The creature hisses. "Grodel? I AM GRODEL!" It roars again and steps forward menacingly. "GO AWAY! Grodel will not allow outsiders to defile Master's home! Not AGAIN!"
The eidolon seems torn between trust and duty. Finally it approaches, very slowly, toward you. "Grodel will talk, but betray and Grodel will destroy!" She stops about ten feet away and stares at you with suspicion. "Why have you come? Why are you looking for dwarves?"
“Gone. Master was last of Naldak’s Point dwarves. They were good and proud until evil came and took the youth away. Now they live in the mountain to the east. Their heads are bald and their skin is gray. They should cut their beards in shame.”
"Forty years since Master died. Before that, the xorn came, claiming it served Droskar," Grodel speaks this name in a whisper, "Offering a deal: toil in his name and he would preserve this place. After Hao Jin died, this plane began to decay and fall apart. Reality began to fade away. Many of the youth took the offer and they were transformed into grey dwarves. The older dwarves, Master included, denied this offer and stayed here, and grew old and died. The grey ones went to the east, taking the treasures of the ancients with them. I have neither seen nor heard from them since. It has been so lonely."
"Until the thieves came! A year ago they came. Grodel tried to make them stop, but they hurt me, hurt me bad. I fled. And they tore this place apart. I saved some treasures, but so many more taken, lost." She points suddenly at Frederik and Aestrid. "They looked like you." She hisses, suddenly angry.
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Careful in thought Grodel. Many creatures with scaled wings such as yours are evil beings that eat good folk such as children. So are all creatures with scaled wings bad? No. Just the same not all humans are bad.
Did any cary a symbol such as this? If so, the Aspis are also our enemies.
One of the primary jobs of our organization is to keep powerful and important things away from bad people like the Aspis agents.
"Grodel has no desire to help grey dwarves who betrayed Master's faith! Grodel is lonesome, but Master told Grodel to stay and guard this place, so Grodel will stay and guard this place." The eidolon sighs deeply, then stares at the ring proffered. "Grodel did not see close enough to notice rings. But yes, yes! Grey ones took treasures. One treasure sounds like thing you describe. Old things, brought from time when dwarves came into tapestry. Naldak brought them, for this village is called Naldak's Point."
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So as far as you know the gray ones have it not the human despoilers that were here more recently? Well, I suppose that is good to know - as far as it goes.
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Would it be easier if you took what treasures remained to our vaults and guarded it there? You wouldn't have to worry about those human despoilers again. We are good at keeping them away. Then you wouldn't even be lonesome because you could talk to our other guards.
Grodel seems almost wistful as it considers this idea. "Grodel cannot leave, Master is buried here. Grodel buried Master after he died. Grodel cannot leave Master's grave. Someone must remember for Master. Someone must tend grave and keep thieves away." She looks close to tears as she speaks, then stares hard at you all, as if coming to some sort of momentous decision. "Master would like you. You seem kind to Grodel. You did not attack Grodel, did not call Grodel abomination. Master would help you. Grodel will allow you to take treasures, keep and use and guard. Grodel will remain here, watch over town, watch over graves, remember." She allows you into the small hut, where you can find a scabbard and a wand made of stone.
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Our thanks Grodel. If you ever change your mind, travel to Absalom and ask for Jorin. I would be honored to sponsor you. I should even be possible to move the grave if you would not find that offensive.
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To the group, I can already sufficiently enhance my weapons at need. If any of you can make use of the scabbard for now, that is acceptable to me.
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A look of pity biefly passes across Aestrid's eyes as she contemplates an eternity of serving a dead master's bones.
Still, she bows to Grodel and comes up in a composed and neutral expression, allowing the poor being to continue its vigil if it wishes. She declines use of the Eiodolon's treasures and looks off toward their end goal in silence.
Calistria, help me to be your scourge of revenge here, even though this poor thrall will not feel your Grace. Perhaps by example, it will find its way.
After a few moments of item allocation and farewells to the lonesome eidolon, you head east, following an old trail up into the nearby mountains.
The mountain reaches overhead, covered in lush trees and white mist. As warm winds whip around the mount’s rises, wisps of cloud separate from the thick cover and float away. A brief plateau about halfway up the mountain features a sheer cliff, otherwise inscrutable from a distance.
The roar of the waterfall overhead explains the thick mist that covers much of the mountain. The vapors become gray clouds as they rise in altitude, but near the base of the mountain they are white wisps rolling out from the pool. The pool’s water is clear and deep, with the spill forcing white bubbles back to a rippling surface. Deep into the pool, away from the frothy cascade, a glint of gold beckons the eye.
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To Sveinki, Pretty sure you are correct. Let's see what happens.
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To the rest, You folks ready for me to spring what can be sprung? he says while brandishing a different wand.
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When he receives accent from the others, Jorin points the wand at the pool and Suddenly a giant fish like creature splashes into the pool.
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Darren doesn't knock an arrow, but he does have his bow ready, just in case it is necessary. Quietly, he flicks his eyes all about watching for any dangers that might occur.
"I hope we can find a way to free that poor creature. She may feel she is doing a service, but there must be a better way..." he says, more to himself than anyone else.
A celestial dolphin appears in the water, making holy dolphin noises and doing holy dolphin things.
Jorin walks to the edge, but nothing happens.
The dolphin makes pleasant dolphin noises and does a back flip out of the water. Jorin detects magic and sees a faint glow of magic coming from beneath the pile of gold coins at the bottom. Unfortunately, it's being blocked enough by the coins that he can't determine exactly what sort of magic.
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After a few moments, the dolphin vanishes back to where it came from originally.
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Be I go swimming, let's try one more thing.
Jorin rummages in his pack for his rope and finds a moderately sized rock to tie it to. Then he hands the end of the rope to Sveinki, Hold this for a minute and heaves the rock out past the pile of coins.
Then he uses the rope to drag the rock back through the pile of coins or at least as close as he can get it.
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Jorin ties a rope to a fist sized stone and tosses it into the pool. It sinks with a plop and he drags it across the golden pile. He is somewhat shocked to see the rock briefly disappear into the pile before emerging from the other side!