Misprize Thou Not These Shadows That Belong: Lost Mines of Phandelver

"You want us to kill this creature for you just to get the dwarves freed?" Rabbit asks the woman. "That's really not much to us, but he is offering a lot of gold to get you out."  She then pauses. "Don't you think we could find a compromise of some sort? Isn't there somewhere else you could all stay?" She then looks at Raskin. "Perhaps you could work out something with these folk?" 

Calithor was by now painfully aware of a moral ambiguity of Krull, so he turns to Rabbit. "That means they..." he says, pointing at the wererats, "...killed thirteen innocent miners."

Turning back to the woman, he asks "How many prisoners do you have and...would you consider looking for alternative accommodations?"

Putting his hand behind his back, he points at Rabbit, seemingly mumbling to himself.

Rabbit hears a whisper in Calithor's voice, "If they've killed them then I don't think we can let this stand. Much as I don't like Raskin, I'm not going to help murderers. They won't hear any reply you make."

"won't be easy to leave..There are  two options..We fight them or kill that caterpillar." says to Calithor.Without turning away his gaze from the wererats says "Rabbit I have said my piece but I ll follow your lead..you decide" and as he finishes his sentence holds tight K.O

Rabbit replies in a whisper, hoping whatever magic Calithor has works both ways. "I agree we have to help the dwarves. Let's see if we can do this without fighting first."

The woman says in response to going back to their former home. "Maybe, we lived at the Shrine of Savras, it was abandoned when we found it. And stayed there for many years till the orcs came. We overheard something about a White Dragon, chasing them away from there home, before we left."

In response to the information about prisoners' 

"Sorry, I wont divulge that, till you folks take care of the giant caterpillar." she adds "Be careful, it paralyzed and ate my boyfriend Micky"

She winks at Raskin looking him over. Then she points towards the way Margret came in and you guys camped, towards the east door.

"It's easier to get to if you use that one." 

Raskins eyes are wide with shock.

Rabbit sighs at the woman's reluctance to really work with them. "Look," she says to the woman with the rats. "You have not really offered us much reason to help you with this caterpillar.  And if we don't even know the dwarves are still living, then you don't have a deal."  She shakes her head to emphasize the point. "Even if we kill off the caterpillar, what happens then? You think the dwarves and Raskin will just leave and never bother you again? They will eventually find some way to drive you out! You have to work something out here!" (Persuasion: 7) 

"My suggestion," and she looks between Raskin and the woman as she says this, "is that perhaps you can stay here, work for Raskin in his mine, and he'll give you place to stay in his mine."  

(Perhaps Calithor can try to persuade himself? I'm guessing that roll won't help much!) 

"What can I say, madam? It is a very difficult situation. You have been displaced, and you in turn have now displaced people who are the lifeblood of the nearby communities. We can not let you stay without Rankin's say-so, but we would be happy to try to work something out. Or, you can seek shelter elsewhere. But a peaceful solution is best for all, no? One where everyone benefits."

Calithor Persuasion: 19

She gives a subtle smile

"Madam?" She laughs "Why should I trust you?  You haven't even asked who I am, or introduced yourselves . I'm not sure you folks care that much for your fellow, peoples. So you'd be willing too, clear the shrine. Our former home, for us?" 

"You shouldn't! Our names don't matter now!we just brought this prick  here(meaning Raskin) .We can clear your old house  that but need to know the dwarves will be safe " Krull replies back..he isn't sure if she ll keep her word .He whispers to Rabbit "I don't think they will let the dwarves live'

(( @DM: Does she look even slightly persuaded by Calithor's 19 persuasion? ))

Calithor nods, "It's not a question of trust, madam. In all honesty I do not trust you either -- failure to let us see your prisoners suggests strongly that many of them are already dead."

He searches her face looking for signs of deceit or guilt or even willingness to negotiate. "But what matters is that we are hired adventurers who now have a contract to see this mine safe and back in the hands of its owner. You can be part of the solution, or part of the problem. As to this shrine of yours? Well...what happens here will help decide that."

