Grindle

This lump here is well heavy, and shiny too, so it’s surely worth somethin’!

Desperate times make for desperate customers, heh heh! So let’s get to tradin’, eh?

Well, well! See what happens to nasty bully-bugs when they come after poor old Grindle? That’s a well-deserved end, we reckon.

We heard this old Sitty-dell was nice and quiet and burstin’ with goodies. So what’s happened, eh? Why’s it crawlin’ with bullies and busybodies?

Hornet

The creature that haunts this place is stirring, little thief. The Citadel’s caste now roam the halls. You would do well to leave soon, if you mean to survive.

What what? You bein’ mirthful? We’re stayin’ here ‘til we’re done pilfering! You should be the one leavin’ if you’re so afeared!

Lots of good stuff tucked away in this old prison... lovely place to bring a lucky little snitchbug like Grindle! What a favour those lugs did us! O-hoho!

Hornet

You seem to have some familiarity with this prison and its guards. Do you know a path to escape?

Escape! A little jailbug like you ain’t ever escapin’ anything! Get out of here, will you? Stop bothering us! You got nothing to steal, so we got nothing to talk about!

Hoy! We thought one of them buzzing bullies was sneakin’ up on us, but it’s just a mangy jailbug!

Why you in here, then? Caught thievin’ were you? Greedy, greedy!

Hornet

I’ve stolen nothing. Rather, I suspect the wardens are servants of the Citadel. The cage used in my capture bore similar runes to the one that first brought me to this land.

Hornet

Bound in that cage, I’d have proved a fine gift were they to deliver me to their masters.

Pah, there ain’t nothin’ fine about you, jailbug. We recognised a fellow thief soon as we saw you!

Now, don’t be lingerin’ around here. Those guards’ll be wanting to pop you back in your cage quick quick!

Hornet

They’ll not get the chance. I will reclaim my belongings and leave this grim place with haste.

Very, very lucky little trinket we got ‘ere! Pulls ‘em little clickie-clackies right into yer waitin’ claws!

You’re in the habit of craftin’ all kinds’a nasty tools’n traps, aint’cha? This kit’ll let you build ‘em even nastier, heh heh...

Eugh. Is it gettin’ hotter down here? Mustier? Grindle’s been down here too long. Reckon it’s time to climb back up soon, to where all the serious treasures is!

Don’t be lingerin’ here too long! We got snitchin’ to do and we ain’t keen on company!

O-hoho! Into Grindle’s pockets they go! And for you, a secret to remember us by...

Beneath here and further on, the burly bellheads have a big, hot, gleaming hive! Full of all sorts of tasty snitchables!

But there’s this big gate they got down in its belly... shut tight, locked up. If you could wriggle through, you’d get your claws on all kindsa goodies!

O-hoho! Into Grindle’s pockets they go! And for you, a secret to remember us by...

There’s lots of pickings round here, right? Well, it’s all nothing compared to what they got hidden up, up above us. The great big Sitty-del they calls it!

A golden place, groaning with goodies! Could never steal it all in a thousand snitch-bug lifetimes they reckon!

Oh yes, that’s where ol’ Grindle is headin’. Don’t you dare follow us, though! We want it all for us-selves!

O-hoho! Into Grindle’s pockets they go! And for you, a secret to remember us by...

You know where all them dreary raggedies are camping? Back near the ol’ chapel? Well, beyond that chapel is a dirty great grave!

Not much in there but husks, right? But but! My sniffer tells me there’s something worth the trouble buried down at the bottom!

After some tasty goodies? We never say no to a fair trade, heh heh! Take a look at what we’s got...

We could add a little pocket to yer tool pouch for you. You could pack even more goodies in there! All your shards’n sharp things!

You like this gleaming spinner I snitched from the big Sitty-dell? There’s a way to make it sing to you, or so they says!

Hoy, you’re still hanging around then? Quiet in here. Good for hidin’ out.

You gots the li’l clicky-clackies on you then, eh? The rolly-roundies? What the shops like to swap for?

Hurry it up, let us out quickly then! We got places to go, bugs to see, trinkets to pilfer!

