Dragon's Egg - Act III

[Steerpike]

The Party

The group makes it way up the wet, salt-crusted stairs and into the town of Arendal. The party receives a number of glances, some of them mildly curious and others openly aghast. The townsfolk give the group a wide berth. Of the two fishermen who traveled with you, there is no sign. Presumably, they have returned to their homes.

The black man moves toward Branwen as you walk, but keeping a pace between himself and the child and showing his hands, palm up, to any in the group who appear concerned at his approach. "Can you speak, child?" he asks. His voice is gentle with her. Branwen looks up, but says nothing, so he tries against, speaking in some fluid foreign tongue that none of you recognize. Branwen still does not comprehend, and the black man shrugs.

"See that," he says, conversationally, to Branwen, even though the harpy child pays him no mind. He is pointing at the sun. "That is the eye of Asra. It moves across the heavens as she makes the journey, each day, from horizon to horizon, flying on the wings of a falcon. At night, she lands at the far horizon, well beyond the travelings of Men, and she makes the return journey across the world on foot, only to fly into the heavens once again as day breaks."

He shakes his head. "She is part falcon, and part woman. It is said that long ago, there were those in the world who embodied her spirit, and her form. Part bird, part earthly woman. But it has been many, many centuries since Asra has seen fit to bless us with such a child." He beams down at Branwen. "Until now."

The group reaches an inn called The Maiden's Spear, and judging by the presence of Llucheden in the attached stable, Baldhart must have made it safely to Arendal after all. The smell of fire smoke and roast meats drifts out onto the street from the inn.

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

I walk with the others toward the tavern called the Maiden's Spear, heartened by the thought of a long rest in a warm bed. My heart leaps when I see Llucheden hitched in the stable outside the tavern, alive and well, just as Líadan said. I hurry up to my mare, stroking her neck and greeting her in elvish. <There's my pretty girl! I missed you.>

Llucheden snorts warm air into my face, flicking an ear. I laugh and kiss her silk-soft nose, then turn to head inside. Líadan has caught up, and she greets Llucheden as well before slipping her hand into mine.

We enter the inn side by side, looking around. I call out, "Baldhart?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I throw my arms around her. "Thank you, Gisla! I was expecting to have to camp out with Branwen, but… I knew I could trust you. Thanks!"



I move out, and I see Cadell first.

"Sir Cadell! I loved riding her! She's a wonderful horse! I… I want to talk, but the owner is expecting me. I believe they will set a table for us. Who among the survivors will join? Ahh… tell me after. Gotta move!"

I run out. The black man is speaking to Burnbright. "So… you like my adopted daughter, do you, sir?" I offer a handshake. "Baldhart—didn't have time for an intro before. And I have little time now. Branwen must come to my room immediately. Come and visit, if you'd like."

I point to the word Maiden on the sign above. "To visit her. Or me. To talk, I mean. Just… talk." I smile at him.

Mixed signals, Baldy. Watch it.

I see Mauve is watching Branwen protectively. I say, "I told her about my daughter. Gisla, the owner, that is. She's expecting her. She's… wonderful!"

As I hurry Branwen inside, I say to Burnbright. "I'll be right back, Sister. There is much I want to say to you… so much… oh! And you and I have a private meeting with Gisla tonight—the owner of the Maiden's Spear!"

 

[Nihal]

Every astonished look we receive makes me more anxious. Do they know already? How much time would it take to them turn against us? I have no illusions of beings spared for saving their lives, I never intended to bring the harpy into a town; it's hard enough alone, with a little harpy in my arms, the daughter of a crazy sorceress at our side—responsible for Srilkind's devastation—, elves that have show their magic in front of everyone, a careless wizard who never shuts up and the worst: Being affected by corruption? How much these ignorants know? Would they attempt to examine my cursed eye? Then what?

I lag behind the group, not wishing to walk deeper in the town but not daring to fall behind too much and being isolated. I feel thankful when the man approaches us to talk with Branwen and make sure to keep closer to him—a complete stranger!—while nervously looking around. I won't be able to see someone sneaking to my left. I mutter a curse.

