\V.ELCOME T O THE CITY O F BLADES
ering the city is the first major hurdle the characters
.. ,.,t surmount in Gracklstugh. Unless they heed
&npido's advice to arrive by way of the Darklake (or
~e up with the idea on their own), the characters
-hone of the gates. (Sec "Arriving in Gracklstugb''
~Her in this chapter.)
ITY GATES
P-pragmatic nature of the ducrgar mc~1ns that all
~ .. cklstugh's entrance gates arc similar in design, for
--e of maintenance and the training of guards.
.,.he ground at your feet has been getting smoother and
"~a;:er. a welcome respite from the uneven passages to
•h ch you have grown wearily accustomed. Eventually,
s•one tiles become more noticeable, turning the path
to a proper road. You can see spots ofllght in the
d:s:ance, blue-white and too regularly placed to be
p~osphorescent mushrooms.
The lights are proper lamps flanking two massive stone
ga:es blocking the tunnel. Before you get a chance to
eu'Titne the intricate carvings on the gates' surface, a
•rsh voice hisses from a slit on the cavern wall that was
"State your names and business!" the voice orders
in Dwarv1sh. Other similar slits open, reveal1ng the
tips of a dozen crossbow bolts. Behind you, a metallic
din announces a group of six heavily armored dwarves
appearing out of thin air, their swords leveled at you from
behind sturdy metal shields.
When the characters first reached the road. six duergar
watching invisibly started following them at a safe
distance. Twelve more duergar soldiers are stationed
in guardhouses concealed within the rocky walls of the
cavern, all of them aiming heavy crossbows at the party.
The duergar arc hostile, and the guard who spoke
follows up on every answer the characters give. One
character can take the lead in the interrogation by
speaking for the party and making a DC 15 Charisma
check (Deception and Persuasion apply; Intimidation
or Performance are met with scorn). Depending on
how believable the party's story is and how the other
adventurers behave during the questioning, you might
allow the character to make the check with advantage or
impose disadvantage.
The guard grudgingly lets the characters pass if the
check succeeds, and refuses them entrance if it fails. If
the check fails by 5 or more, the guard gives the order
to arrest the characters, announcing that they are now
slaves of the ducrgar (sec "Getting Captured'' below).
C HAPTER -l I CRACKLSTUCU
