Dragon's Egg - Act II

[Ankari]

The length of wood feels comfortable in my hand. It's curved surface compliments my calloused skin. No warps throw the balance off. Yet, I was useless.

Moving around the room, I collect what arrows are still usable, then find a dry spot and sit. Above, a child harpy will prove a scale by which the party will judge their integrity. Leave the child to starve, or slay her? Allow her to live, so that she would renew the circle of their legacy, or preemptively cut the thread before it contributes to a tapestry of horror.

In the past, the weakest wolf, one rejected from the pack, sniffed around the settlements of the first men. What scraps proved edible, he at. Soon, a bound developed that would lead to the domestication of the savage beasts, and they would be called dogs. But stories of dogs turning on their masters, filling their bellies with man flesh, are common. The always end in the same way; the once trusted companion is hunted and put to death. Once a beast has the taste of human blood, it can find no substitute to replace it.

"Look to her mouth. If it bears the blood and gristle of a the half elf or troglodyte, she is beyond hope. Among the bones, if you find something belonging to an animal, then free her and hope it is evidence enough."

The bow feels comfortable in my hand, like a worn glove. Why did I fail?

 

[Ravana]

"Look to her mouth. If it bears the blood and gristle of a the half elf or troglodyte, she is beyond hope. Among the bones, if you find something belonging to an animal, then free her and hope it is evidence enough."

"Uh, think you're gonna haveta look in her mouth yourself. I dunno what half-elf meat looks like. Dunno 'bout Aliron, but he don't seem the type neither."

•

In the past, the weakest wolf, one rejected from the pack, sniffed around the settlements of the first men. What scraps proved edible, he at. Soon, a bound developed that would lead to the domestication of the savage beasts, and they would be called dogs. But stories of dogs turning on their masters, filling their bellies with man flesh, are common.

((This, of course, assumes that the analogy is more properly applied in one direction than its reverse. Though that isn't something Algernon would be able to express even if you had spoken this aloud.))

 

[SeverinR]

I hook the grapling hook, drop the rope and climb on up, trying not to get too close to the child, the metal box gets my attention.

"One harpy child." I announce to the group. Then I tell them about the ledge, leaving out the metal box for now.


If I don't find a trap, I check to see if its locked.
If unlocked, I will open it pointing the opening over the ledge so if anything shoots out it will go away from me.

I keep an eye on the child the whole time.

 

[Sparkie]

Invariably, someone who should not be harmed will be. It is the way of war. Causing such harm intentionally, however, is not the way of a True Soldier. And causing injury to a child is condemned by our Lord.

Soldiery - Codex 3:47

*****​

A child.

I drop my head. A flood of conflicted emotion fills my heart and mind. What now?

It's not her fault. She didn't kill anyone, didn't sing an illusory angel into my mind. But what do we do? What do I do? Just leave her to die?

What if we leave her and she lives? What if she teaches herself her own innate siren's call? Will she go on leading innocents to a horrific death? Will she pollute the minds of more good people with visions of false perfection?

Why? Why must I be confronted with this?

I slouch in my stance. I know what right is, but the path before me is so difficult. I don't know if I have it in me to do what must be done.

I raise my head and call to Aliron again. "Can you carry her down?"

 

[Steerpike]

((A couple of PMs sent to SeverinR)).

 

[Phietadix]

Even after Rydh returns my weapons I simply feel worthless. The last six years of my life have been dedicated to fighting. But in the last five battles I've barely fought at all, something always prevents it. Perhaps this is Tyr's way of telling me something, maybe it is time for me to die, or simply stop fighting.

 

[SeverinR]

If I didn't set the trap off, I will try to open the clasp with my dagger, with the hole pointed in a safe direction(ie not towards me, but where I can still see the clasp.

"I would prefer not carrying a wild animal in my arms down a thin rope. Does anyone have a bag? Or an idea of safely getting her down?" I add an estimate of her size to give them an idea of what we need.
"I might also ask you all to consider, Do you want the child down? She looks much like a half elf-human girl about four years old."
"Wolf girl, she seems to like your song."

 

[Keitsumah]

My face burns at the comment, and it takes everything i can to keep from fumbling with the flute. Focus! How to get her down. . . ?

Batos growls and tugs the hem of my dress, looking up at me with the quarterstaff clamped in his jaws. My eyes widen. Surely he didn't mean to try that trick? But i nod, slightly, to tell him to try.

