[Jean] Chapter 11: Mount Velothia

[pringerbeam]

    "Oh no, it's super weird.  But then so is everything else that has happened to me.  Where I come from divine intervention wasn't believed to exist in any form other than ancient stories, magic was merely a parlor trick, and dragons were mere fairy tales."  He turned to the cliffs and looked up to the clouds they had passed through.  "You live on a flying wonder.  All this is something I never could have dreamed of before."  He turned back to Dalina and put his hands on her shoulders.  "We just have to learn to adapt, to accept the way things are.  We are about to go on a journey where you will see a world you have only glimpsed through the clouds.  Give it a chance to surprise you.  That said... I get that it must be tough to find out that someone you thought you knew has been lying to you for centuries but isn't this exactly why she probably had to hide her true identity?  How welcoming do you think the rest of your people would be if they found out the same things you have?"  Jean put his hands on Dalina's cheeks.  "She just wants to get along with everyone, to have some kind of human contact.  Could you imagine being locked away for hundreds of years and never seeing any of the other villagers except from a distance?  Never getting to touch or..."  He moved his hands to hug Dalina and pull her close to him.  "To hug anyone."

[Throndir]

When you pulled her close, Dalina began to blush.

She didn't know how to respond at first, only being quiet and finding your action sudden and daring. But a few moments later, you felt her slowly begin to wrap her arms around you as well.

"I guess... I guess if the other elders knew exactly who or what Marina is, they might have... reacted worse." Dalina said, finally giving way.

"It's not that I think poorly of Marina... Please don't get me wrong, it's just... maybe a shock? Kind of like a betrayal. In a different way than when you first arrived... See, back then, I had no idea what to expect from our summoned hero. But with Marina? And with the teachings that the other priests teach? That's different."

Dalina eventually pulled away from the hug, but she moved to hold your hands instead. She didn't look at you in the eyes, and only focused on the warmth of your hands.

"But... I guess I could imagine how it could be like seeing people without being able to touch them or talk to them like how we are now." Her eyes moved up to yours, there was still sadness there, but she forced a smile. "Thank you Jean. Don't worry, I'll pull myself together. We have you to introduce to the dragons, then after that... a whole adventure before us."

[pringerbeam]

    "That we do.  Actually, about that...  Be careful around the other hero.  I don't know anything about them but I have been clued in on something that makes me wary that we heroes might not all be playing for the same team.  There is a great game afoot and it's hard to tell who is a piece and who is a player.  So just...  Be careful."  He let go if Dalina's hand and motioned for her to follow.  "Time to go meet some dragons then."

[Throndir]

Dalina slowly nodded at the suggestion.

"I'll be careful." She finally said as she began to follow you.



Marina lead the way through the throng of people, she had created an 'exit' from the Master Room near where you had entered, away from people's eyes. When the other priests realized Marina and the hero were passing through, they gave way. In this way, your group managed to easily make their way to the front of the pack.

Vitaliya was there, along with some other priests who seemed to be quite muscular, and when she saw you she waved.

"Ah! If it isn't ze hero. We're about to land here." She said as she, along with the others, heaved what looked to be a giant bridge or stairs and began to drop it from the edge. It didn't take very long for the bridge to connect with the peaks of the mountain, and with that, the landing was complete.

Marina beckoned the group forward, leading the way and holding a hand up, with palms open towards the lady in purple.

"Here again as scheduled... Jean, meet the Velothian Dragons." She said.

Next to the lady that Marina had greeted were a few others, the same you had seen earlier in the viewing room.

[pringerbeam]

     Jean folded his arms across his chest as the bridge was being dropped down.  "Damn...  You know we should have come up with a bit before we got here.  You know, something to really hype up my presence.  Gotta rep like a boss as they say back in my old world.  Oh well, there's always next time I guess.  For now, gotta work with what we've got..."  With the stairs lowered he bounded down the steps, his arms wide and the cheesiest grin he could muster on his face.  "Hello, oh ancient and mighty dragons of Velothia!  I am Jean Valois: hero extraordinaire!  And this..."  He made a grand gesture towards his companions descending the stairs.  "Is my Enticingly Enviable Entourage!  A pleasure to make your acquaintance."  He said as he approached the taller woman in the regal dress, taking her hand, and bowing before her.  "You must be the elder dragon which I have heard so much about.  If I should be so bold?"  He raised her hand up, pausing just before his mouth.

