Chrys lowers her hammer slightly. "Oi. You guys remember the orcs that tried to ambush us way back when in the forest? Maybe Braida here ain't so wrong after all. The Red Claws were already a thorn in the side o' Calia and her rangers, right? I get the feelin' we're gonna have to deal with 'em anyhow. Why not try an' kill two birds with one stone here? Solve the mystery o' the lake wars, an' get rid o' them orcs in the forest, too? Either way, I think we'll be dealin' with the poison in the forest if we do that."
She narrows her eyes and looks back at Braida. "You talk 'bout that orc chief like you seen him before, an' know what his treasures are. Spill, will ya? If we're gonna be fightin' him, we'll have a better chance o' winnin' if ya tell us what them 'treasures' are, an' if they'll be dangerous to us."
Lumen’s sword doesn’t move but he tries to think of the orcs they ran into on their way into the forest, and tries to see if the orcs or any orcs he had spent time with could be capable of, let alone motivated to do such a thing to a forest.
He asks one question while he mulls over this witch’s proposal: who used to live in the hut that looks like a beaver dam a bit down the lakeside, the one with the empty box?
You know that there are many orc tribes in the world, and as you had learned from Calla, the Red Claws were but one of them. As while you don't necessarily know all of the ways an orc band could cause destruction to any area, you do know, and quite possibly often used to fear, that most tribes have some sort of shaman who has mysterious powers. You saw some of them on small scales. Who knows what kinds of trouble a powerful shaman could cause?
Braida answers with a slight upturn in her vocal inflection. "Grumbar his name.... Yes... Red Claws. Braida seen him before. He passing through here sometimes... trying make ally with Braida and sisters... seeking power... seeking submission. Braida no like Grumbar... No respect Braida... Threaten bring many orcs... makes trouble for Braida."
"Grumbar carry smooth red stone, size of fist. Make him stronger. Not dangerous for you unless you try use it. Also have other treasures... I tell you where find Grumbar and his nasty orcs, you kill and bring me red stone, and we keep deal. And maybe Braida tell you where find other special treasures..."
Answering Lumen, Braid looks him in the eye and says a single word. "Una."
The way the witch said, "Not dangerous for you unless you try use it."Made Nym think that it possibly wasn't dangerous at all, simply valuable. Especially if she wanted it and it made this 'Grumbar' stronger.
Glancing at the adventurers, the drow woman would finally speak up, "I don't mean to impose but... This 'poison' that's infesting the forest is the reason that I am here as well. I'm investigating for a friend of mine. It wouldn't sit right with me if I didn't at least try to see it through. If you truly are going after these orcs," Eyes flicking to Braida momentarily, still somewhat skeptical, "Then I'd like to accompany you all if you'll allow it."
Then realizing that perhaps she was being a bit bold, Nym tried to argue, "And I'm not always getting captured or stabbed! I-I'm half decent. Fighting wise I mean. I can even heal you if any of you get hurt."
"Well... tell us where to find them Red Claws, then, an' we'll do what we can 'bout this Grumbar,"Chrys declares, still wary of the witch.
As the drow priestess speaks, Chrys glances over at her. "First things first, lady. We don't e'en know yer name yet. But let's save the warm an' cozy introductions for when we're done with business here," she says, gesturing at Braida, unwilling to get too comfortable in the swamp witch's own home.
"Grumbar two day march, east of lake. Camped there for many days, cutting trees, fouling forest.," Braida replies in her withered voice. Then she adds, "Braida can give you special item, help in fight against orcs and orc brutes... you want?"
"What will Gusof do with no scarecrow to keep them there? Or whatever their name is..." Lumen says, still thinking. "You put it there to keep them in that place?"
He will ask for some time to consider the witch's offer privately, with the group, and also her former captive.
Something was off about Braida's story. Whether there was more than on, Kess knew enough about the magics of the world to know that parts of Braida's story didn't entirely make sense. Furthermore, Phellanie had not struck her as decietful, and she very much doubted that neither the Dryad or Mr. Dundragon himself to be liars... which meant that most likely, Braida was simply playing he part of a fabulist in an effort to avoid suffering the consequences for her actions.
