"Ready here, sir."
Or that's what Sureiya say, because he is feeling a bit ashamed. Being a half-orc and knowing nothing about Mithral Hall?
Aid another for history (fail).
Aid another for streetwise (success).
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3071277/

Awake. Are we here?

Classic. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3071283/

"We made it."

Though he only knows a little about its history, Torinn learned quite a bit from anecdotes about Mithral Hall.
History and Streetwise checks : http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3071889/ (12, 21)

>>3220
>>3223
>>3230
The warlord nods, and murmurs,"Hopefully everything goes smoothly and without too much trouble."

Bernkastel/Torinn (Streetwise): Mithral Hall is the probably the most famous dwarven settlement in northern Faerun. It has a reputation of being an impenetrable fortress, and has survived for more than a hundred years against attacks by conquering orcs and denizens of the Underdark, including an invasion force of drow bound for the surface world. Despite the harsh dangers of the nearby lands, the interiors of Mithral Hall are often awash in revelry and celebration, as their official standard is a frothing mug, the symbol of Clan Battlehammer. The descendants of the great dwarven hero, Bruenor Battlehammer, still rule these vast halls, protecting those within (mostly shield dwarves, with a small population of humans, gold dwarves, and deep gnomes) from external and internal threats.

The three dwarven warriors close on your location, and one of them, sporting a thick gray beard and a musclebound exterior, addresses you rather directly, "Mithral Hall lies ahead. What's yer business'n these lands?"

Gorumert is the first to reply, "Ah, brothers. We come on an important diplomatic mission from Baldur's Gate. We must speak to a representative of the Battlehammers immediately!"

The guard looks past Gourmert to the gathering of armed and dangerous-looking adventurers. "Yer packin' some dangerous-lookin' company thar, brother. Tho' a damned sight better than tha curs'd orcs and drow tha prowl aroond 'ere e'ery so often. They talk much?"

Sureiya stay silent, but he make a small gesture to Torinn. Go and speak for us, he say.

Torinn nods to Gourmert and Sureiya, speaking on behalf of the group.

"It is as he says. We come from Baldur's Gate on a matter of diplomacy, in order to prevent a war from occurring. To that end, we seek an audience with a representative. Please, let us through."

Diplomacy : http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3073176/ (29)

Tell everybody information from streetwise check at first convenient opportunity

The guard nods briskly, then gestures with his head back towards the iron gates, up the mountain trail. "Well, wells. Ye folks 're welcome a' Mithral Hall, tho' ahm afraid we ain't a lot to see these days. Still, if what ye say is true, yer mission's pretty critical. Follow me." Gourmert nods, and the guards lead the party and the dwarven diplomat up the mountain path, to the iron doors that seal off Mithral Hall. Once you arrive, the guard you spoke to earlier mutters something, and the doors slowly swing open, revealing the interior.

Immediately inside the gate is a well-crafted stone bridge over a dimly illuminated gorge in the midst of an open cavern. There are more guards gathered around the bridge, but the dwarf leading you forward waves them off, and you are able to traverse the wide, safe stone bridge without incident. Past that are some torch-lit tunnels, which lead you to a somewhat smaller, yet elegantly engraved and decorated gathering hall.

Though there aren't any other humanoids present here at the moment, there are a handful of magnificent marble tables (if a bit lower-set than might be comfortable for a human or dragonborn) surrounded by wooden stools of clearly dwarven manufacture. Depictions of the history of Mithral Hall are engraved into the walls, detailing the various battles against drow, orcs, duergar, and Shimmergloom the shadow dragon. The guard addresses Gourmert directly, saying, "Wait here. Ahll get one of the Battlehammer aides." He then moves out of the gathering hall, back into the tunnel system.

Gourmert faces the gathered adventurers and says, "Ah suggest ye leave the diplomatic handlin's tae me, mostly. With'at said, iffa they be askin' for specifics on tha incidents, it'd be best if ye told 'em how it went doon. Mithrals may be more cooperative if they know what's goin' on."

If you have anything to say and/or discuss amongst yourselves IC before you start talking with the dwarves of Mithral Hall, now's the time.

The adventurers stand back and let the expert do the work. Gourmert steps forward, to the near end of the table, and stands with his hands folded behind his back, patiently waiting. His nose twitches a little.

A few minutes pass, and then from the direction opposite Gourmert come three dwarves: a black-bearded, bald-headed male in rather expensive-looking gold and white silks. His beard is braided into two separate strands, and his tabard bears the crest of the foaming mug. This symbol is both the crest of the Battlehammer clan and the standard of Mithral Hall. Two heavily-armored guards with mauls flank him, a male and a female. More guards enter from behind you, and there are about eight total in the room when the one in the silk takes his place at the end of the table opposite Gourmert.

"Well met, brother," the diplomat begins. "Tha name's Khaz Battlehammer, o' tha Battlehammer clan, distant cousin o' Bruenor Battlehammer. I represent King Mezzo Battlehammer, my brother, lord of Mithral Hall. What brings ye tae our humble mountain?"

"Hail, and well met, Kraz," Gourmert easily replies. "Ahm Gourmert Goldsmith, of Baldur's Gate. We've come a long way, seeking an audience."

