Dorvin raps his knuckles against Tanya's skull, "Hello in there! Did ye no remember the bit where we gave yer mob a b$+@*&@in'?"
"Mammon's greed will engulf the world."
"Every conquerer from the beginning of the multiverse has said the same. Do you know how many of them succeeded?"
"Don't touch me, dwarf. As for beating us, I think we frightened you at little." Tanya smiles at some memories.
"But of course, the victor writes all history, as my Lord Mammon knows well. So many empires he has broken. His work is made so easy by your eternal greed."
"What's through that door you were headed into?"
"The dark of the mountain and my master's stronghold. Are you promising safe passage if I lead you there?" Tanya's tone is cynical in the extreme.
The dragonborn sits down so he is level with the prisoner.
Rusty, while feigning curiosity asks, "Your master!? I'm afraid you are no longer of any use to him without the Teardrop. He saw fit to return my sight so that I might see, with my own eyes, your abandonment."
"Face it, we are the only thing between you and the lynch mob. And I doubt your former brethren will welcome you back with open arms."
"So what do you actually want? Less discussion of my position and more requirements. That is where this is leading."
Tanya is quite unmoved by Rusty's threats.
"Nay, lass," Dorvin replies, "We dinnae want anythin' from ye really." he tousles her hair and replaces the gag.
"Reet, leave the wee trollop here and carry on in a wee while?" he says.
If looks could kill, Dorvin would be a dead dwarf.
Hauling Tanya with them, the friends return to the Upper Halls where Varden Redfell, Father Jappe and Rabscuttle are particularly delighted to see you again. Halston stays back from the general rejoicing, but looks as closely as he dares at Tanya's gagged and bound form.
"We felt something pass through the halls and knew you must have succeeded." Varden nods approval and glares at Tanya. "Who's this?"
"She's a gold-flecked bowl of porridge!" Rabscuttle pokes ecstatically at Tanya's face. "She shall have music wherever she goes!"
Father Jappe seems particularly delighted. "The fever has gone! Lifted entirely from my patients - a miracle indeed," he beams. "You have done great good here. Great good."
Dorvin goes up to Halston and says, "Not pretty is it? This is what yer helpin' wi' yer greed, ye great streak o' pish."
"Naturally I am delighted to see the release of these poor folks from the imprisonment of illness. Now they can follow the Capitalist way and earn the riches they so greatly desire. I see nothing wrong in that, Dorvin and I find your antipathy quite distressing, I really do."
Halston sounds utterly sincere.
Dorvin detects nothing in Halston's demeanour or body language that suggests anything other than honest pleasure at the recovery of the gold-fever victims.
"I think you're letting first impressions at a difficult time mislead you. Take this orichalcum as a sign of my good faith. We're all working for the common good here, aren't we?"
Halston offers the small lump of ore to Dorvin and it glints enticingly in the light of the Citadel.
While Dorvin distracts Halston, Rusty whispers to Varden and Father Jappe:
"We should discuss the latest developments concerning Rygar somewhere quiet and secure."
"Good idea."
Varden takes Rusty aside, patting Rabscuttle on the head as he does so. "Off you go and find more porridge."
"I don't think he'd be a lot of help."
He nods to Father Jappe and leads the way back to the dwarven encampment and a small office. "Safest place in the Halls. Speak up."
"We're not sure where Halston's allegiances lie, hence the need for secrecy."
The dragonborn recounts the events that have transpired since undertaking the tests of Volund, including the betrayal of supposed members of the Illuminated Brethren and the acquisition of the Teardrop from Rygar.
"Mammon indeed has eyes, ears and fingers in every pie it would seem, for the prisoner we captured," Rusty points back towards the upper halls, "was part of Mammon's welcoming committee at the Shrine of Volund."
"We came very close to defeat, but as you felt earlier the Teardrop was sacrificed and the untapped ore cleansed. During interrogation our new guest claimed to know the way to her "master's stronghold" in "the dark of the mountain."
The dragonborn draws a rough sketch of the shrine, "here is where she hoped to escape. As we are unfamiliar with where this leads, we thought it would be prudent to consult you and Father Jappe first before proceeding."
"Aye. Halston's loyalties are to himself at best and I'm not sure it ends there, truth be told." Varden mulls over the information.
"It's bad hearing the Illuminated Brethren were infiltrated. Caradlather won't be happy about that at all. We're dwarves! Strong-willed and hardy!"
"And opposed by Mammon himself," interjects Father Jappe. "It takes more than mortal will-power to withstand him. His powers of corruption are great indeed..."
