With effort, and time that they have, both Dolgrin and Kragg do indeed make it up. If the gnomes know of the difficulty they had rising up, they do not mention it.
Kragg will notice immediately that most are weak as newborns, barely able to stand, though they can manage it with effort.
Ulfgar takes a moment to clean his hammer before stowing it away.
"You're welcome friend, we have few allies down here and those we have, even though ancient the tie may be, we can ill afford to leave alone during their times of need" Saying nothing of any doubts he may have had at Ivy's earlier story.
"Well, you've made friends now, to be sure," the gnome with the wart on his nose continues, "I'm Xath. Our leader was the sheriff, but...well, he's dead now. I guess the next in charge would be..." He looks to another deep gnome, and his voice grows somber, "Harvald, over there."
Harvald, the most senior of those remaining, has taken down the body of his slain superior officer and treats it with great respect. Tears have dripped down his cheeks, and he seems not to care who sees them, "Sheriff Gunther was the finest fellow I've ever served under. Thank you for bringing some measure of justice to him, though I suspect more were behind this attack than just those used as weapons." With a cleansing breath, he adds, "If you could be so kind as to return us, and the sheriff's body to Fasturvalt, we'll see you're rewarded."
He then takes a moment to search the creature's lair for any belongings the gnomes may have laying about and anything that may be laying about. Understanding that some of the items may belong to the gnomes that were just freed, those will be returned to the owner.
A quick search by Ulfgar (And any others) reveals strewn about the web the following:
Gunther’s badge of office, a fine piece of plain but solid jewelry
A Mithral ring inscribed ‘G&E forever’ in gnomish
script , as it rests on Gunther's finger, there's no denying who it belonged to.
A shortsword on Gunther's slain body shows plenty of use. He went down fighting however brief it was. It's fine workmanship with good balance.
Yet not all is Gunther's here... for there is a Bag of 20 pp with elvish writing that reads
Satha, Baroness of Vothys”
There's an Iron key with gnomish ‘A’ inscribed on it.
A bolt of silk worth 80 gp
Various other coins (mostly gnomish) worth 77 gold all together.
And a greataxe of blue steel with a runic 'D' for the maker's mark.
Seeing Kragg and Dolgrin arrive in the Spider's lair...
"Kragg, they might have need of your special brew; seems they've had a rough time of it under the previous management here."
Ulfgar will gather up the items, leaving alone the ones on the Sherrif's body. Speaking to Harvald.
"We're sorry for your loss, Ivy spoke well of the sheriff as well, seems it will be a huge loss for your clan. I hope I am not speaking out of turn but we would be glad to escort you back to Fasturvalt."
Anka says little as the Gnomes recover from their ordeal. Upon discovery of the bag of elvish coin, she examines a few before sneering in disdain & tossing them back with the others.
"თუ თქვენ ვერ უძლებს მოგზაურობა, ეს შეიძლება იყოს საუკეთესო წასვლა არის. აღარ ვართ აქ, უფრო დიდი შანსები რაღაც უსიამოვნო მომავალი ჩვენზე." She adds at Ulfgar's words.
Heal check
Know history
Kragg makes it up top just in time to see the last of the gnomes freed. Heading over to see how they fare he sees that Ulfgar has already done a quick assessment of them. Kragg looks at them as well and agrees with Ulfgar. You are quite right. A little fortification and some healing of minor wounds will set them straight soon enough. Wat they really need is some decent rest. In the meantime though let Zuth in part his blessings on everyone for this first success down here with hopefully many more to come.
The mark on his brow shines softly in the dark as Kragg fills his stein and offers it to each of the gnomes and the dwarves in the party. After they have had a sip to refresh themselves Kragg focuses once again on his patron and a warmth fills everyone in the room. It starts in the toes and rises upwards filling each one with the heaviness of a strong ale. At the culmination the heaviness leaves taking away any sickness they may feel for the round.
halved minimum of 1
Modnar looks over the axe and its curious inscription.
