Dragon's Egg - Act IV

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

"Gunnar, Abbi… yes, I am." I give Alin space to work. "More accurately, Aliron is."

I think he's got it. Instead of opening the door he leaves that to me. Yeah… keeping Branwen away. Smart move. I give the door a pull.

((If the door opens, Baldhart kneels down and lets the kids get a look at her.))

"I'll do what I can to keep you safe, but I need to know… are there others? Other children? Other people? I was expecting to find five of you."

And none alive. No matter what happens… we did get to Gunnar and Abbi, and they're alive.

 

[Nihal]

The same smile full of teeth creeps back to my face.

"It is true, I am a witch." He doesn't know her. I could do that work, yet... I open and close my hand again. I'm not alone anymore. I didn't stop to consider their meddling into my affairs, did I? They can't pass the chance to show off and attempt to pose as leaders. It'll be worse if I wait and they undermine me. I shake my head softly. A wasted opportunity...

"Skivver does not fully understand my language, and he made a small mistake. I am not Aslaug. If I were, I would be here to kill or enslave you. However, I am a different witch." I open the door in a measured movement and lean over him, blocking the passage.

"I will kill you and your people if you dare to stand in my way, but I do not want to kill kobolds. Help me to do what I came to do here quickly and I will free you. You will be free to command your people again." I repeatedly tap a finger on the doorway.

"The question here is: will your folk obey your command to attack the dark elves?"

 

[Steerpike]

When Aliron moves away from the door, Branwen allows herself to be picked up, giggling quietly as she is raised from the ground.

Gunnar whispers something to Abbi, and the children stand, Gunnar having to lift Abbi to her feet. The girl stands behind Gunnar, mostly hidden from view except for one thin arm and a bit of her tattered tunic. Gunnar bends an arm back protectively around her as she huddles behind him, then says: "There are three more o' us. They took them. They got ears like elves, but their skin is black. They like to hurt us. One o' them kicked Abbi when they came in, and they laughed at her for cryin'. I don't know where they went. We were afraid you was them coming back to get us."

Tarlack does the reptilian equivalent of narrowing his eyes at Mauve, his slitted pupils taking her in. He barks something at Skivver, but you can only make out the kobold-mangled name House-Lug. Skivver looks down at the ground and doesn't say anything back.

Tarlack says: "My kobolds will fight if I tell them fight. But we not wishing to die stupidly. The black elfs have a witch, too. She a nasty one. We fight for you and you lose, then what? Tarlack killed and his kobolds beaten or too killed? What good that do? How we know you can beat black elfs?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

"We're here to kill them," I tell the kids.

Tarlacks words are weak. A humbled leader. I will not force him to look weak in front of Skivver, though. I tell the children, "Excuse me a moment."

I walk up to Tarlack. My adrenaline's up. I need to kill someone soon. Kicking a child… into whose eye sockets do I thrust my thumbs?

"Tarlack, we are your only chance at freedom." I control my breathing. I am not swayed by threats. I do not expect that of Tarlack, but I won't contradict Mauve. I need to back her up. "We chose to come here and save these children, and your people benefit thanks to this witch who had the foresight to hear Skivver's words. You can be free. You can see your captors dead. And if you don't fight and we lose…

"You have this." I gesture to his cell. "The dark elves will kill your people when they outlive their usefulness. Your people are guaranteed to suffer and die if you do nothing."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

I step up to the children. "I am Nissa. I also serve Brynhild."

The wings are obvious, I try my best not to alarm the kids.

"Abbi, if you don't mind, I want to make sure you're okay. Where were you hit?"

((I played an RPG that had a healing arts skill for checking wounds, broken bones, disease, etc. I'm assuming WIS checks can do that.))

 

[Steerpike]

Gunnar's eyes widen at the sight of Nissa. He gapes for a moment, then snaps his mouth shut. Abbi peers over his shoulder and whispers something in Gunnar's ear, and he says "I don't know," then turns and whispers something more quietly back to her. Abbi hesitates a moment more, then steps out from behind Gunnar, slowly moving toward Nissa and dragging her feet across the stone floor. She and Gunnar both have the light hair common to their people. Both have dirty faces, but Abbi's looks much dirtier because it is streaked with tears. She stops just in front of Nissa. From behind, Gunnar is still looking up at Nissa and says: "My Ma used ta tell me stories 'bout you."

When Abbi approaches Nissa, she lifts the side of her tunic. It is dark, so it is hard to see if there is any obvious bruising, but gently pressure against Abbi's ribs causes a hiss of pain from the girls lips and one of the ribs pushes easily inward, clearly fractured.

