How many men have you killed in this fighting pit Bojask? How many other crimes have you committed while working for Saul? You at least need to come forward and tell us what you know of this place and the troglodytes that come here.
"I think not, brute." says the voice from the far side of the fighting arena. "I won't swing for Saul's crimes. You let me go, you can have the run of the place, otherwise, you'll have to root me out, and it'll be a bloody business, for you."
"Don't be an idiot Bojask," calls Reva. "You aren't in a position to negotiate. We need information and can get it from you voluntarily or involuntarily. And if you cooperate, we can talk deals."
Reva nocks an arrow to her short bow, standing a couple paces back from Saphren and Magnus.
"Saulie must have talked to you about us, and you know we're not particularly easy to intimidate. Make your decision now because I'm running out of patience!"
Nodding to Reva, Saphren looks to the rest of the team to see where they stand before pushing further.
Magnus widens his stance and narrows his eyes. "Da. Information."
"You don't think we're afraid of you, do you? That's a laugh, with the might we're able to bring to bear," Trig warns, her violet eyes shimmering with arcane power.
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"Who's askin' you, missy? Keep yer damn goodie-two-shoes mouth out of it, eh? This is 'tween me and the orc -- two fella that know what's what. Lemme outta here, scot free like, and won't spill any blood a'yours. Otherwise, you gotta come in here an' root me out. Whatta say, Saphren?"
You are not makin this easy for us. You at least gotta come out and answer our questions. And you gotta show us what and who you are leaving with. And explain those trogs. Otherwise we gotta do it the hard way.
Reva looks over at Trig with her eyebrows raised. "I think he's being dismissive of us." She looks back over at Saphren. "Talking is done. Let's advance."
Appearing around the corner, a crossbow trained at the group comes Bojask. The animal keeper, always, scruffy, is a considerable mess. His hair looks like he's been sleeping with the large pig, his clothes are a mess, and his eyes are bloodshot and worn.
"I never went in with Saulie to hurt you lot. It's just me...no one else. Let me walk out of here, and I'll show you where the trogs came from. Never seen their like here b'fore."
Given the man's condition and obviously frayed nerves, it appears he could go off the deep end at any moment. He remains about 40' away, but is not out of cover.
Trig whispers to her friends, "I think showing us that would be enough, if he's here alone. I'll ask him to drop the crossbow and come out, and we'll agree to let him go after he shows us?"
"Drop the bow and come out, we'll let you go if you are indeed alone and show us where the Trogs come from. No trouble now!"
Magnus nods his approval, giving his piece in a gruff murmur. "We heff bigger subterranean mushrooms to be fryingk... and I do not vish to spend our first few hours without Saul slaughtering pigs in ze basement."
Reva quietly nods to the others while she stares at Bojask, trying to determine if he's leading them into a trap or not.
"I agree, that's enough of us."
Speaking up, Reva pitches her voice and speaks out to Bojask.
"You're talking sense now Bojask! Now start talking Trogs and anything else strange that was going on down here!"
Blossom refrains from further 'clouding the waters' of this dispute, merely noting both her companion's disposition & Bojask's.
Saphren lowers his large blade but does not look happy. You did not warn us 'bout ol' Saulie neither. You're no friend of mine Bojask but I'd sooner not have ta kill you. I am willing to let you walk, but not with half of Saul's treasure in your pockets. If you want a free pass you gotta show us what you are leaving with. And are you takin that big pig, or do we gotta kill it?
The animal tender lowers his crossbow, and steps out. "I ain't leavin' with nothing, but the clothes on my back. I can put Jigsaw up, if she's gonna trouble yeh. I got this whistle she listens ta."
He blows the whistle and pig runs right up to the man, as friendly as can be. He feeds her a treat and shrugs in your direction.
"There's a trap door in the floor. Right in the middle of the Octohedron. That's where them trogs came up out of. Big ol' keyhole on it on this side. Ain't got no key what fits it neither. Good luck if that's where yer goin'."
He ambles forward slowly, still looking for a double cross or trick from you lot. The pig follows, obligingly, on his heels.
"I vould vorry about him selling our secrets to Clegg, but it vould seem Mr. Vancaskerkin has beaten us to it." he shrugs.
He stomps into the hall to find this trapdoor, voice echoing through the dank corridor. "...besides, the gods vould not look kindly on us killing a man in our own halls."
I'll be checking you for what you are carrying, but if you are speaking the truth you and the pig are free to go. We will have to see you out though. Deal?
Saphren takes Bojask into custody. The wrangler whistles for the pig who comes at a run, not with blood on her mind, but because that whistle means dinner.
She crashes into the crate in the other room, and Bojask locks her in with a grim frown. "Last I'll see of her, or of any o' you." he cries out headed to the street above. Saphren follows him out locking the door behind, not noticing anything untoward happening upstairs.
Meanwhile the rest of the group looks around the Octohedron arena.
Magnus begins to stomp around the room, ears piqued for the sound of his iron boots making contact with something hollow. Thumbs tucked into his broad belt and his good ear cocked toward the ground, Magnus looks as if he's performing some strange dance. His efforts rewarded, he greedily clears the sand and rattles the door in it's hinges. "Locked." he grunts, taking a step back and motioning for Saphren with the key. He claps his hands together and wrings them together, grinning to himself. "Are you thinkingk vot I am thinkingk? All of Saul's ill-gotten gold must be buried vithin."
