"This could be that 'Lute Haggersley' guy they mentioned."
Myri glances at Lio, with a "no worries" expression, then a small grateful expression to Mel, followed with, "Makoa...yeeaahh, knew about him. Never heard him before you know? Sorry, next time I...shouldn't be distracted."
Mel smiles, shrugs.
"This could be that 'Lute Haggersley' guy they mentioned."
Mel looks dubious, but asks the glass-bound creature, "آیا شما نام لوت آخرین؟ و اگر ما به شما اجازه، به شما قول می دهم به هر یک از ما درد نکنه؟"
Translating for Hrunndalf, Kalimac says "Hrunndalf says that just because he's the prisoner of our enemy, that doesn't make him our friend."
"Oh, I am not under my curse's yoke. I chose Terran so as to keep my suspicions from this man's ears," Hrunndalf replies. "Well, if he understands Taldane, he's been hiding something from us, and if not... what should we expect of a man who speaks only the Devil Tongue? Surely that is not the result of the experiments that have been wrought on him."
And with a slight roll of the eyes, he adds, "Yes, I know he could just be cursed with the Tongue, as am I. But what are the odds...?"
Hrunndalf ... asks the creature: ""
"من نمی دانم چرا آنها من زندانی است.آنها مردم وحشتناک که اتفاقات بد.آزاد من. "
Translating for Hrunndalf, Kalimac says "Hrunndalf says that just because he's the prisoner of our enemy, that doesn't make him our friend."
"Runndahlf 'as ah goode pointe." Lio will stop anyone from breaking the glass until they know more.
Mel looks dubious, but asks the glass-bound creature, "آیا شما نام لوت آخرین؟ و اگر ما به شما اجازه، به شما قول می دهم به هر یک از ما درد نکنه؟"
"بله.من عود.اگر شما به من اجازه دهید بیرون، قول می دهم من به شما صدمه دیده است نیست.آزاد من."
"Oh, I am not under my curse's yoke. I chose Terran so as to keep my suspicions from this man's ears," Hrunndalf replies. "Well, if he understands Taldane, he's been hiding something from us, and if not... what should we expect of a man who speaks only the Devil Tongue? Surely that is not the result of the experiments that have been wrought on him."
And with a slight roll of the eyes, he adds, "Yes, I know he could just be cursed with the Tongue, as am I. But what are the odds...?"
Mel looks at Hrunndalf, "Does that mean I'm evil and untrustworthy? 'Cause I avoided studying this language when I was in the monastery in favor of human tongues."
"He says that he is Lute Haggersley. And he promises to not hurt me if I free him." A pause, "Hey...این همان چیزی است که که نمی پرسیدم.وعده به هر یک از دوستان من صدمه دیده است نیست، در اینجا یا در جاهای دیگر نگه دارید."
Mel looks at Hrunndalf, "Does that mean I'm evil and untrustworthy? 'Cause I avoided studying this language when I was in the monastery in favor of human tongues."
"Knowledge of the Devil Tongue is no mark of evil in itself. But knowing no other tongue? Suspicious, at the very least."
To Lute: ""
** spoiler omitted **
"He says that he is Lute Haggersley. And he promises to not hurt me if I free him." A pause, "Hey...این همان چیزی است که که نمی پرسیدم.وعده به هر یک از دوستان من صدمه دیده است نیست، در اینجا یا در جاهای دیگر نگه دارید."
** spoiler omitted **
Lio is not convinced.
"Thot maighte 'ave bean Luteh "agg'rsley aht unne pointe, baught nou ets a Hellwasp swahrm."
"Knowledge of the Devil Tongue is no mark of evil in itself. But knowing no other tongue? Suspicious, at the very least."
Muttering, "It's not just the devil's tongue... Agathions speak it too..."
To what Melinda and Hrunndalf say, the reply comes: "شما گیج کننده با پرسش های گیج کننده شما، می روم من اشتباه است.من یک زندانی هستم.آزاد من.راهنما.راهنما.اجازه بدهید."
Lio is not convinced.
"Thot maighte 'ave bean Luteh "agg'rsley aht unne pointe, baught nou ets a Hellwasp swahrm."
"So... does that mean we should... shunt him... it... them back to the proper plane?" Mel asks, "What is a Hellwasp swarm?"
Since people are still talking, Lio decides it is a good time to clarify, before someone thinks to let the swarm out.