Khaz laughs and spreads his arms, replying "Well, ah say ye got one! What're ye really here for, sir Goldsmith?"

Gourmert pulls at his beard a bit nervously, "Ach, well, itsa bit of a sticky situation we be in down in Baldur's. We're actually here onna diplomatic mission to Many-Arrows, an' we want some neutral groond tae use azza staging point fer negotiation."

Up until now, Khaz Battlehammer had been smiling, but at the mention of Many-Arrows, he adopts a very serious expression and leans forward over the table, "Ah, I see why ye be hesitant then. No secret, right? Dwarves and orcs, we don't get along too well." With this, Khaz withdraws from the table paces a bit, before whirling back to face Gourmert. "Luck, tho, tha Battlehammers and King Obould have made a lotta effort inta keepin' tha peace. Orcs may be savages, but Obould does do his best to keep his in line. Dark Arrow Keep is nearby, we shouldn't have any trouble gettin' word to 'em." The diplomat moves around the side of the table, and draws closer to Gourmert here, and leans forward before continuing, "Ah think ye know what I'll be aksin' next, yea?"

Gourmert nods sagely, "Aye. Listen, these adventurers," with this, the dwarf diplomat gestures to the five in question, "cleaned outta cavern tha some fell orc was usin' as a base to raid caravans. The fell orc was carrying evidence to suggest it hailed from Many-Arrows. Not only tha, but they discovered a camp of orcs, all dead and gone, but clearly from Many-Arrows as well. All tha way down in tha Troll Hills."

At this point, Gourmert turns his head towards the adventurers in question and asks, "Tha's the truth, ain't it? Anythin' ye wanna add?"

Still nervous, the orc replies.
"If I am allowed to speak; We are worried about this occurrence. And probably the most worrisome part is the fact we don't think the Fallen Arrow is responsible for the attacks. We have some kind of theory about this.
Then, Sureiya looks to "Bernkastel", urging her to explain the conspiracy theory.

Khaz Battlehammer, diplomat and brother to the king.

Judge character. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3076772/

>>3251
Bernkastel (Insight): From this dwarf, you get a strong sense of upholding the name of Battlehammer. The hero they spoke of, Bruenor Battlehammer, helped take Mithral Hall back from Shimmergloom and his druergar, and negotiated peace with Obould Many-Arrows after the orcs' siege of Mithral Hall. The tenuous peace the dwarves have with Many-Arrows is extremely important to the survival of Mithral Hall. It seems as though it is in this dwarf's best interests to keep that peace.

The shaman addresses Gourmert. "It looked like Many-Arrows was framed in a warmongering scheme. ... As for the perpetrator, I suspect that the Dragonsworn clan is responsible."

It's assumed that the others can hear this.

"Eh? Dragonsworn?" Khaz replies, putting one hand to his beard and stroking it thoughtfully. "That's a name I've not heard in a long time..."

"It's a probability tha tha perpetrators are bein' led er manipulated by an entity known as tha 'Fell King,' who rules from the Shadowfell," Gourmert adds. "A'least, that's according tae one of tha fell orcs they captured. One way er another, tho, Many-Arrows's involved, so we need diplomatic contact wit'em immediately, lest war break out all over Luruar, or possibly all o' northern Faerun!"

Khaz Battlehammer nods sagely, replying, "A grave sit'ation indeed. Well, we'll send an emissary to Dark Arrow Keep, tae explain tha situation. Cood be a day er two before we hear back. In tha meantime, ye folks best be makin' yerselves at home here in Mithral Hall! Is there anything ole' Khaz can help ye with?"

>>3254
Torinn thinks back to how many times he's been thrown around lately. Dwarves are sturdy. Maybe they could impart some wisdom to him?

"This is just a personal request, but do you know any means somebody like me could stand their ground better against being pushed or pulled around?"

"Wha?" Khaz remarks, and considers. "The solidarity of Moradin is embodied in all us dwarves, but we ain't all tha adept a' makin' it into magical items. Wit' tha said... if ye have tha coin, perhaps we could whip up somethin' special for ye."

"Ah, speakin' o' coin," Gourmert pipes in, then reaches into his satchel and begins to pull out some small glass capsules, filled with a shiny, sparkling substance you recognize as residuum. "Tha Grand Duke says this is the up-front part o' yer reward. Ye'll get tha rest on yer safe return to Baldur's."

You each receive 640gp worth of residuum, a reagent that can be traded as gold or used for any magical ritual.

>>3254
"Then, Mr. Battlehammer, could you help shed some light on the history of the Dragonsworn?"

The Battlehammer representative casually strides over alongside the table and has a seat, looking apologetically at the psionic shaman. "Well, I'm afraid I don't know much. There were a lotta clans amongst tha orcs before the Oboulds united 'em inta Many-Arrows... Wolffang, Bloodspire, Crooked-Blades, Dragonsworn... I ha'en't heard much aboot tha Dragonsworn since Many-Arrows formed up. If they're active now, it'd be the first I've heard of them in decades. I do know they primarily populated tha lands south-west of tha Spine of tha World."

Khaz calls over the two guards, and mutters a few words to them. They nod, and depart, apparently satisfied with the happenings. "Ahll have 'em relay yer requests. If there be anythin' else ye wish tae talk aboot, this ole dwarf has somethin' of a fondness fer reminiscing."

