Leaving the mill behind you, everyone heads over to the other building across the river. As you near the place, a foul smell hits your senses. A faint flickering light can be seen through the few windows of this large building. Peering inside through the dirty windows, you are able to make out the outlines of six large cauldrons lit from a single burning torch within the room. Stirring one of the cauldrons is a tall woman. It appears as if she has a set of wings are attached to her back. In the background, you can make out other various pieces of equipment, similar to the alchemist equipment you found in the undercrypt of the monastery. There is a large double door just ahead which is currently closed.
Bahir's set face tell it all, "We are not talking about people or creatures that may do something evil now and then we are talking about creatures whose very essence is evil. They are so overwhelmingly infused with demonic power that it shines like a beacon. This is such a creature and I must tell you once again my friends that I will strike it down. It's purpose here is to warp this area to it's will." Looking to Pae, "I do not make these decisions lightly or without cause."
After a brief discussion, Efreat opens the double doors and walks in. "Greetings! May I have a moment of your time?". The foul stench that you noticed outside the building becomes almost overpowering as you walk in. Now that you are closer to this woman, you notice in the dim light that her hands, which are stirring the large pot, contain talons instead of fingers. "Well hello there handsome!" she says with a crooked-tooth grin. "What brings all of you to my humble abode at this hour of the night? Did you want to join me for dinner?" As she says this, you notice what appears to be a human shaped foot momentarily break above the surface of the murky liquid in the cauldron that she is stirring. Felliped, still standing in the doorway, looks as if he might be sick.
As Bahir gets nervous, Efreat continues "Well, that's not my fair. Perhaps I could heat it up for you?" She replies, "Oh, aren't you just a cute one. But it still needs to marinade a little while longer first. And I actually still need to get one last ingredient for my stew. Say, are you folks apart of that group of treasure hunters that showed up a few days ago? You look like sorta like the type." She sets down the wooden stir stick and casually walks in your direction. As she approaches, you catch a whiff of perfume on top of the stench covering the room. She doesn't appear to be making any hostile gestures, but you notice the toes on her bare feet are talons as well.
Mah'ysa holds on to Bahir's arm, whispering to him; "Timing is important, be ready."
To the creature she speaks aloud; "I see that you live here in a town occupied by Gnolls. Surely you don't work for those barbarians? One such as you should be commanding such animals. And that is a marvelous looking stew. Can you tell us what your missing ingredient is? Perhaps we have seen it in our travels."
DIPLOMACY:
SENSE MOTIVE:
What did I see in that stew?
PERCEPTION:
HEAL:
Do I recognize this creature?
KNOWLEDGE (History):
KNOWLEDGE (Planes):
KNOWLEDGE (Religion):
KNOWLEDGE (Arcana):
KNOWLEDGE (Nature):
Hazreem: There have been other treasure hunters here as well, do you know what happened to them?
Efreat: Treasure hunters you say? Tell me, did you meet any of them?
Winged Woman: Oh yes, my lover caught them trying to invade his market. I never actually saw them alive, but his minions brought me some of the leftovers.
Mah'ysa: I see that you live here in a town occupied by Gnolls. Surely you don't work for those barbarians? One such as you should be commanding such animals.
Winged Woman: Well aren't you a pretty one to talk about barbarians. And I don't work for any one. My arrangement with the gnolls is strictly one of convenience. I was here several years before the Kulldis tribe moved in. And I expect to be here for many more years after they're gone.
Mah'ysa: And that is a marvelous looking stew. Can you tell us what your missing ingredient is? Perhaps we have seen it in our travels.
Winged Woman: Of course my dear. I need a snake's head to complete it. If you bring me a snake's head for my stew, I'll betray my lover for you. Last time I saw, there was one living in the old slave market across the river.
Diplomacy/Sense Motive: You are unable to detect any deceit in her voice or mannerisms.
Perception/Heal: You are unable to make out what all is in the stew as the water is too murky and the light too dim.
Knowledge: You do not recognize this creature.
Hazreem keeps quiet after her responses and studies the humanoid female, and sees her as one of the top predators in the ecosystem in this village. If she is asking for assistance in slaying a snake, he was pretty sure this snake was no tiny coral snake, but something a bit more...predatory. The remark about her 'lover' was certainly interesting to him, although, more likely this "lover" was simply another predator in this natural system.
Efreat: Lover you say? Pray tell, who is Lover?
Winged Woman: My Lover? Oh, that would be Kardswann. He leads the Kulldis tride here, even though he isn't a gnoll himself. He arrived a few years after the gnolls and slaughtered the tribe's chieftain in a single blow and assumed his role. He is a very powerful and cruel man. I've made sure to stay in his good graces for my own purposes. But I'd love to see him gone and I could help you out if you're interested.
Paellat: A snake you say...how...big a snake?
Winged Woman: It's no garden rattler, if that's what you're asking. And watch out for that bite, it's a killer!
She approaches Efreat, getting seductively close and smelling him. As she traces a talon-like fingernail across Efreat's cheek, she says, "Why yes, my dear, he is. He wasn't that bad until he walked through the magically sealed door under the church about two months ago. Now he is clearly under the control something truly evil." She lifts Efreat's chin and looks at him directly in his eyes. "He is cruel to me. I want you to kill him." She then walks away from Efreat and continues, "If you bring me the head of that snake and promise that I can freely live here after the gnolls are gone, I can help you out. I have a set of keys that I can give you. One opens the north door of the battle market. The other opens a hallway inside. There are also smugglers currently visiting the battle market who only have a tenuous allegiance to Kardswann. I can bribe them to sit out when you attack, as long as you promise to spare their lives as well." She picks back up her wooden stir stick and begins stirring her stew again. She turns back to you with a wicked smile and says, "And I won't tell Kardswann that you were here."
Hazreem hides his revulsion as the creature mimes a lover's caress with Efreat. He speaks up, "You say he has been taken control of by an evil force. Do you have any evidence of this? Could this be related to these smugglers?" He glances at Bahir and Mah'ysa, before continuing, "We could certainly handle this snake that is bothering you, but more is beyond my authority to provide you."
Turning to Hazreem, she says, "His cruel actions towards me and those under his control is more than enough evidence! It was a night and day difference compared with how he was before. And that battle market has been open for business since Kardswann took over for those willing to come here. Those smugglers are just here to sell their wares."
Bahir follows the others out (assuming Mah'ysa didn't tell him to attack). Once out of earshot of the demoness, "I will not be a party to working for the demon if that's what you have in mind. However, I am also not against resting and regaining our strength before facing the vile creature. We should also get Felliped to safety in case she proves too powerful and we fall. Sarenrae willing that shall not be the case." He says this last as if it is the most normal thing in the world to sacrifice oneself fighting great evils.
Hazreem replies to the holy warriors diatribe, "I certainly hold your sentiments, Servant of the Flame. However to not learn as much about the territory we are scouting is foolhardy." He then turns to the other companions, "I believe there is something she is not telling us about this predator she wishes us to get rid of. What say you?"