"I've been listening for a good while as you speak, Braida... and if you ask me, I think you're just trying to save your own skin from the consequences due to you," Kess said with clear suspicion, eyeing Braida pointedly; the anger was still apparent at having her mind toyed with by this foul creature. "The fact is, you've already changed your story and your tune more than a few times, and you went from wanting to wish us to death to bargaining with us. Furthermore, having dealt with the perils of orcs in my own homeland, they are very rarely assailants and saboteurs in the arcane arts; they tend to favor might and blood... no offense to present company." Kess would offer a brief sympathetic nod to Lumen before continuing. "I think you're clearly trying to save yourself, hag; know that I do not trust you. So I propose another set of terms. You leave this place and take whatever foulness you are up to with you, and no longer trouble the High Forest or its denizens. In exchange, we'll spare your life because the information concerning this Grumbar is of value. Any trickery or deceit on your part, and we'll spread word of you and your deeds to any lodge of rangers we can find. Do you understand? And before you protest, understand that we just came upon you trying to use the life of a prisoner as a bargaining chip, after defending ourselves from your 'pets' and your blatant acts of aggression against us," Kess would briefly nod in the direction of the drow woman. "Frankly, you have no means to argue those terms, which I promise you are more generous than you'd receive in other parts of the world. Then again, I don't speak for the entire group, but I'm not about to say nothing when I see hints of a trap being laid. Right now, your word means very little, especially to me in particular. So what say you...?"
Braida listens to Kess's demands and then responds with a surprisingly cool demeanor, her utterly hideous face looking the scimitar wielding elf right in the eyes with your own, opaque and expressionless glassy eyes, her words spoken slowly and deliberately, with the whispers and slithering inflections that appear to be characteristic of this creature's vocal patterns when speaking in the common tongue.
""Pretty elf... You are strong. Braida feel the sting of your blades. And Braida know that many elves wise. But you not wise as you think. It is not Braida that cause poison in forest. Braida and sisters living here by lake many centuries, no problems...Three sisters, homes circle lake. No problems with other forest creatures. We know all goings on in this part of woods. But Haddie arguing with sister Una... wanting more power, kill Una. Three sisters no more... Break magic. Break balance. If problems spread in forest, Braida not causing... Haddie causing."
"You peoples killing spiders, Braida say ok, fixing poison in forest. But you peoples coming to Braida's home, killing dogs... dogs only protecting Braida from strangers. Coming with lies from Haddie, saying Braida bring poison to forest, threaten Braida. Yes...Brada respond with own strength and bargains, defend home, defend self... you would do the same, elf, if dwarves coming your home with lies and threats and killing guards. Dwarves same... would fight if orcs... or dark elves coming to home with threats... with rumors and believing lies that others tell, and try bargain if defeated, like you defeat Braida with hammers and blades and nasty songs that hurt ears."
"And you speak falsely, elf. Some orcs having magic... spending problems... Some peoples spreading problems... following dark gods... and goddesses," she says, lingering on this last word. "Orcs problem in forest. Grumbar problem... having tribe with magic... worshiping other evils... spread like disease. Some orcs ok... Many orcs not ok. Grumbar not ok."
"Braida laying no trap, elf. Braida know you peoples strong, defeat Braida. But Braida know many secrets. Braida talk to animals... talk to birds... know many things... know forgotten things. Have secrets the peoples want... Yes, Braida bargain with strong peoples... Braida no like orcs and Braida want to live. Braida make peace with peoples, But Braida not leaving home."
Then, turning to Lumen, she answers, coolly,
"And Braida not making scarecrow... Haddie making scarecrow. Like Braida have dogs, Haddie have scarecrow. You not listen, orc man. Gusof and Haddie same, and she not going anywhere."
