Akela glanced down at Niyin as they walked.  Something seemed a bit... off about her, though she couldn't quite figure out what that was.  Perhaps Niyin was simply afraid of her.  Many seemed to look at Akela that way since she traveled from her Tribe.  (Can I roll to see if Akela can sense the imp or not?)

"That I am," she said, her brown eyes lighting as she smiled.  "Though you really don't need to be afraid of me."  When Niyin asked about her trunk, Akela lifted it up so the girl could see it better.  "Yes to both questions.  I can use it much like a third arm or hand."  To demonstrate Akela reached down to pick up a random pebble, the appendage like tips working like fingers to pick up the small item.  She tossed it up and down a bit before gently tossing it away.  "At the same time I can pick up smells that most can't.  Especially if I raise it up high to catch the breeze."

When they eventually reached the place where they were to find Imsan, Akela silently eyed the guards.  When Vimak showed them the emblem he carried and spoke, Akela nodded.  4

"Please," she said, hoping to help persuade them.  "We need to speak to him."  12

I don't think that Akela would be able to sense the imp, because it's extraplanar. It's able to interact with Niyin, because her pact with the Fiend allows some wiggle room for her own senses as they pertain to the plane on which both the imp and potentially the patron exist on. For all intents and purposes, unless there's some sort of weirdness with planes, Niyin is just going to seem a bit odd to other people who notice the interactions.

The official nature of the group's approach, with Vimak looking firm and purposeful at its helm, stirs up in the two guards a sense of submission that they developed during their tenure operating under Imsan, outside the regular posts of the Keltari Guard. The guard on the left looks to Akela when she echoes the purpose of their visit and looks slightly unsure, but returns his gaze to Vimak. "Yes, yes of course, sir." The two of them offer salutes across their chests and the one on the right opens the door for them to pass through.

The room on the other side of the door is a tiny room with tired looking wooden flooring and, strangely, a number of potted plants. On the right, a tiered staircase rises up to the floor above; on the left, several barrels and crates are stacked, with the symbol of a vendor burned into them. A human man with a sunburnt scalp and spectacles with abnormally small lenses sits behind a desk near to the center of the room. He's busily reading through papers, signing some with an expensive looking quill pen, and blotting the sweat from his neck. "Deviled gnats, Imsan...would that you come down and sign your own letters..." Upon the party entering the room, he doesn't look up from his task, but asks, "What can I do for you?"

“I am Vimak Stormforged Katho-Lagaof the watch. My colleagues will introduce themselves in a moment.” He paused. What could he say? “You need to know who they are, we are hoping for Imsan’s permission to enter the city to discover what we can about the origins of the plague. Specifically, we have heard rumors about the House of the Broken God. I don’t trust the origin of these rumors, but they ought to be checked.” Vimak considered the man. “Can you grant us this permission?” He tried to speak persuasively: 4

Akela ducked her head as they entered the room, suddenly feeling a bit self conscious about her size.  Not wanted to knock anything over, Akela stood as still as possible. Loxodon's were not as clumsy as many may think, but Akela didn't want to risk the chance. 

"I am Akela, sir," she said, nodding in agreement with Vimak.  "Yes.  We wish to help find a way to end this plague and we were told that the House of the Broken God might hold some answers."  Akela glanced at Vimak.  "Though these rumors may be false, it is a start."  She looked back to the man they were addressing.  

Niyin's eyes watched intently as Akela moved her trunk. "Extraordinary," she whispered with a wide grin. From her bag she pulled out a notebook with well practiced hands, her eyes not leaving the demonstration. Using a sharpened stick of charcoal, she made some hasty notes and a quick sketch. "I do not fear you," she said quickly, her eyes falling to add a few more points of detail into her book. "You are my ally, though I have no doubt you can hold your own." She put away the small leather-bound book and wiped her dirty hands over the front of her pants, but a bit of the charcoal stuck to her fingertips. "I'm not used to working with others. I tend to keep to myself for various reasons." She cleared her throat over whatever insecurity the imp tried to poke at as it muttered in her ear. "I've always worked alone."

