Hex closes her eyes and turns away as Pipyap reveals the melted eyeball and tooth in his bowl.

"****."

She immediately feels ill at the confirmation of her fears. Her stomach churns, threatening to spill its contents, when Auriel suddenly takes a spoonful his own stew. She watches him with wide eyes but once she realises what he's doing, a wave of relief washes over her and she immediately turns and walks away from the group, trying to calm herself. She breathes deeply, a hand on her stomach. It was only one bite.

He knew it. Villager stew. Sylyra chances a glance toward the two remaining Hill folk, wanting to scold them. Wanting to ask how they could have kept from saying anything. But his eyes are immediately drawn back to Auriel as he sees the other elf pick up his spoon. Sylyra turns, his eyes widening as the eladrin shoves a spoonful of the dreadful dish into his mouth. He watches him, marveling at what he has just seen. But then he grins. This one has bigger balls than he realized! Is it likely they are going to keep the peace? Why should they? She has stating that the pact is already broken. There is nothing to save. Sylyra begins planning his first move. A single mote of light drops from the mistletoe tied to the end of his staff. It drifts down about a foot before winking out. "It's almost time, Carl," he says.

Carl stands motionless, transfixed as the expected scene plays out before him.  He readies himself in his mind, thinking over possibilities, watching the back of the foul hag’s head.  Silently and invisibly, he nods.  

"Yummy. The Pact, is it in your power to restore it?". 

"It is, dearie. Why, I was there when we originally entered into the agreement with your little Phlan," the old woman says with a kind smile. "Before now, it has only been violated one other time, when Lord Protector Talaric Daoran sent some men to chop down some of our trees."

"You wish the Pact to be maintained? Curious," she ruminates. "Pray tell, then, why you believe that Phlan is deserving of the protection of the fey after violating the terms of our pact?"

"It's almost time, Carl,"

"Yes, Carl, love, I would so love it if you would show your little face now. I've always had a fondness for dwarves," the woman says, giggling and looking directly at the invisible Carlthuzad.

Auriel follows the woman's gaze as she looks directly at Carl. Though he is surprised that she has unmasked him so easily, he keeps focused on the matter of the Pact. 

“Oh, you were there? Magnificent. But I’m not sure that fully answers my question. Were you the sole representative of the dark fey when the Pact was enacted? If others were involved, convincing them would be essential for restoring the Pact, wouldn’t it?” He pauses briefly, then adds with a wry smile, “But Tyr forbid I be rude to you again. Allow me to answer your question. I could get emotional and say I see one good reason for every living soul in Phlan that makes the city worthy of protection", the paladin chuckles at this, knowing it will hardly impress a creature such as Greenteeth. "Or, I could be pragmatic. Maintaining the alliance with the city that stands at the mouth of the Stojanow is strategically wise. Your borders have already been crossed by a mere seven trespassers—imagine if the city fell due to your withdrawal of protection. Without Phlan's guard, anyone could easily sail up the river and reach your precious Quivering Forest with ease. I wonder if that scenario would please you."

He eyes Greenteeth thoughtfully as his mind toys with a third point he doesn't express aloud. Yet. "After all you've done, what good are you to us alive if you don't ensure the Pact is restored?”

Without knowing what Auriel is thinking, Sylyra's thoughts are similar. Just because Greenteeth was there when the first pact was enacted doesn't mean she needs to be there if another pact is drawn.

Were you the sole representative of the dark fey when the Pact was enacted? If others were involved, convincing them would be essential for restoring the Pact, wouldn’t it?

"These old bones have been around a long, long time, dearie. I ended the pact, and I can restore it again if I so chose," the woman answers. After Auriel finishes his statement, she giggles. "You make quite the compelling case, love. Then again, so did Halvin. The Cult of the Dragon offered protection in Phlan's place, you know. But, then again...perhaps the intrusion can be settled and put to rest." Her eyes glance toward the pair of villagers still watching silently from their cage.

"I would like to hear from the rest of you. Do you wish the same as your Eladrin companion? By what reason should the Forest respect the Pact that Phlan did not? Why should the Forest not simply ally with the Cult of the Dragon, who has not violated any agreement?" she asks.

After a moment to herself, Hex manages to calm herself down. Her heart slows to its usual pace and she turns to join the others again. She listens to Auriel's argument for the Pact intently and with admiration. He had a way with words she couldn't help but envy. As the hag turns the conversation to the rest of the party, Hex steps forward. "The Cult of the Dragon don't respect you or the forest, they only want to use you for your power. The villagers, and us, entered the forest out of respect for the fey and the pact. It may have been unwise, but the point still stands. We've dealt with the Cult before, too many times, and I can assure you, they look down on you. Once they've taken what they want, they'll either abandon you to the wolves or try to get rid of you. Phlan, at the very least, fears you. You know they'll continue to respect the Pact, as they have since it was first enacted."

