Tanyl is unwilling to kill the unicorn.

He draws his weapons for another purpose, however:

"Whoever laid this trap may come to finish the job.  Matthias, will your spells work on it?"

Matthias looks upon the wounded unicorn colt and begins to feel quite sickened by what he sees. Responding to Tanyl, "I don't know, but I can try..."

Matthias cautiously approaches the trapped unicorn and will attempt to lay his hand on the unicorn's flank. If successful, he will cast cure light wounds to determine whether his magic has any effect on the creature.

Vala looked at the unicorn with less sentiment than the others. She'd grown up hearing endless tales about hunting monsters after all and even a pretty one wasn't neccessarily friendly.

"The trapper is probably trying to lure out the parent or else they'd take the horn," Vala said.

Now aware of the nature of the creature, and more aware of the situation, Delta also thinks they should attempt to rescue it.

"I agree with Vala, it must be bait," she said, looking about nervously. "We certainly don't want the parents to think we committed this atrocity. Could the horn we have belong to this little one? Are we being set up?"

She attempts to make soothing noises, and tries to see how hard it would be to free it from the trap.

"This certainly is in keeping with the idea that the Sisters' of Elhonna are in some sort of trouble."

As Matthias approaches the wounded unicorn, it snorts, and flails harder for a few moments, but finally stops and actually stares at him.  The wildness in its eyes seem to calm, and the priest sees intelligence in those eyes.  Fear, hurt, but more too.

For just a moment he locks eyes with it and feels almost dizzy.

Matthias holds his hand above the wounded colt's flank and begins to sway before eventually steadying himself on a nearby tree.

In a nearly breathless voice, the young cleric says, "The unicorn has been poisoned. The arrows. Must be...removed."

Matthias leans against the tree and adds, "My magic will do nothing unless we extract those arrows. Even then, I am not sure. But we must try!"

In reply to Matthias (msg # 20):

Glad that the child can be freed, and hopefully saved, Delta stands out of the way, convinced her presence would hamper more than help.

"Matthias, what about the horn, it deals with poison. Can we use that? Do you think it might, I don't know, attach itself?"

While Matthias is leaning against the tree, another thumps into the tree next to his head.  This one though, is not black and dripping with poison, although that fact might not be the first thing he notices.

"I did not have to miss, tell me are not here to harm unicorns, or the next arrows, will drop you and your friends, one by one".  The voice is calm, with an elven accent.

"We are not here to hurt the poor creature, in fact we were discussing trying to aid it. Would you care to help us free it?"

Delta speaks to the air, without attempting to seek the source of the arrow or the voice. She was frustrated that no one had answered her suggestions, but this was not the time.

There is quiet for a moment, then a deep sigh,

"Dammit, I swear if you are lying, you'll regret it...".

A moment later, a young elf carrying a bow moves into sight, dressed in browns, and greens, with chainmail, a sword, and bow, he is the model image of woodsman, or Ranger.  Without another thought he rushes to the unicorn and speaks to it, it whinnies in response.

"There is not time for gentleness, you, priest, come here and lean over its neck and try to hold it down, block it from watching...".

Assuming Matthias does this, the young elf rather unceremoniously tears the arrows out of its flanks.  Then leans over the two holes trying to stop the flow of blood!

"We have a small horn given to us in the city." Delta shows the horn to the elf. "As you can see, it has been separate for awhile, I was told it was a natural molt. Could it be used to help with the poison?"

Matthias startles when the elf calls out in warning, but once it is clear the woodsman seems to have no ill intent, the cleric does as commanded.

Matthias aids the elf and comments, "we were not trying to hurt it. We were trying to help..."

While awaiting the result of the elf's efforts, Matthias considers whether a cure light wounds spell would have any effect.

Matthias, and in fact most people, don't know a lot about unicorns.  They are shy to the extreme, and seem more myth than real to most.  It is known they exist but what is told of them is more difficult to discern fact from story.  They are goodly, their horns have special healing properties, those pretty much are agreed to be factual.  Matthias knows of no reason a cure spell wouldn't work on them, it does have some limitations but the spell has broad uses.

