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[Twinwolf]

Cora nodded, with a slight grin. "Dwaine, if your suspicions were as I believe, you were correct - dragon eggs. Specifically for Black Dragons. About three hundred more days to hatch naturally if you let them, or much much quicker if you mean to intervene." Cora says, with supreme confidence that her assessment is correct. She turns to Arwen. "I have to ask, where did you find these? Dragons may not be particularly nurturing parents, but I somewhat doubt you just stumbled onto such a rare find."

[Dwarmin]

"We found them in a cave. Specifically a cave occupied and guarded by a cult of Chromatic Dragon worshipers who had recently raided a town and more worse besides. That was the business I was alluding to before-we were tossing as many spanners as we could into their works, and figured that thing would be better in our hands than theirs.

Didn't see any Black Dragons, though-there was a Blue one, who attacked the town. Lennithon was his name. Or maybe her name, I'm not really sure.

What are we going to do with it anyway?" Johanna asked.

In the days to come, those words would echo in her head as she found out how very useful Draconic 'by-products' could be...she would wonder that a cult so intent on venerating Dragons as Gods had a suspiciously generous amount of knowledge about what to do with them when they were dead, and consider that perhaps the Dragon Egg has been meant for no more than spell fodder.

She would feel slightly guilty to be considering those thoughts herself.

[My Name is Immaterial]

In the days to come, those words would echo in her head as she found out how very useful Draconic 'by-products' could be...she would wonder that a cult so intent on venerating Dragons as Gods had a suspiciously generous amount of knowledge about what to do with them when they were dead, and consider that perhaps the Dragon Egg has been meant for no more than spell fodder.

She would feel slightly guilty to be considering those thoughts herself.

The subject of using Godlings in dark rituals is a matter of great debate. In a previous incarnation of the cult, a sermon on the issue had been recorded in Johanna's black little book.

...While Dragons, in all their glory, seem infinite, even to those races to whom the passage of centuries is but a mere season, They too are ultimately mortal. This is further, undeniable proof that the universe is unjust: that such a wondorous avatar of all that IS, should be plucked by the fickle hands of death, from this world? A tragedy unlike any other. This is why, when we war with the brethren of our Masters, we are not committing heresy, but instead, we are liberators! We free our Masters from the prison that is the flesh, releasing them into true freedom, Dracolichdom! That hesitation you feel when you raise your blade to slay a dragon, crush its eggs, and drink deeply of its blood? BANISH IT! You have been called upon to be the hand that acts out the will of the Masters, and it is the highest honor to answer! Act with swiftness...

[FelixSparks]

"... I saw we keep it." Arwen is now very close to the egg, looking down at it with almost partental affection.

[Dwarmin]

Johanna recalled a conversation they had had, seemed so long before...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Johanna nods grimly.

"...prepare for war, indeed.

You know, some would say Orcs are inherently evil-that they were created  by their evil God only to destroy and cause havoc-and that Men, Elves and Dwarves were created by the Gods inherit with a free will to choose right, or wrong. I'm not sure what to think of that...seems a suspicious way to imply we should be less merciful to our enemies, when mercy is exactly the trait that makes us better then them."

Arwen scoffs."Bull. Nothing is INHERENTLY evil. Sometimes we just read from different books, or have different circumstances. It's just the people in charge never want to admit they're wrong." He sips on an ale thoughtfully.

"Still, it's a theory. If the Gods created the world, and all the beings in it, and Gods are clearly capable of their own forms of good and evil-it might stand to reason that some of the beings they created might be unredeemable...but, Men and Dwarves can be cruel as any Orcs. Does it really matter if Evil is inherent, or chosen? Seems to me like you would have a hard time telling the difference, from your mortal point of view."

"I'm not sure we could do that, Arwen...I'll be honest, I think we need some advice before we go hatching rotten eggs. It might turn out to be like a Devil-totally evil, unalterably so. You could say inherently evil. We'd be trying to raise a monster...and it'd outlive us all even if we all lived to a ripe old age. The job might just be too big for us.

