Copper nods as Riv speaks. And then he turns to show them the way to what they found.
"This might be a stretch, and I've been known to follow hunches too far," Copper says. "But my gut right now, besides wanting a drink and a good meal, is telling me someone connected these tunnels and caves; someone who would benefit from your people and ours fighting."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ruby follows Copper as they walk, keeping a close eye on the strangers. She is trying to figure out if they are hiding more than they are telling us.
Deception: 7
In general, Ruby feels off about the whole situation. This is not something she is accustomed to, she'd rather steal from them or kill 'em, and she's glad to have Copper here take the lead. She starts appreciating him a bit more, and starts feeling a bit bad calling him old. She could tell it was getting under his skin.
(Assuming that Douth is remaining invisible and somewhat at a distance to prevent from being discovered)
Riv and the twins follow the four of you through the cavern. Upon reaching the lone duergar who seemingly died from a fall, Riv kneels and examines his dead clan mate. "Anko," he remarks, which is seemingly the dead duergar's name.
Pelik takes up a much delayed response to Copper's idea. "A war between Immercleave and Timrizash would weaken both sides. Agreed. But for whose benefit?"
- - - - - - - -
After reaching the Immercleave tombs, Riv and the twins make a thorough study of the battle scene. Riv is agitated and defensive. "This is a lie! Never would we set our weapons on an Immercleave burial party! Even if you were our enemies, such an act would be one of pure cowardice!"
Riv then lets loose a river of profanities in Undercommon. Pelik attempts to calm the duergar leader as Torik turns to Copper, Friar, and Ruby. "You have our word that we would not do such a thing, yet the reality before all our eyes seems to say otherwise. You have led us to three of our missing clan members. We must find the other five; they shall give an account for this. Have you found no signs of them?"
Before anyone can reply, Riv speaks, still visibly upset. "This set of stairs, hidden beneath the lid of a sarcophagus, was revealed to some of our clan members. Who could know such a thing? I know the tunnels and caverns of the Timrizash realm. I have studied all the maps...all the histories. There is no record of such a secret way into the upper realms.*"
After a long, reflective pause, Riv speaks again, "We will take our dead and return to Avrahk, our leader, and tell him of this. This incident is likely a prelude to things worse. I beseech you to withhold judgment against Timrizash for now. This cannot be what it seems."
*Duergar term for tunnels used by mountain and hill dwarves who typically live far closer to the surface than the duergars.
“How far is Avrahk? We need answers as well. We cannot go back to our clan without resolving what has happened.” Ruby continues, “The set of stairs were revealed to some of your clan members by whom? No one from our clan knew of such a thing.”
"Our own dead need to be returned to the clan and grieved properly," Copper says to Ruby. "Why don't we do that first."
Copper looks at Ruby for a moment and then Friar. Finally he turns back Riv.
"But we should meet again soon. Someone did this," he says gesturing to both the Immercleave and Timrizash dead. "And they must pay. We may find them faster if we share what we learn."
Copper nods as Riv speaks. And then he turns to show them the way to what they found.
"This might be a stretch, and I've been known to follow hunches too far," Copper says. "But my gut right now, besides wanting a drink and a good meal, is telling me someone connected these tunnels and caves; someone who would benefit from your people and ours fighting."
Friar nods ion agreement. "Aye, it seems someone or something would like to see us back to fighting for their benefit"
"Our own dead need to be returned to the clan and grieved properly," Copper says to Ruby. "Why don't we do that first."
Copper looks at Ruby for a moment and then Friar. Finally he turns back Riv.
"But we should meet again soon. Someone did this," he says gesturing to both the Immercleave and Timrizash dead. "And they must pay. We may find them faster if we share what we learn."
Friar nods. "We would honor them and their memories if we work together, against this foul treachery that would see as war on one another"
Ruby glares at Copper and then at Friar for agreeing with him. She doesn’t trust these druegars and is worried that once they leave their presence they will underhand them somehow. She crosses her arms and blows at her hair with her lip out. Almost petulant, but doesn’t say anything.
Riv gives a silent nod of approval, and then he, with the aid of Pelik and Torik, bind up the two dead duergars so they can be more easily carried down the stairs. Before Riv leaves the Immercleave tombs, he hands Copper a small, polished ring of granite and says, "Should your endeavor lead you to cross paths with Clan Timrizash, you must speak my name and show this. You will be mistrusted, but none dare harm you without speaking to me first."
And with that, the three grey dwarves descend the stairs and disappear into the darkness below.
Once the Timrizash duergar have left and no sound of them can be heard from down the stairs, Copper slips the ring into his pouch and looks over at Ruby's angry face.
"We needed to talk without them here," Copper says to Ruby, and then gestures at the dead, "and we still need to get them back to the clan for the proper rites."
He looks back down the stairs for a moment, then starts to push and slid the sarcophagus cover back into place, but just before he does he looks around.
