It is about noon when Gorland finally joins up with the others at the inn room; and the note from the wooden box still lays unanswered on a table.  The inn has been rather quiet all morning with little to no foot traffic; the innkeeper snores loudly from the counter in the common area.

 

Soren frowns, tapping his fingers on the table idly. "How do you want to answer this?"

 

<+Gorland> "Do you think we have a maximum length? Perhaps we should detail the situation."

 

Soren shrugs, staring at the box for a moment. "Hard to say. Sounds like the person on the other end either doesn't know Lilith is gone, or at least doesn't know she doesn't have this box. We could try and arrange to meet, but I dunno how well that'll work."

 

<+Gorland> "Hrm..We also don't want to risk confusion."

 

Soren sits back and crosses his arms. "You haven't said a word, Mina; time to weigh in. What do you think?"

 

<+Mina> "Uhh, honestly we don't have anything else to go on right now so what choice do we have."

 

<+Soren> "Fair enough. Feel like being an actor, Mina?"

 

<+Mina> "...Me?!"

 

<+Mina> "Info gathering isn't really my forte to be honest.."

 

<+Soren> "Well, if he's expecting to see Lilith, it wouldn't hurt to have someone standing in...show him what he expects to see until we decide to move."

 

Mina sighs slightly "I guess so..."

 

Gorland nods in agreement, and also hands over the papers upon which he had written his discussion with Miss Pepki. "While I found little informatino about Torull, Soren, aside from the fact that a school was recently built there, I had another conversation with MIranda Pepki."

 

Soren nods, pulling out another spare piece of paper. "Might want to see into picking up a spell to disguise yourself, then...it's a fairly common one, so it shouldn't be that expensive." He looks over to Gorland as he brings up Miss Pepki. "Anything interesting come of that?"

 

Mina turns to leave the room to begin the trek to magic store "I'll be back soon..."

 

Mina has a fairly easy walk back to the magic shop; a few peddlers chase her trying to force her to buy stray goods, but they are fairly easy to evade and escape from.

 

Mina re-enters the magic store not exactly looking forward to meeting that weird store owner again

 

Soren taps his fingers on the table again impatiently. "Well, Gorland?"

 

As Mina enters the magic shop she is greeted by a familiar crazy women. As the bell from the door rings she turns to Mina with a grin; ‘Welcome back! Have you changed your mind about my service?’

 

<+Mina> "...No sorry, just here for a scroll of disguise." *Mina replies as she approaches the counter*

 

"Well now, certainly." she says as she tugs at a strand of her own hair; "That will be five hundred gold please."

 

<+Mina> "...five hundred, your kidding me."

 

She shakes her head; "No... it's a common rate in this area."

 

<+Mina> "Uh huh riiiiight...how about 100"

 

She raises an eyebrow; "That is a steep drop... 250?"

 

<+Mina> "200"

 

She nods and pulls a scroll from behind the counter; "Here you are then; 200 will do... I suppose."

 

Mina pulls 200 from her bag grumbling as she takes the scroll "Good...day" *Mina says failing not to sound sarcastic as she turns to leave the store*

 

She starts to hum to herself as she scoops the gold into her pocket and watches Mina depart.

 

Mina exits the store "I hate this city...." *mina begins making her way back to the inn grumbling all the way*

 

As Mina is walking back to the inn, feeling her empty gold pouch; a peddler shouts to her, ‘Scrolls of Disguise, and Scrolls of Invisibility; on sale for 50 gold a piece! Interested lovely lady?’

 

Mina using all her will not to start screaming "No...thank you." *Mina continues on*

 

Mina reaches the inn without any further distractions.

 

Gorland snaps out of his dazed state, and nods an apology to Soren. "Sorry, I was just thinking about the conversation...Miss Pepki has of course, been keeping information from us, as the conversation on those pages detail. A week after the disappearance, she overheard unsettling conversations between Sir Lyndian and the King, surprise surprise."

 

<+Soren> "Any details on those conversations?"

 

<+Gorland> "From what she's overheard, Miss Lilith has done several things, supposedly...She's supposedly stolen a precious item from the King's throne room..A prized Locket."

 

Mina reaches the inn without any further distractions. She appears to be in a very bad mood.

 

<+Gorland> "They also spoke of her stealing a soul..And spoke of having to remove her hand, collect a power source from her, something about blades as well. They also seemed to be disappointed that an enchantment on her had failed."

 

<+Gorland> "I'd like to state that this supports my theory that she has run away, not been kidnapped."

 

Mina re-enters the room not looking all that happy

 

<+Soren> "Thanks for that brilliant insight." He turns his attention to the grumpy Mina as she enters. "Any luck?"

 

<+Mina> "Yeah yeah..." *mina hands the scroll to Soren*

 

Soren chuckles. "What're you handing this to me for? You're the one that's going to need it. Just let me write this, and let's hope for a quick response..." Soren scribbles something onto the piece of paper and puts it in the box.

 

<+Mina> "This better work..."

 

<+Soren> "Hell if I know, but worth a shot."

 

<+Gorland> "Hmm..Locket...Jewelery..Sir Soren. Where might be the items we found in Lilith's room? I'd like to take a look at the Crystal Pieces."

 

Soren shrugs, passing them over. "Enjoy, then. As far as the jewelery goes; it's not likely to be the same as the one we found under the mattress."

 

A letter rests in the box as it is re opened; It reads as follows.

 

I find myself at a bit off a loss; are you still on Canian grounds?  I myself am in Bharai-Allach; I would not dare tread near Opanka at this time. When do you expect to arrive in Ourenous; are you finding it difficult to locate transportation?

 

<+Gorland> "Yes well. I'm curious anyways."

