Part MCMLXXXIII: Common Courage
Common Courage
Twenty-Seventh Day of the Second Month 293 AC
The two of you quickly hammer out a deal, or at least the frame upon which further agreements can be reached. Full mutual access to arcane lore, the possibility of trading minor favors on a semi regular basis and an agreement to send a study expedition to Naath to study the local fauna. She does jokingly insist that on reciprocation here as well, claiming that 'with the way you collect strange and uncanny beasts some of them are sure to break loose and breed eventually.' Truth be told that is not as unlikely as you might wish it...
Regardless the further offer to exchange teaching in the Scholarum for her own presence as a guest lecturer is met with cautious interest, though she defers a decision for now. "I have a rather complex ritual to ponder for now and afterwards... is afterwards."
Words unsaid hang heavily between you. Strange though it may be, you feel a stirring of sympathy for this young woman. Monstrous though her nature may now be, it is not beyond the pale of understanding.
Leaving Wyla to her studies and her thoughts you take wing again, this time accompanied not only by Dany, Lya and Ser Richard, but also Garin, Vee, and Maelor also riding steeds of shadow. As you pass over the paddock and its prisoners still cursed into the shape of beasts a wave of guilt passes over you for prolonging what must be a terrifying experience, but you cannot afford the spells or the time to carry the children to any sort of safety, and you feel it would be testing Wyla's good nature a bit too far to simply foist almost a dozen terrified children on her when she is engrossed in her studies. While the others, particularly Dany, Lya and Vee are as unhappy as you are, they see the logic in your delay.
***
It is easy enough to find the mound Malarys described for the island Tyrosh stands on is generally flat as a board, in marked contrast to many of the other Stepstones, old flood planes only split from the mainland in a far less brutal manner than the infamous Hammer of the Waters would account for. Unfortunately that is where the good news ends. Several hundred of the locals have seen fit to gather around the place... with torches.
"Why do people so often choose the worst times to be brave?" Dany asks, frustrated, a question doomed to remain unanswered you suspect.
At your approach most of the crowd scatters, though about two score men remain, better armed than most, though more street thugs than sellswords from the look of them, carrying daggers and clubs over swords and maces.
"'Re you her' t' kill the 'horesons?" the apparent leader calls in an accent so thick you struggle to parse it out.
"Yes, rest assured all who have dealings with fiends or dark sorcery will be dealt with," you answer honestly, hoping that would be enough assurance to get the last of them to leave before some stray horror rises up from the earth to devour them for their trouble.
"We wanna help. Thems fukers took ar kin, livin' and dead alike. We're gonna take back ar due in blood or gold," the man continues, his words half a challenge, though some of his followers are giving him doubtful looks.
What do you do?
[] Promise some sort of restitution from the cultist's treasures
-[] Write in
[] Order them all to leave before they get hurt
-[] Write in
[] Write in
OOC: Vengeance and greed together can be powerful motivators.
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] PAIN Firebrand