At their arrival, Niyin sidestepped to look past her companions and nodded confidently to the guards, trying to dispel any hesitant thought that she might not belong in the group. Inside the room, she felt like a mouse's shadow. It suddenly dawned on her that she might as well have been a gnome in comparison to her companions with her slim 5' 1" height. She pushed the hood back, letting her eyes look around as she pushed a fringe of silver hair out of her young face. "Hmm," she mused out loud and looked at the crates. Had she seen that symbol before in her travels? She had caught rides with many merchants. (History: 22)

"My name is Niyin," she jumped in quickly after Akela was done speaking, her attention snapping to attention and taking in the man in front of them at the desk. "I want to help bring recovery to this city and it's inhabitants, by whatever means necessary."

( As for the Imp, it would be my desire to have the imp detected at some point and maybe even forced into the open. It's no fun if he stays hidden the entire time; but, I am leaving it up to the discretion of the GM. PM me if you want to discuss it. :) )

Niyin recognizes almost immediately the symbol on the good as that of the Kahmir Company. They are a prominent distributer of the various goods of merchants who arrived in Manshaka, to the southeast of Keltar. In addition to selling large quantities of goods, often of the edible, but not so perishable variety, they also provide moneylending services to the merchants with whom they trade, allowing them the opportunity to pursue new ventures and to expand trade routes. In recent years, it’s primarily preserved meats and herbs, such as bay leaf, marjoram and sumac, that they dealt in and it's very likely that these containers hold some combination of those things–food stores hidden away, as not to be tainted or stolen.

As she eyes them, her imp companion pulls itself up on top of one of the barrels and licks its teeth with hunger in its eyes.

"Thank you for your service to our city, Vimak Stormforged," the man says. He raises the hand with the quill in greeting. "And hello to you Akela and Niyin." He returns the quill to the inkwell, and taps it, before lowering his head resuming the writing on which he seems quite fixed. "I'm afraid Imsan is attending to matters in his office above at the moment–quiet as a mephit drifting when he's thinking. Quite kind of you to offer help, though. You must have..." He pauses and looks up at Akela. "...big, big hearts. I'm sure that if you were compelling enough, he would have no hesitation in having the guards let you through the gate–" He stops and looks up at Vimak. "Well, maybe not so keen on risking an able body for his guard." He dabs at his forehead with a yellow-stained kerchief.

"Where have you heard these rumors about the House of the Broken God?"

"From Yhazir," Akela said with a slight roll of her eyes.  "The Pasha of the Arcane."  Akela's ears flapped in irritation at the memory of the man.  Her voice lowered almost as if she were talking to herself.  "Though I have my doubts as far as he's concerned."

Akela sighed and her features softened as she looked back to the man.  She sees him wipe his forehead with the kerchief and begins to eye him with growing concern. (I want to roll to she if she can tell if he's flushed, as if from a fever.)

Medicine check roll:  d20)15 + 4 = 19 

"But truth of the matter is that the situation is a bit more serious than just rumors.  A dwarven woman has been found in full thralls of the illness..." Akela paused before continuing.  "...outside the city walls."

"From Yhazir, eh? Still charming as an adder, I take it?" The man continues scribbling away, allowing Akela to assess his appearance for any malady. Though he's clearly sweating and uncomfortably warm, she can tell that it's most likely not a fever. Rather, his sunburn seems to suggest it's a mild form of sun-sickness. He'll need to keep hydrated to avoid feeling faint and nauseous, but there was little to do about the reddened skin.

"Outside the walls..." As he ponders this, his writing hand stops and he looks up at Akela. "Imsan had said the order to evacuate was supposed to keep everything inside the city..." He runs a finger along his collar to loosen it from his neck. "I...I need to finish here. These letters ask for aid, and if it's spread outside, we might need it sooner than we thought. Go up the stairs. Imsan is behind not the first, but the second door on the right. He'll need to know."

Akela smiled and gave a nod of her head.

