Dragon's Egg - Act II

[Ireth]

I look at her and smile, still cuddling Branwen. "Well, I hope you have more luck than I did. I don't think I can practise any more magic for a while."

((How long does it take a non-caster to regain mana? 1/4 MP per hour, right? Also, how much mana did Edan's Poultice take from him? He only had one point to begin with.))

 

[Steerpike]

Again Branwen is comforted by the music, though she never fully releases the tension she seems to be holding. She settles down with Cadell and Mauve, casting the occasional glance at the fire as though expecting Nissa to appear again.

Darin, Keitsumah, and Baldhart head toward the surface, stopping as the females strip down to swim. The dwarf frowns slightly and turns to examine the walls of the cavern as the girls are getting undressed. The water is chillingly cold, enough so that there is a question as to how far a person could swim in it without any ill effects. Keitsumah changes her mind about the swim. Baldhart, on the other hand, experiences a warming sensation starting at the ring on her finger and washing over her whole body. It is not hot. Instead, it seems to maintain her at normal body temperature. Within a few strokes she feels as though she is swimming through lukewarm bath water.

By the time Baldhart reaches the boat and starts chopping the barrels free, Mauve and Cadell are studying the spells that were uncovered in the harpy lair. The poultice spell they study seems slightly more complex than a typical 'cure light wounds' healing spell, though it appears to be within reach of the casters in the party.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I row back, and suppose I'll drip dry on the return trip. I have to admit that I enjoyed that swim! How many in our party? Eight adults! Yes! This means one of us needs to swim so we can make it in two trips! Oh, I so want it to be me. Who can swim better? Well... Mauve can if she uses her magic. Oh, but she won't transform for nothing, right?

Close to shore, now... I'm tempted to jump in the water rather than be seen rowing naked, but, then I'll be soaked.

"Just give me time to put something on, please." Once decent, I invite them into the boat. "Would you like to row, Darin?" I offer an oar.

I start calling out the strokes...

((CHA 18 "Stroke, stroke, stroke..."))

​

...and I think we've got a nice rythm going!

And the swim made me feel great. I'm energized...

((STR 26 "Row, row, row..."))

​

...but may wear the dwarf out if he has to keep up with my powerful rowing, though! Ha!

Just ease back if Darin gets tired, Baldy.

I will, Nissa. I may need his arm to be able to swing a hammer if we find more than berries above ground!

 

[Nihal]

Room!

I take my time to study the spell. Are all the healing spells like this? Drat, it looks like a complex enchantment, comparable to the ones I would learn in six months.

"No wonder you had trouble with this... I'm glad I am not a healer." I mutter. When getting near the end, I review what I had studied earlier. My spellbook welcomes its new entry.

The sight of the little harpy brings an idea to my mind. I don't know if she'll like it, it's worthy a try. Getting my razor, I cut a piece of my drafting parchment, piercing two holes on it: one at the top, other at the bottom. I draw a cage on one side and a bird on the other, sprinkling a bit of pounce to dry the ink.

"Done!" I pass a strip of cloth through each hole and smile.

Leaning towards Branwen, I call her attention, "Hey, little girl, watch this." I show each side to her, then spin the thaumatrope, taking care to not tear the parchment. I give it to her.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

On the way to the surface...

((This conversation can be anywhere from inside the boat to the rope-climb to the temple. I'll keep location vague since I don't know if/when/where Steerpike'll drop trouble on us!))

I say to Keitsumah, "Have you ever seen a warg? I took one down last time I fought above these tunnels. They're like wolves, but much bigger. Big enough for a goblin to ride." I remember the one I stunned, how silly it looked in the 'beg' position! But I also remember Darin lost three men to those nasty creatures. "There's a bush within the walls. If we can find a few dozen berries, we pick 'em and head back down."

 

[Ireth]

In the Room

I look on as Mauve makes a toy for Branwen, but speak up after a moment. "Don't you think showing her what looks like a bird in a cage might give her the wrong idea about us? I'm sure she saw the cage in the room we took her from, which was used for captives, not her."

 

[Keitsumah]

"Actually, I think Batos may be a half-warg. He's a lot bigger than most wolves; though clearly not enough to carry someone. Maybe Branwen though..." I reply, scratching Batos's ears, and the wolf looks quite silly at that moment as his usually serious demeanor is completely gone and his paw is thumping the bottom of the boat, tail wagging like an ordinary dog's.

