Night blankets the scholar mage's complex in Haven, where a certain well veiled dark elf and her recent companion Stuffit (who's resting in her pocket) have been watching Timothy Zabender's hut. Most of the apprentices are off enjoying the night at the local taverns.
Stuffit chitters to Delachiel quietly, **Any dividend/profit/result yet?**
Delachiel shakes her head, and whispers, ~~To tell the truth, I'm not sure what I should do about this. I'm queasy about these space-strangers, but more about those goons trying to use all this power and influence so crudely.~~
Stuffit seems to ponder that while resting in Delachiel's pocket, then chitters **Shooting Star was not enemy/not competitor/friend ?**
Stuffit is trying to remember the odd creature who Quickpaws had planned to set up with a construction/repair business for kickbacks in repairing all the damage he caused.
~~Copernicus? Sure, but I do have my reservations about his people, especially if they're not in control but their old masters are.~~
Stuffit chitters and nods, then chitters **Next move?**
~~Thier's. They're going to try to take the Bacon, then Timothy, and make him contact the spacers, I guess. We'll see what happens. But I kind of like the young mage, so I'll see if I can keep him in one piece.~~
~~Let's go see what's up with the Bacon. Perhaps you can sneak in to get a closer look?~~
Stuffit chitters as if to say **Of course!**
Delachiel begins to sneak towards the Museum.
As the elfess and her overconfident ferret head toward the Museum of Dangerous Spacer Artifacts, a young squirrel is climbing a tree next to an attic window.
The Museum of Dangerous Spacer Artifacts is a two story building with a partial attic making a sort of third story, where Ankhl Beiter is sneaking in a now broken window. A few guards are at the front door, though it seems that the building is protected by other means. For one, it seems to be heavily built of reinforced stone and some odd steel plates here and there, almost making you wonder if it's to keep things in or out?
A fair number of trees and hedges abound, giving plenty of hiding places. Obviously, serious security has not really been needed before.
Delachiel shakes her head in disapproval as she eyes the building. ~~How do you want to get in,~~ she whispers to Stuffit.
Stuffit sniffs his nose out of Delachiel's pocket, his eyes working well in the night. He's trying to keep his confident act up, but he's still missing his mate, Quickpaws. He chitters, **Find window, let me see where to go. More accurate that way.**
Delachiel begins to look for a suitable tree.
Ankhl hmms as he moves through the cluttered attic, "What a mess, why do they keep all this garbage. All I know is Arthur had best be right about saying all those "mysterious" defenses are a story the scholar mage's put out. I don't want to spend my life as a kumquat slug."
Delachiel wonders idlely where to get kumquats from.
Delachiel finds a nicely climbable tree on one side of the building, with a good view in of a window. She climbs it swiftly, then tries to peer inside, also looking for any strong magic.
**A cloaked stranger is standing outside a tavern called "Proud Falcon". His hood moves as if he's appraising the structure. {This seems like a good place to begin. I'm glad the Order had the records on the Xardeth. It's given me ideas of where to look. Hopefully, this won't take too long...}**
Aura's of magic do show up here and there, though few are very powerful. This room has several display cases, a few which glow softly with magic for those that see it.
Delachiel holds Stuffit up, ~~Is this good?~~
Stuffit chitters and nods, **Wish to acquire/protect/steal device?**
~~Just information for now,~~ she whispers.
**The hood is pulled back to reveal a youngish fox. Moving with near silence, he opens the door and enters the tavern...**
Stuffit nods and with a *poit* disappears from Delachiel's hands and appears on the table on the other side of the window from Delachiel. He rears up on his haunches and waves playfully to Delachiel. For all his supposed intelligence, he doesn't seem to get the point.
Delachiel sighs with a hint of desperation and motions for Stuffit to go on.
