Dannad looks at his companions as he re-corks the jug.

"I'd be partial ta taking a night's rest. I'd like to take the opportunity to patch meself up."

"Very well."

The majority agree on taking an extended rest. Now you just need to decide where. There's currently nothing keeping you inside the demesne and you are not technically on any kind of time limit. You are also in a seemingly defensible spot if you want to camp here, but remember that you left Arthuro laying tied up back in the bazaar.

Anyone willing to take initiative and make a decision?

There are indeed, no living witnesses (bar the fence), so we could steal away (with him, of course) and come back later. Not sure what to do with him, though.

Let's see, we could always go drag Arthuro up here to keep an eye on him, and if we leave we're just going to have to fight through all that again. Oh, and be sure to move the corpses somewhere they won't be noticed. Maybe into the old otoghyu pit?

EDIT: Yes, no one living saw us, but they're probably going to notice ten guards, a war leader and a fence disappearing, then just get some other thugs to guard it. It'll be easier, but we still don't really want to fight up to here again.

Take Kenneth and Arthuro (gagged and knocked out again) with us. Go to Dannad's family pub, pausing on the way to get Kenneth decently buried and hand over Arthuro to anyone who'll have him. Preferably claiming the reward along the way. Sleep. Go back in 8 hours and wreck havoc.

Ah. So we all posted at once :)

Some combination of these ideas then.

I'm all for Dagobert's idea. Stash the bodies, take the snitch and our friend.

Sounds like the plan is to hide bodies and drag Arthuro and Kenneth's body out of here. Anyone ready to take action?

Vandis goes back to Arthuro and mutters, "Do not give me a reason to gut you", and picks him up, slinging him over his shoulder.

Galad helps carry the body of Kenneth out, speaking funerary rites under his breath as he goes.

Arthuro looks terribly frightened as Vandis comes down the stairs dressed in Irocar's armor and carrying his sword. He puts up very little struggle but is trying to speak through the gag.

Vandis says, "If you cry out, you will meet the same fate as your friend," before loosening the gag enough for the fence to speak.

"Please, you can't take me outta' here. The Beggar-King'll have me for sure. Or just as bad, he'll give me to Mother Ze'boltha. Let me go and I'll show you something. I'm guessing you haven't found it yet" says Arthuro, once the gag is released.

"Found what?"

Insight: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

"The Beggar King has upset me and got my friend killed," adds Dagobert, looking as grim as his usually benign face can muster.

"You're much better off away from here if you only knew it, you silly chap. Besides, I doubt you have much of interest. No desicants and very poor taste in garbage clearance."

Clearly the otyugh still rankles.

Insight

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"There's a chest, a special chest. Hard to spot. The beggar-king has the only key, but he trusts me to guard it. I'll show ya' where it is if ya' let me go and spare my life."

With those insight checks, you strongly believe that he's telling the truth.

Dagobert listens for any hidden undertones.

Passive insight 19

"I'll show you, I swear. There's some great stuff in it, but the Beggar-King has the only key. Just let me go. I'll even help clean up after ya' when ya' go because I'm just as dead if he finds out exactly what happened!"

"I'll show you, I swear. There's some great stuff in it, but the Beggar-King has the only key. Just let me go. I'll even help clean up after ya' when ya' go because I'm just as dead if he finds out exactly what happened!"

"It isn't given to everyone to properly appreciate rodents," concedes Dagobert, "and I'm in agreement with Galad. He's made a mess, so he can clean it up. Just like we'll be doing."

He turns his attention to Arthuro. "You're a sorry specimen yourself at the moment, but if you've got anything that will help us clean out your Beggar King, then I'll teach you about rats and their ways. This is not an offer I make to everyone I meet," he adds, slightly unconvincingly.

Arthuro laughs nervously.

"Lets make sure we have the same definition of 'no harm.' You need ta' let me go. I'll help clean up yer' mess and even show you where the chest is, but ya' can't be draggin' me outta' here," responds Arthuro to Galad's statement.

When Dagobert is done speaking, Arthuro just c!%@~ an eyebrow, not sure what to make of the dwarf's offer.

Dagobert ignores Arthuro and looks at his companions.

"I'm not sure I like leaving an otyugh-harbourer free to wander behind our backs if you take my meaning. If he doesn't want to leave, then we should maybe find somewhere safe to put this silly chap until we've finished our work here. After he's cleaned up and told us a bit more about this chest he's so proud of."

