Elgeen's page

Before returning to her turn to keeping the Ravid slapped unconscious, she addresses Elgeen:"Now that the guy who made you...well, they guy you were afraid of, is gone, would you mind helping a bit. Do you recognize any of those salves?"

"Oh! Yes, those four jars there." he says pointing to the jars that Illthir was testing out on herself. "Mistress made them in case of accidents with the cockatrices, but they can be used preemptively on ordinary flesh to render a person's skin as hard as stone for a couple of hours."

"We don't work here, no. I suppose you could consider us subcontractors making sure the stock is properly stored away."

Preparing to hit the downed snake the moment it seems to regain consciousness, Alia shouts:"Zokon, Durgan, could you bring the Rust Monster up to the front?"
Now that I see the thing close up, could I try for Knowledge Planes again? I suppose if we know it has fast healing, we can keep it knocked out for a while, until the shop keeper can help out, but somehow suppressing it would be more convenient...
"Elgeen, is that thing pre-paid? Or how much is it worth? Do speak up. You should probably also change your pants if you get a chance."

"It's paid for! It's paid for!" calls Elgeen to the voices in the back. "Is that the 'one-armed albino crocodile' that Javers brought in?"

Expeditious Retreat or Advance is fine.

"B-But it's very dangerous out here as well!" comes Elgeen's quavering voice back through the door.

"Well i've looked back there and there's no shocker lizards in crates."

Elgeen considers. "Maybe they were picked up."

A third minute passes since the end of the battle with discussion at the front door. This does not impact Durgan's fly prayer/spell as I assume he casts that just before using it.

"Hiding? They should be in their crates in the back hall."

"T-this is Alak- Lord Alak Dool, a very respectable wizard from the south who has some business with Lady Gwendolyn. I think he might be in a bit of a hurry, so if you and your friends could wrap up your work-." Elgeen urges. "We don't want to detain Baron Dool any longer than necessary."

"Most of the cages seems to be in there. And broken." Illthir points at the curtain she was checking out as the vicious creature assaulted. Not very nice. And now that she wasn't actively being strangled by some odd thing she had the time to get a little annoyed. "I wonder what *else* is loose in here? I'll think I'll have some words with those men outside."

With a huff the Skald strides towards the door and drags it open juuuust enough so she can glare at Elgeen and Javers. "So. We found two rock-chickens. And a Rust Monster and strangling attack rug. Is there anything else living in the backrooms?"

The group at the door spins around with a startled jump. They had been facing a tall, lean, severe-looking man in dark, expensive wizard's robes.

"A rust monster you say?" says Elgeen recovering first but still looking nervous. "Well that's good. There wasn't one the last time I was here. Is it-?"

Elgeen can eventually rattle off a list of about a dozen animals that sound like the familiar section of any given Pathfinder Bestiary (bats, birds, frogs, rabbits, other small mammals, vipers, other reptiles). To that list he adds, 2 cockatrices, 1 darkmantle, and 3 shocker lizards (usually a knowledge (arcana) DC 12 to identify. If folks don't know what the latter two creatures are Elgeen can explain the basics, and give a general physical description.

Outside

"Uhhh."

Outside

"Oh, a few dozen at any moment. Lady Gwendolyn has most exotic menagerie of magical creatures, companions, and familiars in all of Brevoy." Elgeen says proudly. He goes on to list some of the stock he recalls from a few days before.

Erevenywg nods to be friendly, but is unsure what a 'Two-Can' is and is even more confused about the 'Terror Pin'.

"Oh. I was just going to close it after you." Elgeen says looking a bit embarrassed.

The party readies itself upon the front steps. The man called Javers fidgets nervously while Elgeen stands to the side of the door. The crowd goes quiet with anticipation.

"Shall I open the door then?" Elgeen says. "Remember, if Mistress Gwendolyn, or anyone else is petrified there should be some ointment in lab to set everyone alright again. And try not to kill the beasts. Remember, compared to most of you, they are lower-order intellects and therefore not responsible for their actions in same way that sentient beings are. They act out of instinct and not malice. Why I could deliver a whole class on the subject of moral alignment and animal intelligence, and how the two subjects interact."

Rope and sacks collected (lemme know what is in your hands going in). Everyone where they want to be on the map?

"Oh dear."

To be fair, that was only the undertone, she did not actually go murderhobo suggesting to solve problems by termination...

Noted, but it sounded like that may have been the intention, if not, Elgeen no doubt assumes that's what motivates a group of well-armed bravos such as yourselves.

"How many korgiz are we talking about here?", Alia asks, stepping next to the door

"Just the pair that I know of, though I have been away for a few days and was only now returning when Javers over there came running out." Elgeen says indicating the one-time werechicken suspect.

"We are not mercenaries or heroes, but these are dangerous beasts that must be contained - we are in a city. Who in Findeladlaras name orders such creatures? For what?"

"Wizards in search of familiars, dungeon guardians, or specialized spell components, alchemists, nobles, collectors... avant-garde sculptors. You would be surprised." explains the man. "We do not however sell to hunters."

Zokon retrieves a silk rope from his backpack and starts making a lasso

"This appears to be about the best I have to catch a bird of that size with, is there specialist equipment for catching or containing them available inside?" he asks Elgeen

"Not really. Just a couple of small travel coops back in the delivery and stock area. Oh, and I think Mistress had whipped up some stone salve in her lab, in case of an accident."

Turning to the crowd, she raises her voice:"There are no werechickens loose. There has been a small cage malfunction, but there is no reason to panic. Everything is fine currently and you are safe. Calm down, keep a respectful distance of 50 feet or more if you must stare, and someone fetch the guard, just in case."

The crowd settles in for a show.

"Javers, what happened to Mistress Gwendolyn?"

"A cockatrice?", Alia raises an Eyebrow at Illthirs suggestion.

It made sense now that she reconsidered the mans acting.
Drawing her Estoc(but not pointing it at anybody just yet) she turns to the nervous pale man: "Is he speaking the truth? Is a monster loose inside Gwens Relics?"

"Uh, um, uh, I guess? I have only just arrived myself."

And implicative undertone: "Will we get a discount if we get rid of it?"

"Get rid of the kortosian gallus cocatriz?! Certainly not! They are very expensive creatures." The man looks the party up and down. "Wait! You are 'heroes' is that right? Fierce brutes who engage in feats of martial and magical prowess for glory, wealth, and honor, correct? I am Elgeen." He bows.

"Perhaps, I might entreat you to enter my workplace and recapture the creatures and see to the safety of my employer. I am sure she would offer you some form of recompense for your exertions. But you mustn't harm the kortosian gallus cocatriz if at all possible. All the creatures within are special order."

I'm going to place Victoria and Posh off to the side. Posh can show up when his player's feeling better.