"When i found him, he was just a pup, and several Wargs were chasing him. He managed to hide under a tree's roots, but he'd already been badly bitten." I said, tracing the huge scars on his shoulder. "I was sleeping in that very tree at that time actually -as i knew it was Warg territory and wanted to avoid being found out. But when they had cornered that little pup . . ." for a moment anger crossed my face, "Well, I had the advantage of height. I used ensnare and escaped with him, then tended to him for several weeks."

"I didn't really know it, but he started forming a bond with me even when i hadn't cast the spell, so when he was older and I thought to let him go on his own, he stayed with me. The spell i cast on him doesn't do anything to make him like me -it just helps him understand my commands better."

Batos let out a rumble and rolled over onto his back, and i grinned, rubbing his belly and making him kick at the air. "He's usually not so relaxed. I guess he's starting to realize that you guys don't mean us harm."

 

[Nihal]

Room!

Cadell seems a bit nervous, prompting me to smile at him. I expected something like this, he's a knight after all, a cautious one. "Don't you think it is about time to change her notions? If she will ever live with people she must learn a different way now, like cages not being for people, where 'people' meant 'food'... and whatever else they do. Let's see what she will do first, she is a clever and brave little girl.

"I hope we can use the thaumatrope to communicate with her, showing her that she is not our prisoner nor people should be prisoners. Music soothes her, but so far she can not understand us." I watch Branwen, waiting for her reaction.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Traveling to Surface...

Keitsumah tells me about Batos.

"Oh, wow! Like Branwen... a mix of a beastly creature and a normal one. I'm glad you told me that. It gives me hope for Branwen."

I pat Batos.

Gaah! Don't rub him the wrong way, Baldy!

How's this, Nissa?

You're really not a dog person, are you?

One more try, since my hand's not bitten off.

But that's really not a good reason to--

--well, okay. I guess he likes that a little. Quit while you're ahead.

"It's going to be tricky when we get to Srilkind. Batos and Branwen, I mean. A lot of people--not me, but most humans I've met here in the north--fear magic. They might not know how to handle the sight of Batos or Branwen. There are a few men I trust that can keep things friendly... and a young girl named Burnbright. I dearly miss her!"



Pick berries, kill trogs, and get back to my Sister. That's what I want, Nissa. I always tell myself I'm ready to die in battle and have my wings, but I cherish my life too much now.

Keep cherishing it, Baldy, and fight to keep it. When you die, you'll cherish the afterlife.

 

[Keitsumah]

I nod in understanding, but bite my lower lip as i realize something. "Umm . . . if we do go to a town, city or something I could just stay outside the walls with Branwen and Batos. It wouldn't be any trouble since he can hunt for Branwen and I can teach her how to behave more like a human -maybe even get her to understand a few words-" i clap my hands over my mouth as i realize i am babbling in order to try and hide my nervousness, but its only making it worse.

I sigh. "I've never been in areas with a lot of people. You guys are actually the largest number of people I've ever been around for so long, and . . . I just don't know if i can handle being near a large crowd yet. Plus, there would be torches and stuff, so fire would be a problem . . ." a timid smile comes to my face, "Heh, Batos keeps me warm, so I don't need a fire. If we do have to stay outside, then I think we'd be perfectly safe. I'm used to living a certain way that I think Branwen would be fine with."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Traveling to the surface...

"We're very lucky to have you with us, then. If you need anything, I can always purchase things for you... well, depending how trusting you are with me handling your money. Whether I've got any money remains to be seen until I return. I gave my student, Burnbright, every coin I had on me. I just wanted to make sure my share of the treasure could help her, in case I don't make it out alive. I'm feeling more confident about my chances now that I survived being half eaten." I rub my fingers along the puncture in my armor, which isn't too bad after Darin's repairs. "Still... we're very lucky to have you with us, Keit."

 

[Keitsumah]

I look down at my hands, embarrassed. "That remains to be seen. Its more that I am lucky to be with you. You were the one that freed me from the cage after all . . ." I look up idly as i speak, and something occurs to me. "You guys don't have any others who can fly besides Nissa, do you? Maybe if i keep practicing, i can gain a second form. I've seen silver eagles in the forests before -they are very rare and often killed by hunters for their feathers, but they are beautiful . . . I would like to become one of them, for practicality mostly, but also to show others that they should not harm their kind. They are already too few in number as it is."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Traveling to the surface...

"Aww..." I remember bending the bars. "It was my pleasure to get you out. I know what I must look like, but I prefer to save a life than end one."

She mentions Nissa.

