Fellowship of the Dice

"Hang on!" Carver darts forward, moving almost to flank with the man and Merisel. Great axe in hand he swoops it around in a large arc aimed to decapitate the man and end this quickly. "Give up and you won't have to die like your friend there!"

Carver darts to the man, and swings his greataxe. The man turns and tries to raise his shield, but it is too late and the sharp weapon neatly takes his head off.
Merisiel and Fumbus...

Merisiel points her sword at the remaining thug. "Now would be a good time to surrender and tell us everything you know. Your other option is following your buddies here to the afterlife. I don't know how much they're paying you, but I doubt it's worth near-certain death."

Fumbus hesitates, choosing to wait and see how the man responds to Merisiel's ultimatum. If the man still is hostile, he sets himself to charge forward with his dogslicer to cut him down.

The last of the ruffians gladly throws down his weapons and looks at you grimly "Seems I got no choice, eh? So, what do you want to know?"

Merisiel grins and says, "Smart man. Tell us what's going on down here--whatever it is you're doing, it's causing people up at the sauna to get dangerously sick."

The man shrugs. "I did not like this anyway. Black Tom" he points to the decapitated man. "He was the leader. I just joined to get enough food for my family. I did not like it. Well, we found this secret trapdoor into the bathhouse, where we would sneak in at night and steal some food and valuables. You gotta eat something, eh? And sometimes we would rob travelers on the roads around here. No killing if we can avoid it. But it's good it's stopped now."
He pauses.
"Sick? I don't know what you're talking about. I have nothing to do with it. But... Bill got a nasty rash when he washed his hands in an underground lake, he said. The water here is old, I tell you, comes from deep in the mountain. Lots of passageways in there."

Merisiel is skeptical they're getting everything out of the man, but for now she folds her arms and says, "Well, lead us to your headquarters and then the lake. Or the lake or your headquarters--let's start with whatever's closer."

The goblin play-acts at being disappointed at not getting the kill, baring his teeth and hissing, before eventually sheathing his dogslicer. He gives a quick search through the slain, mainly looking for purses and useful items like potions or whatever. They don't have time for strip-searching and full looting, they've got things to do. Especially with how itchy he is, there are more important things to get to. "Right, lead the way."

You gan definitely grab some weapons (daggers, shortsword, axe, longsword) and a few coins, as well as some torches. The leader has a strange looking amulet on a thin gold chain around his neck (even if he does not have his head left). A glittering crystal is set in red gold.

Then, the man leads you on, toward the lair of the bandits. A large area (3 on the map) smells smoky, and is filled with many big crates, piles of old carpets or clothing, big heaps of equipment that the bandits have accumulated in their years of crime. There are tables, wardrobes, cabinets, all sorts of furniture. At one point, there is a small target hanging on the wall, used to train archery or the like. There are some weapons, and some armor lying around. The heroes also find some food and wine. There are a few niches with pallets for sleeping.

The bandit says, pointing to the east. "The leader's rooms are down there, north leads to the lake and further into the mountain, but there is also a way out. That is where I'm wanting to go. Just let me go and I will never ever do any sort of crime any more!"