**Inside the Proud Falcon is a group of mildly rough looking furs of various sorts drinking quietly and talking. The red panda behind the bar is apparently the barkeep.**
Stuffit sighs as the look of frustration and impatience on Delachiel's face reminds him of Quickpaws, but quickly moves to the edge of the table and "FLOPS" onto the ground and bounces towards the glass cabinets, looking for his target.
**The fox approaches the barkeep. "Sir, I seek information." He says,
"I wish to locate a lady known as Delachiel"**
**The barkeep blinks and wipes a glass clean, then says, "We have rooms upstairs, food, and beer and wine. Ya can keep your gambzars in our stable, but that'll be extra."**
Ankhl has moved down the stairs to the second story, already cursing as one "mythical" defense burned half the hair off his tail. Arthur is gonna have to give him a higher percentage.
**The fox leans on the counter, "I don't seek a room. I seek a person.
Her name is Delachiel. It's rather important"**
**The barkeep nods, "And this is a business. I don't make money by doing things for free."**
**The fox sighs and rests his chin on interlaced fingers, "And what is the
cost of such information?"**
Stuffit goes by a variety of cases with very odd objects inside them. He does a double take at a cone shaped one with an odd symbol on it. It looks like several oval loops circling a central sphere made of small circles. Odd. He pads through the door (and under several potentially lethal traps) into the next room, where Ankhl has just entered.
**The red panda ponders, then says, "A couple of silvers minimum."**
**"The fox hmms and taps a claw on the counter, "What is the guarantee the
information will be valid if I pay you?"**
**"I don't make money if word gets out I don't sell what ya pay for."**
**The barkeep grins, "But I only promise to tell ya what I know. Can't tell ya what I don't know, can I? ;)**
**The fox chuckles to himself and digs in his vest for his pouch. {At least I remembered to bring some money...} He produces a couple oddly engraved silverish coins, "This is Crydonian currency, I'm afraid, but it is silver, of course."**
**The barkeep hmms, "Let me have someone check it, I'll be back in a minute. Want a drink while ya wait?"**
**The fox raises a hand, "No thank you. I do not drink."**
While Ankhl is exploring, Stuffit lumbers along and stops when seeing the large squirrel opening a case that is labeled "Ho.....B.. acon". Letters have obviously worn off over the ages. With a *poit* Stuffit is suddenly back in Delachiel's arms and rapidly chitters his warning.
**The barkeep blinks and walks off muttering, "Lad must get awfully thirsty."**
Delachiel frowns a bit, takes a look towards Timothy's residence, and descends the tree, beginning to wait for the squirrel to emerge.
Stuffit chitters, **Take him high place? Leave/lose/put in loss column?**
**Finally, the barkeep comes back and says, "Ok, I don't know any "Dellakeel", but we've had some odd folks thru here lately. What does she look like?"**
Delachiel pets Stuffit gently, and decides to find Timothy instead, actually.
**{Great...I don't even know how she's....wait a minute...} "She may be
wearing clothing fully obscuring her appearance. She's about my height but much slimmer..." The fox answers.
**That seems to stun the barkeep momentarily, but after a moment decides to say something. "Yeah, she and her long rat were here last week. She kidnaped some local, and the guard are lookin for her. Why you want to see her?**
**The fox blinks, "I need some information from her. She was a friend of mine at one time. But that was long ago."
**The barkeep hmms and notes the time. Ankhl must be nearly done, and this guy would make a great patsy. "Rumor has it she's after something in the museum."**
Ankhl is not quite done. He's shaking after the last trap that nearly nailed him to the wall, literally. He finally get's the holy bacon out of the case and staggers upstairs with it. This time a truly ingenious trap gets him. A small wire strung at ankle height trips him up, and he falls. A small square metallic piece of the Holy Bacon goes flying and lands softly in a planter.
**The fox's senses twinge, he realizes he hasn't been told everything.
His eyes narrow, "There is more than you're telling me."
