A fresh start

[LittleLuna]

"I never said that we have to kill them! They were in Sanbalets services and had to do what he told them, Ok. And we will trust them now, that's Ok too. Heal them if you want, Ok, Ok! But its not my fault if we wake up with a knife in the back!"

Vee steps back, watching the sitting Gnoll carefully. she is particularly afraid that he would exert personally revenge. (THAT Gnoll whas the one she had nearly killed...)

[Jenara]

Brax gives Vee an understanding nod, she understood fully, once upon a time she would have just murdered them, and left

"Holding up her symbol she walks forward confidently, reaching in her pouch for some herbs. "You have told them i mean them no harm?" she asks Amon.

[Robbo]

Gunter eyes the beasts with distrust, following their every move.

"I'm with Vee on this one. The last person we trusted turned on us as soon as he could. Why should we trust these beasts now? They're a pathetic race and would do anything to save their stinking hides."

He spits at the feet of the gnoll doing the talking and hefts his axe menacingly.

"I'll personally take an interest in keeping both eyes on them."

[Breila]

When Gunter spits at his feet, the gnoll makes a quick move forward, but decides he'd be woefully outnumbered and just growls. He accepts Brax in the shed, though.

Geraldine had stood back during all this, watching the group with interest. "You have a point, Master Amon, and Vee and Gunter as well. The council needs to be informed of this, that is one thing. But we shouldn't bring these beings into town, and we can't let them go before we've dealt with the smugglers.
Didn't you tell us there was a kind of prison cell up in the old mansion? We could bring them there and keep them in custody until we know what they told us is true, and to make sure they don't rejoin the smugglers."

[JadedDM]

Amon nods to Brax.

"Again, I'm not saying we trust them completely," he says to Vee and Gunter. "But you have to admit, they could provide us with some valuable intelligence. Killing them would be a waste and serve no purpose. Besides, this could be the first step toward better relations between our two people."

To Geraldine he adds, "Are we really concerned they might rejoin the smugglers? Their minds were enslaved and then they were abandoned. I can't imagine they have any loyalty toward them at all."

[Jenara]

"I will aid you, do not be alarmed." Brax says knowing the wouldn't know her speech, so she keeps her words slow and calming. "Take." She motions to the herbs, placing some in her own mouth to show they were safe. Before reaching out slowly with a hand to the severely injured Gnoll.

(Casts cure light wounds: 1d8=1 Not much but shows she is there to help)

[HorizonsDream]

"I would rather avoid the mansion. Why can't we just question them here?" Echo asks.

[The_Muffin_Man]

Searos rolls his eyes and mutters to himself "Better relations between gnolls and humans... that'll be the day."

He clears his throat and speaks up a bit "You know, they probably aren't too keen on going back into that mansion given what his lordship is telling us. This is as good a spot as any really. It seems decently isolated, there's only one entrance, and we can easily keep an eye on them. Plus, if they decide to make a run for it, it would be pretty easy to track them and see where they head off to. I see no need to move them."

He pauses for a moment considering his words. "At the same time, I see no reason to inform the council of their presense just yet. The gnolls offer the chance to get some information on the smuggling option. Personally, I do not fully trust all the members of the council, ya feel me? If they know that these gnolls are alive, we could lose our chance to gain a step or two on the smugglers. For the moment, these gnolls are thought to be dead and so nobody has any reason to worry about what they know. It would be far better if kept it that way."

[LittleLuna]

"If this Gnoll is happier now" Vee says in mention to Brax healing him, "We could ask him questions, and we decide after they're answers what to do with them. And I think we mabye easily forget to ask the council about them? I mean, what they don't know they can't forbid, and all what they want to do with them will be possible after our questions. So what gona we ask them?"

[Stik]

Martin looks at Searos and replies: "You've got the right attitude, I think. No point telling the council yet. Who knows what they might do with the information?"
Martin turns to the group at large and says: "I don't know any gnolls, but I know people with a similar worldview. Folks who see kindness as weakness. Like, I knew this dancer once - or was it maybe twice. Gorgeous. Redhead. Lots of tattoos. Body that wouldn't quit. Used to make men fall at her feet, and not in a good way. She used to do this thing with her tongue..." Martin spots the disapproving looks he is receiving from the women in the group and hastily changes tacks: "Aaaaanyway, we need to convince these beasties that crossing us is not worth the risk. Any ideas on how we might do that?
"I mean, I have a few, but I doubt anyone wants to follow my lead."

[Jenara]

"Or mine." Brax comments turning her head slightly, "Let Amon lead, I say." She says nothing of Drakes comments.

[JadedDM]

Amon considers where to start. There are many questions to ask, but he isn't sure just how much the gnolls know of Sanbalet's operation, especially as they were apparently brainwashed slaves. He decides to start easy.

"I am Amon," he says to them in gnollish. "What are your names?"

Once they have answered, he continues. "Do you know where the man in robes and his followers went? Or what they were doing while in the big house?"

[The_Muffin_Man]

"seems rather easy to me on how to keep them in line. Right now we are the only thing keeping them alive. If the council or this town learned that a couple of gnolls were hanging out in a tool shed, their deaths would be quick and I think rather painful. And this is to say nothing of what would happen to them if word filtered back to Sand man that they were alive."

[Breila]

"I am Krtk, and my brother is called Khchk" the gnoll answers. The guttural sounds are hard to remember and to pronounce for human minds. "The men in the house called me »One« and my brother »Two«.

To Amon's next question, One answers: "All the men, the big ones, the little one, and the man in robes all took the boat in the sea cave. There was not enough room for us.
All the men lived in the house, we lived in a cave. When there is no moon in the sky, a ship comes and brings goods. The men unload it. Sometimes we help, sometimes we stand guard."

[JadedDM]

Amon translates what the gnolls tell him into Common for the benefit of the rest of the group. "It seems the Council was right then. During a twin new moon is when the ship arrives."

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(OOC: Khchk is the wounded one, right?)