Ibinu shrugs, "most of us just have to base judgments on how elen or other beings act or what they say, so let's see what they do..."
He steels his resolve and runs over the right words to say in high ifrit and steps around the corner, "salve, fac mentionem non possum?"
The two mephits start in surprise. "Please, don't kill! Don't feed us to tree!"
"Wait! We no kill you. What you mean feed to tree?"
The two creatures silently assess you with their strange, flat monkey faces. Though clearly suspicious, one of them, a bit taller than the other, steps forward and says, "Fumus try to run from hole. One way ends with big tree. Branches reach down and rip. Drinks our blood." It looks at each of you in turn. "Do you know how to get away from the hole?"
"Hole?" she asks with a raised eyebrow. "Either of you see any hole they may be talking about? Wouldn't be the arena, would it?"
Scratching her chin, she turns to the fellow sylph. "Ok, ask them simply...'Do you mean harm for the elen here?' 'What hole are you talking about?' 'Can we be friends? If so, hug the male sylph.'" Finishing with a wink, she awaits a response.
Hole in the arena? What? Is she just... oh wow. Okay. Ibinu takes a deep breath, "they are probably talking about whatever rift they came through."
He smirks at the last part, "I'll... uh try to relay most of what you are asking, but I often confuse male and female in this language."
He turns to the creatures and tries to translate the requests, "why are you here? Do you mean to hurt us or other elen? Where did you come from and where is this hole? We want to help."
The two mephits look at each other. With fear in its raspy voice, the taller one says, "There are shadows at home. We are not going back there." It points backward toward the center of the Slums. It seems to be very close to the place the "brainwashed townies" spoke to you about - the cursed statue.
Ibinu ponders, is there someplace local that might be a safe place for the mephits, at least until we can figure out this rift and the tree?
He asks the creatures, "You go home if shadows gone?"
"Hmm...I think we were there earlier." remarks the sylph.
Ibinu, an answer immediately comes to you. On your way through the Slums, you noticed several buildings that had cellar doors nearby. If they are large enough, that would be a good place to hide the mephits.
Taller One nods, sheepishly. "Yes."
Quietly listening to Ibinu translate his conversation while never taking her hand off of her weapon. Though she does not draw them. Looking back and forth then mumbling, "Are you sure we can trust them?"
Ibinu shrugs and replies in common, "well they aren't insulting us on a constant basis and I don't think there are any more inquisitors to sacrifice... so I'm willing to work with them. Plus I think I know a safe place for them to stay while we figure this whole thing out. Your uh... axe have anything to say?"
He switches back to High Ifrit, "you follow us to safe place please?"
He leads them to the location he remembers seeing and takes them inside, checking to make sure it will actually work for them.
Taller speaks rapidly to Shorter. Turning back to you, Taller says, "We follow."
The axe slumbers.
Shaking her head that the question and saying nothing more. Can't be any more foolish than trusting the Inquisitors.
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Leaving the cellar, Inam considers their new friends. 'Well, they just seem scared. Perhaps there's hope...This rift thing...shadows? Oh, we should have asked if the shadows smiled...'
Turning to Kallik, she frowns. she quips, rather loudly. The metallic *CLANK* of her sword bouncing off her armor echoes across the dims.
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Letting the cellar slam with a bang and flinching at the noise. And the luck keeps coming as the world seems intent on keeping her agitated. Rocks keep tripping her and growls seep out of her lips.
Glaring at Inam but not softening her voice in the slightest, "Your one to talk. With all that metal you should just carry a bell."
Ibinu manages to take a few quiet steps before his companions begin moving, then all hope of stealth is gone. Despite the clamor, no one comes out of the alleys and crooked doorways. You make your way down deserted streets for a time, seeing no sign of elen or mephit. It is getting warmer - it feels more like spring than winter.
Down the way, in a large plaza devoid of buildings, you see what appears to be an enormous bonfire. It towers over the huts on the opposite side of the plaza - the fire could be two or three stories tall. It is uncomfortably warm now. Fortunately, the protection you were given seems to shield against heat, as well.
Ibinu looks quizzically at it and then moves forward not caring about being quiet anymore, "do you think this is the rift or just locals burning stuff to keep warm?"
As if in answer to your question, you see two small gray mephits burst from the fire, and scurry away out of sight.
You feel/hear a slight buzz/chime from the axe. It wordlessly confirms that this is the rift. It also give you a mental image - you, next to the rift, using the axe itself as a sort of key to open it for passage.
Kallik's feet stop moving and she simply stares forward while mumbling, "Really?"
