If Ronalt could groan in frustration he would.
OCC: ? 3 round done? 4 rounds+1/level. I could be here a while.

The bugbear does as requested, his understanding of the common tongue clear as he growls "Bast'rd lef me 'ere ta save hisel'. Ef ya lemme gaw whin ya git oot, Ah'll 'elp yas."

OOC: Ronalt has a few rounds to go as do the silence and darkness

Markus needs several moments to decipher the bugbear's manner of speaking before he can respond.  "I'll consider your offer.  But for now, please remain where you are."

Picking up the creature's morning star, Markus approaches Ronalt and pokes him a bit with the haft.  "Are you OK?  I've heard of such magic before - the spell should wear off soon."

The big warrior stands guard near Ronalt, waiting for the spell to wear off and minding that the bugbear remains where it is for now.

The bugbear does as ordered adding, "Ye've soom hard fightin' ta gaw en ets naw guid ta me ef ya loose. Larry, il see ta tha'. Ef ye gimme ma wepin back Ah'll do righ' by ye."

~dammit stop poking me Markus.~ Ronalt strains to move and break the elf's enchantment upon his limbs.

"I have no reason to doubt you yet, my friend," Markus replies to the bugbear.  "I have to discuss it with my companions first.  We have to remain here until the spell wears off my friend here."

"Do you have a name?"

"Me name's Gerald tha' dwarf slayer, Ah 'ate them little boogers." said Gerald.

"Well met, Gerald.  You can stand and turn around if you wish.  I am Markus and my paralyzed friend here is Ronalt."  Although his words are friendly in tone, Markus maintains a vigilant watch of the bugbear, still not fulling trusting him to keep his word.

"We travel with a dwarf - Arek by name.  I would have your word that you will not attack him, at least for the duration of out arrangement."

The bugbear scowls even more than usual, then nods its head. "Joost tha' one en joost fur naw." he growls.

"Well enough, then.  Once the spell wears off, we can join the others.  By the way, who was that spellcasting fellow?"  Markus shifts uneasily from foot-to-foot, impatient for the spell to wear off so they could rejoin the battle.

OOC:  Apologies - I thought I posted this about 4 days ago! :-p

"Tha' was Massa Larry! Tha hied bummer!" said Gerald looking surprised that Markus did not know.

Very shortly after, Vestan strolls into the room and looks around. "'Ee ae prisoner? Hmmm... Skin tha' walks! Ah like it!" he says, his eye shining.  Looking at Ronalt he continues "Wha' up wi tha' tree hugger?"

Markus nods toward the bugbear - "Meet Gerald - he promised to guide us through the rest of this complex.  Ronalt was ensared by the priest's magic - and I sit and wait for it to expire.  How fares the battle?"

Vestan says, "We got some dogfaces and I tried ta kill yon preacher but changed me mind and thought I'd check up on you. Where's gramps and the others?". Walking over to Ronalt he waves his hand in front of the rangers face, saying "Niver was much of talker was he. Except 'Vestan don't do this and Vestan don't do that'." The last in a fair approximation fo the rangers accent. "Say does he know whats happening?"

"Aye, he does," Markus replies with a crooked grin.  "You'd better play nice with'im because he ain't gonna be happy when that spell wears off!"

"And we have seen anything of Arek since the battle began.  Ronalt, Drake, Felcia and I engaged a group of bugbears and that priest.  The priest fled and most of the bugbears, save Gerald, were slain."

Ronalt is knee deep in dead bugbears(2)

"Hmmm... pity." says Vestan without elaborating.

The group are surprised when they start to hear the sound of battle somwhere beyond the darkness.

Started by the sounds of battle, Markus turns a wistful gaze to the darkness.  He takes several steps in the that direction, his large hand gripping the pommel of his blade.  The battle obviously raged on, but he was also certain Ronalt would not appreciate being left at the mercy of the rather odd halfling and a captive bugbear.

Forcing calm upon himself, Markus waits, looking impatiently at Ronalt, as if the ranger had some choice about when the spell would expire.

Vestan starts to search the bodies and comes across some strange flasks containing a black liquid. The bugbear identifies them as 'Alcholic's fire'.

As he ponders trying one out, there is a scream of pain from a male voice that is cut short.

The darkness lifts shorty after, and they can see into the main room, currently empty of life.

"Ronalt - hurry it up!  We're missing all the fun!"  Markus is clearly growing impatient with the waiting but still restrains himself from rushing out to join the battle.

Ronalt would scream and say go but the spell silenced him and prevented his further movement.
Struggling to move his limbs, brought just more sweat upon his brow, nothing more.

The noise of battle begins again, the yells of war can only from an ogre, somewhere closer to the exit. Vestan starts to move towards it leaving Markus, the bugbear and Ronalt behind.

[Private to Ronalt de Gault: As the action finishes Ronalt begins to feel life return to his limbs. The ache from the forced immobility and he has to stretch and massage them back to life.

OOC: read end of this round you are back to normal]

In his statue like stance, there is finally movement, a flicker, then a scream, "Arrrggghhh."
"I am going to fillet that cleric."
Banging his arms with his leather gauntlets to bring back circulation he glances around.
"Where is the cleric and why isn't the bugbear dead?"
With scream further away, "Sounds like an ogre. Lets see huh."
Ronalt steps cautiously over the dead bugbears and turns to where the sound came from.

"Aye - let's do it then," Markus replies with a grin, glad to finally be able to join the battle once more.  "I have your word then Gerald?" the big warrior says to the bugbear.

Assuming that Gerald responds in the affirmative, Markus tosses him the morning star and draws his own sword.

"He's pledged to help us," the big warrior adds by way of explanation to Ronalt.  "And it sounds like we need all the help we can get!"

Right on Ronalt's heels (and with one eye on Gerald), Markus heads toward the on-going battle.

OOC: proceed to the 'out of darkness' thread....