"Personally, I would like to have a good rest. But if we need to do something else first I will wait."

>>3259
"Nothing else at the moment, but we'll keep that in mind, thank you."

"Ach, aye, aye," the dwarf representative laughs, looking away and waving his hand at you. "Ye traveled here by boat, yea? Ye must've nay hadda good rest 'n weeks." He rises from his chair, and walks towards the exit. A scattering of four other dwarves walk into the room, meeting him near the path from which he entered, and he turns back to meet your collective gaze once more. "Ahll see tae't tha ye have good accommo'ations fer sleepin'. Once ye've ha' yer rest, feel free tae ask me fer anything further. Ahll show ye where ye can find me."

The dwarves of mithral hall are generally easy to get along with and helpful to the party. Descending into the Undercity, Gourmert is able to negotiate free rooms and meals for all of you as official representatives of Baldur's Gate. Indeed, visitors from outside of Luruar are rare this far north, especially within the territories of Many-Arrows, so many curious dwarves will urge you to stop for a spell if you go outside your rooms so they can speak to you for a bit.

A little over a day passes, and at Torinn's request, a set of solid greaves are crafted for the dragonborn ( http://www.mediafire.com/?km043ajs167b0hr ). The dwarves require a payment of 680 gold pieces for this clearly high-quality work, and the smith, a Kelgar Thunderbeard, seems especially pleased with the results.

At any rate, the party is mostly gathered near their rooms when you finally meet with Khaz Battlehammer and his escort once more. Gourmert, who had been notably absent and presumably negotiating with the administrators of the hall, is also with them. Khaz clears his throat and addresses you, "Tha orcs have agree'd tae meet wit' yer diplomat at the meetin' grounds we arranged. It's on tha steppes, just down tha path outta Mithral Hall." The Battlehammer representative gestures to his armed entourage, "We be sendin' some extra muscle wit' ye. Apparently our info's caused quite a stir in Dark Arrow Keep, an' they want tae meet immediately. We're expectin' a big reception... so be on yer guard." The dwarf shakes his head and sighs. "Ah mean, ahd like tae trust tha orcs of Many-Arrows, like ole Bruenor, but something's suspicious. Maybe it's Many-Arrows... maybe somethin' else. I dunno. Just be careful, yea?"

"Some extra muscle? Excuse the question Sir, but who else is coming with us?"

"Eh?" Khaz seems a bit taken aback by the question, but rebounds quickly with a reassuring tone, gesturing to the guards surrounding him, "Just a few stout dwarven hands tae keep ne'er-do-wells from gettin' any funny ideas, aye?"

Bernkastel (Passive Insight): He was a bit nervous about answering that question. You're not really sure why.

>>3282
"Is that so? Well I was just a bit curious, so don't think too much about it."
Insight check: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3083118/ (24)

Torinn gladly pays for the boots, thanking Kelgar Thunderbeard for making a customized piece of armor for so little cost. He takes time to equip them before heading out to join the others, once again thanking the smith.

At Sureiya's question of the loyalty of the dwarven escorts, Torinn smiles reassuringly at Khaz. "If you trust them, I think they're trustworthy enough."

"Will we travel on foot?"

"...it's usually preferable for diplomacy to occur in absence of a large military force. Even considering that caution is the key to longevity, this has the potential to become violent more easily than I'd like."

Sureiya (Insight): You definitely think there's a subject in the matter of the escort that's being avoided.

"Aye, it's only a short ways doon. We'll be back well 'fore nightfall, even'f negotiations take awhile," Khaz replies, nodding briskly. He then turns and makes to leave, waving to you, "Good luck. We'll be countin' on ye."

The guards simultaneously turn and begin to move towards the way you entered the hall, expecting you to follow.

Sureiya moves along with the party, and trying his best to not be heard by the others, he mutters to Myn and Torinn.
"... There's something weird here, sir Khaz is acting strange, perhaps he is not telling us something?"

>>3303
Listen anyway.

Noticing the Shaman interest, he also say it to her and to Michael.
"Didn't you notice something weird with sir Khaz? Let's not down our guard now."

>>3303

Myn whispers in reply.

"I would like to hope that he is merely being cautious, but it would be wise to remain on our guard."

The party discusses the suspicious nature of Khaz's character quietly as they follow the guards back up through the passages of Mithral Hall, and back out into the wilderness. Gourmert follows the guards closely and is not privy to the private conversation between some of the members.

Once outside, you are greeted by a stout-looking dwarf in gold-plated armor with a hammer holstered at each of his hips. He is bound up in furs, but you don't have any problem spotting plate armor beneath. Between his grayish beard, which is heavily braided, and his helmet and other facial hair, nearly all you can make of his face is his golden eyes and large, scarred nose. He raises his hand when he sees the guards and the adventurers, then leans over and spits, wipes his mouth with his sleeve, and says, "Hail, travel'rs. Ahm tha captain of tha guard, Selond Thunderbarrel. Me and my elite guard'll be accompany'n ye on this assignment, aye?" The dwarf walks over to the plateau overlooking the road you traveled up to enter Mithral Hall, and points into the distance. Following his direction, you can spot a raised, level hill amongst the snow-covered, forested landscape below, in the steppes of the mountains that form the Spine of the World. "Thas our destination. Tha orcs 're already on tha move. We're headin' out quickly now, so no lollygagging, ya'hear?"