Hellwasps ahre a hoarde of evil, blahck an' red wahsps frum e' depths uf 'ell. 'ey poss's ah 'aive mainde."
"Thot maighte 'ave bean Luteh "agg'rsley aht unne pointe, baught nou ets a Hellwasp swahrm."
"Oh," says Hrunndalf. Then, "Any way to put it out of its misery without breaking the glass?"
Muttering, "It's not just the devil's tongue... Agathions speak it too..."
as do angels but only so that we may know the language of our enemies that they may not hide secrets from our burning gaze, Helgarval mentions.
To what Melinda and Hrunndalf say, the reply comes: "شما گیج کننده با پرسش های گیج کننده شما، می روم من اشتباه است.من یک زندانی هستم.آزاد من.راهنما.راهنما.اجازه بدهید."
"Or if he isn't swarm-y yet, can we heal him and un-swarm him? شما ممکن است یک زندانی است، اما شما در حال حاضر نیز زمینی حاصلخیز را برای ازدحام خطرناک.اجازه بدهید بررسی کنید که آیا ما می توانیم شما را شفا."
"Or if he isn't swarm-y yet, can we heal him and un-swarm him? شما ممکن است یک زندانی است، اما شما در حال حاضر نیز زمینی حاصلخیز را برای ازدحام خطرناک.اجازه بدهید بررسی کنید که آیا ما می توانیم شما را شفا."
"بله بله لطفا در آمده و بررسی. من بسیار بیمار است.با ازدحام."
as do angels but only so that we may know the language of our enemies that they may not hide secrets from our burning gaze, Helgarval mentions.
"Sadly... that does not make me feel better about spontaneous, perfect knowledge of an evil language. But thank you for the confirmation."
Hrunndalf shakes his head. "No doubt Lute knew Taldane and Skald. It must be the wasps that speak through his mouth. They use him as a puppet." He shudders.
Since people are still talking, Lio decides it is a good time to clarify, before someone thinks to let the swarm out.
Hellwasps ahre a hoarde of evil, blahck an' red wahsps frum e' depths uf 'ell. 'ey poss's ah 'aive mainde."
"So... how do we help Lute?"
"Sadly... that does not make me feel better about spontaneous, perfect knowledge of an evil language. But thank you for the confirmation."
you're welcome, says Helgarval.
"So... how do we help Lute?"
"Is he still in there?" Hrunndalf looks dubious.
"So... how do we help Lute?"Since people are still talking, Lio decides it is a good time to clarify, before someone thinks to let the swarm out.
Hellwasps ahre a hoarde of evil, blahck an' red wahsps frum e' depths uf 'ell. 'ey poss's ah 'aive mainde."
"Ye koulde pray. 'e's ded."
"Ye koulde pray. 'e's ded."
"How would that help? If he is dead then his soul will have passed on to the Boneyard, unless the swarm thing diverts it to the Nine Hells instead...." Mel asks perfectly oblivious. Shakes her head, "But if you are sure that there is nothing that can be done for Lute... Can the swarm get out of that?"
She does smile, but the smile seems a bit uncomfortable. You suspect you may be right in your guess that the subject may still be a bit too raw for her to joke about with you easily.
Wincing every so slightly at his misstep, Hrunndalf quickly changes the topic again. "Well, it's just for the better if we don't have a fashion parade. You know Koya would want to show off every one of her scarves."
Alright now, Koya. Wish me luck. Time to be beinn áfram.
He shrugs. "But I suppose she'd be busy treating the turned heads and pulled necks you'd leave behind."
He raises a corner of his mouth in a slight smile, and looks Ameiko in the eyes, fighting the urge to avert his gaze. Here goes nothing.
"You're a very beautiful woman, you know."
"All right," she replies. She unwraps the earrings.
"Well. They're just what I wanted." She smiles.
Lio smiles back. She looks down, then back up at you. "I hope, that I can, that is to say, you should always get what you want. ...I, ...I want to make you happy." She bits her lower lip briefly. Looking into your eyes, getting lost in them. How did she get this nervous around you? It was just a little present. But she had never purchased anything like this before. Her hand moves tentatively to your hip, warm fingers rest there, over the fabric of your clothes. Wanting to be near you.
