Scenario:Alanaan - Looks Can Be Deceiving
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Looks Can Be Deceiving
(Captain) and the crew visit the Church of Renatus on a mission, where they meet a priest named Alanaan who desires to create a paradise for the righteous. Using a mysterious card, he transports the crew into the wartime memories of a primal beast and asks them to save the Sky Realm by defeating the Astral army there.
(Captain) and the crew visit a certain church on a mission.
They are shocked to be greeted by a group of sinister-looking men lined up in an orderly row.
Followers: Welcome to the Church of Renatus!
Lyria: Eep!
Follower 1: Say, are you by any chance the skyfarers that the priest hired?
Lyria: Y-yes, we are...
Followers: Oh! We've been waiting for your arrival!
Followers: Welcome, honored skyfarers, to the Church of Renatus! We hope you had a pleasant journey!
Vyrn: Wh-what's all this about?
(Captain) and the crew are wary of the men until they remember their earlier conversations with the people in town.
Townswoman: The church has a number of unusual adherents, but don't let them scare you. They're all good people.
Townsman: Thanks to them, we've been seeing a lot fewer thugs and shady merchants around these parts. They've really been a godsend.
Vyrn: Huh... So the rumors were true...
Lyria: I guess so. These men are scary-looking, but I can tell that deep down they're really kind!
???: Ahahaha! You've got a good eye, little lady.
A raspy voice echoes through the church as an elderly man with a commanding presence emerges from the group.
???: Does that pure heart o' yers feel no distrust?
???: It's true that these men look like right scoundrels. And their pedigree is certainly nothin' to be proud of.
???: What happened in the past can't be changed, but these men have dedicated themselves to their trainin' in hopes of paintin' brighter futures for themselves.
???: It requires a great deal of effort for a person to change, but it's never too late to start over.
???: Don'tcha agree, little lady?
Lyria: Yes!
Vyrn: Hey, y'know, we're here because some priest asked us to come. Do you know where we can find him?
???: Huh? Are those eyes o' yers just for decoration, my lizard friend? If it's the priest yer lookin' for, he's standin' right in front o' ya.
Vyrn: I ain't no—
Vyrn: Wait, you're the priest?
???: What're you actin' so surprised for?
Vyrn: I mean... When you think of a priest, you think of somebody more... well, you know! You look like an evil villain or somethin', not to mention the way you talk...
???: Ahahaha! I can see why you'd think that! But y'know, none of that stuff really matters.
???: I only ever speak the truth. Meanin' you can trust everythin' I say.
???: It's what's inside that's important, y'know.
Alanaan: Anyway, skyfarers, thanks for acceptin' my request. I'm the priest of this church. The name's Alanaan.
Vyrn: With a priest like this guy, I guess it makes sense that all the followers look scary...
Lyria: Ahaha...
Alanaan: Now then, let's get down to business.
Follower 1: Father...
Alanaan: Oh? Is it that time already?
Alanaan: All right, you lot! Off ya go!
Followers: Yes, Father! We'll be back!
Vyrn: What's goin' on? Why'd they run out the door all of a sudden?
Lyria: Um... Where did everyone go?
Alanaan: Ahahaha! We're full of surprises, eh?
Alanaan: They're headin' out to be good samaritans.
Lyria: Good some-air-a-tins?
Alanaan: People who do good deeds. For example, some of our followers help out the town council when it's short on staff...
Alanaan: Others clean up the town, babysit... Well, you name it.
Vyrn: Huh. Sounds like they do a little bit of everything.
Alanaan: You could say we think of the townspeople like family.
Alanaan: We all live side by side, and we're always willin' to help each other out, just like blood relatives.
Alanaan: Sure we don't share the same house, but that's not important. We're all brothers and sisters who live and work together in the same town.
Alanaan: If the people are ever in trouble, our doors are always open. We'll do everythin' in our power to help 'em.
Alanaan: A church is a house that belongs to everybody, after all.
Lyria: Wow! That's a wonderful attitude to have!
Alanaan: You think so? I'm happy to hear it.
Alanaan: Life ain't somethin' to be lived for yer own sake.
Alanaan: People have formed communities where we live together—otherwise we wouldn't be able to survive. So we oughta live for the sake of our neighbors.
Alanaan: All for one, and one for all. When society functions like that, everybody's happy, and our hearts remain pure.
Alanaan: That's precisely why members of the Church of Renatus are encouraged to perform good deeds on a daily basis.
Alanaan: The evil that dwells within our hearts will be purged by the blessed light of the sun goddess.
Alanaan: And we will be reborn as righteous people, full of compassion.
Alanaan: Thus the evil of the world will be eliminated, and we will create a paradise for the righteous by the righteous.
Alanaan: That is our greatest desire!
Vyrn: Wow... A paradise for good people built by good people, huh. It sure would be great if a place like that existed!
Alanaan: Well, it won't appear out of thin air—we have to create it. We'll shape the future with our own willpower.
Alanaan: We have to take action, or it'll only ever be a pipe dream. That applies to any task—no matter how big or small it may be.
Alanaan: But first we must ensure the safety of this world.
Lyria: What?
With a contemplative expression, Alanaan pulls a single card out of his pocket and shows it to (Captain) and the crew.
The design on the card is too worn out for them to decipher it, but Lyria notices something peculiar about it.
Lyria: Um... This card gives off the same feeling as a primal beast...
Alanaan: Well, well... I've hired a number of skyfarers in the past, but yer the first one to notice.
Lyria: What? Does that mean—
Alanaan: Patience, my child.
Alanaan: It'll be faster to just show ya.
The moment he finishes speaking, the face of the card begins to shine.
The light grows brighter and brighter until it envelops (Captain) and the crew, turning their surroundings completely white.
Finally the light fades, and (Captain) and the crew are shocked by the sight that lies before them.
The chapel is nowhere to be seen. Instead, they now stand atop a high cliff overlooking a vast wasteland.
Lyria: Wh-what happened? How did we end up here?
Vyrn: H-hey! (Captain), Lyria! Look over there!
(Captain) turns to look where Vyrn is pointing and gasps.
A battlefield stretches out before them, echoing with the cries of primal beasts and armies of people engaged in fierce combat.
Alanaan: Tch... Looks like it already started.
Vyrn: Hey, Preacher Man! Where the heck are we?
Alanaan: We're inside the memories of a primal beast. Memories of the War, to be exact.
Lyria: The memories of a primal beast?
Vyrn: I can't make heads or tails of what you're talkin' about...
Alanaan: I know it's hard to believe.
Alanaan: But you have no choice but to open your minds and accept facts as facts.
Alanaan: I have brought you here myself.
Alanaan: I want you to exterminate that Astral army.
Alanaan: For the sake of the townspeople... No, for the sake of the Sky Realm itself.
Alanaan: Please, (Captain). I implore you.
As Alanaan bows his head before (Captain) and the crew, a loud explosion echoes from the battlefield.
At that same moment, a primal beast roars and begins to lay waste to the masses of people they assume to be skydwellers.
Alanaan: Not good! At this rate, the skydwellers are going to be defeated!
Alanaan: Please, (Captain)! Somethin' must be done immediately!
Vyrn: Hey, (Captain)! Whatcha think?
Choose: Guess we don't have a choice!
Vyrn: Yeah! Those guys are in big trouble! We gotta help 'em!
Vyrn: You better explain all this later, Preacher Man!
Having decided to fight, (Captain) and the crew hurry toward the battlefield with weapons in hand.