Chrys crosses her arms. "Look. I believe her,"she says bluntly. "Maybe she an' Haddin' are evil, an' maybe they ain't, but the waters here been muddy from more than the swamp for a while now, and I ain't comfortable killin' things just 'cause I don't like that they looked at me funny. The orcs, though... e'en the rangers told us they were bad news. I got a feelin' that we're dealin' with the Red Claw problem in this forest one way or the other, no matter what goes down in this here swamp."
She pauses. "An' I'm startin' to wonder if this might be e'en be connected to Shar an' our good friend Talissan. Again. We saw him followin' us here after all." She turns back to Braida. "What's 'bout this thing you have that can help us against them orc bandits?"
Kess says nothing but otherwise doesn't move, letting a huff of air through her nostrils but still eyes Braida with simmering rage; it is clear that she doesn't trust the hag's explanation of events.
Nym felt a growing amount of grudging respect for the high elf as she pointed out some problems with this ordeal. Or perhaps the drow merely liked that they seemed to be of the same mind in distrusting the witch.
Bristling as the hag made her argument using the phrase, 'dark elves coming to home with threats', said drow is quick to point out, "I never threatened you before your dogs attacked me and you dragged me down here! I didn't even know anyone was here before that! You attacked and imprisoned me unprovoked." Her fingernails dig into her palms as her hands curl into tight fists at her sides. Feeling something ugly and dark in her wanting revenge for what was done to her.
Eyebrows raising in reproach as the dwarven woman bluntly said that she believed this Braida's story. Though she couldn't blame her for 'not wanting to kill someone for just looking at her funny'. Selune knew that she'd be dead many times over if more people didn't heed such thinking. Didn't mean she was happy that her rescuers were now peacefully dealing with the woman that had stabbed her. And her posture shows it, tightly crossing her arms with a tense expression. At least until Shar was mentioned. "Shar?" Nym asked, perturbed that Selune's evil twin sister might be involved in any of this.
(site doesn't tell me if someone posts before I post, so edited)
"Is that so? Well then, I think that proves my point, everyone; this hag is not to be trusted. She could be lacing her words with the barest hints of truth, and it wouldn't change the fact that she was just now caught in a lie," Kess would say to the others, before turning to eye Braida dangerously. "You're not going to claim she was down here for tea and crumpets, are you...?"
"I not say that YOU coming here with threats," Braida says, directing her gaze at Nym. "But Braida know that dark elves coming from under ground sometimes, worship spiders, causing problems for some peoples, and elves and dwarves. You know this true, right?"
Then, turning back to Kess, she says, "And Braida honor deal with peoples, if dwarf not hit again with hammer, Braida let girl go and said sorry for hurting nice girl here. You made that bargain and Braida honored. That bargain finished."
Eying Chrys, she says, "Braida give potion, make strong like giant. Make hit orcs even harder with hammer. You want...?"
After a short pause, she turns back to Kess. "Clear that you not trust Braida. Maybe make special gift for wary elf. Give you extra strength in battle against next enemy who hit you. One time. Show good faith for trust Braida. You want?"
Meeting Braida's gaze with heat, Nym's expression soon wilts at her point, eyes casting downwards. "I-I do know that... Better than most."How easily did she (even briefly) forget this in her anger? 'Moonmaiden forgive me...did I really bring this whole three day ordeal on myself traipsing right past her door like that? Maybe she had been just as wary as I am now.' The drow thought to herself with furrowed brow, lips pursed.
"Well, we've talked plenty. We can either kill Braida and then go deal with these Red Claws or we can let her live and go do so. Either way, I don't think that we're gonna get much more by talking to her."
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Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
"I ain't goin' back on my word. She let the drow girl go, so I'm not smashin' her in her own home. I will take her up on that offer for a potion, though,"Chrys says simply. "So long as the deal ya offered still holds. I don't mean 'bout them orcs. I mean 'bout makin' peace with Haddie."
Lumen actually agrees with Vesper for once that there has been plenty of talking. He’d like to give this witch/hag a wary last chance, and go find a place outside they can take a breather, maybe camp for the night.
