Lost Lab of Kwalish

Tetrevess is stone-faced and silent.  

“well that could of gone better” looking at tetrevess “ what’s wrong with this one” 

(OOC: Wouldn´t Tetrevess get another con save to not become petrified?)

RAW, yes.  But we're going to skip it for story reasons.

Construction of the Tomb of Horrors is well underway, focused on three tunnels being dug into the north end of a flat-topped hill covered in ugly weeds, thorns, and briars. An active workers’ camp occupies the north end of the hill, above the tunnels.

The rocky hill into which the tomb is being built is approximately six hundred feet wide, nine hundred feet long, and sixty feet high. Characters who ascend the hill to search the top discover a number of large black rocks dumped there. (The rocks will later be placed into the pattern of a grinning humanoid skull). The rocks are the remains of living creatures that have been reshaped to stone by dark magic.

 A number of tents along the north side of the hill house the tomb’s workers, their food storage, equipment depots, latrines, and so forth. These workers include two dozen neutral dwarves split into two gangs. A surly, browbeaten lot, they have no interest in who the characters are or what their business at the tomb is. If talked to, they grumble about their poor food and lack of pay, with the two groups blaming each other for every worksite mishap and grievance. They flee into the tomb if threatened, but fight with picks and shovels if cornered.

The three openings across the north side of the hill lead to areas 1 to 3. With a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check, characters atop the hill can observe umber hulks and their handlers traveling to and from area 2, and humanoid workers moving to and from area 3. Area 1 appears deserted.

<This area will look familiar to Sam. He would know that zmoghaddams office is on the right (area 1).>

(OOC: So who is around? Huarache?)

<I mentioned earlier that Huarache's player left simultaneously with Etny joining.  Story -wise I guess you just lost him in the battle.  Maybe he made his way out on his own.  (open-ended.)  So it's Etny, Sam, Etrigan, Tess (made of stone) and Barrill.  All the clues were around if it was never really revealed in full, but there is a Manual of Golems currently in Moghadam's possession; this would allow him to reverse the petrification.  It serves as a hook to get those not already in his service to help out.  You can literally just go and talk to him, or deal with the dwarves or just wait for them to come up to you, I suppose.>

Three dwarves wearing spiky leather armor stand apart from the others.  They clearly notice your group standing near the camp.

<As a reminder, Sam and Barrill would have received tokens from Moghaddam that can be worn to display like an ID badge.  Barrill, (I think) didn't recovered his.  Sam should still have his, though.>

Tetrevess is a gneiss guy, don’t take him for granite.  (Some Geology humor). 

(OOC: Etrigan would gladly turn any leadership granted him earlier over to Barril and/or Sam as they are the only ones that actually met with Moghadam and could reasonably know he is in possession of that manual.)

<You should have gleaned these things from the previous locale.  There's nothing in particular Sam would know.  Maybe Barrill, though.>

A dwarf in spiked leather calls out to your group: "Oi! What's all the millin' about? You 'ere looking for work?  We can use all the stonecutters we can get.  You need help with that statue?" He continues as he approaches, his similarly clad companions in tow.  "Not bad!  Bit scrawny-lookin', though.  So who's the sculptur?  Moghaddam's sure to bring you on.  Don't expect much in the way of pay from that lousy cheapskate, though."

((So irl is just really tough right now. I am going to have to bow out and go on hiatus for now. Things are quite difficult at the moment. See you all soon!))

<Thanks for playing and good luck to you.>

One of the other two dwarves grabs the horn he wears at his waist and gives it a blow.  A moment passes.  From an opening in the side of the rocky hill ambles  an umber hulk.

After a series of strange noises made by the dwarf who blew the horn, along with some hand signals, the hulk picks up the stone Tetrevess and the dwarves match along with it to the opening trough which Moghaddam's office is located.  

<I'm just assuming you all follow.>

"Right, then.  Moghaddam's just in there. We've more work to tend to.  See you around." the dwarf says as the lot of them turn to depart back through another of the openings.  As he departs he calls into Moghaddam's office: "Moghaddam! We found ya some.e more sculptors!" then turns heel and heads off, shaking his head.

Seconds later, a voice from within calls: "Well, come in come in, I haven't got all day!"

“Greetings Moghaddam, we have just returned from Thessalar’s place and one of us is a little … ‘stiff’.”

Barril messages to the others, He hired me with a different group to infiltrate the temple. Not sure if we’ll need to mention the gems. I’m no leader, someone else should continue the conversation.

“moghaddam, we have found at things yess” still badly damage from the encounters before hand “thesslar creations are still at large but the preist is dead” 

You made it back?!" Moghaddam seems genuinely surprised, but tries to hide it. "Of course, yes.  Wonderful news.  Well. Then. Where are they? Did you find Seodra?"

He comes out from behind his desk.  Looking at the stone man, he ponders aloud "...did I hire this one?" Clearly not remembering the face.  "No matter, we can take care of him.  I'm quite certain."

Turning to Sam he asks, "Now," his face turns serious, the giddy excitement disappearing in a blink, "what of the stones?"

As they arrive at the construction site Etrigan decides it is time for a brand new identity, being clearly compulsive obsessive about impersonating others.
A moment later the Lizard folk Shaman turns into Huarache since he is no longer around. Etrigan/Huarache immediately starts fiddling with some contraptions but follows along as the umberhulk carries Tetrevess to Moghaddam.

"We investigated the temple as you told us Moghaddam, but Thessalar was onto us immediately. We had to use the guide to get out of there. We could maybe go back, but Thessalar would be waiting for us." Etrigan/Huarache answers Moghaddam. Performance/Deception:17 Not really lying, yet. (Oh, have advantage on impersonating, another roll:24 )

(OOC: So Etny didn´t teleport back with the rest of us then? Sorry for trying to clear this out but I have to or I will totally lose all immersion.)

...Moghaddam isn't aware of the guide.  It's from Kwalish.

Etny is dead, for all any of us know.  She was never really with the party.   There's no reason to think Logan (the guide) would consider her as such.  She did fight the gorgon briefly, but it was attacking her.

Am I supposed to ignore Sam's comments? He said he got the stones.  You were sent for gems, and the gemsmith.

(OOC: Is that what Sam said? What about the stones though, I thought Huarache had the stones they found first, where are they now as far as Etrigan knows?)

"Barril, I think Sam might have already told Moghaddam we found some stones, any suggestions?" Etrigan/Huarache messages Barril.