Kadar shoots the dwarf a somewhat pained smile and replies
"You certainly may and I will accept it although I think we should make sure all the wolves are dead first. I wouldn't want them tracking our scent, animals on this side of the ring can be as bad as the fiends."
coup de grace on the unconcious wolf.
"I know what you mean," he says, and picks his way around wolf corpses.
Zhegre cleans and sheathes his weapons. He looks over Kadar's wounds with an expert eye, and nods. Selects "Resist Energy" from his current preparations to channel into a CMW. He touches the wound, saying quietly, "Fûves legelõkön nyugtat engem, és csendes vizekhez terelget engem."
"There we are," he says cheerfully, and turns to the man they've just rescued.
"Zdravstvuite, chuzhoi."* He checks the guy out for any wounds himself. "Glad we came by in time to help -- are you alone? Outlands can be tricky to nawigate safely by oneself."
*"Hello, stranger," in Rodinan Dwarvish**, relatively formal, in case the man speaks it.
**Russian.
As you approach the man, you can see that he is a bedraggled, but somewhat regal-looking human with swept back brown hair and olive skin. When you have finally neared him, he speaks in a kingly tone, "Greetings adventurers, you have passed the test, but now is not the time for celebration for I have an even greater task for..." Suddenly he stops and stares at you, now begining to look very angry, "Servants of imbalance! How dare you enter this place!" Suddenly, his features shift and distort. His skin becomes the color of burnished iron, his tattered clothes are replaced by gleaming platemail, and he looks buff enough to kill a Fhorge with his bare hands, but perhaps the most terrifying aspect of the transformation is the massive battleaxe he's now carrying.
In other words, you now have one pissed Rilmani to deal with.
"Define servant of imbalance" shoots back Kadar, "I serve the Cadence and would ask that you explain yourself before blood is needlessly shed."
Kadar falls into a defensive stance and waits to see if his words have any effect.
"Don't lie to me worm! You bear the mark of entropy. I was told you would come, and now it is time for you to die." the Ferrrumach says as it hefts its ax menacingly.
Kadar sighs and rolls his eyes slightly, "We were forced to take an oath if that's what you mean but we only swore to uphold entropy as much as we uphold everything else, thus maintaining balance in the multiverse. Given you're planning to kill us, thereby promoting entropy, can you say that you do any different?"
Diplomacy check
Startled, Polp takes a few steps back and his hand falls on the hilt of his rapier. With a bit of whimpering in his voice, he tries a careful smile and plea.
“I don’t see serve imbalance or entropy, Mister… I think. Perhaps you are just looking for another ragtag group of adventurers? Eh, how about we just sit down and talk this over?”
Just to be sure, Polp quickly looks himself over, to check for any unusual marks that may have appeared lately.
OOC: Knowledge (the Planes) check to identify the creature.
"The shad speaks the truth. He is not complicit. He may go. The rest of you must die!" the Rilmani says, hefting its weapon to strike.
{Leaving a window open for Diplomacy checks and so forth. I'll post initiative tomorrow evening if that fails.}
M`rek stops chewing on his fresh fiendish wolf heart to look menacingly at the stranger:
Hell of a way to say thanks, after the trouble we were through!
My friends speaks true, we had to make an oath in order to leve a filthy temple trapped in the middle of ooze, you would have done the same if there were any sparks left in your brainbox, but we swore to protect entropy as much as everything else, and thus protect the course of the multiverse, in fact we are just trying to prevent the multiverse from succumbing to the hissing prophets prophecy.
Now think, if you was expecting us and went all the way to promote this test, you sould know we were coming *as everyother crazy berk we meet seems to be doing also* how can you be sure that some entropy-freeked loony did not just lay the "mark" on us just to prevent our meeting or induce you into this senseless act of rage that may end up costing your life? Think long and hard, the fututre of the multiverse may hinge upon it...
OOC: Woo, sorry I missed that chunk! Been prepping for my thesis defense.
. o O (Ferrumach! And he can sense the oath we took. Interesting. I wonder if he knows something about... hello!) In his surprise at the creature's transformation, Zhegre hesitates to gather his wits... almost too long, as the rilmani hastens to strike.