"Curious -- I do not recall any weaponsmiths known for inscribing their work with this particular rune. Definitely dwarf-make, though."
I would rather not let on the axe's origin until our party has some privacy.
Turning back to the svirfneblin, Modnar catches the mention of Fasturvalt. "Your caravan is from Fasturvalt? We were sent into Azathyr by our elders in search of Fasturvalt. I believe fate wishes us to travel together for a time."
The wizard checks the lair for any lingering magical auras.
Dolgrin nods his thanks to Kragg as they both climb into the chamber. Indeed Goldrune, it is as Holy Ardwal planned. he says to Modnar and then to Ivy My comrades have rescued your people, will you assist us now?
"We're sorry for your loss, Ivy spoke well of the sheriff as well, seems it will be a huge loss for your clan. I hope I am not speaking out of turn but we would be glad to escort you back to Fasturvalt."
"You have our thanks then, son of stone," Harvald says with gratitude.
Ivy, at the mention of her name, simply looks to the side, and hangs back a bit.
"If you can endure travel, it might be best to go now. The longer we are out here, the greater the odds of something unpleasant coming upon us."
"We are weak, but we'll do as best we can...we can't carry much though."
Kragg's drink is poured and circles around the crowd. Each of the formerly kidnapped deep gnomes takes a drink and passes it around. Murmurs of thanks fill the area.
Turning back to the svirfneblin, Modnar catches the mention of Fasturvalt. "Your caravan is from Fasturvalt? We were sent into Azathyr by our elders in search of Fasturvalt. I believe fate wishes us to travel together for a time."
Dolgrin nods his thanks to Kragg as they both climb into the chamber. Indeed Goldrune, it is as Holy Ardwal planned. he says to Modnar and then to Ivy My comrades have rescued your people, will you assist us now?
"Aye, we will," Harvald states, "We owe you a life debt, and more. You will be welcome in our homes. As for the town, with the remains of our sheriff to return, then there will be want of a report"
Ivy snorts, "Course, King Slowly may not be bright enough to realize how this proves everything the sheriff warned him of."
Xath frowns, "I am not one to disrespect my king, but Ivy is right that our current monarch is not the king his father was. "
Harvald looks apologetically to Dolgrin, "Our king is Lord Geirni Geirison of House Geidne, He-Speaks-the-Truth-But-Slowly. Last of his line, but young enough to continue heirs once he marries. The sheriff did not think his policies wise."
"Because Lord Slowly is a damn idiot," Ivy mutters under her breath .It's pretty obvious she's no respecter of her king.
Dolgrin frowns at the disrespect shown to the King. We must show the King what evidence we have and then trust the Gods that he makes the best decision for his people. He looks to all the Gnomes. We must let Lord Geirni know what happened here. Your word will do, as will the effects found here.
After confirming that the two spiders are well and truly dead, Hannarr gathers up the spider's loot, including the bag of coins discarded by Anka. Hmm, an odd reaction he muses as he taps one of the coins against his front tooth to test its authenticity. Gold is gold after all.
He dusts off the Sheriff's badge and hands it to Harvald. Yours now sir. I'm sure you will do honour to the office.
As the troop moves back to the main tunnel and begins their trek to Fasturvault, Hannar sidles up to Ivvy. I'm sorry we could not save Sherriff Gunther. It sounds like you respected the man. What was he trying to warn your king of?
Kragg says very little when the talk of kings and allies and futures are mentioned. While it is a possibility that the gnomes are benevolent the king may not be so and could look unkindly at us for intruding on their affairs. Regardless as the others have already spoken aloud, Kragg has no problems with escorting the gnomes to their home. The real reaction will be experienced once everyone arrives there. How they react to Ivy is also questionable but Kragg will not mention that yet either at this time. Better to remain quiet and try to keep a watch on the proceedings.
Moving everyone back to the wagon. They can scavenge items yo create a litter for the sherrif's body. Then moving on to Fasturvalt.
