spyscribe
First Post
Now, now. There will be no brain-eating in this story hour... Yet.
Part the One-Hundred Sixty-Fifth:
In which: we explore the intricacies of communicating with Elves.
Once the party is out of Jamaldeen’s earshot, Lira allows herself the luxury of a good eye-roll. “What a dumbass.”
“Did you recognize the writing?” Reyu asks the sorcerer.
“I really didn’t want to look that closely. But I assumed they must have been a message of some kind. Since you were so interested in the cords, and they were left behind by the children.”
“Indeed the cords were certainly not knotted randomly… but I did not recognize what they said. I believe they might be scrolls.”
“The elves did say that they left behind healing,” Annika offers.
Katib stops, clears his throat. “Is there information that I should have here?” he asks.
The party blinks. Finally Lira asks, “Well, you know how elves write, right?”
He shakes his head, “I didn’t know they did.”
“They leave a sequence of knots in pieces of rope,” she explains. “The children counted coup against the caravan, and then left healing scrolls behind, and no one knew enough to recognize them for what they were.”
“Do you know they are scrolls of healing?”
“We do not,” Anvil points out.
“If we can get another look at the whip I’ll cast read magic and find out,” Lira offers. “Just… I’d rather it not be wielded at the time.”
Katib sighs, and rubs his temples. “I’m sure that can be arranged.”
Reyu crosses her arms in a very good imitation of human impatience. “Now, would it be possible for us to see the children?”
###
It is with some reluctance that Katib allows the party access to the four elven captives.
“Look,” Katib explains, “we haven’t mistreated them, but some of them did get roughed up when we grabbed them.”
“Would you object to us providing healing if it is needed?” Reyu asks.
The Lieutenant grits his teeth. “I wouldn’t object, but I have men who are in far worse shape than they are.”
“Once we have visited the elves, I will see to your men,” Anvil informs him.
“Let’s get on with it then.”
In the end, it is only Anvil, Reyu and Lira who go into the converted shed to see the children, accompanied by Lt. Katib and his translator.
Once their eyes adjust to the dim light (which is presumably no difficulty for the elves) Anvil and Lira see the four captives. They are all manacled, filthy, and somewhat battered, but by and large in good physical shape. The oldest is a girl of no more than seventeen, the youngest is a boy of ten.
Reyu turns to Katib. “These are rather… primitive… conditions.”
Katib shrugs. “It’s better than they’re used to. Have you seen how they live? Barely have tents.”
It is an act of will for Reyu to keep her temper in check, but she reminds herself—once again—that these humans simply do not know any better, and tend to be slaves to their baser natures. She ignores the Lieutenant’s question and turns her attention to the eldest of the children instead.
Reading the girl’s braids, Reyu learns she is called Zili Tuin, and although her achievement braid is short, it indicates that she is both daring a clever. Not clever enough, Reyu thinks.
She addresses the child in Elven. “Are you well? Have you been mistreated?”
The girl has not taken her eyes off the visitors since they entered the room, and her expression holds nothing but naked hostility. At Reyu’s question, she leans forward and deliberately spits at the other woman’s feet.
Reyu is shocked at this grotesque display of manners from a youngling… until she remembers that she is wearing Lira’s hat of disguise. As far as the children are concerned, she is just another human.
“You see?” says Lt. Katib indicating the pool of spittle on the ground. “For the last three days. That’s all we’ve gotten from them.”
Reyu ignores him and continues talking to the girl. “Obviously, Zili, you do not lack for water, if you squander it so.”
Zili’s eyes widen briefly at the use of her name, but she merely spits at Reyu again in response. This time, she isn’t aiming at the dirt.
Anvil does not speak Elven, but he can understand Reyu’s kind tone and recognizes blatant disrespect when he sees it. Without a word he steps forward and slaps the girl across the face. “You will cease this,” he informs her.
It’s unclear if the young woman knows enough Common to understand him, but she certainly catches his meaning. Still, even though Anvil has left a handprint across her face, Zili does not flinch or reach up to touch the abused skin.
Lt. Katib lets out a small sound of mixed fatigue and exasperation. “Justicar, I am responsible for the treatment of these prisoners. I would appreciate it if you did not leave them in worse condition than you found them.”
Anvil nods, and steps back again.
Lira casts cure minor wounds on the girl. She remarks to Reyu (in Elven, for the children’s benefit) as she does so, “Her braids say she’s smart, but I’m not seeing it.”
