Vrealk, pads though the door, seemingly unseen as he barely opens it but a crack. Ayish however must open the door much wider and makes more noise doing so. And as the sun spills into the darker room it is noticeable.
The room is large, you can not see much past the first "room" as sections of the building are marked off with hides, leather and old curtains that have seen better days. The room you do see is roughly 15x20 and contains several cauldrons boiling with nauseous fums , giving the room an eerie glow.
A winged woman stirs the farthest pot. Her taloned hands still grip the ladle and her voice is ever so lovely. It is one of the sweetest and most captivating sounds Ayish has ever heard. She stops to look at the door as the light spills into the room, spotting Ayish
"What do we have here? Hummmmmm" she says in a sweet song like voice. "Are you what the trouble is all about? Or do you have friends ,love? Humm , yes do come in, the Kulldis and Kardswann,'s pets will not be as welcoming, if you are found I assure you." she says with a smile
Ayish blinks at the woman with wings. She steps farther into the room, curtsying politely.
"I do not know of any trouble, ma'am. Though I fear the current beings who claim this land do not see the world the way some other people do..." She finishes, blushing, and glances about obviously embarrassed at be the current center of attention.
"Im sorry if I'm interrupting anything..." Ayish says in a quieter voice.
She pads closer, sure that her fiend Vrealk is nearby should this woman not be friendly,
"Who are Kulldis and Kardswann?" Ayish asks, even as she tries to obtain a better view of this woman who appears to be one with the skies.
Vrealk motions back to the others to hurry forward, then tries to sneak in the room unobserved.
stealth
N'Djamena moves forward, heartened by the fact that no screams have been heard yet.
"Come alone did you? Foolish , foolish girl." she says waving her closer "One should always know where one is. A slave perhaps? Did you flee the battle market? No? Hummm" She gives Ayish a good once over
"No, if you do not know of the Kulldis and Kardswann you did not flee there. I do wonder how one got so close alone? Where did you come from lovely? Humm, This is a very bad place to be alone' she says taking a step closer to Ayish with a smile.
Ayish's back stiffens at the word 'slave',
"I am no slave. I came here with my brother..." And her voice is silenced as her heart is crushed beneath her feelings of loss.
"My brother...he was...my brother, he fell..." She looks away, blinking back her tears and quickly trying to regain her composure. After but a little while, Ayish's Bard training helping her regain her senses, she looks back to the 'bird woman',
"My name is Ayish, I come from ." She curtsies again, "Whom might you be?" She asks lifting her chin, doing her best to show no fear to this strange creature, even as she/it steps closer.
Celena not hearing any noise of battle puts away her weapons and heads into the house.
Kelden goes along with the group. He maintains a high level of readiness.
Seeing both Celena and Kelden step into the building the woman , grins a bit and says "So you are the trouble makers after all. Humm yes the Kulldis have been very upset with you.'[/b] She says keeping her distance from the new comers.
"So what brings you here, hummm? Looking for gold? Treasure from the ruins? Did the Kulldis double cross you lot perhaps?" See seems to stare at Celena "Or do you have a more Noble reason for all the trouble you have caused?" she says with a wicked grin at the Gnome
"Yes, you have caused a bit of trouble you have, the Kulldis would dearly love to give you to the rough beast they would indeed"
"Were not here for gold and no the Kulldis have not double crossed us were here to reclaim the village if you must know" Celena responds "What about yourself? Your not a Gnoll and you're clearly not a prisoner either."
"I live here, far longer then the Kulldis have. I have made, arrangements with Kardswann. ' She says still with a smile on her face "And I make such lovely things for the Kulldis. Potions, poultices and other things they find useful. Yes I make myself very useful and get to stay in my home"
She seems to think something over "If you three are all that has come to remove the Kulldis from this place, then you are sorely outnumbered. Yes outnumbered indeed. Kardswann's pets are very upset about yesterdays events. If they capture you, death will be a blessing"
"Well they are going to be even more upset once we finish with them today."
"Are they now? Humm you plan to kill them all then? Even Kardswann? With just the three of you? That seems unlikely."
"Are they now? Humm you plan to kill them all then? Even Kardswann? With just the three of you? That seems unlikely."
Ayish sighs at the woman's comment,
"Like any good game player, we keep our rescourses close to our chest. We that you see are but a small amount of our number. Those whom we serve under are very determined and very well rescoursed to achieve their aim."
"You seem like a reasonable person, would there be a place for you to make an arraingment with us, instead?" Ayish asks, an eligant eyeborw raised in question.
"Besides, we haven't been properly introduced." She reminds the winged woman again.
She laughs at Ayish comments, a very musical sound. "I do not think you would be interested in the arrangements I have made with Kardswann" She seems to look the group over settling her eyes on Kelden before turning back to look at Ayish "At lest you have nothing here that truly interests me in such an arraignment. That being said " she says going on in her song like voice "I am not Immutable in my current arrangements. I might be willing to help or at lest entertain the ideal if you can bring me something. In the old slave market is a rather large snake, his head would flavor my stew nicely I think. "
Nodding to Ayish"You may call me Undrella and If you bring me that, we could share some stew, safely out of sight and maybe come to an accord.'
Ayish frowns at the woman's request,
"You want to make 'snake head' soup?" She glances over her shoulder to Kelden and Celena, "That sounds so odd, I might be inclined to think you are trying to set us up?" The disbelief in Ayish's voice is very real, as she can't quite bring her self to believe this strange request.