Anka offers little in the way of opinions as the Gnomes & her fellows discuss recent events, merely offering her aid in moving the party along & providing what defense is needful.
Dolgrin frowns at the disrespect shown to the King. We must show the King what evidence we have and then trust the Gods that he makes the best decision for his people. He looks to all the Gnomes. We must let Lord Geirni know what happened here. Your word will do, as will the effects found here.
"Would help if we had more evidence... drow coin and a deliberate attack ain't much to go on," Harvald says sadly.
One of the two sisk'raal lives, at least for now, Hannar discovers. His no longer gush. He could possibly die out here, or he might yet survive.
If Hannar wishes, he could easily finish it off.
He dusts off the Sheriff's badge and hands it to Harvald. Yours now sir. I'm sure you will do honour to the office.
"Thank you, stone cousin, I shall try to do my best," He says.
As the troop moves back to the main tunnel and begins their trek to Fasturvault, Hannar sidles up to Ivvy. I'm sorry we could not save Sherriff Gunther. It sounds like you respected the man. What was he trying to warn your king of?
Ivy tries to explain, "The drow... with a new baroness at the outpost, the sheriff thought the king was being clueless to the danger she'd pose. She will not be content, he thought, with mere stone as tribute. Of late, some our people, those who travel farthest or scout the most, have vanished. The sheriff thought they might have been seized by dark elves and turned into slaves. Something strictly forbidden by the treaty we formed blah blah... politics" Her jaw is set though, the pain of a loss still with her besides her attempts at flippancy.
Hanarr, does that one yet live? Dolgrin calls seeing the Dwarven scholar checking the spider creatures.
Responding to the Gnome Dolgrin says Your word, and that of your kin must be good enough. A wise king does what is best for his people. The King and his people are one...
Yes Dolgrin, this one is alive, for now. Harvald, you wanted more proof of Drow involvement - perhaps this one can be coerced to speak? Hannar retrieves a length of rope then stops, a little confused by all the legs. Hrm, how does one tie up a spider exactly?
Dolgrin nods to the wise Diamondheart You are wise, this spider will confess its sins. Does it speak any tongue we might understand?
Kragg inspects the spider and sees if it is stable or not. If not then he will do what he can to stabilize the creature so that it may be brought along for questioning. I am not sure how cooperative it would be and I do not have any ability to coerce him magically. In the morning though I could pray to Zuth and ask him to grant me the ability to understand its speech though it will not be able to understand mine.
heal check
Dolgrin nods to the wise Diamondheart You are wise, this spider will confess its sins. Does it speak any tongue we might understand?
"They may very well speak Undercommon, though I am not sure how much trade these creatures do with other races. If they speak one of the elemental tongues, I may be able to act as translator."
Modnar asks the svirfneblin, "Will you be able to repair your wagon?"
Dolgrin nods to Kragg That may be necessary, but perhaps the Gnomes have a way to understand the creature.
To everyone Are we ready to move on to Fasturvault?
Eyes flicking briefly to Dolgrin before rolling, Anka mutters to herself. "Ek taal praat..."
Stepping over to the surviving creature, "Is jy Skethyk of is jy Azraak?"
"Are you Skethyk or are you Azraak?"
Pending Anka's conversation with the arachnid, Ulfgar is ready to proceed.
Modnar asks the svirfneblin, "Will you be able to repair your wagon?"
"Best we'll be able to do is make a sort of rough sled with two good wheels at this point, even if we were at full strength." One confesses.
Hannar , with effort and time, can indeed tie up the multilegged creature, or at least make it harder for it to move if it should try.
Anka's question is clear enough, and the creature has revived enough to answer,
Anka barks out a single harsh laugh. "Is jy dom, vol van jouself, of net stol vir tyd in die hoop dat die betaalmeester sal kom en doen wat jy en jou maat kon nie?"
Turning to the others, "What do we want to ask it?"
Hannarr joins Anka in interrogating the spider.
