"Sorry...tricky lock. Guess they prefer you in a cage. Maybe that bugbear had a key or something?" Rees steps back from the cage and will head back to check the bodies of the bugbear and goblins unless someone stops her.
Make an investigation check please.
Investigation: 9
Among the dead you find some scraps of rat jerky, a set of knucklebone die, two daggers, two shortbows, and a spiked club... but no keys.
Rees will take the bowstrings, the dice, and the jerky and put them in her pack, bringing the daggers and club back for Talien or anyone else who wants them.
“Personally, I don’t know that I trust him. Last time we let people out, we got attacked by that doppelgänger. But...” she frowns, thinking of Arxius and what she’d been trough in the past. “People don’t belong in cages. Shake, if we find your things do you have something that might help get you out so Grom doesn’t have to use magic?”
"I suppose If I want to get out of here I will have to trust you. I believe those are my things in the chest. If you bring me the sack that should be in there then I might be able to use my multi-purpose instrument tuner to pluck my way out. I have very nimble fingers."
Shake's face lights up when he sees his sack. "Yes that's it. Please, bring it here. And as I already told you, I was kidnapped from a nearby village to entertain Balek. He must have gotten bored with only goblin and bugbears for company."
Talien seeming to try to follow his friends questioning pulls his sword out to cut Shake through the bars. Answer my friends. The truth. Or I will cut it out of you.
Well . . . No. I'm not sure. He hasn't actually told us much about himself or why Balock is holding him prisoner.
Honestly, I'm not sure it is worth wasting your magical powers when we might need them later. What do you think Grom?
To Alten: I have something that might work, but i have really just scratched the surface of what this is capable of doing but if i understand this correct it should unlock this cage... but it will make a really really loud noise....
to Talien & Reese & Alten: This is new magic, like i said i am confidant this would open it but it would also give away our position to anyone around here that something is happening... If we plan on getting some sleep soon me doing this isnt a big deal.. if were not sleeping then opening this with magic is slightly more dangerous as it will limit what i can do going forward
I'm worried about the noise down here. I've seen a wizard use an unlocking spell before, assuming that's what you're talking about. Hold off a minute.
To Shake
Come Shake. No need to be coy. Annswer our questions honestly and we may end up being great friends. But we're tired and weary. We've been burned by bards we thought were our friends and your circumstances are strange, at least from our perspective. Convince us.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
"I didn't know that Balek had other bards. What were the chances?" He continues to look at the point of Talien's sword for a moment before seeming to come to a decision. "Fine. Balek did not kidnap me because of my bardic talents. Though I am a musician who knows songs in Dwarfish, Elfish and Common and do have some bardish skills. Truth is, if you must know, I came down here to kill Balek. You see, he murdered my family and took everything we had. When Balek's goblins found me sneaking around down here and took me captive they thought I was a simple thief, and I didn't disabuse them of the idea. Since then I've just been waiting for my chance to end his existence. So if you're his stooges then go ahead and kill me, at least if I die I will know that I died attempting to avenge my family." Shake lays his chest bare for Talien's sword.
Talien touches the tip of his blade to Shakes chest and draws a trickle of blood, pulls his blade away and cleans/sheaths it. He tells Shake, That is for your dishonesty. Next time I will not be so generous. He turns to the others and says I am going to rest. Talien moves between the cage and wall, as he walks he pulls his sword back out and freezes like a statue facing the party and cage.
Talien puts his sword in the sheath on his back and rummages in his pack for the crowbar. He moves to the cage with Alten. Ready friend?
Strength check 10
Warforged Fighter Talien
Is this your stuff Shake?
Hearing Talien's words, Alten moves back in order to provide the Help action.
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
After the failed lock pick, and the crowbar attempt, Grom will close his book and walk over..
to Alten: So we really want this character out of here? we are sure that is something we want?
Grombrindal "The White Dwarf" (Dwarf - Wizard) - Fenris_Worldsbane's Tales from the Yawning Portal

Rees will take the bowstrings, the dice, and the jerky and put them in her pack, bringing the daggers and club back for Talien or anyone else who wants them.
Rees Changeling Rogue in Tales From the Yawning Portal: Sunless Citadel
Nikya Centaur Blood Hunter in Death House Halloween Oneshot
Well . . . No. I'm not sure. He hasn't actually told us much about himself or why Balock is holding him prisoner.
Honestly, I'm not sure it is worth wasting your magical powers when we might need them later. What do you think Grom?
Looking at Rees and Talien
What do you two think?
