Barthrum heads back down the stairs and over the bridge and back to the previous location. "Hi, I apologize, one more question. There's some spinning blades thing on the way you sent us. How do we get past it?"
You go back down the stairs, across the bridge and back to the two gnomes. When you ask them about the spinning blades...
78
The male Gnome replies: "It's to keep intruders away. Surely, we have a way to get past it, but I'm not telling you. More importantly, how can I be sure you really are the three Dwarves from earlier and not shapeshifters who identify as them?"
If you try to convince him you're not a shapeshifter, roll a d20. Depending on your approach, I'll consider and add the appropriate d20.
83
You also notice the female making a very small gesture to you. It's not very obvious what it is, though. If you try to understand what it is, roll for Insight. If you do, however, roll the d20 from the previous check (if you chose to roll it) with disadvantage since you're not focusing on it as much.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"I am not a shapeshifter, I am exactly the same shape I was a few moments ago when I spoke with you last. These two have never left my sight so how could they be shapeshifters? They cannot"
Thenmer is trying not to let his irritation with these gnomes show
Dolgrim leans to his friends, Do you really want to deal with them again? They are too paranoid for a reasonable discussion. We should maybe ask the cooks or the crazy crossbow inventor. We might have a better luck this way.
Barthrum can't understand what the woman is trying to signal to him, and also can't think of very persuasive reasoning to prove he's not a shapeshifter. The gnome seems unconvinced and begins to raise his hand dramatically as Thenmer steps in and covers for Barthrum. The gnome seems suspicious and consults with the female, who stops her signs to avoid getting spotted. Eventually, he shouts: "It's true, you do look the same. If you say neither of them has left your sight, they probably can't be shapeshifters. You may continue or return the way you came through. Just make sure you don't split so no shapeshifters can pose as one of you."
Thenmer is not that impressed that he keeps having to prove that he is himself but he keeps his feelings to himself
"Well then, maybe we will go ask someone else for a sensible way through. We neither want to get hurt by your traps nor damage them. We were trying to come in friendship"
You walk north to the cooks, passing Facktoré, who doesn't even notice you, and eventually, you reach the cooks. From them, you learn that on the far side of the room there's a lever you can see if you know where to look. "About a foot away from the blades, about two feet high from the floor. If you raise it to an upward position, the blades will stop spinning." They don't seem to mind telling you this information. "We just use magic to raise the lever when we want to pass." One of them says as he summons a spectral, translucent, red-coloured hand and uses it to move one of the loaves of bread on the table in the middle of the room to demonstrate.
On your way back, you pass near Facktoré again and she's still too busy with work to notice you. When you reach the room with the ledge and the two gnomes, you hear the female speaks in Gnomish a phrase you already know the meaning of, followed by the Common translation called by the male. "Who goes there?"
"You seem to be speaking the truth," the Gnome says while pointing at Barthrum, "but you don't seem credible at all." He continues as he shifts his finger to point at Thenmer. As he does so, three magical, translucent darts appear above him. "Back away and leave this place or there will be consequences."
Dolgrim is even less convincing after Thenmer's words. The female raises her hand and creates three magical darts above her as well. "Don't take even one step closer." She says in Common, the first time you hear her speak this language.
Barthrum says, "I apologize, but what are you saying? That in the last five minutes since we met you first and you believed us then we went past you, came back, went to the kitchen area, came back here and two of us were somehow removed and replaced with shapeshifters? This is unacceptable, I would like to speak to your supervisor immediately."
"I think we are done. I cannot imagine why the town master thinks these idiots have anything useful to contribute to anyone. We came in peace and we have been constantly attacked and insulted"
He looks at his fellow dwarves
"I say we just give up on this lunacy and return and tell the town master there is nothing useful to be had from delusional fools. Then we can go find something real to do instead of dealing with this"
"We were ordered to attack shapechangers on sight. Since you can't prove you're not a shapechanger, we should attack you now. We offer that you leave this place without a fight so we can tell our kings that a possible shapechanger left this place. Otherwise, we have no problem executing our orders and attack you. This is your LAST chance!" The gnomes seem to be serious about it. If Facktore was just testing her weapons, these two know exactly what they're doing.
Yes, lets ask the guards, they must have some means of getting to the other part of the town.
Barthrum heads back down the stairs and over the bridge and back to the previous location. "Hi, I apologize, one more question. There's some spinning blades thing on the way you sent us. How do we get past it?"
You go back down the stairs, across the bridge and back to the two gnomes. When you ask them about the spinning blades...
