Io's Labyrinth

[Nephrite]

Moore's about to comment on Grias before he frowns at the message.

"I'm not even human and I feel insulted..." He murmurs.

[Corwin]

"The last enemy to be abolished is death, something like that?" Seira muses. "I sort of agree that mortality should be optional, but mediocrity? Really? In any large group most of the members will be average, that's just how things work. Since humans are so numerous, the chance of coming across an exceptional one might feel smaller, but it really isn't."

Should she be offended on behalf of her mother? But her mother wasn't exactly a legendary adventurer with countless achievements.....

[Anastasia]

"Well, humans are short lived, that is not in doubt," Amaryl points out, "Human culture is also not as refined as the longer lived elven culture."

"And then you show us what happens when you excuse a human from aging," Oberuth remarks, a hint of pique in his voice, "Or do you think there's more to us than mediocrity, if we're only given time?"

Jetina frowns, "Human culture is better than elven culture," she remarks right back to Amaryl, a hand on her hip, "Elven culture is so, so...so........I haven't really experienced much elven culture since I emerged from the light, have I?"

[Nephrite]

"We're certainly going to find an Answer on whose culture is better." Moore says with a smile. "Let's table that for some other time."

[Ebiris]

"Lets not get into a stereotypical 'my culture is best' debate, please," Alicia says. "I'm sure we'll find an orb where Io expounds his thoughts on the elves before long as well."

[Corwin]

"Oh please, not the culture wars again. Just don't," Seira mutters, asking Moore for the staff before trying the middlemost eastern passage.

[Nephrite]

"Yeah, exactly. Fey are the best anyway. I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" He smiles and passes the staff over as requested!

[Anastasia]

Amaryl goes silent at that, faintly sullen as Jetina merely shuts up.

Ahead, the passage goes north as seen, this hall filled indents on both sides. Here thousands of colorful, sometimes metallic eggs rest. Dragon's eggs if none of you miss your guesses. A sphere sits in the middle, floating, while past that there are passages to the east and the west.

Amaryl's quiet for several beats, "If we're going from an area talking about humans to more dragons, then if we're halfway, do you think those eggs are...?"

"Thousands of eggs worth of dragon trouble," Oberuth says, "Or half dragons, maybe."

[Ebiris]

Are those eggs viable?

Alter reality for an appropriate 'detect life' sort of divination on the eggs.

[Nephrite]

Moore really hopes they're not just going to have to beat up a bunch of drago-babies!

[Anastasia]

They eggs are viable, but all are in suspension, perfectly preserved and waiting.

[Ebiris]

"They're not just decoration," Alicia says. "Suspended, but if that were broken they'd all be perfectly able to hatch."

Wanting to know more she walks over and touches the sphere.

[Corwin]

Seira taps the sphere. It's probably something about all the races dragons can sleep with.

[Anastasia]

Again you hear the voice of Io.

"For all of humanity's limitations, they exceptions are mighty. Those that break the rules are some of the greatest heroes any race produces, and woe be to any who challenge a human paragon. As I designed dragons, I came to consider humans anew. If the greatest of them had such potential, then what would that potential be like when added to draconic power?"

"I created rituals, means of empowerment to allow draconic power to be gained by mortals. Those who become disciples to dragons, those become devotees of dragons and many other paths. In time, when my children were determined to have arcane power and the ability to alter their shape, I gave them the gift to produce offspring with any other race they saw fit. An unexpectedly successful development, as much or more than the rituals I created."

[Ebiris]

Alicia at least seems mollified at this greater respect shown to humanity. "Relevant," she muses on the topic of rituals, looking to Seira and Amaryl. "Perhaps we might find the root of such rituals while we're here."