Owoww, what a rotten turn! Keep your nasty junk to yourself, then!

O-hoho! Share some of your little clicky-clackies with us, help us fill our pockets. If you do, we’ll share a sneaky secret with you!

Just a piece of a mask, innit? Don’t ask us where the other bits are... you’ll have to sniff ‘em out for yourself!

Beautiful this, a glowy little piece of somethin’. Stinks of them horrid crawling whisperers a bit, so might be dangerous. You should take it! Give us your rosaries and lighten my claws of it!

Lockin’ us up in a place like this... what a shameful act!

Us snitchbugs can wriggle into any place we want, but with this key even a big oafy bug like you can get through a locked door!

Hoy, you been creepin’ around this dusty old place for while then, eh? You must be carryin’ a lot of goodies with you! Let a poor old snitchfly ‘ave a quick look!

We ain’t leavin’ ‘til we’re done pilfering! You be off, if you’re so scared!

Hoy! You again? This place used to be nice and quiet, but now we can’t get a moment’s peace!

Want yer clicky-clackies threaded nice and tight? Old Grindle will do it gladly, if you let ‘im snitch a few for hisself...

Nice little pair of rolly-rollies we got ‘ere. Sure to bring luck to any snitchin’ expedition...

Basic tool’o the job, here. Throw your big needle and scratch shinies straight off your target’s shell!

Oooh! Greedy are you? Mean to poor li’l snitchbugs like us? Won’t survive out there without our secrets, oh no no!

O-hoho! You’re lookin’ a little stuck there! What a pity!

Hornet

Are you too a prisoner here, small bug? If we ally our efforts, escape could be made that much easier.

Hoho, you jestin’? There ain’t no allies in prison! Just throw yourself against the walls in there while I go sniffin’ for goodies!

This is a fine shiny-shiny, ain’t it? Those dirty old raggedies like to carry these around, and we like to snitch ‘em away when we can! O-ho-ho!

Hornet

Some pilgrims have made an encampment in a safer place than this, high on the other side of the Citadel.

Hornet

They would surely allow you to stay there, if you could resist causing them mischief.

An en-camp-ment, eh? Sounds like a jolly place for old Grindle! Mayhaps we’ll have a sniff around later.

That’s a good tip, that. And you’ve just done given it to us for free! O-hoho, head fulla muck you got!

Hoho, free at last! Locked up in here much too long, we was. Nasty place to keep a poor little snitchbug like Grindle.

Hoy, you’re smellin’ fancy! You got some pockets under your cloak? Hidin’ away some goodies for us to pilfer?

Hornet

Beware your greed, thief. You’d be dead before your claw reached my cloak.

O-hoho! Never mind then, bully. Plenty of tasties lying around for us down here. We smells ‘em!

O-hoho! You’re lookin’ a little stuck there! What a pity!

Hornet

We meet again, little thief. Are you familiar with this place?

Hornet

If we ally our efforts, our escape could be made that much easier.

Hoho, you jestin’? There ain’t no allies in prison! You can just throw yourself against the walls in there while I go sniffin’ for goodies!

Hoy! Hoyyyy! You there! Get us out of here! Since when’s a little light thievery worth a lifelong sentence?

Sign yourself as a snitch! And scoop up more rosaries from your bested foes. Just watch it when you’re snitchin’ that you don’t lose sum’a your own...

Hoy there, fancy bug! How you farin’, now that the ‘ole world’s creakin’ and crackin’ around us? Desperately needin’ some supplies, I’ll wager! Heh heh!

Hornet

You seem in good spirits, thief. Are you not disturbed by the great rending of the kingdom?

Heh, end of the world don’t bother ol’ Grindle none. We’ll just go find another one to plunder, won’t we?

Hoy then, what’s a fancy-prancy bug like you creepin’ into Grindle’s cosy little nook for?

Heard we had some nice stuff, did ya? O-hoho! All kinds of tasty goodies find their way here, that’s for sure.

Hornet

I care little for how you procured your goods, thief. If you have something worth trading, I may part with my rosaries.

Well, we never say no to a fair swap, heh heh! Now take a look at what we’s got...