78
The male Gnome replies: "It's to keep intruders away. Surely, we have a way to get past it, but I'm not telling you. More importantly, how can I be sure you really are the three Dwarves from earlier and not shapeshifters who identify as them?"
If you try to convince him you're not a shapeshifter, roll a d20. Depending on your approach, I'll consider and add the appropriate d20.
83
You also notice the female making a very small gesture to you. It's not very obvious what it is, though. If you try to understand what it is, roll for Insight. If you do, however, roll the d20 from the previous check (if you chose to roll it) with disadvantage since you're not focusing on it as much.
Varielky
Barthrum will try to do both. Insight: 7 and the d20 with disadvantage for the first check: 2
"I am not a shapeshifter, I am exactly the same shape I was a few moments ago when I spoke with you last. These two have never left my sight so how could they be shapeshifters? They cannot"
Thenmer is trying not to let his irritation with these gnomes show
(Just roll for persuasion 16 )
Dolgrim leans to his friends, Do you really want to deal with them again? They are too paranoid for a reasonable discussion. We should maybe ask the cooks or the crazy crossbow inventor. We might have a better luck this way.
Barthrum can't understand what the woman is trying to signal to him, and also can't think of very persuasive reasoning to prove he's not a shapeshifter. The gnome seems unconvinced and begins to raise his hand dramatically as Thenmer steps in and covers for Barthrum. The gnome seems suspicious and consults with the female, who stops her signs to avoid getting spotted. Eventually, he shouts: "It's true, you do look the same. If you say neither of them has left your sight, they probably can't be shapeshifters. You may continue or return the way you came through. Just make sure you don't split so no shapeshifters can pose as one of you."
Varielky
Thenmer is not that impressed that he keeps having to prove that he is himself but he keeps his feelings to himself
"Well then, maybe we will go ask someone else for a sensible way through. We neither want to get hurt by your traps nor damage them. We were trying to come in friendship"
He turns to Dolgrim and Barthrum
"Perhaps the cooks will be more friendly"
You walk north to the cooks, passing Facktoré, who doesn't even notice you, and eventually, you reach the cooks. From them, you learn that on the far side of the room there's a lever you can see if you know where to look. "About a foot away from the blades, about two feet high from the floor. If you raise it to an upward position, the blades will stop spinning." They don't seem to mind telling you this information. "We just use magic to raise the lever when we want to pass." One of them says as he summons a spectral, translucent, red-coloured hand and uses it to move one of the loaves of bread on the table in the middle of the room to demonstrate.
On your way back, you pass near Facktoré again and she's still too busy with work to notice you. When you reach the room with the ledge and the two gnomes, you hear the female speaks in Gnomish a phrase you already know the meaning of, followed by the Common translation called by the male. "Who goes there?"
Varielky
Barthrum says, "Still us, the three dwarves. Still not shapeshifters."
Thenmer nods assent at this and keeps walking
”They never left my sight, definitely still just dwarves”
(Once again, Persuasion checks.)
Varielky
Barthrum persuasion check: 17
(Thenmer persuasion check 21 )
(lol)
"You seem to be speaking the truth," the Gnome says while pointing at Barthrum, "but you don't seem credible at all." He continues as he shifts his finger to point at Thenmer. As he does so, three magical, translucent darts appear above him. "Back away and leave this place or there will be consequences."
Varielky
Yes yes, none of them left my sight either. There's no reason for hostilities. We just went to the kitchen to talk with the cooks.
15
Dolgrim is even less convincing after Thenmer's words. The female raises her hand and creates three magical darts above her as well. "Don't take even one step closer." She says in Common, the first time you hear her speak this language.
Varielky
Barthrum says, "I apologize, but what are you saying? That in the last five minutes since we met you first and you believed us then we went past you, came back, went to the kitchen area, came back here and two of us were somehow removed and replaced with shapeshifters? This is unacceptable, I would like to speak to your supervisor immediately."
(lol)
Thenmer has had quite enough of this and it shows
"I think we are done. I cannot imagine why the town master thinks these idiots have anything useful to contribute to anyone. We came in peace and we have been constantly attacked and insulted"
He looks at his fellow dwarves
"I say we just give up on this lunacy and return and tell the town master there is nothing useful to be had from delusional fools. Then we can go find something real to do instead of dealing with this"
"We were ordered to attack shapechangers on sight. Since you can't prove you're not a shapechanger, we should attack you now. We offer that you leave this place without a fight so we can tell our kings that a possible shapechanger left this place. Otherwise, we have no problem executing our orders and attack you. This is your LAST chance!" The gnomes seem to be serious about it. If Facktore was just testing her weapons, these two know exactly what they're doing.
Varielky