. o O (Quick, think... what do the ferrumachs react well to again?) First roll, below: K(the Planes) check, Outlands specialty, for the habits of ferrumachs. Then, an attempt at diplomacy, in the way of that kind of creature...
Zhegre steps right into the path of the ferrumach's advance. He holds up his hammer high, and casts burning hands, not to attack, but pointed straight up, to wreathe his hammer in flames -- thus presenting the holy symbol of Tharmekhûl. "Marked we may be, soldier of Balance, but we quest to protect the planes, not ruin them! Think: is it not the height of juxtaposed irony that we are forced to preserve forces of entropy? Our very quest is balanced at its core: for we have heard of the Planes' impending destruction, and seek to avert it, for the sake of all who live there, good and evil alike."
He lowers his hammer to a guard position and awaits the ferrumach's reply. (Second roll, Diplomacy.)
The ferrumach finally lowers his axe, for the moment, "You have ten seconds to explain to me what you're doing here and how you know of the Hissing Prophet's prophecy, and you can start by telling me what that Prophecy is."
"Prophecy is common knowledge in Sigil, though only half credited. Different gossip has corrupted wersions. Most recent we heard was: 'When Spire's flame melts Wee Jas' wall, the barrier will shatter, and end us all.'" He shrugs. "And we have heard others as well."
With an earnest look at the ferrumach M`rek starts telling his tale. He comes from a people with only oral tradition and his high intelligence made him one of the most accomplished storytellers in his clan, he is capable of retelling events with great precision if not much flair...after a detailed recount of his adventures so far, including the cronofields and his ethereal searching he will summarize and finish in formal fashion:
"the multiverse is thinning, so my people´s shamans say, and I am oathsworn to prevent the destruction of our transcient plane untile we, as a people of destiny, find our new long lost home. Such is the lore of the Nathri as told by me, M`rek son of Miaat, seeker for the Xasrii"
...after a pause, he turns nonchalantly to Kadar,
"this storytelling business just reminded me: I left a large sword of silver wrapped under your bed that first night we met, it is a beatiful blade, think nothing of it, it was my way of saying thanks for your hospitality and food..."
Polp exhales softly at the prospect of a peaceful resolution, yet remains attentive in case violence erupts.
“It’s true, Mister. I’ve only recently become involved in all this, but I’ve seen a lot of strange happenings lately, and the ancestors of my people always leave signs like this when there’s trouble on the horizon.”
Glancing nervously over his shoulder, Polp tentatively adds in a mumble:
“I’m sure I’ve felt the creepy creepiness of that Shadow thing glide over me last night.”
The ferrumach's features finally relax somewhat and it looks like he might not kill you after all, "The version of the Prophecy you state is wrong, and I doubt you've heard the right one. Balance demands that I find a champion, but you have been corrupted and are not worthy. You are worthless to me, but your deaths would be equally worthless. If you truly serve the forces of equity, go forth and do what you must to stop the growing corruption. If you will not, then may your death be swift and brutal. Go now, and be wary. I am not the only one who sees your marks."
Zhegre nods politely, and tucks the hammer back in its strap. "In interests of guiding our quest correctly, what..." he pauses. . o O (Sworn never to answer a direct question, but always provide what information is needed.) He mentally rephrases. "I suggest that knowing true prophecy would assist in any quest to prewent its occurrence, assuming your knowledge of the matter is any better than our prewious source'."
. o O (And just what is this mark, anyway? I don't want to be carrying around a sign of favor from Entropy for the rest of my life. The Boss has seen fit to continue my spell privileges, but am I going to have to atone for something eventually?)
Nodding vigourously at his friend M´rek says:
"Yes, yes , yes, it would only be polite to share a tale in exchange for one, and as far as this mark is in me, it would be my wish to know how to get rid of it! I belong to no one save the Nathri until I find a cool shade where my ancestors spirits can rest. I am certainly not a pawn of enthropy or would be if I had the choice...."
