Bruldenthar looks at Thromkor with the sort of look he reserves for young dwarves that open their mouths in class-rooms without perhaps having thought first and says "I didn't say 'was' or 'lies' - I said is!"

"'Is'?" Thromkor scowls. "You're not suggesting Renwick is still alive. He would be ... over 500 years old!"

"In a manner of speaking - yes" Bruldenthar says. He continues "what many do not know is that according to legend, Samular fed his brother Renwick a potion of lichdom as he was dying. The transfer was successful and Renwick became an Arch-Lich. However, knowing that most people would not understand the difference, Samular commanded that a tower be built deep in the Sumber Hills where Renwick could continue his research in peace.” He looks around and says "you know this might be just that place! But why he has placed a sarcophagus obviously designed to house Samular here, I do not know?" 

Thromkor looks at Bruldenthar incredulously. "An 'arch-lich'?" He looks at Tibold and then back at the dwarf. "Sir, I have never heard of such a thing. Are you saying Renwick is an 'arch-lich' toiling away in some unknown tower ... studying?" He begins to grin. "And he inscribed on this sarcophagus an homage to the brother who ... what? ... gave him eternal life?"

Bruldenthar says "not many have. They're a bit of a contradiction." He smiles excitedly at Thromkor and continues "can't say I've ever met one either! But as they say knowledge is power and an investment in knowledge pays the best interest so it would be both interesting and fun" here Bruldenthar grins almost manically "to find out if Renwick is actually here?" Bruldenthar then winks at Thromkor and says "but the real knowledge wont be whether Renwick is here, or not,  but rather the utility of that knowledge - can we convince Renwick to help us against these Black Earthers or whatever they call themselves." 

Tibold frowns and tries to determine what he knows about archliches versus liches. Having done so, he nods to himself and looks impatiently at those who are still talking.

You there, halfling, what are you doing with that corpse.  Please everyone else stay together and we will get you out of here.  We can investigate this area further once we have rein everyone else to safety we should go

The halfling mutters something inaudible to the other halfling who was nearby and then turns to Cole and but says "nothing Sir, I was just looking at the damage done to it. It looks like it got cut in half. Do you know what did that? cos I would na wanna meet whatever did it on a dark night!"

 Gotrek gives a hearty chuckle and pats the grip of his axe affectionately. Then he turns to Thromkor and calls out,

"Are we still leaving? If so, we should get in and out as quickly as possible, so that these damned Black Earthers don't notice anything is up. We can find this dead/not-dead person when we get back"

Thromkor looks at Gotrek and then back to Bruldenthar. "He's right. Let's get you to safety. We can talk more about this later." The dragonborn then holds out an arm to encourage the dwarf historian to continue moving toward the stairs.

The Landing - 9.10 am : Day 5 - First 10 Day - Kythorn (Month of Flowers)

The party starts to make its way up the stairs to the small lit landing to stand beside the door that Gotrek had forced open just over three hours ago. However, the door which Gotrek had broken down is now once again shut and appears locked. To your left (south) you see a set of steps heading upwards.

Gotrek shoulder charges the door. Despite the fact that the hinges are on this side of the door, meaning it opens inward, his momentum would normally have been sufficient for him to open the door, but this time for some unknown reason he is unable to break down the door. The only thing that Gotrek has to show for his efforts are a sore shoulder and a bruised ego.

Gotrek turns to the others, clearly not impressed, rubbing his sore shoulder. "Do we try the stairs or double back? Unless one of you wants to try magic on the door. I personally say let's go upstairs."

"I could shatter it," Tibold replies, "but I agree. Let's try the upstairs first."

Gotrek nods and leads the way up the stairs

The Laboratory 9.12 am Day 5 - First 10 Day - Kythorn (Month of Flowers)

The party led by Gotrek and Tibold make their way up the stairs, with the rest of the group led by Thromkor and Bruldenthar closely following them. When Gotrek and Tibold get to the top of the stairs they can see that the room is 40 feet (north-south) and 50 feet (east-west). The room is light be five sconces (two immediately either side of the doorway the party is standing in, and one each in the middle the east, south and west walls), containing burned our torches that are somehow generating light. Gotrek and Tibold can see that the room has been fitted out as a laboratory, with work tables covered in alchemical apparatuses and shelves full of strange curios and dusty clay jars. The windows have been bricked up, and cobwebs hang thick in the ceiling corners. Standing with his back to them and appearing to be reading some on some sort of lecturn, whilst a pen controlled by a spectral floating hand makes notes on another lecturn to the right, is a human figure. On the left-hand of the figure’s head can be seen the bowl of a large pipe from which every now and then puffs of smoke come out; unusually neither Gotrek nor Tibold can smell anything. Without turning, a voice comes from the figure “ah the gentlemen who keep breaking down my door!”

Meanwhile back in the Crypt, Cole keeps the group shuffling forward up the stairs.

"'Gentlemen?' How polite," Tibold drawls, spectral keyboard at the ready.

"Now, if this is your door, would you be involved in the keeping in captivity of Sir Bruldenthar and etc?" he asks, eyes narrowing slightly as he keeps a curious smile plastered on his face.

Gotrek stops suddenly, and has his hand ready to draw his Great-axe if required. He then grins and gives a chuckle, "Guess there is no point denying it now." 

Gotrek then takes a careful step forward, "The name is Gotrek, and you are?"

The Laboratory

Without turning around the voice says “nice instrument.” The spectral hand then puts down the pen and flies over the Tibold’s spectral keyboard where it immediately begins playing very quickly (Tibold estimates it is playing at over a beat a second) a series of very short notes – almost one sixteenth of a normal note – resulting in a piece that is wonderfully joyful and light to listen to.

Once the hand finishes the piece and flies back to the lecturn where it picks up the pen again, the voice continues “Sir Bruldenthar, sounds like a dwarf, but I’ve never heard of him. The only reason the door is shut is it stops things wandering in from the garden which I have to clean up and that distracts me from my studies”

When Gotrek introduces himself, the hand puts down the pen, flies up into the air. It then faces the party palm up, makes a cut out motion,  points to the couch in the northwest corner and then palm down makes an up and down movement.

Gotrek turns to Tibold, "I think the floating hand wants us to sit."

He then shrugs and takes cautious steps towards the couch, not taking his eyes of spectral hand.