Now, my mentor would know what to do about this...you could say she has experience in this matter. I could write to her. Or maybe Ms. Coral or Mr. Dwaine can offer some advice?"

[FelixSparks]

Arwen shakes his head. "Most behaviors, like those we show in public, are typically learned. If we can train it to behave like a good person... Dragon... Then it shouldn't be a problem, right? Look at Rex. He started out pretty fierce but now he's like a loyal dog.
 Besides. I don't think we should call something evil just because of what it is. That's kind of... Wrong, I think. Everything deserves a chance."

[TheBiggerFish]

Adrik, long silent, nods in agreement as Arwen speaks.

[Dwarmin]

"You'll have to harden your heart then, Arwen. If this Dog goes mad you'll be the one to put it down. If you're ready to do that, more power to you."

[My Name is Immaterial]

"I'm not sure we could do that, Arwen...I'll be honest, I think we need some advice before we go hatching rotten eggs. It might turn out to be like a Devil-totally evil, unalterably so. You could say inherently evil. We'd be trying to raise a monster...and it'd outlive us all even if we all lived to a ripe old age. The job might just be too big for us.

Now, my mentor would know what to do about this...you could say she has experience in this matter. I could write to her. Or maybe Ms. Coral or Mr. Dwaine can offer some advice?"

His eyes sparkling with the greed that only a wizard can possess, Dwaine asserts "Well, if you insist, my advice is that you leave the eggs with me. You can hardly play adoptive parents while traveling across the Sword Coast. I can raise them in peace here, no need for you to smuggle them through Faerūn's many cities. You'll see many who will be interested in taking them from you, especially your foes in the Cult. I can offer you a substantial reward for your trouble."
It's hard to miss the (metaphorical) hunger that Dwaine eyes the eggs with. Leaving them with him might not be a good idea. But then again, there aren't many good ideas.

[Twinwolf]

"Well, Arwen's not wrong about learned behaviors. By nature, black dragons will be very cruel. If left alone, they will grow up to be evil. But it's not impossible to teach them, no, just difficult. You're going to have to be strict if you do bring them with us." Cora says, glancing at the eggs, and then at Arwen. "You're sure you can find the time, on the road?" She doesn't acknowledge Dwaine's contribution - not her place to decide where they go.

[TheBiggerFish]

"An' if I may, what're ye planning t'do wi' 'em if we do leave 'em here?"

Adrik affects simple curiosity, but is rather suspicious of that greedy look.

Also, he has a rather similar accent to Johanna.

[FelixSparks]

Arwen can only nod in response to Cora. "We took them from their... nest I guess? The Cult was going to raise them I think,
 and I can probably do a much better job. And I agree with you Johanna. If it turns out they can't be taught any other way to be... I'll take care of it." He nods, but grins at her. "But that decision is probably a year or two away, or at the very least a few months.
 The issue then becomes I'm not very familiar with dragons so... Cora! What do you say about us hiring you on as our Dragon Expert while we raise these dragons? It'll be an experiment, and if you can tell people you assisted in teaching Black Dragons how to be good, well I can't imagine doors wouldn't open for you."

[My Name is Immaterial]

"An' if I may, what're ye planning t'do wi' 'em if we do leave 'em here?"

Adrik affects simple curiosity, but is rather suspicious of that greedy look.

"I intend to raise them; there are a few vats of acid that could be used to speed along their developments. Hopefully, they will be hatched and growing nicely by the wedding."

(Adrik's Insight: 11+1)
Dwaine seems to be telling the truth, or at least most of it. Anything he isn't sharing is probably minor, but it's hard to tell: he's got a great poker face.

[TheBiggerFish]

Adrik shoots a look at Arwen, as if asking him to double-check.  Arwen knows his uncle better than Adrik does, after all.

[FelixSparks]

"Uncle... Why did you specifically mention the wedding?" Arwen turns to his uncle, an eyebrow raising. Suddenly the feeling he got whenever he saw an animal near his uncle was making sense, as was the disappearance of that kitten he'd found when he was just a boy. He can't leave these eggs with his Uncle. No matter what.

"And where are these vats of acid?"