"I would not be surprised if there was a lot of humanoid hides being tanned here, though..." says Seif-al-Din darkly.
Gruthic is taken aback by the strange sight, but does his best to keep his surprise from showing on his face. He lowers his axe, but does not sheath it.
"Greetings to you, Undrella. I am Gruthic Shalebreaker and I apologize if I have intruded upon your home. The others who live here have not been gracious hosts, and I am wary. As to why I am here, I cannot speak, for it is not my place. You must speak to my boss."
Gruthic raises his voice and calls outside. "Muqaq, there is a woman in here, no gnolls. You should come talk to her."
A woman?! thinks N'Dateh, tilting her head sideways while looking at Muqaq.
She dismounts.
Muqaq looks wary but makes his way slowly into the building. When he sees the harpy, his eyes momentarily go wide before he regains composure. "Good day," he says by way of greeting. "Forgive our intrusion into your dwelling. Are you associated with the gnolls dwelling here?"
Xanyon waits outside, musket ready.
"Be careful in there. Gnolls wouldn't leave her alone if she couldn't take care of herself right?"
They sure like to talk... thinks N'Dateh as she keeps an eye on the other buildings, staying outside until called for.
Akhom moves in beside Muqaq, and his eyes also widen at the sight of the harpy's uncovered torso. Though his jaw hangs open, he keeps his arrow nocked. Hearing Muqaq's polite greeting, he resists the instinct to shout a warning to Gruthic and loose an arrow at the creature's most obvious chest region. Nothing would live here without being friendly with those cursed hyena-heads. Why are we talking to it..? I must be ready to strike when she - it - turns on us. I wish Gruthic would move away from it... He struggles to keep his 16 year old eyes on the harpy's face.
The harpy laughs at Muqaq's question, and prepares to answer, but not before giving the blushing young Paladin a wink.
"Associated? Kind of hard not to be associated with someone living so close by. And association can be interpreted pretty generally. One could say that you are associated with them, given how you've been killing so many of them over the last few days," she shrugs her shoulders casually. Both the laughter and her other motions cause distracting movements upon her naked upper torso. "So yes, I am associated with them to one degree or another, for better or worse, but then also no, for I've lived here for a few years longer than those beasts. They generally stayed out my way until just recently. It's only been lately that the interactions have actually grown interesting."
"Do you have any issue with us killing the rest of them?"
Seif-al-Din raises an eyebrow.
"In exactly what way interactions recently 'grown interesting'?"
The strange creature stands straighter, arching her back in such a fashion as makes it all the harder for the young paladin to find a place he feels comfortable casting his gaze. ”What has made it so much more interesting? Why the arrival of Kardswann of course. When he arrived, he shattered the peaceful routine we had established here. The gnolls are filthy dogs, no doubt, but he had an understanding, you see; they leave me alone, and I don’t cook them into something vile within one of my cauldrons!” At this she breaks in to cackling laughter. ”Kardswann marched in to their den, and demanding the right to challenge their chief for the right to lead their pack. They laughed at him! And why should they not? He was not a gnoll, he had no right to challenge for leadership of the pack. Their chief set his dogs upon him; those who go on two legs as well as four. Kardswann made his way through them with no trouble, seizing the chief and tearing the life from his body. After that, none of them has even dared to challenge his rule. Kardswann made the pack his own, and Kelmarane the seat of his power, though I suspect his aims lie far further afield than this fly speck of a village. Of course, being the most powerful creature in these deserts, he deserved only the finest lover.” She runs a hand down her side, tracing her figure with her clawed hand and gnarled fingers. ”He is a powerful man, and a powerful lover; do you think any of you has the might to displace him and take what is his?” She continues to pose and look suggestively at each of the men in the group, spending the greatest time and effort upon those with obvious strength of arms and physique, such as Seif. ”Or, does one of you think to sample his treaters under his nose? What do you think, will he be the jealous type? I think I am curious to find out myself…”
Blushing madly at the harpy's obvious overtures and doing his best to avert his eyes, Akhom asks with a stammer, "This Kardswann... He is not a gnoll? What... what is he then?"
"What is he, young one? He is a storm; he is the lightning and the howling wind. He is that which will grind the desert and the stone to dust, and chase it on the breeze. Tell me, newcomers; why are you here? What would you have of my imperious lover?"