Sylyra, not knowing whether the hag would listen to him, but hoping so since she commented on his remark to Carl, makes a small noise, his eyes rolling. "I'm sorry, but wasn't it Halvin who broke the pact and subsequently drew the other idiots into the forest after him?" He makes a dismissive gesture toward the cage. "Offense intended. If this representative of the Cult of the Dragon had kept out of the forest — respected you like you deserve — we wouldn't even be in this predicament. It sounds to me like you're thinking of siding with the greater of two evils to me. They clearly do not respect you, no matter what Halvin might have said." He smiles. "In fact, it should be your goal to punish the Cult. Kabel's Hill fears you. Greatly. If it hadn't been for Halvin, they would never have trespassed. In fact, once our guide found out that you were involved, he left us to fend for ourselves instead of accompanying us. You have no reason to want to punish them further. And believe me, once we return and report what we found, you will be revered even more. Worshiped even. And who doesn't want to be worshiped?"

Jeny sighs, exasperated, "Dearie, I don't know why you think fear would sway me. Have I been anything but kind to you since you barged into my home? Dear Serelis was more than welcome, too. Ah, well. More stew for us, isn't that right, love?" She directs the end of the question to Pipyap, who, to his credit, actually looks somewhat squeamish about the food now.

"Still...some of you seem to have shown more respect than my previous guests. And you do raise a great point that a new alliance may not stand the test of time."

She looks to Uragum, then turns again to stare directly at Carlthuzad despite his invisibility. "I still have not heard from your goliath companion. Or from you, my dear, sweet Carl. Won't you please take that mask off and come talk to me? I don't know why you hide yourself away, dearie; such a shame to hide such beauty from the world. And you were even so kind to bring my pin back for me," she says.

Carl stands there against the house, thinking.  He gives a slight shrug of his shoulders and then allows his invisibility to drop, walking closer to the table.  He reaches into his pocket as he does so, bringing out her bone pin and sets it on the table wordlessly, then backing off away, 5-10 feet from the edge of the table.  He clears his throat.  *ahem*. “Ma’am, I dinna know what to expect when we came here to meet you.  I’m not the best with words, I don’t know that I can say it any better than my friends.  But, in all honesty, I do think they have the right of it.  An I’m not just sayin that.  I think you have the attention, respect, and yes, fear of Kabel Hill.  I wouldna trus the Dragon Cult.  We’ve seen their mayhem firsthand.  I just wonder if we a set things back to the way they was, move on, so to speak.  Without anyone else ending up in bowls, for stew and so forth.  If you talk my meanin ma’am.  Can’t we just do tha?  Go back to the way things were?  No more violence?  I stood ready, invisible in case I needed to protect my friends.  I didn’t know that you could see me … interestin tha… I prolly could learn a thing or three from you.  But speakin plainly, I don’t want any of us to end up in the stew ma’am.  World would be a much less interestin place without my friends there.  Even that piece of work right over there…”. Carl points at Sylyra.  

Auriel glances fondly at Carl as he speaks, and even grins slightly when he points to Sylyra. But all this falls to background when Jeny mentions Serelis. "Serelis!?", he exclaims wide eyed. While the fact that the hag had been aware of the dwarf's presence from the very beginning hadn't startled the eladrin much, the mention of the half-elf completely catches him off guard. "What does Serelis have to do with this? He told us that he tried to convince the Hill's folk to turn back, and when they wouldn't listen, he gave them a few rations and cloaks to help them on their journey." He clenches his fists. Had he trusted his old acquaintance blindly, only to discover now that the ranger hadn't been completely honest?

When the hag expresses indifference at being feared, Sylyra makes a face, clearly surprised. The fact is, he would love to be feared. How could someone so powerful not feel the same? Especially when she already is!

When Carl points at the druid, his lips form a thin line, but he constrains his eyes, which want to roll again. They should at least appear united.

I didn’t know that you could see me … interestin tha… I prolly could learn a thing or three from you.

Jeny winks at Carl. "Why, dearie, I could see every step you took from the moment you took my scrying device with you. It was so kind of you to give me a window into your journey. I must say, your battle with the displacer beasts had me on the edge of my seat! I was worried I wouldn't get to meet you for a moment there," she says, taking the bone pin from Carl and setting it back into her hair with its companion.

"What does Serelis have to do with this? He told us that he tried to convince the Hill's folk to turn back, and when they wouldn't listen, he gave them a few rations and cloaks to help them on their journey."