Vala was looking awkward and after a moment of hesitation spoke up. "Uh... I don't know if this is true but do unicorns really react best to, um, maidens?"

At Vala's comment, Delta's left eyebrow rose a fraction of an inch, and she stifled a smile. Even she had 'experimented' behind Master Given's Apple barn on festival night! She wondered at the life of her friend, clearly being a barbarian Princess was a lifetime and a half away from like in her little village.

Still, it was people like Vala who became the center of great sagas, Delta would probably never rise above having her name scribbled on the outhouse wall.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:04, Sun 04 Apr 2021.

The elven woodsman, adds,

"She can't be hurt by poison...but dammit, I can". and he steps back and tears off his gloves which have started to smoke having torn the arrows out of her.

"Yes, they prefer ladies, come up here and try to comfort her, she is dying...." He leans back onto the unicorns bleeding wounds with his bare hands, but has tears in his eyes.

Blushing furiously and trying to avoid Delta's eye in particular Vala moved forward. Sitting down her legs crossed under her the tall warriors stroked the unicorn's head with surprising gentleness.

Tanyl maintains an alert vigil, convinced that the person who perpetrated this deed may reappear at any moment.

Having no magic too sooth the dying creature's pain, Delta sits down a short distance away on the grass, and pulls out her lute.

She strums a soothing but melancholy tune, opting for a minor key to capture the sense of desolation she is feeling him her heart.

She keens along, crooning an assortment of mourning tunes in a variety of tongues, all of burrowing animals, creatures of the woodlands, letting all within range know of the tragic murder that had happened in their midst.

Out of her pocket, her little rat friend pokes her head, sniffing at the air, then joining in with muted squeaks...

The unicorn does calm when Vala lays her hands on it, it takes a deep breath and ceases to struggle as much.  When Delta begins playing it further calms.  Almost seeming to sleep.


As Delta finishes her last song, the wounds on the unicorn cease to bleed, and the skin knits together.  The unicorn whinnies slightly before actually falling asleep.  Its breathing is deep and normal, it is just resting.

Matthias' mouth hangs wide open when he notices the unicorn colt drift off to sleep. Then, the cleric's head swings over to take in Delta, who had been sitting nearby strumming her lute.

"What was that song you just played?" he whispers just loud enough for the gnome to hear but, hopefully, not loud enough to wake the colt.

The young woodsman takes a deep breath and steps back.

"Thank you, I'm glad you are people of good character.  I am Kellen, a Ranger, well a Ranger in training anyhow.  There were rumors that the unicorns of this area were in danger and I was sent to verify.  Whoever did this, they will pay for their evil deeds"

Raised eyes and shoulders express Delta's ignorance to the question of Matthias. "It was just something I made up, but I'm pleases the Uni seemed soothed by the sound."

At Kellen's comments, Delta offers their own tale.

"We were asked to come out here at the behest of a young woman who was worried about one of the Sisters of Elhonna. She had a premonition of danger, and I can't help but think this foul attack was a part of her concerns."

She clearly wished to stroke the soft fur on the child-unicorn, but restrained herself. Her eyes were slightly damp from the sadness she had poured in to her song at what she had thought was the immanent death of the child.

"We should press onward, I think, and attempt to find their convent. Perhaps we can learn more about these vile poachers there. Can you ensure the creatures safety?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:56, Fri 09 Apr 2021.

Kellen nods,

"Yes, I will stay with the colt till it is awake and help it further if it needs it.  Thank you for your help and I wish you success in helping the Sisters and finding their convent.  These high plains and mountains are rugged, so I have no doubt it is well hidden.  If I can find those who did this, I will try to kill them for their evil deeds".

Tanyl relaxes, shrugs, and sheathes his weapons.

"Alrighty then; we continue?"