Roamers

The Dejans are a nomadic people in the game Dragon Quest VII.

History

The Dejans have long been a normadic tribe. They have been sent on a mission to revive God. Their journey has been so long that they can't even remember who sent them on their journey. A woman in Mezar speculates that the Dejans are probably descendants of the Soldiers of God whose Sky Fane fell long ago.

To help them in the revival, the tribe trains dancers to perform the Revival Dance. If the dancer is successful, the Terra Spirit will be infused into them. This leaves a mark on them which designates them as special. It is both a great honor and responsibility.

The tribe also trains players of instruments called Tulas. A tula is a stringed instrument similar to a sitar. A tula player is also important because their music helps to ward off monsters. They also create bells as wards against monsters when they settle down in a place. Together with the tribe's Dancer, they perform a ritual known as the Revival of God.

The tribe also has a Guardian. They are powerful warriors who protect the tribe. Should one wish to become a Guardian, they must defeat the current guardian in a fight. If the challenger wins, that person will become a guardian. Should that person lose, they forfeit their lives.

It is tribal rules that two people with the mark of the Terra Spirit are not allowed to be married. The explanation, however, is not given.

Past

The party enters the Dejan camp. At the moment, the tribe is busy inducting a new dancer, Layla. When they are finished they present her to the tribe. Kiefer immediately falls in love with her. The Dejans celebrate their new dancer with singing, dancing, and wine. Layla, however, is distant. She hides in her tent. Kiefer tries to approach her but is nervous, a quality that he has not shown before. He tells the Hero to get some Viva Grape, a powerful wine, so that he could give some to Layla. When he procures it, they both enter the tent. Kiefer asks her why she isn't celebrating with the others. She tells them that she doesn't feel like it. Layla asks her where they are from, to which he replies Estard. She asks where it is and he responds that it is out in the ocean. He tells her that there is a prince in that castle who loves to weasel out of his responsibilities. Layla tells him that she can relate, to the surprise of Kiefer.

They are interrupted by Jann, the tribe's Tula Player. He immediately accuses Kiefer of trying to steal his fiance. But Layla tells him that they were just talking. Jann is not convinced but lets the issue drop.

When the tribe is asleep, monsters attack the tribe. The tribe's Gaurdian, Datz, is fending off monsters with Kiefer. Datz is poisoned by one of the monsters. Kiefer, who is protecting Layla, defeats a ManEater. When the Hero talks to Kiefer, he tells them that they could have used his swordsmanship. Datz is cured of poison. However, he is unable to go with the rest of the tribe to the Temple of God. Layla, his daughter, refuses to go without her father so she decides to wait until her father gets better. Kiefer volunteers to protect both of them until they are ready to make the journey. Jann refuses at first, saying that this is just a ploy by Kiefer to take him away from Layla. He then decides to stay with Layla as well. However, the tribal chief rebukes him, saying that they need Jann's tula playing to fend off the monsters. Jann relents to this request.

The next morning, the party sets out to go through the mountain cave on their way to the temple. After crossing the cave, the Dejans set up camp for the night. The next morning, they head towards the Temple.

The Dejans find the Temple but run into a problem. The temple is submerged and they have no idea how to access it. Jann, getting impatient, asks the party to explore the adjoining cave with him to see if they can find clues as to how to drain the lake. He takes the Terra Bell with him and head inside the cave.

After completing the puzzles. They find an altar which tells them to place the Terra Bell onto the altar to drain the lake. Jann does so and the lake is drained. Heading outside the party finds that the Dejans are standing outside the temple. On the steps of the temple, there is a plaque. The plaque reads that with the Terra Tula shining like a bright fire and the Innocent Dress donned by the holy dance, a new era will be born. Reading this plaque activates a switch and the stairs open up and reveal a secret corridor. The party goes through the corridor and find the Terra Tula and the Innocent Dress. At that moment, Kiefer and Layla enter the corridor. Layla, on the journey, sprained her ankle. Jann is mad at Kiefer for her injury but Layla rebukes him, saying that it wasn't his fault. Kiefer helps Layla out of the corridor.

Jann takes out the Terra Tula and the Innocent Dress from the corridor and it seals up again. He wants to perform the ceremony now but the tribal chief tells him that the Tula isn't shining at all. He tells him that it is probably the wrong time to revive God. Jann is furious at the chief for giving up without trying. He tells Layla to dance with the Innocent Dress on while he plays the Terra Tula. He then tells the people to pray for God's revival. Together, they perform the Revival of God ceremony.

In the end, it is not successful. The chief tells Jann not to be depressed as there will be another time for the ceremony. Jann tells him that his reason for performing the ceremony was because once God was revived, he would be freed from his duties. He reveals that he has the Terra Mark on his body. He tells them that he wasn't born with it but one day, it appeared on him. This is why he wanted the ceremony to be complete so that he could marry Layla without repercussions. As punishment for his deceit, he decides to exile himself from the tribe. Layla tries to convince him not to go but the chief stops her, telling her that she couldn't marry him anyways because of tribal laws.

The chief asks the Hero and his party to fill the lake with water again to prevent anything happening to the temple in their absence. The party does so and returns to camp.

During the night, Kiefer talks to the Hero. He talks about destiny and the mark on the Hero's arm. He muses how great it must be to have a destiny. he wonders if there is something that he alone can do as he is not cut out for succeeding his father, King Burns.

The next day, Kiefer fights Datz for the right to become a Dejan Guardian. He is successful and defeats Datz. The chief acknowledges his strength and makes him a member of the Dejan Tribe. With that, he is given a Deja Sword.

Kiefer tells the Hero that this is where they will part ways as he is now a Dejan now. He takes the party to the portal and pushes them in, sending them back to the present.

Present

Eight generations have passed since the party last met them. The Hero, Gabo and Melvin encounter this tribe again on word that Borkano has seen them on his expedition. The party visit the tribe to see that they are inducting a new tribal dancer. However, Aira, the woman who is to be the new dancer leaves without completely the ceremony. The party talks to the chief and he tells them that Aria has always been headstrong and once she has set her mind to do something, she does it, just like the rest of her family. He asks the party to go after her.

The party follows Aria to a hill overlooking a body of water. There, she is paying respect to the grave of the Holy Dancer and Holy Guardian. When the party talks to her, she tells them about the significance of the grave. She asks if they have come by orders of the chief. Regardless of what the party answers, she tells them that she isn't ready to become the tribe's dancer. She leaves.

Aira returns to the tent of the chief. She tells him that she isn't able to put her heart into her dancing until a suitable tula player is found. The chief doesn't want Aria to go because she is the tribe's dancer. She tells him that she has found suitable traveling companions, namely, the party, who arrives at this time. The chief relents, knowing that Aria will do what she wants anyways. He gives her the Terra Tula and charges her with finding a tula player. He asks the party to protect her. Aira and the party set off to find tula player.

Notable Dejans

• Layla - A tribal dancer. She is infused with the Terra Spirit.

• Jann - A tribal tula player.

• Kiefer - The Prince of Estard. He joins the Dejans as their Guardian.

• Aira - A tribal dancer. She is on a quest to find a suitable tula player.

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