"Ye koulde pray. 'e's ded.""How would that help? If he is dead then his soul will have passed on to the Boneyard, unless the swarm thing diverts it to the Nine Hells instead...." Mel asks perfectly oblivious. Shakes her head, "But if you are sure that there is nothing that can be done for Lute... Can the swarm get out of that?"
"Ah suspekt ef et kould'ave gottehn oute, et woulde do so baye nou. Ah kannoaught do annyken fer 'em nau. Mayhaps ah strong'r drued koulde reinkarnate 'em."
"Oh, I am not under my curse's yoke. I chose Terran so as to keep my suspicions from this man's ears," Hrunndalf replies. "Well, if he understands Taldane, he's been hiding something from us, and if not... what should we expect of a man who speaks only the Devil Tongue? Surely that is not the result of the experiments that have been wrought on him."
And with a slight roll of the eyes, he adds, "Yes, I know he could just be cursed with the Tongue, as am I. But what are the odds...?"
"Oops. Sorry about spoiling your sneakiness, Hrunndalf," Kalimac says. Then, mostly to himself, "We really need to pick a language or two that are uncommon that we can get everybody to understand. Just for a situation like this."
Mel looks at the glass case.
"Well... It doesn't seem right to leave him trapped, and if the swarm gets out on it's own it will be pissed. So do we leave it for now, or free it and deal with the consequences, cause frankly... we can't try to destroy the swarm without risking it getting out."
"How about coming back and taking care of it later. I think our friends are more important."
Mel looks at the glass case.
"Well... It doesn't seem right to leave him trapped, and if the swarm gets out on it's own it will be pissed. So do we leave it for now, or free it and deal with the consequences, cause frankly... we can't try to destroy the swarm without risking it getting out."
'Ef anneyunne kould send 'e swahrm bock tah 'es oregenal plaine? Thot would worke. Ah dunna suggest letten 'em our unless ye kann summow get 'eh swarm tah gihve an' keep 'es worde thot et's naught gonna kome ahfter us, or our friends."
"If we can kill it safely, we should. If not, let's just scrawl a warning onto the glass. In any case, Myriana has the right of it: Our friends are more important now."
"اگر شما اجازه دهید بیرون، شما را قسم می خورم به هر یک از ما و یا هر یک از دوستان ما صدمه نمی زند؟" She shrugs, "Or leave them at our back, to randomly get free and attack us at the worst possible moment." Mel doesn't seem concerned about this, more just as if it is completely expected.
The glass case is large enough that a medium sized humanoid can stand up in it and move around a little. There is no obvious way to open it. There is no valve or ventilation grill you can find. There is no apparent emergency purging mechanism.
"اگر شما اجازه دهید بیرون، شما را قسم می خورم به هر یک از ما و یا هر یک از دوستان ما صدمه نمی زند؟" She shrugs, "Or leave them at our back, to randomly get free and attack us at the worst possible moment." Mel doesn't seem concerned about this, more just as if it is completely expected.
"لوت به شما صدمه نمی زنند و یا هر یک از دوستان خود.من به این قسم است.آزاد من."
Lio smiles back. She looks down, then back up at you. "I hope, that I can, that is to say, you should always get what you want. ...I, ...I want to make you happy." She bits her lower lip briefly. Looking into your eyes, getting lost in them. How did she get this nervous around you? It was just a little present. But she had never purchased anything like this before. Her hand moves tentatively to your hip, warm fingers rest there, over the fabric of your clothes. Wanting to be near you.
"Well," she says, her hands reaching around your waist, "Then it is a very good thing," pulling you close, "That I have," looking into your eyes, "What I want."
Turns to the group, "He won't agree to a deal that he can't wiggle out of."
A pause, "So move on, let ithim attack us later?"
He raises a corner of his mouth in a slight smile, and looks Ameiko in the eyes, fighting the urge to avert his gaze. Here goes nothing. "You're a very beautiful woman, you know."
"Eh," she says, "I'm way too curvy to really be beautiful. I'd kill for a body like Mel's, or Shalelu's. I look at chocolate and I put on pounds, Shae can kill and eat an elk and still look like a runway model. It's an elf thing. Totally unfair."
Hrunndalf nods. "Move on."
Hrunndalf nods. "Move on."
Mel nods, "Up or down? Since we searched this whole level. I lean towards down, but... I have no reason for that."
"Down is good. Unless someone has a better reason, let's go."