The harpy's bird like eyes gaze out from her hag-like face, seeking out the eyes of each of her visitors in turn, as if probing them for their thoughts and motivations.
The Harpy looks at the party, watching their momentary silence. As the team cannot help but glance at each other for guidance, see seems to notice and log every glance.
"Ahh, so that's how it is, hmmm? And you're afraid I will stand in your way. Understandable, but we needn't be enemies, necessarily. You want to defeat Kardswaan and drive the gnolls from Kelmarane, right? Well perhaps we could come to an understanding. You are skilled warriors, no doubt. You have paved the roads leading to the high hill with more blood than they have seen since the slaughter some 20 years past. It is impressive. Yes; most impressive. Perhaps you can even defeat my new lover. He makes me feel, to be sure; he provokes passions I have not felt since times long past. But he is my lover by presumption, and arrogance has its costs, even to one such as him; He who fancies himself half a god! If you might perhaps do a favour for me, then perhaps I could see to give you that which you need to defeat him. What do you think? Might we be allies?"
Seif-al-Din weighs-up the harpy's words carefully, before replying:
"The Everlight teaches that everyone should be given a chance, if they ask for it... what exactly did you have in mind?"
"Oh, you follow the Dawnflower! How quaint! One of her little sun-buds are you, hmm? Yes, well, I can tell you that I have never killed a human since coming to dwell within the bounds of this city, none in a score of years for that matter, and none at all that didn't deserve it for one reason or another. I've no interest in what the gnolls have been doing, and paid them no mind. It was not until Kardswaan came that they even gathered the courage to address me. In that, we've got no qualms, and none of what your lot consider 'crimes to be answered for.' I think we could get along just fine. As for what I want? My brews are what are most important to me. A great brewmaster am I, and I am gradually uncovering all the secrets I might need to be all the greater. However, for my next experiments, I need something hard to harvest. Not hard to find mind you, since it happens to have a convenient source just down the lane; it may just have ideas about ending up in my pot. In a building, just across the stream, in what was once the nobly accounted slave market, there dwells a serpent, legless and foul. Bring me the snake’s head for my stew,” she says with a crooked-toothed grin, “and I’ll betray my lover for you!”
"Sounds reasonable to me. We were planning on removing the reptile anyway." Muqaq looks to the others to gather their reactions.
N'Dateh shrugs: "Making deals... The Desert makes no deal!?"
"Is that a no vote?" Muqaq says, raising one eyebrow at the strange desert woman.
Compassion and peace are her greatest virtues, and if enemies of the faith can be redeemed, they should be.
"Be as a caring parent or sibling to all in need. Help heal the sick and lift the fallen. Be a guiding light into the darkest hearts and lands"
1. Heal those that ask for it regardless of if they can pay.
2. Mercy must be granted to those that ask for it or request asylum
3. Help those that can't help themselves. Tithe 15% (money earned only. Gear not counted)"Only respond to violence in kind with swift metal and scorching light"
4. Don't initiate combat if another path seems open
5. Actively seek out and destroy any cult of Rovagug.
6. Destroy any mindless undead, Demons, Daemons, and any irredemable fiend as they are beyond redemption."Each new day brings hope and renewed opportunity. One must not let darkness into your life"
7. Can't knowingly tell a lie
8. Can't knowingly use poison
9. Must never own a slave, and must do your best to free those in bondage."May the strength of the sun guide you through the fog of mortal words."
10. A paladin must respect the laws of the land he/she knows are just (fair and good). Whenever in doubt, especially when travelling abroad, it is the spirit of the Law that must be followed, if ever the letter is corrupted or unknown.
Seif-al-Din considers her words.
"I think we have an accord, then; as my colleague said, we were planning on dealing with the snake eventually, in any case..."
Xanyon continues his watch outside, straining to hear the words but keen to his duty.
N'Dateh turns to face Muqaq: "My vote!? A tribe should have but one leader. It is not my vote. I merely speak for the Desert..."
As she speaks, her skinny muscled body sways and redresses for a moment, but relents, seemingly accepting Muqaq as leader.
"I like to know the opinions of those I'm responsible for," Muqaq says simply. "Fine, it's settled. We'll aid you. We will return with the head. Good day." With that the ifrit turns and walks out of the building.