Tarlack pulls back a bit, putting some space between himself and Baldhart. He catches Nissa out of the corner of his eye and watches her a moment, then he snaps a few more kobold words at Skivver, and Skivver replies. Tarlack then says: "That true. Dark elfs probably kill us all always. We will fight. You kill darks elfs, you let Tarlack and kobolds live. You promise let kobolds live. You make blood swear with Tarlack, then Tarlack fight."

 

[Nihal]

"I will do the pact, and I will take care of their witch," I tell him happily. "Once this all is over you are free to do whatever you wish, except attacking humans and joining one of their sides. But you do not want to return to your current situation, I reckon.

"Is their witch a dark elf too? Or is this witch one I was not informed about?" I glance at Skivver.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

As I begin to remove the knife from my boot, Mauve says she'll make the pact. Well, unless Tarlack is picky about which of us bleeds… I give Mauve the knife, hilt first.

"Whether you require her blood, mine or both, I will make an oath to my goddess. My oath is this:

"I will not fail Her, the battle-goddess Brynhild, by being a false ally. We will work together to rescue the five children, free your people and any other captives, and kill the dark elves. When we part, we do so peacefully. I will not kill your people over past wrongs. As long as your people pose no threat to children or innocents, or attack one of my own unprovoked, I will not harm your people. As long as you and your people are true allies, which Skivver has proven to be so far, I will protect you as I would any true ally. This I swear to Brynhild."



Nissa

I hand Abbi a goodberry. "Eat this." I tell her, "it's good for you." After she tries the berry, I check her ribs. If she needs another, she gets one.

"Your mother told you of valkyries, did she?" I can't help but smile, though I believe her mother is the dead woman I saw earlier. "It's true I am one of Brynhild's valkyries. I'm sure you have questions, and you can ask me all of them once we're out." I look at Gunnar. "For now, I'm afraid I'll need answers from you—whatever you can give me.

"The three others… boys? Girls? Older or younger than you? Were all three taken together, or one by one?" I give time to answer, then add, "Anything you can tell me about the elves might help. I hear there are ten. We know of a witch and there's a man who uses magic. Do some carry weapons like bows and swords? And Gunnar, feel free to describe the man who kicked your sister. I'll give him something to laugh about."

 

[SeverinR]

Aliron
"We save children. All kinds of children. Anyone that harms children will die, no matter who they are." Aliron announces loudly, then slowly turns around allowing the prisoners to see Branwen.
"This is Branwen." He says in a softer tone.
"Anyone tries to hurt her, will be dealt with the same as these dark elves."

Aliron watches Tarlack, but glances at the children.

 

[Steerpike]

Tarlack nods at Baldhart and says "Those words are good. Tarlack accept your swear, but still take blood swear from witch." Tarlack holds his thin, scaly hand out, palm up, to Mauve. "Their witch black elf like them. She tell other blacks elfs to do, and they do. Tarlack only see her one time."

Abbi eats the goodberry without saying anything. A moment later, her rib feels more secure and she no longer winces or hisses in pain when it is touched. She looks up at Nissa with big eyes, feeling her side with her own small hands.

Gunnar says "Yeah, Ma told me 'bout valkyries, but I thought they was just supposed to come for dead folk. Never heard of one like you." He runs his eyes along Nissa's wings again, then corrects one of her assumptions. "Me and Abbi aren't kin. Aren't none of us kids kin. Miss Liv - that's what we call her - took us each in. She'd go down to Alfoss to sell what she could of stuff she grew in her farm, and if she saw a kid who didn't have no home, she'd take 'em back with her. We help her work at the farm, and we get a place to stay and enough food to eat. That's how she got all of us - me, Abbi, Enna, Signy, and Niall. We're the ones them lizard things took. And then the dark elfs took Enna, Signy, and Niall off somewhere. They're my friends but none of them are kin."

Gunnar and Abbi give Tarlack and Skivver a wide berth as they follow Nissa. "You really making friends with them?" he asks. "They're the ones that took us."

When Aliron presents Branwen, both Gunnar and Abbi take in the little girl's wings. Gunnar flicks a gaze to Nissa and says "Is that another..."

His voice stops abruptly, and he stares past Aliron and Branwen at Masama, standing at the other end of the hallway. Gunnar puts a hand protectively around Abbi, who lets out a little squeak, and they back up a step toward their cell. Masama is watching the entrance to the chamber for threats and doesn't notice the attention.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Baldhart

Talked my way out of a blood oath? Huh. Mother training me to be a diplomat was not in vain…

I return the nod, then wait quietly for Mauve to complete her blood oath. I don't want my words to delay this ritual.



