Quoted By:
The girl, a dark-haired young woman of thirteen or fourteen summers, lies half-covered amongst a thatch of reeds and brush. She lies upon the earth, her face hidden by the vegetation, motionless, her small chiton filthy with mud and dirt. You see dried blood upon her scalp, beneath her wet hair, and more of it flaking on the back of her neck – an ugly wound parts her hair above the left temple. Your instincts as a healer take over, and with extreme delicacy, your fingertips trace the neck and back of the girl. The skull is unbroken, which is both a blessing and a curse, but the wound was almost certainly a mortal wound. In desperation, you lay your head upon the child’s back, pressing your ear against the wet clothing.
She lives.
You hear the unmistakable sound of a heartbeat – weak, fluttering irregularly at a rapid pace, but beating all the same. Rising, you belt out a series of commands to Pantaleon and his team. She is too weak to be moved, you think. Instead, you move expeditiously to make a soft bed of reeds and brush, and with extreme caution, roll the child onto your makeshift cot with Pantaleon’s help. You’re careful to keep the child’s head stable – any sudden movement may dislodge the blocked humors of the head to disastrous effect. A quick investigation of the child’s face and eyes reveals tremendous swelling on the left side of her head and face - she is unconscious and unresponsive. You are late to find her – she must have been lying here for a day or more, but there is still a chance.
You hear Spathion’s acid voice in your mind – <span class="mu-i">“You must relieve the pressure, idiot girl. Quickly!”</span>. With dread, you send Pantaleon and his men to gather your tools, and within an anxious few minutes, you are armed with a pot of boiling water, bandages – and Pantaleon’s flint. You gulp nervously, but with the girl’s life in the balance, you are forced to act. You must open the skull, and relieve the pressure upon the brains of the girl. The increased pressure has blocked her humors - only by opening her skullcase can you relieve said pressure and allow her humors to drain naturally into the body. Even if this is done, it is a desperate procedure and a dangerous one. She may very well perish in your attempt - but you must try.
The cutting of the scalp fold is easy enough, with a hot knife - and with the flint in hand, you begin scraping against the bone of the skull directly above the wound...
>Players, I need TWO rolls of dice+1d20+6 to determine if the girl survives 'Nira's trepanation attempt.
>DCs are high - 18, 22, 24. Best of luck.
