Chilling Adventures in the North

Qinfaren quickly tries to remember the name they'd been told about the duergar who might be of help.

"Are you Grandolpha?" Qinfaren asks. "We were told you were here. As my companion has suggested, may we join you?"

     Bàn helpfully translates it into Dwarvish.

Immediately, the old duergar commands, "Stand down."

The three duergar relax and return to cooking.

"Yes, I am she. Grandmaster of the Muzgardt clan. Grandolpha Muzgardt. May I ask who is it that told you I was here?"

     "Well trying the doors just seemed easier than the portcullis," Bàn admits in Dwarvish.  "We're mostly just bumbling around."

"We had a conversation with one of the guards back there," Qinfaren says, pointing back over his shoulder. "He said you might be receptive to having a conversation with us and that you were probably nearby." 

Qinfaren steps further into the room, taking a look at the food on the table. He smiles.

"We've had a couple of run ins with the Sunblight suns, and we're not happy about their plans and what they're doing with that dragon," Qinfaren says. He pauses for a moment then adds. "And they stole our dogs."

     “You mind if we sit?” Bàn asks.  “A bite to eat, something to whet the whistle would be grand…”

A smile creeps across the old duergars face, "Ah, I see you. You spoke with one of my loyalists. Please come, come. Sit down and partake in this feast."

Drawing close to the table, everyone can see that the food seems to covered in a thin layer of ash. Then Grandolpha begins to pour the contens of a jug out into goblets. The contents of goblets seems to some sort of brew made from mushrooms that you do not recognise.

Qinfaren looks at the ash covered food and mushroom wine with a smile.

"Thank you," Qinfaren says and sits down, though he doesn't touch the food. "Smells good, but I just ate, and filling up too much makes me pretty sleepy."

He looks around the room and then back to Grandolpha.

"Do you know where Xardorok and his sons might be?" he pauses for a moment then continues. "This dragon stuff isn't great for the Ten Towns. And I'd really like to get our sled dogs back too."

     Bàn sits and cuts himself a mouthful of food.  He surveys those around him to try to get a sense of if their anxious or excited or curious or indifferent to him eating the food… and unless he has a funny feeling about it, he takes the bite.

perception:  21

Grandolpha shrugs her shoulders, "I do now know of his current wareabouts. However, I presume that he is down in his forge. As for your dogs or the matter of Ten Towns, I cannot say that I care. Neither issue will have an impact for the Muzgardt Clan."

She takes a sip of the brew.

"What will effect the Clan is the proposed alliance. Xardorok has proposed an alliance between the Sunblights and the Muzgardts. An alliance does have some benefit, but it seems that members of Sunblight Clan are not loyal to Xardorok. Several of the Sunblight have already pledged loyalty to me. In time, I could probably turn the rest of the Clan against Xardorok."

Qinfaren suspects this might be as much help as they can get from Grandolpha, but at the same time this appears to be the safest spot so far in which to take a short rest. Might as well keep her talking while they rest from the battle with the guards at the gate.

”So, you’re not from around here then? If Xardorok disappeared and you had his clan and fortress without having to ally with him, what would your future look like?”

Grandolpha tilts her head, "Well, if you are worried if I would pursue the same path as Xadrorok, then you do not need to worry. I have no interest in building a kingdom on the surface. It is a foolish ambition that I do not share."

Qinfaren smiles and nods as the conversation continues.

"Do you have more loyalists down in the forge you mentioned?" Qinfaren asks. "People who might not get involved in a fight if it comes to that?"

He watches Bàn eat the ash covered food with interest as well.

Grandolpha nods, "I think you may find some that have sworn loyalty to me down in the forge. However, they are not going to engage in a battle. The reason they turning away from Xardorok is to avoid putting their lives at risk."

"Not opposing us will be as much help as we could hope for," Qinfaren says to Grandolpha. He pauses for a moment then asks "Is there a quiet way down to the forge? Something that isn't watched or guarded?"

Gradonolpha shrugs her shoulders, "I wouldn't know. I have been in this dining hall for most of my stay here. Xardorok might want to form an alliance, but he is no fool either."

     "She really doesn't seem like much help," Bàn says in a hushed voice to Qinfaren.  "Could be more of threat, honestly.  We've no idea if she is telling the truth and even if so she's as likely to use her knowledge about us as a chip to bargain with as she is to keep quiet..."

Qinfaren nod at Ban’s comments but is happy to keep talking about the food and where Grandolpha is from - anything to get us to the end of a short rest before heading further in.

Everyone continues to discuss the food and Grandolpha describes the Underdark. After an hour has passed you are feeling more rested and refreshed. 

     After slowly eating everything on his plate and getting seconds or thirds of drink, Bàn looks down the table to Grandolpha.  "You know, I cannot help but think it is in your best interest to help us," he says.  "My friend Qinfaren has expressed how our interests largely align with your interests and finding out what the safest, quietest route to the forge for us is and lending some of your military might to us to ensure our common foe is bested... Surely a day of aid to us is entirely reasonable."

Bàn casts Suggestion on Grandolpha, DC 13 Wis Save or they pursue the course of action proposed to the best of their ability?