Answering Chrys, Braida says, "Peace with Haddie on Haddie. I not controlling what Haddie does, but I give word... not travel around other side of lake to bother Haddie. Now you leave cave, go back up on ground. Wait for Braida bring you special potion for strength. Then you go hunt Grumbar. Straight east, two day, find camp. Kill Grumbar, bring back red stone. Kill many other orcs if you wishes."
With that, the witch motions to usher you towards the root ladder so you can climb back out of her cave and return to the surface. When you emerge from the twisted roots of the Cyprus tree, back into the heavy mist that still lingers, you don't see Krackle at first, but a quick glance reveals that he's hunkered down in a small hole he dug for himself with his Mold Earth cantrip, as he often does. When he sees you all, he scampers over.
"What happened down there?!" He asks, excitedly, but with a nervous tone. "And who is this? Did you find her in the witch's cave? Is the witch dead? She was awful scary... I'm sorry, I was so afraid of her at first, but all I could think of was helping you, and that gave me some courage."
Nym
FYI: Krackle is a small, rather frail looking kobold, who looks like this.
"Krackle! S'all right, she ain't the nicest o' people, an' it's best ya don't muck around with her,"Chrys tells the little kobold, patting him fondly on the head. Turning to face their newest companion, she looks the drow up and down.
"Y'all right? Did she hurt ya any? I s'pose you could heal yerself in that case, but ya know... if ya need a breather, I understand. That witch ain't exactly been kind ta any o' us." Slapping a hand on her chest, she introduces herself. "M'name's Chrysoberyl Vos'rorn. I'm a knight servin' the Duin. Ehh, that'd be Marthammor Duin, lord o' travelers an' adventurers tryin' ta find their way,"she adds, realizing that not everyone may have heard of Twilight Tor's patron deity.
She gestures at the tiny kobold near her feet. "An' this here is Krackle, our lil' friend, who sometimes ain't so little,"she adds with a grin. "We all met in Yartar, an' formed a mercenary band by the name o' the Pie Pals." She speaks over what is presumably the weary groans of just about everyone else in the party, proud of their group moniker. "What's yer name, an' yer story?"
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Chrys lowers her hammer slightly. "Oi. You guys remember the orcs that tried to ambush us way back when in the forest? Maybe Braida here ain't so wrong after all. The Red Claws were already a thorn in the side o' Calia and her rangers, right? I get the feelin' we're gonna have to deal with 'em anyhow. Why not try an' kill two birds with one stone here? Solve the mystery o' the lake wars, an' get rid o' them orcs in the forest, too? Either way, I think we'll be dealin' with the poison in the forest if we do that."
She narrows her eyes and looks back at Braida. "You talk 'bout that orc chief like you seen him before, an' know what his treasures are. Spill, will ya? If we're gonna be fightin' him, we'll have a better chance o' winnin' if ya tell us what them 'treasures' are, an' if they'll be dangerous to us."
Lumen’s sword doesn’t move but he tries to think of the orcs they ran into on their way into the forest, and tries to see if the orcs or any orcs he had spent time with could be capable of, let alone motivated to do such a thing to a forest.
He asks one question while he mulls over this witch’s proposal: who used to live in the hut that looks like a beaver dam a bit down the lakeside, the one with the empty box?
Lumen
You know that there are many orc tribes in the world, and as you had learned from Calla, the Red Claws were but one of them. As while you don't necessarily know all of the ways an orc band could cause destruction to any area, you do know, and quite possibly often used to fear, that most tribes have some sort of shaman who has mysterious powers. You saw some of them on small scales. Who knows what kinds of trouble a powerful shaman could cause?
Braida answers with a slight upturn in her vocal inflection. "Grumbar his name.... Yes... Red Claws. Braida seen him before. He passing through here sometimes... trying make ally with Braida and sisters... seeking power... seeking submission. Braida no like Grumbar... No respect Braida... Threaten bring many orcs... makes trouble for Braida."
"Grumbar carry smooth red stone, size of fist. Make him stronger. Not dangerous for you unless you try use it. Also have other treasures... I tell you where find Grumbar and his nasty orcs, you kill and bring me red stone, and we keep deal. And maybe Braida tell you where find other special treasures..."
