The only structure still intact is a lone hut about a thousand yards southwest of the gate, at the edge of a boulder field. The hut is made from thatch and animal hides stretched over the rib cage of an immense reptile. Animal skulls, wind chimes, and totems of feathers and shells rattle in the breeze, and smoke drifts from hut.

A creature shuffles slowly around the hut, hunched over in an animal-like posture. You realize it’s a human woman: impossibly old, crippled by arthritis, blinded by cataracts. Her dark face and bald pate are outlined with streaks of yellow clay suggesting the shape of a skull — or perhaps it’s her shriveled flesh creating that illusion.

Without turning around to look at the party, the old with says: " Ehehehe...you have come. What do you want? "

"If you know of us then, you know why we are here. We need information on this "Soul Monger". We have traveled very far to get to this point." Felix takes his mask off leaving just the bandages exposed. 

Quote from BeastyC >>

"If you know of us then, you know why we are here. We need information on this "Soul Monger". We have traveled very far to get to this point." Felix takes his mask off leaving just the bandages exposed. 

"To stop it from taking souls I guess." Felix scratches his head. 

Quote from BeastyC >>

"To stop it from taking souls I guess." Felix scratches his head. 

"because it is claiming life on innocent people. Because there is evil magic behind it, I'm sure of it. So first, we need to find it, find the reason this is happening, then we will act."
"Could you show us on the map where this soulmonger could be please"

"It is claiming the lives of people who died and came back to life. Innocents and otherwise. You are quick to judge, Tortle. Do you have any proof that is evil? Maybe it is the will of the gods, and who are we to claim a right to interfere?"

The old witch pauses for a moment, letting the adventuers pondering on her questions. "Whichever the case, such information comes with a price. A favour. Are you willing to accept?"

"........" Felix is silent waiting for his party members to ask what the favor is. As he is listening to what she wants done and Felix would like to insight her to see if she's really knows anything or just pulling our leg.

Gertrude bows her head before the witch. "My name is Gertrude, and these are my fellow adventurers, Felix, Kurma, Brunella, Oniss, Irommek, Musharib and Inete. Please excuse our directness. We had a long day's march and are exhausted now.

It must be hard to live all alone in such an inhospitable place. Here, have some snake meat that we prepared just today.

Now, to our adventure: The curse is destroying lives and we have been sent to investigate it. Do you know what is causing it? You said, you were willing to trade information for a favour? Please let us know what you require."

The old witch finally looks at Gertrude, and accepts the snake meat, eating it immediately: " Finally, a gentle kind. Nice to meet you. You can call me Nanny Pu'pu, as the villagers here called me. They were all killed by the winged creature you call Pterafolk. They spared me, I must be no tasty at all. They have a nest in these hills. I ask you to kill these creatures, then I will reveal where the source of souls vanishing is. "

Oniss studies the old woman.

"Nanny PuPu, I am Oniss.  I grow tired of killing. It has never been in my nature, yet these jungles have made it a daily occurrence.  I fear I may be enjoying it and that frightens me.  Is there any other way to deal with these ptera folk?"

"They are evil creatures which understand only violence and terror. That is the only way." 

Brunella has mixed reactions to Nanny Pupu. On one hand, she seems a familiar part of jungle shamanry and magics, the kind of the albino tribes had. She does not build large castles of magic and metal and stone to impose on the jungle. Brunella approves of the hut. On the other hand, the woman is strange and erratic. Brunella keeps silent, but her eyes rove, she looks at the witch woman and the surrounding hut.

Quote from filcat >>

The old witch finally looks at Gertrude, and accepts the snake meat, eating it immediately: " Finally, a gentle kind. Nice to meet you. You can call me Nanny Pu'pu, as the villagers here called me. They were all killed by the winged creature you call Pterafolk. They spared me, I must be no tasty at all. They have a nest in these hills. I ask you to kill these creatures, then I will reveal where the source of souls vanishing is. "

Irommek offers Nanny PuPu some ale and takes a drink himself.

"Hmmmm.  These bird creatures killed all of the villagers here?  Was there a great war or dispute that triggered the attack?  And how far away are these nests and how are they defended?  Although our need is great, I dinna want to march into the home of creatures that wiped out an entire village without a little more tactical information."

"If we had more to drink, I would sit up with you until the sun comes up and share some wine or ale and hear more about the Pterafolk."

This was not the haunted ghost town that Irommek was expecting.  Although he was relaxing a bit he is still a little hesitant to accept Nanny PuPu for face value.  Witches, even the good ones, always have alternative and hidden causes.

Quote from BeastyC >>

Quote from filcat >>

The old witch finally looks at Gertrude, and accepts the snake meat, eating it immediately: " Finally, a gentle kind. Nice to meet you. You can call me Nanny Pu'pu, as the villagers here called me. They were all killed by the winged creature you call Pterafolk. They spared me, I must be no tasty at all. They have a nest in these hills. I ask you to kill these creatures, then I will reveal where the source of souls vanishing is. "

 insight: 21

Quote from Spock >>

Irommek offers Nanny PuPu some ale and takes a drink himself.

"Hmmmm.  These bird creatures killed all of the villagers here?  Was there a great war or dispute that triggered the attack?  And how far away are these nests and how are they defended?  Although our need is great, I dinna want to march into the home of creatures that wiped out an entire village without a little more tactical information."

"If we had more to drink, I would sit up with you until the sun comes up and share some wine or ale and hear more about the Pterafolk."

This was not the haunted ghost town that Irommek was expecting.  Although he was relaxing a bit he is still a little hesitant to accept Nanny PuPu for face value.  Witches, even the good ones, always have alternative and hidden causes.

"hummm, I am curious... may I ask why do you have display skulls around your hut ? I found it a bit macabre... Is that the skulls of your poor fellow villagers ?"

Quote from RonanKP >>

"hummm, I am curious... may I ask why do you have display skulls around your hut ? I found it a bit macabre... Is that the skulls of your poor fellow villagers ?"

Felix norrows his eyes staring at the witch. He will palace happy on his face. "Well I think we can do it if it's not too far. However, what really happen to this village. I don't like doing a job unless I know who I'm working for."