"Yes, and therein lies the problem, dearie. Serelis is one of the few outsiders allowed to traverse the Forest, and that comes with responsibilities that were sorely lacking when he assisted the townsfolk of Kabel's Hill instead of turning them away. One transgression may be overlooked, but then he violated his role again by allowing you to traverse the forest unguided. Even if I were to renew the Pact - and I still have yet to hear from you, love - "she says, looking to Uragum, "Serelis might need to have his permissions revoked nonetheless."

"Yes, and therein lies the problem, dearie. Serelis is one of the few outsiders allowed to traverse the Forest, and that comes with responsibilities that were sorely lacking when he assisted the townsfolk of Kabel's Hill instead of turning them away. One transgression may be overlooked, but then he violated his role again by allowing you to traverse the forest unguided. Even if I were to renew the Pact - and I still have yet to hear from you, love - "she says, looking to Uragum, "Serelis might need to have his permissions revoked nonetheless."

Sylyra cocks at eye at this, a small grin spreading his lips. But then he looks over his shoulder at Uragum, raising his eyebrows as if to say, "What say you, big man?"

Auriel unclenches his fists when he realizes that he had misunderstood that mention of Serelis. Gods above, he needed some rest— or maybe ale. A lot of ale. Either way, he adressed the hag again, "Haven't you already inflicted enough horror?", he gestured towards the grotesque stew and the bone pin. "Serelis is well aware of his mistakes. What would you gain by punishing him too? And who’s to say his replacement will be better?"

Having stood silent and holding his tongue as long as he could he finally let it out.  "What it ultimately comes down to is power and self advocacy.  Seems like here, you can live and do as you see fit.  Live on you own land, do what you want, eat what you want all while commanding no small amount of reverence from the local populace."  He pauses for a moment, "The Dragon Cult had an offer for protection," he spits on the ground.  "Sounds like a gilded cage to me.  Hole you up somewhere 'for your own protection' while they run afoul doing as they please."  He shugs, "But maybe you feel you are getting on in your years and something nice and quiet is move to your liking."

"You sure know how to sweet talk an old woman, dearie," Jeny says, again completely ignoring Auriel's plea. "Wait here," she says, pinching Uragum's cheeks as she walks from the cook pit to her home. The villagers in their cage eye the woman warily as she enters the door and returns with a beautiful chest made of purple-hued hardwood. She stops outside the door, setting the heavy chest down and removing the cloak that hangs from a hook near the door, laying it over the chest. She picks it up again, walking back over to the cook pit, where she sets it down in front of you.

"Despite the actions of Halvin and your villagers," she says, shooting a glance over to said villagers, whose eyes quickly dart away, "Phlan will retain the protection of the fey. You were more polite than Halvin, after all - some of you, anyway - and since you are correct that Halvin was the first to trespass, I will forgive the following intrusions. I'll even let you return with the others to Kabel's Hill."

"Oh, thank the gods!" the man in the cage finally shouts, slumping over in relief. Jeny giggles, "Oh? Perhaps I will keep you two after all, if you're so excited to leave." The villagers' faces go pale and the woman nearly faints, but Jeny looks back to the party and simply winks.

"Take these gifts with my blessing," she motions to the chest and cloak. "Remind the people of Phlan and Kabel's Hill what happens when they violate the Pact; and show them the generosity of the fey when Jeny Greenteeth is treated with respect."

OOC: Each character has received 100 XP for convincing Jeny to maintain the Pact.

Sylyra steps toward the hag. "Your choice in stew meat aside, I believe I have misjudged you, Jeny Greenteeth," he smiles. "Would that I might have your permission to return if I so choose to visit you again."

After Greenteeth states that she will keep the pact with Phlan and free the remaining captives, even presenting gifts to the companions, Auriel doesn't know how to feel. He should be glad, shouldn't he? After all, they'd achieved their primary objective. So why did he feel so empty? He thought of the lives lost —so cruelly taken—, of Rerk still lying in a bed in Kabel's Hill, of what awaited Serelis. And of the fact that the hag would live to see another day despite all the horror she had caused. This didn’t feel like a victory at all. Far from it. The eladrin forced himself to hold onto the fleeting encounter with Nerys, as he felt this was the only thing he could cherish from this experience.

Mulling over it all, he heads toward the cage to help the remaining prisoners out. He offers them a slight smile, one that promises the nightmare is finally over and they’ll soon be home. But deep inside, the smile is hollow, offering little consolation to the paladin himself.

When he returns with the rest and hears Sylyra’s words to the hag, Auriel can't believe what he's hearing. He stands still, watching the two of them, then turns his back in silence and walks away.