Dear Herkus,
It is the end of another very long day. So much has happened. I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to write after tonight. Well I mean, I’ll write you all the time, I promise, I’m just not sure how often I can get someone to bring you my letters.
We are leaving early at dawn and setting sail… I’m not sure how I feel about it.
Let me back up a bit. So I mentioned after a lot of fighting and several healing spells we found Demitri. Although I guess his given name from his mother is Malikos so he asked us to call him that. He cast a truth spell on himself and the area around him so we could ask questions. I won’t go into great detail but we also discovered that Leef’s mother is being held captive at the Isle of Yonder. That is of course along with several other things our group needs. Not that I’m calling Leef’s mother a thing! No I mean there are things there we need and she’s also there! Anyway, it is a highly secure area and it will take some very lucky and strategic circumstances for us to infiltrate. I don’t want to say more. I’m very hopeful that we can save Riesz.
Tha cuimhne agam air bàs mo phàrantan. Tha fios agam mar a bha sin a’ faireachdainn. Ach nan tachradh rudeigin mar seo dhut… dhèanainn rud sam bith a b’ urrainn dhomh airson do shàbhaladh. Chan eil mi a-riamh ag iarraidh a bhith a’ faireachdainn mar sin a-rithist1.
While the rest of the group were talking with Malikos, I went with Pholon and Shadow to take care of some cleanup of the bodies. I didn’t have alters made or anything but I did send them on as best as I could.
I wanted to talk to Pholon about Scorpion Island. I’m terrified to go there, and with reason. Their tribe sounds… I have no idea how they have continued to survive this long. Once they are of age they must make an oath or they will turn into a giant scorpion. So is the tribe run by children? Did Jadus have an oath to someone or was he not considered of age yet? No I’m sure he was of age because we just met– I’m getting ahead of myself. Pholon also shared a bit more about his fears of the Lotus Witch. He said that when people got too close to her tower they became “not adults.” I don’t know if that means they turn into children, or even infants, or what. I know we have a long ways before we will approach this island, and everyone else has such important tasks to complete before we take the time for this. I’m just anxious.Not just to go but to get it over with. It’s the knowledge that it’s looming ahead of me that is the worst. But I also don’t want to chance anyone else getting cursed because of me while there. Should I go alone? Damon the Lich didn’t indicate if I should take other’s with me or not. All of their paths seem to align with defeating the Titans, whereas mine is… Defeating the titans helps my cause, but my cause doesn’t necessarily help us defeat them, unlike everyone else.
It makes me want to be even more useful to the group. I’ve been thinking of things I can learn. I don’t have much to offer but I’ll do anything I can. If there is one thing I learned from my young years at my tribe is that by making yourself useful, that’s how you stay alive. And if there is one thing I’ve learned from you, it’s to be helpful and compassionate. Was I wrong in interpreting that? I need to be useful, and helpful and that’s the only way I can not be a burden. It’s the only way I can earn– well anyway, I have goals.
When we got back to town Clio cast invisibility on Malikos and I allowed him to, um, well I gave him a ride. It’s still awkward, and it does feel a bit demeaning. But I’m okay if it’s you or Leef or Clio. Maybe because you all are so small? But Pholon let Rendu have a ride and I was thinking that maybe it’s not demeaning, it’s just something you do for people if they need it? I mean I sort of don’t understand why it is so taboo. Other centaurs always talk about how superior our race is, and how we are meant to have stewardship over inferior races. After meeting you I don’t fully agree with that, but I do feel as if having strength and abilities means responsibilities. And a good steward helps. Somehow though I always offend people when I try to explain what I’m talking about. I should probably just give up trying to make them understand.
I started fixing food and Dia came to let us know that we needed to leave immediately the next morning. We have displeased the king and so it would be better for us to go. The rest of the group went to exchange the riding lizards Malikos found so we won’t attract much attention. However that plan went a bit sideways.
Instead they came back with a harpy/not harpy. A poor siren whom Actaeon “purchased” out of pity had been disguised as one of those horrid creatures. Thankfully Clio was okay. She was unhappy but she was very patient. She tried to speak to her mind and seemed bothered by what she was hearing. The harpy had a covering over her face so we went to Actaeons room to try to treat her. I did some healing and that’s when we discovered she was indeed a siren.
Shadow got a sabertooth cat. I’m not sure why. But he will probably have it trained. I suppose we could use all the help we can get.
Leef is now the proud adoptive parent of a lizardfolk welp. It’s (he? she?) very cute in a creepy sharp toothed kind of way. It seems to like Leef as much as their kind can. I’m a bit unnerved by how much meat it need to eat, it just sort of spit out some of my other food. Sa’kull is it’s name and Leef seems determined to care for it until we can reunite it with it’s family again.
The biggest shock was that they came home with a centaur colt named Karador. He’s probably around the age I was when I came to you. I’m not sure how many seasons he’s seen exactly. I don’t even know if the Scorpion tribe ages in seasons. (By the way he’s from the Scorpion tribe.) It just made sense in the Foxtail. I am currently 23 summers. As soon as that season hits I know another year of my life has passed. Other races and even tribes seem to have specific dates to mark their age. Like Leef’s birthday. Although I admit I rather like that way of celebrating ones birth. It was fun.
Anyway I was very nervous to be around him. I was also surprised but not surprised that he had made an oath to Rendu. It makes me feel………………….. Odd? Like I cried when both Shadow and Rendu offered Pholon the opportunity to be bonded with either of them. It was so kind and generous. But he didn’t have to take on this colt as well. But he did. His kindness reminds me of yours but it’s also different. I’m grateful to have these compassionate people as my friends.
I made Karador the same stew you gave me when we first met. He said he liked brown slop, which I thought might be a nickname for the darker colored stew. Pholon pointed out that it was more likely literal slop based on his reaction to my food. After that I couldn’t stop trying to find things to feed him. He’s thin and seemed tired. I want to be there for him. Pholon joked that we were like our own little tribe. I’ve felt as of late like the other dragonlords have become my tribe, but to also have more centaurs is pretty amazing. I will do my very best for all of them. A tribe takes care of its own right?
gaol agus gràdh,
Briar
Druidic 1: I remember my parents’ deaths. I know how that felt. If something like this were to happen to you… I would do anything I could to save you. I never want to feel that way again.