Loa have claimed me. Rejoice." He jumped from the chair and embraced his family as the crowd repeated the final line before the space in the centre became a heaving mass of dancing and drumming. Bensen put an arm around the shoulders of his son Marcus walking him through the crowd towards the area the visitors had been gathered. The Emperor was now looking far from royal, his clothing was stained with the blood from earlier and soaked in rum. The two royals arrived before the guests. "We have greeted the Loa and now we watch and wait" Bensen explained. "The Loa are now according to our faith all around us and if they wish to speak with us they will, when the right question is asked or the right person offers themselves take possession of someone, maybe multiple people at one time." Little pockets of people formed now each with their own chair at the centre and one at a time people climbed onto the chair and sang in the same manner as the Emperor had, those gathered around being friends, neighbours and family sang back as each gave thanks or asked for blessings to individual Loa. Closest to the visitors a young woman of about 20 had climbed up and now sang.
"Father Larak
[1], I’m thanking you,
it’s not about the money you gave me.
I came to thank you.
It’s true the yard gave me the calling of the Loa.
When I call the Loa, the Loa hear me.
When I speak to the Loa,
they take care of my problems"
The crowd around her cheered her song as they repeated it and Bensen applauded at the end with them. "I don't know that you girl." he began to explain, "Her outfit though is that of a new Mamba, she's giving thanks for becoming essentially a Priestess." Out of nowhere there was a sudden rush as a group of worshippers split apart there in the centre was a young boy dancing wildly his arms and legs a blur he would freeze momentarily and adopt some kind of pose before becoming a blur once more. Bensen took hold of Princess Una's hand and guided her to get a better view before turning to address everyone behind him. "That boy.....he's been possessed by Father Larak. We can tell by the poses." Bensen pointed to a mask on the wall and almost immediately two Zangbeto appeared with a ladder and took the mask off the wall rushing it through the crowd above their head a passage opened among the dancers allowing them through and they carefully placed the mask on the boys face while he seemingly ignored them and carried on. Soon crowds gathered around him each trying desperately to touch him as he seemingly was possessed by the Loa. "People will be speaking with the Loa now." He moved Besarian's future wife Isidora slightly closer, "Do you hear him." even with Bensen translating for the group what was being said was nonsense. "People will ask their question, but with so many asking at once things get lost and people will hear a message from within the boy's voice and the sound around which answers there question. This is because the Loa guide the words, the sound waves even, to our ears to help us." Across the large room Bensen could see other ladders gathering masks off the wall and for the next hour or so the room became a mess of drum circles, possessed, unpossesed and then reposseded faithful all mixing together in the room filling with the smell of rum, stale blood and sweat. It was perhaps a rather unregal ceremony compared to many but it was clear that the people felt a strong connection to the Loa. It was time though to bring the ceremony to an end and so Benson made his way to the alter table and clambered onto it. It was clear he was no longer totally sober by his climb but he was still more than in control of himself. "PEOPLE!" he yelled and like an army listening to orders then drumming stopped instantly and the dancing and singing stopped except for those who were in the midst of the Loa who even without the rhytmic beat of the drums continued their random dancing. Zangbeto moved close to these people to help ensure they didn't accidently hurt anyone in the midst of their actions. "The Loa have come, they have come and rejoyced with us. They love their new home and they love us. This is the first of a new wave of Lodges I plan to build, first one for each island, then more and more. We have been today so happy to welcome those from East Moreland, Achakerin, Ui Cenneslaig, Lodja, Bakkermaya and Aosta to witness the day. They are the first from outside our homeland to see such a ceremony and from the bottom of our hearts I thank them for not believing so many awful movies about Vodou Dolls and Zombies.......we save them purely for Tamora......" the Emperor grinned and the crowd laughed enjoying his jab at the slavers. "I hope our guests will take the knowledge that our faith brings all together equally, happily and rejoycefully to their homes and here and now officially on record I ask those of you who can to speak to your Heads of Government, to your Heads of State to allow us, at the Empire's expense, to construct a Lodge in your capital. I ask that you permit a delegation of those here today to come and welcome the Loa to your nations. You have each today meet the Loa and seen them and I know that even though they know you are yet to take them to your heart you came in honest friendship so they will watch over you and your people." The crowd applauded and as the noise still echoed a young boy in a mask oblivious to where he was in his trance came close. Zangbeto didn't stop him but kept a close watch to make sure he didn't trouble the guests too much. The boy was in his early teens and wearing the mask of a female Loa, a Loa dedicated to love and happiness. He seemed to make gestures in his dance towards Besarian and then Isidora. Benson as a trained Hougon watched on interpreting the motions along with several others gathered. Before Benson could explain the crowd began singing and dancing again. Benson was forced to move close to the couple and speaking loud enough for everyone to hear explained what was happening. "Gerau is an Loa of long marriages. She is preparing great happiness for you two. She says even when this world falls apart the bond of yours will not. Its a very very promising and happy blessing." He shook Besarains hand and then kissed Isidora on the cheek. Benson once more jumped onto the alter table landing slightly awkwardly. " Tonight we celebrate all the blessings we have received. TO THE BEACH" He pointed towards the door and people began hurrying towards the door.
Christian waited for the locals to leave and then marvelled at the Lodge, what had been a pristine chamber was now a mess, broken bottles, rivers of rum and some blood from sacrifices people had brought, there were even items of clothing littering the floor. The Zangbeto were already getting busy with brooms brushing out the reeds they'd put on the floor to soak up the inevitable booze. As each person left the Lodge though they placed something, be it money or an item in one of several buckets by the door. "We are a passionate but messy faith" the Prince laughed as he helped guide Sir Jacob and Rosa Ayanami between a mound of what looked like a pair of trousers, a wooden mask and crate of now empty rum bottles. "I think someone is going to have a tough morning tomorrow" Christian said more to himself than anyone as he reached the buckets and removed from his trouser pocket a envelope which he deposited in one of the buckets. The envelope spilled a bundle of banknotes as it hit, Prince Marcus and Princess Sophia were doing likewise in different buckets while Benson brought up the rear with a golden necklace and several rings which he placed in the buckets. "Each bucket represents a group the Loa should help, the Old, the sick, the young and the poor" Christian began to explain. "Any cash goes to charities to help those causes, any items are used as is best seen." Each bucket had a Zangbeto watching over it and as the royals left they began the process of taking them to somewhere secure.
"Now." the Emperor took a large intake of the fresh air outside. In the garden some people were clearly enjoying the sunshine and a few more drinks continuing their singing in praise while others began the move through the gates they'd entered through and turning left down towards the road that would take them to the beach about 1km away. "You have a choice" he addressed his invited guests. "I clearly need a shower and a new suit" He held his arms wide showing the state his own clothing, now stained, stinking and ripped, had been reduced to. "I however would love to speak with you all properly. So if you wish to freshen up yourself we can have cars take you to your accommodation, naturally if we wish to see the celebrations continue then we can have you escorted to the beach, sadly that's a walk though. There you'll find the Paracambians starting their own beach parties but we have a nice venue for a bite to eat there which will allow us to see the celebrations but have some privacy. I will see you there in an hour, assuming I can get the smell of rum out of my beard." He bowed to his guests as he excused himself leaving several smartly dressed aides to help the guests with whatever they wanted to do or see.
