"Naturally." Fallan pouted. "Of course there's SOMEONE who can lay claim to all the goodies just gathering dust here. Oh well. Can we at least see what is being hidden under the cloth? I'm betting that if the other stuff is left out to be seen, that must be a hum-dinger!" Fallan walks over toward the bound dwarf and pulls out one of her physical daggers. Looking at Rose (who seems to have the most understanding of all the stuff in here), she asks simply: "So I'm guessing we should cut him loose?"

Roses eyes go wide at the sight of the dwarf. She was not expecting to find anyone else down here so this came as an immense shock. Rose nodded her head to Fallan indicating to cut him lose. She quickly got her medical kit from her pack and rushed over to the Dwarfs side to examine him. Rose then provided magical aid too stabilize the dwarf. She would then utilize her medical kit as well as offer him some water and rations if he was awake. If the dwarf did wake up Rose would calmly speak to him. Try not move too much, and go slow with that food and water. Can you tell us who you are and how you ended up here?

The dwarf was shaking like an addict in a frozen land who had been off his need for atleast a week, though this was clearly not some drug addiction, but clear signs of Exhaustion (LVL5) for even the untrained eye. He wouldn't be able to move himself from that spot. Fallan having gotten her answer, releases the dwarf from his bindings, and his formerly bound arms fall to the floor as Rose's spell his him. Luckily enough he wasn't dead yet, though the spell would ensure that was the case for atleast a little while longer. After administering aid to the dwarf, he seems soothed, but little else.  At the sight of food, and water though his eyes focused on it, and inaudible muffled noises, not because of a gag, but due to his condition. A single tear wells in his eye, like a man in the desert who had resigned himself to dehydration had just realized his hand had met an oasis.

It was clear his body wretched to cry more but that tear was likely his last, and aught but dust would come from his tear-ducts after. Despite straining, it was clear he was too weak to grab the food or liquid himself, and his eyes met with Rose's for a moment, before looking away in shame at his uselessness in the moment. His breaths were ragged, and shallow but he wasn't dead just yet. It was clear he couldn't talk either. Atleast not yet.

Rose sees that the Dwarf seems unable to reach for the food him self and goes to careful give him small amounts of water and bits of rations so as to not cause him to choke. Its okay, we'll get you out of here. We just have to find the forge first.

The dwarf nearly chokes with his own eagerness to swallow the water, but after a few sputtering moment he begins to actually swallow more than he spat out. After taking in nearly half of it as fast as it was given, he breathed heavier breaths, as if the metaphorical dust that had been lodged in his throat had been washed away and his shaking worsened, but from relief. The bits of 'food' entering his maw eaten the moment roses fingers left his mouth, though each process took exceptionally long, likely due to his condition, but he ate, over the next few minutes. When the food and water ended, he sat there breathing slow, heavy breaths, as he stared up at the roof, catching his wits as his body slowly, but surely came to the realization he wasn't about  to die afterall.

It took nearly another twenty minutes before he finally began attempting to speak, everyone else doing whatever they were going to do. N.....Nuh....Nuhn.... Nnnunndro, RRoCckseeker. Atcher.... sssservice.... T...Tuh.... To whom do I... owe me...... l..life? Y...Ye mention thuh for..ge. W..Wh..Who sent ye?

Fallan steps back, pulling away the remnants of the bindings that had been restraining the haggard dwarf. She wraps up the lengths of rope and cord and then places her back against a wall and slides to a sitting position to rest a bit while watching Rose nurse this poor, drained dwarf. "You must have had quite a hard time, my friend. If only we knew what had happened to you, and what your situation tells us about what has come before and what lies ahead... " Fallan thought.

 Root was busy scoping the room, making sure the bodies actually stayed down. When Fallan mentions the emerald he looks up at the statue seeing it eyes. “Yeah Fallan we are definitely taking those!” Root mention while he chuckles continuing to the next room, He sees the mangled Dwarf dehydrated and starved. “By the gods, how long have you been down here?” As Rose tends to the dwarf “Well I think Rose can be the one to tell you as she was the one who knows more about you situation.”