Answering Lumen, Braid looks him in the eye and says a single word. "Una."
"....Who is Oolga, then?" Nym wondered aloud.
The way the witch said, "Not dangerous for you unless you try use it." Made Nym think that it possibly wasn't dangerous at all, simply valuable. Especially if she wanted it and it made this 'Grumbar' stronger.
Glancing at the adventurers, the drow woman would finally speak up, "I don't mean to impose but... This 'poison' that's infesting the forest is the reason that I am here as well. I'm investigating for a friend of mine. It wouldn't sit right with me if I didn't at least try to see it through. If you truly are going after these orcs," Eyes flicking to Braida momentarily, still somewhat skeptical, "Then I'd like to accompany you all if you'll allow it."
Then realizing that perhaps she was being a bit bold, Nym tried to argue, "And I'm not always getting captured or stabbed! I-I'm half decent. Fighting wise I mean. I can even heal you if any of you get hurt."
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
"Well... tell us where to find them Red Claws, then, an' we'll do what we can 'bout this Grumbar," Chrys declares, still wary of the witch.
As the drow priestess speaks, Chrys glances over at her. "First things first, lady. We don't e'en know yer name yet. But let's save the warm an' cozy introductions for when we're done with business here," she says, gesturing at Braida, unwilling to get too comfortable in the swamp witch's own home.
"Grumbar two day march, east of lake. Camped there for many days, cutting trees, fouling forest.," Braida replies in her withered voice. Then she adds, "Braida can give you special item, help in fight against orcs and orc brutes... you want?"
"What will Gusof do with no scarecrow to keep them there? Or whatever their name is..." Lumen says, still thinking. "You put it there to keep them in that place?"
He will ask for some time to consider the witch's offer privately, with the group, and also her former captive.
Something was off about Braida's story. Whether there was more than on, Kess knew enough about the magics of the world to know that parts of Braida's story didn't entirely make sense. Furthermore, Phellanie had not struck her as decietful, and she very much doubted that neither the Dryad or Mr. Dundragon himself to be liars... which meant that most likely, Braida was simply playing he part of a fabulist in an effort to avoid suffering the consequences for her actions.
"I've been listening for a good while as you speak, Braida... and if you ask me, I think you're just trying to save your own skin from the consequences due to you," Kess said with clear suspicion, eyeing Braida pointedly; the anger was still apparent at having her mind toyed with by this foul creature. "The fact is, you've already changed your story and your tune more than a few times, and you went from wanting to wish us to death to bargaining with us. Furthermore, having dealt with the perils of orcs in my own homeland, they are very rarely assailants and saboteurs in the arcane arts; they tend to favor might and blood... no offense to present company." Kess would offer a brief sympathetic nod to Lumen before continuing. "I think you're clearly trying to save yourself, hag; know that I do not trust you. So I propose another set of terms. You leave this place and take whatever foulness you are up to with you, and no longer trouble the High Forest or its denizens. In exchange, we'll spare your life because the information concerning this Grumbar is of value. Any trickery or deceit on your part, and we'll spread word of you and your deeds to any lodge of rangers we can find. Do you understand? And before you protest, understand that we just came upon you trying to use the life of a prisoner as a bargaining chip, after defending ourselves from your 'pets' and your blatant acts of aggression against us," Kess would briefly nod in the direction of the drow woman. "Frankly, you have no means to argue those terms, which I promise you are more generous than you'd receive in other parts of the world. Then again, I don't speak for the entire group, but I'm not about to say nothing when I see hints of a trap being laid. Right now, your word means very little, especially to me in particular. So what say you...?"
Braida listens to Kess's demands and then responds with a surprisingly cool demeanor, her utterly hideous face looking the scimitar wielding elf right in the eyes with your own, opaque and expressionless glassy eyes, her words spoken slowly and deliberately, with the whispers and slithering inflections that appear to be characteristic of this creature's vocal patterns when speaking in the common tongue.