Baba didn't wait for diplomacy, as he'd summoned a Phantom Steed and was halfway over the smoke horse and into the horizon before he realized that the rest of the party wasn't going to be a party of small bloodstains on the Outlands.
He dismounts somewhat red in the face and glares at the rest of the party - and the Rilmani. "If you... sodding... bloody... piking...ordia"
"Nothing. Pleasure to meet you." It's an iron wall of gnomish defiance. It is apparent that here is the line in sand which no dreamer bastard will cross.
"Why thankyou M'rek, the gift is much appreciated and I hope that we live long enough to see it again." Kadar eyes the ferrumach with curiously as he awaits it's response.
The Ferrumach spits, "There is no true prophecy, or at least not one any of us would know. Just leave. Now. You are in so far over your heads that you know not of the water above you. That you did not even know you had been marked by fate says as much. Now leave me, I think I sense the arrival of more worthy champions." the Ferrumach tightens its grip on the ax, obviously wanting you to leave.
(OOC: Somebody poke me to retcon this if it's important something else occur before I do this!)
Zhegre nods compliantly. "Far be it from us to owerstay our welcome." He calmly heads off.
When they're well out of earshot, he says quietly, "You know, I was suspecting we were being followed a while back, and who he mentions sounds like could be them. What say couple of us good at not getting noticed turn back and see if we can learn something about tail we grew?"
Polp follows quietly along, doing his best to appear as innocuous as possible. As Zhegre makes his suggestion well outside hearing range, the young shad flinches in fear as he realizes who is likely to be made point-man in such a scenario.
“Well, Mister Zhegre, as you know, I do have a knack for staying out of sight, but I’m not sure about this. That iron-skinned man seems to have some perceptive skills that are not to be ignored. He saw or sensed your spooky invisible marks, just as he saw or sensed us coming in time to set up this “test” of defeating the wolves. If whoever was following us do have a meeting with him, I don’t think the “soldier of balance” would appreciate us spying on them, when he was just barely restrained from attacking outright.
How about if we continue on for a little while, then stop and take great care to set up watches to see if we’re still being followed?”
OOC: Shameful metagaming fact - by the Fiend Folio, standard ferrumachs have a Spot modifier on par with my Hide modifier.
M'rek listens calmly to what Polp has to say, then interjects:
"He could sense our "marks" only after we got very close to him, and if we do not go how can we know...besides our tail might not be the hero this ferrumach is waiting for...just another nosey fly, if such we would find out about him regardless and not even risk encountering the ferrumach...also, we do not need to get even that close, just close enough for us to try to read them lips...between the two of us we could probably get the core of whatever they converse at a safe distance...Come Polp let us live our life while it is still warm! No use being brave after one is a spirit...if you are still unsure, maybe if i make us even smaller you would be convinced? I would need to boirrow some magic power from some of our friends here, but I am sure they would not mind (any volunteers?)It helps a lot! ut does not last so long, so I'll save it for when we are closer! Besides we have the perfect excuse, if the Ferrumach inquires we can always say we were trying to find out who has been tailing us for the past few days, it would pass even lie detection spells!!"
PS: M'rek will wait to see if Polp is convinced, but if not will go anyway, assuming there is enough brush and scrub to hide them well (the shrink person would add 5 to our hiding skills, 4 for size one for extra dex)
He will aproach very cautiously taking 10 on hide until the Ferrumach is back within sight or hearing, whatever comes first. Total hiding is 29, with reduce person it is 34, plus any bonus for cover and/or distance...
The wall of gnomish defiance has subsided - for now. Baba looks to his party members with incredulity at their somewhat foolish plan, but his racism for a moment overshadows his cowardice.
"I'll help you spy on the damned Ordial bastard. Wouldn't surprise me if he was planning to roast us on a spit because some piker over on a prime got saved from the same fate." Baba counts on his fingers for a second and turns to the party.
"I've got invisibility ready, should last you five minutes, six on the very outside. Tell me when and I'll lay it on so you can teach the piking dreamer a - I mean, find out what he knows."
Kadar rests on the balls of his feet allowing his companions words and the sound of the breeze to wash over him as he awaits his opportunity to act.
