Crossed swords

[Anastasia]

"I'll see if I can invite her over," Donald says, "Hold on."

[Corwin]

"Thanks!"

Seira asks Vayley to prepare refreshments for the occasion.

[Anastasia]

Soon enough the four of you - Seira, Ranbar, Donald and Elle - are joined by Jetina. With her is Moore, "I invited Moore in case he can help," Jetina says, "I understand you're seeking something on the Positive Energy Plane, something anathemic?"

[Corwin]

Ranbar rather than Amaryl this time.

"Yep," Seira responds, waving in greeting. "I heard of an artifact that should aid my dispels, and apparently an anathemic beastie that lives on the Positive ate it."

[Nephrite]

"Huh, I wonder what kind of creatures could even do that." Moore says. "Well, I'll help however I can. We actually just created something that might be of benefit too, once we get the details worked out I'll send over all the information we have on it, you're welcome to use it." He adds.

[Anastasia]

Thank you, my mistake. I'll edit after this post.

Jetina comes in, "I may know what it is, and if it is, you're in for a difficult quest." Once in she nods, "Most can't remember it or even learn of it. Only the greatest of healers can, due to our connection to the Positive Energy Plane. Moore would likewise be unaffected due to his efforts with anathemic knowledge."

A pause to regard all of you, "It's called the Shining Watcher. It is protected by the plane itself and a healer with perhaps no rival, save for the greatest of the gods who champion healing. It is also said to be the greatest of wild beasts: the tarrasque."

A beat.

"Well fuck," Donald groans, "A super tarrasque who can outheal a god?"

[Nephrite]

"Well... it sounds like maybe we can at least bargain with it somehow? But I wonder if it's so shrouded because it doesn't want to be bothered." Moore says. "At least it isn't being held in some awful place."

[Corwin]

"That's not a problem," Seira reasons. "We're not there to kill it, but just to take the artifact. Is this tarrasque that healer's pet or something? Or is it full sapient?"

[Anastasia]

"No, the tarrasque is the healer," Jetina says, "I reckon it's as least as smart as a human."

Elle frowns, "The last time we faced an intelligent tarrasque was the Destroyer," she points out, "And that battle was full of horrible surprises."

[Nephrite]

"Dumb question, but can we just... reach out to it and ask?" Moore says. "Or does its nature prohibit that possibility?"

[Corwin]

"I was thinking of asking the healer, so yes, if it's the tarrasque I can do that! But if it will refuse, it better have a great reason. And if it attacks instead of talking, that just means it's following the adventurer's code, so that also works."

[Anastasia]

"Then reach out to it?" Jetina says, "If it answers or not, either possibility guides our next choices."

[Corwin]

Hello, Shining Watcher.

[Anastasia]

There is no reply.

[Corwin]

"As expected, no answer," Seira responds with a shrug. "Honestly, I was thinking of going and talking to it directly so I'll know if I'm getting ignored."