In case more persuasion is warranted: 19 (and 27 if Krull's or Rabbit's words count as help)

"Perhaps this is pointless if you are going to argue about all these irrelevant points," Rabbit says. "I did not know you were nobles in need of announcing all your titles."  She shakes her head, her voice then rises slightly. "Look, you have come here into a mine which was clearly not empty. You ask us to help you by going into what could very well be a trap, to save dwarves we never seen, and have no assurance they are even alive. If you've no interest in seeking a peaceful solution just say so and shall be so." 

"Fine, I was just hoping brave adventurers like yourselves would help us." She says flatly. "We haven't explored our new home completely cause of the miners, but we've been around the mountain, outside, and found two more entrances. One where the giant caterpillar is about 30ft up the mountain. Another at ground level where your dwarves are barricaded." She points back to the way out.

"Shame, there is supposed to be a great treasure at the shrine, hidden wealth from the now long dead citizens of Cornyberry who were murdered by the northern barbarians. Course we couldn't find the treasure, "her face perks up
"If you take care of the creature we'll give you the shrines location and a pair of goggles that helps one see in the dark. We don't want to leave here we have treasure we can dig up" She smiles "We're great diggers, and territory to hunt in."

She thinks for a second looks at Raskin "Compromise?"

"What do you mean, shela" 

"Lets let the silvery tongued one make us a contract to work together, we know how to dig tunnels not mine or smelt gold."

She looks at Calithor 

"Do you have paper?

Raskin says "I have," He goes to his donkey to retrieve it.

Calithor smiles at the outcome and, while Raskin gathers the paper, he turns to the wererat leader, "The name is Calithor Dusahl," he says with a slight bow. "I think you made a good and wise choice both for yourself and for the dwarves. With your digging skills and their mining skills, I expect that you will have a new home, a new income, and new allies in no time." He frowns briefly, wondering how many of the dwarves are dead and might hold grudges, but he would try to talk them around when the time came.

"Have you given any thought on how things should be arranged? Perhaps these other tunnels, once cleared, might suit you?" Then he leans in close, smiling, "I'd not want to live too close in the same tunnels as a bunch of dwarves. They can be quite noisy, and smell of their algae stew tends to cling."

Rabbit looks relieved that perhaps this situation is resolved. She asks Krull and Margret, "What do you think of taking on this caterpillar thing? Sounds like it will help everyone and not positive on this shrine and treasure, but might be interesting to check out?" She pauses a moment, "We do still have a couple other errands to run of course."

Calithor adds quivkly, "But we are here now...and times such as these often need a show of good will. I'd suggest we help these fine folks as a matter of urgency." Then he winks at Rabbit. "After we collect our negotiating fee from Raskin, of course."

"I trust your judgement Rabbit.A caterpillar at least doesn't have kids to mourn once we kill it" says Krull relaxing his grip on K.O "plus she said about a treasure..that ll make up for Raskin not telling the truth"

Raskin shrugs "I'm not sure how to word such a contract, its best for you do so. What do you suggest?"

Calithor smiles patronizingly at Raskin, "I can handle the words, but it's up to you two to decide the conditions. "Madame..." he turns to the wererat leader, waiting for her name, "...((Name)) would perhaps like a space for her people, and in return for a portion of the resulting minerals would be willing to dig new tunnels. They have great skill at such and can get into even smaller spaces than dwarves. I had previously suggested the unused upper caves."

He half-shrug and glances at each of them . "I will mediate, but it is up to you two to negotiate."

((@DM: I'm not a lawyer, but I'm sure Calithor is the next best thing...how should we handle this ))

Rabbit watches the discussion, a bit confused by the strange way Calithor seems to be speaking. "How long will this be? I suppose we should see to the caterpillar.  Not to mention these other dwarves.  But I guess details need to be worked out first."