Qinfaren nods at the elevator, "very clever."

He then tries to take some of the sack cloth from a training dummy to cover Nildar up so he won't be seen if they stick him in a corner of this room.

"I don't think we can stay here. Anyone could come up or down that elevator," Qinfaren says. "Let's go back and ask Grandolpha if there's a hidden space we can rest in. Or another entrance to the fortress."

Bjorn nods his head, "Agreed. Exploring further could easily get us killed. Let's retreat and regroup with Grandolpha ."

The group leaves the body of Nildar in the almost empty room before moving back along the corridor to the door leading to dining hall.

When the group enters, Grandolpha Muzgardt looks up surpsised to see you all returning.

"Back so soon?" the duergar amuses. "Well, I don't think you've returned for the food. So, what can I help you with this time?"

Qinfaren smiles weakly and waves hello.

"Ran into a little trouble with a chest with teeth," Qinfaren says. "Though we did deal with one of the sons."

He sits for a moment.

"Is there anywhere here we can get some real rest without attracting attention? Or is there another way into this fortress beside the main gate here?"

     "Since it is beneficial to you that we kill more and more, helping us heal up and get some rest is the least you can do, eh?" Bàn says, trying to help.  "Surely you could hide us amongst your men?  We're well practiced at doing nothing, we'll blend right in."  Ok, maybe he isn't entirely helpful.

Grandolpha Muzgardt thinks for a moment, "Well, I have only seen parts of the fortress. And from what I have seen there is not going to be anywhere for you to hide out. As for the entrances and exits, I only know of the passage to the Underdark. You'd have to go down to the forge level to get there though.

Then again, there's whatever exit that dragon of his left the fortress. However, I don't know where that is. Then, of course, there's the entrance you took. I doubt you came from the Underdark. You look like surface dwellers to me."

     "Well how often do people not under your command come in here?  Or you sleep chambers?" Bàn inquires, pulling out the chardalyn figure he broke off the compass like thing and fiddling with it.  

Grandolpha Muzgard, "Well, I would say that Xardorok sends someone to check on me roughly every two hours."

Qinfaren looks at Bàn and Bjorn.

"I can make myself hidden, or look like one of her guards, but I can't do anything to change you," Qinfaren says. "Why don't we just leave and camp on the mountain? Rest and get our bearings back."

He looks over at Grandopha. 

"If we come back at a certain time, can you have someone let us in?"

     "Is he checking your bedchambers every two hours?  Searching them even as you sleep?" Bàn asks, skeptically.  "Or is it just that you wish to offer us no aid?"

"Ha!", Grandolpha Muzgard exclaims. "I have no chambers of my own up here in this fortress. Need I remind you that Xardorok wishes for an alliance through marriage? I will tell you this though, that dragon is not the only thing that he is planning to unleash on Ten Towns. He has been capturing creatures from the Underdark."

     Heading east is sounding better and better to Bàn.  "Well, what say you?  We try to sneak out and reassess what the hell we are doing here?  We go kill the chest monster and try to sleep there?  We just go on a killing onslaught until we meet our end?" he asks Qin and Bjorn.  "I see no options here that lead to anything good so I'm up for anything."

"I don't think we have the power to take this whole place on in one go," Qinfaren says. "We barely survived this floor and I suspect there are far more Sunblight loyalists above and below us."

He thinks for a second more. 

"Maybe finishing off the chest, and hiding there is the best." Qinfaren says then adds "One brother is still around here and I heard movement in the room next to the one with the chest."

Qinfaren sighs. "Maybe while we rest I can think of some spells that will be more helpful here."

Then he smacks his forehead with his palm and holds up the gray bag at his waist.

"I'd forgotten about out friends too," he says, holding up a few balls of fur. "They might come in handy after a rest too."

     "What do we think about taking Grandolpha here hostage?" Bàn asks.

     "Purely as a charade, my friends!  As a fake out in case the real bad guys stumble in while we are resting is all I mean... Certainly we would never put her in real jeopardy... Perish the thought!"

"I think our best option it to remain unseen until we're healed," Qinfaren says quickly.

     "So be it... Lead the way," Bàn agrees.  

Bjorns shakes his head, "But where exactly are we headed?"

     "Return to the trunk room, kill that creature and then try to hole up there, I think," Bàn answers.  "Or did we want to leave entirely?"

Qinfaren decides to take out three of the furry balls and rolls them out onto the floor in the main hallway and then heads towards the door with the trunk, to listen again for any sound from within.

Perception: 24  

Gray Bag of Tricks: Roll 1 - 1  Roll 2 - 1  Roll 3 - 8  (takes one action each)

Qinfaren seems too distracted by the new animals to focus properly on what's behind the door.

Two badgers and a weasel scamper about and then sit next to Qinfaren by the door. He's obviously pleased with them.

"They may not be great warriors but they have sharp claws" he says. Then adds "Are we ready?"

     Bàn takes the handle of the door and readies himself to throw it open and Eldricth Blast the trunk, whether it is looking alive or not...  "Ready?" he asks in preparation...