Batos runs at the cave wall in a crevice between the wall fo the ledge and the inner wall of the cavern.

[1d20+3] = 15+3 = 18

He leaps off of the inner wall, jamming the quarterstaff in a crevice and using his momentum to swing his body weight upwards into a back-flip!

[1d20+3] = 17+3 = 20
((did another check for his landing chance))

Batos lands neatly on the ledge, snorting and licking his chops. Must have gotten a splinter caught in his teeth. Then a smug look came to his face -or as a smug wolf could only be described to look.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((I can read posts from work today for some reason. If you can read this, it means the forum is suddenly not filtered. Huh. Posting in part because I can... I think.))


I hear music...? And it... sounds like bells?

Maybe it was just my ears still ringing. I don't hear it now, but I recall the harpy's song. And my words to the harpy.

I mumble to Sir Cadell, "Children." I can barely see him through the blur of my own eyelashes. "I told the harpy--the one I was fighting--that I wouldn't harm her kids. With no adults to care for her, they will die." I slowly move my leg. Can I without popping the stitches?

I look up at Sir Cadell. "That's why I blurted out my plea for mercy. I was shouted down and... I never actually saw any kids. Just a gut feeling. But Sir Cadell, what if I'm right about there being children? You spoke of a Code. Surely killing children goes against that. The Principles of my people and a knight's Code align in this case. Whether it's a mercy killing or leaving children to die, it's cowardice."

I reach my hand to Sir Cadell. "I don't want to pop my stitches. But I can't shake the image of little winged girls. If I sit and do nothing, I'm a coward, too."

I give Sir Cadell time to help me up. But I'm going out there anyway, Nissa.

 

[Nihal]

((Suddenly: No filter! xD))

Taking her arm, I also help her up. "Letting a child starve to death would be worse than killing her now. If she can fend for herself, she will grow up into a monster like the ones we saw not a long time ago.

"It comes down to if she is old enough to be beyond salvation. If not, the truly right thing would be to take her and try teach her a different way." I glance at the room and add in a venomous voice, "Of course, they would kill to avoid this responsibility."

What if they are killing her already, without consulting us...?

Irritation grows inside my chest.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Mauve! You were thinking that as well!"

Nissa! I know my next sacrifice, if it's not too late. And Mauve said it before I could, so I won't be alone in this!

"Oh, how wonderful! I have so many crazy ideas, including a way to dress her up so we can go through..." Kill her? They would! "Cowards!" I say to Mauve.

"WAIT!" I shout. "Do not make a hasty, cowardly choice that can't be undone! We're not monsters!" I half limp, half sprint, brandishing an empty wine bottle. "Children do no wrong! Only as they are taught! We are not murderers!"

Does anyone over there even take me seriously anymore? Am I too late?

 

[Nihal]

"Wai-wait! It's not—!" I follow her and stop near the door, availing what is going on the other room and resting my spear on my shoulder: An unspoken warning to the others.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I hurl the wine bottle at the rocky wall, far away from where anyone stands. I just need a noise to make sure I have their attention.

*CRASH*

"Children," I say. I don't shout. I maintain calmness, hoping it will make it possible for the animal to do the same. "Keitsumah, please call off your dog. At least if I'm right about this:

"Are there children up there?"

 

[Keitsumah]

I pause, pulling the flute away from my mouth, eyebrows rising at Baldart, "I wasn't -i mean-"

Batos peeked over the edge and quirked his head at everyone, and a look passed between us and i sighed, touching my necklace as the bond sealed itself. My vision flashed white for a moment before fading back to the usual violet color of my irises.

"The moment i started playing the flute, i cast a spell to bond the chick to me and calm it down. It's like my link with Batos . . . so I'm not sending him to harm her. Just get her down." Shame crosses my gaze and i look down at my hands. I had thought to kill any young that were up in the nest, but now i realize that it would be wrong on so many levels that the thought as ludicrous.

Batos huffed and turned back towards the chick, pricking his ears up and wagging his tail encouragingly to the young one as he approached it.

((if it attacks Batos will try to jump away))

((couldn't edit the post where Batos jumped up to the ledge. If he failed, assume he ended up crashing to the ground and looking very annoyed))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Oh. I didn't mean to accuse you or your wolf or anyone. I just worried that..."

