Killian

"Well, once I would have brought you with us, but you refused. How now? Will you come?"

OOC > Her interpretation is that he refused help before, though she understands that it was because he was unable/willing to overcome his gibbering fear. As I said then, not her concern, she's not that kind of paladin. So this time, he gets another chance to be in control of his own destiny, to her mind. If he does not come, or is unable to choose so, she will not insist, carry him, or any such.

Hox looks around tunnel, trying to peer farther in. "Still in city...near slums. Small one...strange, Hox think that this one would just die, fear take him. He still in fear...maybe knows sewers?" Hox checks the hands and feet of the urchin.

Gruun has become increasingly on edge while being pursued in these dark tunnels. Not being a fan of enclosed spaces, their current circumstances, and not being the most even headed, he takes a very aggressive approach.

Gruun quickly moves up to the small half elf, picks him up by the throat and holds him against the wall with his Greataxe pressed into his stomach. He emits a low rumbling growl "Explain yourself."

Zane Perception: 9
Hox Perception: 20

He looks up, as if noticing the party for the first time, and gives a slight nod in response to Killian.

The urchin's hands and feet look filthy. Hox and Zane both notice a ring on one of his hands, beneath a layer of grime. There is no change to his appearance through the lens of Zane's monocle. 

The half-elf's eyes go wide with fear when Gruun holds him against the wall. He shakes his head vigorously; his mouth opens, but no words come out.

Killian

However, she is this kind of paladin.

Killian steps up to Gruun. "Put him down. His fate is his to determine, not yours, nor his life yours to take. If his fear puts him in the path of our enemies, so be it. He is suffering enough already."

Gruun responses with another low rumble before setting the half-elf down slowly and taking a couple steps back.

"I am not accustom to this. I do not like these being hunted in these small spaces, we need to find our way out."

Killian

She crouches next to the half-elf. "If you wish to end your suffering, I can do this for you," she indicates her longsword. "But if you wish to go on living, I would ask that you tell us what you know. I see you have one of the gnome's rings?"

OOC > It sort of sounds like a threat because Killian is a little messed up in the head, but she doesn't see it as threatening the half-elf. Just the facts of the matter. Totally different from what Gruun was doing! Totally. ;)

The half-elf shies away from the angered bugbear, looks down to his hand, and nods vigorously. He opens his mouth and points to it, mouthing as if to speak, but once again, no words are spoken. He still carries a look of panic, and now fear, in his eyes.

"...No tongue?" Hox says.

Killian grunts in frustration. "Have any of you a way to speak with him despite this?"

The half-elf sticks his tongue out to show that he does indeed still have it, but again points toward his open mouth and then shakes his head. He points further down the tunnel and shrugs, looking between Killian and Hox.

"No other path, so we still go same way. But the sharp ears know what we say, still no talk? Maybe shake and nod easy for small one?" Hox says as he looks to the half elf, to see if he can agree or disagree.

Zane is bothered by the new stuff that keeps interjecting his path to a long rest, so he'll take a closer look at the half-elf to see if it's a medical or magical issue.. or just stubborness.

Zane Medicine: 12

The half-elf nods to agree with Hox.

Zane takes a close look. The half-elf's silence is unlikely to be a magical issue, as the silence doesn't extend anywhere else within the tunnel. It is more likely to be a medical condition that renders him mute.

Killian taps impatiently with her foot, one eye on the closed wall-door behind them. "Can we play children's twenty queries as we move?"

"I agree. Let keep moving so we can get out of this place." Gruun casts a side look at the half elf before moving on.

The tunnel continues to brighten as you make your way forward, and you quickly find that the light is coming from the glow of a large arcane portal sitting at the far edge of a man-made room at the end of the tunnel.

The portal room is occupied. Two figures stand next to the swirling energy; a large barbarian human, wearing Sundabaran medals over his hide armor...and Fumbles McNilbog, wearing a monocle. The men react with a start to your entrance; the barbarian immediately goes on guard, reaching for his weapon, but the gnome interrupts.

"Roccar, these are my friends. Let's get them to safety!" the monocled Fumbles says.

For Hox:

Killian would like to put her monocle on. 

Zane is seemingly very relieved at seeing Fumbles, rushes towards him, hugs him and shakes both his hands. If there is a feeling of a familiar ring (of mind shielding) on one of his fingers then he will try to slide it off.

"...Clan man?" Hox reluctantly asks Roccar as he slowly approaches the two.