[h3][color=a2d39c][b][center]Ntaj Zoov Yaaj[/center][/b][/color][/h3]
[Center][color=a2d39c][b]Location:[/b][/color] Crossed Sword Tavern
[color=a2d39c][b]Actions:[/b][/color] Was talking to Thomas, Nor, and Mangus. Now speaking to Kyra.[/center]

[color=a2d39c]"Good, good."[/color] Slowly but surely, Ntaj believed that he was shaping up Thomas for the better. His elvish felt a bit too verbose for Ntaj, but then again elvish was a very flowery language. Point was that the bit of common Thomas did interject was direct and to the point, easy enough even for Ntaj to understand. Truly one is a good teacher when they can teach someone who is less then average. Though Ntaj made a mental note that he'll have to talk about Thomas about speaking in hush tones. It made it seem like they were trying to keep secrets when frankly Ntaj had been very forthcoming so far. Speaking a different language to others in quiet looked suspicious and Ntaj knew this. That's why he always spoke his orcish openly, as redundant as that may see with him being a half-orc. Point is, don't look shady.

That aside Ntaj thought about the information Thomas had about the Crimson Death. Ntaj had guessed that it's red tint had something to do with blood. The fact he got most of it spilled onto him when it was slain made it abundantly clear what it was. The fact that it was some sort of elemental did sent a shiver up Ntaj's spine. He had thought elemental took on more contemporary forms, like wind or water elementals. [i]Blood[/i] Elementals were too deliberately intimidating. But Ntaj took solace in the fact that he did face against it with courage and inadvertently slay it, so he at least knew they aren't immortal. More importantly was the final bit: these creatures worked alone. With that in mind, Ntaj got to thinking.

There are two types of creatures that live alone: those who constantly migrate, and those who are fiercely territorial. He had no idea which a Blood Elemental was, but if he had to guess it might be the former. He knew nothing about these lands and thus Ntaj has no idea how common the dark arts are here, but surely these undead is a new threat to the land. So unless the dead rising isn't an unusual occurrence in this area, the Crimson Death must have been brought here by the necromancer. So there's a good chance that perhaps they won't fight too many more of those creatures. If they are solitary and migrate, perhaps the necormancer had brought it with him, or just chanced upon it one day. Though it did have a draw back in that the chances of finding it's "compatriots" and following them was slim.

With all this information in mind Ntaj devised a plan. A simple one really, but a plan nonetheless: have the stealthy members of this party watch the graveyard tonight and find out who is digging up these bodies, possibly following them if they're able. Basic scouting tactics. While Ntaj may prefer a more forward approach to these things, he wasn't going to deny the importance of espionage and intelligence. Besides, anyone who relies on the dead to do battle for them are not the type who deserve Ntaj's honor. The dead should be just that: dead. They lost any importance once they lost their final breaths, and by trying to make further use of them one may as well literally be beating the dead horse.

[color=a2d39c]"Very good. Go rest Thomas. Need you strong."[/color] Once Thomas was gone Ntaj looked at Nor. Ntaj initially struggled to think what he could say that both gave Nor a clear message of his intent, while at the same time didn't make Ntaj look like a uneducated barbarian. Ntaj certainly didn't know dwarf and his common was spotty at best. Simplicity had it's charms, but if Ntaj was trying to negotiated he really did wish someone else could explain his ideas better. Perhaps Thomas, but he needed to go and Ntaj didn't want to press his luck with the boy. Baby steps for now. So Ntaj simply mustered up some guts and tried to speak concisely and clearly for Nor.

[color=a2d39c]"I... Travel with a big group. We only have... One wagon. Not everyone fits. If you can, maybe we can... Form a-a... Ah... Caravan?"[/color] Ntaj's words were rather stilted as he tried to get all the right words together. So far so good, he thinks. [color=a2d39c]"Not for free, of course. I don't have much money, but maybe treasure in this. Magic items or money from the dead. Adventuring, you know. Very risky, but very perfi-profet-prefet... Lots of loot."[/color] It was definitely a stretch. While Ntaj generally hears that dwarves were mighty warriors and adventurers, he's never actually met a dwarf who was a fighter or adventurer by profession. And while they were certainly skilled in their crafts that didn't mean they could survive a fight. Not that Ntaj intended for Nor to fight alongside them; he just figured that they could use someone who had their own mode of transportation and were willing to haul some adventurers.

As he spoke to Nor, Ntaj noticed Kyra enter the tavern. She was too far from the table for Ntaj to hear what she said as Ntaj spoke. She just paid for a meal and left the tavern. After seeing Kyra's interaction with Maggie, Ntaj could tell she wasn't the type to trust strangers. It was a good mentality: Ntaj wasn't too paranoid because he was cocky and figured anyone fool enough to try to rob him would just get chopped up. If he actually was careful around people, he'd be richer and wouldn't have ever been sold into slavery. But while Ntaj certainly didn't like Kyra, he also knew that he would be working with her for a while. And like it or not, they'll need to be respectful to one another. But the key to working together wasn't a mutually useful, but communication. Thomas's problem isn't just being long winded, it's that he doesn't deliver his message. Whereas Ntaj simply lacked the finesse with the common language to beat around the bush.

Point was, Ntaj was going to go speak to Kyra and report his findings. He was certain she had a few things she needed to say too, so best that they both get it off their chest here instead of letting things bottle and explode at an inconvenient time. [color=a2d39c]"Excuse me. Got to go outside. Have bread."[/color] There was still a few loafs left, but being the old bread they were tasteless and crunchy. Good with soup though. Leaving the others behind Ntaj walked outside, taking a roll of pipeweed out and lighting it with a tinder twig. He took a few buffs from it and let out a jagged ring of smoke into the skies as he approached Kyra. [color=a2d39c]"Hi Kyra. Learn anything?"[/color]