Fellowship of the Dice

Finn raises his brow at the sight, then turns back toward the others at the door. He whispers, "there is something else here, for certain, other than Hild. It could be orcs, but I would have thought there to be more signs. Perhaps it was an orc-fort here in the marshes a long time ago."

"Is the door locked?"

"Well, let us see--carefully," whispers Varuthil. She tries openly the door very slowly and quietly, just enough to see if it will open--and if it does so, to peer beyond to see what's on the other side.

Heva readies her bow, nodding to Varuthil. "Better to know about any threat now..." she whispers.

Gerwald moves to back up Finn. “If there are orcs in here, we had best be prepared to fight. Finn, do you want to see what lies this way?”

"Yes, but let us first see what is behind this door, then we should examine the tunnels. If there are enemies behind all ways out of this room, I would rather deal with them one at a time.

Do you agree?"

“Yes, that is reasonable.”

The group is split some, the light fading in both areas as it moves. Finn and Gerwald are in the south west, peering down the tunnel. The others in the north east at the door. Varuthil tries it, it can't be opened. Then because of all your movement and talking and calling back and forth across the main room Varuthil hears it....

.. muffled voice from the other side of the door, "Eh! Who be there?!" The voice is deep and gruff, and masculine, definitely not Hild's.

Varuthil steps away and, in a hissing whisper, says to the others, "I can't open the door, but there is certainly someone--a male--in there. If Hild is not locked up in there, he may well know where she is. Though we will probably need to take him prisoner ourselves to make him tell."

"Let us try courtesy first," whispers back Glirion.

Varuthil looks doubtful but says, "I suppose it's possible the missing dwarves have made some sort of unhappy home for themselves here. But if you wish courtesy, someone other than myself should speak."