This broke my heart. I have been studying a Kulve Taroth deep within a secluded mountain connected to a gold vain. I always gave her her space and never pushed it. Sometimes I would offer precious gems and stones I found as a peace offering. In a way she kind of got used to me. I named her Majesty. Seemed fitting.
But, just a few days ago, I found her decaying corpse. It was an awful sight.
Her abdomen was completely sliced open. Her fire organ was gone as well as certain bones were missing. Her limbs were nailed to the floor and she was declawed. Teeth were removed. Tail wasn't attached anymore.
Her horns were gone, completely sawed off. And there was a hole in here head. Pierced right through the skull. Likey how she died.
It had to had been poachers. The slaughtering bastards! She may have been an Elder Dragon but she was at peace in her caverns. To see such a magnificent creature reduced to a decaying waste shattered me.
But that's not the worst of it. She had eggs and they were missing. Unborn Taroths are highly valued in black markets and illegal trades for the gold attached to their shells.
I may not be able to avenge Majesty. But I can try to save her children from greedy humans. That's why I came to you. Please help me.
Poached Kulve Taroth Cadaver Report
Between Oleander and Myself, we were able to match the gold deposits that remained on Majesty’s corpse with eggs and gold confiscated from a merchant trying to pass through Loc Lac City. We found her horns and tail too.
Unfortunately; two of the three eggs we found had grown cold - but the third we were able to quickly tuck into my Banbaro coat. It was not the most elegent or secure solution; but it allowed us to get the egg back to the hatchery without having to risk chilling the egg by travelling at high speeds. Was a bit uncomfortable for us to have to sandwich the egg between us just to be sure however; far too hot even for my blood.
Once back at the Sanctuary the hatchery had to be divided - Kulve Taroths keep their nests in volcanoes and lava caverns due to the high temperatures required for their eggs - and we had to match that. After some makeshift engineering; Oleander and I managed to make an offshoot from the blast furnace behind the house that could house the egg. The heat did however make us both pretty ill;
Never really seen Oldguards’ back before. Know the stories he tells about his scars; Tigrex bite, Acidic Glavenus burns, random clawing and tooth marks from a variety of beasts.
I appreciate the effort he puts into helping me with these rescues, and I worry about how much he puts himself at risk for them. I think it’s just hitting me a lot harder as of late as to how hard he wo
Ignore the above.
The egg is secured and well heated - it’s now just a matter of time to see if the egg will hatch. It looks healthy for the most part, if not a little small. Little more conflicted with having two Elder Dragons on the premises even with Gretchen’s release date only days away.
I’m currently in contact with the original researcher who studied Majesty and we have returned the horns and tail so that they can decompose naturally with the rest of the corpse. While I’m not one to waste resources; it strikes me as deeply wrong to use these ones knowing how they were obtained. She deserved better, and I’m still bitter despite the fact we caught the bastards who tried to profit from her death.
As for the hatchling if we’re so lucky - study, rehabilitate; and release.
I just hope we can do it with what little we know of how a Kulve Taroth raises her young.
- Leo Briarworth
