Mazra's Sunless Citadel Campaign

Fortress Level Part 5 map has been updated.

Glynt will say "Months?!!  You poor fellow, We are glad we were able to find you, do you need anything to eat or drink?  I can see that the Goblins treated you poorly.  We were sent to look for a couple of humans by their mother and were lucky to find you, can you tell us what is going on here?"

"Meepo, will your friends be able to find their own way back or do they need us to escort them?"

Glynt will add to Portia's question "...or would they rather stay with us and get a bit of payback on the Goblins?"

Xanth will keep the last skeleton outside with him for now and keep watch.

see to the now freed captives, aiding as I can in mending any critical wounds...

"I am Erky, Erky Timbers.  Thanks for the rescue," he says.  Then the Gnome responds to GLYNT, "Denier has sustained me, and the Kobolds as well.  That is unless you have an ale in your backpack, or perhaps a beef rib in your pocket."  He then respond to the other parts of your questions, "Ahh the Humans, the goblins caught three of them over a month ago, and they were captives with me in here for a while. They said their names were Talgen, Sharwyn, and Sir Braford. The goblins kept them in here only about a week before they removed them. Belak wanted them, and that’s the last I’ve heard about that.”  He then sighs, "As to what is going on here, I’ve heard the goblins talk about the Twilight Grove down below. A wicked old human called Belak—a spellcaster, I suspect—tends an enchanted garden and harvests fruit from something the goblins call the Gulthias Tree, but they speak of it only in the most terrified of whispers. The enchanted fruit grows on the Gulthias Tree.”

RAGDOR checks out the Gnome and Kobolds and find them all in remarkably good health. 

MEEPO will say, "Theez are Dirpa, Norza, and Pegma.  Thaze likez teen girlz in humanz standardz.  No fiterz!  I canz showz themz the waze back homez.  Ize toldz zem thatz weez goinz to getz Calcryx.  Thaze happeze aboutz thatz."

Glynt will reply to Meepo "This is no place for kids, we should get them home safe and sound"  

He then starts to talk to the others "So the kids were alive around 3 weeks ago, and were taken to a guy called Belak.  I can't remember, is this the first time we heard of this tree?"

(EDIT:  There is a way to do a word search by thread.  I just noticed this.  This is the first time the party has heard the name Gulthias Tree.)

MEEPO will be able to direct the Kobolds back to safety.

"So this tree might be to do with the twig blights too by association, seeing as Yusdrayl linked the fruit to the blights, and now the fruit is linked to the tree. We should probably make our way there after helping rescue Calcryx."

Passing Erky a skin of Dwarven Stout, here you go master Timbers. Do I recall anything about a magic user named Belak or a Gulthias tree? History rolled a 3...

Erky will look at PORTIA, “Twig blights, yes, they live in the level below, with the Gulthias Tree.”  When Calcryx is mentioned, "Is that the dragon?  The Goblins are terrified of the dragon."

"Leave it to a Dwarf to carry some stout with them,"  He take a big swig from the skin and hands it back to RAGDOR.  "Thank you sir."

RAGDOR will not have any knowledge of Belak or the Gulthias Tree.

Pulling some dried meat from my rations and offering to him, master Timbers sir, what brings you down here?

Glynt will work with Portia (or whoever else wants to look around and give advantage) to have a look around the room to look for Erky's equipment in case they left it in this room and see what else is lying around.

Investigation: 12 

Portia will be helping with that. As part of the help, she is particularly trying to help with anything the three humans might have left behind (like a signet ring we are here to collect)

MEEPO leads the three teenage Kobolds to the caltrop hall and tells them the way back to safety.   They hurry along.  Erky bids the Kobolds a fond farewell in their language.

Erky gladly takes RAGDOR's piece of dried meat, "It's not a beef rib, but it will do.  Thanks!"  He then tells the Cleric, “Months past, I was on my way to seek my fortune and took the Old Road. My bad luck that the goblin bandits caught me; I’ve been here ever since.  Denier's blessings have kept me and the Kobolds healthy; otherwise I’m sure we'd all be dead from starvation and abuse.”

GLYNT and PORTIA will not find anything of value in the Stockade.  Erky will add, "They took all my stuff, including, unfortunately, my spellbook."

(Now what do you do?)

Portia will turn to Meepo when he returns. "Do the goblins have another way out of here then? Seeing as they caught Erky here from outside. Or do they come and go through your area without being captured?"

Xanth will step into the room.

"Hello Erky, I'm Xanth and a man of the wild. You mentioned Denier is that your patron are you a cleric? "

MEEPO will look at PORTIA, "Nastize Goblinzez only camez to takez Calcryx.  Meepo knowz nothingz elz."

(OOC - I wondered the same thing when I started to go through the module.  How were the Goblins getting out since they would need to pass through Kobold territory?  I will go ahead and reveal this.  There is another way into the Underdark in the lower level.  Meepo and the other Kobolds are unaware of this route.  And along with this other route another way topside.)

"Well met XANTH!," Erky says.  "I am an Aspirant of Denier, the Lord of Glyphs and Great Sage of knowledge and magic." he says proudly.  "And I am somewhat of a prestidigiator,"  he adds.  "PRESTIDIGITATOR, Prestidigitator, prestidigitator," He repeats loudly at first, then less loudly, and then finally with a whisper.  He sighs, "I just like the sound of the word.  And Prestidigitation is the only spell I can recall without my spellbook."  He then cast Prestidigitation on himself.  His clothes become as though they have been recently pressed.  Any smudges or dirt goes away,.  His boots look shined.  Even his hair looks combed and neat.

By my beard that's a handy charm. Guess we should be heading on, Master Timbers here is welcome to come along as far as I'm concerned, if'in he like. I don't like the idea of us heading back, giving up what ground we've gained an' allowing them to fortify a defense.