"Camping here is not going to help regardless." taman says with a sigh.  "I need to have a solid, uninterupted, rest, where I can study my spells and be able to get my magical essense restored."  he glances to the others.  "If you wish to go see the hag, then let's get it over with, but I still think it unwise."

(So... Did we get a short rest?)

"Lovely, I'm happy to see we're all in agreement.  Taman, you won't regret this decision.  There won't be a second of regret.  Remember, guaranteed, no way this little feeble old lady could hurt us one bit.  So, if everyone has caught their breath..." (short rest) "... then let's head back and talk to miss knows it all." 

"I am already regretting it..."  Taman says with a shake of his head.  "Let us go though."

[OOC: Short rest given]

With the decision made, Celtra will help get the captive situated and be part of the escort to keep him docile.  Before they get to far though, she will approach Taman and say quietly," should you suspect trouble just give me a sign and I will strike.  I trust your judgement."

Azaka tugs Celtra's arm, holding her back firmly for a moment, eyes narrowing, locking on hers.  "What is 'hag'?   Explain what we go to if not witch."

Celtra pauses for a moment before saying, "Well, from where I come from a witch is a another way of saying a woman that uses magic.  A hag, uses magic but is a creature.  One with powerful magic and usually associated with things like death and rot and what not.  All the stories Ive headd say they are evil but I've heard the same of Were-ceeatures."  She holds her hand up to indicate Azanka.  "Now I'm not so sure but let's keep our guard up."

"Hags are crones who represent corruption of ideals and goals, and they delight in seeing the innocent and good brought low. They are inhuman monsters, their forms twisted by evil. Shapechangers and blasphemers, they ally with other hags to form magical covens with extra powers. They collect and remember secret knowledge that is better lost and forgotten. Desperate mortals come to them looking for advice, only to have their requests fulfilled in ways that bring great suffering to themselves and their loved ones."  Taman says as he recites his knowledge of the creatures.  "This one probably knows what we seek, so can probably tell us much, but I fear going to her without being at our full strength."

Celtra stops and stares at Taman while he gives the in depth explanation.  She gives a weak smile and looks at Azaka and says, "And that is why I just push things..."

... 

You approach the hut, the giant ribcage stretched over with skins of Helm knows what.  A fell wind picks up.  Dust blows across the top of the plateau.  Shadows and flickers move about in the dust clouds.

You can see the body of the gnome laid in front of the hut.  Darkness inside the hut beyond.  A vulture screeches overhead.

Fulcra walks into the hut whistling, without a care in the world. 

As sad as it was, Cimeri helped to carry the still breathing Pterafolk to the witch. He could hardly be called "an innocent" and was more close to animals than "folk" still, life sacrifice was too cruel for him.

Chiirki, left with the witch for the time being, was reunited with his living perch, Cimeri did not plan to talk to the old hag, only listen, so, so she quetly stood in the corner, stroking soft feathers of the bird. 

Taman would come inside, but stay near the entrance.

Azaka steps over the body of the gnome on the ground, scimitar held forward aggressively.  She holds the tip a foot away from the crone's head.  "Pterafolk are gone.  Answers for my friends.  Now."

The crone cackles with glee, ignoring the razor sharp metal near her face.  "Ask," she says, looking directly at Fulcra.  "Ask your questions.  Do we have need for sacrifice?  Where is the birdman?"

Fulcra pushes the blade tip away with his finger and smiles happily at the witch. “Hi there. So. We may need a sacrifice, we may. Sadly the bird man fell and died. But. First question though, how is it you can bring souls back?  There’s something consuming all the souls in the world. How is it you can bring them back?  Do you know where this soul eater is?” 

The crone shrieks with delight; those of you in the hut feel the instinct to cover your ears.  "So many questions!  Three I count!  Is this fair trade?"  She pulls out the ruby Tasmagarra gave her before leaving, before his untimely demise.  "This payment suffices, we suppose."  The ruby vanishes back into the folds of her garb.  Her rheumy, cloudy eyes stare off at nothing as she is deep in thought.

"Souls, you say.  Bring back, you say.  Neither of these are how my lord works, Emptyone."  She gestures at the pterafolk bound on the floor, wriggling in animal panic.  "I kill," she says, making a stabbing motion at the beast.  "I capture," she mimics pulling a spirit from the pterafolk with one hand and produces the ruby in the other.  She brings the two together and holds the ruby aloft.  "Captured, yes?" she asks you.  You all nod.  She hops to her feet and hobbles outside to the gnomish corpse.  "I bring back," she finishes, placing the gemstone on the gnome's forehead and holding it there.  She looks to you all for understanding.  "Body knows soul, body remembers," she adds.  "Memory floods stone, takes over spirit in gem," she finishes.

She explains further, "Gnome soul gone," she gestures vaguely to the south.  "Gone, Emptyone.  Gone."  She begins to cackle with mad glee.  "Destroyed by Soul Eater, hmmm yes," she says, nodding.  "South.  Soul Eater is south.  Watch souls go as things die; all go south.  Pulled south.  The three, servants of the meddler, the three have made this.  Terrible creatures, the three sisters.  Would kill Nanny Pu'pu if they heard her speaking of this."  She hobbles back to her chair and slumps into it, once again eyeing the pterafolk greedily.

"Where in the south?" Taman asks, stepping forward.  "The south is a large area...  Where exactly?"

"You... want to put the pterafolk soul into that gnomes body?!" gasped Cimeri, forgetting she was going to let others talk. "This is not bringing people back to life! Tasmagarra is lucky he died and have not seen it!"

Bryn would be standing at the back also near the entrance, arms crossed, watching intently as the hag explains. Her eyes would narrow when she mentions ‘the meddler’ and three sister witches that would kill her if they knew she spoke. The Druid would hold back and wait for the others to ask their questions and get their answers before making an inquiry of her own. She’d take a step forward and bow her head in a respectful greeting, “Nanny, know ‘the meddler’? Bryn curious why sister witches kill Nanny over words spoken now when Nanny have knowledge all along? Nanny, have agreement or relation with sister witches?”