With that, the company of six dwarven guards whose names you haven't yet learned accompanies your party, Gourmert Goldsmith, and Mithral Hall's captain of the guard Selond Thunderbarrel down the road and towards the hill he indicated. It's a good few miles trek through the wilderness, as it's in a rather low-set area of the steppes, so while your marching pace is brisk, it will still take some time to reach your destination.

You may all make Perception checks while traversing the wilderness to your meeting spot. If you wish to use your passive Perception instead, you may elect not to roll.

"Sir Thunderbarrel, Should we expect an aggressive welcome from the Many Arrows? or are we just being careful?"
Perception check for sounds and/or hidden enemies: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3085413/

>>3308
Before they head out, Torinn whistles, the celestial warhorse charging out of the ether at his summons. The paladin sets himself atop his trusty mount and they head off.

When Sureiya poses the question, Torinn suggests, "It could be that other factions want to keep this meeting from happening and might try to ambush us."

Use Call Celestial Steed
Ride on horse

Perception : http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3085537/ (8)

Sureiya (Perception): You can't help but feel as though... something is out of place here. Your party is five, plus Gourmert, the six guards, and the captain Thunderbarrel... there are thirteen of you. Yet, your instincts tell you, looking back at the tracks left in the snow, that there are fourteen. That's kind of strange, as you definitely haven't seen anyone else traveling with you.

Captain Thunderbarrel grunts and addresses Sureiya in an authoritarian manner; "If tha orcs 're smart--an' tha Battlehammers tell me tha Oboulds 're--they ain't tryin' anything. Still, it seems tha fact tha thar're travelers all tha way from Baldur's Gate up here, on an official mission, has caused quite a stir in Dark Arrow Keep. We should expect they'll be sendin' someone important tae meet with us, an' tha orcs, even if they're smart, trustin' they ain't. Which means they'll be sendin' a big compliment o' their own." The captain spits again, then continues briefly, "We dinnae want tae give'm any funny ideas, intae thinkin' they kin bully ya'll around with force o' numbers."

Several of the dwarven guards seem rather impression by Torinn's celestial steed, and steal a quick, awe-filled glance at it when they can.

Upon noticing Sureiya looking at the footprints, the elemental spirit turns the shaman's attention to the same.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3086017/

Bernkastel: (Perception) You notice the same thing Sureiya does... there seems to be a presence here that you can't quite place your eyes on.

The shaman's spirit sends her strange visions, while Torinn's horse snorts and tramples the snow. From Myn's shoulder, a skulking book imp emerges from the warlock's clothing, and chatters briefly to the half-elf.

The orc walks near to the Shaman.
"There's something weird here, is someone following us?"

The dwarves pause for a moment and look at the half-orc. Captain Thudnerbarrel grunts, "Whatya mean, ranger?"

The orc, who apparently did not intend to be heard by anyone else got surprised by the goat dwarf question.
"Well, don't make a big mess of this. But I have the feeling someone is following us. From the footsteps we leave in the snow there should be 14 people here, but we are just 13"

>>3339
At Sureiya's response, the captain of the guard grunts and motions the company to keep moving. "Aye, an' ahd appreciate't if ye didn't say anytin' aboot't tae tha orcs. Tha be our trump card, in case things go bad."

Gourmert seems a bit nervous about this, whispering to the rest of the party, "They be really cautious aboot these orcs. Must have a lotta bad blood between 'em..."

The orc moves his face back, as if he was trying to see an invisible dwarf, and then replies.
"That explains it. If anything that doesn't make me feel any less nervous."

>>3340
Should I be worried?

Captain Thunderbarrel waves dismissively at the orc's statement, saying, "Listen, adventurer. I doon't know how ye folks play back home, but 'ere, it be hard ball, all tha time. Yea, we an' tha orcs be on not-hostile terms right now. But we cannae afford tae appear weak. If ye think even fer a moment we can afford tae let our guard doon aroun' the orcs, yer sadly mistaken."

Suddenly, the captain whirls around to face the party, and the group halts for another moment. He puts his hands on his hips and gives you all what can only be described as a stern, authoritative look. "Now I dinnae wha ye were expectin' tae see in this diplomatic meetin, but it might be akin tae somethin' like two wolves circlin' each other, all growlin' an' snarlin' an' showin' teeth. As long as neither side's missin' any teeth, tha other's got no incentive tae pounce, aye? Obould may have 'em somewhat tamed, but they're still orcs. Power's wha they respect tha most. Ahm not sayin' Many-Arrows is gonna attack us. But ahm gonna make damn sure we doon't appear an easy target, neither."

He leans forward, and says in a very serious, very low tone, "It's tha best fer all o' us, ye see? We be less o' a target, an' tha more unruly orcs 've less opportunities tae rebel 'gainst Obould. We ain't a batch o' roving thugs, ya'know. This be how it goes out here. Ye get it?"

Gourmert seems taken aback by this, but can't really find any words to disagree.

