Turn 73 -- Information from 'Bob'

Kersath looks over to Talimar, mouths the word 'haggus' and shrugs his shoulders as Dain continues. "Besides, he could be a usefull travelling companion if you know what I mean. Also, I'm all for goin' down after 'em. Besides, I be thinkin that old smelly feet outta see what real magic looks like." With that Dain gives a chuckle before starting the task of removing the possessions from the prisoner.

Ortho walks around from the other side of the sinkhole to stand before the prisoner. "Though Ah'd rather wait a day an' get you all back up ta full strength, Ah think the best course is ta go on down the hole. Ah hate ta think what Ramor might have awaitin' fer us if we give 'im a day to set his traps an' defences."

Gnore moves to the other side of the hole and takes up Ortho's former guard duty, his great bastard sword before him point to the ground and hands on the hilt.

Turning to look up at the prisoner with hands on hips, Ortho continues, "Ah don' know yer name an' Ah don' care. Ah think Ah'll call ye Bob. Okay Bob, Ah'm sure yer not real happy aboot the recent turn o' events. So sorry. But yer fate now lies with us and ye'd best do all in yer powers ta help us or ye will be joinin' yer mates back there." Ortho thumbs back toward the cavern where the dead mercenaries lay.

"If ye does right by us, Ah'll see to it that ye not only live but are set free with a dagger and thirty pieces of gold in yer pocket. If ye cause us harm, Ah'll personally shorten ye up a bit with me axe." Ortho pauses for effect while casually moving his axe about a bit. 'Bob' takes an audible breath and appears to be sizing up the dwarf before him.

"Alright Bob, we're goin' down that hole. And ye're goin' first, so I suggest ye tell us all ye know aboot the climb down and the room below."

Ortho assists Dain in the removing of all armor and weapons from Bob and gives a slight nod as Bob stands before him only in his underclothes. He then moves to unbind Bob's off arm leaving the other securely tied.

"Bob, Ah'm goin' to remove yer gag. Yer no good to me if ye can't talk to me. But before Ah do, here are the rules ye must abide by: ye are ta be silent unless spoken to or you know of immediate danger to me or me mates. If ye break that one simple rule, ye'll not be around to spend that gold Ah promised ye. Get me? No exceptions. If ye have a question or other comment fer us ye must raise yer hand until given permission to speak. Do you agree?" Bob nods his head and Ortho removes the gag.

"Ok Bob, sit on the side of the hole near the ladder. Good lad, now what do you know of the rooms below and the climb down?" Ortho takes a step back to await Bob's response with the rest of the companions.

As Gnore now notices the ungagged Bob, he rushes forward, grabs Bob by the mouth and forces him flat on his back holding him down. Ortho and the others show a look of surprise at Gnore's actions. Talimar merely shakes his head at the treatment of the man. As Gnore holds his hand tight over the mouth of Bob, he looks up at the others, "I don't know if I like this one being able to speak. He doesn't know that we will let him live at all if he gives us what we want but he does understand that, the less his enemies know about these caverns, the more likely we'll join him in death. His answers or verbal directions could give his fellows clues to our position or signal a proper ambush down below. He'll give us all his information now but I suggest that we gag him again when he leads us below. He could point the way to our gold and he won't lead us into a trap since he will be our fore-shield and the first to die if we are lead in error." Gnore emphasizes this by pushing down on Bob's head a bit as he turns to look at the prisoner.

"If we live, you are free but you get a dagger and ten pieces of gold. One who willingly betrays his comrades deserves no more." Gnore seethes through cleanched teeth. Having made his point, he quietly returns to his post near the hole.

Bob struggles to regain his seat as he rubs the back of his neck and head, his eyes throwing daggers at the statuesque form of Gnore.

Ortho moves forward once again and helps Bob to maintain his seating. "Gnore, Ah understand yer caution aboot him leadin' us into a trap. That's why Ah'll be first in line behind 'im. There may be a trap and there may not. Be sure, though, that if there is a trap Bob will be caught in it as surely as I. Hopefully Bob has the sense to see that his fate now lies directly with me. If he doesn't, well...."

"Also, Ah promised 'im thirty pieces o' gold an' thirty it will be. Out of me own pocket, if need be."

"Aye, it will be from your own pocket. If it be my choice, I'd send him to his fallen comrades after we finished with him. That way he answers for his deceit to them for an eternity." Gnore smiles wickedly, then remembers himself. "Uh..but eh, I defer to Ortho's promise, of course."

With all the fuss being made over Bob and the noise the party is making at the top of the sink hole, Garth sighs. Feeling eyes on him he explains, "If there were an ambush down below, they will know for certain where we are and what we plan."

With a wave at the curve of the ceiling he says, "If yer knowing about mining you'll recognize the acoustics of this place will push our chatter straight down that sink hole for quite a ways."

Looking around nervously, Garth adds, "I think we should post a guard here and finish looking at this level. There is no telling if they put in a back door over the past year the mine has been inoperative."

