"I think Ivy has a point, we should visit this Miatha and the Blue Bat," Grunyar suggests hoping for a well made meal and some good ale in a warm inn. "Do you think we should all go to the widow? Not just you and perhaps one or two more?" he asks Garnult.
Your idea has merit Grunyar. Perhaps myself, Elmador and Donagh can go visit the widow while the rest of you go see this Miatha. Unless you object cousin? Garnult says indicating Mirrin.
to the deep gnomes Garnult says Do you have a safe and secure place to keep the prisoner until such time as he is judged?
"I for one won't object," the rogue says smiling.
"With dark elf assassins running about?" Mirrin says indicating the prisoner in the cart. "Nay. I stay with you."
"Aye, I'll come with ye to speak to the Sherriff's widow. Unpleasant as it will be we'll meet th' rest o' you at Miatha's after for a well deserved drink" Elmador looks over to Harvald as well, "if there is a secure place for th' prisoner would it be too much t' ask if a couple o' your men or others you trust t' stand guard?"
Garnult gives Mirrin a small shrug as if to say as you wish .
So, Mirrin, Myself, Elmador and Donagh go to the Widow, the rest to the Blue Bat Garnult says with a tone of finality. He makes ready to leave.
Donagh turns to Harvalt "We do not want to impede on your customs. If you do not want us to join you when breaking the news to Gunther's wife please say so."
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Harvald nods. "I'll take you to Gunther's widow. Knivey Ivy, perhaps you could take the others to the Blue Bat. Tell Miatha I'll be paying for their lodging. The rest of my men will bring the skis'raal to the jail before they head home to their family. Any volunteers to watch the cell?"
Kerret steps forward, crossbow in hand. "Aye, I'll keep an eye on it. Ye can spell me in the morrow, right?"
Harvald nods, and the gnomes lead the wagon away. He turns to Garnult, Mirrin, Elmador, and Donagh, saying "It's not far from the jail, so we can follow the wagon most of the way."
Ivy smiles at the remaining dwarves "Oy, ye lot are stuck wid me, so c'mon an lets fill yer stomachs and warm yer backs at the Blue Bat. Ye'll be hearing some true songs afore long."
Garnult nods to the elder Gnome Only one guard, the gnomes must not think highly of these skis'raal He turns and whispers to Mirrin and the others in Dwarven Best we check on the captive too, and maybe post one of our own to watch it?
Donagh replies in undercommon
"Indeed we should help our friends by posting a guard of our own. We can't expect them to do all the work while we relax. Who do you want to take the first watch?"
"Sweeter words has seldom been spoken," Grunyar says smiling eager for a good meal. He turns to the others looking for their responses.
I'm for relaxin' myself but if needs be I'll take watch after we've talked to the widow
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"Once the boys have the Skis'raal locked in his cell, shouldn't be much of an issue guarding him, but I can understand how you'd want to keep an eye on him yerself." Harvald agrees. He leads you towards the widow's house, knocking gently on the door.
A brief pause ensues before the door opens, a gnomish woman blinking at the sight of the lot of you with Harvald.
Harvald takes in a long breath. "Mirialle...." he chokes on the words.
Mirialle opens the door fully, nodding soundly. Softly, she says "Come in, and tell me how it happened...."
Madame, your husband was ambushed by creatures known as Skis'raal. We slew one and captured the other to face justice here. We....do not know if the creatures acted on their own volition or on orders from someone else. Garnult's visage hardens We are on a quest of our own, but we would see justice done here before we move on.
Well said Garnult, that is the way a ruler should speak.
Donagh silently supports the leader of their band, he seems to handle this situation perfectly.
Elmador nods along at his cousin's heartfelt words
He has th' long and th' short o' it m'lady. From what we've heard the world lost a good man and I cannae imagine what ye've lost. If there's aught at all I or we can do for ye then ask. I think my mate here has something else for you He says looking at Grunyar.
