Nyarai surveys the scene. She ponders something, then picks up one of the painted stones to chuck it at the kettle.
Enoch watches as Nyarai does the thing. The Paladin shrugs.
If we need to smoke her out from upstairs then perhaps another Pyrotechnics display?
Ethyl peers at the stones and no solutions come to mind.
If Nyarai's attack does nothing Ethyl will thrust her hand over the line of rocks.
The kettle rings out as the stone chosen and chucked by Nyarai strikes it. It swings on the hook it hangs from, almost becoming dislodged, only the lid falls off. The rattling does end, however.
Seeing the lack of manifestation, Ethyl holds her hand over the barricade of painted rocks. Again, nothing seems to happen, but Ethyl's imagination gets the better of her for a moment as a chill runs up her spine.
"Sayyida Nyarai," the pale man bows his head, gesturing to the empty seat before you. "Thank you for accepting my invitation."
"Ustaaz Lowls." You nod your head warily, slowly taking the offered seat and cup of tea. "Your invitation did not dictate what this was about."
"I have an interest I feel you might share. There is a library here in Katheer, containing a certain tome I'd be most appreciative if you could help me borrow it for a time."
"Why ask me? Why not the Stewards of the Vault?"
"The Stewards and I do not see eye to eye." Here the dialogue distorts, almost sped along till: "I require the aid of one such as you. Help me acquire the tome I seek, and I will aid you in acquiring any arcane and occult secrets you desire. I imagine such information is not readily available to you?"
"No, it is not." You grimace bitterly. "Very well. I will help you steal the Ne-"
You are jerked from the memory almost physically, taking a step back.
Nyarai stumbles back in confusion. "We all stole something, I think. Us and Lowls. A book of some kind from Katheer."
She shakes her head and rubs her temples. "We're all criminals?", she looks around the group.
"Hm. They were intended for some sort of abjuration effect, but, as our comrades have demonstrated, they have no actual magic to them." Alvar notes with regard to the painted rocks. "To bring her down..." They consider for several moments. "I can summon a creature from Axis or another plane and send it up to attack any old women it sees, then retreat back down here..." They sigh inwardly. She is certainly aligned with the lower planes, which means I'd best call one from the celestial realms. It always leaves me feeling dirty...
They glance at Nyarai, suddenly concerned. "Are you well? Another memory?" The comment on their potentially criminal background makes Alvar wince. "Is... it's possible. I don't know what sort of laws we might break... but I certainly could see myself attempting a theft of scholarly books, under certain circumstances."
Ethyl raises an eyebrow at Nyarai's outburst, "If Count Lowls endorsed the theft then it isn't a criminal act but a privateer action. It was an act of war not criminal. We should still be careful if we ever have cause to go to Katheer."
Then she asks Alvar, "Could you summon it within the demarcation line and see if the haunt reacts?"
"Axis? Heaven seems like a better bet," Iosif says, but he sounds more unsure of the idea than even Alvar was. "And are we criminals? I am unsure."