Ch.2: "Trouble in Paradise" / Volcanic Paradise Island Arcadia

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell asks, "So are just Wilbur and Sonja approaching the chief, or are we sending two men and two women?"

She tells Sonja, "Don't be afraid to throw off the neck-tie if you need to become a mermaid. Also, if someone else needs it, I may be able to call a critter to deliver it elsewhere." Maybe.

Kell smiles at Vin. "I can respect that," she tells him honestly.


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Jerry says, "Best way to convince the chief we ain't up to any tricks is if me, Ben and Wilbur walk the two of you right to the chief. Vin, Leto and Sonja's sisters should hang back."

Wilbur says to Leto, "Warning Shot or arrow... that's up to you. You and Vin will be the only shooters for a while."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell frowns. "So at what point are you thinking I'd unleash my effect? Once we're up at the altar?" She was thinking she'd be back with the others, not up front with the chief.

"Now I have a staff that will let me make it harder for them, which will make it easier for us - particularly whoever's at range - to pick them off. I was planning to have that in hand. I also have a boomerang I was planning to use if there was a need for ranged combat. If I'm with you, it might make sense for you to have them on you. If you truly had captured me, you would have removed my weapons and hopefully the chief won't think to take them from you if he thinks you've returned with captives. When the moment is right, you can toss me my staff. Worst case scenario, I can call a critter to go retrieve it if the chief takes it from you. I'll only need the boomerang if I move back with the others."

Kell does NOT like the idea of surrendering her staff, even to allies, especially while naked. But she's not sure she has a choice. She gulps.


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[Legendary Sidekick]

Sonja says, "Ooh! I know! Pretend it's a walking stick, which you needed for the long hike! Maybe you won't need to surrender it. You dress so fashionably and I'm like dressed for a day at the beach. As long as you leave your boomerang behind and I give my sword to Bridgette, we won't look to suspicious. Maybe we heard about multiple couples being wed and we're here voluntarily... my dear!"

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell nods. "That can work. Ben, Jerry, and Wilbur met me and Sonja on the walk up, told us multiple weddings would be happening, and we decided to come and check it out, which makes my staff a walking stick."

She tells Sonja, "The beauty of my Aqua Scrunchy is that it can become anything I can imagine, so long as the base part of the clothing is turquoise. If we really were on the beach, I could turn it into an apodesma, or breast band, and something to wrap about my waist, maybe a sarong. But that wouldn't be appropriate for hiking. Probably something a little more like men's soldiers' clothes would work for that, with a few concessions made for the female form. Or even a chiton shortened to about the knee, which is the length of most soldiers' clothing. If you'll give me a few minutes to change, I can make us match a little better. It's really a very good idea. My uber-modest getup from after testing this morning isn't really appropriate for what we're representing ourselves as, for all that it WAS exactly what I needed after being naked like that this morning."

Holding out her boomerang to those staying behind, she asks, "Which of you wouldn't mind carrying this?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Vin takes the boomerang and Bridgette takes Sonja's blade.

Sonja says, "That sounds like a fun feature for an outfit! I can't wait to see what you wear."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell dismounts from Helix, then pauses to kiss her fingertips and press them to Vin's lips. "Thank you," she says softly, giving him a warm look.

Next, she uses her staff to make a bush she can change behind. Stepping behind it, she quickly removes her clothes, then wraps her Aqua Scrunchy around her, imagining a turquoise-colored linen tunic with a chiton-like top that is cut to fall slightly above her knees, with a slit to the hip so she can ride Helix comfortably if she needs to. She also imagines orange leggings that come to her knees, and a sand-colored himation (short cloak) that fastens at one shoulder, which she figures any practically-minded hiker would bring either to help keep from getting sunburned, or in case of rain. For accessories, she imagines a large turquoise sun hat like what Demeter wore and turquoise leather sandals that wrap around the ankle with alternating black and white stones across the ankle strap.

Stepping back around the bush, she exclaims to Sonja, "Ta-da! What do you think?"

After Sonja replies, Kell looks to Wilbur. "Are we close enough for me to walk now, or should I keep riding?


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[Legendary Sidekick]

"Wow!" Sonja says. "I think I should get some fashion tips from you!"

Wilbur says, "I guess we just give it a shot and see what happens. Oh... but don't bring your blue unicorn too far up. The chief said the unicorn attacked him earlier."

"And bat, too," Jerry adds. "I guess he lost a few men."

Ben says, "The chief mentioned this after we left Hearth-Throb, but after what he did to Vin, we wondered if the chief provoked the attack."

