An Eggcellent Find pt I

-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] shit let's be an egg. Perhaps in a dry sort of plain. In a large, twiggy sort of nest that's fallen into disrepair, on the leeside of an outcropping of rocks. The shell is bumpy and rough, a flaming orange-red color, with a thick shell. It doesn't seem to have a parent to incubate it, and is probably a dud. Some dude with a keen eye for valuable natural things should happen by and pick it up to take home, maybe use in some potionmaking and show his neat find to his friends. --
??? artemisEntreri [?AE] ??:?? FROM ???? responded to memo.
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] Scouting for potion ingredients brought his wanderings far east of the regular hive. He's been out a few days, riding his horse hard in search of anything desert like, or at the very least dry. Coming upon the plain, he dismounts and decides to examine the local flora and fauna, searching for anything he could use in potion-making. Though much of what he sees is different, there are similarities and he plans on testing what he finds.--
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] there's just this egg, about the size of a grapefruit(maybe a little smaller) sitting under a rock outcropping. The nest is rough, made mainly of twigs and roots and dried underbrush, with a few reddish feathers in the lining. Most of the feathers seem to have blown away, or been taken by other birds to make other nests. The rest of the nest seems to be falling apart, one side entirely collapsed. Whatever laid the egg hasn't been to the nest in quite a long time. The brilliant red-orange color of the egg's shell makes it stand out against the dull stone and dead nest. --
?AE: Hm...
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] Picking up the egg and examining it, running his fingers over the bumps. --
?AE: This nest looks abandoned...
?AE: This egg is likely dead now.
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] there's no movement inside the egg, and it's weight suggest it is still mainly liquid inside. It was probably never incubated to begin with. Laid and abandoned. Or perhaps orphaned, its parents dead to predators or the elements. Either way it might be handy. Artemis should take it home and show off his find. --
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] Puts the egg in his pouch, nestled among the other herbs he's gathered, making a comfortable nest in the pouch. --
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] it's very warm in here --
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] With that, he hops up on his Nightmare, riding back towards the hive. The trip takes about a week for a two way trip. --
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] im sure Dirk misses Artie while he was gone. DIDN'T YOU, EE? --
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] Nah, Dirk's just at home building robots. --
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] :'( way to not miss your boyfriend, Dirk --
-- CURRENT equestrianEpicurean [CEE] he's not terribly concerned. Artie is a full grown assassin, he can take care of himself --
-- CURRENT equestrianEpicurean [CEE] though he would much rather have him here --
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] Returning, he goes straight to his work table to examine the egg. --
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] seems to have gotten slightly denser in the last few days, and is somewhat warmer to the touch. --
?AE: ...Strange...
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] Lights a candle and holds the egg in front of it to examine the thing, checking its validity. --
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] theres a dark shape inside, along with lots of veins. It's valid! It seems that it had only been in a sort of dormancy, simply waiting to be incubated, not quite dead yet. --
?AE: Very strange.
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] is a very resilient egg! --
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] Sets up a nest of soft cloth for the egg, keeping it in a heated space. --
?AE: Perhaps you'll have something I can use once you've grown.
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] is gonna take maybe a week or two longer to hatch. In the meantime, maybe Artie could show Dirky what he found. --
?AE: Dirk! Come here, I've collected something interesting!
CEE: I'm downstairs.
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] Picks up the egg, bringing it downstairs. --
?AE: I've found something potentially valuable.
-- CURRENT equestrianEpicurean [CEE] he's on his back, an stained rag in his pocket and a smear of grease on his cheek as he works. He gives a final twist of his screwdriver before rolling himself out from under the thing --
CEE: Oh?
-- ??? artemisEntreri [?AE] Holds the egg up to view. --
?AE: I think it's a snake.
CEE: Hmm.
CEE: I'm assuming it's valid.
-- CURRENT equestrianEpicurean [CEE] wipes off his hands before tapping it lightly --
CEE: Where did you find it?
?AE: Out on a dry plain in an abandoned nest.
CEE: If it was a nest then there is a chance that it's avian in origin. I haven't heard of snakes constructing a nest before.
?AE: I've seen some snakes do it, but they had wings.
?AE: But you're probably right.
?AE: I wonder what it'll be.
?AE: Perhaps it contains venom.
CEE: Hmm. That'd be useful.
?AE: I'm unfamiliar with the kind of egg it is, so this could be potentially dangerous.
CEE: Potentially.
CEE: I'm attempting to cross-refference it with my databases right now but it ain't turning up shit.
?AE: Well, I can at least rule out dragon.
?AE: Too small to be any kind of dragon.
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] although it does seem like what would happen if one crossed a dragon egg with a chicken egg --
?AE: But... It does remind me a bit of red dragon eggs.
CEE: Hmm.
CEE: Perhaps it is a related species?
?AE: Perhaps, but avian in nature.
CEE: Hmmm.
CEE: A cockatrice?
?AE: The build of the nest was like a large bird's nest.
?AE: A cockatrice... You may be right.
?AE: If that's the case, those are very dangerous and I'll have to kill it immediately.
CEE: Shame.
?AE: Yes, but it's best not to risk it.
?AE: The poison is valuable, but one scratch from it and you'll be struck dead almost instantly.
CEE: Impressive.
CEE: Especially considering its size.
?AE: Magical creatures usually are that way.
?AE: In my world, if it look interesting and a combination of various creatures, don't touch it.
?AE: So if it's a cockatrice, we kill it. If it's anything else, we study it.
CEE: Could we not remove the glands before they have time to fully develop?
CEE: Or is the poison active right from birth.
?AE: ...Hm... I'm not entirely sure.
?AE: Well, we can test it. Draw out some venom and see its toxicity.
CEE: Hmm.
CEE: It shouldn't be within normal levels for a cocatrice after just being born.
?AE: ...
?AE: You're very gentle.
?AE: You don't like the idea of executing it.
CEE: Why would I execute something I could experiment on?
?AE: Fair enough, but what would you need it for?
?AE: Just curious.
-- CURRENT equestrianEpicurean [CEE] shrugs --
CEE: The persuit of knowledge occasionally does not require an end.
?AE: Fair enough.
?AE: I'd be happy to share my notes with you.
CEE: Perfect.
?AE: You could read some things about my world.
CEE: I'd enjoy that, actually.
?AE: Even though it wouldn't really help you with anything.
-- CURRENT equestrianEpicurean [CEE] shrugs --
?AE: Do you enjoy tales of Elves?
CEE: Yes.
CEE: Though I don't believe I've actually read any.
?AE: I could tell you a few.
?AE: A rival of mine was a dark elf.
CEE: Go on.
-- CURRENT threeinchSquawker [CTS] funny how theyre talking about killing and/or experimenting on what comes out of this egg. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW... --
?AE: Well, he was a goodly ranger.
?AE: And I was at a time in my life where I was only about my work.
CEE: Does this tale end in his dismemberment or..?
?AE: No.
?AE: He lived and eventually we made peace.
?AE: I abandoned the silly rivalry anyway.
?AE: ...Well, afer I thought I had killed him.
?AE: But I realized the emptiness of it.
CEE: Hmm.