Fergus mulls over the words he heard spoken as he gathers the papers from the east wing of the sanctum. It occurs to him that the message’s tone as well as the means of communication are unlike any known divine tradition—this must be some other kind of powerful entity or group of entities, posing as gods to accomplish their malign ends.

The rest of the party gathers the prisoners, and they crowd onto the stone lift. Exiting at the top, they find the sanctum door - and the lock which they destroyed with psychic damage (and witty insults) - have regenerated and resealed. Fortunately, the door (and lock) opens easily from the inside.

The three woken ashenwights at the cliff strip mine give you a long look but do not interfere with your passage, nor do they have anything more to say. They continue to pantomime their mining. The three feral ashenwights glare with a certain hostility, but they do not attack nor stop you.

As you climb up the broken lift into the bunkroom, the goblins there greet you with cautious curiosity and anxious fear. "What did you do with Ruxithid the Chosen?" they ask, wide-eyed.

Quinn escorts the three freed prisoners through the mess hall, still littered with the dead, to the front double door. "We know Bryony and her family," agree the three villagers. Their memories are dim and confused, but two of them remember seeing Qelline in their group. None remember seeing Carp.

Fergus explores Ruxithid’s personal quarters. They contain a large, plush, four-poster bed covered in silk sheets. Stone shelves bearing books and ornamental ceramic jars line the walls alongside dust-covered banners embroidered with Dwarven runes. In one corner stands an elegant mahogany desk, on top of which is a map and several crumpled notes. The map on the desk is a copy of the map he just found in Ruxithid’s war room in the Sanctum below, but it’s missing the location labels. (Is there anything else Fergus wants to investigate or examine?)

Quote from cbaer8 >>

As you climb up the broken lift into the bunkroom, the goblins there greet you with cautious curiosity and anxious fear. "What did you do with Ruxithid the Chosen?" they ask, wide-eyed.

" We Boop. He gone now.", Boona answered the goblins.

Quinn can't help but chuckle at Boona's response to the goblins. He clears his throat, composes himself then offers some clarification on Boona's behalf.

"What my friend here means is, we destroyed him. Quite handily I might add. He most definitely was not chosen in any way. If he was, Ruxithid has lost favor with his gods." Quinn gives them time to let that sink in, before posing a few questions. "If earlier today you held back any information from us, due to fear from retribution, please tell us anything else you know of Ruxithid's plans and what's been going on here. He cannot hurt you now."

While Fergus explores the Ruxithid’s private suite, the rest of the party pauses in the Mess Hall to converse with the goblins. Surrounded by their dead comrades, they seem uncertain and uncomfortable. "The Sawplees will live on without Ruxithid," answers one. "But what are your plans for the Sawplees? We have been truthful with you. Ruxithid shared no other plans. He just made us steal shards of some ancient obelisk. We mean you no harm..."

(Is your intent to open the double doors and exit the front gates with the prisoners? Was Laiti given instructions? What is Fergus doing next in Ruxithid’s room?)

Fergus:

Not finding something to use the key on, Fergus starts looking at the titles of the books and grabbing a few that look interesting.Taking the map and the notes from the desk, he double checks it for a secret keyhole.

Next, he opens a few of the ornamental jars and looks for anything that might seem to have arcane significance.

Perception:  5

Arcana:  7

Quinn hears out the Sawplee goblins. 

“I did not mean any disrespect. I thank you for your honesty and standing by your word.

As for our plans for you, as long as you don’t harass or harm the people of Phandalin or the surrounding communities, then your fate for you to decide.

But can I offer a suggestion? Flee this place and start your lives anew. More people will be coming here soon and they have different plans for you and your people.”

I

Boona moves to the front gates now that the former prisoners are at least somewhat mobile and removes any bars in order to push them open.....

Fergus examines the desk for any hidden keyholes or compartments. He finds none. It occurs to him that the door to this room had a lock which this key might fit; fortunately Bryony was able to pick the lock earlier with her tools and techniques. The books seem mundane and of little resale value. The only thing remotely possibly arcane are the Dwarven runes embroidered on the dust-covered banners on the north wall, although they appear fairly ordinary. The dusty ceramic jars displayed in the bookcase appear to be canopic in nature – presumably holding embalmed organs. From one – a smooth, onyx-black jar with geometric engravings inlaid with blue gemstones – a faint murmuring can be heard. Putting his ear to it, he can hear a faint whisper. "Free me. Free me and I shall reward you!" (The jar appears to be sealed with an intricate puzzle lock, requiring the body and lid of the jar to be moved at the exact right place and angle to open. You may make an Investigation check to try to open it, or an Athletics check to try to smash it, should you choose to try either.)

"We are peaceful," reply the goblins to Quinn. "But this is our home. We shall defend it. Unless you want it, of course. We will not stop you. You may stay in the Captain's Suite, now that Ruxithid is gone..."

Boona finds the front doors closed. There are no obvious locks or bars, nor mechanisms to open these huge obsidian doors, which she recalls swing inward. She could try to pull them open with brute force, or look for a lever, or find somebody who knows how to open them...

Fergus:

"I've always wanted a tiny friend," exclaims Fergus excitedly at the talking puzzle jar.  Picking it up, he asks, "Who are you?  And why are you trapped inside this beautiful jar--or are you the jar itself?"

