Ch.7: "Hot Fuzz" / Hesperides

[tbgg]

Kell tells Piggie, "Well, that sounds like an interesting conversation to have with Hera, then. Most people we've spoken to see her responses much more as punishment than protection. But I'm glad that you've been able to see it as protection."

She doesn't see Sigrlinn come flying by, so doesn't wave back.

She asks Piggie, "So have you never been curious what you would look like if you didn't have an animal half? And I'm curious about something else, too. Are there any communities of people who are aquatic animals all the time?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Sigrlinn
Daphne shows you how to swoop down to build up speed, then how to lift off so you can gain altitude. It seems you don't zip around as fairies do, but you're not just falling with style. You're really flying!

Daphne leads you to the south…


Kell
Piggie says, "I never think of it, really. It's not a form I can have. But then I suppose there's magic for become wholly human or wholly nymph. There are naturally born mermaids in Atlantis. Mermen too.

"Speaking of men… you're here to visit the goddess of marriage, and you say you feel a 'pull' toward her. So I'm wondering if marriage—your marriage—might have something to do with that? If I'm prying, tell me so."

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn gleefully tests out her wings, flying in Daphne's wake. She follows Daphne southward, marveling at the view of the ground from so high.

 

[tbgg]

Kell smiles at Piggie and tells her, "Oh, I'm not married. I did recently meet someone who I think might be 'the one', but it's still awfully early yet. I'm not sure we've known each other a week yet. But he's goofy and hard-working and sweet and a gentleman - a lot of traits I really like. And he just feels right." She blushes as she speaks of her feelings for Vin.

"The pull I have toward Hera has more to do with this sense I have that she's not being everything she could be. I'm sure she's probably doing the best she knows how, but if she had support, I think she could be more and do better. Like I think she should leave Zeus. Whether she gets involved with someone else is kinda up to her, but it's pretty obvious that Zeus doesn't care about her, and her marriage is honestly kind of a farce, not that I'd tell her that in such blunt terms. He's done far more to harm her than he's ever done to help her. The only thing he's ever arguably done for her is make her the Queen of the Olympians when he married her. And maybe she really likes that, enough to continue to suffer through what he's done and continues to do. When I look at her, I see someone who's paying way too high a price in the personal realm for the power she's gained. And I suppose a question that really has to be asked is whether she feels the same way - in her eyes, is the power she's gained worth the abuse Zeus gives her? If her answer is yes, then I guess that I'll have to respect her right to make that choice. But if the answer is no, and she's fed up enough to be open to making some changes, most notably booting Zeus' sorry self out of her life and saying that she refuses to tolerate any further abuse, then I think she has the potential to become a tremendous symbol of hope and dignity for women and for hurting marriages everywhere, because she'll be like the phoenix in terms of being consumed by the flames in her own marriage, then rising back up reborn for a better life whether Zeus ever cares enough to be a part of it or not. If she's open to standing up to Zeus with support from others and saying, "Enough is enough", then she'll be a goddess I can follow gladly. If she's not, then I will probably serve Athena instead."

"Does that answer your question?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

KELL

"Yes," says Piggie. "I don't know how Hera will feel about what you have to say. But I think it's something she should hear, and... well... I suppose you may have spoken to Aphrodite before? I mean, this won't be your first time meeting with an Olympian, would it?"


SIGRLINN

You fly for a while, and spot a wild boar below. While you're confident you can shoot from the air, the distance would make the shot somewhat challenging.

((-2 dice if you shoot from your current altitude.))

Even if you hit the creature, you're likely to wound it if you shoot now, making your prey suffer unnecessarily.

The creature does not yet see you, so you could fly down and then shoot... or you could keep flying in search of other game.

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn studies the boar, weighing her options. After a moment she decides to get lower and closer, to increase her chances of killing the boar quickly and with less pain.

((Not sure if I'm meant to put my roll in this post or not, but I'm going out of town soon and don't know how much time I have before I leave. Figured I better roll now rather than make you wait for several hours until I get back.))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Sigrlinn
Your first arrow kills the boar instantaneously, but out of respect for the animal, you loose a second arrow just to be sure. It isn't until after the boar falls silently with two arrows in the brain that you know: it didn't feel a thing.

Daphne circles around a few times before landing near your kill.

"QVAKT!"

Laverne says, "Shirley likes ham. I'll go get her."

"QVAKAKAKAVAKT!"

"Roight... we'll fly in from straight above."

Daphne grabs a stick with her foot and writes in the dirt:

WE SHOULD TRAP THE CAMPSITE
IN CASE OF MONSTERS.
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO
MAKE SHOCK TRAPS?