"The acoustics can't be all that good, kin Garth. Druckner and I already stated that there is nothing else on this level." Gnore says with a smile from his sitting position near the hole.

Garth nods and says, "Aye, I didna hear that you had already checked the level. I agree with you that the acoustics up here aren't so good. But," as he indicates the concave bowl shape above the sink hole, "this will project the sound straight down."

Nodding his head, Gnore looks down the hole trying to be sure there is nothing there. "On that, kin Garth, I defer to your wisdom. If there is someone near this hole listening, we find ourselves at a disadvantage by our plans being known."

Talimar frowns at Gnore's glib response, "How can you be sure Gnore? We never checked out the tunnels marked on the map as the 'Dream Cave' and 'Queen of Souls'. There could easily be creatures in those tunnels. And how can we be sure that the caves are as marked on the map? There could easily be more tunnels created since the map was drawn, and for all we know they could be filled with drow. And you never hear them coming!"

Shrugging his shoulders, Gnore stands and hefts his bastard sword before him, "If that is what you want, I'll go search this level again. If there indeed be Drow here, and I'm sure Kersath will agree with me, we won't see them anyhow; even if we searched the caverns stones by stone. Out in the open above ground they are hard to see. Down underground, well...." Gnore lets his words trail as he lets the rest of the company offer any input.

Druckner moves forward at this point to answer the elf, "Talimar, we did search the leve as we've already said."

Kersath listens quietly to Talimar and Gnore's exclamations, all the while shaking his head in disagreement. "Nay, my kin never normally dwell this close to the surface. Our cities are in fact so deep under that we practically dwell inside the bones of the world. This cavern is much too close to the surface, although it might be a possible route to the Underdark. But I doubt we'll find any drow at this level. They usually have a deep dislike of the surface world and everything in it or close to it."

Looking down the shaft, the dark elf adds, "But you know what...All that thing about magic users being kidnapped and orcs involved. I don't think the orcs are the reason, no, they have no use for magic users. But it sounds all too much like something my kin would do..."

Pacing around the hole impatiently, Ortho steps forward once again to comment, "Aye, the sound goes down an' so must we unless there is a better idee? Certainly we are lookin' at a trap waitin' ta happen up there in the roof. Yet, how else ta get down? Gnore an' Druck checked the other caverns an' foun' nothin'. Ah don't like goin' down anymore than you, Tal, but Ah don' think we have the time ta search the countryside fer another way in that may or may not be there."

"Now we don' hafta go all down at once. Bob an' me should go, an' Ah'd be thankful for anyone that cares ta join us, but nobody else has ta go until we know if it's safe er not."

Randor listens to what is said then adds, "I suggest that we search the rest of this level and make our plans in a different room. After that we should come back here and head down."

Ortho nods at the words of the Hand of Tyr before continuing, "Gnore an' Kersath said they'd come. Unless they say otherwise. Ah will be most glad ta have 'em guard me back an' join me in what lies below. Is there anybody else? Are there any idees or course of actions that we should defer to? We've wasted to much time already! What say ye?"

Nodding his head, Gnore stands, steps away from the hole and smiles, "I'm ready but I'll wait until all of you finish with him," he says while pointing his finger at the prisoner.

"Indeed with all this talking, Bob's knowledge may well be the only help we'll get in avoiding whatever waits for us down below. Whatever good this information may be."

"We're behind you," offers Talimar as he ponders the options, "But we must get what information we can from him."

Druckner then moves forward to take the opportunity to speak with Bob, "If you cooperate with us, you won't have to worry about grumpy old Gnore. You'll be free with gold in your pocket. Now, tell us."

"Bob, ye'd best answer Druck's questions to ya. Ye don't wan ta learn why they call 'im 'the Red' do ye?" asks Ortho with a smile.

Druckner takes Ol' Grizzler's map from Ortho and shows the lower level to Bob asking him to point out who is where. Bob explains that Ramor is the leader and will be holed up in the room marked as the 'Grand Cavern'. He shakes his head at the mention of orcs below and explains that there are only about six men below including Ramor.

"We're just simple kidnappers for the slave trade," he explains after Druckner asks what their business is.

"We're not organized for anything like this. There may be a trap below but if so, it's nothing that we've ever discussed. I wouldn't know what to expect."

"I've told you everything you asked, now please, let me go now?" Ortho shakes his head and smiles, "Not just yet, friend Bob, not just yet."

Talimar looks at Druckner and the others, "Any more questions for Bob here? If not, then make whatever preparations you need, it looks like we'll be heading down."

Ortho, Gnore, and Druckner all smile at this as they stand and make ready. Ortho slings his battle axe over a shoulder as he secures his shield to his back, his hands free to climb down the ladder. The others sheath their weapons as well although they check them to make sure they are readily accessible.

"Watch yourselves," offers Talimar as the group moves toward the tunnel leading below.