Zhegre points Baba at M'Rek. "Ask him, I'm not going. Am lousy at sneaking around... and I respect M'Rek's skills in that area too much to tromp around trying to match him on that."
He grins, puts down his pack and leans against a convenient tree, addressing M'Rek and anyone else who has chosen to go. "Give us yell if any unpleasant surprise comes up. If not, we'll be waiting here to learn what ye spied."
Meta-game: I don't expect this part to be a *long* diversion, unless the GM uses it to signal that we need to shift course in the direction of whatever we find out here.
Torn between arguments and his own cowardice, Polp finally overcomes his indecision and gives in to the suggestions of his new good friends.
“Well, I suppose… Alright then, let’s give it a shot. Supportive magic would be nice, but for such short duration it would probably be a waste – who knows how long before the supposed “champion” turns up?
I propose we circle around to lay low by the trail from where we arrived at the valley, so that we hopefully can get a good look at this traveller before he reaches the ferrumach at his tree.”
OOC:
Kadar rests on the balls of his feet allowing his companions words and the sound of the breeze to wash over him as he awaits his opportunity to act.
Heh, spoken like a true Cipher 
Mrek grins widely at the prospect of sneaking and eavesdroping!
"My good friend and mentor Baba the dry, if you do not mind, I could perhaps borrow your spells and use them as the circumstance presents itself, like if we are noticed by the Ferru-guy and find ourselve in the receiving end of that axe...I sugest that I and Polp atempt this and learn what there is to be learnde, between the two of us we should be ok...
Right so now we better get going, that fellow following us was not that far behind, and if he does stop to talk with the Ferru-person it should be hapening about now...if he does not stop to chat, well, at least we can get a drop on our tail, so to speak...If you would just stand still a moment, baba my friend, this should not hurt at all, barely a pinprick behind your ear..."
If baba does not allow the sharing of the invisibility spell, M´rek will sugest he cast it on Polp anyway, just to aid our aproach and safekeep us until we find suitable cover theoretically invisibility would allow us to take 20 on hide checks...How many invisibility spels bab wants to provide anyway?
DM, M`rek is still taking 10 for a 29 hide, we will not get close, just enough for lip reading or hearing, whatever comes first...would you need checks for that, now, or should we wait until you describe what we can see?
(I'm just going to assume one of you is Invisible, for this. It's up to you who)
The two of you skulk back over the lip of the hill, and find a concealing piece of scrub to hide behind. The Ferrumach briefly glances at the spot where the Invisible one is standing, but, naturally, sees nothing.
As you watch, the Ferrumach transforms back into its human form, climbs the tree again, and makes a sound like a dying cat. Moments later, a trio of lionesses (these ones Celestial) run into the valley and begin to circle the base of the tree. Just moments later, four people -- the Eberronian adventurers -- walk into the valley and are immediately set upon by the lions. The Eberronians slay the lions quickly and begin to speak to the disguised Rilmani
{Make Listen and/or Spot checks to see what they're saying.}
Checks:
Hide +16
Spot +0
Listen +5
Try as he might, Polp can't get a good angle on them and fails to see or hear what they're talking about. M'rek, however, makes out the following.
Ferrumach: "Greetings heroes, you... the test, but an even greater... before you."
Zil: "Test?"
Metal Man: "You'd better explain yourself."
Ferrumach: "I am... of balance. This place... sick. Needs... from great warriors... you."
Metal Man: "What would... us do?"
Ferrumach: "There is... prophecy. Made by a... ing Prophet. Find him. Find his Prophecy. Save... place."
Zil: "... but, we really need to be getting back home."
Metal Man: "Yes, we need to return to... Khorvaire. There... Kobold invasion... need our help."
Ferrumach: "I'm sorry, but the only portal closed... need to find the prophet... please."
Metal Guy: "But, but... if we must. Who is... prophet and where is he now?"
Ferrumach: "I do not know, but they do."
At the "They do" line the Ferrumach points his finger directly at where Polp and M'rek are crouched. Apparently not so unnoticed after all.