As though to corroborate his words, the priest is interrupted by the very walls of the Citadel moaning in pain. Jappe and Varden look at each other in horror.
"Again? Varden, Mount Rygar still fights the curse. Another quake will be a disaster for us. Pardon friends. You were otherwise occupied, but we have had regular quakes in the fabric of the mountain since - well, it must be since you sacrificed the Teardrop. It is our fear that already some routes to the deeps may well be blocked already."
"Could be. I've got engineers working on the Shank to keep it safe, but they can't be everywhere. If you're going into the heart of Rygar, you may need another way."
"What are the routes that you know of?"
"I can't tell you. Can't. Not won't. You'll need to talk to Caradlather of the Brethren. If anyone knows another way to the deeper darkness, it's him."
Once more, the walls resound with a hideous moan as the mountain shouts its agony. Beneath your feet, the ground trembles, sending Varden to his knees. As the tremors subside, he gets up and dusts himself down looking grim.
"I'd hurry. I don't think we have a lot of time. Father Jappe has some potions for you and I can't offer much beyond the services of my men. Still, dwarven smithing isn't legendary for no reason."
Rusty is impressed by the quality and speed of dwarven craftsdwarfship. Donning the he feels tougher, livelier and full of determination.
Varden suprervises the work quietly and then draws Dorvin and Guldarin aside.
"You're dwarves and I'd rather one of you took the decision on which of your group uses this. Good craftsmanship. Made it myself as my masterwork piece. Time it was put to use I reckon."
Wondrous item (level 14, worth 21,000gp)
Power (Daily): As a minor action, you can spend an action point and activate the fob to immediately use a previously used encounter or daily power of equal or lesser level than the fob.
Guldarin looks at Dorvin for a moment, then back at Varden. "Dorvin knows the group better than I. Let him decide who can make most effective use of it."
As the dwarves finish their work, a further rumble shakes the ground, much more severe than before. The great pillars supporting the Upper Halls shudder as the pressure on them grows and the keening voices in the walls grow louder.
"The curse .... the curse ... "
Varden and Jappe exchange glances. "We need to do what we can to protect people. Find Caradlather and make an end to this before the mountain and Mammon make an end to all of us."
Jappe hurriedly hands over a package. "These will help you, I hope. If the Upper Halls fall, you must still prevent Mammon's rising."
The parcel chinks gently and on inspection proves to contain 6 potions.
"Where would be find Caradlather, at the moment?" Guldarin gets to the point.
"In the hall of the Illuminated Brethren. Your news of traitors in his midst will distress him."
"I guess we should get this unfortunate business over with. On to the hall."
"Ye can tek it, Guldarin. Keep it wi' the dwarves." he adds with a wink.
As you make to leave, Varden takes you aside. "What do you want done with your prisoner?"
"Put 'er in sackcloth, feed 'er on bread and water. Keep 'er under guard."
"Sackcloth may be too good for her."
"We'll be keeping her out of Halston's reach, whatever else we do," says Varden grimly.
The party make their way back to the hall where they first met Caradlather - accompanied, unstoppably, by Rabscuttle. Nothing anyone can do or say will stop him, although he seems averse to joining you in the room with the leader of the Illuminated Brethren.
For the Silent Master himself, it is clear that his joy at the successful sacrifice of the Teardrop is severely marred by the news that Sister Jorann and Paracelix were Mammonites of the deepest die.
"Who can we trust if not our own?" he asks wildly.
"Who can we trust if not our own?" he asks wildly.
"Trust yourself. Trust your feelings. Trust those who've shown in the past they can be trusted. And if those you trust believe in others, trust that too. People But if you show you don't trust anyone, then people will stop trusting each other and you, and then nothing will get done."
Caradlather ceases his pacing and pulls himself together.
"Yes. Yes. You may be right, but we have lived with the threat of Mammon for many, many centuries and we grow nervous and mistrustful of everything. Our forefathers were so sure of the rightness of their actions. I envy them."
Taking a deep breath, he continues.
"From what you say, and from our knowledge of the Citadel, you will have to find a way around the usual passages. They are likely to be impassable soon, if they are not already caved in by the constant quaking. You will have to venture through the ancient royal residences to find what you need. The old masters, our forefathers, held court there in the great days. Through the poisoned passage, through the residences and there you will find the oldest temple of our faith. There, if anywhere, you will find the secret of the Heartsblood Forge. The knowledge was kept hidden, you see. Be warned. The Forsaken have broken free. Of all places, they hate the residences and the temple the most."