"Well, that leaves Ollivor, Klug'Tier, and myself," replied Harn.
"I don't have a problem with that."
"Maybe we can even trade with them, though they hardly seem on a major route."
"Venture forth we shall, we will send Harn back to get you once we've clarified that they won't kill you on sight, that is of course if they kill us on sight."
Harn shrugged, "Well, we ain't getting any younger. Let's go."
The half-orc kept his hands free, but with his weapons in easy reach as he led Ollivor and Klug'Tier toward the stone village.
As they approached, he scrutinized his surroundings, even sniffing the air to catch any scents.
After they leave, "Five gold says this ends badly." Xzevrra takes the time to examine the local area, finding the best way to hide the small camp they have. "Should've done this before sleeping. Damn light, must be bad on my thinking."
"Oh look a butterfly..."
A new day, a new potential threat, Ollivor casts Mage Armor again, his skin looking pebbly only for a moment as he looks around as they approach the village
You spot a strange sight. You see a humanoid sitting on a rock just outside the village. It looks elven with the exception that the ears are longer and pointer than the normal elf, three times as long in fact. The skin of this creature is whiter than almost any sentient you have ever seen. If you didn't know better you could swear its a female given the figure and length of hair. You cannot see her/his/it's face.
He stops
They get closer to the village but Harn stops halfway
"Well, the village is definitely inhabited," Harn whispered to Ollivor and Klug'Tier.
"Well that's a start and if they're not hostile we should approach."
Hard to say. You have never seen anything like it before. You have heard there are bizarre things said to live in the deep places of the world. The likes of which no one has ever seen. This creature is likely an elf subtype. It is also albino from the skin and hair and it's extra long ears suggest that maybe its primary method of detection. You wouldn't be surprised if she was blind. Now the big question is going to be communication. It is likely creatures of this level, unless intelligent, don't speak any language you might know. Your best guess from nature suggests Elven, or undercommon. If you had any skill with linguistics you may be able to learn more.
"Well, I'm pretty sure that it's some type of elf, but I doubt that it speaks any language I know. Also, it can probably already hear us, with those big ears." The half-orc paused before adding, "It might even be blind."
Harn scratched his head. "By the way, in addition to Taldane, I speak Draconic, Goblin, and Orc. What about you two?"
"Common, Dwarven, Terran ...though I'm a bit confused how I learned the last."
"Terran, huh? Isn't that an elemental language? Considering how far underground we are, it might understand that," Harn said, though without much conviction.
"Do you want me to call out to it??"
"I also speak Goblin but also Undercommon, the only thing we can really do right now is approach it..."
To Ollivor, Harn said, "Well, you could try it. If it speaks Terran, the fact that you're a merchant makes you a natural at conversation--right?"
Turning to Klug'Tier, he said, "If that doesn't work, let's hope that it speaks Undercommon. In that case, just try to indicate that we're friendly."
To both he said, "If it's willing to talk, maybe we can negotiate for directions and supplies."
"Hmm... you know, I don't think our companions' heritage will affect this situation."
Turning back the way they came, he motioned for Xzevrra and Zhimon to join them.
Seeing Harn waving them forward, Xzevrra sneaks up to them, "Looks like you found something?" Seeing the creature up ahead Xzevrra instinctively flexes the dagger up her wrist. "Well, well, a denizen of this far below land. I might be able to take it captive and we can interrogate it." Xzevrra begins looking around the terrain, planning the best possible way to get to it and catpure it stealthily, looking for others around as well.
"Wait, scouting is fine, but as for the rest? let's try diplomacy first." The human says and then calls out in Terran
Zhimon shakes his head at Xzevrra.
"This is a village, just because we only see one does not mean their are not more. How would you react to someone attacking a lone drow in the middle of one of our cities. Don't do anything foolish."
He readied a spell in case things went bad, just because he was not planning on attacking did not mean he was not ready for it.
"Expect it. Then make them wish for death." She glances at Zhimon, speaking in a hushed tone. "And in case you forget, we are not exactly well like people in the Darklands. And even if they haven't heard of us, odds are they are still going to be hostile. I would much rather interrogate her for information about their defenses and resources first before having gave ourselves away for her to potentially aleart these hidden forces to our presence. And if she isn't hostile, I wouldn't necessarily have done any permanent harm."
"You know, Ollivor just tried to speak to it. It knows we're here already."
"If it doesn't understand Ollivor, then just try and talk to it in Undercommon," suggested Harn.
Oliver calls out to the creature. It's long ears twitch noticeably and it turns slowly to "look" in you direction. The face of this creature seems fairly normal, attractive to some. Two major features do stand out.
First, the mouth was wider than most species, Orc width you might say.
Second are the jade black eyes. No iris or whites, just all black. The creature stands up and another creature stirs at her feet.
The second creature is long an serpentine and the same color pattern as the rock ground. It is also quite large but the details of it's anatomy are shrouded in it's camouflage.