""Pretty elf... You are strong. Braida feel the sting of your blades. And Braida know that many elves wise. But you not wise as you think. It is not Braida that cause poison in forest. Braida and sisters living here by lake many centuries, no problems...Three sisters, homes circle lake. No problems with other forest creatures. We know all goings on in this part of woods. But Haddie arguing with sister Una... wanting more power, kill Una. Three sisters no more... Break magic. Break balance. If problems spread in forest, Braida not causing... Haddie causing."
"You peoples killing spiders, Braida say ok, fixing poison in forest. But you peoples coming to Braida's home, killing dogs... dogs only protecting Braida from strangers. Coming with lies from Haddie, saying Braida bring poison to forest, threaten Braida. Yes...Brada respond with own strength and bargains, defend home, defend self... you would do the same, elf, if dwarves coming your home with lies and threats and killing guards. Dwarves same... would fight if orcs... or dark elves coming to home with threats... with rumors and believing lies that others tell, and try bargain if defeated, like you defeat Braida with hammers and blades and nasty songs that hurt ears."
"And you speak falsely, elf. Some orcs having magic... spending problems... Some peoples spreading problems... following dark gods... and goddesses," she says, lingering on this last word. "Orcs problem in forest. Grumbar problem... having tribe with magic... worshiping other evils... spread like disease. Some orcs ok... Many orcs not ok. Grumbar not ok."
"Braida laying no trap, elf. Braida know you peoples strong, defeat Braida. But Braida know many secrets. Braida talk to animals... talk to birds... know many things... know forgotten things. Have secrets the peoples want... Yes, Braida bargain with strong peoples... Braida no like orcs and Braida want to live. Braida make peace with peoples, But Braida not leaving home."
Then, turning to Lumen, she answers, coolly,
"And Braida not making scarecrow... Haddie making scarecrow. Like Braida have dogs, Haddie have scarecrow. You not listen, orc man. Gusof and Haddie same, and she not going anywhere."
Chrys crosses her arms. "Look. I believe her," she says bluntly. "Maybe she an' Haddin' are evil, an' maybe they ain't, but the waters here been muddy from more than the swamp for a while now, and I ain't comfortable killin' things just 'cause I don't like that they looked at me funny. The orcs, though... e'en the rangers told us they were bad news. I got a feelin' that we're dealin' with the Red Claw problem in this forest one way or the other, no matter what goes down in this here swamp."
She pauses. "An' I'm startin' to wonder if this might be e'en be connected to Shar an' our good friend Talissan. Again. We saw him followin' us here after all." She turns back to Braida. "What's 'bout this thing you have that can help us against them orc bandits?"
Kess says nothing but otherwise doesn't move, letting a huff of air through her nostrils but still eyes Braida with simmering rage; it is clear that she doesn't trust the hag's explanation of events.
Nym felt a growing amount of grudging respect for the high elf as she pointed out some problems with this ordeal. Or perhaps the drow merely liked that they seemed to be of the same mind in distrusting the witch.
Bristling as the hag made her argument using the phrase, 'dark elves coming to home with threats', said drow is quick to point out, "I never threatened you before your dogs attacked me and you dragged me down here! I didn't even know anyone was here before that! You attacked and imprisoned me unprovoked." Her fingernails dig into her palms as her hands curl into tight fists at her sides. Feeling something ugly and dark in her wanting revenge for what was done to her.
Eyebrows raising in reproach as the dwarven woman bluntly said that she believed this Braida's story. Though she couldn't blame her for 'not wanting to kill someone for just looking at her funny'. Selune knew that she'd be dead many times over if more people didn't heed such thinking. Didn't mean she was happy that her rescuers were now peacefully dealing with the woman that had stabbed her. And her posture shows it, tightly crossing her arms with a tense expression. At least until Shar was mentioned. "Shar?" Nym asked, perturbed that Selune's evil twin sister might be involved in any of this.
(site doesn't tell me if someone posts before I post, so edited)
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
"Is that so? Well then, I think that proves my point, everyone; this hag is not to be trusted. She could be lacing her words with the barest hints of truth, and it wouldn't change the fact that she was just now caught in a lie," Kess would say to the others, before turning to eye Braida dangerously. "You're not going to claim she was down here for tea and crumpets, are you...?"
