[Text] @zobrien

[flying_fish]

[Zed isn't in the best of moods since another person he cared for disappeared, so he's taken to drink. Not that the alcohol has ever helped him, but it has him thinking about home...and some not so pleasant business back there.]

There's an item back home that operates like the Chinese gu. Except instead of venomous creatures, you insert humans. It is said that once the ritual is complete, it will lead to the destruction of the world.

The humans inside are forced to kill each other and mix together until becoming one being. The skin disappears while the skeleton, muscles, and organs fuse together. They're neither dead nor alive because of the magic that binds them.

Let's say the item broke, and a part of the conglomerate was separated from the whole. The humans that make up this "specimen" are children. Do you destroy it to prevent the ritual from being completed?

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[kiss_it_better]

[He isn't surprised. And truly, while he'd ideally prefer not to say anything he also can't help but feel...if it could help, then wasn't that more important? He almost laughed at himself. Look at him, so many years have passed and he's still like this.

He should know better and yet...]

Among the Northern Man Tribe, there are many gods, one of them, an evil god, is called Wu Er Gu who is said to have four arms, four legs, immense strength and unfathomable intelligence. The Bone of Impurity is a curse used by the Tian Lang Priestess to create this evil god using two blood related children under a month old. Both children are placed in darkness, given no water or food until one of them dies. The corpse of the dead child is then made into medicine that is fed to the remaining child.

This child, having the strength and intelligence of two people now becomes Wu Er Gu and will become plagued with nightmares every time they sleep, they become easy to anger and eventually will be driven insane and slaughter any in their path.

According to historical sources, no one inflicted with the Bone of Impurity have been able to avoid this fate. Most do not even make it to adulthood.

There was a child who had this curse laid on him. His aunt who had laid the curse upon him told him, before she died that no one would love him, no one would treat him with sincerity, he will live his life only knowing suspicion and hatred. He will lose his mind and everyone near him will die horrifically and he will leave a trail of bloodshed wherever he goes.

This child...though he still manages to hold onto his sanity there's no telling when or how long before this changes. As time goes on, nightmares become harder to differentiate from reality and attacks from the curse become more powerful.

But the child continued to hold on, because his aunt was wrong. Someone does love him and treats him with sincerity. For that person's sake, he has been hanging on all this time. As long as that person lives, this child refuses to give in to the Bone of Impurity if only to be able to walk at this person's side even if just for one more day.

As far as I'm aware, when I was brought here the situation had reached such a stalemate in regards to this curse.

["As far as I'm aware" he says as if the child isn't himself.]

I know the situation is different but perhaps the being you speak of doesn't have anything that binds him to your world. Perhaps it is naive of me, I think if he had such a connection perhaps he may reconsider his actions.

[flying_fish]

[There's a lot to parse through, and it comes off as a bit strange to read details about the child that sound extremely personal. So this must be someone close to the child, if Zed were to take a guess.]

That is certainly a difficult situation. I hope the child is able to remain grounded as he lives. It is fortunate that he has someone who can support him.

[Thinking on it further, it really is hard to make comparisons. The child's insanity reads as more gradual, whereas the victims of the cursed jar were going through a quick and violent transformation. The only real similarity would be the end result as one being...and even then there's no telling what the black magic may do to control it.]

Thank you for that explanation.

As for the Charops Jinko, if the ritual is somehow completed, I hope that the creation from it can be reasoned with. [High hopes.] Although that will likely mean that the humans' lives will be forfeited.

With the collector, I doubt that is something my group can provide that connection since he is directly at odds with us.

[kiss_it_better]

You're too kind. I fear it may not have been very useful in the end.

The child is in good hands. For the moment, there's nothing to be worried about.

[Well, he got stabbed recently but that has nothing to do with the curse.

He reads the rest and he has to stop to think about what to say. To be honest, he knows too little about this specific threat or even this sort of threat to think he can give advice.]

Someone once taught me this: in the face of an insurmountable enemy, the moment you take a step back both your mind and your body's focus point will fall backwards. It will become difficult to regain strength and instead your arms and legs will become clumsy and you will fall into the hands of your opponent.

I really cannot say what is the right course of action in your situation as it isn't entirely similar to the one I know of, but at least I think this piece of advice applies. Whatever you choose, the action you will have to take will be difficult and may have consequences that you couldn't have imagined. But once you have made a choice, in the face of impossible odds, you must not back down and must not retreat.

I only hope that you can find a good solution in the end.

[flying_fish]

Wise words. I feel my master would have similar advice...but put less tactfully. I'm sure there will be consequences with any decision made for this situation, but this has been a good reminder that there isn't a "correct" one.

To be honest, I will likely not be the one to destroy the specimen when I return. Not because I am against it, but rather due to the fact that I was not standing near it. It will likely be my group's second in command that does it, and he was also the one to suggest this option. His decision will have to happen in a split second because the auction house's bodyguards were arriving just as I returned here. They are a deadly force, and we may lose our lives if we focus purely on fleeing with the specimen.

Nevertheless, I hope that we are able to protect the world no matter the choice. Thank you again for telling the child's story as well as your encouragement.