Tex will breathe in the morning air in the cavern, excited to be around gnomes again. He will adjust his cloak, fix his pack and put on his goggles of night before analyzing the several entrance options, searching for one that may not need a sheer cliff climb (the first entrance on the east side of the cavern, with the zig zag?) INVESTIGATION 17

Quietly, Tex will turn to the group and say, “Allow me to do at least some of the talking, I’ve grown up in a very gnomish household and will be able to talk shop with them. However, from my understandings of what my mother taught me, we should be very cautious, keeping an eye out for dangers, gnomish traps are exceedingly deadly. To Lanarial’s query, gnomes often hide their true entrances, these ledges are likely not meant to be entered, however, if we can get either their attention to let them know why we’re here, or can get past their traps, I should still be able to make them understand our presence.”

Earlier: At Lanarial's thanks, Silvi merely gives him a nod and a slight smile before using prestidigitation to clean her hands and clothes of leftover blood and dirt, doing the same for Lanarial if he doesn't object. The half-elf sees the scars, but doesn't question Lanarial on their source, although she resolves to perhaps do so later, when they have had a little more time to become friends.

Now: Silvi nods to Tex. "Fine with that. And yeah, let's be careful. I don't feel like being blown up today." She does her best to keep an eye out on the way up.

Perception: 2

But apparently her best isn't very good!

Before going to bed while the others are talking, Iri sits down and meditates. She hears the calling slightly in her mind that had drawn her to the woods before. As she rests there, a small plant grows in front of her sprouting berries. (Casting goodberry twice using my last 2 spell slots to make 20 berries that heal 1hp and last 24 hours.) When she is done she hands them to everyone, 4 each. "For tomorrow, they will sustain you and keep you healthy." 

"Ooh, gnomes? I wonder what they are like? Can they make cool things like this dragon?" Iri follows Tex closely, somewhat hiding behind his immense frame. Passive perception 15 to notice any things that might be a secret door or path. 

You see 2-foot-tall mushrooms that are growing atop two small islands in the middle of this 3-foot-deep pool. The islands are perpetually shrouded in mist from the waterfall up ahead. They seem to be growing abnormally large in size for a cave mushroom. How peculiar. The mushrooms are in three colors. Red, green, and Purple. There is a large loud waterfall up ahead. The waterfall plunges 60 feet, its mist lightly obscuring a 35-foot-long rope bridge firmly anchored to 20-foot-high ledges. It sags so that its midpoint is only 15 feet above the water.

A gnome guard, if he could even be called that, calls out from the left side of the bridge by the waterwall. "Excuse me! Are you all here to slay the gross tentacle monster???" he shrieks out, trying to be loud and get your attention. He seems afraid and desperate.

Tex waves to the gnome sentry and speaks out to him:

We are here for a number of reasons, but it appears you have some immediate problems. See, we’re in the habit of volunteering our services to concerned peoples such as yourself. We would like to speak more on this however, we do not know how to enter your domicile. Would you be so kind as to point us in the direction of the entrance?

PERSUASION: 17

"Is it back there and on the other side of the stream?" Lanarial points east and a little north. "Oh, and where is the monster? That would be helpful to know, too..."

At your offer to help, the gnome gets very exited and ignores all of your other questions, pointing to the other end of the bridge and making you all climb up to it. It's not difficult, it's built for gnomes after all.

"Come, come!" he waves you to follow him, "I will take you to the King! Or..one of them..I think." he mumbles the last part.

As you walk through the halls of Gnomengarde, at the points where I marked with a "!" the gnome screams a high pitched shriek at the top of his lungs as if he saw something in such a manner that scares that crap out of you. Something clearly has him on edge. And, after each time, he breathes a "wheeww..nothing there.." until the next bend where he think he sees something and screams in complete fright again. This continues for a number of times until you enter what appears to be a throne room.

The kings are not there. Situated atop a stone dais are two squat thrones made of scrap metal and sized for gnomes.

"Oh yes, that's right." the gnome says, "They're in their bedroom. Come." 

He pushes a wall panel and a secret passageway appears. He leads you into the room north of the throne room. There, two gnomes wearing a crown that's way too small for their heads are hiding behind the bed, shaking in fear so badly it's like they're having a waking seisure.

"Tonka!? How did you get-?!" one of the kings asks, aghast.

Tonka turns to you all. "Strangers, this is King Korboz, and uh..also..King Gnerkli." It's very apparent he's confused about being ruled by TWO kings. King Korboz peeks out a little bit more and addresses the group. "Why are you here?! Are you here to kill the intruder??" King Gnerkli is holding a dagger in his hand, but he's so nervous it looks like at any moment he's about to drop it because he can barely hold on to it in fright.

