"Listen carefully, Renato." Madra tapped the stone table with his finger, trying to lend weight to his words. "Here in the Underdark, a human like you has nowhere to go!"
"You have no other choice. Either you become food for monsters in the wild, or another race captures you as a slave..."
"But I can protect you. The Deepforge Tribe can offer you shelter."
Madra really was too young. Stating these naked threats and temptations outright only made him seem childish, hardly a good way to earn anyone's loyalty.
Still, Little Deepforge was right. For Renato, who had fallen into the Underdark, New Rolling Stone City was an important foothold.
There was clean drinking water here, a relatively safe place to stay, and opportunities to trade... Most importantly, it would let him slowly familiarize himself with this strange, dangerous region, rather than die out of ignorance.
With Mind Flayers running rampant, that was especially valuable.
"Besides gold, I can also grant you status, Sorcerer." The young Duergar walked around the stone table and over to the wall. He took down a copper Emblem beside a tapestry. The Deepforge Family's crest was embossed on it, and it glimmered with magical light.
Madra set the Emblem on the table and pushed it toward Renato.
"With this, not only will you avoid becoming a slave, but the other Duergar will also have to respect you. Because you will represent the will of the Deepforge Family."
"You need not question my promise. Balin is living proof."
"What does that have to do with you?" Balin suddenly flew into a rage and rose from his stone chair. "That's because I killed everyone who dared mess with me! Anyone who doesn't like it can come try me!"
The two Dwarves' beards quivered with agitation. Seeing that