[Throndir]

"The hero of the wind priests?" The lady said as she nodded in approval. "I'm glad our human companions in the skies have summoned there's. I am the Elder of the dragons here on Mount Velothia." She then gestured towards one of the people next to her. The girl wearing the clothes from your own world with the bass guitar strapped to her back.

"This one is the hero summoned here on Mount Velothia just a week ago." The Elder continued, her eyes flashing towards her.

[pringerbeam]

     "Please, call me Jean.  I don't suppose you have a name I could call you by?  I do not mean to offend or come off as overly familiar but Elder is so formal and reminds me too much of the stuffy old folks that summoned me to the island, hardly fitting for someone as ravishingly beautiful and youthful as yourself."  He said as he raised form his bow.  He turned to the other hero and bowed again, hand over his breast.  "Hail noble hero and well met.  Tell me, what is that strange device on your back?  Is it some kind of exotic maul from your homeland?"

[Throndir]

The lady blinked a few times, while the red-clothed one, and the smaller one beside her both dropped their mouths. Eventually the woman laughed. A gentle and warm laugh as she gave into her moment of mirth. This only seemed to confuse the other two around her.

"Words I haven't heard in centuries." The Elder finally said. "Very well, you have earned that much, hero Jean. Before I was the Elder, I was called Vasillisa."

[pringerbeam]

     "Vasillisa...  A beautiful name for a beautiful creature.  Thank you for the honor." 

If possible, amend this bit to before speaking to Rosalie

[Throndir]

After she was directly addressed, the girl stood up, surrounded with the pile of swords. She dusted herself off. "I am Rosalie, hero of the Velothian Dragons." She took her guitar off of her back. "This is no weapon, Jean. As you are a hero, perhaps you are familiar with it. It's an instrument. A bass guitar to be exact. I don't know if all heroes come from the same world or what, but out of anyone that I've seen here, you're the most likely to know it." She played a short bass line, for all to hear, and stowed the guitar on her back once more. "May I ask how long you have been a hero?"

[pringerbeam]

     "Interesting...  A base guitar you say?  Does that mean there are more advanced guitars to be acquired back in your world?  I have been told that there are many worlds from which heroes are drawn.  Tell me, what was your world like?  As for how long I have been a hero?  Somewhere between a week and a decade.  Time flows so strangely it's really hard to get much of a grasp on it but I have certainly been around long enough to go white with age..."  Replied Jean as he swept his hand through his colorless hair.  "And hopefully not senile with it.  Ha! Ha?  But enough about us heroic folk!  We must go on a grand tour of your mountain!  A place so beautiful from above must be even more spectacular from the ground and so far the inhabitants have not disappointed.  If we might take our leave?  Lady Vasillisa, once again a pleasure to meet you."  With that Jean bowed once again to the Elder dragon before sweeping off to walk down the mountain path.  "I will return tonight so that we can finish our preparations!"  He hollered back to the island's inhabitants over his shoulder.

[Throndir]

"Very well then Jean." The Elder, Vasillisa, said. She then turned towards Rosalie, the hero of the Velothian Dragons.

Perception, DC 15, to catch her whisper.

It was at that moment, when the rest of your companions started to follow you, with the exception of Marina, that one of the small girls around Rosalie called out.

"You just wait a moment mister!" The girl said as you began to turn around and walk down the mountain path. Her face was in a glare.

"I waited an extra hour just for that island to show up..." She then turned towards Vasillisa and Rosalie. giving them a meaningful glance, then back towards you.

"Help my village, please!"

[pringerbeam]

Perception Check

Rolled 1d20+9 : 11 + 9, total 20

[Throndir]

Perception: 20
"This is as good of a time for you to get to know him." Vasillisa had whispered to Rosalie.

[pringerbeam]

     "I don't see why not as long as it is within our means."  Said jean turning to get a better look at the girl.  "What kind of aid does your village require?"