Quote from JcAndD >>

Pascal just nods along, “Alkeemeast... hmm. Wait a minute! Y’all, think they might be sayin’ alchemist!” Pascal gives a pleased grin, proud to be the first one (clearly) to figure it out.

"We just say that, you not understand? He must be dum-dum, not like us... uhh me... we..."

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

Once information has started to be shared, Hildigrim tries to pay attention. Does he get any ideas of who the ettin might be talking about from their descriptions through his distractions? General intelligence check? 19

"Spider folk" who are similar to elves sounds like the Drow. (With your recent interactions with the Bregan D’aerthe, you would know that most Drow worship Lolth, demon goddess with spider properties.)

The other two are ambiguous at first. "Fish folk" might be mermen or sahaugin, and "stinky lizards" reminds you of Pascal when he is experimenting with Limburger cheese. But since this is a deep-underground dungeon, the most likely candidates are the Kuo-toa and the troglodyte.

"If the alchemist is friendly, we may be able to barter some knowledge of the route to the surface with him."

Quillary nods at Jorin's comment. "And a learned person is more likely to talk first, rather than fight. No guarantee the drow will be friendly, and those others sound... well, like monsters. I say we visit the alchemist."

(I'll wait to see if there is agreement to go east to visit the Alchemist.)

"Monsters?" Hildigrim repeats. "That is an apt description for a troglodyte — the 'stinky lizards' — but not so much for a kuo-toa — the 'fish folk'. 'Insane' is a word often used to describe kuo-toa," the halfling says, raising his eyebrows. "They are so obsessed with religion that they often worship gods no one else has ever heard of. I'm not one to appreciate the worship of any particular being ... no offense," he says to Drusk, "but even I recognize there is an accepted pantheon." He pauses. "I would suggest avoiding both. One is potentially dangerous while the other is almost assuredly dangerous." He concludes, acting for all the world like he was the first to suggest this course of action.

Quillary just nods with Hildigrim, taking no offense.

(I'll assume that the party is headed to the location of the alchemist.)

A - Passage from Skullport
B - First cavern
C - JibberJabber (ettin)
D - according to the ettin, passage to the river
E - Q's rat fled this way
F - Volo noticed Piercers on the ceiling here (can avoid walking underneath them)
G - location of the Alchemist

After the party leaves the ettin and goes east (to your last location) and east again, you then move to the north cavern.

The walls are set with shelves at various heights. They hold numerous gourds that are corked/stoppered. A rough-hewn block of stone in the middle of the cave serves as a table. It is covered with a set of alchemist’s supplies. Behind the table is a shabbily dressed young man, who is aware of your approach. He is muttering "yes, yes, yes" to himself, and otherwise is waiting for the party to speak up.

Hildigrim takes a break from looking over his shoulder to give a little bow to the young man. "Greetings," the halfling begins. "I am Hildigrim Goodbody." He proceeds to introduce the others from smallest to largest. "Sorry to bother you, but we are on a journey to the surface. Would you happen to know the way?"

The young man's  speech is a bit erratic, as he seems to get distracted by any noise or movement. (It then takes him a few seconds to realize he was still speaking.)

He looks confused at Hildigrim's statement. "The way out? I don't even know the way in! ... Do you know? Wait... that doesn't matter... Nevermind...

"Are you here to barter for a potion? Sightseeing? Really long game of Hide & Seek?"

"From whom do you hide?" Quillary asks, stepping closer. "Or is it you who are seeking?"

She can also get distracted!

"I'm not part of your Hide & Seek game. You should know that, unless you are scatter-brained... Are you scatter-brained? If you are, you may not know that... so never mind.

"Hiding... No need to hide. When whats-his-name... the Mad Mage... Halaster, that's it!... When whats-his-name kidnapped me from... somewhere that I forget... and dumped me here, then surely he knows where I am. Even if I don't.

"As far as seeking... Not seeking anything. Just bartering my potions to get materials to make potions. I am the Alchemist, after all. Or if you find any special crystals or gemstones, I'd like to get those, that helps with the alchemy."

Note: For those who have spent more time in Waterdeep than Drusk, you've heard children's tales of Halaster Blackcloak, the Mad Mage, who came hundreds (or maybe thousands) of years ago to make his tower in Mount Waterdeep. He conquered duergar and drow, claiming ancient halls built by dwarves and elves from times that even they don't remember... How much is history and how much is urban legend, you don't know, but it explains why tribes of monsters fight to control these dungeons, and why adventurers lower themselves into the hole beneath the Yawning Portal.

