The adventure begins...

[max_vale]

Lavex will examine the body as well; attempting to determine if there is any discoloration or other indicators of poison on the goblin....

[Dogma]

Lavex notices that the discoloration and swelling of the goblins arm seems to be centered around the odd hollow needle.

Peader flips open the lid of the trunk with the crowbar. Inside appears to be more of the old mouldering robes that seem to be so common in these old trunks.

Before he can dig through the old robes, a rustling sound emanates from under the bed.

[monk]

Clumsily, a purple-robed figure tumbles out from under the bed. He sits up immediately, removes the grasshopper mask from his face, and utters with a voice full of desperation:

Outsiders? Be you strangers? Please tell me you are strangers and not natives of this hellsome hole!

[Alethan]

Peadar stumbles over himself, falling backwards as a masked man in purple rolls out from under the bed.

"Cripes! Whar'd you come from!" he asks from a half laying position, his crowbar raised in a defensive position.

[NJWilliam]

Jofrid steadies his crossbow ready to shoot the purple robed grasshopper masked man, should any unfolding actions make that seem prudent, or at least not completely stupid.

[Makofan]

Well, that's not something you see every day", says Brax. "But then I never used to believe in faeries either. Who are you?"

[monk]

Doffing the mask, Zin reveals his long, thin face and a sheepish, nervous grin.

"Er...I suppose I was a bit impulsive in my excitement. I'd meant to reveal myself more...gracefully."

Slowly standing, he shows his empty hands and introduces himself:

"I am Zin Par'Puton, sage of the seven veils and wanderer of the secret paths. I became lost in the desert, lo, almost a full moon ago, and found my way into these halls in search of sustenance. Strange beings stalk these halls however, and the natives seem stranger still. I've scavenged and hidden to survive all this time, but have longed for the company of surface dwellers such as yourselves. If I may be so bold as to ask, what brings you here?"

[NJWilliam]

Jofrid just keeps a steady stare on his target, letting the more loquacious of his companions interrogate him.

[Alethan]

Peadar lowers his crowbar a bit and smirks, "I suspect you ain't gonna like the answer. Involves being lost in the desert... searching for sustenance..."

He stands up and points at Zin with his crowbar, adding, "You should be careful about surprising people like that. You almost got brained! Or," he looks up at the man, "at least 'kneed'."

[Makofan]

Brax poinst at Peader "What he said. But now we're after loot, treasure, booty, gold, the big score. Might as well make it worth our while"

[Alethan]

"Ah, speaking of..." Peadar adds, walking over to the chest,"you interrupted me."

He uses the crowbar to move the clothing out of the chest to see if there is anything else in there. Once again, he'll examine the bottom of the chest, comparing it to the outside, to see if there might be a secret compartment hidden in the bottom of it.

[Dogma]

"Ah, speaking of..." Peadar adds, walking over to the chest,"you interrupted me."

He uses the crowbar to move the clothing out of the chest to see if there is anything else in there. Once again, he'll examine the bottom of the chest, comparing it to the outside, to see if there might be a secret compartment hidden in the bottom of it.

Unfortunately this time Peadar only find old clothing and an empty chest (no hidden compartments).

[monk]

"Perhaps we could be of assistance to each other, then?" says Zin, slowly and cautiously pulling his pack from under the bed.

"If you would you accept me as part of your company, I have a few rations to share, and, if circumstances should befit, certain skills you may find indispensable. I have been trained in the occult arts..."

[Makofan]

Brax says "We can always use more wizards - on OUR side, anyway. Welcome to the team. Equal treasure split, equal danger!"

[Alethan]

"Aye," Peadar agrees, "ours has proven useful so far! What say the rest of you?"

[NJWilliam]

Jofrid nods, lowers his crossbow, and slips back into the nearest shadow, from where he quietly says, "Aye."

[riftstone]

Lindon Silverheart

"A wizard! I like wizards! Do you know any tricks?"

[monk]

@Lindon

"Well, I can make ale disappear almost instantly."

[max_vale]

Lavex; a bit lost in his close examination of the dead goblin's wound; was surprised at the newcomer's arrival....or rather, "entrance"; and after the probability of immediate mayhem seemed to drop substantially; he introduced himself and weighed in with his approval of Zin joining the group.

Afterwards; he will point out to anyone interested where the pinprick and discoloration seem to indicate that goblin was felled by poison.

[Alethan]

Peadar looks over Lavex's shoulder and nods his head in agreement.

"The rub of it is, there was nuttin' in the chest! Poor bugger. Died over a bit of cloth..."

Which reminds Peadar of something and he checks the material found in the chest to see if it is suitable for bandage material. If it is, then he will gather it into suitable piles to see how much there is to pass around.