The thing twists its head as you interrogate,
"I can't speak the language so I'll have to leave that to you, but why did they specifically take out the sherrif. His was the only corpse completely drained before they started on the beast of burdon. He had to have been the main target of the attack. If they liked the taste of gnome so well these others would not be in such good shape now - not all of them at least."
This is said matter of factly with no malice directed at the survivors. Just stating the obvious as he sees it.
Even though he understands the conversation going on with the spider he instead responds to Ulfgar in dwarven. Kragg does keep an ear open to hear what the response is though to the spider's request.Not necessarily true. If he was the only one to put up any resistance then he would be the primary target. Once he was taken care of they could handle the others and the beasts of burden at their leisure.
"Maybe what you say is true Kragg; but they not just incapacitate him but they made sure he wouldn't get back up.
At Ulfgar's words, Anka is about to respond, only to stop, nodding in agreement, at Kragg's reply.
Turning once more to Azraak, she speaks. "Nie ons jy nodig sou wees om te vertel. Die Koning van die Kabouters is die een wat moet weet."
Kragg pauses momentarily trying to figure out how best to respond. That is true but consider this. A cat thinks nothing of chasing and killing a mouse and we see nothing wrong with it ourselves. It is nature's way. While I agree that it seems callous and cruel from the mouse's perspective the cat has no problem doing so and will continue to do so again.
I am not trying to justify their actions but rather explain that we are the strangers in this environment and can not always take this at face value. They ate a dead creature the same as we would eat cattle.or venison. The only difference is the intelligence of both individuals involved and the fact that they killed him on orders from someone else.
"Hrmph. I'll give that but I still think it's suspicious. A cat chasing and killing a mouse is fine, that same cat breaking off from eating the first mouse to go eat a mole while 7 more mice lay there is what's strange to me."
But Ulfgar will back off of this point and await the end of the questioning to learn if anything has been learned.
All the talk of moles and mice confuses Dolgrin for a moment, then he understands Ulfgar's point.
To Anka Dolgrin says
Tell the creature that he will confess his crimes to the Gnomish king, and pray that the King shows mercy.
To Kragg Dolgrin says If you eat sentient beings you are evil and deserve to be judged. There is no other way. The creature killed and ate one of theirs, the Gnomes will judge it.
Hannarr waits for input from his comrades then responds to Azraak's question.
Modnar perks up as the creature struggles to escape Hannarr's bonds.
"Dit maak nie saak wie jy gehuur, ek vermoed dat die svirfneblin sal die kinder nou vir jou. Ek beveel aan dat jy ons aanbod aanvaar."
"Hoe sal hulle dit doen 'erger' as jou doodmaak?" Anka queries. "Is daar onder die hof van die Koning? Beherende hom?"
"Are they among the court of the Gnome King? Controlling him?"
Kragg smiles as Dolgrin pipes up glad that the dwarf has joined the conversation. However Kragg is not going to give in so easily just because Tarnhammer has said his piece. Very well, Tarnhammer than be ready to consider myself as an evil creature to be judged. I have eaten the flesh of animals. They feel pain and communicate even though I do not understand their language. Have I killed a deer in the wild just to eat it and satisfy my hunger? Yes I have. Did not the deer have the right to live as much as I did? What then gives me the right to decide that its death was better than my wish to have something to eat?
While I understand your sentiments I just ask that you keep an open mind and not rush into a hasty judgment on issues that may be beyond us. Clearly this matter is between it and the gnomes and it is for them to decide.
sense motive
To compliate matters, this creature is terrified of those taht rule over it. Are we to pass judgment on it if it fears for its very life. There have been plenty of good people that have been forced into actions that they may not wish to do based on a threat to themselves or loved ones. Do they not deserve a second chance to amend their actions?
You talk like an elf...or worse. Too many words Stoneheart, too many words. It killed, it ate, it will be judged. Dolgrin says with an air of finality.
Goldrune, Stoneminder, it says why it did such things? Someone gave it orders?