**The barkeep nods, "Course not. But I told ya more than you paid for ya know.**
**The fox rests his chin on his fingers again, "So, which way to the museum?"
**The barkeep smiles and says, "Head up north along the main street. It's the only building with a third level. Couple guards in front."**
**The fox nods, "I'll be back if it turns out you haven't told me the
entire truth..." He turns and exits the building...**
Ankhl staggers up the stairs, really wondering if this is worth it. He notes that that string seemed awfully tame a trap. Then he notes a subtle glow by the window he had entered at. He sets down the bacon and tosses a book at the window.
**Hmmfs, "I told ya the truth. Maybe you'd be less cranky if you drank
something now and then." and grins as the door closes behind the patsy.**
**The fox tries to follow the directions he was given...
**POOF**. The books transforms. With a blink, Ankhl looks at it and hmms, "Well, Arthur was partly right. It's not a kumquat slug. Just a big ugly yellow slug. Joy."
The young squirrel has to take the time to pry open an window that faces the back. He gets out and slides down the roof, aiming for a tree limb.
Delachiel looks at the window as a bright flash of magic attracts her attention just as she was about to leave. She moves into the deep shadow of a tree to observe.
Delachiel listens carefully for any unusual sounds in the night.
**The fox approaches what looks like a three story building. Out front stands a couple skunk guards. {Hm I hope this is the place...} He glances around, looking for any unusual movement.**
Ankhl makes some noise as he comes down the roof and leaps to a branch. As he slips down the trunk, the window he had swung open is slammed close by a light breeze, and breaks with a crash. The skunk guards out front blink and both go around back to investigate.
The fox blinks at the sounds. {Ut oh. I think I'd best stay put...}
As the Xardeth sees the guards approach, she looks around for a better hiding place, and ends up looking up at the tree at the base of which she stood.
Ankhl curses as he rushes down the tree, holding the ungainly metal box in his one arm.
The guards look about, flicking their long bushy tails nervously as they look up at the roof and see the window shutters waving in the breeze, and broken glass to boot.
The fox stays where he is on the street right in front of the museum.
Ankhl quietly touches the ground behind the two guards and softly starts walking towards the side of the museum. The guards are so distracted by wondering how the window got open that he may make it, so long as he doesn't make any noise.
Delachiel sits in a tree, looking at Ankhl. o O ( He may be a fool, but he's not totally unskilled. )
Delachiel picks a nut from the tree she sits in, then throws it in Ankhls general direction.
Curiosity overcomes the the fox and he heads in the direction he saw the guards go...
*Thunk* rollrollroll. The guards whirl around and see Ankhl and shout, "Stop thief!" as they race after him. The squirrel isn't stupid, and races around the corner as fast as he can, knowing the park on the other side of the road from the museum entrance is thick enough to lose them.
Delachiel drops herself from the tree and makes haste towards Timothy's quarters, hoping dearly she isn't too late.
Ankhl eeps as he sees Jarik and makes a break well around the fox. The guards nearly run into Jarik as they try and follow the thief.
Jarik blinkblinks... And looks around, trying to figure out WHAT is going on... He takes off after the squirrel, perhaps he knows...
The guards shout, "Stay out of the way citizen. We'll get him!"
Jarik stops and looks around again, guessing it's probably better not to get involved.
Jarik doesn't have time for local trouble.
Jarik's head turns as he notices a dark figure moving toward a large complex. {Well Well...} He takes off in that direction. {Lets find out who YOU are.}
Delachiel rushes for the student's quarters without noticing her new shadow.
Timothy meanwhile is desperately trying to clean up his cabin, wanting to make a good impression on his new "roomie".
Jarik keeps moving after the clothed stranger. o O {Just where are you going....}
Stuffit bounces in Delachiel's pocket, wondering what he can do to help his new employer.
As Delachiel approaches, two large bear morphs are quietly approaching Timothy's cabin.
Delachiel slows down as she gets closer, paying more attention to her surroundings, making sure there are no other shadows hiding around the apartment as she sneaks closer, to a nice hiding place.
