"We are call our kind Skulks," says the strange woman, "I am known as Luepel. We know of no town, but came from the caverns deeper underground a month ago, looking for new lands to settle. Thrice we have met topsiders like yourselves in battle as they intrude upon where we live and twice we have hidden ourselves away, and now that most of our original group are dead, including our sorcerer, we seek to instead treaty, as we did with the very first topsiders we met. May it work out better in our favour than it did that time."<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://dungeonmusings.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/sef.png)</div>Luepel leads Arafel and Valki into a small, cramped cave that is covered roof to floor with piles of rusted scrap. There, another Skulk woman squats on her haunches, and she is more covered, although that has more to do with the half dozen daggers in sheathes that are strapped to her body rather than any kind of modesty.<br/><br/>One of her blades makes a dull thump as she idly flicks it into the thick mud on which she stands. She's clearly been at this for a while, although she picks up and sheaths the blade as you enter.<br/><br/>"My name is Sef. I propose this to you. This cave has far too many vermin in it, and in particular, we are plagued by gremlins. Right now we are licking our wounds and without magical support, we cannot properly defend ourselves. If you will aid us by clearing out the gremlins in the neighbouring caverns. Should you help us by eliminating the vermin, I will grant you freedom of passage through our territory. We have also recovered strange devices from the rubble, which I pass on to you should we have your aid. What do you say?"<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OCC</div><div class="spoiler_body">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/4/4b/Screen_Shot_2015-03-07_at_1.29.35_PM.png)</div></div>