Bernkastel: (Passive Insight) What you can glean from this is that, for the captain, and the guards, this is absolutely justified and, in fact, completely normal. At least, that is their feeling about it: this is just another day on the job. Maybe a more exciting day, but none of them appear especially nervous or upset.

An easy target? And how this "invisible" guy help us with that?
"Alright, I have no problem with this. Let's continue."

>>3343
"You would think that they wouldn't want to pick a fight with a group of adventurers tagging along."
Torinn finds the circling wolves analogy leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He looks to Gourmert to see if he's any less troubled by all of this.

"It's fine an' well that ye're 'ere," Captain Thunderbarrel replies to Torinn, before turning back to the road ahead. "But ahm not innae business o' goin' into orcs'f ah 'ven think fer a moment ahm underprepared. Now, let's get movin'. We won't wanna keep tha orcs waitin'."

Gourmert seems to sense Torinn's urgency, and walks over to the mounted paladin, speaking in a low voice so that all of the party can hear, "Well, it be true tha negotiations'n these more outland areas can get a'lil... rough. But dun't worry aboot a thing. We'll get through this."

Michael can't shake off the sinking feeling something may go wrong, but hopes it's only that, a feeling. "As long as it prevents a war.", he thinks to himself. These dwarves have enough to deal with being so close to the Underdark like the East Rift was.

>>3348
Torinn nods grimly at Thunderbarrel, agreeing that they should make haste, though he still doesn't like the situation. But it doesn't make him any less resolute to see it through, and Gourmert's reassurance gives him hope that it'll all work out.

In a couple of hours' time, the party reaches their destination. There's not a lot to see here--lots of conifers surround the top of this small hill, and there are a few rather sparse-looking bushes and stray rocks, and an unlit campfire in the center of the plateau.

As you gather and the guards take up their positions, captain Thunderbarrel approaches the unlit campfire and declares, "Ahll light it up. Tha'll let 'em know we're here." With that, the guard captain pulls out some flint and a piece of tinder, and begins making an effort to start a fire.

>>3377
Torinn hopes for the best, but thinks that looking more knightly could leave a better impression. The paladin brings out his shield, but leaves his sword sheathed. Hopefully it won't be needed.
Equip shield

Well, if we're being cautious anyway.

Perception check for traps and other suspicious things, etc. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3087819/

>>3379
Bernkastel: (Perception) You see nothing unusual or out of the ordinary about, aside from the fact that you can clearly tell that the unseen person that was with you before is still nearby.

The shaman ignites a nearby stick, and offers it to Thunderbarrel. prestidigitation

Keep a lookout for orcs.

Stay still, and alert if anything happen.

Myn idly scratches a picture of a tree on the ground with one of his rods, remaining alert despite his apparent boredom.

Holding darkspiral rod.

It begins with the sound of a horn, followed by the faint sounds of creatures approaching from below. To the northeast, you catch glimpses of humanoid figures, a great many of them--and they are approaching.

The dwarves stiffen a bit, but otherwise to not react, until the captain announces, "'Ere they come."

Almost immediately after Thunderbarrel announces the arrival of the orcs, they begin marching up the hill and filling out the area around the bonfire. Eight orcs are clearly dressed for battle, or at least as escorts, with varying degrees of hide armor protecting their bodies, painted in reds, browns, and violet, studded with crude metal. They also carry varying shapes of hefty battle-axes, though show no strain in carrying them. Five behind them are dressed in white furs over hide armor of similar coloring, though they do not seem to be wielding weapons.

Curiously, at the front of the group is a goblin. He skulks and darts between the grunts as they line up to face the dwarves, before finally assuming a position in the front. He's a bit scrawny-looking, but wearing a crooked grin and dressed in only a brown loincloth and boots (though he doesn't seem cold for whatever reason). The orcs and dwarves have a stand-off for a few moments, before the goblin finally breaks the silence.

"Ah-HA!" the goblin cries out, clapping his hands together briefly. "Yer the adventurers causin' quite the stir up in Dark Arrow Keep, ehhhhhh?" he seems to be ignoring most of the dwarves, instead focusing on the other various races gathered there. His eyes dart from the dragonborn, between the humans, to the half-elf, back to the dragonborn, and then to the half-orc, before continuing in a screechy, yet raspy voice, "All the way from the cities on the coast! Baldur's Gate, yeesssss? Hmmmm? You got guts comin' all the way up heres, to the kingdom of Many-Arrows, ya'know! Yet one can't help but wonder: what yer intentions are, ehhh?! Help a goblin out, ehhhhh?!"

Gourmert steps forward, then clears his throat, and addresses the goblin, "Aye. We simply wish tae make a few inquiries aboot the activities of Many-Arrows in tha Trol Hills..."

The goblin suddenly holds up his hand and shakes his head, "Ah, say no more! Say no more! We were hopings you'd be willin' to talks about that!" The goblin nods excitedly, and looks in the direction of the adventurers in the back. "But first, lets talk about what yas already know, ehhhhhh! Adventurers, youses found the camp, yes? So let's hears what youses have to say about it!"

>>3387
This eagerness he displays is slightly unnerving.

"We found the camp ransacked, with traces of a battle. And scorch marks, I believe."

>>3390

Myn adds on to the paladin's explanation.