Bell looks eager to help, but sees Rose handling the dwarf just fine.  Instead, she keeps watch with Yue on the group's six, listening for any sign of danger, though the Satyr does take the time to speak over her shoulder briefly.  "Let me know if he's sick.  I may be able to cure what a simple healing spell can't."

Rose nods to acknowledge Belle before turning her attention to Root and Fallen briefly. I beg you to reconsider that. This place belongs to the dwarves and, if all goes to plan, will be up and running again soon. I'd rather not be stealing from our allies. Rose turns back to the Dwarf. Sorry about that. My name is Rose Brightmoon, cleric in service to Selûne. That's Fallan, Gwen, Root and Belle, my companions. Rose says as she points at each person respectively. Are you by chance related to Gundren Rockseeker? He's the one who sent us hear initially, to find the Forge.

"Pfft! STEALING? Who said anything about stealing? I simply mentioned that there may be valuable items worth COLLECTING if there is no longer anyone using this place. Now, that's not stealing, is it?" Fallan answers Rose pitifully. She then walks over to the bedraggled dwarf and leans down. "If these things were important to you, you'd tell us, right?" she says, and then thinks: "Of course, you don't seem to be able to tell us ANYTHING just now, do you, you poor thing."

As everyone apparently leaves the Statue room, and enters the preist's quarters, which is an entirely separate room, if that wasn't clear - Root asks his question, but the dwarf only acknowledges it with his eyes looking towards the dragonborn, as he's still unable to speak with any degree of haste. For a moment, the dwarf looks confused as something touches his mind, but he puts it off as being part of his condition. For whatever reason, the party seems to be suffering in the perception department, as nothing really seems out of the ordinary or special anywhere, outside of the most blatantly obvious things.

When Rose began speaking again, his attention turned to her. Mm.. a.. Mooonniie eh? Sh..sh..she's a good one tae... follow. An... t'...t'is okay. Pleas..ure tae mee..tcha. An' Yes... I am the youngest of the...  Rock...seeker brothers. We're the last.. of our.. line. This was to be our.. mark on.. hist'ry. How fare's Gun.. Gundren? Me other brother... should still be at'the en..trance. Likely dinnae know what happened... so he's twiddlin' his thumbs, most like.. heh. he said weakly. And.. I woul.. would not suggest takin' the eyes out. Tis an old... dwarven trap. ye pull em out, and the roof kills ya.

Then, internally, he began to think to himself I'm so grateful these folk came along. My brother would likely sit until he died of old age at the entrance.. and they saved me from dying alone in here, by myself.. I don't care if they take anything from here, if they can find the forge... and finish my brothers and our dreams.. I'm sure he planned to share the credit anyway - if he asked for help. I just hope they're not lying to me, and intend to kill me later.... I hope they're good folk... wh.. whats that .. he says, hearing another consciousness again but he mentally tries to respond to it.. W..Who is this? Am I going crazy? 

Rose frowns when he confirms he is in fact related to Gundren. Quickly turning the frown to a friendly smile she says Don't worry about Gundren just yet. We need to get you healthy and back on your feet. If I leave you some food and water do you think you'd be okay to rest here while we search for the forge? The room seems secure enough if no one has bothered you in all this time.

He closes his eyes for a few moments as he gathers his thoughts. His eyes tilt towards his arms as he tries to move his arm, and after a few moments though slow, its clear he is able to move weakly. After flexing his fingers a few times its clear it was likely the combination of exhaustion, hunger, and having been bound for nearly a week in one position. A-Aye. I think i c..can handle meself. I have many questions, but.. we'll worry 'bout that later. If ye were sent here by me b...brother, then I wouldnae waste your time. I do have a bit o' information for ye though. I was caught near the center o' th' mine, if Gundren gave ye a map, it will look like a smelter or a f.. forge. It is, but only fer mundane like. The room outside, is a shrine to our patron dwarf. Which only leaves... One place. But r'member, powerful locations of magic, attract powerful bein's. Tread carefully...