Ibinu wanders up, closer to the fire. He inspects where the mephits burst out of the fire. Looking at Inam he says respectfully, "does our fearless leader care for the honor of the first step?"
Shaking her head and walking forward. Gesturing for both sylph's to come to her while keeping a distance from the rift. Holding the axe up, "So this things is a key and we are supposed to travel though the rift but." I haven't spoken to Egret!
Sounding a little strained, "I don't know where we will go."
From every small crack and crevice in the hovels and shacks of the inner Dims, a slimy darkness spills upon the ground, coalescing into several vaguely reptilian shapes, resembling oversized crocodiles.
"Pretty!" coos Inam, staring at the flaming rift, oblivious to her companions questions. "It's like Volcano is beckoning...trying to touch my soul..."
conf
Springing from their hiding places, three of the tarry crocodiles bite with huge jaws at Inam.
Twisting around and rushing at the crocodiles. Lifting her axe and grinning when electricity crackles along the pale blade.
The brilliant celerity arcs down the axe, slamming into the toothy spawn. It does not convulse; instead, its tarry skin bubbles and smokes, leaving a terrible smell. The thing loses its shape and collapses.
A grin crawls its way across her green lips when one of the strange creatures seems to die. Lifting her axe and swinging again.
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Ibinu steps to the side and flips a shock bomb at the closest crock . "What the heck are those things!"
for and if hits rounds.
"Oww!" cries out the sylph. "Whatever they are, that hurt!"
Cautiously stepping out from between the beasts, she places her hand against one of the fresh wounds.
As it begins to mend, she tugs her blade out and hollers "That wasn't nice! We mean you no harm, let us be and we'll let you be!"
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'Speak for yourself' considers Etrah as the phoenix slams into the crock in front of Inam.
Ibinu shouts out in frustration, "INAM ARE YOU STUPID! THEY CAN'T TALK TO YOU AND ARE PROBABLY DARKSPAWN OR MAGIC OR SOMETHING! AT LEAST TRY YOUR SPECIAL SIGHT OR OFFER FOOD THAT ISN'T YOUR FACE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO NEGOTIATE! THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE MEPHITS!"
Since you've come to Hearth, you have encountered a few of the tar-like spawn you see here. In addition, you've had a chance to look more into spawn in general since the inquisitors fled - you gained access to more libraries, and Culkin is knowledgeable as well.
These tarlings are usually weak, and nearly mindless. They are not infectors. You are surprised, however, at how much damage they are inflicting on Inam. You are missing a piece of the puzzle.
Ibinu calms himself for a second as his analytical mind breaks down the creatures attributes.
His tone completely changes as he starts questioning what he is seeing, "okay so these should just be basic tarlings or tar-spawns. They can't even infect normal elen, much less us but they are definitely darkspawn. It's odd though, they really aren't supposed to be this dangerous. I mean, they can take out civilians but shouldn't be this strong. Maybe it's the portal rift thing that has warped them or they are using it to power up? I don't know for sure, but they are very dangerous and we need to take them out quickly."
Round One Results
The spawn tear into Inam.
Kallik attempts another magic-charged attack, but the beast flattens suddenly, and the swing goes high.
Inam pulls out her sword, and attempts to reason with the tar-like, eyeless beasts.[/b]
Ibinu connects with the northern spawn. Part of its form burns away, leaving it sagging to one side. It seems to retain enough life to continue fighting, however.
Ibinu repeats his earlier action, tossing another volatile vial of exploding electricity at the same crock. He steps back after and draws his crossbow.
for and if hits
As the blow hits, Inam's knees begin to buckle. Suddenly, a blinding light erupts from the blade and swirls around her, stitching her wounds.
Shaking the fog from her head, she rubs her side, again the healing thrill of Volcano surges into the woman. "Make up your mind Ibinu!" she whines. "Don't use it...trust people...use it...cut things...I'm trying to figure this all out!"
Still a bit out of it, she hesitates as she brings the blade to bear against the remaining foe.
Flittering backwards from the remaining beast, Etrah takes a deep breath and expels a gout of fire.
"That's the spirit gal, fight back! And stop being stupid!"
Kallik successfully connects with another charged attack, frying the spawn already damage by phoenix fire.
The tar-spawn corpses, still smoking, lie still. The rift crackles, as if laughing at the spectacle of death.
Combat Over!
Ibinu moves up, warily watching the corpses, I wonder if they are really dead or just playing possum like that one time. He shudders at the memories surfacing from his old angry life. It feels like such a long time ago.
He puts a hand out on Inam's shoulder, "I'm sorry. I know it can get confusing. I shouldn't have yelled at you, but sometimes talking needs to be put to the side if we are immediate danger."