"Upon investigating the nearby cave, we also discovered a fel orc, who was in the process of manipulating a leyline. She mentioned a 'Fell King', as well as the fall of the Many-Arrows, after we subdued her."

The goblin nods eagerly. "Indeed, it's as wes expected! Good, good. Wells, adventurers, it's your lucky day!" The goblin steps aside as one of the shamans in the back ranks moves forward, taking a position at the front of the orcish group. "Allow me to introduce the big boss himself: the grand unifier of the warring clans, king of the Spine of the World, ruler of the great Kingdom of Many-Arrows: King Obould Many-Arrows XVII!"

The orc throws off his furs, revealing a set of black-plated, regal armor. At his back is a very hefty double-axe, and his skin tone is a dark green, with a grayish beard covering his chin. His eyes are yellow, sunken, and look as though they've seen many battles. He crosses his muscular arms as the goblin continues on, "Yes, yes! The king himself has left the keep to meet with you, because of this disruption of an important investigation! You should be grateful, ehhhhhh? Bowing's not good enough, why don't you get down and grovel! Grovel for mercy at the feet of the king!"

Obould sighs and closes his eyes, and speaks in a commanding voice, "Flit. That mouth of yours will be the death of you."

The goblin looks up at the orc king with a confused expression. "Huh?" Obould slowly points a hand towards the bonfire, and suddenly, it erupts in a massive flame that illuminates everyone present, causing quite the stir among the dwarves, who flinch and let their hands spring to their weapons. A lash of the fire scorches the ground and burns away the snow in front of Flit the goblin. "Yaaah!" it cries out, leaping back.

Another figure leaps away from the fire as well. "Aww, he saw me," comes the voice of a pouting dwarf female, and suddenly another dwarf figure is added to your collection: this one a female dressed in leather armor, and holding two daggers. Your mysterious stalker has been revealed, it seems.

Captain Thunderbarrel speaks up, and seems remarkably relaxed about the whole ordeal, "Apologies, king of Many-Arrows. We meant no disrespect, but given the chaotic nature of your nation in recent history, we felt certain precautions must be taken."

Obould looks at the captain of the guard, crosses his arms once more, and smirks. "Likewise," he says simply. At this, two large spirit wolves fade into existence in the midst of the ranks of dwarves and adventurers, and the guards nearest the wolves take a few steps back, clearly unnerved. The atmosphere is quite tense, but it doesn't look like either side is going to spring into battle immediately, so Obould continues, "And now that we've exchanged pleasantries, perhaps you'll indulge me on a bit of further information on the status of my expedition to the Troll Hills. Just what happened down there?"

>>3394
Torinn takes a deep breath, trying to get out every pertinent detail he can think of.
"We were greeted by a band of undead that were distinctly orcish, possibly the remains of the group you sent there, then by some... Tentacled abomination that broke through from another dimension. Past that, some kind of elemental creature hodgepodge and a series of traps that impeded our progress and allowed it to continue to spawn more elementals. We found a series of leylines running through the caverns that weakened the dimensional boundaries, which is how the tentacled creature made it through. There was a forest of poisonous mushrooms, mutated by the Spellplague. We reunited with the person we were tasked with finding, a half-orc rogue, who had managed to find a different way in. In the same area was a door, bearing the symbol of the Many Arrows. And beyond that door, we confronted a fell orc who was in the middle of a ritual of some kind. She summoned a dragon from the Shadowfell in an attempt to kill us, but we destroyed it and she fled. If the rogue hadn't been there, the fell orc would likely have escaped, but she was quickly apprehended and brought back to us. The fell orc mentioned something about a plot by the Fell King, and something about involvement with the Dragonsworn Clan. We returned to Baldur's Gate after that, and eventually were sent here."

Before Torinn can reveal anything about Thelkra's involvement with the mission, the shaman's spirit companion jabs at his side, shaking its head in disagreement.

Interrupt, etc.

"Wait a second, what is the King doing here? I don't like this"

>>3399
Omit any mention of Thelkra.

Obould nods at Torinn's words, standing relatively still with a calm expression and his arms crossed. He replies in an even tone, "Dragonsworn, I see. It has been some time since that clan has been mentioned in my presence. I cannot rule out the possibility that some rogue clan or clans are trying to incite war between Many-Arrows and the nations of the south, and yet..." the orc king makes a sweeping gesture with his hand, "The investigation of the leyline was of great importance. Our shamans have been investigating that particular leyline--which runs from the Troll Hills, underground, all the way up through the Spine of the world, incidentally--and found some irregularities. There have been a number of... incidents, in parts of Many-Arrows close to the branches of the leyline."

The king goes on to explain, "I've had High Shaman Mardoc attempting to locate the source of the disruption for months, and he sent that task force to the Troll Hills in following a lead. It seems that Baldur's Gate was quicker to act in this manner. Still, the disruption remains. Whoever is manipulating this leyline is eventually going to cause even bigger problems than war between our nations, if left unchecked."

Gourmert takes the pause as an opportunity to speak up, "An' tha's why it's important tha we work together on this manner! If what ye say is true, then it's likely this 'Fell King' be the one pullin' the strings! He's trying to keep us at odds wit each other and suspicious of each other in order to stop us from locatin' him! Thankfully, he's been doin' a rather haphazard job o'it. We still have time tae cooperate!"