"I not say that YOU coming here with threats," Braida says, directing her gaze at Nym. "But Braida know that dark elves coming from under ground sometimes, worship spiders, causing problems for some peoples, and elves and dwarves. You know this true, right?"
Then, turning back to Kess, she says, "And Braida honor deal with peoples, if dwarf not hit again with hammer, Braida let girl go and said sorry for hurting nice girl here. You made that bargain and Braida honored. That bargain finished."
Eying Chrys, she says, "Braida give potion, make strong like giant. Make hit orcs even harder with hammer. You want...?"
After a short pause, she turns back to Kess. "Clear that you not trust Braida. Maybe make special gift for wary elf. Give you extra strength in battle against next enemy who hit you. One time. Show good faith for trust Braida. You want?"
Meeting Braida's gaze with heat, Nym's expression soon wilts at her point, eyes casting downwards. "I-I do know that... Better than most." How easily did she (even briefly) forget this in her anger? 'Moonmaiden forgive me...did I really bring this whole three day ordeal on myself traipsing right past her door like that? Maybe she had been just as wary as I am now.' The drow thought to herself with furrowed brow, lips pursed.
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
"Well, we've talked plenty. We can either kill Braida and then go deal with these Red Claws or we can let her live and go do so. Either way, I don't think that we're gonna get much more by talking to her."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
"I ain't goin' back on my word. She let the drow girl go, so I'm not smashin' her in her own home. I will take her up on that offer for a potion, though," Chrys says simply. "So long as the deal ya offered still holds. I don't mean 'bout them orcs. I mean 'bout makin' peace with Haddie."
Lumen actually agrees with Vesper for once that there has been plenty of talking. He’d like to give this witch/hag a wary last chance, and go find a place outside they can take a breather, maybe camp for the night.
Answering Chrys, Braida says, "Peace with Haddie on Haddie. I not controlling what Haddie does, but I give word... not travel around other side of lake to bother Haddie. Now you leave cave, go back up on ground. Wait for Braida bring you special potion for strength. Then you go hunt Grumbar. Straight east, two day, find camp. Kill Grumbar, bring back red stone. Kill many other orcs if you wishes."
With that, the witch motions to usher you towards the root ladder so you can climb back out of her cave and return to the surface. When you emerge from the twisted roots of the Cyprus tree, back into the heavy mist that still lingers, you don't see Krackle at first, but a quick glance reveals that he's hunkered down in a small hole he dug for himself with his Mold Earth cantrip, as he often does. When he sees you all, he scampers over.
"What happened down there?!" He asks, excitedly, but with a nervous tone. "And who is this? Did you find her in the witch's cave? Is the witch dead? She was awful scary... I'm sorry, I was so afraid of her at first, but all I could think of was helping you, and that gave me some courage."
Nym
FYI: Krackle is a small, rather frail looking kobold, who looks like this.
"Krackle! S'all right, she ain't the nicest o' people, an' it's best ya don't muck around with her," Chrys tells the little kobold, patting him fondly on the head. Turning to face their newest companion, she looks the drow up and down.
"Y'all right? Did she hurt ya any? I s'pose you could heal yerself in that case, but ya know... if ya need a breather, I understand. That witch ain't exactly been kind ta any o' us." Slapping a hand on her chest, she introduces herself. "M'name's Chrysoberyl Vos'rorn. I'm a knight servin' the Duin. Ehh, that'd be Marthammor Duin, lord o' travelers an' adventurers tryin' ta find their way," she adds, realizing that not everyone may have heard of Twilight Tor's patron deity.
She gestures at the tiny kobold near her feet. "An' this here is Krackle, our lil' friend, who sometimes ain't so little," she adds with a grin. "We all met in Yartar, an' formed a mercenary band by the name o' the Pie Pals." She speaks over what is presumably the weary groans of just about everyone else in the party, proud of their group moniker. "What's yer name, an' yer story?"