Keith

A slim, slippery human (or part-elf) thief and escape artist kept caged in Malifax's workshop deep in the under-prison. He broke into the Forge Lord's domain two months ago — passing even the 20-ft entrance pit ("I shot an arrow and balanced on some rope") — to steal, only to be caught and locked in a cage he, an escape artist, cannot escape. He has noodle arms and little stomach for a fair fight, but he moves fast (35+ ft), disengages and dashes at the drop of a hat, picks locks and breaks in and out of places; his whole power is in sneaking, not swinging. The Forge Lord pushes him out front to fight whatever threatens the workshop, promising freedom that never quite comes.

("Keith" is likely a GM throwaway/joke name; whether he has a real one, or recurs once the party leaves the prison, is open.)

Session 27 (debut)

• Introduced as Malifax's caged wanderer, shoved out with a borrowed sword to help clear the bug rooms as the session ends.

Session 28

• Bug-fight bait. Sent in first against the wasp swarm under threat of never being freed; his eyes scan for an exit the whole time (there is none), and afterward he's told he still owes "one more fight."
• Keith the Thief, exposed. While the party searches Malifax's cupboard, Thalia's insight read catches him pocketing treasures (a ruby, an earring he swapped for a gold one, a pearl in his cheek) and confirms his plan to convince the party to kill the Forge Lord and split the loot "50/50/50."
• Caught and re-caged. Thalia thorn-whips and Ensnaring-Strikes him, hauls the stolen goods back, and Malifax shakes the rest out of him before floating him back to his cell with the prisoner-moving staff. Thalia's parting shot: he should "actually enter a contract with a fey" before betraying one.

Session 29

• Tips the party off — truthfully. Let out of his cage to be moved, he whispers to Lash that one of the party is setting up a heist; his read (as a self-described jewel thief) proves accurate under Valmora's Zone of Truth (the "heist" being Silithane's bird familiar and his claim on the meteorite).
• Takes a hammer blow (10 damage) and a grapple in the brief scuffle, insisting he's honest about being a thief — "He put me in a cage, fair play, he caught me. But what you guys are doing, that's wrong."
• Floated back into protective custody by Malifax (a secret room "with my fallen ancestors"), still owing one more fight.

Session 31 — freed

• His "one more fight" — and his freedom. Held on Malifax's leash through the Queen Grabbler battle (throwing daggers and shooting from the sidelines), Keith finally paid off the debt he owed — "this was the fight."
• Unleashed at last. With the fight won, Malifax let Keith go, sending him out of the cave to "go live another day" — "Run, Keith, run before they get you!" His fate beyond the Grey Vale Cave is now his own.