Nissa

Miss Liv. Her and the two boys. Does Gunnar know what became of them? Now's not the time…

I tell Abbi, "I've come for the dead for almost 800 years. Only days ago have I been permitted to walk among the living, and I've even fought a few battles. In fact, I was just in a battle with some of those kobolds. They came for Burnbright, so we killed all but Skivver." I point out those I name as they're mentioned. "Mauve caught him as he fled, and he wanted mercy. I agreed he could earn it by helping us save you, and I'm glad I did. It was Skivver that led us to you. The kobolds are allies now, and I'll have no part in harming them as long as they keep their word. I understand if that seems strange. But what's most important is Enna, Signy and Niall. Kin or not, I know you love them and want to see them safe. We're more likely to find them quickly with the kobolds on our side."

The children notice Branwen. "You don't need to fear her." I put a hand on each shoulder, though I need my wings to reach the boy's. "She's a harpy. Baldhart and Mauve killed her mother and sister, then discovered this little one, Branwen. Like Miss Liv, some of the warriors here understood that a child needs a loving, caring adult. Now she wears clothes, can say a few words, and we even get her to laugh and play in the peaceful times. She's a lovely child. I don't think of her as a monster.

"The monsters are those who can bring themselves to hurt a child like her, or you."

 

[Ankari]

Enough time has passed. I move to track the others.

 

[Steerpike]

Gunnar and Abbi are back in their cell when Nissa talks to them again. Abbi is clutching at Gunnar again and not much listening to what Nissa is saying.

Gunnar looks at Nissa and shakes his head. "You won't get her to talk. It took Abbi months to say anything once she got to Miss Liv's place. She was just starting to talk a bit when...well, when those lizards, what'd you call 'em? When those kobolds came and took us. She hasn't said a word since."

"If you think the kobolds will help us get outta here, I won't be scared. The kobolds been up here ever since I got to Miss Liv's. We'd see 'em some times, but they never done anything to us before this. Miss Liv thought they stole from the farm some, but it wasn't enough to fuss over."

"But what's that man with the black skin doin' out there? It's that black ones that took us. Why's he with you? If you're friendly with him and with the kobolds, I'm...I mean, Abbi's probably a little nervous about it is all."

Tarlack, meanwhile, instructs Mauve to draw the blade across both of their palms so they can take the blood oath. He waits for Mauve to make the cuts, exchanging only a few words in kobold with Skivver as he waits.

Ankari finds the rest of the group easily enough, Masama and Bressel being the only two alerted to his approach as he moves quietly along the corridors, and Ankari sees them before they see him.

 

[Keitsumah]

I watch the children and the lizards speak with the others. Anger unlike anything i have ever felt rushes through my veins, and I slowly approach the children after they seem less afraid of us.

"My name is Keitsumah." I whisper, kneeling before them. Batos follows me and sits down on my left, panting and wagging his tail like a dog, but I know that despite the act they will see his scars and appearance and know him for what he is. It's a good attempt to avoid startling them though. "This is Batos. He will protect you just like we will." Then I blink and eye their size. Batos is half-warg, so he's not big enough to carry a full grown human, but maybe he can carry a small child or two on his back like he did Nissa.

"Guys, maybe we should get these two out of here before we attack the dark elves." i say. I look toward the one called Gunnar and Batos stands up, but keeps his head low and his stance calm. I can sense the anger in him, though. He wants to tear apart our enemies just like I do for hurting innocent children.

Brynhild, give me the strength to avenge those who were wronged, and harmed needlessly. I pray.

 

[Ireth]

Cadell

I listen in silence as a few of the others speak with the children, and speak up when one mentions Masama. "Masama is a human, not an elf. He is a friend of ours and a foe of the dark elves. He will not harm you."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Nissa

Cadell clarifies who Masama is, but Keit echoes a concern I think all of us have… bringing kids into a battle.

"Unfortunately, Keit, I agree the further these children are from battle the better… and if we had all five, I'd say we get them out now. Only, it'll take us at least half an hour to get them to Dalla and Biorn. A lot can go wrong for the other three in that time. Of course, letting these two run out on their own won't save them if they're seen running. They'll become hostages. And I suppose you mean for one or two of us to escort them, which I was considering myself, but I don't know if we can spare anyone for that. The battle against Celexa was costly; mages are not to be taken lightly. I believe we'll need every archer filling the mage with arrows, every healer ready to keep our party alive, every fighter to hold the line. The children's survival depends on our success."

