The Calling

Posted on Fri Jun 30th, 2023 @ 12:14am by Priest (Level 2) Leslie Aryz

Mission: We're Forming A Party
Location: Monastery of the Ascendant Dragon

It was her birthday, according to the reckoning of the monk's records, although if it were truly her birthday, (1) but she knew it wasn't so. It would have been too convenient, but she knew, somehow, that her actual birthday had passed some weeks before. But regardless of whether it was true or not, the summons from the Abbott was not much of a surprise. Nineteen was when all of the monks that had not already left for their first journey were sent whether they were truly ready or not. Seemingly one of the higher ranking monks had appeared at her side without notice, touching her elbow (2), causing her to jump ever so slightly despite having seen him approach out of the corner of her eye and a gravelly word in her ear, "He wishes to see you."

Leslie swallowed as she nodded, but didn't say a word as they wended their way to the hut that served the Abbott and the other one left her at the door flap before the other rough voice emanated from within: "Enter, Leslie Aryz, and make yourself comfortable." She obeyed; no one disobeyed the Abbott lightly, not an enemy, not one of the monks, and she removed her sandals, leaving them outside as she padded inside to where the Dragonborn Abbott sat in a position that had to be uncomfortable for one of his kind, yet there were two cups of tea steaming on the low table, along with a small wooden case, "Sit, Aryz, have some tea, we need to talk."

Without more than a nod, Leslie sank down onto the cushion that was there in anticipation of her presence, but whereas most of the monks and initiates were of far sturdier builds, the majority being Dragonborn, she virtually perched on top of the firm pillow, eliciting a grunt of amusement and a showing of teeth from the lizardlike Abbott, "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes..." He hissed, "As you know, the tradition of the Ascendant Dragon is not to remain behind our walls, but to go forth and seek out our Inner Dragon on a quest. When I was nineteen, the Abbott of the time decreed that I was to go seek my Inner Dragon when the scourge of a Necromancer was about that had claimed initiates from the hatching before my own on their own journeys. Now, it is your turn, young hatchling, to go and find your own Inner Dragon.: His eyes peered into her own, as if seeking something, "What do the teachings of Our Lord Bahamut tell us about dangers on our own quests?"

Leslie swallowed as her mind raced, this should be second nature (3), "That we are not to be afraid of danger and death should they come, because the path of the Ascendant Dragon is fraught with peril, but comes with enlightenment at the end, no matter what that end may be."

"Very good, hatchling." The Abbott gave another gruesome smile, "We are not like many other monastic traditions, we hold no vow of poverty, nor of non-violence. We are dragons, if not in body like some, but in our hearts." He reached out a clawed hand and tapped her sternum very gently. "Dragons hoard wealth, we share ours to some degree. Still, none of ours goes on their journeys with begging bowl in hand. We have prepared an adventuring kit for you, hatchling, with supplies and funds sufficient to keep you for a period. But there is something else you need.

The Abbott reached out for the ornate wooden case and delicately opened it, revealing a golden pendant of a dragon in flight on a strong cord, "As you know, this is the symbol of Our Lord Bahamut, given to our initiates on the cusp of their first journey into the wild." He picked it up and leaned forward, gesturing her to lean forward, whereupon he placed it around her neck and muttered a few words in Draconic and pressed his hand against it to her chest. It seemed to glow, as if it were attuned to her, "Do you know the purpose of the amulet?"

(4) Panic filled Leslie's mind as she tried to remember what had been told to her in a lesson from a while back and sweat beaded her brow that she knew she couldn't wipe off, "That it's to remind us to be loyal to Bahamut?" She guessed almost randomly, then saw the disappointment in the Abbott's eyes. "I'm sorry... I don't remember."

Sympathy came into the Abbott's eyes, "It is all right, Aryz, not all of us can remember everything. The amulet is here to remind you that you ARE a dragon, one of Bahamut's chosen and that no one can defeat you unless you yourself so choose. It will never betray or abandon you so long as you live and follow the teachings of the Ascendant Dragon." He gestured to the walls, where hundreds of other pendants hung, "Should you fall on your quest, it shall return home to your brothers and sisters here. That is one of the magics it holds, the rest, you shall have to discover on your own."

"Yes, Abbott." Leslie tried not to breath too heavy a sigh of relief, "But where should I go?"

"There is a town away from here, where I was once sent as a hatchling just leaving the nest. It is named Fairfell in a place called Pegasus Falls, several days journey from here. The road itself is not safe, but heed the teachings we have given you and you'll make it there just fine." Leslie nodded at the advice, but he continued on, "From there, your journey truly begins, but the path it will take is not known to me. Find your Inner Dragon, hatchling Aryz, then return to us and we will feast in celebration of your devotion to Bahamut."

***********

The memory of that moment brought the smile to Leslie's lips even as she stared down the two humans in front of her, leering in her direction with thoughts clear on their face. "Come on, cutie, just give us your valuables and if it's enough, we'll let you continue on. If it isn't? You can find another way to pay your toll." The other one laughed at the joke, but only the one had his hand on the short sword he had at his side.

"I don't think I need to." Leslie stated as she stared them down, first the one just laughing, then locking her eyes on the one with his hand on the blade, "I'm really not worth messing with." Her fists clenched as she cleared her thoughts in preparation to fight, if needed, "More trouble than the coin I may or may not have on me." (5) Her eyes began to glow as she focused.

The light coming from her eyes caused first one, then the other to take a step back, the second turning and taking off while the first shouted at her, "WHAT ARE YOU? A FREAK OF NATURE?" Then he too took to his feet, diving into the woods and off the road.

Leslie Aryz blinked as the two bandits ran away, suddenly disappointed that they took the easy way out, then sighed. Eventually, she'd find someone that would challenge her, because wasn't that part of the Path? There were only two more days until she arrived... "Oh well, I suppose someone else gets to have the fun instead of me. One foot in front of the other." She shrugged as she resettled her pack on her back into as comfortable a position as she could, then brushed the pendant covered by her tunic with a few errant fingers.

Time to keep going.

OOC- I like the ideas of this, made notations where I did the rolls!
(1) Wisdom/Insight: Nat 20
(2) Wisdom/Perception: 13+2=15
(3) Intelligence/Religion(Advantage): (1)(18)= 18+2=20
(4) Intelligence/Religion: Nat 1
(5) Charisma/Intimidation: 19+3=22 vs 10 Bandit Charisma