Mirrin grunts in acknowledgement but otherwise says nothing. No point in mentioning the whole truth. Trust would be hard to come by as is.
Donagh replies in undercommon
"Indeed we should help our friends by posting a guard of our own. We can't expect them to do all the work while we relax. Who do you want to take the first watch?"
Still feeling the sting of not reacting on time during the initial encounter with Skis'raal, Dain jumps at the opportunity to redeem himself, at least a bit.
"Aye, I shall be the one" - he states matter-of-factly as he hefts his weapon and escorts the prisoner and one of the gnome guards towards the cell.
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Harvald hands the ring and sword to Mirialle. He speaks softly, "The murderous bastards went right for your husband. They took the rest of us, and bragged about the ways they'd be dining on us for days. If these brave dwarves had not come to our rescue, we would have shared in Gunther's fate. They risked their lives to save ours, and, as they say, bring justice for Gunther."
Mirialle takes the sword and ring, eyes moist, but keeping a stiff jaw. She turns to Garnult. "You and your companions have my thanks for your valiance, and for returning these items of Gunther's. My breath fails to bring life to proper words of gratitude. Perhaps you will do me the honor of accepting some gifts as a sign of this gratitude instead of words."
She doesn't wait for your response, but rather stands and enters her bedchambers, soon returning with a small wooden box. She opens the box, displaying six vials of purplish liquid and a fancy wine bottle with elvish writing on it. "Something tells me these healing potions will prove useful on your quest, and the wine was something another surface visitor brought Gunther a few years back."
As the elderly dwarfs of the party deliver their sombre news, Grunyar walks towards ale and a hot fire.
Thank you madam. Your gift will be put to use. We will see justice done, and the ones who did this will be stopped. Garnult says as he accepts the gifts. Did the Sheriff tell you anything about who might have set those skis'raal on his trail?
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"Gunther suspected that the envoy from Vothys, this self-proclaimed emissary Garius Malathorn, was the precursor to a full-on invasion. He spoke to Lord Geirni about his suspicions. of course, but the honeyed words of the emissary and his lavish gifts have bent the King's ear to far for him to hear the weight of my husband's concern. That's when Gunther decided to take matters into his own hands and seek help even though Lord Geirni forbade it. The only people who knew of Gunther's plans were me, the King, those who traveled with the Sheriff, and Malathorn."
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Meanwhile, after dropping off the prisoner and its watchmen at the jail, Ivy leads the remainder to the Blue Bat. Along the way, she says to Grunyar, "Yew seem the sensible type. Don' know bout all those yew're travlin with, but yew seem ta know what's what. So lemme give ya a free but of advice. Lord Slowly is an idiot, a mythic moron. Tha empror o imbeciles. Tha champion o chumps, ya know? Now his da has passed on and the only decent soldier he had was murdered on tha road, tha pointy-eared whitehairs are gonna eat his chump ass alive. If'n I was yew, I'd get out while tha gettin is good. Grab a beer, resupply in tha mornin and ditch this dump. Fasturvalt is doomed, and if'n yer friends are dumb enough ta stay, they're doomed too."
Who is this Malathorne Madame? Garnult says thinking It cannot be the King which betrayed Gunther
Grunyar takes note of Ivy's words as they walk to the Blue Bat. "Sounds like you got the raw end of the deal now," Grunyar remarks. Taking a few paces he continues: "These pointy-ears wouldn't happen to be drows?" hate laced into his voice.
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"Malathorn claims to be an emissary from Vothys, sent by their new Baroness. Vothys is a drow outpost, and the Lady Satha is the new regent of the post. Gunther believed she was much more... ambitious than her predecessor, and Lord Geirni is not the same man his father Geiri was."
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"Aye, drow. They're queer folk and into all manner of dark deeds and twisted thoughts. Bastards, every one."
"What gives you reason to doubt the words of this Malathorn?" Donagh asks. "and I assume he is a drow?"