Polp’s heart skips a beat or two as their location is uncovered. Leaning close to his friend, he whispers frightfully:
“I couldn’t gather what they were saying, but it seems we’re uncovered, Mister M’rek. I think we’d best come out and explain ourselves as we discussed previously.”
OOC: How far from the others are we, approximately?
M`rek
To Polp: Do not worry, if he wanted to smash us he would have done that before...stay with me here, lets see how this big guy handles a lot of truth at the same guy, shifty fellows are not too good at that you know..
Mrek stands up from his crouch with a wide grin:
To the ferrumach he says:
"Good one! I bet you spotted Polp first...cant rely on magic so much these days..."
To the others:
Hi there! Yes, we are seeking the Whispering Prophet ourselves, but it is them hard to get anyu information on him, especially since all these top honchos we manage to come across "by accident" cannot manage amongst all of them one single straight answer! As we have said before, during breakfast, we are seeking the Prophet and trying to prevent the fulfilment of his prophecy which would mean the destruction of the multiverse or something equally unpalatable...I still think these kobolds in your plane are connected with all that, and now this big guy here seems to want you guys to do his work for him too...he auditioned us before, but apparently we are tainted by enthropy or something...Well if we are finally both going the same way, I say we join our forces and see and try to find some truth out of this cosmic mucj...What say you?"
The Ferrumach-in-disguise glares at you in disgust, "Foul servants of Entropy, how dare you return here? And don't lie to me curs, you did know the real prophecy. Explain how you got it or I will be forced to bleed it out of you."
Meanwhile, the Eberronians look uneasy, obviously not sure who to trust.
Baba turns to the remaining party, pulling out his pipe. "Well, it's just wait then, isn't it? Hope they don't get caught."
"Damned Ordials may look all pretty, but they've got ears like a Fiendish Bat and all sorts of other nasty tricks. You don't suppose Polp thought being invisible made him inaudible?"
He takes a pointed puff. "Be just like him. Damned fool."
Still doing his best to keep out of sight at his position, Polp nervously whispers to M’rek:
“I highly recommend we give him what he wants – the most recent experience you guys told me about before we met. I’d wager only the ferrumach sees through my invisibility, so I’ll just remain quiet here to give us a strategic advantage, on the off chance that some of the Eberronians would want to bash us in.”
OOC:
"Good one! I bet you spotted Polp first...cant rely on magic so much these days..."
With M’rek rolling a lower Hide check and having spooky marks of entropy, I daresay it was the other way around
As Polp speaks M'rek cocks his slightly to the side, in a pensive mode, than addresses the Ferrumach:
"Hmmm, now you are making no sense, you mean you do not believe in the prophecies I have retold you in the exact pattern sherished by my people, or you think that I was lying when I told my tale and now want me to retell you a new version of the old prophecy? A suposedly true one...for your information, the version I told you is the exact same one I have told our friends in buckly clothes yonder, even before our ill fated, not fortuitous meeting moments ago...check with them if you do not believe it...I daresay that you being not of the Nathri, would not appreciate a new full reccount of my adventures...which I would be happy to oblige nevertheless...(the last bit with a wink for the eberronians). And as we are in a mood to share truths, how about you share yours with both of us...I suspect that by joining forces we would have a slightly better chance of saving the multiverse or fighting fashist kobolds or anything else for that matter! So what say you?
{OOC: the Ferrumach didn't actually spot either of you. He did make a Listen check though. Can't remember which one of you failed.}
The Ferrumach grits his teeth, "The kobolds aren't fascists, they're communists. They're invading Eberron as part of their doctrine of multiversal revolution. The people of Eberron have been brutally oppressing the kobolds there for centuries. These planar kobolds are simply righting that wrong. My people will intervene to insure that balance is restored, but that will have to wait until the current crisis is passed. You wanted information, there it is. Now tell me about the person who told you your version of the prophecy, because I believe they know more than they're letting on."
OOC - When I mentioned that M`rek had retold all his lifes story it would have included the encounter on ooze, but he will elaborate as per the Ferrumach`s increased interest.