"Dauth? Are you here?"
(Assuming some sort of acknowledgement, Copper finishes closing the sarcophagus).
"Riv may not know what happened here but someone with knowledge of both our clan and theirs may be involved," Copper says then looks around. "Any ideas? And do you agree we should bring the bodies back? We should tell Thane what we've discovered too."
Once the Timrizash duergar have left and no sound of them can be heard from down the stairs, Copper slips the ring into his pouch and looks over at Ruby's angry face.
"We needed to talk without them here," Copper says to Ruby, and then gestures at the dead, "and we still need to get them back to the clan for the proper rites."
He looks back down the stairs for a moment, then starts to push and slid the sarcophagus cover back into place, but just before he does he looks around.
"Dauth? Are you here?"
(Assuming some sort of acknowledgement, Copper finishes closing the sarcophagus).
"Riv may not know what happened here but someone with knowledge of both our clan and theirs may be involved," Copper says then looks around. "Any ideas? And do you agree we should bring the bodies back? We should tell Thane what we've discovered too."
Friar nods in agreement-"Someone is going to a lot of trouble stirring things up between our clans, perhaps the Thane knows who would do such a thing."
Thane. The thought of him made Ruby’s blood run cold. She’s only had two run-ins with him and they didn’t go well. He basically told her next time he saw her he would throw her out of the clan. Why was she such a thief? And such a terrible one at that to get caught all the time? She agrees about the dead, they need their proper rights and she wants to do whatever she can to help them. But honestly, she’s afraid to go back with them.
”Thane? Are you sure you need me to go back with you? I will gladly help with the dead, but should I stay here and keep vigil over them?”
Copper looks at Ruby, making a guess at why she's uncertain about seeing Thane.
"You're part of this," Copper begins. "And right now, I don't think it's safe for you to stay here. Besides, the dead need to be brought back to the clan. They'll end up back here. But there's a right way to do that."
He walks over closer to Ruby.
"Stand with the three of us and Thane will see you as part of the clan. Stay here and you'll always be an outsider."
Ruby swallows hard. Trust people enough to stand with them and take what comes? Not something she is accustomed to do. But what choice does she really have? Copper is right, if she takes her typical path, she'll always be an outsider. "Alright, I'll stand with you." and in a quieter voice, that only Copper can hear since he is close to her, "Thank you."
Copper nods at Ruby's thanks. He sees the struggles on her face and doesn't say more.
"Alright," Copper says. "Let's get the deceased ready to travel."
He sets himself to reclaiming the climbing rope and pitons, and suggests they find some wood from outside to help build stretchers.
"If we find some long branches, we can stretch bedrolls between them and lash them down. It will be slow going but we should be able to get everyone back."
If everyone is on board, once they have the bodies ready, Copper suggests they get going and head back home.
Copper nods at Ruby's thanks. He sees the struggles on her face and doesn't say more.
"Alright," Copper says. "Let's get the deceased ready to travel."
He sets himself to reclaiming the climbing rope and pitons, and suggests they find some wood from outside to help build stretchers.
"If we find some long branches, we can stretch bedrolls between them and lash them down. It will be slow going but we should be able to get everyone back."
If everyone is on board, once they have the bodies ready, Copper suggests they get going and head back home.
Friar assists where he can in securing wood and using his coil of rope: Performance: 19
Copper nods as Riv speaks. And then he turns to show them the way to what they found.
"This might be a stretch, and I've been known to follow hunches too far," Copper says. "But my gut right now, besides wanting a drink and a good meal, is telling me someone connected these tunnels and caves; someone who would benefit from your people and ours fighting."
Ruby follows Copper as they walk, keeping a close eye on the strangers. She is trying to figure out if they are hiding more than they are telling us.
Deception: 7
In general, Ruby feels off about the whole situation. This is not something she is accustomed to, she'd rather steal from them or kill 'em, and she's glad to have Copper here take the lead. She starts appreciating him a bit more, and starts feeling a bit bad calling him old. She could tell it was getting under his skin.
(Assuming that Douth is remaining invisible and somewhat at a distance to prevent from being discovered)
Riv and the twins follow the four of you through the cavern. Upon reaching the lone duergar who seemingly died from a fall, Riv kneels and examines his dead clan mate. "Anko," he remarks, which is seemingly the dead duergar's name.
Pelik takes up a much delayed response to Copper's idea. "A war between Immercleave and Timrizash would weaken both sides. Agreed. But for whose benefit?"
- - - - - - - -
After reaching the Immercleave tombs, Riv and the twins make a thorough study of the battle scene. Riv is agitated and defensive. "This is a lie! Never would we set our weapons on an Immercleave burial party! Even if you were our enemies, such an act would be one of pure cowardice!"
Riv then lets loose a river of profanities in Undercommon. Pelik attempts to calm the duergar leader as Torik turns to Copper, Friar, and Ruby. "You have our word that we would not do such a thing, yet the reality before all our eyes seems to say otherwise. You have led us to three of our missing clan members. We must find the other five; they shall give an account for this. Have you found no signs of them?"