"Wait..." I say in a tiny voice when Cadell and Líadan enter the tavern. I wanted to take a hot bath so badly, but maybe it would be better to stay in the wilderness this time. However, the warg-riders would look for us and they may recognize my smell. I can't sleep in the forest alone, not today.

What should I do?

I don't follow them inside the tavern yet, studying the town while a new plan takes form in my head. I would need someone to lie for me, sure, but I can't see another option. Would my naive companions agree to help me? They just don't understand how dangerous these people are, the fools!

((The cliff-walker wants to know how closer to the cliff is this town.))

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

I smile as Baldhart emerges from another room, and don't let it slip when she calls me 'sir'. I don't want to dampen her excitement. "Splendid, isn't she? Thank you so much for getting her here safely. Yes, we can talk later. Don't let me keep you!"

 

[Nihal]

((He was talking to Branwen and she's in Mauve's arms. xD))

"Wait, Baldhart!" I stop her and whisper as quietly as possible, "I've made a terrible mistake and the fishermen know about Branwen, they nearly panicked. Even the man from the tavern hates her. We can't bring her in with them watching, the whole town will know in no time. I have a plan."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Mauve… no plan. We come in the back way. The owner is expecting her, and she's the only one who knows. Only the owner will see her from there, and she's going to cover her up and let her stay in my room. Please trust me on this—I said I'd have her back right away—I don't want to lose credibility with this woman now that I have her trust.

"We'll tell her of the fishermen. She may know them, and know how to keep them quiet. If they spread tales of Branwen, we're dead."

 

[Nihal]

I shake my head and whisper with urgency, "They saw us with her, everybody saw us with her! Don't you think they'll ask questions? Hear me first, please!"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Speak, then."

 

[Nihal]

"Let's pretend we're taking her out of the town to stay with someone in the forest, then someone comes back with her, sneak her in this place, go back and return to the town without her, to everyone see.

"They need to see she's gone, and even then I'm not sure they'll leave us alone."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Good plan. Could you arrange that with Keitsumah? I have a feeling she won't want to stay in town either. I need to tell Gisla of your plan, and… I have news for Burnbright." I show Mauve an amulet of Tyr. There's some dried blood on it. "Not all of it is good."


I go inside. "Gisla… something came up, regarding my… my adopted daughter. Two of the men we rescued—fishermen, maybe from here?—panicked when they saw the child. Her name is Branwen, by the way. This panic happend on the boat while I was on horseback. I did not know, and this may change things regarding her arrangement.

"A friend of mine suggested she stay out of town." I lower my voice. "But maybe she can join us, as you said before, after our fireside chat? I guess that depends, though, on the fishermen. Will they speak ill of us, even after we risked our lives to save them?

"I'm so sorry, Gisla! I don't like to bring trouble." I look at the hatchmarks on my helm. "Not to good people like you."

 

[Nihal]

My face gets hot after she unexpectedly enters again.

Arrange with the wolf girl? I need those slippers! What the hell is wrong with you, Baldhart!

I don't move or speak to anyone, standing in the same spot and glaring at the door, well aware that every second I stay in this town I'm putting myself in more danger.

 

[Steerpike]

Baldhart

Gisla frowns. "Men from here, but they were up in Srilkind....that could be any of a number of people around these parts. As to what they'll do or say, I don't know. Most people around here are apt to create fears in their own minds, especially they way things have been going lately. If I can figure out who they were, I might be able to warn them off.

"Did you see them? Are you sure they were fishermen, and not traders? Were they young or old? A pair of old fishermen named Barki and Dufgal are apt to make the trek up to Srilkind. So are Elias and his boy Gorm, and they head up that way to trade other things besides fish.

"One of them could have been Tommen, I suppose. He sends his letters in to Dalla from the temple in Srilkind, though he's a loner and I'm not sure who would be with him. One of them wasn't fat was he? Because that's like as not to be Hadr and Ian. The two of them go up to the Crow in Srilkind now and again to get a drink away from their wives, and usually come stumbling back the next morning."

