The bugbear hesitates again. "Black Spider is..." he looks around at the grim faces of the party, then sighs. "Black Spider is friend of King Grol. Bugbear does not know him. He asks King Grol for things. Grol is friend, so Grol gives. Bugbear knows nothing."

Steamknuckle turns and points at the unconscious body of Glasstaff. "Is that the Black Spider?"

The bugbear utters a short, harsh laugh, but quickly falls silent when faced with the party's stares. "No. Black Spider is much stronger than Glasstaff. Glasstaff is just weak human leader. Friend of Grol, but weakling to Black Spider."

Steamknuckle strokes his beard thoughtfully. "Interesting." After a moment's thought he adds, "What happened to Iarno Albrek?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:36, Thu 01 Oct 2020.

The bugbear shakes his head. "Do not know this one. No, do not know."

Zhaquadan hands the letter to Steamknuckle.

"Oh. What's this?" Steamknuckle looks up at Zhaquadan quizzically before opening the vellum envelope taken from Glasstaff's desk. His eyes widen as he scans the parchment. "Lord Albrek..." he breathes in wonder. "Spies in Neverwinter? What exactly is going on?" He glances between the signature glyph at the bottom of the letter and the envelope's broken wax seal, both depicting a black spider.

Rudo crowds close to Steamknuckle, trying to read the letter over his shoulder. "What is this nonsense?" He glances at Zhaquadan. "Had this in your pocket this whole time, huh?"

Willow holds out her hand patiently to Steamknuckle. The gnome glances at Zhaquadan, then hands her the letter. She reads through it, with Rudo close behind reading over her shoulder.

Finally she looks up. "So...it seems we've solved the mystery of what happened to Albrek." She looks at Zhaquadan. "Where did you find this?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:15, Thu 08 Oct 2020.

"Here, in the room that looked like Glasstaff was working out of, among the mess of papers on his desk."

"I see." Willow gives Zhaquadan a shrewd look. "Odd you waited until now to share this with the rest of us. Though, considering all you've been though today, I think it's fair to overlook that."

She glances over at Glasstaff's unconscious body. "I'm still having a bit of trouble seeing things clearly myself. From this scoundrel's magic, no doubt. Even now there's something nagging the back of my head about it. Who knows how Glasstaff got ahold of this letter? Clearly Albrek is the real villain here - but could it be that Glasstaff is just an honest man who got caught up in it all? Maybe he opposed Albrek, and somehow intercepted this letter before it could do any more harm?"

Willow looks into Steamknuckle's eyes. "But no. When I look that square in the face, I see it for the lie it is." She spits on the ground in Glasstaff's direction. "This letter ended up on Glasstaff's desk because it was meant for him. Glasstaff is Albrek. Played everyone like a fiddle...and me the loudest. Sildar sure will be interested to hear about this."

She looks away, frustrated and more than a little ashamed.

Rudo chuckles. "Kind of brilliant, actually. Fake your own disappearance, take over the town, steal the mine, and then sic your goblin dogs on anyone who shows up to check on you. Gotta hand it to him. The only thing he didn't plan for was Rudo showing up to save Sildar's sorry ass. If it weren't for that he'd still be sitting at his desk with his thumb up his ass reading wizard porn. Not bleeding out on some diseased mutt's bed, waiting for a date with the hangman's noose."
This message was last updated by the player at 04:14, Thu 08 Oct 2020.

"Indeed..." Steamknuckle scratches his beard, a look of deep concern clouding his face. "A most unexpected turn of events. Seems our window for interrogating him may be inconveniently short..."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:25, Thu 08 Oct 2020.

"Speaking of dates with the hangman," Willow interjects, "we'd best be on our way to make sure Glasstaff doesn't squirm his way out of his again." She points at the bugbear. "Any more questions for this one?"

Rudo grins. "Nope." His eyes twinkle with bloodlust as he grips the handle of his sword with both hands.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:40, Thu 08 Oct 2020.

Before anyone can react, a weak cough issues from the small figure sprawled on the floor. Everyone turns to look as the creature stirs. In the light of the now-burning lamp they see what appears to be a scrawny, emaciated goblin struggling to sit upright.

The goblin turns its head toward the lamplight, and the party sees that what at first appeared to be a tight-fitting cap is in fact a solid purplish tattoo covering the upper part of the goblin's bald head. The creature's hazy eyes clear up, and for a moment it just stares at the assembled party. Then it lets out a pathetic yelp before scrabbling backward to bump against the nearby bed.

Parchment approaches the goblin carefully, kneeling beside it. "I promise you will be treated with respect," he says, to the party's surprise in a perfect copy of Zhaquadan's voice.

Then he turns his black eyes toward the rest of the group. "It was enslaved and abused by them," he continues, this time in Steamknuckle's voice.

"Oh no, not another charity case..." Rudo groans.

Willow approaches the goblin cautiously, ignoring Rudo. "Look at how terrified he is." She turns to Parchment. "You say they mistreated this one too. Can we trust him?"

"Y-yes, Mosk," Parchment says, in the same small nervous voice from a few minutes earlier. The goblin's wide eyes flick back and forth between the two adventurers kneeling in front of him.

"Whatever," Rudo grumbles. "Guess we're just a charity wagon now, for any savage monster ready to save its own hide. Dragon in the woods just ate a whole village, but now he feels sorry? Sure, why not. He seems nice. Let's be friends!" He spits on the ground.

Steamknuckle frowns. "Must you do this little song and dance every time someone wants to do the right thing?" He lets out a long sigh. "Come on. Let's get Glasstaff and these townsfolk back to the village. I say just cut the goblin loose; he can't come back to town with us but he's clearly no threat."

The goblin suddenly shifts to his knees, leaning forward eagerly. Willow leans back, her hand darting to the hilt of her sword. The goblin winces a bit at this but continues. "Please," he begs, in the same small weak voice mimicked by Parchment a moment earlier. "I mean no harm. Do not leave me. Cannot return to Cragmaw. They will kill me." The goblin's Common is much better than that of the bugbear, though still stumbling and heavily accented.

His eyes look pleadingly into Willow's. "I can help you. I know where the hidden doors are in this place. Where he keeps things. And I know where Cragmaw patrols in the woods too. I can help you stay safe."

Willow frowns thoughtfully. "Can you lead us to Cragmaw Castle?"

The goblin's eyes shift from plaintive to terrified. "Cragmaw? No, no...you do not want to go there. They will kill you, and Droop too!"