"Let me know when you've finished please" says Nombir to the party. He then stands guards near the entrance and watches for Gnolls etc.
"Can any of you see in the dark?" says Nombir to the party. "If you can, then you had best take my place, or at least stand next to me".
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One by one the stars wink on until there is a tapestry of light in the sky, certainly enough for everyone to see a little.
Then a cloud passes away and the moon appears from behind the high hills, eerie and full.
Soon Nombir can see, although there are many shadows he can see any movement and it all seems to be happening within the large market building.
"Perhaps we should just take the bird woman some of the meat, the skin, and the fang's/poison sac's." "We could tell her where the rest of it is, since she is probably able to move about more freely than us".
"Maybe we should stay here for the night" whispers Nombir? "It's easily defendable and the Gnolls would never think we would near a giant snake. I don't like the idea of moving around Kelmarane in the dark to be honest"
"And where will we go in the morning? The gnolls may see better than us at night, but even they can not see great distances. Once across the bridge tonight we should be safe. In daylight tomorrow they will be able to see us a much longer distance away."
[ooc]
Nombir ponders Shimei's response then whispers back "Ok, can you lead us out of here in dark when necessary? If you can, then I'll accept your judgement on the matter"
"Norn sees well. She can lead us out. Livvy can watch our trail."
Norn will lead the others back to the tannery.
"We should take this meat back to Undrella before it spoils."
Erizi shoulders a massive amount of whatever we're taking back, and grumbles. "Let's go then". "Maybe we can talk her into cooking some of this for us as well".
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It sounds lively with flickering lights and shadows at the windows, some kind of string instrument playing and the odd shout and cheer. Maybe most of the gnolls are up in the market.
The pale shadow of the lookout watches for a while then Norn notices that he is gone. Soon after everyone is across the bridge and back inside, waking the dozing Undrella.
"Wha-?" she wipes saliva from her mouth and flutters down to look at the snake.
Getting close to Erizi and Shimei, the harpy grins a seductive toothy grey fanged smile at them. "Already. So big and strong."
flutter, flutter go her eyelids.
"I'll keep watch at the door, as I'll not treat with a servant of darkness" whispers Nombir as the others go in. He then takes up the best position to keep an eye on the approach to the party's position.
"Here is what you asked for". "There was so much meat we could not carry it all". "That was fun".
Zaid bows and presents the meat bundled up in snake skin.
"We have fulfilled our part of the bargain."
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Undrella capers and hops around the head and meat, prodding at the goods with one clawed foot and clapping her hands. When she stops the haggard harpy saunters over to Zaid, "you seem to be the leader, such a commanding way, I sure that your harem will be large and women will flock to your feet."
She twirls one of his belt tassels pulling gently to open Zaid's robes.
Her eyes bat up at the mage pathfinder, "what do you want?"
Shimei stares at the wanton harpy. I should have stayed on watch outside. This is monstrous. His hand grips his axe more tightly. He wants to strike, but Garavel's warning to act with the group and not alone echoes in his memory.
Zaid struggles to keep his robes shut, and tries his best to hide his horror and disgust. "Not now!"
"What do I want? Well, to start with Undrella my love, I want you to fulfill your part of the bargain. You promised to tell us many useful things. Speaking for myself, I want to know where the chief lives and I want to know where to find the infusium."
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Undrella giggles as Zaid says the words, "my love." Then she turns away with a sigh, flapping ver to a far cauldron. One arm goes into the dark red liquid and outs comes a small bandolier with three glass phials in it. Two of the phials hold glittering blue liquid the other has a clear but viscous fluid.
"Here, Oh Zaid of my heart, our bargain is fulfilled even if I am not. Yet. flutter, flutter. Kardswann holds the infusium in the market, upstairs. If you wish to know more then I would have your words that you will help meagainst my cruel partner. He deserves to die. Just as the two of us deserve life."
"Thank you for the potions and the information. If you mean by 'my cruel partner' the chief of the gnolls, then I believe our desires are the same, for I also wish to see him dead."
SHimei's grip on the ax doesn't relax but a grim smile creases his face. This part of the conversation is more to his liking.
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"Watch out, my pretty brave hero. Kardswann makes for a terrible enemy. He is a genie in man skin, after he slew the old chief Kardswann. The genie walked through the magic-selaed door into the ruined church crypt and has never been the same since. Maybe he is cursed or possessed. Who can tell?"
She curls a finger up and traces one claw along the jawline of Zaid. "Promise me my life after all this and I shall provide you with important keys and perhaps I can be convinced to help in other ways..."
"I promise you your life and more, my dearest. But tell me, this Kardswann is a genie? I thought he was a gnoll."
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"No, he is their chief. A place he won with his greataxe, and he stands every bit as large as that one." points at Erizi
"Now that I have your word, I shall warn you that there is a band of smugglers in the battlemarket who would make any attack difficult. But I shall spin a web of promises and by the end they will keep their lives and not fight against you or your friends. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good to me" Norn pipes up from the rear.
Nombir is just keeping watch at the door and awaits the outcome of the meeting.
Shimei frets. Where is this battle market? Is there just one set of doors? Who and what are these smugglers? How long will it take the harpy to negotiate with them ? Can we just wait for them to leave? He bites his tongue and hopes Zaid will clear things up.
Zaid tries his best not to flinch when Undrella kisses him. "When should we we go to the battle market and where is it?"
Zaid bows, "Thank you dearest, we will go then and slay this Kardswann."
He does all he can to keep a straight face and refrain from vomiting.
"No, he is their chief. A place he won with his greataxe, and he stands every bit as large as that one." points at Erizi
"Now that I have your word, I shall warn you that there is a band of smugglers in the battlemarket who would make any attack difficult. But I shall spin a web of promises and by the end they will keep their lives and not fight against you or your friends. How does that sound?"
** spoiler omitted **
Erizi pull out his new Earthbreaker and looks at it with puzzlement. "Tempest and I look forward to meeting this Kardswann".
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"Many gnolls in the Kulldis tribe, would you wish to face them all at once? Or perhaps fight as a scorpion stinging on the quiet. There is other creatures that a woman under the evil eye and a black snake in the village. They recently captured some adventurers and those are dying one by one in the pesh trap. Like I said, be careful. You taste too good, Pretty lips."
"Well we shall wait till then". "Can someone wake me just before we go", Erizi begins to lay back, then everyone in the room can hear his stomach rumble, and he sits up abruptly.
"Say you don't have anything to eat do you". "That beetle wasn't very filling".
"We will certainly take care." Zaid bows again and leaves the building to join the others.
"Can you see the battle market?" he asks Shimei.
Nombir continues to watch and wait for somebody to tell him what's happening.
"Can you see the battle market?" he asks Shimei.
"The buildings all look as one in the night. The little ones may see better. But what is this pesh trap? Might these prisoners be allies?"
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Undrella explains further and its easy to realise that the large battle market is the palatial main building dominating the village.
Also that the pesh fields have some kind of pit to the north that prisoners from the battle market are thrown into periodically.
She ends with the following, "he was some kind of Lion, the last one they threw in. Heard his cries clear across here!"
Livvy looks up quickly. "A lion? Or a man called a Lion?" She looks at Norn.
Norn looks at livvy the clour draining from her face "Have they thrown any more of these Lions in or planning to?"