Before anyone can reply, Riv speaks, still visibly upset. "This set of stairs, hidden beneath the lid of a sarcophagus, was revealed to some of our clan members. Who could know such a thing? I know the tunnels and caverns of the Timrizash realm. I have studied all the maps...all the histories. There is no record of such a secret way into the upper realms.*"
After a long, reflective pause, Riv speaks again, "We will take our dead and return to Avrahk, our leader, and tell him of this. This incident is likely a prelude to things worse. I beseech you to withhold judgment against Timrizash for now. This cannot be what it seems."
*Duergar term for tunnels used by mountain and hill dwarves who typically live far closer to the surface than the duergars.
“How far is Avrahk? We need answers as well. We cannot go back to our clan without resolving what has happened.” Ruby continues, “The set of stairs were revealed to some of your clan members by whom? No one from our clan knew of such a thing.”
"Our own dead need to be returned to the clan and grieved properly," Copper says to Ruby. "Why don't we do that first."
Copper looks at Ruby for a moment and then Friar. Finally he turns back Riv.
"But we should meet again soon. Someone did this," he says gesturing to both the Immercleave and Timrizash dead. "And they must pay. We may find them faster if we share what we learn."
Friar nods ion agreement. "Aye, it seems someone or something would like to see us back to fighting for their benefit"
Friar nods. "We would honor them and their memories if we work together, against this foul treachery that would see as war on one another"
Ruby glares at Copper and then at Friar for agreeing with him. She doesn’t trust these druegars and is worried that once they leave their presence they will underhand them somehow. She crosses her arms and blows at her hair with her lip out. Almost petulant, but doesn’t say anything.
Riv gives a silent nod of approval, and then he, with the aid of Pelik and Torik, bind up the two dead duergars so they can be more easily carried down the stairs. Before Riv leaves the Immercleave tombs, he hands Copper a small, polished ring of granite and says, "Should your endeavor lead you to cross paths with Clan Timrizash, you must speak my name and show this. You will be mistrusted, but none dare harm you without speaking to me first."
And with that, the three grey dwarves descend the stairs and disappear into the darkness below.
Once the Timrizash duergar have left and no sound of them can be heard from down the stairs, Copper slips the ring into his pouch and looks over at Ruby's angry face.
"We needed to talk without them here," Copper says to Ruby, and then gestures at the dead, "and we still need to get them back to the clan for the proper rites."
He looks back down the stairs for a moment, then starts to push and slid the sarcophagus cover back into place, but just before he does he looks around.
"Dauth? Are you here?"
(Assuming some sort of acknowledgement, Copper finishes closing the sarcophagus).
"Riv may not know what happened here but someone with knowledge of both our clan and theirs may be involved," Copper says then looks around. "Any ideas? And do you agree we should bring the bodies back? We should tell Thane what we've discovered too."
Friar nods in agreement-"Someone is going to a lot of trouble stirring things up between our clans, perhaps the Thane knows who would do such a thing."
Thane. The thought of him made Ruby’s blood run cold. She’s only had two run-ins with him and they didn’t go well. He basically told her next time he saw her he would throw her out of the clan. Why was she such a thief? And such a terrible one at that to get caught all the time? She agrees about the dead, they need their proper rights and she wants to do whatever she can to help them. But honestly, she’s afraid to go back with them.
”Thane? Are you sure you need me to go back with you? I will gladly help with the dead, but should I stay here and keep vigil over them?”
Copper looks at Ruby, making a guess at why she's uncertain about seeing Thane.
"You're part of this," Copper begins. "And right now, I don't think it's safe for you to stay here. Besides, the dead need to be brought back to the clan. They'll end up back here. But there's a right way to do that."
He walks over closer to Ruby.
"Stand with the three of us and Thane will see you as part of the clan. Stay here and you'll always be an outsider."
Ruby swallows hard. Trust people enough to stand with them and take what comes? Not something she is accustomed to do. But what choice does she really have? Copper is right, if she takes her typical path, she'll always be an outsider. "Alright, I'll stand with you." and in a quieter voice, that only Copper can hear since he is close to her, "Thank you."
Copper nods at Ruby's thanks. He sees the struggles on her face and doesn't say more.
"Alright," Copper says. "Let's get the deceased ready to travel."
He sets himself to reclaiming the climbing rope and pitons, and suggests they find some wood from outside to help build stretchers.
"If we find some long branches, we can stretch bedrolls between them and lash them down. It will be slow going but we should be able to get everyone back."
If everyone is on board, once they have the bodies ready, Copper suggests they get going and head back home.
Friar assists where he can in securing wood and using his coil of rope: Performance: 19
Player note-I will out of the net until Sunday night, bot me if required
Ruby gladly helps, keeps her mind off of what is to come.