@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr @ZippoFeuer @Coexistence
Also @Drakessis again.
Kurozuki, Seacrest, and Lunus entered the cathedral, Kei opting to remain outside. The area was unusually clean, for a building in the Wasteland, though the effect of the local duststorms was obvious. A few pews had been rearranged into desks, with communication devices placed on top of them.
The three dragons glanced at each other, Kuro taking the lead. "Do you happen to know anything about curses?" he asked aloud.
A black Pearlcatcher, eyes marked by Plague magic, broke away from his task and approached with all the eagerness of a businessman. "Welcome, welcome!" he exclaimed, faction lines apparently notwithstanding. "I think I would be best versed in such topics - many undead afflictions are the result of curses. In fact, I even suspect some dragons here may be reanimated because of those sorts of circumstances. Now, truth be told I'm not quite an expert in curses... But I'm sure I could do my best to answer whatever questions plague you!"
The three dragons glanced around warily, now noticing the occasional dragon wrapped in bandages, or bearing more realistic bone markings than most. Kurozuki lowered his voice out of respect for them. Clearly, they had misjudged what kind of help these people normally offered. "Well, our question is twofold, I suppose: how to break a curse put on our clanmates, and how to kill the mage who cast it, if he is undead."
Seacrest supplied, "It would explain why he keeps attacking us, even when he has seemed clearly dead."
The Pearlcatcher froze. Seacrest and Kurozuki winced inwardly, while Lunus cast an apologetic glance. "Well... know... know that I couldn't endorse doing the latter, but I could perhaps offer the advice that someone who would endorse the action would give. But, regarding your, um, first question... Again, I'm no expert, but typically curses are tied to something. An item, an individual, a location, or a condition, something like that. You'd need to disengage or destroy the first two in some way, but the condition would require solving. I'm sure it doesn't apply to the curse you're all faced with, but surely you've heard of the cliché 'true love's kiss' thing, right? That's a good example of a condition which must be fulfilled. For a location, you could all try to leave, but it could follow along. If you don't know what this curse is tied to, then your solution may lie in your second question."
They clutched their pearl tightly, running a claw along its side with clear anxiety. "Now... now, to kill the undead... I would try to banish him first. This means, at least according to my own theories, forcing the soul to 'ascend' through some manner of ritual which would likely require a specialist. The process is typically like an exorcism, but far more rigorous and even riskier. It may not be an option, however, so... killing him may have to suffice. The methods definitely depend on what type of undead affliction you're dealing with; typically holy or blessed weaponry will kill or violently banish an undead individual, but some varieties of affliction will react to more... physical methods. Fire, sunlight, stakes, recreating the original cause and location of death... All valid options to consider. But, unless you know for sure what he's been reanimated as, I can't offer any confident solution."
The Pearlcatcher sighed. "But, if you do know, I can't exactly guarantee my solutions will work, either. These things are always case-by-case, and my role is typically to help the undead discover and avoid these newfound threats by personally working with them. If this really is so pressing, though, I'll do my best to help, and send you off with whatever methods of... trouble alleviation I can think of."
Lunus stepped forward, worry clear on his face. "We're sorry we even have to ask this. The curse was placed on two of the original members of our clan. He declared that until their blood was gone from their children's veins, only one child would live out of each generation. After he was killed - in the words of another, 'defeated for the first time' - he extended the some of the curse's effects to everyone in the entire clan. Eggs without dragons, constant fear of death. We just want to live in peace. I... I've lost two of my sons to this curse, and eggs. Kurozuki and I lost a sister, and only one of Seacrest's hatchlings really grew up." He scuffled his feet, then glanced back at the Pearlcatcher pleadingly. "If we give you what we know about him, could you help us develop a strategy?"
The Pearlcatcher swallowed, then sighed sadly and nodded. He glanced at each dragon, nodding with more confidence. "Yes, I could help - of course, I could help. I'm... You shouldn't have to apologize, I understand the gravity of the situation. I'm sorry that I've got to be so flighty about this. I'm no stranger to death, and no stranger to plots of this caliber... I want to help you and your clan in any way I can manage."
All three relaxed. "Thank you," Kurozuki said with heartfelt gratitude. "So here is what we do know..." Quickly, he began to outline what they knew about the mysterious personage who had cursed their clan - his power as a mage, his changing appearance, his ability to feign death. Hours later, they emerged from the cathedral, a scroll in hand and renewed determination in their hearts.
Kei swooped down from a parapet. "Any luck?" he called.
"We've got it! We've got an answer!" Lunus called, elated.
"We'll tell you on the way. Right now, we need to get this back to everyone else." Kurozuki waved the scroll tucked in his claws.
"What is it?" Kei asked.
"A spell for finding things," Kuro replied. "It might be the key to breaking the curse."
A week of hard flying later, they reached the lair. But only one hatchling emerged.
Beryl has survived, and python is officially eliminated after five generations! Sorry this one was a bit long, I meant to split this conversation in two but didn't exactly get on the past couple of days. Thanks again to @Drakessis for letting me use this conversation! (And yes, that is a trinket, i figured adding in the chest rewards would make this too long.)
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