Werz thinks to himself. "Well I've often seen 'im skulkin' 'round the Bazaar. But I think I saw 'im out by the east pier once too."
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Werz scratches his chin for a moment and considers. "Droki, eh? Can't say I know the name." But when you describe the derro, he nods. "Oh yeah... I saw 'im have a conversation with Gorglak 'bout somethin'. Don't know what. It was pretty private..."
Werz nods. "Help me out. Get that big lunk off me back. I don't know what 'e might try..."
Werz raises an eyebrow. "Help sounds good but what are these recent developments yer talkin' 'bout?" He appears mostly relieved but is somewhat skeptical that you can help him so easily.
Werz shakes his head quickly then thinks for a bit. "Well if ya could somehow get Gorglak turned into his superiors... ya know in a delicate fashion that doesn'... er.. get me swept into the net... that'd be great! But he's na stupid. He's na gonna do somethin' too terribly public to incriminate himself."
Eddrikk's direct and genuine matter catches Werz completely off-guard. "Er... um... I guess I can trust ya. Ya did save my life after all. Tha' was Gorglak. He's a member of the Stone Guard and works the gates. He occasionally accepts certain... indirect compensation... He directs it through me and on ta him. He's gotten concerned that I'm gonna rat 'im out but I had no such plans... leasways I didn' until he started threatenin' me..."
As Galenus approaches, the conversation halts abruptly. The guard then walks back to the boats he is guarding. Werz waves weakly at you. "Ah. Hello there. How are ye doin'?" You notice that all of the boats are guarded as security has been tightening due to recent unrest.
Werz rolls his eyes at having to answer so many questions but you did save his life so he decides to keep cooperating. Seems like a fair trade to him. "Well there's a temple to Deep Duerra in the city proper. Certainly not to Stonebones. If ya want to deal with him at all, you'll have to see Stonespeaker Hgraam. Though I don't know exactly how you'd do that. The stone giants don't exactly welcome visitors to come and go as they please."
Werz shakes his head at Galenus. "Nah I can't set up a meeting for ya. Not a useful business connection so not one I've made."
With an eyeroll, Werz waves Eldeth off. "Anyhow, I can't get ya to the surface. But the deep gnomes can if ya get on their good side, which is hard ta do. Otherwise, they wouldn't piss on ya if ya were alight." He snorts at Galenus' question. "Nope. Not a one. But there are some which won't throw ya out on sight. Don't even try the temple of Laduguer. Deep Duerra or Skoraeus Stonebones might help ya out, though, for the right price." DC 14 religion:
Laduguer is the primary deity of the Duergar. His primary deeds that led to his ascension were throwing off the ilithids that lured clan Duergar into the Underdark and severing ties with the surface dwarves that rejected his people as a result of their mind-controlled deep delvings. Deep Duerra is his daughter and, though still focused on dominance and war, also values cooperation. Stone giants revere the King of the Rock, god of buried things, whose clerics can access the Knowledge and Life domains. Stonespeaker Hgraam, a powerful spellcaster, is Skoraeus’s only priest in Gracklstugh.
DC 12 arcana and history. Roll both:
Spell gems hold a spell that is cast into them to discharge it later. They are critical in the defense of Blingdenstone. When Kanzen presses him, Werz waves him off. "My business is my own! I'm sure it was just a random attack."
Not hearing the myconid's thoughts, Werz continues and responds to Eddrikk's question. "Nah I don't. I don't even know those routes. That's one of the most closely-guarded secrets o the Merchant Council. They say they don't want surfacers comin' down to attack us." He looks directly at Galenus and Eldeth. "Like sun dwarves comin' down here for no reason tryin' to take our goods."
The merchant nods to Galinndan. "It's about 10 days if you go by the way of the Darklake. 20 if ya go around the lake. Mantol Derith is on the way if ya go by the lake. I heard some tell o a bunch o myconids and the like near the land route."
You head out to the Shattered Spire, a tavern built of fungi stocks on a stalagmite forty feet out from shore. It looks something like the Underdark's version of a log cabin. A bridge made of woven rothe wool leads out to it. Several duergar, deep gnomes, and derro sit at the bar drinking on zurkwood stools. At a table in the corner sits Werz Saltbaron, the merchant you saved yesterday. He waves you over. In a low tone, he whispers "Thanks for the help yesterday. Here's somethin' for yer trouble." He hands you each an obsidian gemstone . He nods "And better than that, I got a job fer ya. A delivery I need made to Blingdenstone. Paid on delivery." He pulls out a sack containing some transparent, colorless gemstones.
The merchant points into the buildings and hollowed stalactites lit by orange furnaces and resounding with industrious clanking and pounding. "Head straight that way then left at the statue of the king. There, you'll find the Ghohlbrorn's Lair inn. Now I really haf to go. See you tomorrow." With that, he shuffles away and turns invisible. You hear the clanking of metal boots approaching rapidly but don't see any guards. The boots sound about 150 ft away.
The gray dwarf looks surprised. "Oh I have no idea! Must have been some random act of violence, I suppose. Look, I really should be goin'. The guard'll be 'ere in seconds and they'll 'ave too many questions. Why don't ya meet me at the Shattered Spire tomorrow so I can thank ya properly?"
DC 12 Insight: He's lying about not knowing why the assassins attacked.
Surging out of the water, the goblin lands both of his weapons in the back of the duergar, who slumps dead to the ground. The merchant lies unconscious and bleeding until Kanzen touches him with holy energy. The portly fellow's eyes snap open and he looks around in fear. "What!? It's over? Ah... well.... thanks I suppose..." He stands up and begins brushing himself off but holds his side in pain and winces. He glances around and looks as if he's in a hurry to leave.
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