Tears fall. Relief. Maybe a miracle.

"Wait. Are you saying there really is a child?" I limp toward the ledge. "Just one? And... no one speaks of mercy killings, or leaving her to starve, or turning her loose so we can pretend we didn't sentence her to death? Right?" I look at Mauve. ((And Cadell, assuming he followed, too.)) "If it's only one child, this may be easier than I thought." I see Alin up there. ((And Batos, if he made it up.)) "If she could fly, she would have." I ask Alin, "Is she old enough to walk? How young a girl are we talking?"

 

[Nihal]

If she can fly she's old enough to become exactly the same thing the others were. Opening my mouth, I refrain from voicing my thought in the last second. It would mean death to the little harpy, what Baldhart is trying so hard to avoid. In truth, I don't care if the harpy grows to become a monster who will hunt lizards and superstitious witch-hunting peasants.

"If she is young enough, it is possible to try to teach her different than that." I indicate a harpy's body with my chin. My eyes dart to the cleric, narrowing. "Are you going to deny her a chance?"

My heart is beating furiously, my breath, becoming short; I realize it's my body getting ready for a fight.

 

[Keitsumah]

I stand up and walk over to give Baldart support. The wound looks really bad, even if it is stitched, and i fear that it might break open if she puts too much weight on the leg.

"If she is young enough, it is possible to try to teach her different than that."

"I agree . . . Batos was just an ordinary forest wolf when i found him, but he was still a pup -and even without the bond, I'm sure he would never harm me. He knows that I'll never betray him." I replied. ((If Batos is on the ground, I rub his ears. If he is on the ledge, i look up at him and smile))

"Please, sit down before you hurt yourself." I tell Baldart, helping her over to a rock nearby. Kneeling, i look over the wound and my eyes narrow.

"If only i had some goodberries on me . . ."

 

[SeverinR]

The box drops from my hands, falling back away from the new arrrival on the ledge, staring into the eyes of a flying wolf, knife in hand. The wolf does not look aggitated, but I don't lower the knife.

I pause, pulling the flute away from my mouth, eyebrows rising at Baldart, "I wasn't -i mean-"

Batos peeked over the edge and quirked his head at everyone, and a look passed between us and i sighed, touching my necklace as the bond sealed itself. My vision flashed white for a moment before fading back to the usual violet color of my irises.

"The moment i started playing the flute, i cast a spell to bond the chick to me and calm it down. It's like my link with Batos . . . so I'm not sending him to harm her. Just get her down." Shame crosses my gaze and i look down at my hands. I had thought to kill any young that were up in the nest, but now i realize that it would be wrong on so many levels that the thought as ludicrous.

Batos huffed and turned back towards the chick, pricking his ears up and wagging his tail encouragingly to the young one as he approached it.

((if it attacks Batos will try to jump away))

((couldn't edit the post where Batos jumped up to the ledge. If he failed, assume he ended up crashing to the ground and looking very annoyed))

"Flying wolves! Someone couldn't warn me? Got giant winged whores that can screw with your mind, and no one thinks to tell the rogue on a small ledge, that giant %*^&*% dog is flying up to help?(quieter, I add) I wonder if I didn't add some smell to this stink up here."
I straighten up, quickly move the box over to me, the wolf does not attack, so I take a breath and then more calmly...
"Wolf girl, Is this wolf doing your bidding, or is it attacking?"
"I assure you, I could not kill this beast child, nor do anything I taunted the harpy's with. If you send the dog...oh, it seems to be trying to make friends. Harpy child has a pet wolf, why doesn't that make me feel any better?"

 

[Ireth]

I hurry back to the harpies' chamber with Baldhart and Mauve, taking in the odd situation. The woman speak before I can get a word out.

I do have one question, however. "I hate to be the one who sounds harsh, but how will we feed her? The lizard meat won't last forever, and I doubt she will enjoy our rations much. What if she already has a taste for other flesh?" I think of my severed hand in Llucheden's saddlebags. Not that there is much meat on that. "And what will we do if we return to Srilkind with her, or go to the Drimmen-delve? Others might not be so merciful as we."

Well, that was more like three questions. I look to my comrades, wondering how they will answer.

 

[Nihal]

"We do not know if she will take on our food without even trying. I already expect it will take a good number of tries before she gives in and start to eat other kind of food, exactly like a wild's animal baby or even a pouting human child."