Chilling Adventures in the North

 [OOC: Is the pit currently between us all and the duergars? If any of them are reachable how far away are they?]

Shad sees the crossbow come up. "By the Cat Lord," he says. "Can't we just talk for a moment? You're being accused of something. If we don't return, more people are going to show up and they will be less patient." Shad watches the duergars. He wants to see how they respond to the idea that they are being accused: Insight 13

(Yeah, they are on the other side of the pit, none of them are within arms reach.)

Shad watches the duergar for a moment, but none of them seem concerned about the accusations or of the possibility that more people would arrive at the fortress. On the other hand, it might just be because they don't understand what he is saying to them.

You continue to hear the goats bleating somewhere in the room. However, it seems they they must be behind the drawbridge as you cannot see them.

The duergar with the crossbow fires a bolt at Bjorn but falls short of striking him.

The duergar then speaks in Dwarvish, "And let that be lesson to you." 

Qinfaren looks at the others.

"If you keep them occupied, I can change shape and get into the bunker and find away to the other side of the drawbridge," Qinfaren says.

"Qinfaren, they're in the mood for shootin', not talkin'," growls the half-orc. "If we ain't shootin' back, we may as well be outside of these doors. Let's get outa here."

Qinfaren heads towards the bunker, whistling a little to himself as he goes, and looks through the small opening to see if anyone is inside.

"I can go in and find the lever that works the drawbridge and lower it for you," Qinfaren says then pauses and looks back. "But if we don't want to go in, there's not much point. Might be nice to see if the goats are okay though."

Shad is confused for a moment, then realizes he has asked a question in a language that will not be understood. He signs. "Must remember to think first and speak second," he says. He hears Arogna and Qinfaren and looks toward Bjorn and Muharg. 

“Oh! We are not leaving at this point.” Mutters at Arogna’s insinution. “Hey! Last chance to parley!” Starts in Dwarvish taking it from where Shad left it. “You're being accused of something, and we will find out if the accusations are founded! Hearing those goats over there is pretty revealing already, but you might have a good reason for it. So there’s to options here, either we help you with your starving problems or we take you down so you leave the town alone.”

Then seeing Qinfaren heading towards the bunker he calls at him. “Stay safe, friend.” He then mutters a few words and a protective field shimers all around the firbolg’s body.

Cast Sanctuary on Qinfaren.

"Well, I would to see you all try," the female duergar sneers in Dwavfish. She then turns to the others and speaks to them in Undercommon.

Qinfaren slips up to the bunker, feeling Muharg's protection circling around. He looks inside the bunker, double checking that it's still empty. Then he takes a deep breath, whispers "Ductu" to himself and shakes out his shoulders.

Casts Guidance on himself

Then he begins to shrink down smaller and smaller until he is back in the form of the spider he befriended on the ship.

Quickly he climbs up the wall, through the opening and inside the bunker, and down to the trap door, and looks for a crack or gap large enough for a spider to slip through.

As he looks around, he lets a bit of his own power to help with the search.

Perception: 12  plus Guidance of 3  

Qinfaren looks around and sees a gap between the trapdoor and the frame around that is big enough for him to fit through as a spider.

Qinfaren squeezes his spider body through the gap and stays as high as possible along whatever passage way is on the other side. Despite the seriousness of his mission, Qinfaren is delighted at how well spiders see in dim light.

Assuming no apparent danger, Qinfaren the spider will continue down whatever passage is on the other side of the trap door.

Qinfaren begins his descent into the dark cold underground. However, in his smaller form, it takes him a few moments to climb down.

Meanwhile, back at the entrance to the fortress, the duergar with the crossbow is becoming increasingly impatient with the presence of unwanted visitors.

He takes another shot at Bjorn with his crossbow, it flies through the air and just grazes Bjorn's cheek.

"Are you still here?"

(Attack: 9 Damage: 11)
(Attack was 18 and damage 4)

Shad will Invoke Duplicity (As an action, you create a perfect illusion of yourself that lasts for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration, as if you were concentrating on a spell. The illusion appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 feet of you) bringing his buddy "Monty" into the world.

Shad is close to the edge of the pit. If possible, Monty appears in the bottom of the pit and moves across it, climbing up the others side. If the pit is too deep, or the geometry doesn't work, Monty appears next to Shad and immediately begins climbing down into the pit. Monty would move at the Tabaxi climbing speed of 20 ft.

[OOC: Should we get into init about now?]

(Yeah, probably a good idea.
Duergar: 16)

Qinfaren Initiative (if needed):  22  

Muharg initiative: 11

Arogna's initiative: 11

Shad's initiative: 7.