...

The group heads up the mountain until Wilbur points out a somewhat rocky slope. He suggests everyone wait here, but shows Leto a place she can hide out so she's close.

"Unfortunately, you're likely to be seen poking your head up even for a quick peek. Guess you'll need to use your ears."

As Wilbur speaks, a fly lands on his nose. He swats at it, but misses.

"Damn flies."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell says, "Yeah, we had a run-in with your chief earlier in the day yesterday in the volcano passages. He was too far ahead of us physically, but I called some bats and Leto was able to ascertain that he kidnapped an innocent girl. Between the bats and Helix with some help from Leto, we killed off or disabled all of the men with him and rescued the girl, we just didn't get the chief."

Grabbing Sonja's hand, she mentally tells Helix to remain back with the others, then asks Wilbur, "Where do you want us?"


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[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell thinks to Helix, So I guess that explains the look you got from the man in white outside of Hearth-Throb. Did you not recognize him? I'm not faulting you, I'm simply curious.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Wilbur says, "We'll play it cool like you're not prisoners. The chief might be suspicious, but the way you stood up to him at knife point, no way he'll believe three of us captured you."

Sonja smiles as Kell takes her hand. "I want to know what makes you different from other women. Not now... after we get through this crazy risky thing we're doing. If I think you'll tell me something about what it's like to be a nymph, I'll bear in mind we both need to survive for that conversation to happen."

Kell feels Somja's hand tremble a little as she speaks of surviving.



By the Altar
As Wilbur leads Kell and Sonja to the chief, she sees why Helix didn't recognize the man. He had a mask, Helix explained earlier. It is a totem mask twice the height of a man's head. The goons are wearing masks as well, though not nearly as fancy as the chief's, which is decorated with large colorful feathers and a variety of tusks and horns from different animals. The twenty goons have masks with only black feathers on one side, white on the other. Aside from the masks, the men wear only loin cloths and carry ceremonial spears. The chief has bone jewelry and his bone knife, which throbs as Kell, Sonja, Ben and Jerry approach.

Colleen, Maribelle and Jenny are only wearing strips of white cloths on their bodies, and their bodies are painted white with markings similar to the body suit worn by Phœbe when she jumped into the cake. They are by the altar behind the chief. Ten men on each side of the volcano stand with their spears pointing at the sky.

The chief says, "I thought we had some runaway grooms. Instead you are back, and not alone."

Wilbur says, "You got Vin out of my way, so I'm here to repay the favor. Jenny needs to make a choice whether to forgive my past or not." He looks at Jenny. "It's not what you think… I was embarrassed to tell you, but give me time to explain after the wedding, and if you can't forgive me, I'll back off."

The chief says, "You're asking me to have one less bride and you brought, what? Two brides?"

He looks at Kell and Sonja and notices their hands. He points his knife at each and seems satisfied but also puzzled.

"Brides don't marry each other. You surely know that. Yet, you two have yet to consummate your union."

Sonja gently squeezes Kell's hand. "She's worth the wait," she says with a smile. It seems Sonja is good at playing the ditzy blonde, but she probably expects Kell to do most of the talking.



By the Crest of the Hill
There is no safe way for Leto to peer over the rock formation she is hidden behind. There are too many men on the peak. Surely one would see she in that well lit area.

A dragonfly zips past the Huntress.

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell gives Sonja's hand a reassuring squeeze.

She says to the chief, "Those wedding dresses are quite different. I assume they are symbolic in some way. Would you tell us what they mean? It seems a shame to get married without understanding the symbolism."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

The chief says, "They are the markings of virgin brides, which will appease the volcano god. I've never heard of two women marrying, but it seems you meet the requirement. Wilbur, you may take Jenny aside and watch the ceremony with some of my men."

Addressing Kell, Sonja, Ben and Jerry, he says, "The four of you need to strip and be painted. We have some strips of cloth, white for the brides and black for the grooms. You may change behind the altar. Ladies first."

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell moves behind the altar and begins stripping. When she has the Aqua Scrunchy square in hand, she says, "Oops, dropped something" and kneels down as if to pick it up. She is unsure whether the altar blocks her nymph affect or not. She opens her canteen and slides the turquoise fabric inside. She also releases her hair from its bun and writes in the dirt, "This is rescue!" As she stands, she covers herself with her hair as best she can and moves to the side of the altar as if to give Sonja room to strip.