"Eh," she says, "I'm way too curvy to really be beautiful. I'd kill for a body like Mel's, or Shalelu's. I look at chocolate and I put on pounds, Shae can kill and eat an elk and still look like a runway model. It's an elf thing. Totally unfair."
Hrunndalf laughs, hoping his relief doesn't show.
"Kjaftæði." He looks around to make sure they are not overheard. "I would not hesitate to call Mel and Shalelu pretty, but beautiful...? Mel still looks half a child, and Shae... somebody give that poor girl a sandwich. It is they who should envy you."
He speaks smilingly, but with conviction. "I am not a man of boundless knowledge or ancient wisdom, but let it not be said that Hrunndalf Jarlsson fails to recognize real beauty."
"I'm OK with down, so long as we don't neglect up later."
"I'm OK with down, so long as we don't neglect up later."
Lio nods agreement.
"Well," she says, her hands reaching around your waist, "Then it is a very good thing," pulling you close, "That I have," looking into your eyes, "What I want."
She looks up, into your eyes. Her arms wrapping around you. Her gaze might reveal something of what she feels. How wonderful it was to be wanted, to be loved. How much in turn she loves you, how much she wants you. Her body responds to yours unconsciously. Pressing against you, wanting to be closer. Her fingers trace up your spine, before she catches what she's doing. Stops herself. Once more blushing.
"I cannot wait to spend all night with you." She whispers. Smiles. "That's not to say I don't want to spend all day with you too." She blinks, slowly, almost dreamily. "Because I do."
The stairs lead down to a hallway with several doors off of it. On the wall of the stairway, someone has carved the words: Tími er mynt heimskingjanna, veitt vegna til guðanna.
This chamber reeks of stale wine, rank sweat, and wild animal spoor. A rough bed sits at the far end, and a pot-belly stove rests between the windows, next to a coal bucket. Across from the stove is a small table holding several empty wineskins and a small oaken statuette of an Ulfen warrior biting his shield in fury.
The oaken statuette is worth 20 gp. Beneath it, you also find a set of three keys.
You find 900 gp in a bag.
The door to the next room is locked, but one of the keys you found opens it. Wooden pegs on the walls of this chamber hold shields and scabbards, wooden stands hold chainmail hauberks, and open chests hold arrows and axes. A number of spears have been stacked together in one corner. Within this room are:
10 chain shirts
4 suits of chainmail
14 light wooden shields
6 battleaxes
18 short swords
44 spears
450 arrows
1 greater magical beast slaying arrow
Another locked door, opened by one of the keys. This room holds cloaks on pegs. In addition, valuable furs and bales of raw wool sheared from the hold’s sheep are stored here.
You find a number of rolls of leather scrolls covered in tiny, cramped Skald runes stuffed into one chest. A glance seems to indicate that these are the personal diaries of Snorri Stone-Eye.
You also find 6 wolf, bear, and fox furs worth 500 gp each.
A fireplace stands against one wall, its ashes cold, next to a stack of firewood. Six light cots are spaced about the chamber, with a small footlocker next to each. The footlockers hold mundane personal effects of obvious Tian manufacture, as well as a number of large black feathers. In addition, there are:
6 jade raven statuettes worth 200 gp each
A silk kimono worth 200 gp
Wooden sandals worth 25 gp
A decorative fan worth 275 gp
6 masterwork wakizashis
12 doses of Blue Whinnis poison
6 potions of Disguise Self
600 gp
The next chamber is empty of furnishings, and the floor is spattered with bird droppings. The room’s door has been removed, but half-open shutters bearing many marks and scratches cover two arrow slits in the walls. A nest of ragged blankets and bits of thatch and straw lies against the center of the east wall. Large, black feathers are scattered about the room, lying thickest around the nest. Other than the nest, the room is largely bereft of adornment. Secreted among the raven’s nest you find a number of human teeth. You also find:
54 gp
An ivory-andonyx necklace worth 260 gp
A writing kit with rolls of blank parchment cut into tiny strips and small leather cases that can be secured to a bird’s leg, allow it to carry messages, worth 20 gp
The next chamber holds only a simple bed and a table bearing a water pitcher and basin. An unused fireplace stands in the eastern wall. Strangely, a search finds that the flue of the fireplace is clogged with a pair of soot stained but still serviceable:
Boots of the Winterlands
Immediately before a set of stairs going down is one final door. You hear someone or something moving around behind it.