Gisla shakes her head. "First things first, I imagine. Get the child out of town like you planned, and we'll get her back in tonight. I'll talk to some of your friends and see if we can't figure out who shared the boat with them."

((I should have mentioned earlier, but the sight of Batos causes as much consternation among the townsfolk as anyone else)).

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

When Baldhart vanishes again to speak to Gisla, I look around for Grim. My coin purse hangs heavy at my side, and I know others have more need of it than I.

"Grim," I say when I find him, "I'd like to give you something." I reach into my purse and pull out a fistful of coins, easily half of what's there. "Take this, and use it to help rebuild Srilkind when you return." I keep my tone optimistic, knowing if the wargs, goblins and gnolls find out they've been fooled, we may not get that chance. Then I hold back a shudder, reminded of when I once escaped from orcs by lying as Nissa did, with a three-hour margin as my only hope.

Líadan

I follow Cadell's lead, halving my own money and giving a portion to the man. I brought supplies from home, and there is little I need at present. And perhaps there will be other treasure troves along the way to fill my purse again.

((So what's the consensus on how many coins everyone got from the chest? I need to know Cadell's new total before I can divide it in half. Ditto for Líadan.))

 

[Nihal]

If I follow her inside what would greet me there? If these ignorants don't see the owner immediately kicking me out they might suspect something, I've been standing there for too long already.

I turn and move towards the docks, sitting on the top of the stairs.

I can't go to the forest. The sea...? No, never, they want the knife. I'm so tired! Why do I have to deal with everything alone? I hate this place! Oh, I'm so tired! I curse Baldhart, my vision getting blurry.

No, no crying, that's unforgivable. I'm only scared because I was taught to fear these gits. Understandable but unforgivable. If I stay there hopefully those idiots will realize I'm missing and look for me. Then I can get those stupid shoes and my tome.

I'll wait and if they take too long I'll leave the town. I'll improvise. Yes, Mauve, you're good at improvising. Calm down.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Tommen!

I sit down again.

I look up at Gisla. "Was Tommen… handsome? Long hair. Looked cocky if he winked at you?"

I point to the nineteenth hatch mark on my skull helm. "Was…

"The Tommen I knew shot me from several hundred feet away using an enchanted bow. His commander was a four-armed woman with the body of a snake, and his comrades were black-blooded lizard-men. He called me a brawny bitch, I grabbed him, I… I ended his life. The other eighteen were monsters, but he was a person. We were joking one minute, and putting holes in each other the next. I… I hated it. I fought well, but it was worse than killing the harpy. I had to remind myself that he shot me from afar and banded with monsters, but now you say his name…

"Did he live here? How many people live a secret life and band together with monsters? Or is Tommen just a common name?"

I sigh, "Anyway… Barki and Dufgal are the fishermen."

 

[Steerpike]

Cadell & Liadan

Grim looks at the two elves, and rubs at his jaw with his hand. "That's generous of you both, to be sure. But we don't know what's going to be left of Srilkind, or who's going to be left to rebuild it. Might just be the two of us, running the inn as ships come in until a village forms around us again."

He looks the two elves in the eyes, as though searching for some answer. "You're going to set things right, aren't you? Going to stop the Taint, I mean? If you mean to do it, then putting this gold to use to help yourselves is better than anything I can do with it. You hang on to that gold. It might help to save us all."

As Cadell and Liadan talk to Grim, they suddenly notice that both Joffur and the black man have disappeared.

Baldhart

Gisla places her good hand in front of her mouth, thinking. "It sounds like Tommen, from your description," she says, pulling her hand away from her face and placing it palm down on the table. "Though I've never heard of him having an enchanted anything, or having anything to do with monsters. His eyes have always been bigger than Arendal, though, and he always wanted the quick way to wealth. He set out to sea a couple of times, then fell in with a mercenary company for a while. A bad business, that. And every time he'd leave poor Dalla crying her eyes out. Then, just when it looked like she might get over him, he'd come walking back down that road into town, a bit of gold in his pocket, and dreams of heading south on his lips."

