Galenus will sit down next to the hole in the wall and continue to concentrate, hoping Cyrus is alright. Then, an idea occurs.
He sends his familiar after Cyrus, so it can report back on the progress and potentially lend aid.
With firm hold on the Derro Cyrus retreats back down the tunnel.
Cyrus comes dashing heroically out of the tunnels, carrying the derro Droki! Four giant centipedes rush out after him, see the rest of the group, and dart back into the crack in the wall.
Ah ha! Fine job, my friend, Galenus says, intentionally not using Cyrus' name in the event Droki escapes and tries to plot revenge. He was used to working jobs where you didn't want your name to be known.
Alright. That's that, I guess. Let's bring him back.
Looking around, Galenus says, Perhaps we should find something to bring back to the stonespeaker. Anyone have any ideas?
Cyrus keeps hold of the Derro as best he can. "He's a slippery eel this one. Somebody tie him up will ya?"
Droki falls quiet and doesn't struggle all of a sudden. He falls limp as if he had no bones and smiles weakly at you all.
Galinndan draws his longbow and shoots if any centipede keeps moving towards the group.
Uhhhh... thah donnah look gud, was dat da mushroom?
After a minute or two, Droki returns to his normal, small size. He still looks at you oddly, being far from cooperative.
Galenus is torn between wanting to deal with Droki and searching the room for treasure.
Search him. Make sure he's got nothing else on him. No weapons, no magic, no special fungus or potions or anything of the like. We'll have no more tricks out of him.
Meanwhile, Galenus sits down and starts preparing a ritual to cast Detect Magic to ensure nothing else on Droki is magical that he could use to escape.
Only after they're done with Droki will he turn his magical sight on the rest of the room and search out magical trinkets to plunder.
Galinndan keeps sentry.
Droki screams and foams when you begin searching him, shouting insults in Undercommon. "Leave me alone you goat-loving, sun-farting, longshanks! I'll pull your guts out through your asses!"
He wears boots of speed and a hat that is one of a kind.
Droki’s satchel is made of stitched darkmantle hide and contains the following items:
1 gp and 10 sp
A spell scroll of see invisibility
Two potions of healing
A worthless collection of dead vermin (spiders, centipedes, and the like) in various states of decomposition
Pages of lizard-skin parchment held together between two leather covers from two different books. The pages are full of mad scribbles and arcane formulas, but a character proficient in Intelligence (Arcana) can study them for 1 hour to discover that they constitute a spellbook containing the Tenser’s floating disk and feign death spells.
A strange lump of black metal.
A scroll in a copper tube and four small pouches containing stone giant toenail clippings and skin flecks. Each pouch is tagged with a different name, and the scroll contains a list of names matching those on the tags, together with descriptions. One of the names is “Dorhun,” with a description corresponding to Stonespeaker Hgraam’s apprentice. The rest of the names belong to other stone giants of Clan Cairngorm.
"They were attempting to curse another giant when we interupted them. The broken statue over there was for Rihuud. I believe if we remove the second head and take it to Stonespeaker Hgraam he can may be able to lift the curse."
"We can also attempt to Speak with Dead on the cult leader. That might provide additional information.. Also we need to get that chest open. Search the leader for a key perhaps?"
She helps with searching etc..
She will also attempt to coerce Droki.
"If you tell us what you were doing here and any other information you know about the cult we will speak on your behalf for a lesser punishment for your deeds.. It could mean you keeping your head."
Yes, let's get him tied up and head back to the temple, Galenus says, while collecting all the useful items from Droki.
Based on some scribblings you noticed at the Duergar alchemist's earlier, you believe the grey metal was to be delivered to the alchemist in exchange for the mithral holy symbol. It seems the droki was delivering the giant toenails and flecks of skin as well as writings of their names to the cultists.
The key to the iron chest is indeed found around the neck of the cult leader. The chest contains a jar of Keoghtom’s ointment and a small leather bag containing 45 gp and 15 sp. Also found on the cult leader is a potion of invisibility, an hourglass worth 50 gp, and a scroll of illusory script.
The books have pages made from trillimac caps. They contain the scribblings of Narrak and his fellow derro savants.
Tucked in one book are two scrolls: one that bears a list of six stone giant names (including Rihuud’s and Dorhun’s) and another that is actually a letter written in broken Dwarvish:
Narrak — Need more scrolls! Stonespeaker Hgraam has traps traps traps. But Droki is wily too and very small! I can hear talk, and in talk they say names, and I hear names and write names and give you names so you give me time. But you have to give me more scrolls. Magicky spelly scrolls!