Fallan not only becomes quieter than she has been for a while, but she also developed a strange look upon her face as well - not that much different from the confused look that had crossed the younger Rockseeker brother before. "No, I don't think you are crazy. At least no more so than any of the rest of us. But relax, no one here is looking to kill you. If anything, you can count on this group to help defend you from the other creatures in this complex. The FORGE is what everyone is looking for. Rest easy, we'll help you be well and get out of here." The thoughts in Fallan's head sounded almost like a poor mayor trying to speak at a Shire gathering - as if they (or not SHE) were PUSHING each word at their audience to ensure they both heard, understood, and believed what was being conveyed.

Focusing a bit more, Fallan does finally speak out, saying: "I only glanced at that map, but from what our friend here is saying, isn't that on the other side of the room from where the ghouls were? Are we READY to take them on AGAIN?" The "gulp" that followed her question was not purposeful, but it was definitely audible.

As the dwarf mentions the trap Root laughs it off “Just a joke, friend worry not. Just rest drink and eat but not too much.” Turning to Rose “I think he’ll be fine we should definitely continue looking for this “forge”. The faster we are the quicker we can take him get him out.”

Another confused look crosses his face as the voice in his head seems to be responding, If you say so.... Who are you among them, and how are you speaking to my mind? he thinks back at Fallan, without knowing it's her Either way, if you intended to kill me i'm sure you would do it eventually, not like I could stop you., he 'thought' and it was becoming clear that mental-communication seemed to speak the same no matter whom was speaking, as the dwarfs accent didn't flow in his mind.

I was jes warnin ye. But if ye intend to head out, do so with haste. I'll be fine, and if I'm not, atleast i got kindness afore the end.

Bell taps her hoof on the ground a few times, thinking. “If there’s monsters more powerful than that butcher demon, we may want to wait to press forwards until we are better rested.  Then we can tend to the dwarf for a little longer, too.”  She taps her chin. “Maybe we should just go clear out those ghouls at least, do a little scouting, and then come back.”  The Satyr takes a swig from her jug.

Fallan nods at Bell. "I'd tend to agree that while we are not as bedraggled as this dwarf here, neither are we at 100% 'fighting strength'. Resting enough to be in 'peak form' sounds great to me, however long that takes. This may be a GREAT place for that if it 'protected' this dwarf for a long time, no?." Stepping back a bit, she also tries a short end to the mental back and forth in her head. "I don't KNOW how I am doing this. Are you sure YOU aren't doing this? WE don't intend to kill you, (though you seem focused on that), how do we know you don't have a plan to kill us - with crashing ceilings, etc.?)"

Pending a response from Bell and the others, Fallan sits down and places her hands on either side of her head, as if suffering from an annoying headache.

The dwarf nods to no one, and Gwen had been observing this behavior with curiosity from the door. Ah.. I see... Though ye didn't tell me who you were in the group.. he thought back, revealing that mental voices didn't sound like verbal ones. But if I intended to kill you with that, why would I tell you about it? In any case, if you're working for my brother... I am not your enemy.

As that conversation ended and the Dwarf settled against where he had been set, seeming to finally relax fully, Fallan's attention returns to the sack she had been so interested in before. However as she readies to gut it, the clang of metal on metal is heard from within, oddly sounding much like gold. And in that moment Gwen pipes up That .. That must be the other half of our gold... I guess The Spider never had a chance to spend it before we found him... And if that is... she said, moving over there as Rose began to settle in. Removing the blanket from the top of it to reveal the tied off top, smacking the sides a few times... it IS! This is the other half.... That means there's roughly five thousand gold in there.... She smiles, though her smile lacked greed normally associated with such actions, it seemed more like someone was glad to find something they had lost. 

You may RP however you wish for the long rest and when you're ready to proceed, tick the 'long rest box' and 'confirm' to auto reset all your sheet, roll hp dice, etc.

Once we proceed, 7 hours would have passed (I'm allowing the short rest to count.) and we will proceed from there.

“Very well if the group wishes to wait I am okay with that.” Root mentions as they begin to rest “So have you guys actually explored the cave in it’s entirety or just where we came from.”