"Do we want to consider splitting up for that? We're currently a large party - which is safe in a fight, but makes us less stealthy, and more likely to spook people."

"That'd be a good idea, especially if we can keep in contact in case someone gets unfriendly."

"A number of us have the Message cantrip with a decent range - so as long as at least one person in each group has that, we should be able to communicate."

"Sounds good then."

"So next we need to decide how we're divvying up the party. We don't have too many charismatic people, is the problem..."

"I'd like to say I was reasonably convincing--" she laughs nervously and rubs the back of her neck, "But cultural differences, and all that. If you and Rune go into different groups, that'd probably be a reasonable split."

"I'm fairly persuasive myself. Comes with the paladin mantle."

"And I'm more sensible than charismatic."

"I'd probably go for three groups? Two's workable, but three's less likely to spook anyone. Me, Jet, Juerai, and Shalsuve aren't faces, but we're not bad at talking, and that's our group of four, then two groups of three - I'd stick Rune with Decima, then Liliane in the other group, and you guys can divvy yourselves up?"

Rune's also probably one of their better bets for taking Decima down if it comes to that.

Zerri has precisely no concerns about Decima. She would like to stick close to her though, she seems like an interesting person.

Zerri goes with Rune and Decima, and sends Khelresse and Kaemoque with Liliane.

Decima smiles at her new team. "We're quite the nice group. I'm glad to be working with you two."

"Yeah, I think we'll be a good team!"

So, heading towards we're other people might be?

Exactly!

Decima and Rune both keep an eye out.

Rune's notably more attentive than Decima, and quickly leads them to where there's a low murmur of voices. Backing up a bit: "How do we want to approach?"

"Friendly-like? Or at least 'willing to make a deal that does not involve anyone getting stabbed today.'"

"I can do friendly," she says, smiling like she just had a very interesting idea for a murder.

Did you know that's actually how most Drukhari smile? That's how most of them smile.

"Sounds good then!"

And she strides forward, startling a group of small goblins. They squint suspiciously at the newcomers, a few raising spears in warning.

Decima puts her hands up and smiles. It's quite a disarming smile, though it's unclear if she intends to put them at ease or remove limbs.

She seems to speak their language, or at least one they have in common. She talks fast, gesturing as she does so, a twinkle in her eye, and soon enough has a reluctantly given heading.

"That was impressive. How many languages do you know?"

"I'd have to stop and count! And probably get into a debate with myself about what's a language or a dialect. I pick them up fast, though, at least enough to talk to people - and I've been stomping around Omu a long while."

"Ooh, that's impressive! I've just got the one, and fancy tech to cover that up."

"There's magic that does languages, but if you're not rich or a wizard it's better to get good at at least picking up the essentials of trade languages."

"Where I'm from, there's not really a set of trade languages, there's sets of trade languages, with little overlap and a lot of places that have never heard of them. So, tech ends up being a bit more practical."

"We have fewer places, I suspect, and more common languages - you can find Celestial and Infernal in the oddest corners, since angels and demons speak it, and so will anyone summoning them. Well, anyone smart."

"Aeldari is fairly widespread as a language, and I'd say it'd do most people well to learn it, but there's enough isolated places that've never heard of any of the big languages, that you run into problems a fair bit."