Ya, meh friend here is right, but uh who's "Xardorok" an' why d'ya sound so keen on seein' him ended? If'n he's the king and yer the queen, doesn't that make ye, you know....?
Taking a stab in the dark, Turq blurts, Power play. Innit? What's ta stop ye from continuing Xardy's work, eh?
When Turq mentions the power play, the lady dwarf smiles wickedly. ”Aye, ain’t you the smart one now?” the smile flashes away quickly though and her face turns stern. ”Duergar don’t belong above tha mountains. It ain’t our place. The king is fool in’ hisself if he thinks tha the sun won’t come back. And then what are we ta do? He’s gone mad and is reachin’ too far. He’s likely gonna take his clan with em into tha’ madness too. They see it, least some o them. The rest ‘ll fall in line with me as their new Queen or they won’t survive the Kings fall anyway.”
The takes a few more bites letting the idea sit in on people’s minds.
Turq grimaces at the taunting old grey dwarf, If it keep ye outta the Dale, I am good with it. Friends? What say yeh?
The eladrin listens with feigned interest.
Knowing she can still hear him, Umikh nevertheless whispers Seems we got little choice. Might as well try, gotta protect all the folks around these parts.
The dwarf looks at Gideon as he poses his question. ”The King is below overseeing the construction of another dragon. He has many of our kind with him and surely without this agreement, you’ll not survive.”
”Keep in mind, you only made it inta’ tha fortress with help of me dwarves.”
Mell takes her own reading of the woman, knowing that women at times pick up on cues that men may miss, especially with other women. Is this Dwarf woman being straight up about her intentions? Is she hiding anything?
The old dwarf smiles greedily and puts down her fork and life. ”It seems we may have an agreement. This lad, she says pointing at the dwarf that walked in behind you. ”He will join you as you go down to tha forges. My people will know when they see him with ya ta stand aside. “
Any tips fer gettin' this king? Any weaknesses? Or just be on our merry way....
"Yarp -- let's get rid of this king an' his pet dragon, then." Gesturing toward the woman with his shield: "And you'll make sure we have safe passage back out of the fortress when this is over, right?"
"Yarp -- let's get rid of this king an' his pet dragon, then." Gesturing toward the woman with his shield: "And you'll make sure we have safe passage back out of the fortress when this is over, right?"
[dice=Insight]1d20 - 1
"Tips eh? I can tell ya that you wont be just fightin' Duergar. Xardorok's been capturin monsters that he plans to let loose top side. He's got a spore beast down there makin zombies, so keep yer guard up.' she says as much to you as to her soldier that is heading down with you. "an thats right, free passage..." she adds while wave you away.
"Good enough fer me! Let's go find this Zaradork"
Umikh mutters in Dwarvish, something something one threat out of the way, something something trap, something about his sword getting to sing or maybe it was drink?, you're not sure, but he's right behind Baldrick, marching stoutly down to meet this King.
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Mell snickers at Baldrick's words, but refrains from expressing what just came into her mind, not entirely sure how the lady Dwarf might take it. She falls in line behind Balrick and Umikh as they walk down to meet the King.
Once they start walking, however, she softly sings, "Here a dork, zar a dork, everywhere a dork dork."
Turq will just gesture to the Grey to lead on, keeping his shield on his arm, though axe stowed...
The duergar that she indicated guides you down the hallway back toward the entrance. You had passed this passage previously.
Inside the middle of the room, you see a floor to ceiling iron cage. It sits centered in an elevator shaft with chains running up and down away from it. The chains of the shaft are in constant motion and as the cage disapears into the upper ceiling the dwarf moves closer to the hole.
After a short wait, the chains seem to come to a stop briefly and then reverse motion. The elevator cage apears in the top of the hole again and as it settles onto your floor, it briefly stops and the duergar steps on, motioning for the rest of you to do the same.
"Oh neat! Elevator's gonna be faster than walking a buncha stairs."
Baldrick follows the duergar guide enthusiastically.
Turq steps on as well...
Umikh appreciates its construction
Mell steps on board the elevator, doing her best to hide her discomforture. While the Dwarves in the group might appreciate the workmanship, she finds herself wishing for nature.
Dragons of Autumn Twilight in Xax Tsaroth.
The chains on the lift clink and clank as the box descends further into the fortress. The duergar stairs at you warily but makes no dangerous moves. No more levels go by before the cages touches down, presumably the bottom of the fortress. The room is isolated with a single door leading out. The duergar moves forward and opens the door. Leaning through the doorway, the duergar says a few things to someone on the other side and then motions you to follow.
As you enter behind him, there are two more grey dwarves here, they seem suprised as you enter and the perceptive people in your party notice them tense up as you come in.
Completely ignoring the guards, Baldrick asks: "How much farther to the forges, anyway?"
Turq, gritting his teeth, hovers his hand near the haft of his axe, but does not draw... It is fairly clear that he is uneasy.
Waiting for the reply to Baldrick's question, Umikh is similarly wary with his hand on his sword.
The dwarf you’ve been following moves to the opposite door and pushes it ajar slightly looking into the room. He turns to you and nods toward the door. Quietly in dwarven
In VERY halted and accented common he says quietly ”ready you to fight.”
Turq draws his axe, readies his shield, then looks back to the party...
Baldrick shudders slightly, clenching and unclenching his fists as if trying to get the circulation going.
"Ready"
Umikh inhales deeply, and exhales slowly, readying his sword and gripping it tightly. Quietly, he looks to the group and whispers Any spells or arrows you can hurl over our heads would be useful. He then looks pointedly at Baldrick, shakes his head with a slight grin, Luck be with us, and faces the door.
Your grey dwarf guide says something in dwarven and then motions for the other two guards to follow him. He then moves into the room leaving the door open as he enters.
The two remaining guards look at each other and nod before they cautiously move around you and then exit the door following the first dwarf. They seem to be walking across a larger room, not running. You can assume they are not trying to draw attention yo themselves.
Misunderstanding the guide's hand signals, Baldrick falls into line with the duergar and follows them as they cross the room.
Turq tries to move quietly, holding to the corners of the room.
Sneak sneaksneak
Perception
Mell unshoulders her quarterstaff and casts Shillelagh on it.
He sends one whisper to Wrong Way Buddy, and then Umikh walks in to the room behind Turq (and Baldrick if he turns around), eyes peeled and sword ready. He's looking specially for the king and will move towards him once spotted.
Baldrick waves an arm in Umikh's direction without looking, focused as he is on being quiet.
The ceiling of this hall arches to a height of thirty feet. Sstone steps lead up to a semicircular dais against the south wall. Atop the dais is a misshapen throne crudely carved out of chardalyn. Small crackling flames burn in braziers that occupy the room's corners.
Sitting on the throne with with his black spiked gauntleted hand below his chin looking unamused, is a soot stained, gray bearded duergar with a jagged black crown on his brow. Both the crown and gauntlets seem to be made of chardalyn.
Slumped near the east wall is a tall, bipedal fungus creature. Luinous spores float in the air around it. A savage, white furred biped has torn off one of the creature's arms and is holding it while four other white furred bipeds covered with fungal growths try to capture the floating spores in jugs.
You all slip into the room attempting to be quiet, some to better effect than others. The dwarf on the throne and several of the white creatures seem to look your way when Mell enters the room.
Would he qualify for his assassination ability?