Yes, you may ask. I have prodded, and I'll see if I get any result. Certain things may happen if I don't. (I will make the quest a little easier, as well.)
"You know, he's much better this way!" Talnin says to Uldran with a satisfied grin.
"I saw a path earlier through the mountains that takes us away from both the bandits and these caves. I wouldn't mind going there, except...I wouldn't know what to do with our prisoner over here. "
A slight pause.
"So I'm thinking of something really crazy right now. Did you see that their leader wasn't shooting the griffin that you and I were on, Uldran?" Talnin says to the vampire. "These must not be like normal goblins - maybe their kin mean more than I thought. And you saw how loyal these guys are to their 'boss'. We've got to at least try to reason with him. He seems to call all the shots here, maybe he will understand that we only defended ourselves if we only get the chance to talk to him."
Talnin takes the captured Akki, making sure he's still bound by rope, and heads back into the cave. His movement is cautious, but he does not slink about in the shadows - he wants the Akki to know that he knows they know he's here.
Although he still holds the captured Akki in front of him with one hand for good measure. His other hand is raised, attempting to not look threatening.
"I'd like to speak to your boss...please." Talnin calls into the cavern.
When Talnin began heading out with the akki, Uldran thought momentarily of stopping him.
However, he quickly realized that they didn't really have any better options, so he followed behind, but far enough so that he wouldn't interrupt Talnin's plan.
The realization that this was their best shot made him shake his head though. He wasn't thrilled with their position.
Unsure of what to do, Uldran cloaks himself and hides in the shadows, generating a bit of mana just in case.
"This better work you crazy human." he mutters under his breath.
"We don't want to fight - you have us outnumbered and we have come back with this fellow here when we could have escaped." Although Talnin couldn't see any other Akki, he was fairly certain that the cave was still full of them, if not lurking in the darkness immediately behind the leader.
Talnin lets the captured Akki go in what he hopes the Akki leader will appreciate as a sign of good faith.
"I'm sorry that we had to do what we did, but please understand that it was only in self-defence. None of us would kill in cold blood!" Despite his words though, he was admittedly uncertain about Uldran.
"We were just trying to find someone like you - someone who knows these parts - to help us find a goblin we are looking for. We weren't looking for trouble."
Uldran went from feeling hopeless to skeptical. Talnin was coming across and genuine. He also hadn't been killed yet. Although he wasn't sure which was a bigger point in his favor.
That being said, Uldran didn't move from his spot. He generated a bit more mana, enough to buy them some time if everything went south. At least, that's what he hopes.
"And I would never kill in cold blood. It tastes terrible." chuckling to himself quietly. He would have to tell Talnin that one, Uldran's sure he would appreciate it.
Before the Akki leader responds, Talnin feels a palpable tinge around him - the unmistakable sense of mana being drawn. This particular tinge was one that Talnin was familiar with.
"Hey, cut that out!" Talnin says hushed, but urgently to Uldran.
"If you're not looking for trouble, then what was with that?"
The goblin leader points at Uldran, obviously having sensed the drawing of mana. A single pinpoint of red mana swirls lazily around his finger, waiting for release.
Uldran steps out of the shadows, hands raised. He REALLY didn't want the situation to get any worse than it was.
"I'm sorry, " he says softly. "I just wanted to make sure we had a bit of protection in case you weren't willing to listen. We truly mean you no harm."
"He's just a little jittery is all!" Talnin says apologetically and raises his own hands to try and reassure the Akki leader. "We're only looking for that goblin. If there's anything at all you know that could help us, that's all we're asking for."
"Um....he'd be like one of you, but he's not from...these parts. He's from very far away. He would have looked very weird. He wouldn't have had a shell on his back like you, for one thing, and he may have had really big ears."
Talnin notices that the Akki have pretty small ears, so he pinches the tips of his own ears and pulls them, for effect.
Uldran's eyes flick over to Talnin, in a I have no idea what's the right answer kind of way.
Considering he is already on extremely thin ice, he is hoping that Talnin catches his drift and answers for him. Last thing they need is for this to get any worse.
"He stole something from some people back home, I...think you can figure out the rest."
Seeing the Akki leader's wariness, Talnin continues: "I don't know for sure if you guys are in league with the bandits in these parts, but from what I've seen today, you're not quite like them or I probably wouldn't be talking to you right now."
OOC: Talnin's not actually that calculating - he's just a 'good' guy at heart and was brought up with certain values...he is a White mage, after all. Of course, that could also be Uldran's Black worldview influencing his perception of other peoples' actions in terms he understands :p.