N'Dateh follows Muqaq back. She looks at the building:"That snake was big... I'd suggest we try to lure it out..."
"If we can trap it in the doorway its mobility should be limited, making it as easier target. If Gruthic focuses solely on defending himself he'd make an appetizing yet near impenetrable target."
"We should see if there are some good places for our archers, I'll want a clear lane of fire on the snake and anything else that comes after us."
"I can draw it out as long as you take it down before it swallows me."
N'Dateh readies her sling after she climbed on her horse and got him in position.
Ready, she nods at Muqaq.
The slave market appears just as it did before, mostly burned out, and partially collapsed. The main methods of access to the building would appear to be what is left of the main doors, located on either end of the building. In addition, one corner has mostly collapsed, leaving a few dark spaces between the rocks that might be large enough for a person of small stature to maneuver through. While the black scorching of the ancient fire mars much of the building, inside and out, it appears that what remains is mostly brick, as very little of the original supporting wood survived the fire.
N'Dateh takes her position, readying her sling and a set of bullets.
She looks at Gruthic: "Get the snake to come out. We'll give you a proper burial if you're too slow to evade it."
Akhom stands shoulder to shoulder (shoulder to belt-buckle?) with the dwarf, bastard sword at the ready. He smiles at N'Dateh's words. "Fear not, Gruthic. We've faced bigger, and worse."
Blade in hand, Seif-al-Din prepares to strike at the snake when it is provoked into exiting the building...
Gruthic readies his shield, takes a deep breath, and ventures into the darkness. He lets his eyes adjust in the doorway and slowly steps inside, ready to provoke the giant snake and make a tactical retreat.
Xanyon grips his musket and prepares for a R(eptile).O.U.S.
Venturing into to the darkness, Gruthic once again catches sight of the enormous black scaled reptile. Given the steady clank he makes as he moves, he is not surprised to see the dinner-plate sized disks of the thing's eyes open and staring back at him. As he moves closer, it moves with him, rising into an upright stance. It's neck thins and spreads, forming into a wide, threatening hood. Beginning to hiss as Gruthic fails to move away, it makes a few threatening dashes, darting it's mouth and neck forward as if to bite, bit never actually coming close enough to reach or be reached by the defensive dwarf.
Finally having had enough, as though deciding the intruder is not going to withdraw based on just threats alone, the monster opens its maw wide and sends a stream of liquid squirting from its mouth, flying at the dwarf.
The liquid splashes across his front, skimming the upper edge of his shield and the face of his armour. Like all spitting cobras, he was aiming for the eyes, and if Gruthic could see him, it could see Gruthic.
The spray of venom lances towards the approaching dwarf, timing things to catch him just as he peaks out from behind his massive shield, in order to gauge the position of the behemoth snake. The liquid hits his face simultaneously as a spray and a mist, leaking in around his helmet, and catching him full in the eyes. The world instantly becomes a blur to the advancing dwarf, what was at first a smear of light, supplemented by the black and white details of his darkvision, now transforms to nothing more than an occasional glob of light, and searing searing pain.
Those outside the building hear Gruthic cry out in alarm, and then only silence.
N'Dateh shrugs as the dwarc gets caught. Ready, she takes a sot the moment an opportunity presents itself.
She whirls the sling atop her head, standing erect on her stirrups and lets fly a bullet
Gruthic will raise his shield and cover himself as best as he can given the agony in his eyes. He'll retreat out of the house as fast as he can without tripping.
"The beast spit in my eyes. By Torag's Hearth and Hammer, it burns! Akhom - quickly - give me your waterskin, before my eyes are melted from my skull."
Gruthic backs out of the building, suffering only a few minor trips, fortunately. Once out, he finds a water bottle being forced into his groping hand. Upending the water into his eyes and face, he feels some blessed lessening of the burning pain. However, the modest waterskin was much too small to wash away everything, and the numbing blindness remains.
Others, keeping their eyes aimed on the entrance to the partially collapsed slave market, can see no sign of the serpent within the darkened space within. It did not follow him.
"Looks like you're going to have to go back..." says N'Dateh, unimpressed by the lack of result. "Maybe a goat would work better..?"