The first few times Tonka screams, Vi half-draws her shortsword. After the third time, she stops starting and just settles into a watchful stance. When they meet the kings, the half-elf sighs. "So it would appear, yes."

Tex will turn on the charm, speaking in his calming Frontier Drawl "Now Now your highness, let's put our weapons away. We have come originally for two things: Firstly, we have come to warn you that a white dragon has taken up residence in the mountains and therefore, extreme caution is advised for you and your kingdom. Secondly, due to the dragon aforementioned, we as humble adventurers are tasking ourselves with ridding the region of it's upcoming tyranny, so we were hoping to gather any help, resources, information, or magical items to aid us in this monumental task. Now, coming back to your point. It seems to me, judging by how your attendant here, (gesturing to the sentry) Tonka was it? judging from how tonka is shaking like a goblin in a giant's pot, I can presume you have some kind of hidden creature amidst your premises? We would be happy to help if you could possibly help us in return. Does that sound fair to you sires? At this, Tex will bow low, with his hat in one of his hands, while bent down, he will gesture to the party to bow as well.

"Ooh more kings! My father is a king. It is wonderful to meet both of you. Princess Iridansa of the Sword Coast Reef, at your service," She says as she curtsies. 

Lanarial has stayed at the back of the group with his hood up, covering his silver hair, dark skin, and pale eyes. Although his bow was slung on his back, he kept his hands close to his weapons - just in case. As the group talks to the 'kings', he quickly scans the throne room and the bedroom for concealed passages, weapons, or treasures!

"Yes!" King Korboz agrees. "That sounds like a wonderful idea! Help us and i'll-"

Lanarial, the only thing you notice is that King Gnerkli is so scared of what's happening to their settlement, and now with the mention of a dragon, he turns pale, ducks behind the bed, and vomits. Except, it's not vomit, it's skittles. They roll out like a open bag of small marbles all over the floor by where he's hiding - sugary, colorful, and high in calories.

"Oh that's just.." King Korboz dry heaves, getting sick. He refocuses. "Some sort of tentacled creature has already eaten two of my people!"

"Our." Gnerkli corrects, popping back up and wiping his mouth.

"Our people!" Korboz glares. "Kill this..monster, and i'll let you have first pick of our treasure trove. Certainly an item there could help you against the dragon! But first! Help us! It's somewhere in the settlement, we don't know where! Oh my, please hurry!"

Tex turns to the group What do we know about tentacled creatures? Judging from what the gnomes have said thus far, it can hide very well. Turns back to the gnomes, Is there anything else you know for certain about the creature that may help us?

Insight on the gnome 'kings': 17

Lanarial nudges Silvi after Gnerkli vomits multi-colored candy pieces and motions towards him. "Something seems off about them. Why two kings? Why the candy regurgitation? This smells funny..."  he says quietly to her. 

Gareth-Wyn just stands, crouching near the door so as not to scrape his armor on the ceiling, with a wide grin on his face. He doesn't understand these lowlanders - they seem stranger than most. Still, they amuse him much in the same way the circus did, back in Neverwinter. 

As the conversation continues, he mutters to himself. "Iri... princess? Did I know this?"

As the Kings offer treasure in return for an extermination job, his eyes narrow slightly. "What is it that you have that will help to kill a dragon?"

The gnomes appear to be telling the truth, and are indeed spooked. They don't offer up any further information, other than to spout, "Go! What are you waiting for!" and other such notions. They are too scared to discuss anything else at the moment.

Gareth-Wyn thinks on it for a moment, then moves over to one of the kings. His face a mask of stone, he reaches out with one enormous hand, menacing, enormous...

and gently pats the king on the head.

"We will do this thing."

And with that, the rogue is ready for business. He pulls his shortsword and dagger, thinking that a bow is not well suited for the close confines of tunnel work. "Let me lead - perhaps we can surprise this creature. I intend to search every room and passage to be thorough. Leave the guard behind - it would be like carrying a shrieker in your backpack..." He goes back out through the throne room, keeping to the shadows and walls, moving silently and scouting ahead. At the first passage outside of the throne room, he stops before entering the cross-opening, listens, then peer cautiously around. If it is clear, he moves tot he door, repeats the listening, and then checks the door for traps before trying to open it.

Stealth: 25

Gareth-Wyn follows, trying to shuffle quietly along about 15 feet back.

Vi gives Lanarial a nod at his soft words. "Something is definitely off here. We need to watch our backs." The half-elf draws her shortsword and sticks to the middle of the pack.