I turn to Gunnar.

"For your sake—yours, Abbi's, and the other children's—we must succeed. Fleeing is not an option for us, so you're being close won't put us at a tactical disadvantage. If you prefer, you could wait in the cell, and we'll get you out when we're finished. Otherwise, you'll need to follow us and remain behind the archers, and Burnbright can stand with you and watch for attackers that come from behind. Battle will not be easy for you to watch. My question is whether you'd rather follow us than wait in a cell."



Baldhart

I want to head to where Bressel and Masama stand, but it would be disrespectful to walk away as a blood oath is about to begin, especially since I'm a part of that now. I wait patiently for Mauve or at least I try to appear patient.

I remember Mother's lessons. Diplomat. Look respectful. Barbarian princess. Look ladylike. Heir to the mountain if I agree to marry. Shrink a foot and a half and grow some breasts.

Godsdammit, Mauve, slit your wrists so we can kill some elves.

 

[Nihal]

((Got a bit too caught up in the painting world again, sorry!))

I purse my lips at Baldhart's oath. Only a fool would take unnecessary compromises upon herself, and doing serious promises to untrustworthy creatures just makes it worse. I draw the blade across my hand.

This is the difference between us. While she wouldn't break her oath simply because she's "honourable", because she involved her uncaring goddess, I am doing a blood oath which shouldn't be broken. Yet, I would still break it.

I gently slice Tarlack's palm.

Whatever the cost I do what needs to be done. Only a different kind of fool would believe that I'd fear the consequences. I smile again at the kobold.

 

[SeverinR]

"Now blood has spilled to seal the words, can we move on, before the surprise is lost?"
"I swear without blood, that no dark elf will escape, if they had any part in hurting children."
"For those new to our group, just because you do not see me shooting arrows, does not mean I am gone. I am not strong like Bressel or Baldhart, my strength comes in the dark. Death thrives in the dark, I dance close with death, get it worked up so it blindly takes my target in place of me. Darkness aids my arrows and my sword, I am strong with either when darkness abounds. In other words, I am most dangerous when you do not see me."
Aliron moves near Bressel and Masama.
"Can we go?"

 

[Keitsumah]

I nod, realizing the wisdom of Baldhart's message. "Then maybe we could keep them in the middle of the group. I do not know if it will work underground just as it did above, but I can try my entangle spell if we are charged. I have a bad feeling that if we leave them behind in their cell, something will happen to them. And if the dark elves try that blackout spell on us again, Batos can still attack them using scent rather than sight. That will force them to stop the spell so they can see, and it will give us an edge so we can attack in that moment of confusion."

 

[Steerpike]

Gunnar nods at Cadell's words, eyeing Masama over Cadell's shoulders. "I've never seen no one with skin that dark. Except the elves that took us." He whispers something to Abbi and pat her on the shoulder, then says "If you say he's OK...well, you did get us out of these cells. We won't be scared."

When Mauve slices her own palm and then does Tarlack's palm as well, the kobold leader grips her hand in the firm grasp, the blood of the two making the pact running together, sticky between their hands. After the hand shake, Tarlack pulls his hand free and licks the blood congealing on his palm, cleaning the area around the incision. "The oath of blood is made. Death to any who causes it to be broken." He then moves in among the rest of the group.

Gunnar and Abbi look ready to bolt again when Keitsumah and Batos approach, mainly because of Batos. But it looks like they've decided any who are with the group must be friends, even if they're strange friends. Gunnar nods along with Keitsumah's words. "OK. If you're here to help us...both of you...then we're with you. Never thought I'd see a group of people like you, strange people with valkyries and wolves and lizards. But a lot happened the last few days I never thought I'd see."

Skivver listens to the conversation about Gunnar and Abbi, cocking his head at each party member in turn as they speak. Then he interrupts in his high reptilian voice. "You put children in trash tunnel. Way we come but black elfs not know it. No one go. We kill black elfs, get children. Skivver show them where." He takes a step toward the entrance to the jail room, beckoning the children with his hand. Gunnar and Abbi look uncertainly at Nissa.

Tarlack begins moving toward the entrance as well. "I know where black elfs are. I will show you." When Aliron makes an oath of his own, Tarlack nods approvingly at him. "It is good that yellow elfs swear too. We want no trea...tretch...we want no one turn on anyone else. We go get black elfs now. Then I take my home back and you take the children."