Aside from the four flasks, the hammer and holster for the iron flasks, and the pillars, Avarice finds the room entirely empty. 

(OOC side note; you can release any creature inside a flask to speak with and interact with before you make a decision. The challenge seems to end when three of the four flasks have been crushed by the hammer.)

"I agree with Keyleth's point.  The instructions were vague about just what these beings are or were.  Perhaps, Mulligan, that entity is some horror beyond time and space, that 10,000 years ago predicted you would be standing here, that you would be partial to sparing a child, and so chose this form to tug at your heartstrings to gain its release back into the world."

"Unlikely, perhaps.  But everything about this place is unlikely.  I advocate we question the prisoners of the flask and then vote as a group on which most deserves mercy... or at least which one least deserves annihilation."

“Well, we have to begin somewhere.”  Unless anyone stops him, Wulgar approaches the steel flask with the angel and the winged serpent around the neck, and opens it.

     "And perhaps some horror thought that you would think that and thus left instructions that we'd be able to talk to the creatures inside when in fact..."  Mulligan rolls his eyes and shrugs.  "Whatever we are doing, a decision is being made.  I shall bow to the horrors in the room..."

     "Before we begin though, I suggest I once again create a Zone of Truth here.  I cannot be sure it would affect whatever spirits or voices may come, but I see no harm in trying..."  Mulligan then goes through the casting of the spell, as everyone has seen before, before nodding to Wulgar that he may as well free one.

Wulgar nods to Mulligan, "Proceed with your spell."  After this is done, he opens the flask as above.  

Ragnar listens as the group deliberates over this coming challenge. Before Wulfgar opens the flask with the angel, he speaks. 

"I have some experience in these matters. You may see me as a warrior, but I've bent my back over a desk for years, developing a grand law code to be followed throughout my lands. I have no doubt some of you may disagree with my judgments, but the creatures in these flasks will no doubt attempt to cloud your thinking with pleas to emotion."

He brushes the hair of his griffon.

"I would entertain no such appeals to mercy. Thousands I have sentenced to the grave. Three more will be no bother."

Keyleth's ears twitch, and she looks up to look the human dead in the eye. "I don't trust your judgement. I've read about Northumbria, and I know your type, Ragnar. You'll lock up anyone who dares speak against you. That's not someone who ought to be judging anyone's crimes."

Ragnar raises an eyebrow and grins. 

"Keyleth, you may outnumber me in years, but I haven't heard such bold-faced naivety in a while. When this is done and over with, perhaps I can give you a treatise on basic political governance? Perhaps it'll help with that crippling idealism." 

Keyleth barks out a laugh. "Idealism? Wanting people to have some semblance of freedom isn't idealism, you're just a bloody tyrant. And don't give me some shit about being an enlightened despot. I don't want to hear your blasted treatise. History is littered with folks like you, men and women who thought their beliefs to be truth, and didn't think anyone should be allowed to say differently. And guess what--the majority of them fell. What makes you think you're so different?"

"You land lubbers with your complex rules, on governing and everything else, who's taking what from whom, who's screwing over whom.  It is so much simpler on board ship.  If you're better than me with a knife, a sword or an axe, you win.  If I'm better, then ... well.  Let's just say that I rule by me and mine.  I protect me and mine.  Which includes you lot right now.  No more, no less.  All of the rest of it gives me a headache.  So you two quit yer bellyachin' and let's figure this out."

Wulgar looks over the iron flask, starts to rub the side of it, like a genie might escape it, he makes a face of puzzlement.  He has pulled the stopper out.

Wulgar's hand reaches out for the flask depicting a crying angel with a winged snake wrapped around its neck. After turning the steel vial over for a moment or two, he uncorks the vessel - immediately afterwards, a wisp of shadow seems to pull from the interior of the bottle and form a vague, humanoid shape - notably, the summon forms inside the circle of glyphs depicted on the ground, indicating it functions as some sort of protective barrier. 

 Standing before you is a figure standing nearly six feet in height. Adding to her impressive stature is papery-white skin contrasting with the obsidian black of her half-plate armor. She wields a wicked-looking glaive; a longsword and a shield attach to her armor. Her monochrome figure seems quite intimidating. She spends a moment gathering her bearings and glancing between the party members before setting down her glaive and holding her hands in a nonthreatening position. Mulligan senses that the woman seems to have a somewhat shielded mind - she rebuffs the Zone of Truth spell with relative ease. 

