Mirna responds to Maglath, "The location of the heirloom is a family secret- we know exactly where it is. When I was a young girl, our family had a herb and alchemy shop in the town of Thundertree. That was until a nearby volcano erupted. The town was evacuated, and everything was lost." 

She sighs as she recounts the painful memory.

"When the dust settled, some tried to return to Thundertree, but found a strange corruption had settled on the place. The burnt bodies of those who perished in the eruption arose as undead, killing anyone who dare enter the ruins. The Crown didn't find our town important enough to send the military to clear it out. Anyways, inside the alchemy and herb shop is a case containing an emerald necklace, hidden between the storage shelves. We weren't able to take it with us when we left, but if you ever find yourself in Thundertree, you can take the necklace."

As Mirna speaks about Thundertree, Maglath and Lyre remember that the town was mentioned in their initial mission briefing. Their contact, Reidoth, was also tasked with scouting the town and determining whether it was viable for resettlement. 

Nilsa actually shows some prior proficiency with the shortsword. She says, "My older brother, Jarret, and I were planning to join the Guard when we came of age. We practiced together. That's why the Redbrands conscripted him. Please, promise us that if you find him, you won't hurt him?" 

The rest of the Drendar family doesn't leave yet, and waits for Maglath's response. 

There doesn't appear to be any sounds behind the copper double doors. What does the party do? 

Murmen narrows his eyes at the door, and walks up to it and attempts to open it.

Maglath looks down at Nilsa. If it had been a request from the mother he might have ignored it, but from a sister it stirred up too many memories.

"If he does not try to harm us, your brother will not be hurt," Maglath says. "I assume he looks like you and your little brother."

He then responds to the mother.

"Our path," he says gesturing to Lyre "will take us to Thundertree soon. We will check to see if your heirloom is still there. If we come back through this way we will return it to you."

"Won't hurt him!" Lyre cheerfully reflects back to Nilsa. After a moment, he feels a compulsion to follow Maglath's lead and flips over a dagger, handing it to the family to stay safe. 

If the door is unlocked, he follows behind Maglath and Murmen. If it is, he will attempt to dismantle the lock. 

Nilsa accepts the dagger and the Drendar family leaves from whence the party came, stepping nervously over the corpse of the Nothic. The copper doors are indeed unlocked, and the party is able to push them open and enter a hallway. 

Thick dust covers the flagstones of this somber hallway. A relief carving of a mournful angel graces the other side of the copper doors. Across the hallway is a sturdy-looking wooden door. 

Suddenly, the party hears a sound from the large cavern they had already went through. The sound of a barely stifled scream- it's Nilsa! 

Lyre pauses for a moment, considering the situation. If Nilsa was out of the question, he was sure Maglath would allow them to keep the heirloom, but something about the scream makes him reconsider. With a nod at Maglath and the party, Lyre will dart the way they had just come, instinctively sticking to the shadows. Him being seen would be no use to any assailant of Nilsa. 

Stealth - 14. Lyre will attempt to stay hidden and scout out the cavern. Lyre is more concerned with dispatching any approaching enemies.

Maglath lets Lyre get a head start and disappear into the shadows then he charges forward and into the chamber with the crevasse.

Murmen hangs back a bit, prepared to do some good ol’ fashioned smiting.

The party dashes back into the cavern, where they find the Drendar family looking down the crevasse in horror. Mirna has clasped her hand around her daughter Nilsa's mouth to stop her from screaming, but she appears to barely supress her own scream as well. The young Nars looks down, however, with an innocent concern. He points at the mutilated, half-eaten male corpse in the crevasse and says, "Daddy, are you alright?" 

It would appear the corpse that Lyre cut pieces off is Thel Drendar, the father of the family...

(Ouch, looks like my attempt to give flavor text for Lyre's investigation checks resulted in an issue.)

Lyre uncharacteristically feels a slight bit of remorse, intercepting the rest of the party before they can approach, and he waves for them to continue further into the hideout. 

Maglath looks down at Lyre, wondering what he could possibly have done in such a short time that he wants them to turn back and ignore the cries.

"What have you done?" Maglath asks Lyre.

Murmen just sighs and keeps walking.

Maglath enters into the cavern room and takes in the situation.

”He was killed by the Redbrands and tossed to that creature  back there,” he says gesturing at the nothlic’s corpse. “He’s dead. And you can’t change that. But you can remember.“

Maglath’s hand goes to the small leather pouch he wears around his neck. His hand rests there for a moment. Then he looks over at the family.

”Remember and don’t let the likes of the Redbrands ever have power again. Mercenaries are carrion eaters, feeding off the hard work of others.”

He looks around this large chamber to see what passage ways they have still not checked on. At the same time he points the exit tunnel out to the family.

The Drendars silently listen to Maglath's words. The utter horror of the situation was not due to the realization that the father was dead, but to see him in such a mutilated state. They wordlessly begin dragging him out of the crevasse, and leave the hideout from the exit tunnel. 

Examining the cavern again, Maglath notes two doorways across the crevasse bridge, with staircases leading downwards. Other than the secret door in the storeroom, there also appears to be a second hallway on this side of the crevasse. 

Maglath looks around the cavern and the doorways and the hallway he turns to the others.

"That hallway," he says pointing to the hallway on this side of the crevasse, "may loop around and connect to whatever was on the other side of the door we got to by the cells. If no one has any better thoughts, I say we check out the doors on the other side of the crevasse first and then come back and go down this hallway."

He looks over at Lyre and nods at the doorway on the left.

Murmen nods in agreement.

"As good an option as any."

Lyre agrees to head into the hallway in the crevasse, beginning his normal routine of scouting ahead. He heads to the door and will attempt to open it without alerting anything beyond the door.

Stealth if needed - 23

Lyre is followed by Jeb as they head over to the left hallway, across the bridge. As they descend the stairs, the hallway ends with two doors, one on the left and one on the right. 

Guttural jeers come from within the left door, while a mysterious rattling noise comes from the right door. A  character who listens at the doors and makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check can ascertain the nature of the noises. 

Lyre presses his head against the doors, attempting to find what the noise could be. 

Perception - 18

Maglath stays a few steps back from Lyre and Jeb, but keeps close enough to help if needed.

While he waits he takes out the sword that Jeb had found in the crevasse and looks at it more closely.

(OOC - Would his Smith's Tools proficiency let him determine anything about the sword? Insight?)