"Thank you, Sir...?" Akela said trying for the man's name.  She looked him over again and then stepped up to him and put a hand out, casting Cure Wounds on him.  "Here."

Roll for Cure Wounds: 15

Vimak is impressed by Akela’s generosity. He turns toward her and Niyin and gestures toward the stairs. As he does this, he tries to remember everything he knows about Imsan. History 4

The man is shocked to find that the stinging on his scalp and ears has vanished. He pauses mid-signature and reaches up to find that his skin no longer radiates the same warmth that it had. He drops the quill, splattering a bit of ink on the desk, and reaches out to shake Akela's hand with both of his. "Thank you, thank you. That burn was horribly distracting. It was like the sun was determined to not let me forget it was still up in the sky out there." He continues to shake her hand vigorously. "My name is Immet and should you need my help again, I'll help gladly."

For future wound curing, the roll is 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier to find the quantity of HP that you heal. For out of battle use, like this case, I think it's safe to just assume that it works without a role, since it will always at least heal 1HP. If you're trying to heal something really severe, I might ask for a 1d20 + your spellcasting modifier.

Vimak is able to remember a fair bit about Imsan. He was born to a family of bovine traders in Keltar who had a comfortable level of wealth. In a story well known in Keltar, he found his path to the guard when he uncovered and stopped some drug smuggling that was being done by employees of his family's business as a young man. He famously made a poor call early in his career, when he was captain for the South-East sabban, while the city was under siege by a horde of goblins and, quite unusually, mephits. It's not clear what order was given, but more than half of the men and women under his control were killed. In spite of this, the dent in forces that his decision made, allowed the rest of the guard to overwhelm the attackers.

Up until calling for the evacuation the quarantine of the city, Imsan had his home in the North sabban, very near to the drudach where many of Keltar's wealthy kept their homes. He never took a wife, nor did he have children, being "married to the protection of Keltar" as he put it.

He's known for having a reasonable demeanor, but also for being slow to come to decisions.

Okay I'll try to remember that.  I think I even read that somewhere and like an idiot I let it slip my mind -_-

Akela's brown eyes brightened as Immet shook her hand, clearly glad to be rid of the sunburn that had been bothering him. 

"It is my pleasure to help in anyway I can," she said with a smiled.  "Perhaps you should wear something to cover your head the next time you're out in the sun."  She noticed Vimak turn to go up the stairs and moved to follow him, but then paused.  

"There actually is one thing," she said turning back to Immet with a slightly sheepish experession.  "If it isn't too much trouble."  Akela reached into her pack and pulled out the jar of ointment that Namuk had given her.  "Is there any way to have more of this delivered to the hospital tents?  It seems to help with the symptoms."

Vimak notices that Akela has stopped and he waits for her. Sending more ointment is a good idea.

He says, “I’ve heard Imsan ponders for a while before making choices. What could help him pick letting us into the city fast?”

Ah, she thinks. Kahmir. They's been doing well lately. Good for them. As she begins to look away, she feels the imp leave her shoulder. Always weary of the trouble it would cause, she looked back, her eyes going wide. She had seen the little imp make that face before. Get down from there, she mouthed quickly, looking out of the corner of her eye to the others speaking, her attention barely on them. NOW. She points to the floor, like one might reprimand a child or puppy. The imp cackled a mischievous low giggle and rubbed his little, pointed fingered hands together.

The conversation of the Broken God was beginning, and she hoped that her two larger teammates and the downcast busy eyes of the man were enough to hide her shuffling, panicked step closer to the crate. The imp has begun wiggling his long, skinny arm through a knot hole in the crate. With a lashing grasp, she took hold of the imp with both hands around his upper torso and begins pulled roughly. "Unhand me you stupid girl! How dare you handle me so roughly!" Hissed the little imp. She lifted him from the crate, but his hand, obviously clenched around something, would not pass through the hole. Hearing Akela cast her spell, her panic bubbled into her throat and she tugged with renewed fever, shaking the crate a little as the imp screamed and cussed so loudly compared to her silence, that she didn't know how the others couldn't hear him; but, whatever magics protected him was beyond her knowledge.