Zone of Truth save - 19

"Look, I know the game's rules. I woke up in one of these damned rooms with a cluster of people like you - we got far enough, I guess, before personalities clashed and we found ourselves on the wrong side of each other's nerves. I left alone and took a wrong step in some damned puzzle and, next thing I know, I'm in a flask with more rules being yelled at me," the woman speaks with an irritated tone in her steely voice. "If you're concerned, you're not the only ones in this ****ed-up place. I've met dozens. I guess this is another game to play. I've no clue why we're here or what the end plan is, but the one thing I have been told is one of us-" she jerks a gauntleted thumb back to the other three flasks- "is going to avoid 'crushing oblivion', or whatever the pretentious ******* who created this place called it. I'm going to be simple, and I'm going to be quick. I'm strong, and I'll fight by your side. I can make you rich, too, if we get out of here. The thing you need to know is my word's my word, and I'll honor it to the death. That's more than what these miserable welps here can promise. I'm Kalushina, by the way." 

Wulgar looks at her and says "Do you know what is on your flask?  Can you explain that to us?  Also, has anyone else... interviewed you?"

"Rich and loyal, I like this one already." Avarice says to no one in particular, smirking, letting Kalushina answer Wulgars question before asking his own.

Keyleth folds her arms. "What crime brought you here?"

Varan is grossly suspicious of this character.  But before drawing any conclusions, and while the others continue to question it, he will move closer to Mulligan.

"It's little speech there... were you able to detect truth from lies?" he will quietly ask.

     Mulligan searches his brain for the name Kalushina straining to see if he recalls it from history, story or song...  (History? 18 Arcana would be the same...)

     "This one has slipped by my spell, I can say neither one way or the other besides from my own gut..." Mulligan whispers back.  

Mulligan is vaguely aware of the name Kalushina being said in the underbelly of civilized society. While little is actually known aside from her name, he has heard of a terrifying marauder born of celestial blood who, for one reason or another, fell from grace and swiftly joined the Zhentarim's organization, rising to one of their elites in a matter of months. She is rumored to be an enforcer, punisher, ruthless mercenary, and has been given the name 'reaper' for her commitment of hunting down and executing those who betray or leave the Zhentarim. 

Judging by her monochrome appearance and somewhat intimidating, unnatural aura, Mulligan can additionally ascertain Kulashina's blood contains some aspect of the divine. Particularly of the fallen nature. 

Kalushina flashes a smile in Avarice's direction at his words before returning to the questioning Wulgar and Keyleth. "I'm in here for the shit I've done, girl," Kalushina replies to Keyleth, motioning to the glaive resting on the ground. "I have angelic blood in me, though I really don't think it means much. People kept trying to tell me what to do, you know? Spawn of celestials," she spits. "I used to be a Paladin for - I guess it was Tyr? I didn't really care much, to be honest. I was just told how to swing a sword and how to pray. When I finally got a taste of leaving the monastery they sheltered me in for one damn minute, I knew I wasn't going back. I'm not anyone's servant. I'm not what people wanted me to be," she shrugs, indifferent. "So I carved my own little code of honor. Found my own family with the Zhents. If we get out of here, I'm sure they'll reward you. We looked out for each other, I looked out for them - as I'll do for you. Sure, I've done some bad things they wanted - we all have, haven't we? - but, hey, at least I'm honest with who I am and what I've done. I'd rather show my true colors than pretend I'm someone I'm not." 

"I am well aware of the Zhents. In the core ruthless traders, but practical, without morals interferring with rational decisions. With what I heard I would not mind letting you off, seeing that you could prove to be a valuable ally in our coming ordeals. Still, I have to convince the others of this, and I won't be able to do that unless you think really hard on what or which sins have likely put you in this predicament. If anyone of us think you would be lying you're chances of being released would be slim I'm afraid." Avarice says calmly to the fallen Aasimar studying her intently for signs of avoiding the truth.
Persuasion helped by advice from Vorax to get her to come clean of her actions:26
Insight with help from Vorax to determine if she is telling the truth: 12

"I can't recall anything in particular. Murder, extortion, ambushes," Kalushina replies. "I've killed dozens, though not without due reason - and never without any justification beforehand. I keep my little family of Zhents and their interests safe. If anyone refused to pay for our services or attempted to exploit our business, I arrived and made sure dues were paid. If someone stabbed us in the back, it was my job to make sure that aggression was paid back tenfold." She isn't lying, from what Avarice can tell, and she seems compelled to be forthright. 

"An honest Zhent," Keyleth remarks, folding her arms. "Sounds like a rare sight." She tries to determine if Kalushina's telling the truth.

Insight: 15 (If less than 24, Reliable Talent makes it 24)