7. Return to the Halls

Jacky motions for Thrudmarr to spin Roskelly a couple times around to disorient him when they reach the bottom of the steps. He follows the wall to the northeast for a few paces to scout what's ahead in that direction.

Grim waddles. to bottom of the stairs, and helps hustle his party together, into as secluded a location as he can muster.

Ella follows quietly. She looks about cautiously, recalling that this place is supposed to be inhabited by dangerous arachnids. She pays particular attention to the walls and ceilings of these caves.

Thrudmarr watches Jacky make spinning motions with his hands, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Spin? Okay..."

He grabs Roskelly and begins turning in circles with the halfling - once, twice, three times. But he doesn't stop, continuing to pivot in place until he starts to wobble. When he finally stops, Thrud sways slightly, blinking as the cavern seems to tilt around him. He keeps his grip on Roskelly to steady himself as much as to keep the captive from escaping.

"Uhhh, what now Jacky-friend?"

From the secret door, you turn left and head a short distance north-east. There’s a navigable "shore", about 5’ wide, between the edge of the underground river (on your right) and the wall of the cave (on your left). Looking ahead, you can see two notable features, both about 50’ north-east of the secret door:

1. The river, still flowing in a north-easterly direction, exits through a hole in the cave wall. At this point, it has narrowed considerably, and there is a strong current.

2. There is a side passage in the cave wall that heads roughly north down a steep slope.

Ella, ever vigilant, can see nothing of particular concern on the visible cave walls. However, the ceiling is higher than the range of Hector’s lantern and is cloaked in darkness.

---
10:10 am, Mitrasday 26th Lucrios (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 2: 13/13, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 2: 7/7, 60’
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 2: 14/14, 60’
---
Eric, Labourer, 90’
Hector, Linkboy, 90’ (Hooded Lantern)

Link to Jacky’s maps …

"Have we brought a bullseye lantern?" the elf asked looking upwards nervously. The darkness above could hide entire families of giant spiders. Turning to Jacky, she added "What now? Let's ask our questions and begone from here."

"That should be good enough, Thrud!" Jacky says, taking the large man's elbow to steady him. He removes the sack covering their captive's head. "Ella's right - let's get some answers out of you, Roskelly. For a start, why should we keep you around? You must have had plenty of time to think of some reason during our walk here."

Other questions in Jacky's mind revolve around what other ways in and out of the Halls exist that Plumthorn's gang are aware of, and the other adventuring groups that the halflings have accosted or left alone. He'll wait and see if the others have anything to ask before proceeding with those, though.

Zach is comfortable letting the smarter folks handle Roskelly's interrogation. However, he feels duty bound in his simplistic way to say to Jacky Be careful, Jeronimus, don't get carried away and permanently disfigure poor Rumpelstiltskin. We need information on PumpkinPie, not a disfigured or dead halfling. That wouldn't be moral.

Thrud shakes his head to clear the dizziness, keeping a firm grip on Roskelly. As Jacky begins his questioning, Thrud leans in until they're nearly nose-to-nose, his stale breath hot on Roskelly's face. His voice drops to a menacing rumble. "Where...pretty...hat? Thieves take. Thrud want back."

"That would be the headdress you confiscated in our last meeting," Jacky translates.

Cave of Gog
Hector retrieves his bullseye lantern and fires it up. Its 80’-long beam is sufficient to reach the cave’s ceiling. He scans carefully amongst the stalagtites, but, apart from disturbing a roost of (ordinary) bats, he sees nothing of concern.

---

"Master Jacky, you’re looking at this the wrong way round," replies Roskelly. "Abandoning me here .... or worse ... achieves nothing. All you gain is another set of vengeful enemies. Did you learn nothing from Dalton? Instead, consider the opportunity. Why not let me join your merry band? I’m handy with a blade, know something of the Halls, and I could be a useful intermediary with Mr Plumthorn. Sooner or later, you’re going to want to return to the surface, which means you’re going to have to deal with my former colleagues. Better someone who understands them, right?"

"In return, a half share of any treasure we find would seem reasonable compensation for my services. And, yes, big fella, I’m sure we can persuade Mr Plumthorn to return your hat."

(In a low voice to Jacky, in Thieves’ Cant, with a wink): "Plus, I can teach you a trick or two, eh?"

