"Gnomish Magicks!" Kwisatz is barely able to contain his excitement, and continues "From one gnome to another, I'll do what I can to help. Plus, I've never met a king, let alone two! Regarding the dragons. The areas around here have been complaining of dragons recently. Honestly, I don't know much about it. I was just excited to have a chance to study the creatures. You know they're said to be astonishingly clever! I'd love to know what magicks they too have access to!"

Sael looks at Kwisatz, and says somewhat jokingly "Perhaps the shape-shifter is a dragon?"

((history/arcana 11 - does Kwisatz know anything about dragons being shapeshifters?)) "Well now that's a fascinating theory..."

Most of what people in this area know about dragons is only myth. They're not common, but none of the mythologies that Kwiz has heard has mentioned anything about shape-shifting dragons.

Both Fibblestib and Dabbledob look very concerned at the news that there are reports of dragons. Fibblestib speaks up, "If there really are dragons around, then it's very important for us to fix whatever is wrong with the king. Let's go see if they'll talk with you. If nothing else, we need to tell them about the dragon, anyway."

Fibblestib then leads the party up to the kings' chambers. Oban stays in the workshop with Dabbledob. A motherly instinct coming over her, she asked Oban to stay behind so that she could talk with him. Oban, make another Constitution Saving throw, this time with advantage, as Dabbledob tries to talk with you about what you saw. She gives you a bit of a pep talk and gives you a little bit of "tough love" in a manner of speaking. 

The rest of the party, when you reach the kings' chambers, Fibblestib knocks hard on the door, "My kings! We have guests from Phandalin. They have some dire news."

After what feels like five minutes, but was really only about 1 or 2, a man with a wobbly voice responds, "Dire news? Has the shapechanger taken more of our people? Whoever you are, you need to leave as quickly as possible! There is a shapechanger about. It's already taken two of my people."

Fibblestib looks to the party asking with his eyes for you to fill in the blanks.

Sael speaks up "We're not leaving until we solve this problem, and we need to see you for ourselves. If there really is a shape-shifter than you also need to be investigated, wouldn't you agree?  We've come to help you."  She hesitates.  "We feel for your losses."

Sael, roll persuasion.

((Crap, I'm better at Intimidation.  lol))

Sael rolls persuasion: 7

The king responds, "I'm not opening this door until you've brought me proof that you've killed the shapechanger. I was attacked and almost killed by the creature before it took the other two. And, I can't risk it getting in here and killing Gnerkli."

Sael breathes heavily out of her nose.  "Can you at least describe it for us?  And why is Gnerkli unable to protect himself?"

Sael decides to pull the other two back a bit and whispers to them "I wonder if this ...King, is the actual shape-shifter."

Fibblestib rubs his chin in contemplation. "Welll, that's one possibility, but..."

Before he finishes his sentence, King Korboz, almost scoldingly, yells through the door, "Gnerkli is my husband! Of course I'm going to do everything I can to protect him. Now, either kill the beast or leave this place." You can hear footsteps walking away from the door.

Fibblestib, in a quieter tone, says, "Well, the way the king tells it, he was initially attacked while in his chambers. The beast supposedly took the form of a tapestry on his wall, attacked him, and after it failed in killing the king, it fled the chambers. The next thing we know, two gnomes were sent to go get a barrel of wine from the wine cellar, but no one ever saw them again. So, the kings were already in their chambers when our clansmen went missing. It couldn't have been the kings that did it."

CON save w/ adv : 19

At first Dabbledob's words were only heard as a faint mumbling in the back ground as Oban played the sight of the red mist spraying him over and over gain in his mind. Finally making eye contact with Dabbledob, her words came rushing in, "Really, you want to be an adventurer but you cannot even handle a little blood, well maybe more than blood. Must have been a little of everything ya know, brains, ichor, bones, organs. It's almost fascinating, ya know, scientifically I mean. You need to toughen up deary..." At this point Oban pukes all over Dabbeldob.

Turning away from the possible sound of someone yacking down the hall, Sael looks to her mates and asks "Anyone think it's possible that there's more than one entrance to that room, and that those 2 gnomes ended up in the room with the Kings?  Maybe even with the wine..."

She then looks at Fibblestib.  "Who ordered those gnomes to grab the wine?  Also, just because they went missing doesn't mean they have anything to do with any of this, but I want to be sure."

"Well, they weren't ordered, as such," Fibblestip responds. "Dimble is in charge of the kitchen crews, and he would have sent them. But, they were just getting ready for dinner and were gathering the wine as part of their cooking duties like they do every night."

Now that Oban has tossed his cookies and gotten that tough pep talk from Dabbledob, he's feeling good enough to continue on with the others, should he choose to.

Oban will join the others, seeming a bit embarrassed. 

”No, that seems entirely fair, Oban.” Rush is shaking his head at all the insanity here. “Perhaps we should start in the basement.”

"That's a fantastic idea Oban." Kwisatz says "When doing research it's always good to start with what information you currently have. I do wonder what type of beast or creature this could be. Duncan here is also very curious!" and turning towards the door he adds in Gnomish:

 As soon as Kwiz finished speaking in Gnomish to the Kings, there was a shout of surprise that bordered on a scream. It sounded like it came from Dabbledob. 

Hearing the scream Oban dashes pack to the room with Dabbledob.

Oban, roll perception.