"We're not in danger right now," Elra says, reaching out to study the shield and pray to Oghma about it. "I just want to check you out a little more closely." And will spend 10 minutes meditating over the shield, asking for Oghma's guidance about what the shield was, and if she could help the soul within. She also asks about Gundren, hoping to find a way to better help him.

(Bacon go ahead and give me an Arcana check as well, please.)

"Oh, good" responds the shield with regard to any danger.  "I still sense...nervousness..."

Elra confirms what Ethan had figured out, that the shield's frightened state would make it/him an ineffective defense in battle (net -2 AC).  She discerns that this would be true whether one bonds with the shield or not, but that you could attune with the shield none the less.  She doesn't discover any properties that might change once bonded with the item, but does get the sense that the item itself, with its sentient nature, might have some control over all of this.

With her knowledge of both the Arcane and the Divine, Elra doesn't think it would be easy to try to separate the sentient being or the soul itself from the shield.  She does think it would be possible however, and that willingness on the part of the trapped being would aid in the process.  Lastly, she determines that while a powerful wielder of the arcane might be able to purge the shield through raw magical power, the sentient being within might be destroyed or, at best, left to fend for itself in whatever state it was left in.  Divine power, however, might accomplish a similar goal but also be able to guide the soul out safely and on to wherever it should have gone upon death in the first place.

"Well the good news is you're not cursed!" Elra says brightly. "And..." she trails off. "I'll have to send another letter to Loremaster Altervast, but I think there might be a way to free you from the shield and let you move on. I wouldn't be able to do it though, I don't have that kind of power."

Ethan looks over as Elra starts talking to the shield.

"Oh that's good to hear."

Ethan addresses the shield directly.

"You can come with us, we will keep you safe until we are able to workout that we need to do to free you."

Ethan looks to Elra,

"Do you want to have a look at these two other items as well?"

Ethan open his gauntlet and half pulls out the Longsword, seeing if Elra wants it right now.

Elra looks to Gundren to see how he's doing, "Ya, I'll take a look at them right now..."

"I apologize for confusing the term 'offering' with 'dinner'. I'm glad the goblins have been prompt with your food.

As for what I have been searching for? My children have told me of a band of adventurers who have been dismantling Grol's banditry operations. I search for them."

"A band of adventurers?!  Mosst interesting!  Perhaps I was misinformed; deceived even?"  He pauses to flick at the panicked goat once again.  "I was told that it was YOU, dear Sspider, that came to my domain to sseek out a great treasure of legend.  Perhaps I should sseek out these adventurers instead?  Interesting... I would have offered you a choice, dark one, to share in this treasure you sseek, or to be my enemy.  Perhaps I should present these adventurers you sspeak of with the same choice?"

"Of course, if they accept, that would make he who hunts them our collective enemy, no?  Alternatively, if you were to catch them and lead me to their treasure, that would do just as well.  What a quandary!"  Venomfang seems mostly amused by the situation, not at all frustrated or even particularly confused.

"Brinzak the Wise, who should I trust to bring me this great treasure to sshare?  Your Sspider, or the Sspider's prey?"

Zeke holds eye contact with Venomfang as he responds to the monster 'Briznak the Wise?' the slightest of snorts from the tiefling  'No, more like Brizank the Silent or perhaps Briznak the Loyal.'  

He deliberately breaks eye contact by scanning the rest of the area, the slow methodical, automatic scan of a professional.  'Although if I was wise, I'd wonder why anyone should be bringing anyone any treasure at all.  Fortunately, such decisions don't fall to the likes of me.'

Venomfang's torso shakes as he laughs at Brinzak's reply, the sound reverberating off of what is left of the castle and the party members themselves as well.

"Brinzak the BOLD!... questions why I might keep a meager portion of treasure from my own lands.  I think I may like you even more now, Brinzak the not sso ssilent.  Come closer, brave one, so I might get a better look at you."  Venomfang takes two steps closer to the party.  (and  is now just within 100ft, DC 16 Wisdom save if Zeke chooses to move closer to the dragon due to his Frightful Presence.)

"And what of you, Ssspider?  Who do you imagine could help me with my quandary?  I am burdened with protecting the loyal tenants on this domain and ensuring no one steals from uss.  I'd rather share our treasure with loyal friends such as your servant Yeemik than allow others to come plunder our hidden treasures."

"Ah, yes. Yeemik. His cunning has...surprised me lately. Grol has been so...tiresome.

But would you really break your compact for a petty bit of treasure? You'd sell me out to these adventurers to fill your hoard? What am I supposed to think of that?"

 As the hulking creature steps towards him, Zeke feels his blood run cold, as sheer terror begins to creep it's way through him.

Steadying himself, the barbarian shifts his stance ever so slightly, opening his hips and preparing to grab Arvel and fall back to the relative safety of the castle if the dragon comes any closer.

Venomfang has a deep laugh once again as Zeke steadies himself but does not advance.  "Fear not, Brinzak the Bold, I am not inclined towards having tiefling for dinner.  I am merely quite curious who I might count as friends and who I might be leery of in my own territory, and would have a better look at you."  The green dragon gently lowers his head, squints at Zeke and sniffs the air in his direction.  He then pulls back slowly, and with a flourish of a front claw teases the poor goat yet again.

He seems slightly more irritated at Arvel, replying "compact?"  "What compact would we have when you have been avoiding me until now?  No matter.  Perhaps I will help you hunt these 'adventurers' for the thrill of it, and of course as the protector of those who live in my domain and are loyal.  Who are they?  What do they call themselves?  What do they look like?  What do they sssmell like?"  By the end of it he seems amused again, intrigued by the idea of new prey.

Also...

The shield responds to Elra "not cursed?"  "Oh my, well that's good.  Free me from the shield?  Move on?  Hmmm, well I suppose that would be a good thing.  Then what happens to me?  I suppose if I have to be dead, this isn't so bad, for now.  You all seem to be very nice.  Thank you for keeping me safe.  If I could only remember... the shadow... the dragon!  He was so big... it was so hot...oh!  The fire!  Fire?  Let's see, then he must of been, yes!  I do remember!  He was a red, a huge red!  A he was upon us, yes...it was hot, so hot, and then it went dark... everything went dark..."

"That's.. horrible," Elra says. "You burned to death?"

"Well one cannot make assumptions when working to verify a hypothesis.  Let's review the evidence we have gathered.  There was the shadow, and I had to protect him, so there I was, and I turned and then it was so hot, and red, and bright...oh....YUP!  Ouch..."

"Him? Who's him? Were you trying to protect someone?"

"So you would ally yourself with these interloping adventurers in exchange for treasure? What assurances do you even think you could give them that would convince them to trust you? I'm sorry if my delaying our meeting has upset you, but is that really a reason to turn against me?"

"I'm sorry you went through so much pain..." Elra whispers, "No one deserves to suffer through that and then be forced to live on trapped the way you are."