---
10:10 am, Mitrasday 26th Lucrios (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 2: 13/13, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 2: 7/7, 60’
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 2: 14/14, 60’
---
Eric, Labourer, 90’
Hector, Linkboy, 90’ (Hooded Lantern)

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Jacky lets out a bemused chuckle at Roskelly's glib reply. "That's some cheek you have and no mistake," he says, then grins. "And as you have heard of Dalton's fate, I'm surprised that you fellows decided to accost our band anyway!"

"In the interest of making amends, let's hear something useful from you about the Halls then," he continues. "In return, I'll ask my friends to cut loose your bonds so you can move freely - but we'll need to disarm you of any weapons, of course."

With a flick of his fingers, Jacky adds his own remark in Cant. "I can never say no to learning a new trick, as long as it isn't me you're playing it on."

Zach watches with a combination of bemusement and confusion as Roskelly and Jacky seem to be talking about Roskelly's joining them, Plumthorn, and carnival clowns and was it spiders? Jocular, are you serious about letting Rasputin join us? He was trying to kill us not half an hour ago! And worse, he wants our treasure for the privilege? I feel like I am eating crazy herbs! Turning to Thrudmarr, Grimidek, and Ellagel, Zacharias exclaims in a fit of exasperation, my friends, are we serious? Throckmorton, you would trust this man not to slit our throats in our sleep? Gravlax, what do the tenets of your religion preach about trusting the untrustworthy? Elmendorf, are you faster with a bow than Ravellon is with a knife? I know we will have to deal with Prunella when we emerge, but we have to emerge alive first! Zacharias, while not in favor of killing sentients for no reason, is very untrusting of turncoat murderous halflings.

Jacky holds up a placating hand. "Calm down! There's no reason we can't hear him out, eh? I only said that we would free his hands in exchange for information, nothing more just yet."

"In fact, you can be the one who's in charge of searching and disarming Roskelly here."

"Zacharias is right. We cannot trust this weasel, though we can keep him alive as long as he is useful and compliant."

Ellagel is obviously not happy with the party’s current predicament, but is aware that she should not speak too much in front of an enemy. She has no confidence in anything Roskelly says, and is pretty sure that any ‘arrangement’ found with Plumthorn will end up with her comrades and herself dead in these tunnels. The moment Jacky threw oil at the halflings, we declared war. And this war would only end with the massive victory of one side or the other.

Aye, we keep the prisoner alive, or we leave him, with rations. I won’t abandon one to death, nor will I abide executions.

Zacharias checks on Roskelly to be certain that the halfling was not able to slip his bonds or mosey off. Checking the knots around his hands, he then hobbled the halfling to one of the poles being ported, sternly warning Hector and whomever to cry out loudly if the halfling even looked like he was thinking of escaping.

He then called the rest of the party over, hopefully out of earshot of the sneaky b@stard, but within view. Speaking in a low voice so as not to be overheard, he asked "OK, what is our plan? Do we have any idea what we are supposed to be doing now? I mean, as much as I would like to feed Romeo to Gog, we can't. Do you think he knows where we are? Can he lead us to treasure or will he lead us to death? Should we just leave him here with the porters while we investigate? I came to find some treasure, not become a geriatric babysitter to a reprobate thief!"

Jacky lets out a gusty sigh, making a gesture at Roskelly to stay put while he goes off to join Zacharias out of their captive's earshot. "Look, if we want Roskelly to cooperate, we should throw him a bone. All I'm saying is that we free his hands. Not that we let him go or let him join the party. He can carry a torch or something if he wants to be helpful."

"If you've taken away his weapons and supplies, do you think he's going to run off alone to be eaten by spiders in the dark? Certainly not!" Jacky raises his voice deliberately. "And yes, Grim, we won't feed him to the giant. No matter how much Zach wants to!"

Cave of Gog
"Of course, Jacky m’lad. If you’ve got any questions, fire away!"

The halfling submits readily to a pat-down by Zach, who discovers a dagger tucked into Roskelly’s right boot and a glass vial containing a black liquid. "I … err … was going to mention those," says Roskelly sheepishly.

---
10:10 am, Mitrasday 26th Lucrios (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 2: 13/13, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 2: 7/7, 60’
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 2: 14/14, 60’
---
Eric, Labourer, 90’
Hector, Linkboy, 90’ (Hooded Lantern)

Link to Jacky’s maps …