They all hope to acquire the power and wealth left behind, when the Mad Mage left for other planes, or died of old age, or became lost somewhere in the dark under-mountain, or (half a dozen other fantastical theories about what happened to him).

Jorin slings his pack in front of him and digs through for a moment before pulling out a bottle of transparent liquid.  He holds it up to the light and gives it a gentle swirl, watching a sliver of material move around inside.  "Perhaps this is focus your thoughts.  We seek the way out, back to the surface.  This is a potion of great power, drinking it makes you as strong as a hill giant.  I would be willing to part with it for such knowledge."

OOC - Jorin has Potion of Hill Giant Strength that he is offering to barter

(OOC: Jorin & Quillary roll for Insight checks.)

Insight: 20

Quillary’s Insight check: 20

The Alchemist, being brought here against his will, does not know the way to the surface. Quillary and Jorin realize that he does not know, and does not seem to care about such knowledge.

(Keep in mind that the passage you were told about by Marcher is a shortcut to the well underneath the Yawning Portal. It is concealed, and not well known. Inhabitants of these caverns are unlikely to know about it. If they tell you a way to the surface, it will likely involve traveling through the multiple floors of dungeon above you, instead of the shortcut.)

The Alchemist is not interested in Jorin's potion, or any magic items. He has certain potions, which can be obtained by giving him large quantities of certain local mushrooms and explorer's/adventurer's equipment. Other than that (and any unusual crystals/gems you find in these caverns), he isn't interested. (OOC: If you want more details, you'll have to ask. But he only has 2 types of common potions for sale.)

For Jorin only:

At the mention of the Mad Mage Halaster, Hildigrim almost chuckles. He looks at his friends dubiously before asking, "Halaster? Brought you here? Why, you must be hundreds of years old then," he says, a joke in his tone of voice. He looks at Quillary and lowers his voice. "I think this alchemist is as mad as Halaster himself." Raising his voice and looking at the shabby young man again, Hildigrim decides to be a little more specific. "Do you perhaps know where there is a quartz outcropping that looks a little like a sun in a blue sky over a green field?"

Jorin's face hardens a bit as his hands go the the grips of his weapons, and rest there.  He sets his gaze on the alchemist and says in a stern voice, "Alchemist, I do not enjoy being taken for a fool.  End this act and tell me who you are." 

Quillary blinks at Jorin, and trusting her companion, slides her hand to where her club rests in her belt.

Quote from Guiltysparc >>

Jorin's face hardens a bit as his hands go the the grips of his weapons, and rest there.  He sets his gaze on the alchemist and says in a stern voice, "Alchemist, I do not enjoy being taken for a fool.  End this act and tell me who you are." 

The young man takes a step back, a look of surprise on his face. "I can see that you are far from being a... fool. But let me explain in simple words."

Slowly reaches into his jacket on the left side, and pulls out a vial of (unknown) common potion. "Alchemy."

Reaches into his jacket on the right side, and pulls out a different vial of (unknown) common potion. "Alchemy."

Reaches to one of the gourds on the shelf behind him. He pulls out the stopper, and makes a ghastly face as green smoke from the gourd reaches his nose. After rapidly pushing the stopper back on the gourd, and waiting for the air to clear, he gasps out, "Failure, but still alchemy."

He then taps his chest. "The Alchemist, who does alchemy. I don't know what else you were expecting."

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

At the mention of the Mad Mage Halaster, Hildigrim almost chuckles. He looks at his friends dubiously before asking, "Halaster? Brought you here? Why, you must be hundreds of years old then," he says, a joke in his tone of voice.

"Do you perhaps know where there is a quartz outcropping that looks a little like a sun in a blue sky over a green field?"

The Alchemist waves his arm towards the walls. "I haven't seen any quartz outcroppings like that in my cave. If its somewhere around here, look all you want.

"You might want to talk to the ettin, in a cave to the west. He's been here a lot longer than me. He is a good friend of mine. His name... his name... is... Jib-Sail Jabroni.

"As for my age... You see me as I am, hardly hundreds of years old. I don't have any potions for cataracts, but if find any, you should get one."

(Some of the urban legends about the Mad Mage have him still lurking about, as a cloaked figure, or a distant observer, or a misty specter, or a flame-rimmed eye. The reasons why he would still be around are also varied: he became a ghost, or a celestial, or a fiend, or went to the timeless Astral plane and just returned.)