Yagello looks with dismay at the result of his actions. He shrugs his shoulders and turns to Cervin, his expression world weary and vacant,
"We truly are natural born killers. We just cannot escape what we are meant to be. Why do you think I use this elven curve blade? In the hopes, the essence of a nobler race might rub off on me..."
He rubs his temples briefly before continuing, "It all doesn't matter now anyways. Yes, let's continue. "
Arkady tries to be sympathetic, but only says, "We are wounded and desperate. We survive so we can rescue Nadya's child."
Nadya looks around anxiously. "Yes. Plant boy screaming is telling others we are here. We keep moving."
A bed, desk, dresser, and storage chest furnish this small bedroom. A large mirror hangs on the wall opposite the room’s only door, and two windows look down on the tower’s courtyard. There is no one in the room.
Cervin quickly looks over the room, trying to find a sign of the missing child.
"Check if that mirror is magical."
Arkady speaks the magic words and peers between his thumb and fingers, slowly turning to find any magical auras.
Arkady searches the room, and although he does not find any auras on the mirror, he does note three weak auras coming from the chest.
Yagello also searches the room, especially keeping an eye out for traps and other hazards.
"There are magical auras in the chest ... let me check it out."
Yagello doesn't noticing anything else of value in the room, but looks around as Arkady works on the chest.
The wizard checks for traps first, but does not notice anything. Although the chest is locked, Arkady takes out a small thin tool, and easily opens the lock. Inside is a variety of treasures: a pair of silver bracers traced with figures of dragons, a jeweled scepter, an bright red rock with stripes, and three translucent blue crystals. There is also hundreds of gold, silver and copper pieces, and four potions.
Arkady notes the magical auras emanate from the potions, and take a closer look at each of them. Three of them are simple potions that slow a fall to a safe float, but the last potion's purpose eludes Arkady.
Yagello looks over the loot and turns to his comrades,
"We should take as much as we can carry. These treasures will go a long way towards funding our incursion into Irrisen."
He also gestures to Nadya,
"More importantly Nadya, these items will allow you to start over somewhere else after we rescue your daughter. I'll be glad to sell them for you, and you take as much as you need to live comfortably with your family. You deserve some happiness out of this whole mess..."
Nadya nods. "Have family in other towns, maybe I move there with them. Must be remote, witches see everywhere."
Yagello walks over and places the bracers, scepter, rock, and crystals in his backpack. He waves his hand over the other items,
"Arkady, I'll leave the potions for you. Something just doesn't feel right about me carrying them. As for the coins, sadly I seem to have left my sacks behind in Taldor and don't have anything to hold them in. Can any of you help?"
While waiting for their response, he slowly begins inching towards the door eager to continue their exploration of the tower.
Cervin scoops the coins.
"We'll count later. Let's keep moving."
Arkady agrees, putting the potions in his pockets for the time being. He creeps up behind Cervin, listening and watching carefully.
From inside, the sounds of oblivious humming is punctuated only by the sounds of bubbling liquid and the scrape and clang of metal against metal. The tantalizing smells of fresh baked bread and meaty stew waft from under the door. It is clear to Arkady and Cervin that there is someone inside.
Cervin frowns, looking to the group.
"That sounds like a kitchen. Whoever is inside may have information, or we could be wasting our time. Thoughts?"
"We have to investigate everything, we aren't leaving without the child."
Nadya nods as well. "Better we making the surprises, no one behind us."
Cervin nocks an arrow and nods over to Yagello.
"After you."
Yagello answers Cervin, "Good, then we continue..." He turns his back to the paladin and begins turning the door's handle.
Yagello opens the door quietly. Inside, several cabinets line the narrow walls of this oddly angular room. A chopping block, water barrel, and cauldron stand near the room’s only door. Standing over the cauldron is a small humanoid with large pointed ears and a blue-brown complexion. The creature is covered in powders and sauces, and is stirring the thick bubbling liquid in the cauldron.
The man stops at the intrusion, and looks up at Yagello with an impatient look. "Eine weitere Ablenkung? Kann ich diesen Eintopf ohne weitere Störungen zu machen? Lassen Sie mich, Fremde!" as he begins to shout, he sprays spittle from his drooping lower lip everywhere, including into the cauldron.
Arkady looks to the others. "I'm afraid that is a language I don't know ..."
Cervin blinks as the gnome starts babbling in the only other language he knows. He thinks back to the trades he made with the gnomes of the Verduran Forest, an entire world away.
"I speak gnomish, I'll ask if he has seen Thora."
After a moment, he responds, eagerly although with a very thick accent.
"Vergib uns, ich sehe Ihre Arbeit ist wichtig, wir sind für ein junges Mädchen, das menschliche. Haben Sie ein gesehen?"
"Forgive us, I see your work is important. We're looking for a young human girl. Have you seen one?"
"Was bin ich, ein Aufpasser der Kinder?" the creature spits. "Selbst wenn ich einen Knöchel beißen schleichen in meiner Küche zu sehen, warum sollte ich dann über Kind sprechen die beiden vier zufällige Fremde zu unterbrechen mich vor meinen Eintopf?" he yells.
He stops for a minute to compose himself, and than continues more calmly. "Ich wurde gebeten, zwei einen zusätzlichen kleineren Schüssel für eine Zeit, nehme ich an, aber das hielt ein paar Tagen, vielleicht sogar in der Woche." The little man stops and puts a slop-crusted finger to his chin. "Welcher Tag ist es, überhaupt? Ist es immer noch Erastus?"
Yagello watches the exchange, uncomfortably shifting from foot to foot and quietly bemoaning the fact that his language skills are so lacking in this land.
Nadya tries to say a few words in Skald, but the creature merely shrugs, and spits into the stew. "Zum Geschmack!" he says over his shoulder, as if in explanation.
Cervin looks grim as he turns back to his companions.
"He's never seen a child but was asked to make smaller bowls. Ah... until a few days ago. What else should I ask? I think it's clear we head a floor up next."
"He doesn't seem hostile to us, so I say we thank him and move on."
The small man grunts in acknowledgement, then spits once more into the soup. "Zum Spass!" he laughs as the party leaves him with the stew.
There is only the tiles left at this point that presumably go to another floor.
Cervin shudders.
"Disgusting little wretch. The gnomes back home were far more pleasant. Are we ready to continue upwards?"
Cervin makes his way to the tiles, and glances over to the others expectantly.
"As ready as we can be."
Yagello also wrinkles in nose in displeasure.
"Filthy little runt, I've seen enough of him. Let's move forward..."
Nadya nods her head. "Up now, yes."
Hopefully with some others, Cervin steps onto the crystal tile, saying the command words to activate them.