Then she summons some local animals - she isn't sure what lives on a volcano - mentally telling them, However many of you it requires who have mated at least once, take the bone knife away from the man in the large mask and drop it near the blue-green horned horse that is not far from here, then return to join your friends. The rest of you, focus your attacks on the man who had the knife, though you may attack any man wearing a mask. Do not harm any of the women or the men without masks - they are friends, as are the people near the blue-green horned horse.

Kelleia:2D6*→*8(2 +6)#Summon birds to fight

She calls to Helix, I've summoned some local critters to bring the chief's bone knife to you. Assuming that works, I want the bone knife out of play during the battle. I don't know what kind of magic it has other than the ability to detect virgins, but stand on it.


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[Ireth]

Leto

Leto crouches in her hiding spot, wishing there was a way she could see what's happening without being seen herself.

A dragonfly zips past, as if the gods are answering her wish. Leto smiles and attempts to beast-speak it, so she can direct it toward the men and watch the ceremony through its eyes.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Dragonfly POV
Leto feels her connection is very powerful! If the dragonfly is resisting her, she doesn't feel it at all. She has the presence of mind to lay herself down so her body won't tumble down a rocky slope. Vin heads up to check on Leto. Bridgette tells him, "She's fine."

It's possible that the men heard Vin's footfalls or Bridgette's voice, but just as likely the tiny dragonfly finds all human activity extremely noisy. Vin's footfalls sound like muffled cannon fire, drowned out by Bridgette's booming baritone. Her voice is deeper than a man's, and she is speaking with a slooooooowwwwww drawl.

Flying over the volcano, Leto notices a mountain lion hunting an eagle. Something compels the eagle to fly away from the stealthy cat, which growls in frustration. She also sees Kell is completely naked. Two men drop their spears, some turn to look, most have bulges in their loincloths.


By the Altar
Kell rises from behind the altar.

The chief is just on the other side of the altar.

He yells, "Holy craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…" as he stumbles backward, tumbles into the volcano, and plummets unseen down the dark hole in the center of the funnel-like pit.

One of the masked men removes his mask and holds it in front of his groin. "So now what do we do?" he asks the man next to him. The men look at each other, apparently overwhelmed by the nymph effect as well as the chief's fatal accident.

 

[Ireth]

Leto

Leto watches as the chief tumbles into the pit, but knows this isn't over yet. Many of the men still remain. She shifts her focus to the eagle, and steers it in the direction of the ceremony.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Eagle's POV
The men don't seem interested in doing anything without the chief to order them. Leto feels the eagle's urge to snatch up the dragonfly in his beak, but Leto's will is too strong for the bird.

The mountain lion continues to ascend the slope somewhere behind the altar. She won't be able to reach the eagle she craves, but one of the brides would make quite a feast. None of the people are aware of the mountain lion.



By the Altar
Sonja is holding her mermaid top in her hands. She says to Kell, "I suppose we can just put our clothes back on." Her eyes fall for a moment, glancing at Kell's body. She smiles at her, looking her in the eyes. "You really are very beautiful, Kell, but I really don't understand how being a nymph makes you different from me. I hope I'm not offending you by saying that."

Colleen runs to Ben and Maribelle runs to Jerry. The masked men do nothing, and some even step aside.

Jenny crosses her arms. Glaring at Wilbur, she says, "This whole stupid volcano wedding was your idea, cowboy!" She stays behind Sonja and Kell.

 

[tbgg]

Kelleia

Kell says to Sonja, "There are some differences, but we're as mortal as anyone else. But that's a discussion for later."

She tells Jenny, "Wilbur's made some mistakes, to be sure. But my sense is that he really does love you, and I'm going to ask you to at least hear out his story in its entirety before you decide anything. Just later, after after we're back down in Arcadia. Would you be willing to do that much? He's done a lot to help us get here to rescue you. Just like a regular hero, if you ask me."

She turns to the chief's men. "There doesn't have to be any blood shed if you're willing to tell us everything your chief told you about this so-called volcano god that needs appeasing. We happen to agree that something needs to be done to stop it, we just disagree that sacrificing innocent people is the right thing to do. I tend to think that would only encourage this thing to demand more sacrifices. Now what do you say? Will you speak with us? I for one would really like to put some clothes on."


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[Ireth]

Leto

Leto sees the mountain lion approaching the altar from behind, and regrets her decision to jump into the eagle's mind instead. She turns the eagle back toward the cat, diving at it with talons splayed. Her angry screech echoes; hopefully it will either scare the cat away, or draw the attention of the men with spears so they will protect the group.