Dionysus Your mount is quickly so high, you can see the whole continent. It evens out its flight for a few moments, then starts to descend slowly.

• Jack_C stops screaming after the first few seconds.

Dionysus You land in a forest clearing somewhere on the eastern side of the continent. A man sits there with a small whistle on a string around his neck. He is apparently high elven, & he wears nothing but his whistle & a loincloth.

• Jack_C waits a few seconds to dismount, then does so, unsteadily.

Dionysus "Greetings, traveler. I am the Walker of the Path of Music. Do you have talent in that regard?"

Jack_C blink. "...A bit."

Jack_C "Name's Jack Crane. Nice to meet you."

Dionysus "I am Altivais. What do you play? Or do you sing? Dance?"

Jack_C "Well, I sing, I do a bit of dancin' when I'm onstage. I also play bass, but I left that back where I came from."

Dionysus "Singing or dancing, then, if you will accept a challenge from me? A singing, or dancing, contest?"

• Jack_C thinks, then says, "Why not make it both?"

Dionysus He shrugs, "If you will. If you win, I will reward you as I see fit, & if I win, you will reward me as you see fit. A deal?"

• Jack_C grins. "Deal."

Dionysus He smiles & starts heading down a path. "A beautiful steed that is, Jack Crane."

• Jack_C follows. "He's observin' me for Gitteau Toutant."

Dionysus "Ahh." He says, as if he understands. A few minutes later, you come to a small village of thatched cottages.

Dionysus The people here are dressed much as you are, & they are all going about their daily tasks.

• Jack_C looks around, but follows Altivais's lead.

Dionysus He looks about, "Do any of these look like prime candidates for judging our contest?"

Jack_C "All of 'em. an audience."

Dionysus He smiles, then looks them over, "Do you speak the local tongue?"

Jack_C "No. I'm afraid not."

Dionysus He shrugs, then says in Berellian something. Everyone stops & stares. They do not look happy.

Jack_C uh oh.

Dionysus One says something in what you recognize as Dhunic.

Jack_C which I can't speak.

Jack_C I look for signs written in dhunic, if I can see any from here.

Dionysus A few.

Jack_C "...oh."

Dionysus Most point to village landmarks--blacksmith, carpenter, etc. One is apparently the town--Blessing.

Dionysus Altivais says, "I guess we are stumbled upon one of those out of the way Dhunic villages."

Jack_C "Why uh...why don't they look happy?"

Jack_C "Did we come at a bad time?"

Dionysus "No, they just don't like Berellians, & I used that tongue. I imagine, anyway. I don't speak Dhunic."

Jack_C "Oh. Neither do I. I read it, though."

• Jack_C thinks, then nods. "And I bet I know a song that'll get their attention."

Dionysus He shrugs, "As part of the competition, or merely to call them over?"

Jack_C "Well it wouldn't be fair to use as part of the competition. Just to call them over."

Dionysus He smiles, "As you will."

• Jack_C struts forward a bit, and says, "People of Blessing, this...is for you." I start singing Avalon Winter.

Dionysus They all stare.

Jack_C in a good way or bad?

Dionysus Sorry.

Dionysus They are awed & confused.

Jack_C I wave them over while I'm singing.

Dionysus One of them approaches & says something in Berellian, & the Walker answers.

Dionysus More approach.

Dionysus The Walker says, "That worked. They are willing to judge our skills. Which of us shall start?"

Jack_C "Go ahead."

Dionysus He bows.

Dionysus He then poses in an elegant, ballet-like pose, & begins.

Dionysus His song is wonderful, & the crowd even claps & sings along. He sings in Berellian, so you can't follow along, but the crowd mostlyjust laughs openly at his dancing.

Dionysus As he finishes, he stops, panting with the exertion. "Now you, Jack Crane."

• Jack_C bows, and grins, smiling at the audience, and sings Roses and Barbed Wire for them, complete with stage dancing.

Dionysus They appear to appreciate your performance much better, clapping & a few throw flowers at the end.

• Jack_C bows.

Dionysus A smiling man walks forward & says in broken Maraddonian, "Did you say name is Crane?"

• Jack_C nods. "Yes."

Dionysus "You are... of the Line?"

Jack_C "Yes."

Dionysus He waves, & the Walker takes a step back as the crowd begins to move around you. "One of the Line," the man says.

• Jack_C is not sure how to react.

Dionysus The Walker says, "What Line?" and then is knocked out from behind.

Dionysus A large, bearded man grabs your arm. "One of the Line."

Jack_C "Wait! What'd you hit him for?"

Jack_C to whoever did it.

Dionysus "You are a scion of Light who has besmirched your name," a well spoken bout of Maraddonian, from what must be a priest of light. His robes are off white, & his cross is glimmering on its chain. "The only way to purify you is through the fires."

Dionysus The crowd grabs you.

Jack_C I narrow my eyes. "You get one chance to choose more wisely than that."

Dionysus They start to try to carry you.

Jack_C Is the church of light one of those affected by the planar stuff?

Dionysus They're all affected, but it is not one that is closed down in most places. Light is not a Summer religion.

Jack_C shyte.