The strange female creature gazes at Oliver. Her mouth forms a large grin and she begins to speak. Her voice has a normal vocal tone but a subtle secondary tone as well, almost as if she was speaking with two voices.
The language she speaks is strange and incomprehensible to any of you unless a proper linguistics check is made.
She finishes speaking and stands there as if await a response. The wide, pleasant, smile on her face as if she is happy to see you. As to what she is happy about is anyone's speculation.
Linguistics
Best you can tell it is a seriously butchered version of Undercommon. It is similar in fact to the strange figure you ran into at the dock with the raft. It seems to be made up of dual vocal tones, one of which may have sonic qualities a kin to the kind a bat would make. It is clear this may be the common language of these lands. Since it seems to be rooted in Undercommon, you may, with time, be able to decipher it and learn it. But right know, well, it is difficult to understand. Best you can make out there is some lingual similarities to an undercommon greeting. She either said "Hello there" or "Oh something to eat!" It will be difficult to communicate when you do not share a language.
"Well whatever that was I don't know it, I would prepare for battle and hope for hospitality."
With that Klug pulls out another flask of clear liquid and mixes some dried herbs into while it pulses with a faint magic aura.
Harn's eyes narrowed at the sight of the second creature. I didn't detect that thing, whatever it is. I wonder why?
"It seems the closest language to what it speaks is undercommon. I think it was a greeting but I would not let my guard down."
Zhimon attempts to speak to the creature.
"Can you understand me. I am unfamiliar with your native tongue.
The creature ponders a minute and then speaks in horrible dual toned undercommon
"Words of upper realm. Word knows old father. Come"
Now the stange creature is beckoning for you all to follow. That is by far the most identifiable form of communication you have encountered so far.
"Seems we finally found someone who knows at least a little undercommon."
"Uh, Zhimon? What did it say?" asked Harn.
"Its taking us to its father which knows undercommon."
"Well, ain't that just hospitable of it!" Harn replied.
"So, are we following it?"
"Probably walking into a trap." Xzevrra says quietly to herself, refusing to let her guard up, searching the area about the group as they walk, making sure to stand where she can use the surface dwellers as a shield if necessary.
"This whole area is a trap, at least this time the possible trap maybe able to talk to us." Ollivor says amiably as they follow
"Your pessimism is astounding! Good show!"
Klug claps after putting the flask he had out earlier into a belt pouch.
"Well, let's get on with it then!" Harn said cheerfully, as he followed the strange elfin creature and it's camouflaged companion.
You follow the girl into the town. The serpentine rock colored creature moves cleverly along taking care not to reveal more than the snake body to you.
As you enter the town you notice the albino elves are not the only species that lives here. A stocky breed of dwarves closely a kin to Dreugar exist here. They are short burly hairless humanoids whose skin looks like gnarly marble. They toil with the stone as you pass by. The albino elves seem to focus on hunting and textiles while the dwarves are about architecture and industry.
You follow her to a house at the end of town. Inside it is lightly furnished with stone, metal, and animal hides. She goes in and an elderly look albino elf in the main room stands up. There is no sign of the snake creature as it disappeared as you made your way into town.
She hugs the older elf and begins to hold a brief conversation in the strange language. The older elf then turns to look at you all.
"Welcome to our humble abode upper worlders. We don't get your kind this far down very often. What brings you so far from your native lands?"
"By all means your undercommon is likely better than mine so I insist one of you be the respondents."
Klug motioned to the two drow while he spoke but never broke eye contact with the elf.
Zhimon repeats what the old elf says in common, then gives his own response.
"Thank you, we are honored by your hospitality"
He bows his head slightly, not about to give anything away. He did not know what these things were but they knew what he was. They lacked fear or respect, meaning they were dangerous in his mind. Drow did not even relax among their own.
Sense Motive
"Huh, sounds friendly enough," muttered Harn quietly.
Like Zhimon, he stayed alert for trouble.
While Zhimon speaks with the creatures, Xzevrra will begin an assessment of the house from what she can see where she stands, preferably back to a wall. Possible escape routes, holes where enemies can hide, what could be used as weapons in a pinch. She'll also attempt to keep her actions hidden, though out of habit.
Ollivor speaks in dwarvish as they pass one of the dwarves,
Harn kept a close watch on what was happening, even though he didn't understand a word that was being used.
@Ollivor. These "dwarves" give you an odd expression, snorts, then resumes working.
Inside The room has no lights or any signs of easy to move objects. Metalwork Items seem quite heavy and awkward, and most of the high duty furniture is made of stone.
The room is completely dark save for the light shining in through the front door. The two in the room move easily enough around. The elder nods.
"Your welcome. Not many around these parts are used to seeing drow or....whatever the other three are. The language commonly spoken down here is known as Deepcommon. My name is Ologue and I am curious, what are the other three members of your party. I have never seen beings like them before. Which layer do they hail from. I am so very interested."