Jarik notices the large bears approaching a house and the clothed stranger sneaking up... He draws his sword quietly, ready for trouble...
The two bears pad up to the door, one hiding to the side. The first one pounds on the door.
Delachiel follows the bears curiously. o O ( Just in time, it seems.)
Jarik tries to get closer to the clothed stranger...
The smaller of the two bears pounds again as a voice inside says, "In a minute!"
Delachiel draws a dagger as she peers at the door and bears from behind a tree, oblivious to her stalker.
"They're a bit big for one person to handle, you know..." whispers a voice from behind Delachiel...
The larger bear whispers, "Make sure you get him clear of the door. I don't wanna hurt him when he comes out. Salmon'll have our hides."
Delachiel freezes. It takes several moments before she whispers, with disbelief, not turning, ~~Jarik?~~
The bears tense as a light moves towards the door and the curtained window next to it, as Timothy comes to open it.
Delachiel dares not let her eyes stray from the play in front of her, but here's a light shiver that runs trough her in the night.
Jarik moves up beside Delachiel. "The one and only..." he whispers kneeling, "What is going on...?"
Delachiel gives Jarik a quick, but careful hug. ~~They're kidnaping a young student to work a device for them. I want to follow and make sure he's not harmed and nothing too foolish is done.~~
Timothy fumbles with the lock, apparently rather tired.
Jarik nods slightly, "I see... I assume that squirrel has the device? Hm.."
Delachiel nods, surprised.
The door swings open and a robed figure walks out and the two bears pounce on it.
Delachiel winces. o O ( Poor Timothy.)
Jarik hmms quietly, "I'm not sure what is going on, but... Following them back to the device and then helping the student may be the safest thing to do..." He looks up at Delachiel.
Delachiel nods at Jarik. Her smile is hidden behind her veils.
The figure is subdued with almost no resistance, and the two bears pick him up as if he weighs nothing and run off.
Delachiel is swift to follow, waving Jarik to join her.
Jarik nods quietly and moves along just behind Delachiel...
After about a minute, a rather wide eyed chipmunk looks out the door at the escaping bears, "Wow, I was just going to show Delachiel my idea to keep me from being kidnaped. Didn't know it was the kidnapers."
Timothy blinks as he sees Delachiel and someone else chasing the bears and realizes she must have thought it was him! He quickly grabs a leather pouch and starts running after them, careful not to call to them.
Delachiel follows the bears, having a bit of trouble keeping up the speed and stealth.
The bears are obviously not worried much about stealth, and don't consider that they are being followed. Obviously not as smart as Salmon's head bear, Bahny.
Jarik keeps himself just a few paces behind Delachiel. {She hasn't changed a bit...}
The bears approach a two story house that should be rather familiar to Delachiel. No guards are around right now, and the bears rush inside.
Delachiel shrugs and follows up to the door, checking if the bears locked in their wake.
Jarik stays, as always, right behind the elfess.
The door isn't even fully closed.
The otter, Salmon Picchaise is at the stairs inside, and motions the bears to take them into the back room. Timothy is about a 100 yards behind Delachiel and Jarik, as he runs as best he can while carrying a pouch.
Jarik's muzzle is near Delachiel's ear, "What is this device, anyway...?"
Salmon and the two bears disappear from view into a back room.
Delachiel peeks in quickly before slipping into the house.
At this point, a voice that Delachiel recognizes as Salmon's can be heard to nearly scream, "You idiots! You bunglers!"
Jarik moves quietly and carefully into the house as well...
Delachiel looks around the house for good hiding spots for her and Jarik, while listening.
The otter growls, "Didn't you bother to check to see if it was him? A bundle of rags answers the door and you kidnap it! Brilliant!"
The two bears mutter a few excuses but shut up at the otter's tirade.
Delachiel grins to herself after the initial surprise passes.
Jarik whispers, "You seem to have a clever friend..."
