Dungeon Adventure Path: Life's Bazaar

[gordonknox]

"I would like to know some more information about him...why is he held, where is he held and why havent you saved him already?"

 

[Douane]

Ghelve [...] sighs and looks at your collected group. "Well, here I am. I can help you, but you need to help me. I really wish you'd taken care of that bastard in my shop earlier-I've never felt so self-conscious at home in my entire life." He laughs a short and bitter laugh.

Carach turns to the gnome and grins broadly.

"I can tell you a lot about the kidnappings, certainly more than you know currently. I need your help, though. My companion, Starbrow, is being held by the kidnappers, within a mile. It's dark and he's scared and hungry. Agree to rescue Starbrow and I'll give you all the information you want."

Sando looks to Carrach and says "Well commander?"

Though his hair bristles at Sando's irony, Carrach does his best to stay calm.

"Okay. Yes, we'll do our best to rescue your companion, you have my word on that. So tell us everything you can, and I mean everything!"

 

[Jalon Odessa]

Liandra, opting for a slightly more diplomatic approach to negotiations than her hobgoblin companion, turns towards Ghelve with a smile.

'Believe me, sir, our goal is to rescue to all of the victims of these abductions, whoever they may be and wherever they might be held. I'm truly sympathetic to your loss, but the only way we can possibly help Starbrow -- not to mention the other abductees -- is by finding out as much as possible about these disappearances, and what we might do to stop them. I can assure you that we'll endeavor to return Starbrow to you as quickly as possible, but we can only do that with your help.'

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Ghelve sighs, relieved. "Thank Garl. I didn't think you'd all be so reasonable. In short," he ducks his head and lowers his voice to a whisper, "I'm kind of in a bit more of a bind than I let on—Starbrow's being held as, well, collateral. My shop holds the last known entrance to Jzadirune—the kidnappers have entered the town through that entrance and unlock people's doors using skeleton keys that were provided by," he coughs, "well, by me. If I didn't help them, they were going to kill Starbrow and me. I'm not ready to die. Not yet." He takes a pull on his ale and looks at the group, timidly, hopefully.

"Oh, I should tell you, Starbrow's a little black rat with a white, star-shaped splotch on his head. He's not a pet, mind you, he's my, well, he's my familiar." He adds the last bit somewhat indignantly, as if to indicate that his overwhelming concern for Starbrow is not as crass as it seems. Ghelve then returns his attention to the ale.

 

[Jalon Odessa]

'If you've had dealings with these kidnappers, perhaps you can shed some light on who -- or what -- we're dealing with. I'd really rather not persue them into Jzadirune without any foreknowledge of what we might expect.'

Lia awaits Ghelve's response before continuing -

'And on the topic of Starbrow - if you and he share a special bond, as you mention, then you should be aware at least of his safety, if not his exact whereabouts. If Starbrow is still alive, then then I'm presuming the same can be said for the other abductees... unless of course you can give us some more information on the motivation behind the abductions?'

 

[Old Fezziwig]

"I don't know what they are, but I can tell you what they look like. There seem to be two types of them—'tall ones' and 'short ones.' The taller creatures resemble naked, hairless, genderless humans, and only look a slight bit worse than most of the humans in this town." He smirks at his joke, waits a bit, raises his eyebrows, frowns, and continues. "Their skin changes color, it's mostly grey, but they can blend into their surroundings perfectly. When they walk around the city they wear cloaks. The short ones have pallid skin, large noses, and soft black hooves for feet. Usually they wear heavy black, hooded cloaks when they move about Cauldron. In a very odd, and completely bothersome way, they look like gnomes."

He takes a swig of his ale. "This is quite good. You all might like to try some. I recommend it. Please." He waits for your response while taking another swallow. Ghelve then answers Lia's second question. "I don't know about the other abductees. See, I have a special bond with Starbrow that lets me know how he is. I know nothing about motivations or the state of the other kidnapping victims." He shrugs helplessly, genuinely apologetic as far as any of you can tell.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

"Oh Garl! That's what happens to the gnomes effected by the plague. they are transformed into these creatures. Mercy." Sando is obviously shaken. "We have to find one of these creatures and see if they can be cured, assuming they want a cure that is."

 

[gordonknox]

"Ghelve, you say yor animal friend is held in a dark area about a mile away from here...what is this place and how many kidnappers should we expect to encounter?"

gk

 

[Old Fezziwig]

"I don't know what place they're keeping Starbrow. My guess is, since they have been coming out of Jzadirune, that it's underground, possibly in the old gnome enclave. That'd be somewhat clever in an annoying way, but I can only sense what he feels—it's dark and he's hungry and scared.

"As for how many kidnappers, I don't know. They tend to move about the city in pairs or threes. They're not exactly friendly, so I try to just ignore them. We don't talk or have long involved dinner parties together." He smirks and then frowns, shaking his head.

 

[Douane]

For once, Carrach stays uncharacteristically silent. Since he doesn't trust his own control of the rage and disgust growing within him, he's quite willing to let Liandra do all the talking.

* For his own safety and that of his companion rat this despicable gnome worked paw-in-paw with that kidnapping scum! I should really show him what kind of reward this deserves, but I must not waste what might be the little ones last chance. So, keep talking and tell us something worthwile! *


Carrach leans back into his dark corner, continually clenching and unclenching his swordhand out of the others sight to relieve some his innner tension.