Then he looks back at Arthuro.

"I don't wish you any harm, personally. I think you're a bit misguided and I'm offering to put that right for you at some point, but right now, I'm wanting to know how we can stop you scampering off to talk to Mother Whatsit without knocking you out again. Coming with us solves that neatly, but you're making life very difficult for us. We might have to make some hard choices and maybe even painful ones. And that's not something I really want to be doing."

"A common feature of the rodent is a desire to remain in the same nesting site," he concludes.

"You don't understand how things work around here. It's fallin' apart. People are comin' up missin' and I dunno' what's happenin'. Ze'boltha gives me the creeps. All I know is that I have a good business goin' and I don't want it ruined. They're gonna' know ya' were here if ya' take me with ya' and in the time it takes ya' to clean up this place more dog brothers are gonna' show. I can deal with that for a little while."

Arthuro pauses to catch his breath.

"Ya' wanna' kill the Beggar-King? Fine. I say good riddance. Ya' might even stand a chance of doin' it. Spare me and leave me here, and I'll try to keep this under wraps for as long as ya' need ta' rest."

BUMP

I really just need to know what you're doing with Arthuro, then I'll probably just narrate you all out of here rather than make you go through everything.

He's running scared. Leave him.

Dagobert sizes up Arthuro once again. "Personally, I'm prepared to believe you. Did anyone ever tell you that you have a very memorable face? I'm sure we can make sure our pathes cross again if we're so minded. And in any case, I'm anxious to explain the merits of rats to you."

"You do not want that." Vandis says with certainty.

Yeah, let's do this thing.

"Sure, rodents it is...when you're done with the Beggar-King. Now untie me, I'll show ya' the chest, and then you can leave. I can clean up the mess rather quickly if I call in a few favors."

Then, assuming you untie him or at least lead him ahead, he takes you back to his room where he uses a dagger to pry open a secret panel on the southern wall that you didn't notice during your earlier inspection.

Inside is a large, strangely shaped chest secured by a heavy lock.

"There ya' go, just as promised," says Arthuro.

The halfling thief considers the locked chest for a moment before looking to his companions. Turning back, he considers the chest for a moment longer before turning to Vandis.

"Think ye'd be able to carry this, my mighty acquaintance? I'm wanting to take a crack at it in more secure surroundings."

Sorry, I should have been a bit more descriptive. The chest is very very large, much taller than Dannad. It requires a strength check just to drag it out of the niche.

The halfling thief considers the locked chest for a moment before looking to his companions. Turning back, he considers the chest for a moment longer before turning to Vandis.

"Think ye'd be able to carry this, my mighty acquaintance? I'm wanting to take a crack at it in more secure surroundings."

"We wouldn't be inconspicuous if we tried carrying the chest out of here." Galad turns back to Arthuro. "Do you know what is in there?"

Galad raises his holy symbol and frowns. "Nothing good can be contained within this chest. May Delvyr give us the wisdom to choose the right path."

"If a thing doesn't open, you find the key. Our foreign friend may want to kick it in of course, but to my way of thinking, that chest's likely to be trapped. Simpler to kill the Beggar King and then come back for the chest."

GM:

Arhturo scratches his head.

"I don't THINK there's anything bad in it. Least nothinn' like what you're assumin'."

GM:

While speaking with Arthuro about the chest, you all hear some shuffling sounds of someone trying to sneak through the debris in the bazaar.

Vandis silences the others with a gesture, and moves to intercept the approaching being.

The spirit reforms next to Vandis and both it and Galad follow him.

"If this is a friend of yours, you'd better come along."

Dagobert allows Arthuro to precede him.

Arthuro shrugs.

"I warned ya'. It could be anybody. This is an open market this time of night."

GM:

As you prepare to enter the bazaar, you here a voice call out.

"Samael told me you were a careless lot, but you might at least close doors behind you. You're leaving a trail a blind beggar could follow."

Turning the corner reveals an eladrin with a lowered falchion in hand.

Hawkseer, a description when you get the chance please.

Hawkseer is short for an eladrin, about 5'7" and slim as his race. He is darker-complected than most, with tan skin and golden hair. He wears loose, covering clothing of grays and browns that blends in with backgrounds in Smoke. He wears a heavy weapon belt with a pair of knives and a loop for his falchion, but no armor. He is holding the falchion lowered in one hand.

"You are a friend of Samael's?" Vandis asks warily.