He looks at the vagrant for a few moments, then shrugs. Can't hurt to let him try. Taking the spicy sauce, he slowly, delicately begins glazing the wizard's currently uninjured fingers, starting with the pinky and working inwards.
He responds directly to Chandan, who he seem to hope will help him out.
"I suppose my nickname is Glasstaff because of that," he says while looking at the glass staff that he had been carrying. "Who told you those lies and false accusations? That monster as you call it, was a creature that did nothing that any animal might do. Yes, it was a carnivore, but do you not eat meat? What about this one who is eager to chomp on my hand? Is he any different? You say that this woman and child must be here, so show me them!"
Indeed there's a challenge. If the woman and child would be found then there would be proof of his wrong-doing.
"He's getting uppity again. I recommend we just make his long existence one filled with pain and regret, because right now I don't see him being useful except as a barely-alive husk to throw before Sildar."
Mosk jumps into the conversation. The captured bugbear lets out a serries of barks and grunts that you determine is bugbear laughter. "Woodcarver fed to one-eyed monster in big hole. Mosk think I be only one-eye here but ugly nothic one-eye also!"
Inaro, who you have pieced together as being one and the same as the leader of the Redbrands called Glasstaff starts shouting. "SHUT UP! LIAR!.....".
The worry lines on his forehead were conduits for the sweat that now beaded it. His eyes darted from here to there in a desperate attempt to find a way out of the mess he was in.
The bugbear laughed again and replied to Inaro.
"Why? Stupid wizard means nothing to Mosk. Mosk here to be sure no trouble here. You trouble."
Then it looks at Kriv.
"Mosk know to find what look you for. Wizard kill you can. Hidden doors one Mosk thinks knows where. Promise you do no kill Mosk. Show all to you. Small price, no?"
"Let's take a walk, all of us. Mosk, I vow that your life will be spared if you show this to us provided it is what we're looking for, though I reserve the right to make the remainder of your life worse than the abyss should you betray or mislead us subsequently.
Iarno, you're going to tell us what we're going to find, because if we find it first, I'm going to have to fine you for attempting to mislead and pervert the course of justice. This fine will consist of your hands, eyes and tongue, that you may not perform duplicitous acts, speak lies or bear false witness for the remainder of your natural life. You have until we find it for the sentence to be carried out, and can avert this fine with honesty up to that point."
He will take it upon himself to carry Inaro by padding over to him and taking a bite around the mans belt. Lifting him up by the small of his back, Davroar finds he can carry and half-drag the wizard around without too much trouble.
At least this way it will not encumber Kalista or Chandan, nor cause Jaliera to move from her covering position.
Well between Chandan and the bugbear they seem to have averted the worst of Kriv's threats at least for now.. and they are on the move again to find the woodcutter's family which suits her.
She maintains her position for the moment thinking that whilst they have prisoners who will likely go first, she can take rear guard.
He smiles politely to Iarno as he hangs from the bear's mouth, then backs up Kriv, trying not to make too much noise as he ambles behind the imposing Dragonborn.
DM The bugbear leads the dragonborn, the bear (with the wizard), the old man and the tiefling towards the opening in the north of the cavern. Beyond it is a room that has been finished with dressed stone block walls and a flagstone floor. Several barrels are stored against the walls here, along with a number of empty crates, straw for packing, hammers, prybars, and nails.
Mosk says, "Redbrands go in room and don't come out of room. Me think they have sneaky doors!"
I think it's a safe assumption that you are searching. Please provide me with two separate perception rolls.
OK, AJ made both rolls so I'll just fast forward. Gypsy, do you want Jaliera to continue to stand alone where she is?
DM A detailed survey of the walls in the room reveals not one, but two secret doors. Iarno stays quiet. The bugbear says "Mosk you told it! Mosk you told it! Mosk no lie to new friends."
As the others start to move forward she crosses the chasm by the safe bridge and positions herself outside the room keeping guard whilst they search. (12,12) She can see the first section of the pathway they have not yet explored and has a good view of the chasm room.
"Well, Iarno? We have these two doors identified. There are two ways this can go: We open them, we find what you know is behind them, and you lose your hands, eyes and tongue. Or you confess, we open them, and you keep your hands, eyes and tongue. Are you willing to gamble your ability to function as a wizard and indeed as a sentient being on us being completely blind and oblivious to what you know is there? Or do you want to still be able to see, talk and use the Art? How far are you willing to stay silent? What price do you place on me opening these doors?"
He went up to the northeastern secret door and began to open it...
"This door leads to the prisoners. If you promise not to harm me, I'll give you the secret password to pass freely. The other door leads to my lab and private chambers."
He smiled at the wizard with too many teeth, his tone patronising.
"There, that wasn't so hard, was it? The record will show that you have perjured your initial denial of awareness of the victims, but later confessed. I promise that, provided we come to no harm whatsoever beyond either of these doors, I personally will not inflict further physical harm upon you this day."
He hadn't commented when the bugbear revealed that Thel Drendar was the dead man in the chasm.
It was his suspicion anyway, which was why he asked the question.
He felt then, as he does now, that there's little else to be said on the matter. Chandan is not a law-giver. After such a deed as foul as murder has been done, there's no undoing it. Vengeance, punishment, they're of no real good. There are only two questions: Will the murderer do it again? And if their accusers think 'yes', how can it be prevented?
Has Iarno shown any signs of remorse? No, but he has shown many signs of intending to continue his orgy of evil, whether wilfully or through self-delusion.
The old monk simply ponders aloud, "It is said that the first step on the path to Enlightment is purging the lies that we tell ourselves."
His next step is up to the door leading to the prisoners. He looks to his companions and nods.
She listens to what is said and, adjusts her angle so she can easily swing around a little in case there is anything hostile in the room they are about to open. She does't trust the wizard.
She still keeps a good look out in the chasm room though as something did move earlier.
"It was not a phrase of my choosing," the bound wizard says as Kriv pushes against the stone wall.
As he does, the wall pushes inward and then moves out towards you. Kriv finds the hand-hold and opens it all the way revealing a 15 foot long corridor. There's a door, which is closed, opposite the secret door. There's a second door at the end or the corridor.
"You'll need the password in that room," Inaro says. "Do you mind if I walk by myself? I've been forthcoming. Must you make me suffer the indignity of being carried in a beast's mouth? No offense," he adds glancing upwards to the bear.
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