Jack_C "You burn me, the king of thorns wins!"

Jack_C "Let me spell it out for you! There is a Wrong in this world, and it's only gettin' stronger! I am part of a band setting it right!"

Dionysus "If we leave you unpurified, you will but fail."

Jack_C "So how has purification worked for you so far? got a high survival rate?"

Jack_C "What about you, priest? Do it once a year?"

Dionysus "You are the first Scion we have come across, & I am pure already."

Jack_C "Prove it."

Jack_C "What about the rest of you?! Wanna see if your man is pure or not?!"

Dionysus "They don't even understand you, Scion. And I have nothing to prove."

Jack_C "Neither do I. But I do have a mission to accomplish."

Jack_C "And I swear to every god who can hear me, you persist with this, I will make trouble."

Jack_C "One chance."

Jack_C "Your last."

Jack_C looking him in the eye.

Dionysus He says, "Here is the church." It's a normal looking building, but you do note a cross hidden in the stonework. "Carry him in." He does not answer you, but turns his face away.

Jack_C "Alright. You asked for it." I look up and off in the distance and wave as if waving someone over. "MEN!"

Dionysus What do you intend to do?

Jack_C get most of them to look to give me an advantage breaking free.

Dionysus They apaprently ignore you.

Dionysus Unless you karma?

Jack_C I do.

Jack_C from my self preservation.

Dionysus The crowd looks up, but the priest continues to watch you.

Jack_C That's as good as it's going to get. I book.

Dionysus Roll dodge.

Dionysus The priest's thrown cross misses you completely.

Dionysus He yells in Dhunic, & the crowd starts after you.

Jack_C Is the walker still laying there?

Dionysus Yes.

Jack_C I got one more idea. "Thrush I'm being chased by mad Dhunics Please power my voice--" I turn and try to stun them with a high note.

Dionysus Fuck, sorry.

Dionysus Your high note has no effect.

Dionysus I was waiting to hear if you karma'd or not, then forgot.

Jack_C I don't know if I have karma.

Jack_C I used the self-preservation one.

Dionysus Well, the crowd catches up to you.

Jack_C I'll try to get some distance again.

Jack_C ...Fuck on a stick. I rolled the wrong number for dodge.

Dionysus Don't worry about it.

Dionysus As you run, you gain some distance, but the Walker is left behind. You hear the priest yell, "Return or your friend will face the purification instead!"

• Jack_C smirks, and stops.
• Jack_C turns.

Jack_C "What church did you say you serve again, liar?"

Jack_C "Pray for light."

Jack_C "I wanna see it."

Dionysus He scowls, "I do not bother the Mother so frivolously. You are the tainted one. I do what must be done to see you pure."

Jack_C "And you're a liar!"

Jack_C "No priest of light threatens the uninvolved as hostages!"

Jack_C "That is not good, that is not holy!"

Dionysus "You know nothing of holy. You are a washed up fool."

Jack_C "You know nothing of holy, you are a /liar!/"

Dionysus "I serve no the Mother of Truth, but the Mother of Goodness."

Jack_C "Fuck you. I serve the mother of music. Thrush, grant me one more use of your power." I try to turn him.

Dionysus He staggers back. You feel your old power there, but weaker.

Jack_C "Feel that, liar?"

Jack_C "You've been warned."

Dionysus "You /dare/."

Jack_C "I DO INDEED!"

Dionysus But he turns to flee.

Dionysus The villagers stare in wonder, then all bow.

Jack_C I move to wake up the walker.

• Jack_C waves. "Thank you, Blessing! We love you!"

Dionysus The walker groggily sits up, & the crowd just continues to bow. "What happened?" The Walker asks.

Jack_C "They tried to purify me. I took offense."

Dionysus "Purify? They were old path Dhunics, I take it. What a shame. Shall we--why are they bowing?"

Jack_C "I used Thrush's power to turn their lying leader."

• Jack_C looks up. "Thanks, mate."
• Jack_C fills him in with details.

Dionysus He stares, then says, "Unless you intend to lead a cult, shall we move away?"

Jack_C "Good idea."

Jack_C "Are you alright? Safe to move?"

Jack_C "I don't know this stuff, so I can't tell."

Jack_C "I could see if one of them's a doctor?"

Dionysus "I'd prefer not to suffer Dhunic medicine. I will be fine. Come along & I shall grant your reward when we are away from them."

Jack_C I help him up and back toward the pegasus.

Jack_C "Some of my friends might be able to help if the pegasus is willin' to carry both of us."

Dionysus "I need not do so. I will be fine. Kneel, please."

Jack_C I do.

Dionysus He places his hands on yourhead, & you feel power within. "Your abilities musical shall never, ever, so long as you live, deteriorate, Jack Crane. You may neglect them to the end of days, & they will be as fresh as they are at whatever your peak might be hereafter."

Jack_C "Wow. Thank you."

Dionysus He bows, "Thank you, and may your voice be heard the world over."

• Jack_C bows in return. "It was nice meetin' you, mate."

Dionysus He smiles. You get on the pegasus?

Jack_C yeah. "Where to now?"

Dionysus It takes you back up so high you can see the continent.