“Indeed,” Reyu replies. She then adds to all the children, “We are here to help you.”
The younger three all look to the eldest for their cue. Zili draws herself up, standing straight and proud. “We do not need your help.”
At last, Reyu thinks, progress. “Do you understand what has happened to you? These human intend to sell you into slavery. You will never return to your parents and families.”
Zili scowls. “Our families will bring us home.”
“Your families are trying,” Reyu corrects her. “They have yet to succeed. Tell me what happened when you counted coup against the human caravan. I might be able to help you.”
A few of the younger children have begun shifting uncomfortably. Zili glares at them, and they settle down, imitating her stare of indifference.
“Whatever happens, I will bear it and bring honor to my people.”
Reyu turns to the other children. “What about you? Do you share your sister’s resolve?”
“They are Shesher!” Zili answers for them.
“Are they also mute?” Reyu retorts in exasperation.
“You speak our language badly,” Zili informs her, “and you know nothing of our ways.”
Reyu spares a quick glance at Lt. Katib, receiving a running account of the conversation from his translator. She wishes, not for the first time, that the party had been able to convince him to let them visit the prisoners alone. This would all be so much simpler if she could reveal her true nature to the younglings.
Instead, she says, “I have lived among the elves for longer than you have been alive, young one. And never before have I met one as determined in her folly as you.”
Zili spits in the dirt. With some hesitation, the other children follow suit.
Lt. Katib clears his throat. “Unless there’s something else you wanted to ask…” he trails off, inclining his head towards the door.
Reyu tries one last-ditch effort. She switches to Sylvan. “Trust me,” she says in the language spoken by no human she knows. “Let me help you.”
Zili’s eyes widen. Unfortunately, so do the translator’s. He turns to Katib. “She’s speaking some other language. I can’t understand it.”
“What are you saying?” Katib demands.
“If you need me, ask to speak with me.” Reyu continues in Sylvan.
At a look from his translator, Lt. Katib puts himself between Reyu and the elves. “This interview is over,” he informs her.
With what grace is left to them, Reyu, Anvil and Lira allow themselves to be quickly escorted from the room. Zili watches them go, and for just a second, a flicker of doubt passes across her face.
Part the One-Hundred Sixty-Fifth:
In which: we explore the intricacies of communicating with Elves.
Once the party is out of Jamaldeen’s earshot, Lira allows herself the luxury of a good eye-roll. “What a dumbass.”
“Did you recognize the writing?” Reyu asks the sorcerer.
“I really didn’t want to look that closely. But I assumed they must have been a message of some kind. Since you were so interested in the cords, and they were left behind by the children.”
“Indeed the cords were certainly not knotted randomly… but I did not recognize what they said. I believe they might be scrolls.”
“The elves did say that they left behind healing,” Annika offers.
Katib stops, clears his throat. “Is there information that I should have here?” he asks.
The party blinks. Finally Lira asks, “Well, you know how elves write, right?”
He shakes his head, “I didn’t know they did.”
“They leave a sequence of knots in pieces of rope,” she explains. “The children counted coup against the caravan, and then left healing scrolls behind, and no one knew enough to recognize them for what they were.”
“Do you know they are scrolls of healing?”
“We do not,” Anvil points out.
“If we can get another look at the whip I’ll cast read magic and find out,” Lira offers. “Just… I’d rather it not be wielded at the time.”
Katib sighs, and rubs his temples. “I’m sure that can be arranged.”
Reyu crosses her arms in a very good imitation of human impatience. “Now, would it be possible for us to see the children?”
###
It is with some reluctance that Katib allows the party access to the four elven captives.
“Look,” Katib explains, “we haven’t mistreated them, but some of them did get roughed up when we grabbed them.”
“Would you object to us providing healing if it is needed?” Reyu asks.
The Lieutenant grits his teeth. “I wouldn’t object, but I have men who are in far worse shape than they are.”
“Once we have visited the elves, I will see to your men,” Anvil informs him.
“Let’s get on with it then.”
In the end, it is only Anvil, Reyu and Lira who go into the converted shed to see the children, accompanied by Lt. Katib and his translator.
Once their eyes adjust to the dim light (which is presumably no difficulty for the elves) Anvil and Lira see the four captives. They are all manacled, filthy, and somewhat battered, but by and large in good physical shape. The oldest is a girl of no more than seventeen, the youngest is a boy of ten.