To polp, Actually M`rek was only joking about who got spotted first...
With a smile on his too wide a mouth M`rek states:
Ah, now we are getting somewhere....
He recounts word for word (as far as his 20 int could get it precisely) the fact that they were pushed into ooze by force and there met this guy with no name, who seemd to be expecting him and his friends on a former greek temple. He describes the man, but signals that it was a disguise, and that Mèrek too has had strong suspicions about the even shiftier fellow, the nature of the encounter and the mission he gave them which consisted in killing the the prophecy by killing the prophet himself, not only killing, but shoving him through a sphere of extreme aniquilation...He adds that the grouop had discussed the subject and was only considering that same course of action as a last resort to save the multiverse, but that the whole thing seemed bogus...
"This man, would he not tell you his name, or did you not ask his name?"
While M’rek keeps the ferrumach occupied, Polp sneaks a careful peek to survey the scene, paying special attention to how the Eberronians react to the recent revelations. Also recalling their first-hand experience with magic-disruption back at Passway, Polp clutches his necklace and concentrates on manipulating one of his bolts, just to test if anything is hindering the magic effect.
OOC: Using Hand of the Mage discreetly to test whether magic works fine.
Is there enough undergrowth and/or obstacles to serve as hiding places to make it seem feasible for a shad of Polp’s skill to sneak off to inform their allies of this development?
{Given that you're still Invisible I think you'll do fine.}
The Amulet works fine, but, given the weak nature of the spell, that can hardly be considered conclusive.
OOC: The magic test was more due to Polp being spooked – he wouldn’t know what can be considered conclusive evidence on magic behaviour. 
Polp waits for a suitable pause in M’rek’s tales, and whispers softly to the nathri.
“Keep talking, but put some distance between us. I’ll get the others while you draw attention.”
Polp readies himself for M’rek to follow his lead, then sneaks off to find his way back to the group while attention is diverted from his position.
Modifiers:
Hide +16
Move Silently +12
M´rek blinks at the Ferrumach´s questions, thinks hard and then answers:
I remember asking him who he was and all sort of things but he was more slippery in his answers than a greased Aboleth, never giving a straight one...but I do not think I asked his name directly...it was sort of implied when I asked him "who are you?"
by the way, what is your name?
"My name is not important. Just know that I'm a special investigator sent by the keepers of this plane to find this prophet before it's too late and I will not fail in my duty. As for this old man of the ooze, I'd suggest you find him and his name before it's too late. He could be the prophet, he could be a yugoloth spy, he could be anyone, but he's definitely not who he says he is. These Eberronians will have a different task that you will not be privy to. Now leave before I decide you're too stupid to live. You too, Shad!"
Polp freezes in his tiptoeing position, and slowly turns his head to the ferrumach. He tries a faint smile, then turns away and hurries off, whimpering and mumbling to himself for shad ancestors to protect him from this mystical dreamer juju.
M'rek shakes his head in annoyance, a scene vaguely reminiscent of a dog shedding off watter:
By all the demipockets of the ether! More mistery! Can it be that hard just to get a name around here? Anyway, I'll leave ifyou want to have a private conversation with these fine folk, just bear in mind they are not from around here and give them proper directions...
then, smirking to the Eberronians he says by way of leave: It seems we are about to embark in similar but perhaps opposed journeys, just remember we do not have to be anyone'e pawns in this...if you ever want to talk, or need help, I'll always be willing to seat and talk! Best of luck in finding your plane, and remember, whatever Mr nameless here says, the best way to find your own way home will probably take you through sigil...if you are ever there you can look for us at kaddars' place, you have the directions, cheers...
As he says this M'rek is trying to see if he can spot the other shifty character that has been tailing the party, assuming he would be interested in the exchange:
here is the spot roll:
The Eberronians give you a brief farewell, but the Special Investigator makes it clear it's time to leave. Looking back, all you can see is sand and scrub. A vulture flies the thermals, and you think you can see a rabbit hiding in a bush, but there is no sentient life to be found beyond those you have just spoken to.
It's hard to make out his features from here, but the man looks like he's probably human(ish).