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
“Personally, I don’t know that I trust him. Last time we let people out, we got attacked by that doppelgänger. But...” she frowns, thinking of Arxius and what she’d been trough in the past. “People don’t belong in cages. Shake, if we find your things do you have something that might help get you out so Grom doesn’t have to use magic?”
Rees Changeling Rogue in Tales From the Yawning Portal: Sunless Citadel
Nikya Centaur Blood Hunter in Death House Halloween Oneshot
You see the bars bend slightly, but not enough for Shake to squeeze through.
Shake takes a deep sigh.
"I suppose If I want to get out of here I will have to trust you. I believe those are my things in the chest. If you bring me the sack that should be in there then I might be able to use my multi-purpose instrument tuner to pluck my way out. I have very nimble fingers."
Shake - Fenris Worldsbane's Tales From the Yawning Portal: Sunless Citidal
Randy Doe - Water Deep: Dragon Heist
My Thingiverse Profile
Alten picks up the sack.
Is this it? I go back to my question about why you're stuck. What does Balek want with you?
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
Shake's face lights up when he sees his sack. "Yes that's it. Please, bring it here. And as I already told you, I was kidnapped from a nearby village to entertain Balek. He must have gotten bored with only goblin and bugbears for company."
Shake - Fenris Worldsbane's Tales From the Yawning Portal: Sunless Citidal
Randy Doe - Water Deep: Dragon Heist
My Thingiverse Profile
"Except he had another bard -- two, actually -- in his clutches already. So what makes you special, Shake?"
Rees Changeling Rogue in Tales From the Yawning Portal: Sunless Citadel
Nikya Centaur Blood Hunter in Death House Halloween Oneshot
Talien seeming to try to follow his friends questioning pulls his sword out to cut Shake through the bars. Answer my friends. The truth. Or I will cut it out of you.
Warforged Fighter Talien
To Alten: I have something that might work, but i have really just scratched the surface of what this is capable of doing but if i understand this correct it should unlock this cage... but it will make a really really loud noise....
to Talien & Reese & Alten: This is new magic, like i said i am confidant this would open it but it would also give away our position to anyone around here that something is happening... If we plan on getting some sleep soon me doing this isnt a big deal.. if were not sleeping then opening this with magic is slightly more dangerous as it will limit what i can do going forward
Grombrindal "The White Dwarf" (Dwarf - Wizard) - Fenris_Worldsbane's Tales from the Yawning Portal

To Grom
I'm worried about the noise down here. I've seen a wizard use an unlocking spell before, assuming that's what you're talking about. Hold off a minute.
To Shake
Come Shake. No need to be coy. Annswer our questions honestly and we may end up being great friends. But we're tired and weary. We've been burned by bards we thought were our friends and your circumstances are strange, at least from our perspective. Convince us.
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
Talien slides his sword into the bars at the dwarf as From and Alten talk. Speak! Are you a shifter like Chatra?
Warforged Fighter Talien
"Easy, Talien, put your sword away. He'll talk because he knows how easy it would be for us to leave him here. Right, Shake?"
Rees Changeling Rogue in Tales From the Yawning Portal: Sunless Citadel
Nikya Centaur Blood Hunter in Death House Halloween Oneshot
Shake looks at the tip of Talien's sword.
"I didn't know that Balek had other bards. What were the chances?" He continues to look at the point of Talien's sword for a moment before seeming to come to a decision. "Fine. Balek did not kidnap me because of my bardic talents. Though I am a musician who knows songs in Dwarfish, Elfish and Common and do have some bardish skills. Truth is, if you must know, I came down here to kill Balek. You see, he murdered my family and took everything we had. When Balek's goblins found me sneaking around down here and took me captive they thought I was a simple thief, and I didn't disabuse them of the idea. Since then I've just been waiting for my chance to end his existence. So if you're his stooges then go ahead and kill me, at least if I die I will know that I died attempting to avenge my family." Shake lays his chest bare for Talien's sword.
Shake - Fenris Worldsbane's Tales From the Yawning Portal: Sunless Citidal
Randy Doe - Water Deep: Dragon Heist
My Thingiverse Profile
Alten tosses him the sack.
That sounds like the truth
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." A Camus
Talien touches the tip of his blade to Shakes chest and draws a trickle of blood, pulls his blade away and cleans/sheaths it. He tells Shake, That is for your dishonesty. Next time I will not be so generous. He turns to the others and says I am going to rest. Talien moves between the cage and wall, as he walks he pulls his sword back out and freezes like a statue facing the party and cage.
Warforged Fighter Talien
@TeamPlayer you can attempt to pick the lock