However, his gold-toothed grin is fleeting, and all the mirth quickly leaves his dour face. His normally harsh, brusque voice is filled with a deep melancholy.
"...I say ve each are taking cut and go in search of better life."
"Sounds fine to me, but we should help find this evil elf first."
Reva spots the trapdoor with Magnus. The half-elf sighs wearily pushing hair back from her face as she stares down. She actually cracks a smile at Magnus' greedy enthusiasm.
"I sincerely hope that's the case. I believe the reason the Inheritor sent me here has been made clear with Kwava and the blot. But if there's a gigantic sack of money that certainly wouldn't harm my quest."
Saphren comes back down carrying Saul like a sack of potatoes. Lets lock him in an animal cage for now. he says eying the one with the pig in it.
"You're not thinking of putting him in there with... that thing are you? Ugh, you know pigs will eat meat if they can, right? That would just be cruel and disgusting!"
Reva jerks a thumb over to the cage.
"Be my guest. We can figure out what to do with him after we figure out what's down here."
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"Yes, but to the pig." Blossom posits, you're not certain to whom she was replying. "Better one of the empty ones." She adds.
The trap door is found rather easily and it appears it does require a rather large key to open. Having escorted Bojask from the premises, Saphren returns with Saul in tow, locking the evil little man in one of the holding pens for the arena animals.
"I hope you get what you deserve down there!" says Saul muffled by the gag in his mouth. "To the hells with all of you!"
Trig turns to Kwava. "Is it possible this evil elf you are seeking is down below with the Troglodytes? What can you tell us of this evil elf, anyway?"
Reva coyly watches Saul as the subject of the evil elf is brought up.
Before they leave the room Saphren renders Saul unconscious with his sap. Do we still need this little creep? he asks with murderous intent.
Reva sees Saul is momentarily taken aback when the group discuss the evil elf being underground. He tries to recover his poker face, but the slip was readily apparent.
Kwava is clear that he has not seen the evil elf himself but is only following rumors and stories he has heard on the street. He agrees it is possible the target of his investigation is underground, or wherever these tunnels lead.
"Let's go then."
Trig gets out a scroll of grease and a scroll of expeditious retreat from her backpack, holding them ready to cast if needed.
Saphren locks Saul in an empty cage and then drags it adjacent to the cage containing the large boar. Sweet dreams little man. he says before moving to the trapdoor and inspecting it for traps. If untapped he will use the large key from Saul's wrist to try to unlock it.
The trapdoor is not otherwise trapped, and (of course) the large key from Saul's wrist opens the lock. The hatch opens into a dark hole with a strong wooden ladder descending. The unfortunate aroma of troglodytes wafts up to you as the hatch is opened, not strong enough to indicate their current presence, but a reminder that they have been here before.
The ladder descends 15' before ending in a natural cavern below. Little else can be made out from the surface, although it does not appear that there are creatures moving the cavern below at present.
Reva looks sadly down at Saul. "I have no mercy left for that one. Still, a problem for later."
After the exceedingly long day of the wererat ambush, battling Saul's bodyguards, and exploring below the Goblin, Reva's typical cleanliness and poise is instead unkempt and weary. She casts a light spell on her sword and looks to the group.
"Let's go."
Asking that the lights be hidden while he scouts Saphren stealths down the ladder. He listens as he goes.
Reva sheathes her sword, allowing Saphren to scout ahead in darkness.
"Troggs. I hate Troggs."
Examining the trapdoor reveals it only locks from above. There is a mechanism to unlock it from below. The door, which is part of the floor of the gladiator arena, is quite sturdy.
Descending in the pitch black, Saphren's darkvision illuminates the outlines of things quite well. The area is a rough 20' square with a gaping pit that drops away along the eastern edge of this cavern, descending twenty feet to a sloshing pool of water below. The pit's sides are steeply sloped and slick with moss, bu are also covered with many rough ledges and protrusions. A series of wooden ladders and ropes descends along these walls to a ledge below, just around the edge of the pool.
There does not appear to be another way in or out of this chamber, and nothing of particular value or interest lies here.
Pausing for a moment at the bottom of the 20" area to be still and to listen Saphren then motions the rest of the group down.
Reva switches the light spell to her quiver and scampers down to help out Saphren.
Trig follows shortly behind Reva, peering out into the gloom.
The sinkhole is about a 20' drop into water, which you can see below. The sides are quite steep and damp, but there are hand and foot holds readily available.
There are a series of wooden ladders and ropes the descend the sinkhole sides for those less adventurous types. the ladders appear quite fragile but are actually quite secure. Moisture covers their surfaces as well.
Before descending Saphren asks What is our exact mission here. These tunnels are extensive, or so we have been told. I do not wish to leave Saul in a cage me might be able to get our of, or be rescued from for too long. If we think we will be gone more than a couple hours I think I should fetch him, or make it so no one can fetch him again.
Kwava looks at the half-orc seriously. "I thank you for any aid you can give me. If an hour or two is the extent of your assistance, I understand that. Let us hurry then, and see what can be done in that time."
Saphren shrugs and nods. I am willing to do more, but not without some more final solution for our "problem" up stairs. I fear if he gets away from us he could be a really big problem.
Spahren climbs stealth fully down, taking 10.