Obould waves his hand to the side, "It's inevitable. I'll send Mardoc to Baldur's Gate to assist the government in tracking down the Fell King. The rest of my high shamans are occupied in keeping the disruptions in the leyline under control."

Flit looks rather flummoxed, and when he can stand it no longer, he finally voices his concerns, "Sir, you are being awfully forthright with them, ehhhhhhhh?! Haven't you been making great efforts to keep the effects of the disruption of the leyline from reaching the ears of outsiders...?"

Obould sighs once more, "Flit. You may be oblivious to such things, but the spirits have advised me in this matter." At this mention, the two wolf spirits turn briefly to Obould and adopt a more passive stance. "With many who wish to follow the ways of Gruumsh, these clumsy attempts to incite a war between the border nations and Many-Arrows may yet prove successful, if not dealt with in a prompt manner. I am certain that the spirits have guided these people here as well." While saying so, Obould looks over at 'Bernkastel' and her two spirit companions. "I'm not one to ignore good fortune when I see it."

Appreciating the King's generosity, Sureiya decide to reply, but not before introducing himself.
"Sir, my name is Sureiya. I'm quite glad to hear your approval in this case, if possible I will try to escort High Shaman Mardoc, although my comrades are probably also interested"

>>3402
"I look forward to working together with the Many Arrows to resolve this."

"Obould? That name rings a bell..."

History check: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3092689/ (5)
Streethwise check: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3092881/ (23)
Insight check: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3092883/ (15)

>>3408
Torinn (Streetwise): Obould Many-Arrows XVII is the king of Many-Arrows and directly descended from the line of Obould Many-Arrows I, exarch of Gruumsh (sometimes referred to as Obould-Who-Is-Gruumsh by the orcs of Many-Arrows). Obould XVII is known as a unifier of the clans, and many in the region know of his various efforts and sometimes gruesome methods used to keep the more warmongering factions within his kingdom under control. Besides his renown as an effective and wise leader, Obould XVII is also said to be one of the world's most powerful shamans, and he is rarely seen without his two spirit wolf companions.

Torinn (Insight): You're not getting much from Obould; his poker face is rather flawless. He seems very serious about this matter, at any rate.

>>3402
Surprised and somewhat skeptical, the shaman's gaze moves from Obould's majestic wolf companions to her own, relatively diminutive spirits.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3093120/

Bernkastel (All checks): As far as Streetwise, you know about as much as Torinn does. You know a little history of this person, that a civil war almost twenty years ago broke out amongst the orcs of Many-Arrows, and that it was this king that reunited them. It is more difficult to get a read on this person, however, aside from his very serious tone and stern, commanding presence.

>>3409
Torinn hopes some of the rumors aren't true, but overall doesn't think of Obould as a bad person.

King Obould addresses the half-orc speaking to him, "I will send high shaman Mardoc along with a warlord to Baldur's Gate in time. You needn't worry about it. You adventurers should go back to the city and stay out of trouble, I think."

Gourmert interjects, "Yer highness, we're v'ry thankful fer yer pledge of aid in this matter. We all want to avoid war here, and I think we can make that happen if we continue to cooperate effectively like this."

"However," Obould XVII replies, taking on a warning tone as Flit worms his way back to the king's side, "I think it'd be more important to send emissaries to the cities of Luruar as well. The spirits have warned me of unrest in the region, and now that I've learned of activity of this sort happening as far south as Baldur's Gate... the human and elf alliances in Luruar may be old, but they still command a lot of respect in the area. If the Fell King was to instigate an attack on Many-Arrows, he would naturally target these areas first, as they are in a prime position to make direct assaults on our holdings." The orc king folds his arms and nods, saying, "Indeed, the attacks further south are likely meant only to raises suspicions and keep you out of the conflict..."

The dwarf diplomat practically has a facepalm moment when he hears this, "Aye, of course! Well, wit any luck, tha grand duke already realizes tha... but we'd best check up on things back a' Baldur's Gate as soon as we can!"

The captain of the guard seems a bit off-put by this exchange, but remains silent, and Obould XVII grunts before motioning to his troops, "I believe our business here is concluded. My warriors and I shall depart to make the proper arrangements. You shall return to Baldur's Gate and report to your grand duke. Good day, and well met."

Sureiya stand still, while the orcs retire.

>>3418
"Likewise. Safe travels to you all."

With the departure of the orcs, the captain of the guard nods to Gourmert, then to the rest of you, "Tha went aboot's well as could be expected. Guess y'all be havin' an orc high shaman visitin' ye in Baldur's soon, aye? Well, we best git back tae Mithral Hall so we kin getcha ready for yer trip back."

The group, apparently having no objections, follows the dwarves on their short trek back to Mithral Hall. The journey hasn't taken much time, and it's still early in the afternoon when you get back to the dwarven hold. However, upon entry you find that quite a stir is going on in the hall itself. Armored and armed dwarves are rushing in and out of the meeting hall when you enter, and captain Thunderbarrel immediately steps forward and stops one of the guards for questioning. The guard whispers something in the captain's ear, and his eyes widen before he takes off in a hurry, leaving you in the smaller of the two meeting halls. It's not long before two guards accompany a female dwarf in somewhat expensive-looking clothing to your presence.