Finally, either at threat of loosing his arm or unable to keep his grip, the imp's hand came free and she spun to face the others just with the imp between the wringing grasp as they were told to go to the stairs. (Acrobatics roll to see if she can remain poised in the moment: 5)

"Yes," she spoke a bit too loudly. "Let's go talk to... to..." Her face flushed with embarrassment, her mind a blank. Could she not remember or did she not catch it at all? She heard the imp laugh and she tightened her grip until he let out a squeak. Keeping her grip firm, she rushed away from any eyes and headed towards/up the stairs. Then suddenly coming clear of the situation, the name jumped into her mind. "Isman," she sighed. "Let's go talk to Isman." She rushed up the stairs ahead of the others, her shorter legs pumping as though something chased her, completely oblivious to the fact that she proceeded alone at that moment. All she knew was to avoid the looks and questions. 

Immet eyes the jar of salve and shakes his head, frowning. "I'm afraid I'm not sure what that is, but I can send someone to ask the lead priests what it is and where we might find more." Upon hearing Vimak's question, he turns to him, clapping his hands together. "Sound sure about what you ask." He grins. "And then earn his trust by following through."

Despite the imp's flailing, there is certainly no way anyone else in the room would notice any struggling. 

The stairway to the second floor leads up to a narrow hallway with two wooden doors on the righthand side. Both are shut, but are illuminated a series of tiny, decorative windows set in the wall opposite them. The length of the hallway is covered by a dirty, but elegant carpet with the telltale fringe of carpet makers near to Manshaka in the Southeast–quite a rarity and surely an antique. Niyin can see that at the far side of the hallway is a tiny table that supports a small washing basin. A cloth hangs off its front and is decorated with the emblem of the Ilmateri faith.

"Thank you, Immet," Vimak says. He starts toward the stairs, hopefully with Akela close by. Once they are a short distance from Immet, but before they have caught up to Niyin, he whispers to Akela, "Is our friend behaving oddly? Do you think?"

He waits to hear what Akela has to say, but also thinks about how to persuade Isman. "What could we say to Isman?" he says as they go up the stairs.

Vimak joins Niyin and Akela at the top of the stairs. He knocks on the second door, the one he believes Immet directed them towards.

A look back over her shoulder and Niyin sighed loudly. "What were you thinking?" She uttered in a harsh whisper to the imp. "You're going to get me in trouble... Again!" With a littke shake, the imp's body wobbled back and forth as she went on. "You never have anything nice to say. You do anything you can to sabotage me. You get me into trouble with others." In the corner of her eye, she spies the water basin. The thought came to her as a flash; her own hands, tight with anger and still holding the imp. She could push his face under the water and hold him. They would just think she's washing her hands. She didn't care if he could truly die from that or not. She wanted to get get rid of him so badly...

The glint of a grin and laughing eyes caught her own. The little imp knew what she was thinking. He was daring her to do it without a word. No. No she would not take that path and do what was wanted of her. With a final shake, she released the imp up onto her shoulder with a look that said, Don't Move.

Vimak came into her view, and she nodded to him before looking back to the doors, moving out of his way to knock. 

Akela gave Immet a smile and bowed her head to him in thanks.  'Hopefully those people will get some relief,' she thought as she turned to follow after Vimak.

"I cannot be certain," she said in a tone that only he could hear.  "This is my first time outside of my Tribe so everything is a little strange to me.  Who's to say if she's acting odd or if that is simply her way."

Being very mindful of her weight and size she carefully navigated the stairs behind Vimak and Niyin.

"Perhaps we can say what we told Immet?  It is the truth after all.  If we can investigate the source of this plague and how it started maybe we can find a way to stop it."

The knock on the door is loud, as the door is quite thin. It shakes in place when it's struck, suggesting that it's not barred or bolted from the inside. There's a moment of silence after the knock, but there isn't any answer at the door and no voice calls out in acknowledgement.