As Dolgrin and Kragg debate, those translating get more responses.
Azraak stops struggling at Hannarr's words,
"And that is why I have no use for such coin." Anka states flatly to Hannar.
Turning to the others, "I suspected as much. It was those 'moun mèrdik'." She spits, her ire obviously rising. "Drow, they were paid by the Drow specifically to take out the sherrif. It sounds as if they already have their hooks into everyone else of import in პირველიმარხვაშენახვის."
"He's saying the King is little more than a puppet & the Drow are preparing to annex the place, by force."
"If there are drow intrigues in Fasturvault, I assure you, the average svirfneblin knows nothing about it. We're a decent people," Harvald assures, "And I can't believe the king realizes the full threat."
Ivy actually agrees, kind of, "I think the King is an idiot, but can't say I see him as a willing traitor."
"I never used either the words 'willing' or 'traitor'." Anka rebuts, "I said he was little more than a puppet. You," pointing to Ivy, "yourself just called him an idiot & I'm pretty sure I recall you describing him as childish earlier. It's been my experience that childish idiots are comparatively simple to trick, befuddle or mislead."
"How many times had Gunther warned your king of threats only to hear something to the effect of 'I must contemplate what you have told me', then come back later & discover that the 'contemplation' resulted in doing nothing, or worse, exactly what he warned against?"
The wizard looks at Hannarr for a long while.
Was that choice of words intentional? 'Leave you to your fate,' eh?
Turning to Dolgrin, Modnar sighs before saying, "It would appear we have agreed not to take the creature to Fasturvalt."
Turning, Anka adds, "On that at least, I am in concert with Hannar. If we take it," pointing to the creature, "in there, the Drow's agents could warn them of the possibility we know about their intent. Better to avoid that if possible."
Kragg remains quiet as tot eh fate of the spider as he wants to see what recourse the young 'ins would take. Veiled offers were made and partially accepted by the spider yet it seemed that not everything was so easy to figure out. If there was time then the easiest answer would be to have a representative of the king meet the spider part way fulfilling both parties wishes. however Kragg would not think that would be agreeable to some.
Kragg refrains from snapping back at Dolgrin for the elf comment when all he was trying to do was impart a bit of wisdom to the headstrong and stubborn Tarnhammer. Instead he simply shrugs and adds If that is how you wish to see everything then so be it. Not everything is black or white. Gray shades fill the world and create a beautiful mosaic if one chooses to see it.
Turning, Anka adds, "On that at least, I am in concert with Hannar. If we take it," pointing to the creature, "in there, the Drow's agents could warn them of the possibility we know about their intent. Better to avoid that if possible."
Modnar strokes his chin in thought. This time, his hand pauses only briefly where his beard most likely would have been.
"On the other hand, if left free, what assurance do we have that it does not immediately inform its employers of our knowledge? Had we the ability to place a geas of some sort upon the creature, this would be far less of a quandary."
Everything IS black and white Stoneheart. At least down here. Dolgrin says, gesturing to his eyes and the darkvision gifted to the Dwarves by Holy Ardwal.
It does not go free. It goes with Harald for judgement by the Rightful King. And if the Drow were involved, then it must tell its story to others. Dolgrin says in Dwarvish and then he turns to the Gnomes
What is your wish? Do you see justice done here or do you bring this creature to your King for judgement? The crime was committed against your kin, you have the rightful decision. he says to Ivy, knowing she at least understands.
Dolgrin will also pull the Stoneminder aside Guard your sharp tongue with the newcomers. It is one thing for one of their own to criticize the Rightful Lord, it is another for an outlander. Holy Ardwal will judge the Gnome Gierni if he is a weak willed or otherwise poor ruler. The King and his people are as one.
Blinking briefly during Dolgrin's pronouncement & 'dressing down', Anka otherwise remains as impassive as her family's namesake. Silently, she converts a nod of acknowledgement into a curt bow before making her way back to the van of the company, her visage stoic & without expression.