The Dauntless

"We came from down there," Dorrak replies with a sigh. "There's a trap door that leads to a tunnel that goes below Hellknight Hill."

"We were at the citadel up there and found the connection. You wouldn't happen to know about that, or why it's there, would you?" Antoinette asks.

The girl looks puzzled. "Um... no? But, I mean, I was only hired last week. Wait, Hellknight Hill? You're those adventurers, aren't you?"

"That's right," Dorrak confirms with a nod.

"By Sarenrae's light," she says, going starry-eyed. "I used to want to be an adventurer when I was little. I mean, Breachill, who didn't, right? But I could never figure out how to properly hold a sword, and I had absolutely no talent for magic, and father said "why not study medicine" but you know that costs a lot so I got this job to start saving up for university and... oh, I'm rambling, aren't I? Um, anyway, you maybe want to talk to Ms. Denn?" She nods towards the bartender. "She'd know more about trapdoors and secret tunnels than me."

"Oui, why not?" Antoinette replies. "We do need to get back to the citadel though."

"We might as well speak with Ms. Denn first, it might be a good idea to know why there's a tunnel in her cellar," Luna points out. "And besides, it may be useful to have official permission to use this tunnel in the future."

"As long as we can keep it brief," Dorrak agrees. "We can't afford to spend too long."

Roxie Denn is a stout dwarven woman with short hair and resting bitch face. When you approach the bar she raises an eyebrow. "Didn'a see you lot comin' in," she says, setting the mug she was cleaning down. "Well, what canna get for ya"

"Didn't see us come in for a reason. You've got a tunnel beneath your store room, goes right to Hellknight Hill," Dorrak explains bluntly. "Know anything about that?"

"Real charmer, isn't he?" Django asks, sidling up to the bar. "Point is, Ms. Denn, we just came from Citadel Altaerein by way of a tunnel that apparently connects to your cellar. We're not accusing you of anything, but would you happen to know if anyone else has been moving through there lately?"

"A tunnel in me cellar leading ta Hellknight Hill?" Roxie stares at you incredulously before barking out a laugh. "Hah. Pull the other one. I've owned this place for fifteen years, an' I've never seen no bloody tunnel in me cellar."

"We can show you," Dorrak offers. "It's a trapdoor."

"It's a wonder you didn't notice it," Luna says, raising one eyebrow. "It's fortunate we found it then, don't want anyone more questionable than us stumbling upon it and getting direct access to your storerooms after all."

"... alright, I guess we can go take a look." Roxie signals one of the waitresses to take her place behind the bar and follows you down to the cellar.

Once the group gets down to the cellar room Antoinette shuts the door and stands in front of it. ”Thanks for helping us not make a scene out of this. You’re lying. You know exactly what’s down here. This tunnel was used recently and it would be very hard for just anyone to use it without notice.”

Roxie turns and scowls. "Alright, I knew about the tunnel, sure. It was here when I moved inta the place. But this is my place of business, my pickle cellar, and ya might've come through by accident but ya don't got any business bargin' in tryin' ta intimidate me like this."

"We're talking about a problem that could endanger the entire town," Dorrak states, his tone firm, fixing Roxie with an unwavering stare. "We found a set of tracks from a necromantic ritual beneath the citadel that led straight through this tunnel. Do you know anything about that?"

"See this face?" Roxie gestures to her own face. "This is me not givin' a fuck face. Ya already know someone's usin' the tunnels, and I'll tell ya they're payin' me a hefty sum ta not sell 'em out. You've done nothin' fer me except this threatenin' 'get the dorf inta a secluded place and poke yer nose inta her business' nonsense. Ah've got no reason ta tell ya anythin'." Roxie scowls and turns to Antoinette. "Now, are ya gonna let me get back to me bar, or is this gonna turn inta a fight that ends with the four of ya some combination of dead or wanted fer me murder? Cuz Ah kin tell ya, the Council don't take kindly ta adventurers that go killin' law abidin' citizens just fer not talking to 'em."

"I doubt they'll take kindly to your friend selling you out once we catch them either," Dorrak points out. "And I do appreciate the confession. I know a little trick that'll prove to them that I'm telling the truth when I pass this conversation along too," Dorrak retorts. "Last chance to come clean, but we won't stop you from walking away."

"I'm lettin' someone use me cellar and bein' paid fer me discretion," Roxie grunts. "That's not a crime, jackass, so there's nothin' ta 'come clean' about. Now, you lot don't have me permission ta be down here anymore. Take the door or the tunnel, I could care less, but either way get out of me cellar and don't come back." With that, she brusquely shoves past Antoinette and heads back upstairs.

"Blaireau!" Antoinette yells as Roxie shoves past. She stares angrily as the dwarf leaves, then silently shifts back to hybrid form once she's gone.

The group then heads back down the tunnel to reunite with Alak at the Citadel, where they then head down to the last place they haven't explored. There they meet with a dead end. Antoinette looks incredibly frustrated. ”Nothing? Nothing? We haven’t found our culprit or whatever portal is down her and some blaireau of a tavern keeper is the only one who knows more about this! What do we do now?”

"Well," Django says, quickly shooting a sideways look at Dorrak, "I think we might have to more directly investigate our only lead. I could imagine that Voz lady being the one paying to use that tunnel, especially if she was also looking for those elf gates down here. Maybe she triggered the magical traps we ran into and found something. I think we need to have a look around the bookstore, but if she's skipped town and locked it up, we might have to do it, uh. Extrajudicially."

”I recommend we comb through this whole level thoroughly,” Dorrak suggests. ”There may be hidden pathways or doors we’ve not yet discovered.”

"Good idea," Antoinette replies. Then she thinks for a moment and begins combing the wall around the hallway. "Come to think of it, a hallway to nowhere makes no sense. Maybe there's a... yep. Secret door."

She opens the secret door.