The wererat is more scared of the gnolls than the dark stalkers. That's a definite surprise!
Of the walking metal the rat replies "Armor with no flesh and weapons with no arm... rat speak know secret ways around them to our home"
"Ah, so the things of the deeper places are to be avoided, then?"
"Sounds like it. Fortunately, we know we need to deal with the gnolls and stalkers first anyway."
The wererat is bade to wait while you talk to the stalker and consents, slinking a little deeper into the mine entrance tunnel.
The dark stalker has been confined within part of the fort that still stands and sits silently. Gaelthrin advises "Hasn't said a word while we've had him... good luck" leaving you with the captive.
"We've little hope of forcing it without knowing more about them. What do they fear?"
It's too bad you don't remember much of your journey out of here.
Female voice: It would've changed since then anyway.
"Somehow I don't think they're afraid of the dark. This may take some patience." Cynara turns her once-unsettling gaze on Gaelthrin before she leaves. "Bring me a couple of metal cups of water, would you?"
"Maybe they fear the opposite. Sunlight or even bright light. Saranrae's blessing may come in handy."
The elf cocks an eyebrow at Khepri. "I think we can start with something a little more innocuous-seeming. Let the threat be implicit; I don't know about the way these things' minds work, but people will populate the unknown with all manner of fears." She pauses, then looks around with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "I think I am the only one who can talk to it, so you'll have trust me not to give everything away. So before we begin with it, let's talk about limits to deals. If it tells us everything we ask for, do we let it go?"
"No. If we let it go it'll come back later to kill us. It's an enemy and this is war, when we're done we kill it."
Khepri nods with Padrym, "These things are beyond redemption. We should not make any deal that includes letting it go. Maybe agree to not kill it, but we cannot let it go."
"How do you know they're beyond redemption? They're not gnolls; do you sense any evil in it?"
"Are you thinking some form of exile could be an option?"
Khepri nods with Padrym, "These things are beyond redemption. We should not make any deal that includes letting it go. Maybe agree to not kill it, but we cannot let it go."
Love raises an eyebrow at these words. This is clearly a more militant arm of the church than he has been used to...
"It isn't stupid and it surrendered. Maybe it was trying to spring a trap or maybe it wants to tell us something. I will back your play Bright-Eyes."
"Well, you want them gone, right? If this one tells us you know, there aren't many of us left here, the gnolls went and got us into a fight with some militant dwarves (and hangers-on), and maybe it's time to pack up and leave, I'd let them go.
"Khepri, I'm surprised that you in particular would take that position with a creature who isn't evil."
Hearing their words Khepri looks at the dark stalker for a moment, "Forgive me but I erred in my assumption of its evil nature. Knowing what they did to those dwarves on guard duty the other night got my blood heated and I lost my cool for a moment. I will need to pray on this."
Khepri looks troubled and takes a seat staring at nothing for the moment.
Feigr growls, "All right. I think we're agreed on our boundaries. Willing to keep him alive for eventual exile. I don't think any of us want him back down below right now."
"I am fine with sending him on his way if he gives us useful information." Dolgrym had been very quiet during the discussions, knowing that him blundering into the interrogation wouldn't help the matter at all.
Padrym is clearly not happy at this decision.
"Very well, show him mercy, we'll see if he earns it."
Female voice: We could...
No.
"After all that, it probably won't say anything at all." Cynara takes the two cups of water and sits down across from the dark stalker. She sips from one cup and puts the other within the creature's reach before speaking in Undercommon. "It's plain water. I don't know what you eat or drink, but water seemed safe enough." Then she sits calmly, slowly drinking her water and saying nothing more.
The dark stalker listens as Cynara speaks, clearly understanding the tongue. It does not hesitate and takes the cup, lifting the cloth covering its face to drink the contents of the cup before setting it back down. It then sits silently looking at the elf.
Cynara continues to watch the creature, trying to get some understanding of its body language.
Unless the stalker interrupts, after ten or so minutes, Cynara will ask, "Would you like something to eat?"
The stalker clearly understands the request, but does not respond meaningfully. The best read Cynara can get on it's body language is that it is at peace and comfortable, there is no hint of anxiety or concern.
