Zylo snorts, "Sure." The temptation to hurt this one is brief, but the noise definitely will probably make using this as a resting place a moot point. He looks to Iali again, "I still hate this place. Let's go before this ignorant one gets themselves hurt." He keeps an eye on the bullywug and leaps partially down the ladder to climb the rest of the way down. "This is not safe, as much as I want to take that one down, somewhere else would be ideal."

Iali shakes her head and rolls her eyes at the guard's squawking. She rises into the air and looks down her nose at the guard.

"Young person, you had best hope your unholy shrieking is not the cause of your compatriots' untimely deaths, let alone your own."

(intimidation 7, oh well!)

She flaps her wings and heads down to the ground. "So where do we find this Duke of yours, Val?"

Valrieth says, "I'm...not...sure.  He was at the Sunken Palace (D11) on the opposite side of the lake," she points almost directly at the thick fog at the center of the lake, "but I don't know whether he won or lost the succession struggle to become the new ruler of Downfall.  If he didn't, I guess he might head back to his business (D4) or one of the other huts (D16 or D17).  I thought that the Duke might hide me just to embarrass the new ruler of Downfall."  Val realizes that she doesn't know how royal succession works among the humans of Faerun, much less how it works in this strange Fey kingdom of bullywugs.  "Assuming, of course, that the new ruler didn't throw him in jail...or worse!"

"But if Duke Ickrind is the new ruler, then I'm not sure whether he'd help," Val says.  "We saved his business from being burned down, and he awarded me this badge."  She takes out a badge and pins it to her tabard: it's shaped like a fly with wings that really flutter.  "But I don't know him that well.  I'm not sure whether he would defy the hag for me."

Val thinks for a moment and then suggests two options.

1. Head directly out of Downfall.  Regroup and try to come back the next day, hoping that the bullywugs don't track them down in the swamp.
2. Head toward D4 (crossing the water) to see whether they can find Duke Ickrind. If bullywugs are coming from D14 toward the guard tower at D19, that would at least take them away from those guards.

Again, Val is just trying to find a place to rest.  If Zylo and Iali can think of any other way to hide Val from the bullywugs for an hour, then she's "all ears."  (Since Val's ears make up about 25% of her height, that statement is more true than it is for most!)

"Hmm, perhaps he may not know yet that the hag is after you?" Zylo offers, glancing up at the watchtower, "if you have a badge, we could also offer services to help compensate him if that would sway his mind towards not giving up such a valuable asset such as you. Either way, removing ourselves from this godforsaken place is the first step, ideally away from here and we can make our way around to see this Duke in the safety of the wilds."

Iali looks carefully at the badge and nods. "Let us head towards the Duke. I'm sure we can convince him, if necessary."

She starts moving in the direction Val pointed. 

Quote from valeskah >>

Iali looks carefully at the badge and nods. "Let us head towards the Duke. I'm sure we can convince him, if necessary."

She starts moving in the direction Val pointed. 

Valrieth suggests, "Let me go a little ahead.  That way, it looks like you were chasing me, not that we were working together.  If it looks like we're about to be surrounded by bullywugs, you could always swoop in and 'capture' me.  Once I'm your prisoner, you might be able to convince the bullywugs to let you rest and "clean up" before taking me to the hag.  I think that they would be happy to have someone else deliver me to Bavlorna's hut."

(OOC: The way to Duke Ickrind's burned-out building (D4) is to head north from the guard tower (D19).  I don't remember how deep the creek at D1 is, but if there's no boat on the south bank, I guess Iali still has her wings and could always fly across and tie a rope to a tree on the north side.  That way, there's less risk of anyone drowning or getting swept off in a current.  If we're not spotted, we can skirt a bit to the west and come to the crossing stones (D3).  Val can explain the trick of that crossing when we get there.)

There is no boat and yes Lali can fly over and tie a rope to a tree.