With no intention of smashing or opening the jar until he has had a chance to do some more research and discuss with his allies should a foul monster be released and need to be summarily destroyed, Fergus concludes his study of the room and heads out to the others, talking jar in hand.

Looking around for the friendly badger, Fergus asks the others, "Has anyone seen Bessie the Badger?  I am guessing she will want to stay here with the goblins, but it would be nice to say goodbye.  I assume we will be taking the townspeople home, even though we haven't found all of them.  Do we have any leads on where the others were taken?"

(Depending on the time of day or night, we may need to rest until dawn before we try to get the townspeople back to town.)

Boona pulls on the doors after a few seconds of looking around ineffectually for a big red button.

Athletics- 19

Jorzu 

As Quinn informs the Sawplee of their new life choices and Fergus ransacks Ruxithid's room Jorzu quietly asks Laiti to keep an eye out the arrow slits in the gate lever room. "Always something" she huffs as once more she heads off to perform a menial task on behalf of her master.

When Fergus emerges from the room he pipes up with; "Who were you talking to in there? Please tell me you don't have a rock sticking out of your head." He rushes over to inspect the back of Fergus' head.

Quinn understands the Sawplees desire to stay and defend their home. He would do the same. He continues speak to the goblins in their own language.

In Goblin:

"You honor your name by defending your home." Quinn grabs Ruxithid's scimitar and offer's it to the Sawplee. "This was Ruxithid's weapon. We won it in battle. I offer it to you out of respect. Take care of your people. Be weary of outsiders who want manipulate your and use you for your strength."  

Laiti flies to the parapet over the vestibule to watch for any activity. And there is: Right below her, where Boona is starting to pull the double stone doors open. The doors begin to rotate inward from her prodigious strength, but only rather slowly. It'll take time – a minute, perhaps – to open them wide enough for Boona to fit herself through. Outside they can see only the black of night – it is the middle of the night now, or perhaps the wee hours of the morning. Ash-black gravel is visible outside, but little else. The air is refreshingly cool and sweet in comparison to what they've been breathing.

Fergus has no rock sticking out of his head, but he is holding a jar to his ear. Jorzu and the others can hear nothing, but Fergus can hear the faint, whispered reply. "I am Hjoldak Hollowhelm, the last mining captain of Zorzula’s Rest. My soul was imprisoned in this jar by the tentacled invaders when they overtook our outpost; I have been trapped in this jar ever since. Please release me, and my treasures will be yours! I know things! I can help you!"

The goblins point to the back of the crowd, where Fergus can see Bessie standing, her fur still showing the burns from the kitchen fire earlier.

The goblins take Ruxithid's scimitar hesitantly from Quinn. "Thank you. Thank you for sparing us."

Fergus:

Holding up the jar, Fergus replies, “Thank you for your concern, Jorzu—no, here is the spent crystal from Ruxithid’s skull, I am sure you are better equipped to investigate its secrets than I.”

Handing over the crystal, he lifts the ornate jar and says, “A voice within claims to be Hjoldak Hollowhelm, the last mining captain of Zorzula’s Rest.  I am of a mind that he should be reunited with his men digging down below—what do you think, my friend?”

Upon seeing Bessie, Fergus walks over and pets her, casting one of his few remaining spells to heal her.

Cure Wounds:  9

Jorzu 

Jorzu takes the brain-rock from his friend. "Very glad you are not growing a geode in your brain. Very glad" he says with relief. "However, you are talking in riddles. A voice in a jar? Is that not the same as a gem in the head?" His relief returning to concern. "Perhaps we ask the miners below if they know of this Mr Hollowhelm. Just to be sure."

Its then that Laiti's report of what's happening sinks in. Jorzu hurriedly moves to Boona's position. "Dear Boona, we can open the doors from a lever upstairs. Please do not break the doors just yet. OK?" He has to almost fold himself over backwards to see upto her face as he speaks.

Fergus:

”A capital idea, my good gnome,” says Fergus, “Though I would appreciate company during our conversation with the three remaining lucid miners in case the situation becomes…unstable.”

As Fergus starts heading to the lift, he says, “If the presence contained in this jar is being truthful, the miners should corroborate his story.”

Jorzu 

Scurrying back to Fergus, Jorzu eyes his friend with a tiny bit of suspicion. "Maybe we leave the jar with Quinn and the others, for safe keeping, whilst we question the miners. Don't want the jar leading you...us, astray. Such a peculiarity, a talking jar..." He holds out his tiny hands waiting for Fergus to hand over Mr Hollowhelm.

Boona nods and looks at the ceiling....

Fergus:

Shrugging, Fergus hands over the jar, saying, “His voice is quiet, but audible.  If he has been in Ruxithid’s chambers all this time, he may have information of use to us in locating the other Townspeople.”

The giant badger fully healed, Fergus hands the onyx-black ceramic jar studded with blue gems to Jorzu before heading toward the broken lift in the bunk room. Bessie follows Fergus to the lift shaft.

Meanwhile, Boona waits near the front doors, which are open about ten inches to cool, inky blackness.

The goblins watch, uncertainly.