Love sits quietly on a trunk in the corner. His breathing soft and relaxed, his attention on the Stalker.
Khepri keeps an eye on the stalker, not fully trusting its calm demeanor.
Feigr opens a flask of whiskey and has a drink while waiting to see what happens with the stalker.
Cynara stands vigil over the dark stalker for an hour or more and gets no response from the figure. The stalker just holds her gaze with steady eyes and does not speak. The other members of the party come and go while the vigil continues, but there is no sign of any result. When Cynara finally gets up to leave, the stalker utters a single word in Undercommon - a portmanteau that implies arriving death in the common tongue. However after that admission the stalker lies down as best it is able to closes it's eyes to either sleep or feign to do so.
Meanwhile Sangvit and Gaelthrin have spent some time discussing the fortifications and the available materials with which to see them restored to service. They are intending to send work groups down to the nearby woodland to get lumber and cut stone. It will take time, but gradually the fort will be returned to something resembling a defensible structure.
You overhear reports from the scouts that are sent out to hunt and look for sign of gnolls or worse and they have as yet seen little sign of any other parties nearby... but a cold feeling in your gut makes you suspect that is unlikely to last forever. Nabo has been making himself useful in that regard - ranging with the dwarves and getting a grudging acceptance that is slowly warming.
The wererat waits patiently within the darkened entrance to the mines - occasionally sniffing the air and looking around suspiciously, but otherwise cradling a rat within his hands affectionately.
When Cynara emerges Sangvit and Gaelthrin both come to see what was learned... and also of what is intended as the next step...
The word was said with an emotion free dryness of inevitability.
Once out of sight of the stalker, the elf pauses to stretch before reporting, her long stint sitting having left her stiff. There is a slight difference in her tone of voice...a little less light, maybe. "I didn't expect to get anything from it in only an hour, but it actually spoke. One word only, which I would roughly translate as 'arriving death' in Taldan common, spoken with very little affect.
"It clearly has information we'd be better off knowing, though if the wererat is right, pain won't get us that information. I'd prefer to keep it alive for the near term and continue to work on it as I can. In the meantime, though, I would counsel that you keep on increasing the level of fortification while we go on our mission to the wererat den and try to find out what it might have been talking about."
"What is our next course of action? I suggest we press the attack against the stalkers, but if we're going to deal with the wererats it would serve us best to do that sooner than later. I still don't trust them enough to enter their den, as one bite would be enough to turn us all."
"I am protected from them by Sarenrae's grace, so I would be willing to enter their den to treaty with them. However, even though I believe they could be a trustworthy ally, I fear that they will not want to upset the balance that the mine has achieved until they know we have a chance of success. Therefore we may need to achieve a victory to show them that an alliance with the dwarves would be in their best interest."
"Since the rat was more terrified of the gnoll threat than the stalkers, I don't think we would be able to strike a victory that would truly impress them, until we get deeper in the mine. That will take some time, so I think we should go on a preliminary meeting with the rats. Perhaps they will tell us more that could aid us in a raid on either of the others."
Feigr puts his flask away, "All right, let's go see the rats. But I hope we can get back after the stalkers after that."
Sangvit and Gaelthrin listen as you speak, and though some distaste is shown at the prospect of ceding even a room of the mines to another as it is retaken - they do accept to not prejudge until a meeting is taken with the ratmen. Sangvit is firm though "You can speak with them freely, and forge bonds as you see fit but with one restriction. Any compact that cedes control of any part of the mine must come to me before it is made. The portent of the dark one worries me... but we have much to worry about beyond that also. Go and may Folgrit shadow your steps to keep you safe."
Gaelthrin sees you to the entrance tunnel and gives a warrior's handshake as you head forth "Be safe"
The wererat looks up at your approach to ask "So you come to our home? or something else? If you come, must promise to be quick, no question... just follow me." looking to you for a word in answer.
Cynara nods. "Lead on. And before I forget, do you know what the word '' might mean in this place?"
The wererat looks at Cynara with caution and a tint of concern, but ultimately shakes it's head.
"Let's be off then. No sense drawing this out."
We'll not be giving them one inch of this place.
"I am ready, let us get going"