"He's been gone a few months this time, and whatever he's got up to, Dalla's been worried sick. She'd get an occasional letter from him, dropped off at the temple of Tyr in Srilkind, which is how I knew he must have been up that way. Every couple of days a runner would bring the letters down and take ours back up to Srilkind to the boats."

She frowns. "Tommen was reckless. Aye, and arrogant, like you said. He never did think!" Gisla takes a moment to calm down, and says "Poor Dalla. I don't know what I'm going to tell that child."

Mauve

As Mauve sits, looking over the sea, a shadow passes over her and then a heavy bulk settles onto the stair. It is the large black man. He looks at her curiously for a moment, then says: "I am Masama. The holy child is fond of you, I can tell. I overheard your plan to take her from town, then return her under cover of darkness. I will go with you, if you wish it. For protection."

Masama purses his lips, then fixes his gaze on Mauve's face and her covered eye. "Tell me, what happened to your eye?

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"You don't owe Dalla an explanation. I do. I can tell you honestly that I meant to spare him. He shot me twice, stabbed me—I hit him harder, and when he was healed by the snake I undid that healing with a second strike. I told the snake to call off her lizards with Tommen as my hostage. It was a naive attempt to walk away, and one of ours died in that battle, but… I was naive. Arrows were flying from both sides. No matter how frightened those lizard slaves were of the snake-woman, she couldn't have stopped 'em. And she didn't care for Tommen—he was just a prettier slave.

"I'll face Dalla myself if you think I should. Maybe after our fireside meeting… you'll know me better. And maybe you'll know what Tommen got into. I'd love to stay and chat with you more, but…" I pull out Father Harald's amulet. "…Burnbright adored the priest who wore this. And he put up quite a battle. Four goblins and a gnoll—the old man got that many before many more overwhelmed him.

"It's the real reason I came here alone. Not just to save a horse, but to find Father Harald because Burnbright wanted me to. There were twenty who could have descended upon me in less than a minute, and I would've been spotted by a sentry if I had to take a man with me, but I went after him. And my friends… I didn't tell them. I didn't want them to worry about me. I don't want Burnbright to worry any longer either. I need to tell her."

I pat my purse. Coins jingle.

"The room and hot bath… shall I pay you directly, or the girl who greeted me earlier?"

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

I nod when Grim speaks, and we both return the gold to our purses. "We do intend to destroy the Taint, however that may happen. None of us are quite sure how."

I look around, noticing that the black man has gone, as well as Joffur. I remember the way the latter looked at me, and at Líadan, and worry grips my heart again. Is it really only puppy-love he feels, mere infatuation, or something worse? Should I give him the benefit of the doubt? I don't want to mistrust someone I've barely met and never spoken to.

Líadan

I soon notice the two men's absence, and the latter worries me more. I look to Cadell, seeing his worry and wondering if he's thinking the same thing. I hold Cadell's hand and murmur, "Let's take a walk, shall we?"

I look at Grim again and smile, inclining my head. "Thank you, Grim. I wish you and your kin all the best."

Cadell and I slip away together, and I keep my eyes open for the two men, especially Joffur.

 

[Nihal]

I raise my head when the man arrives, listening in silence. I don't feel like answering, but I must. How come he came searching for me before the others? Not for me, actually, for Branwen. I sigh.

Ungrateful bastards.

"It was an accident," It's no lie. "An unfortunate accident."

I stroke Branwen's hair, turning my eyes to the sea again. "I have no idea of how a town like this works. If there will be watchers, which time those people go to bed and they rise. I do not think they will truly leave us alone even taking Branwen away. I do not trust them." Nor you.

I nod and keep my voice down. "I appreciate the help. Where are you from? Why are you there? Your goddess... I know little about them and I can not remember this name. I do not get it, I have not seen other harpy children, is Branwen any different?"

If he wanted me dead he could have turned me in to these peasants. What does he want?