"What sort of arraignment do you have now with Kardswann, Undrella?" Ayish probes.
She laughs at Ayish thought of her soup "I forget Humans are so queer in many ways. You do not enjoy the full flavors the world has to offer, a pity really."
She moves back to her cauldron, stiring whats inside. " Besides If you can kill the snake, and not bring the Kulldis down upon you and end up stacked out in the sun screaming for death, you might, just might be able to kill my Lover." she says with the sweetest of smiles
"Hmm never tried Snake head soup before" Celena mumbles without really realising.
"Snake is okay, if prepared correctly," N'Djamena whispers back. "I don't know about the head, though."
Ayish keeps her thoughts about any head soup to herself and her face schooled in neutrality. She steps back to N'Djamena and Celene, looking to them for guidance on where the conversation should go next.
"Who is this person she talks about." Indicating Undrella, "And why would she want to have some one she calls..." Ayish's words stumble as she searches for the right ones, "Such a freind killed?"
Vrealk stays unmoving and as hidden as he can, listening to the conversation.
She calls to Ayish as she whispers out the door "Do have your friends come in dear, if the patrols spot them it could be unpleasantness." she says with a smile. "How you got by the spotter ion the ridge is a gift of fate, if one still believes in fate"
Ayish turns to Ubdrella"Watcher upon the bridge? What is this new thing of which you speak?" She asks, moving back towards the the cauldron tender, being as obvious as she can, knowing that Vrealk might still be hiding here about.
"Not the bridge, silly child" she says with a laugh "The ridge behind this place, in the town proper. Gnolls stand in one of the building to watch the road. Maybe you did not come up this road then humm, maybe you came though the town. No matter " she says waving her clawed hand "Be it the gods, the broken strains of fate or maybe luck, they seem to have not seen you, be quick about it you should as that will not hold true forever dear."
What manner of creature is the winged woman?
Knowledge (dungeoneering)
Knowledge (nature)
Knowledge (planes)
"So if we bring you this snake without getting ourselves killed you'll help us out?"
Kelden
She smiles at the Gnome "Yes, dear. If you do me this little favor of retrieving the snake head and do die when or if you bring the Guards down upon you I would be willing to negotiate an accord."
"Kardswann, is not an easy foe and one you should not take lightly. He is cruel and he is dangerous. If I am to side with you, I must know you can deal with him" She tastes whatever is in the cauldron "This should be a simple enough task if you are that good"
N'Djamena steps inside (if he's not already).
"A thousand pardons, madam, but what type of creature is this Kardswann? And do you know anything about a horrible demon that can only be killed with cold iron?"
Diplomacy
"You mean am I bedding a Gnoll?" She says with a wicked smile "Are you interested? You look rugged, it might be fun, yes you might do nicely" she says.
With a musical laugh she says moving forward to trace a clawed finger down N'Djermna's face like a lovers caress "No, He is not a gnoll at all, But a genie. He crushed the former Kulldis chief like he was but a welp before a lion."
While the parlay is ongoing, Vrealk slowly scans the room from his hiding spot, taking everything in. Just to make sure nothing is missed.
perception take 20 = 27
Ayish shies away from the Bird woman...looking both embarrassed and nervous when she comes close to N'Djamena.
At her comments about Gnoll interaction, Ayish's blush deepens noticeably. Though, when the woman talks of Genie kind, Ayish's face pales even more.
"A genie!" N'Djamena wails in despair. "Nethys's peerless power preserve me! Why must there be so many mighty enemies arrayed against us?"
He regains his composure a little bit, and then bows courteously. "I thank you graciously for your information, my lady. So you have no knowledge of demons allied with the gnolls?"
"The Ram headed things. yes? That are Kardswann's pet, if you can't handle that, you will never stand against him" she says simply
"And you were looking for a snake...where can this snake be found, do you know?"
'As I said hansom, the snake lairs in the ruined slave market. You can't miss it. Just head down the street toward the pesh fields. The sign should still be hanging"
Ayish nods and walks slowly towards the door, taking a look outside to see who everything fares before she steps out into the glare of the day's sun light.
N'Djamena suggests they check out the building they passed that contains the snake.
"N'Djamena has a girlfriend," Markhet laughs once they're clear of the tannery, "N'Djamena and Undrella in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes N'Djamena with a baby carriage.
"But a carriage is to small for N'Djamena's winged ape, poor old N'Djamena needs a baby crate!"
That's a good idea. Kelden will inspect the buildings as they get to and pass them.
While Ayish will smile at Markhet's playfull ribbing of N'Djamena, she will also gently chide the Gnome.
"Now, now, Markhet. Poor N'Djamena was very brave allowing that monster os near to him as he did. Every one should be more supportive."
As the party moves along, Ayish keeps watch for anything that might spring forth form the rubble of the surrounding town.
The group makes their way to the slave market, across the bridge, trying to keep out of sight as they do so. The building looks unkempt with most of the roof gone, you see two sets of doors , one on the front near the street and the other on the side, close to where you are nest to the ruined slave pins
Ayish heads towards the smaller, side door. Hoping it is less obvious, and offers more protection/concealment.
While Ayish will smile at Markhet's playfull ribbing of N'Djamena, she will also gently chide the Gnome.
"Now, now, Markhet. Poor N'Djamena was very brave allowing that monster os near to him as he did. Every one should be more supportive."
"But Markhet loves teasing N'Djamena!" the tiny gnome pouts, "and if Markhet doesn't do it, who will?"