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn flies down toward the boar and pulls the arrows out of its brain, wiping them clean on the grass before tucking them back in the quiver. She tilts her head at Daphne's question. "I've used them, but I've never made one myself. I'm always ready to learn something new, though."

 

[tbgg]

Kell shakes her head. "No, it won't be our first time meeting an Olympian. I spent my first several years living in Aphrodite's villa in Nyse, and interacted with her on more than one occasion." She doesn't mention the other Olympians she's met.

"Have YOU ever met Hera before? Can you tell me anything about what she's like? For instance, does she have any pet peeves Sigrlinn and I should be aware of?"


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Sigrlinn

She writes,

YOU NEED SOMETHING METAL.
CHARGE IT WITH AIR MAGIC.

ONE OBJECT FORMS WORKS AS A PROXIMITY TRAP.
WITH TWO, WE CAN CHARGE BOTH.
IT FUNCTIONS LIKE A TRIPWIRE.
THREE OR MORE CHARGED OBJECTS
FORMS A PERIMETER.

She charges her knife with magic.
DaphneDuck:2X3 → 2( (5, 5→ 2 successes against 3) )#uh oh, it's magic
Sparks crackle around the metal blade. Daphne flings her knife somewhere to the south.

She writes,

AFTER YOU CARVE SOME MEAT
AND ANY HIDE YOU WANT,
YOU CAN CHARGE YOUR KNIFE.

THAT WILL PROTECT ONE SIDE
OF THE CAMP WHILE WE EAT.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Kell


"Yes," Piggie replies. "I met Hera quite a few times, but I never met any other Olympian, not even my father.

"Pet peeves... she is a proud woman. Zeus has his way of putting her in her place, so when anyone else does, or even appears to, she has little tolerance of it. She sees this place as a safe-haven for her husband's women. Whether they were with him by choice or by trickery or by force, Hera sees her actions as protective.

"Also, never withhold information from her. Outright lying of course is right out, but to Hera, there's little difference. So if she asks if you ever met other Olympians, be prepared for her to ask you to name names. If she asks for names, name every Olympian you've ever met. Then expect her to ask the context.

"You have a strong opinion of Zeus. Don't be shy about that. She is rather partial to amazons because they are respectful, but bold. We just met, but I see those qualities in you."

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn nods at Daphne's instructions, then looks at the boar. "This gives me enough hide for either me or Kell, but not both. I'll have to hunt another beast if we both want disguises."

She pulls out her skinning knife and gets to work carving up the hide and meat ((not sure if I need to roll for that?)), then cleans her knife and tries to charge it with lightning as Daphne did.

Smiling at the satisfying crackle of lightning over the blade, she throws the knife northward.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((I think not rolling works. I'll give you a random item. In this case, pigskin is a term for an American football, and that game is all about yardage... so you get an outfit that reduces the long distance shooting penalty.))


Sigrlinn
You set your shock trap using the only bladed weapons in the camp. Daphne gathers some sticks to skewer any meat you're ready to enjoy now.

She writes,
YOUR WINGS SUFFICE AS A BEAST FORM. SO DOES YOUR FRIEND'S TAIL, THOUGH SHE WILL APPEAR HUMAN WHEN THERE IS NO WATER.

DO NOT WEAR PIGSKIN AS A DISGUISE. IT WOULD BE LIKE A BEAR WEARING HUMAN LEGS AS PANTS.

I WAS RAISED BY HUNTRESSES, SO I AM A BIRD OF PREY. BUT MANY IN HESPERIDES ARE VEGETARIAN. THEY KNOW I HUNT. THEY LIKELY EXPECT THAT YOU HUNT. BUT IT'S BEST WE DON'T TALK ABOUT HUNTING OR PARADE OUR HIDES.

MY FEATHERS COVER ME ENOUGH THAT MY NUDE FORM DOESN'T VIOLATE ANY DECENCY LAWS. YOURS WOULD, NOT THAT I'D COMPLAIN.

"Qvaaaaakt...?"

She gives you an awkward look, then shakes her head. She sighs and writes,

DON'T READ TOO MUCH INTO THAT. I SIMPLY MEAN THAT BEING PART ANIMAL AFFECTS US ALL DIFFERENTLY--WHAT WE EAT, HOW WE DRESS, AND EVEN OUR PROFESSIONS. IT EVEN AFFECTS HOW SOME FEEL ABOUT HUMANITY AND CIVILIZATION.