"Lads, I hope yer meetin' went well. Things haven't been goin' so good here," the female dwarf announces in an even tone.

>>3423
Torinn comes to the first conclusion that he can think of when he sees all these armed guards rushing around.

"Is Mithral Hall under attack?"

As the cavalier, Sureiya gets scared as well and question the dwarf.
"What's going on here? Is something serious?"

The female dwarf that greeted you closes her eyes and presses her lips together with her arms crossed. "Mmmm. Nothin' so drastic, tho... listen, tha reason ahm 'ere greetin' ye instead o' Khaz is because he was attacked." She opens her eyes and gestures calmly, explaining, "Looks like an assassination attempt. Luckily, he's just wounded, an' expected tae make a full recovery, tho tha poison they used was quite strong and mighta killed 'm if he wasn't a dwarf. In tha meantime, ahm Marion Bunkerbust, at yer service. Shortly before tha attack on ol' Khaz, he'd been contact'd by a Sending spell from Baldur's. Seems they've found a way tae bring you back via teleportation, using some gizmo called a 'steppin disk,' er somethin'. We gotta heck of a situation on our hands right now, so ye'll understand if we want tae send ye on yer way as quickly as we can."

Sir Khaz was poisoned? ... wait a second, Steping disks? Wasn't that female wizard working on these?
"An assasination attempt against Sir Khaz? How terrible, I hope you overcome this incident soon, that kind of thing shouldn't happen"

>>3427
"Stepping disks? They have those here, too?"

"Understood. I'm sure you can deal with this on your own, but, regardless, I wish you good luck."

>>3427
"Have they caught whomever attempted tae' assassinate 'im..?"

Still feeling a bit distressed by the situation, the orc questions.
"Are those magicals disks ready? Or do we have some time before we go?"

Also, already knowing how the Shaman thinks, he whisper to her: "You seem interesed in this, Who do you think is the culprit?"

The dwarf dose her best to address the party's worries, "Ah, though Khaz surviv'd tha attack, tha assassin 'imself wasn't so fortunate. We're still lookin' into the bigger picture... all I can say fer now is tha it was an orc tha tried it. An' though we don't have a steppin' disk of our own, I hear the arcanists have whipped somethin' up fer ye. We need tae get ye back there as soon as possible, thas what our contact said."

The female dwarf leads the party to one of the side tunnels out of the undercity, into a small study where a pair of male dwarves wearing robes and holding staves sit amongst a pile of books, bags of arcane reagents, and a magical circle etched into the ground. The two snap to attention when your group enters the room.

"Aye, ready for transport?" one of the wizards asks.

>>3438
"It looks like they caught someone," whispers the shaman. Glancing at her elemental spirit, she adds, "Should we ask if we can look?"

And the orc whisper in reply
"We should, this could be relevant to our job"

Nodding to the two, Myn walks up to the dwarf.

"Out of curiosity, could we be permitted to see the body of the assassin? There's a chance that it could contain information that would aid us in our mission."

The female dwarf that hasn't told you her name yet has this to say in reply, "Eh, we're still conductin' tha investigation. We'll get tha information back tae Baldur's Gate if there's anythin' useful we discover."

>>3446
"... The timing was much too convenient; this could easily be related to Baldur's Gate's own investigation. We would like to confirm the perpetrator with our own eyes."

The dwarf females places an arm behind her head, and looks thoughtful for a moment. "Aye, tha timin' was convenient. I think thas why it'd be best fer ye tae get outta tha Hall as quickly as possible, if ye understand my meaning."

>>3448
Torinn nods grimly, looking to his companions.

"I think we'd best do as she asked for now."

The shaman concedes, pretending to not notice her elemental spirit's paralyzing glares.

Looking at his comrades, Sureiya also decides to follow the dwarf instruction and leave to Baldur's gate.

"I have no objections. Let us return with haste."

The female dwarf nods, and the two dwarf arcanists motion to the magical circle on the ground. "Aye, stuff like portal's 've been mighty rare since the Spellplague, but tae find some working stepping disks was a true miracle of some sort! Those folks from tha Arcanimus even gave us directions for creatin' a workin' ritual tae use tae transport with it, in the absence of another disk--"

The female dwarf motions impatiently, "Arright, we don't need the full speech. Just explain how tae use it."

The wizard looks slightly sheepish at this rebuke, and mutters a bit hesitantly, "O-of course. Well, tha ritual can only transport one at a time, so who's first?"

>>3461
Torinn steps forward.

"I'll go back first."

When Torinn stands on the circle, the two dwarf wizards chant quickly, gesture, and the dragonborn is surrounded by a purple-and-black swirling sphere for a moment, and it condenses around him, causing the cavalier to disappear.

Torinn's next moment of awareness is standing on a stepping disk in a somewhat small, fancy-looking room. The decor, being dull blues and purples, accented with tree branches along the walls and potted plants on the ground, is clearly of the Arcanimus. The room is occupied by one other figure, a warforged standing behind a desk sitting behind the disk, who faces Torinn after a brief moment, "Are you one of the adventurers the palace hired...?"

Back in Mithral Hall, the two dwarves nod in a satisfactory manner. "Aye, tha should do it. Are tha rest of ye ready tae go?"