"Until yesterday, only I knew of Nissa. I mean... her soul is inside me now. Until she first appeared, I didn't know she could make a body of her own. Oh, Burnbright will be so excited! I confided in her about Nissa, but I think she just pretended to believe me to spare my feelings. I'll have to introduce her... maybe in the place I'll introduce her to Branwen. I love Nissa and I'm proud that we're related, but to reveal her publicly would have some ugly unintended consequences."

Druids can do that?

"Wow...! If you can fly, you should learn that. I won't have wings until I'm dead."

Baldy, I think she's worried that because of me, it's useless for her to fly. Tell her...

"Nissa says she'd love to fly with you someday. If you could help us by flying somewhere, Nissa could follow you. You'd have her protection--when she's stronger in her physical form--and when she can't maintain her form, her soul will end up with me in an instant. Then she can tell me where you are, and I can tell the others so we don't worry."

 

[Keitsumah]

I smiled. "I would like that. And-" Batos head-butted me and looked me in the eye at that moment, looking a little left-out. I laughed, rubbing his head.

"I think he's got this idea in his head that if i do manage to get the spell right, I should be a wolf like him. But that would probably be another tier higher, Batos." i explained to the wolf, who harrumphed and looked quite contrite about it.

"Also, I don't think i would go too far anyways. I would just use it for scouting and things like that, so I can spot a possible ambush from above if we don't know what's ahead."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Traveling to the surface…

"We have a lot of Ullr-worshippers on my mountain. I believe many of them are druids. The ones I'm thinking of, I only saw them when I went skiing. Maybe they were in some kind of animal form during the warmer seasons and only became human when it was ski season.

"Oh, what an idiot I must sound like. I'm only guessing. What you told me is the first I've heard of a druid choosing an animal form. So can you pick any animal? I think most of my clansmen would want to turn to a bear or something, but not me. I'd be a cat. Small and cuddly. If you bumped your head on doorways as many times as I have, you'd understand."

I turn to Darin and say, "Did I ever tell you that the Eisenberg clan—my family—traditionally follows the goddess Freya, the wife of your god? Even in Nissa's time! Her mom was an Eisenberg, and her father converted when they married. Of course, Nissa felt the calling from Brynhild, as did I. I think Freya's path is beautiful, but… only Brynhild's path will let me earn my wings. Nothing can make me falter from that. Not even fear of death! Ha! Death is nothing to fe—"

I take a deep breath and say to Keitsumah, "Sorry. I'm trying to avoid saying morbid things like that."

 

[Keitsumah]

I give Baldart a weak smile. "I understand. Though I may have reason to believe that though Death itself isn't anything to fear . . . it's the method that scares me." I looked down at my scarred hand and tugged my sleeve over the pale marks.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Her hand…! Is that from a fire?

"Your hand—what happened…? I mean… you don't have to tell me, but I'll listen if you want to."

 

[Ireth]

Cadell seems a bit nervous, prompting me to smile at him. I expected something like this, he's a knight after all, a cautious one. "Don't you think it is about time to change her notions? If she will ever live with people she must learn a different way now, like cages not being for people, where 'people' meant 'food'... and whatever else they do. Let's see what she will do first, she is a clever and brave little girl.

"I hope we can use the thaumatrope to communicate with her, showing her that she is not our prisoner nor people should be prisoners. Music soothes her, but so far she can not understand us." I watch Branwen, waiting for her reaction.

I maintain my disapproving tone. "She is part bird, Mauve, or something like one. Showing her that may make her think she is meant to be shut in a cage. How will that encourage her to trust us?"

 

[Keitsumah]

"My family was killed by a fire when I was little." i explained. "I don't remember much of my parents, but my brother remains clear to me even today. He dragged me out of the house, then went back to get our parents, but . . . well, he didn't return. That's why I'm scared of fire."

Looking over the lip of the boat, I sighed and stared into the dark waters, then blinked in surprise.

Keitsumah . . . Silver eyes locked with mine, hidden beneath long brown bangs. My brother gave me a faint smile, and when i looked behind me sharply -half expecting to see him in the boat- my heart panged when he wasn't there.

"Ardoway . . ."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Ardoway. Is that his name?"

Nissa, it's not easy to comfort others about death, is it?

"He died a hero's death, and you live, so his sacrifice was not in vain. I don't know how comforting this is, really, but… you saw Nissa. So you must know, then: there's life after death. And your brother—well, I don't know this for certain, but—perhaps he watches over you at times."