Garnult's eyes narrow and he mutters darkly It all comes to the drow... we should watch the captive and have it confess as soon as possible.
"I don't care much for those," he responds as Ivy affirms his question. "You could properly persuade our glorious leader to aid you if you wanted to. I wouldn't mind lending a hand either," he added.
"The knife ears be as trust worthy as a jammed cannon and twice as deadly." Mirrin remarks staring into a dark corner. "Twer me they'd be dead long before they entered me home tunnels."
Being left along with other watchmen with the prisoner, Dain does his best to convince them that he is enough to take care of skis'raal.
"Lookie here mates, the walls of yar prison seem sturdy 'nough, and the creature itself is in such a bad shape. I've no idea why we're wastin' our time in'ere while we could be testing some fine dark brew ale. But my master insisted that I be here, damn it! Maybe it's better for ya, maybe you could go to this Blue Bat and bring me a pitcher, eh? of course, I'd add a few pieces more for ya as well. What say ya?"
This Malathorn, how deep in your lord's counsel is he? Would we be able to receive an audience without him being present? asks Elmador It'd be easier to just set Mirrin loose on the bastard and have done with it he thinks to himself supressing a sigh for having to take the harder, more moral path.
And where is Malathorn staying should we wish to have a, erm, quiet word with him?
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Being left along with other watchmen with the prisoner, Dain does his best to convince them that he is enough to take care of skis'raal.
Brings-His-Crossbow-To-A-Wedding responds with a scowl. "I was told to watch the prisoner, an tha's what I'm going ta do. Harvald is countin on me, and after this ting killed Gunther, I'll see it burn. Until such time, my eyes will be on it."
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"I don't care much for those," he responds as Ivy affirms his question. "You could properly persuade our glorious leader to aid you if you wanted to. I wouldn't mind lending a hand either," he added.
You enter the Blue Bat and are met by light and song; the sounds of merriment, clinking glasses, and laughter, the closest to music Grunyar has heard since entering the dark caves. Ivy waves to the matron, who brings over a pitcher of dark ale and mugs enough for all.
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This Malathorn, how deep in your lord's counsel is he? Would we be able to receive an audience without him being present? asks Elmador It'd be easier to just set Mirrin loose on the bastard and have done with it he thinks to himself supressing a sigh for having to take the harder, more moral path.
And where is Malathorn staying should we wish to have a, erm, quiet word with him?
I'll put in a word with Even-The-Stones-Listen and see what he can do to get you that audience, but the King has been rarely sighted without the dark elf in his ear. Last time he walked the town, he even gave Malethorn a tour of our quarry, the armory, and the hall of the gods. If my husband had still been here, he would have argued against that, surely. Malathorn is staying in a house not far from the palace. Harvald can point it out for you."
The Drow are behind the Skis'raal attack I am sure of it. Garnult says and he pulls Elmador and Mirrin close Cousins, we must get the thing to confess its crimes and the Black Elf crimes to the King. He must see that the Drow mean no good here. In fact, protecting the prisoner from Drow poison becomes an even greater priority if we wish to protect these people from their depredations.
Brygga, help me choose the right path. Do I halt my quest to help these folk or continue on for the glory of Dammerhall?
Grunyar's serious face turns to more pleasant folds and he even breaks into a smile as the pitcher is put on the table. Smiling to Ivy he says:"Enough of this talk, lets drink and be merry." Looking around the common room he tries to identify any respons the patrons might have to his prescence.
"Hmph. Assuming it will even confess."
"Why is Garnult not including me in this discussion? Doesn't he trust me?"
Donagh turns to Mirialle "Thank you for your council lady, we mourn your loss. I will pray for your late husbands soul and destiny in the afterlife. We will take our leave, if there is anything we might assist you with then please let us know."
After gorging himself on food and ale he looks to Ivy, "Tell me more of this place?" he asks.