Delachiel nods quietly. ~~I'm tempted to just call the town guard and be done with it. Or, since I'm wanted, perhaps you could do that?~~
Jarik nods slightly, "I could, yes..."
Jarik nods.
Jarik looks around the room...
~~We still want to find the Bacon.~~ She keeps listening, ready to hide behind a couch or such.
Salmon shouts, "Great. From what I heard, that idiot double crosser Arthur has the bacon by now, and that apprentice was our only hope of getting back in on the deal."
Jarik whispers, "It's always an adventure around you, Delachiel." He grins.
Delachiel pats Jarik's shoulder. ~~Flattery.~~
The little otter's voice is starting to squeak as he says, "Now go back out there and get that apprentice!"
Delachiel ponders. She whispers to Stuffit, ~~You wouldn't happen to know where to find Arthur or the thief?~~
Delachiel hides.
Stuffit chitters, **Been to his room/cache.**
Jarik hides...
Delachiel whispers, very quietly, ~~Can you take us?~~
The two bears rush out. How odd that a little otter can scare them so much. They don't even look as they rush outside. Timothy had the sense to be hiding outside also when he saw Delachiel and the fox go in, so he just watches the bears run by him.
Stuffit chitters, **Bonus?**
Delachiel is kind of curious and remains still for a while, waiting to see what Salmon does.
Timothy assumes that his Delachiel has been captured, so he starts working on a quick plan before the bears come back.
Jarik whispers, "What exactly is going on?"
~~The Holy Bacon can be used to contact spacers. This guy here, and Arthur elsewhere, want to use it to get themselves control over trade with them. They need Timothy, the young fellow, because he's the only one that can operate the device.~~
Jarik whispers, "Hm. What did you plan for the device?"
There is a thumping noise inside the room where Salmon is presently.
Delachiel shrugs. ~~The officials were planning to use it tomorrow anyhow. Who cares about that ugly box.~~
Delachiel grins and sneaks out quietly, dragging Jarik from a sleeve.
As the two leave Salmon's house, they see a rag dummy go flying into the main room. Outside, Timothy pops up, still panting, when he sees the two come out safely.
Delachiel blinks. She does remember to close the door before darting for the youngster. ~~Timothy!~~
Jarik blinks and walks quietly after Delachiel.
Timothy blinks, spell components still in hand as he says, "But...I thought they got you!"
~~Not quite yet, my young friend.~~ After a moment she remembers, ~~Oh, meet Jarik. He's... An old friend. Why he's here has to wait a bit longer though, I'd like to get this Bacon-thing dealt with.~~
Jarik hmphs to himself. "Hello there." He offers a hand, "Sir Jarik Fireclaw."
Timothy nods, "I heard. A squirrel stole it. The guards were saying he got away in the park. Oh, Hi. I'm Timothy Zabender."
Delachiel says, ~~Well, he took it to the arrogant Arthur-fellow. Shall we go and see what they're up to?~~
Jarik nudges Delachiel, "I do need to speak with you as soon as possible. It's important. But, do what you need to do first..."
Delachiel nods to Jarik.
With a suggestion from Delachiel, and promise of extra cheese for a bonus, Stuffit *poits* the three to Arthur Dactyle's place, where he is overheard that they'll meet Ankhl at his home later tomorrow. With another *poit* the trio disappears again.
After a long run and ride on a gambzar, Ankhl finally arrives at home. He's glad his mother is gone exploring, she'd skin him for this. He scrambles up the tree to his room on a high branch and opens the door.
Stuffit chitters and waves to Ankhl from where he sits on Delachiel's lap.
Delachiel grabs Ankhl nonchalantly and pulls him in the room, closing the door. ~~Good evening.~~
Jarik says, "Hello again, Ankhl."
Ankhl just wilts into a ball, "Please don't turn me into a kumquat slug. Please!"
The trio (Stuffit chitters to remind everyone he's there too) have a talk with Ankhl, and the scalded, burned and nearly banana slugged teenager just nods. It seems crime pays, in spades.