Wess steps in front of the door. "Nah, looks like you got it! It's sort of a long trek from the trap room to the palace, but it's pretty unexciting. Straight through that door!"

The passage beyond the test corridor leads to a short spiral staircase, then a long hallway. In one spot along the hallway, Yurk spots an oddly empty red crystal socket.

"Wel, see me reassured" the warlock says sardonically. 

Yurk begins down the hallway, taking a long look at the empty socket. "What do you suppose this is?" He asks to no one in particular.

Investigation: 9

Og will continue on the the Queens room.

OOC: Does the socket have a familiar shape?

investigation 3

 Really out of all the time on this forum to roll a crit it's with a PC that has a -1 modifier...smh

Upon close inspection, the socket seems to be a button opening a side passage. It opens easily into a small passage — Darksniffer recognizes it as resembling the secret passage he took into the palace earlier.

Near the hidden door is an alcove, where the party finds stashed a couple of Queen's Watch uniforms and 100 gold pieces.

If at all possible Ash will take a uniform matching his size. One never knows

Darksniffer will glady take the money, "This where sneaky guard come to. Why they hide clothes? Don't like. Don't like at all."

Unfortunately the uniforms are both for small creatures.

Og's footsteps begin to fade as he gets further down the corridor.

Yurk hurries down the corridor to catch up with Og.

After several more yards, the corridor empties into a grand hall. The floor is carved into flagstones and level, but stout columns support the cavern's ceiling, which has been left more or less in its natural state. Stalactites drip into a dozen rain barrels scattered across the room. A patchwork carpet of bright, clashing colors lines the path to a large double door with guards on either side. They seem excited to see you, and beckon you toward the door.

"You made it! Queen's gonna love this," the one on the left says.

"Was there ever any doubt," Lophii replies to the guard. "Why don't you show us the way?"

The guards muscle the doors open, revealing a spacious throne room. A thousands of red crystals dangle from a chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling. The throne is massive, cut at right angles and covered in dwarven runes. It's piled high with throw pillows, and atop the pillows sits a crowned goblin. A medium-sized humanoid figure in armor kneels before the queen, speaking with her, but you can't see their face.

A herald hopping from foot to foot just inside the door asks: "What's your name? Quick! Group name!"

Greeted with silence, the herald stops hopping and with a frown announces in a booming voice: "Unnamed party of oddventurers!"

You make your way past the guards and columns toward the throne. She's wearing a golden crown with long, spidery tines and she's wrapped in purple cloth like bandages. Red crystal earrings illuminate her shoulders and the sides of her head but silhouette her face.

The queen calls out, "What boon you want? You want to be citizens? That's tricky, because this guy already asked me something else for you."

You follow the queen's pointing finger to where Sergeant Gullek kneels before her. 

"What he want of us?" Og will look at Gullek with a stink eye.

Gullek the orc still kneels, his helmet with ram's horns still lowered. It's almost shocking to see him that way after the unbending cruelty he showed each of you, sometimes personally.

"He says you got to go back to army," the queen says. "I don't like getting into other people's wars, and he made it through the same palace as you to see me. Two good reasons to grant his boon."

"We pass through, only needed rest. We no want Army and passed test. Two good reasons to give us boon, Queen-lady." Darksniffer tries his hand at courtly reason, but he has trouble masking his disgust for the orc.

(Darksniffer, roll Persuasion DC 13 for me)

Ash sniff loudly as he sees the orc. 

He looks into his eyes. "I will not go back."

"Who knows your here." he adds with a large smile taking a step forward.

(Persuassion at Advantage due to race? ;) 1)