[Jean] Chapter 11: Mount Velothia

[pringerbeam]

    Jean fiddled a few more times with the controls to see if he could see anything while the dungeon core explained.

[info]INT check to try and find surveillance functions.[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+4 : 12 + 4, total 16[/blockquote]Knowledge (Arcana) in case that is more applicable.[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+14 : 9 + 14, total 23[/blockquote][/info]

     When he heard Dalina speak he turned around.  "Dalina, don't do that.  Look around you.  This is the way things are.  Don't tell me your faith is that dependent on the Goddess moving the temple?  Just because the island is controlled from here doesn't mean your goddess doesn't exist.  She just does one less thing than you thought.  Though..."  He turned his attention to the Dungeon Core.  "This does beg the question of why the charade?  Why is this place hidden and why are you posing as one of the villagers?"

[Throndir]

Diplomacy requested for attempt to placate Dalina.

[pringerbeam]

[info]Diplomacy Check[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+2 : 1 + 2, total 3[/blockquote][/info]

[Throndir]

"Sis! Listen to Jean! Please..." Anja pleaded, still wrapped up in the makeshift chair that was Ren's tentacles.

[blockquote]Anja's Diplomacy Aid Another 1d20+5 : 1 + 5, total 6[/blockquote]

[Throndir]

[info]Knowledge (arcana): 23
As you fiddled with the controls you were able to access the surveillance feeds. There seemed to one in almost every corner of the entire temple. To your surprise, you could even see into people's homes and other supposedly 'private' places. You could bring them up and appear in the terminal before you if you chose to.[/info]

"You don't understand... Our scriptures... Our scriptures tell us that its due to our prayers and her gift and guidance that this temple flies! It's what made our people special."

Marina was about to answer, but instead she bit her lip.

"And if that part of our scriptures are wrong, then what else? We base our entire lives around our faith, Jean."

"I..." Marina sighed. "As the Goddess of the Hero, I thought you would be understanding Dalina. But if it helps you any, the Goddess does exist."

[blockquote]Marina's Diplomacy 1d20+6 : 11 + 6, total 17[/blockquote]

[Throndir]

Dalina nodded but chose not to say anymore. She continued to look sullen however, and her eyes seemed blank, as if they were deep in thought.

"Dalina?" Ren asked as she placed a tentacle on her shoulder. But Dalina didn't respond.

[pringerbeam]

     "Well maybe it's time for that to change.  Dalina... There is more to life than worshiping some distant god.  I'm not going to say she doesn't exist in fact I am sure that she does, but I have met gods and they are not beings you should rely on.  You need to be your own person.  You are free to live unchained by your god.  You should take advantage of that.  Some of us don't have that luxury."  His gaze drifted to Ren.

[Throndir]

"It's not chains... it's... it's..." Dalina tried searching for the words but she couldn't describe it. Anja continued to wrap her arms around her sister's back, while Ren only nodded in understanding.

"A-and you Marina! Isn't it said that you were blessed by the Goddess of Air to have been alive for so long and not suffer old age?" Dalina tried to argue, but even she knew her words were hollow, given the fact Marina had just described who she was.

To her credit, Marina stepped forward and placed a hand on Dalina's shoulder.

"I understand Dalina. How could I not when I've lived among our people for the hundreds of years now?" Marina's eyes then met yours.

"This is what I mean though." Marina said carefully. "For the first few centuries of my service, I didn't interact at all with the Wind Priests. I carried my duty to travel the skies, keeping the inhabitants of our temple safe. Me, among many other Dungeon Cores. But you watch them long enough, and there's a part of you that eventually wants to be with everyone else."

"But the truth for them... These children in the skies? It's a difficult one. One that I'm not sure if anyone else on the council would be willing to accept." Marina turned back towards Dalina.

"Dalina, let's table this discussion for another time..." Marina said as she sighed and began to lead the way through the control room. "I promised you a great view, right?"

[pringerbeam]

     "Yeah about that...  You seem to have quite the view from here."  Jean said looking back to the display he had been tinkering with.  "You seem to be able to see well... everything."

[Throndir]

Dalina continued to follow the group, but she lingered behind everyone else, her eyes downcast, and looked deep in thought.

Marina continued to lead the way until the group was in a dome-like room, with a centerpiece bridge that made its way towards the center. On that center platform it contained a large couch. The whole thing reminded you of Professor X's cerebro in the X-Men movies that aired in the last decade back on Earth.

"Come sit!" Marina said. "You too, Dalina. This might cheer you up." The Dungeon Core said trying to smile gently.

[pringerbeam]

     "How much do you watch of the village?  You uh... been watching me?"  Jean asked as he plopped down in the middle of the couch.  "Come on, you too Dalina.  It's your island.  Don't you want to see everything it truly has to offer?"  He said as he patted the spot next to him.

[Throndir]

"Thanks..." Dalina said quietly, making her way next to you. Ren gently dropped Anja next to her sister, while Ren herself made her way to your other side, already deciding to hook her arm around one of yours.

"Oh? Hehehe... Yes!" Marina said cheerily with a hint of mischief. "Well, more out of curiosity with who the hero is supposed to be... It's not very often we get outsiders here."

Once everyone was seated, Marina waved her hand, and all of a sudden the entire room became one giant screen, letting you see in all directions. It was a point of view near where you were at, but seemed to be closer forward as well towards the direction of descent. Looking behind you, you were able to see rows of other temple priests, excited to watch the landing occur.

Already the island itself was low enough that the clouds started to part ways, revealing a vast ridge of mountains, along with forests and what looked to be a bay. There was a small speck in the skies, and Marina pointed to it. After which, the image you were seeing zoomed in, and soon enough a picture of a blue serpentine creature was displayed on the viewer. It was a dragon.

"There they are. At least one of them... A Velothian Dragon." Marina said. "We visit them yearly, so one of them should let the Elder know that we're arriving."

[pringerbeam]

     "How good is the zoom on this thing?"  Jean asked as he watched the wyrm flying, marveling at the clarity of the image.  He leaned back into the couch and stretched his arms across the back like he was watching any other tv and basked in the modern comfort he thought he would not have never had a chance to experience again.  "You know, I'm not as impressed as I thought I would be, especially considering dragons are such a big deal where I came from, the myth of them anyways.  Maybe it's from seeing so many other things.  Do they breath fire?  Or do they have some other magical powers?" 

[Throndir]

Marina explains how far the magnification works.

For in-game use, assume it's a x8 gain to the distance per DC increase. For example, normally its +1 DC for every 10 ft. for Perception checks. Using the magnification, this becomes +1 DC for every 80 ft. Likewise, once you hit 20 ranks, instead of +1 DC for every 60 ft, it will be +1 DC for every 480 ft.

"They definitely do breath fire! Well, all sorts of things actually. They're able to channel the elemental powers naturally, being gifted by the gods. Some are able to breathe out fire, some lightning, so on and so forth. They have the ability to transform themselves into a human form too."

[pringerbeam]

     "Well that's pretty convenient.  I'm guessing you have a similar ability yourself?  Or is this your true form?"  He turned to Ren.  "Actually...  Hey I don't suppose you can do the same thing Ren?  This doesn't happen to be your only form does it?  I haven't seen you take any other shapes."  As he was asking a thought struck him.  "Hey Dalina, do you know any magic that can let someone else take a different form, like a bird?  Maybe something that Anja could learn to get around better."