 

Gorland starts fiddling with the pieces, inspecting them, not paying attention to the box.

 

Soren raises an eyebrow. "Looks like Lilith was heading to Ourenous. Do we want to work our way there, or what? I suppose since our ghost writer is apparently in Bharai-Allach, we could try there as well..."

 

<+Soren> "Bharai-Allach's closer, but a bit of a side trip."

 

<+Gorland> "Splitting up would be foolish, maybe?..However we can keep in touch once one of us arrives in Bharai-Allach.."

 

Gorland is still fiddling with the crystal pieces.. seeing if perhaps they go together in any way..or at least trying to figure out what it would look like if all the pieces were there, if they weren't..Also trying to figure out if they belonged to a locket perhaps."

 

When Soren lifts out the letter, he finds something else in the box as well... a very small jar full of frozen icecream.

 

<+Soren> "Dibs."

 

<+Soren> "In that case, one person'll go to Bharai-Allach? Everyone else can make their way to Ourenos." Soren stands up, cracking his knuckles. "I'll head over there and try to find our ghost-writer, maybe."

 

After many tries Gorland is able to fit the pieces together, to find they make a crystal spear about two feet in length; the outer edged of the tip is lined with blood.

 

<+Soren> "Or, you know...we could just be honest with our mystery friend."

 

<+Mina> "Is that wise?"

 

Gorland inspects the Crystal spear, closely. "Next time I'm in animal form I'll have to determine the scent of the blood.."

 

Soren takes the icecream out of the box. "Heck if I know. He's evidently aware of where Lilith's going, and as Gorland suggested, it wasn't a kidnapping." He pulls one more piece of paper out, pondering what to write. "In any case, we still have those pieces of parchment to analyze...oh, and I should probably pay you back for the expenses so far, Mina..."

 

<+Mina> "Yes...yes you should" *mina's voice loses some of the grumpiness that it had before*

 

<+Mina> "So I guess we just find this guy and tell him the truth?"

 

<+Gorland> "Ah, I believe I owe you for one of the rooms, right Sir Soren?" he asked as he ran a hand over the spear, avoiding the blood, trying to see if there was anything else strange about it.

 

Soren continues writing, not really paying attention. "I'll attend to that later, anyway. Two of you can have fun with these pieces of parchment."

 

There doesn't appear to be anything else odd about it, Gorland.

 

<+Gorland> "Aren't we to head to Ourenos? "

 

<+Mina> "So I guess we won't need this scroll after all?"

 

<+Soren> "Guess not. Maybe you should head to the magic shop and get a refund, ask about that parchment while you're there." Soren chuckles and places the new note in the box.

 

<+Mina> "I'll hang on to this just in case, and as for that magic store...I think it'll be better if someone else goes..."

 

<+Gorland> "Mayhaps I should handle that..If they recognize me as a citizen they may be less...Eager to fraud."

 

<+Gorland> "Or I can ask them as a bear."

 

<+Mina> "Oh by all means trash the place...."

 

Gorland chuckles and opens the door for Mina

 

<+Soren> "Can't get a refund if you don't go yourself, Mina."

 

<+Mina> "I'll keep the scroll; it may come in handy either way. Besides I doubt that crazy hag would give me my money anyway."

 

<+Soren> "Fair enough." Soren looks for a spoon, eyeing the jar of icecream.

 

Gorland is holding the door open for Mina. "If we're going to head to Ourenos after this, we might as well go to the shop together."

 

<+Mina> "Fine fine..." *mina walks out the door her mood worsening at the thought of going back to that store*

 

Soren frowns, talking mostly to himself. "Well, definitely an escape, not a kidnapping. Could you be any less specific, mystery writer..."

 

Soren begins writing again a moment later.

 

Gorland starts heading to the magic shop

 

Mina follows behind

 

<+Gorland> "So..." Gorland says, trying to start a conversation as they walk

 

<+Mina> "I'd be careful of that woman owning that store, there’s something odd about her...besides the fact she's a dirty thief."

 

<+Gorland> "I wonder if I'll recognize her..Its not like I'm a stranger to these streets..Eh. We'll see what happens."

 

Gorland opens the door once they get to the shop.

 

As the bell on the door rings, the woman turns to Gorland and Mina, "Oh hello, hello again! Haven't used your scroll yet I see."

 

<+Mina> ".....No."

 

Soren taps his fingers again on the table, thinking about how to respond. "Hm, alright..."

 

<+Gorland> "No, she hasn't. In fact, we no longer require it. And since the king would despise being charged by his investigators on call, for something we didn't use, we'd like a refund."

 

"I don't see why not." she remarks; "If I was you with a scroll like that, the first thing to go would be that green hair."

 

<+Mina> ".....Excuse me?"

 

She starts to fiddle with a strand of her hair; "Oh sorry, sorry. All items are final sale."

 

<+Mina> "....Common Gorland, were wasting our time here."

 

Gorland blinks and twitches nose, taking the scroll and slamming it down on the counter. "Refund. Now."

 

She continues to pull at a strand of her hair, eye twitching. "Items... are... FINAL... SALE." She pauses for a moment; "I do not have time for this; the king will be here soon for his appointment."

 

<+Gorland> "Well then, we can wait here for the King..Ask him why the former Princess Guard is being ill-treated?"

 

<+Gorland> "As well as those who are investigating the disappearance of Princess Lilith."

 

Soren finally shuts the box, standing up. He lets Kansu know to get ready to depart before leaving himself, with the intent of finding Gorland and Mina.

 

The woman narrows her eyes and waves her yellowed fingernails at him; "Get out! Get out! Wait until I tell the king how his poor seer is being treated; might put me right off using the services he has paid me so highly for today."