— Droki
Seems like there may be more to this cuot down here. We should come back after delivering Droki and clear the place out of these pests, Galenus suggests. Eliminating a source of chaos should help stabalize the region and reduce the influence of the demon lords.
Something clicks into place for Galinndan.
"The Duergar alchemist. They must have wanted the grey metal, in exchange for the mithral holy symbol. And Droki was clearly bringing little pieces of giant and their names to the cultists. We are right to cut down this miserable wretch and his various employers."
Droki eyes Irdril sullenly as she roots through his bag then resumes kicking and screaming. "Lemme go! You're murdering me!!!"
"Not yet we ain't, but keep it up an see what 'appens," Eddrikk says coldly.
Kanzen shakes his head in confusion. "This is all a bit beyond me... What did the alchemist want the metal for? And what did Droki want the holy symbol for? And - what are the toenails for?" He grimaces as a slight movement tugs at one of his many wounds.
Droki screams "I don't care what you do! I'm not telling you about the rest of the stuff down here!!"
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Rest of the stuff?
Hey Stool, come here for a minute, would ya? Galenus requests.
He leans down low to whisper to Stool, Hit us with some of those spores. I bet this fool can't keep his mind shut and will tell us everything.
Stool responds "Ok mister!" and emits a small puff of spores. You hear Droki laughing in his own head "They'll never find the egg or the obelisk anyway... they already passed those tunnels..."
Galinndan listens in his mind.
And a smile creases his face at the derro's babbling.
Kanzen's eyes narrow in suppressed humour and appreciation of Galenus's quick thinking, and he gives the dwarf a tiny nod to convey his admiration. Doing his best to keep his own thoughts within his own skull, he concentrates, waiting for more from the insane derro.
At first, Droki doesn't catch onto the fact that all of these captors are staring intently and silently at him. He continues thinking "Yeah they're not going to find that dragon egg. Would net them a pretty reward, too! Hee hee hee! Oooh and if they take me out through the south or west, I'll probably have plenty of time to escape when they meet all the fun creatures that live down here! HAHAHAHAH!" Then his eyes narrow as he looks around at you and his mind falls suspiciously silent.
Well, that must be the end of it. I doubt he'll be able to keep his head silent the entire time. Either way, let's return him first and then come back down here to explore the rest. What do you say?
If we haven't already tied him up, Galenus will reqest that Cyrus do so. Cyrus being the most experienced with knot work.
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Dragon egg huh, shame ya probably donah know where it is, bet ya could trade it fer yer freedom iffen ya did.
Droki eyebrows raise and he looks at Eddrikk warily. Ye'd let me go if I give I tell you?
Sure, but only afta I 'ave da dragon egg. Deal?
Galinndan knows his forte is not in speech, so he keeps to the edges, seeking foes or other danger.
Droki nods eagerly and speaks aloud again. "Ok! I'll show you bugg... er... I mean... friendly investigators... the way to the dragon egg. Ready to go?"
There seems to be a slight, wicked element behind Droki's grin at your current agreement.
Galinndan nods, mostly to himself, at the derro's words.
What the hell are we going to do with a dragon egg? Galenus asks, even as he starts thinking about what sort of profits it may bring in.
'Atch et, raise at, ride et!
Cyrus shrugs. "Sell it to de highest bidder. What else?"
Galinndan vaguely recalls differences in dragonkind, but needs all his focus to watch for danger.
Kanzen narrows his eyes at the derro. "This one's up to something. We should bind his hands and put him on a leash, keep him close... close to our blades." His face is cold as he draws his swords.
Droki heads back through the tunnels you followed him through, past the barred gate. There you see two derro standing inside who watch you pass in silence, their beady eyes following you as they keep their weapons drawn. He leads you back into the room with the pool where he spirals around the pool to take you upwards this time.
Suddenly, when you are 30 feet up the spiraling path, the water in the pool erupts in a geyser. The edge of the water seems to take shape and reaches out for the closest humanoid! The wave smashes into Galinndan and grabs him, dropping him far, far into the pool. It's another water weird!
Galinndan is taken off guard by the elemental force, but his reflexes kick in. His short sword is in hand, driven by desperation and every mote of wild magic that he can summon to hand!
Gal! Gal yells.
Kanzen, help him! I'll take Droki, he offer, knowing there's little he can do to help Gallindrin.
Why is everyone just standing there!? Help him!
Galenus sighs, draws his axe, and dives in axe a-swinging.
Cyrus charges forward emboldened with his new found strength.