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn gets a fire going (if Daphne hasn't already), then starts skewering pieces of meat to cook over it. She reads Daphne's words, shuddering a bit at the mental image of a bear in human-leg pants. "Ah. Good point about the skins. I'll keep that in mind. I don't want to offend anyone."

She reads further, and looks back at Daphne with her eyebrows slightly raised. After reading the explanation, she says, "That makes sense. I just wondered whether you're... well, it's none of my business. Forget I said it." She turns her focus to the skewers of meat, hoping she hasn't made a social blunder.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Sigrlinn

"Qvakt?"

She writes,

GO AHEAD AND SAY WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND. YOU'LL NEVER KNOW THE ANSWER IF YOU NEVER ASK THE QUESTION.

(If you're still hesitant, she adds, I'M CURIOUS.)

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn smiles and shrugs. "You have a point. What I'm wondering is, are you interested in women instead of men, like I am? I know I can't be the only one, but I don't know how common it is."

 

[tbgg]

Ch.7: "Hot Fuzz" / Hesperides

Kell snorts derisively. "Protective of who, or what? The only thing I see her protecting is her own interests, although I'll allow there are probably parts of her story of which I am likely unaware."

Kell frowns as she ponders whether she's going to like Hera. She tells Piggie, "I'm suddenly feeling very uncertain whether I'm going to like Hera. I hope she's not as big a bully as Zeus is."


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

KELL

Piggie says, "Hera believes she is protecting women from her own husband. By turning my mother into a pig-woman like me, she made my mother undesirable to my father. Of course, I was born half pig, making me undesirable to one who is fully human... not that I had a difficult time finding a husband.

"But I'm lucky in that regard. Not everyone here can say the same."



SIGRLINN

Daphne writes,

INTERESTED? OH, YES. BUT WHAT WOMAN WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE UGLY DUCKLING?

Despite her words, Daphne isn't ugly. Her body is like that of a harpy--almost completely human below the waist, with tail feathers forming a sort of skirt behind. The front is covered by soft off-white feathers that extend to her neck. From afar, she might appeared clothed in a sort of one-piece (tan and off-white) swimsuit. But up close, her modesty is provided by the way she crosses one leg over the other. Her feet are more human than a harpy's (talons), with human toes a little longer than yours, and webbed skin between the toes.

She lacks arms as harpies do. When she spreads her wings, she exposes some indigo and violet feathers. Her movements are graceful, particularly when she shoots. Her overall shape is quite elegant...

...but her face is certainly different from any bird-woman you have seen or heard of. Harpies have a human face. Hers is a cross between human and duck, including a nose and mouth that extend into a bill, and eyes to the side of her head. They glisten with moisture.

 

[tbgg]

Ch.7: "Hot Fuzz" / Hesperides

Kell tilts her head curiously. "What sorts of problems do people here encounter? Are they judged for their appearance?"


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

KELLEIA

"Yes," Piggie replies, "You nailed it."

Piggie sees you are remaining in mermaid form, so she decides to swim in her own mermaid form. Moana, having nothing to contribute to the conversation, excuses herself. She flies up toward Daphne's nest.

By her expression, it seems Piggie has a lot to say on the topic. So she says it all:

"Surely you understand, being a nymph, you'll always be seen differently than human women. Before you've even spoken, you're judged by appearance—here especially. By not having an animal half, you stand out. It's not your fault you have this advantage. But you do.

"And me? My mother was a nymph, so I'm lucky. I'm very cute for a half-pig. If I didn't know, I'll surely hear the running commentary if I walk through a crowd. Sometimes the comment is 'why did she marry him? Why not the mayor?' Gerald… he was just a really nice guy when we met. He wasn't fire chief or anyone important. Some say marrying me elevated his status, and that he's chief because of me. I hate that. His hard work, lives he saved—and it's who he married that earned him the promotion. I hate it because it's true. The mayor and all the 'important people' flocked to us at social gatherings. I had to redirect men, 'my husband is the expert on that.' I never left his side at parties. I don't want to know what men, half-drunk on fine wines, would have said if I wasn't at my husband's side.

"Inequality. That's Hesperides. From what I hear, it's everywhere: people being judged not by who they are, but what they are. It's just magnified here because of the animal forms. A lion is greater than a mouse; a swan is more beautiful than a duck; a pig is gross and dumb unless she's a nymph demigoddess. And elephant is fat and clumsy unless he marries a nymph demigoddess.

"If you really want to see the differences, look at what animals live downtown and what animals live uptown. It's not right, but I don't know what to do about it."