The tile in Talnin's pocket shatters unbidden, and a portal opens up next to the two. Greel stands at the other end. "We have an urgent issue. Return immediately. You can continue this later."
Before either get the chance to speak, they're pulled through the portal, landing back in Greel's office. The Mind Raker wastes no time in dragging their current results from their mind. "Not bad. At least you have a lead." A small pouch of gold is slid across the table. "For now, take this as a reward."
Quest closed temporarily. Both of you get get 3 XP and 75 gold for now, with options to resume at a later date.
"House Shimia has been destroyed."
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The akki looks at Talnin as though he's an idiot.
"You know, he's much better this way!" Talnin says to Uldran with a satisfied grin.
"I saw a path earlier through the mountains that takes us away from both the bandits and these caves. I wouldn't mind going there, except...I wouldn't know what to do with our prisoner over here. "
A slight pause.
"So I'm thinking of something really crazy right now. Did you see that their leader wasn't shooting the griffin that you and I were on, Uldran?" Talnin says to the vampire. "These must not be like normal goblins - maybe their kin mean more than I thought. And you saw how loyal these guys are to their 'boss'. We've got to at least try to reason with him. He seems to call all the shots here, maybe he will understand that we only defended ourselves if we only get the chance to talk to him."
Talnin takes the captured Akki, making sure he's still bound by rope, and heads back into the cave. His movement is cautious, but he does not slink about in the shadows - he wants the Akki to know that he knows they know he's here.
Although he still holds the captured Akki in front of him with one hand for good measure. His other hand is raised, attempting to not look threatening.
"I'd like to speak to your boss...please." Talnin calls into the cavern.
The akki leader eyes the prisoner, then looks directly at Talnin.
"Why're you back?"
However, he quickly realized that they didn't really have any better options, so he followed behind, but far enough so that he wouldn't interrupt Talnin's plan.
The realization that this was their best shot made him shake his head though. He wasn't thrilled with their position.
Unsure of what to do, Uldran cloaks himself and hides in the shadows, generating a bit of mana just in case.
"This better work you crazy human." he mutters under his breath.
"We don't want to fight - you have us outnumbered and we have come back with this fellow here when we could have escaped." Although Talnin couldn't see any other Akki, he was fairly certain that the cave was still full of them, if not lurking in the darkness immediately behind the leader.
Talnin lets the captured Akki go in what he hopes the Akki leader will appreciate as a sign of good faith.
"I'm sorry that we had to do what we did, but please understand that it was only in self-defence. None of us would kill in cold blood!" Despite his words though, he was admittedly uncertain about Uldran.
"We were just trying to find someone like you - someone who knows these parts - to help us find a goblin we are looking for. We weren't looking for trouble."
That being said, Uldran didn't move from his spot. He generated a bit more mana, enough to buy them some time if everything went south. At least, that's what he hopes.
"And I would never kill in cold blood. It tastes terrible." chuckling to himself quietly. He would have to tell Talnin that one, Uldran's sure he would appreciate it.
Two d20 rolls from Anak. First one with no modifier, second one with -2.
EDIT: Oh, dear
"Hey, cut that out!" Talnin says hushed, but urgently to Uldran.
OOC: Oh dear. 0_0
"Fine!" Uldran stubbornly admits, and releases his mana. However, he is still watching over Talnin, just in case something goes wrong.
The goblin leader points at Uldran, obviously having sensed the drawing of mana. A single pinpoint of red mana swirls lazily around his finger, waiting for release.
"I'm sorry, " he says softly. "I just wanted to make sure we had a bit of protection in case you weren't willing to listen. We truly mean you no harm."
Talnin notices that the Akki have pretty small ears, so he pinches the tips of his own ears and pulls them, for effect.
Considering he is already on extremely thin ice, he is hoping that Talnin catches his drift and answers for him. Last thing they need is for this to get any worse.
Seeing the Akki leader's wariness, Talnin continues: "I don't know for sure if you guys are in league with the bandits in these parts, but from what I've seen today, you're not quite like them or I probably wouldn't be talking to you right now."
Maybe there is something beyond this human than complete naivete.
Before either get the chance to speak, they're pulled through the portal, landing back in Greel's office. The Mind Raker wastes no time in dragging their current results from their mind. "Not bad. At least you have a lead." A small pouch of gold is slid across the table. "For now, take this as a reward."
Quest closed temporarily. Both of you get get 3 XP and 75 gold for now, with options to resume at a later date.
"House Shimia has been destroyed."