Delve 18

[Vortimer]

Naillus will keep an eye out on the wizard while moving around the room looking for secret doors.

[Makofan]

What is Franklin doing?

[mushgnome]

Franklin is scanning for any wandering monsters who might have been attracted by the noise.

[Makofan]

Aldbane will look for the key, also taking the time to look around the lab table for other items that might be of use.

Aldbane gives the key to Maloof, who opens the chest. It has a fair sampling of gold coins in it, thousands he thinks

The other stuff looks just like half finished experiments

[mushgnome]

Franklin is also keeping an eye on the redshirts, Peleus and Telemon. He figures if they were going to betray the party, now would be the moment (as the thousands of gold pieces are revealed).

[kipper]

Maloof

Maloof regards the chest without great interest, one can only carry so much gold!

"How did you control the bird-men, and how were you hoping to control the Balrog?" Maloof asks Kalen. "And secondly, would you be interested in working with us? It would require subsuming to the party and making our interests your own."

[Makofan]

"This crown eliminates any protection from magical spells, so the bird men were easy to control by spells. I also have a spell that can charm any single monster, so with this crown, all I need to do is open the door, and cast the spell. However, there are six powerful fighters guarding the door, and I can only charm one at a time - the other five would tear through my bird men with ease. So I need to build up a fighting force that can defeat the guards, then I can handle the balrog"