Reyu turns to Katib. “These are rather… primitive… conditions.”
Katib shrugs. “It’s better than they’re used to. Have you seen how they live? Barely have tents.”
It is an act of will for Reyu to keep her temper in check, but she reminds herself—once again—that these humans simply do not know any better, and tend to be slaves to their baser natures. She ignores the Lieutenant’s question and turns her attention to the eldest of the children instead.
Reading the girl’s braids, Reyu learns she is called Zili Tuin, and although her achievement braid is short, it indicates that she is both daring a clever. Not clever enough, Reyu thinks.
She addresses the child in Elven. “Are you well? Have you been mistreated?”
The girl has not taken her eyes off the visitors since they entered the room, and her expression holds nothing but naked hostility. At Reyu’s question, she leans forward and deliberately spits at the other woman’s feet.
Reyu is shocked at this grotesque display of manners from a youngling… until she remembers that she is wearing Lira’s hat of disguise. As far as the children are concerned, she is just another human.
“You see?” says Lt. Katib indicating the pool of spittle on the ground. “For the last three days. That’s all we’ve gotten from them.”
Reyu ignores him and continues talking to the girl. “Obviously, Zili, you do not lack for water, if you squander it so.”
Zili’s eyes widen briefly at the use of her name, but she merely spits at Reyu again in response. This time, she isn’t aiming at the dirt.
Anvil does not speak Elven, but he can understand Reyu’s kind tone and recognizes blatant disrespect when he sees it. Without a word he steps forward and slaps the girl across the face. “You will cease this,” he informs her.
It’s unclear if the young woman knows enough Common to understand him, but she certainly catches his meaning. Still, even though Anvil has left a handprint across her face, Zili does not flinch or reach up to touch the abused skin.
Lt. Katib lets out a small sound of mixed fatigue and exasperation. “Justicar, I am responsible for the treatment of these prisoners. I would appreciate it if you did not leave them in worse condition than you found them.”
Anvil nods, and steps back again.
Lira casts cure minor wounds on the girl. She remarks to Reyu (in Elven, for the children’s benefit) as she does so, “Her braids say she’s smart, but I’m not seeing it.”
“Indeed,” Reyu replies. She then adds to all the children, “We are here to help you.”
The younger three all look to the eldest for their cue. Zili draws herself up, standing straight and proud. “We do not need your help.”
At last, Reyu thinks, progress. “Do you understand what has happened to you? These human intend to sell you into slavery. You will never return to your parents and families.”
Zili scowls. “Our families will bring us home.”
“Your families are trying,” Reyu corrects her. “They have yet to succeed. Tell me what happened when you counted coup against the human caravan. I might be able to help you.”
A few of the younger children have begun shifting uncomfortably. Zili glares at them, and they settle down, imitating her stare of indifference.
“Whatever happens, I will bear it and bring honor to my people.”
Reyu turns to the other children. “What about you? Do you share your sister’s resolve?”
“They are Shesher!” Zili answers for them.
“Are they also mute?” Reyu retorts in exasperation.
“You speak our language badly,” Zili informs her, “and you know nothing of our ways.”
Reyu spares a quick glance at Lt. Katib, receiving a running account of the conversation from his translator. She wishes, not for the first time, that the party had been able to convince him to let them visit the prisoners alone. This would all be so much simpler if she could reveal her true nature to the younglings.
Instead, she says, “I have lived among the elves for longer than you have been alive, young one. And never before have I met one as determined in her folly as you.”
Zili spits in the dirt. With some hesitation, the other children follow suit.
Lt. Katib clears his throat. “Unless there’s something else you wanted to ask…” he trails off, inclining his head towards the door.
Reyu tries one last-ditch effort. She switches to Sylvan. “Trust me,” she says in the language spoken by no human she knows. “Let me help you.”
Zili’s eyes widen. Unfortunately, so do the translator’s. He turns to Katib. “She’s speaking some other language. I can’t understand it.”
“What are you saying?” Katib demands.
“If you need me, ask to speak with me.” Reyu continues in Sylvan.
At a look from his translator, Lt. Katib puts himself between Reyu and the elves. “This interview is over,” he informs her.
With what grace is left to them, Reyu, Anvil and Lira allow themselves to be quickly escorted from the room. Zili watches them go, and for just a second, a flicker of doubt passes across her face.
