"Um...no...we were told to meet up by a cart at Fault Gate...I think..." Thurodim rumbles slowly, looking at Ghurr for confirmation of that statement.

Ghurr slips his skull necklace back around his thick neck and then nods at Thurodim.

"Yes, the faulty gate," Ghurr says. "Do you know way?"

"Yes, I know the way. You just go...um...left when you get back to the fort and follow the wall until you reach the sea, and there you have Fault Gate." Thurodim says and nods to himself.

Ghurr nods along, "Left, sea, gate."

He nods his thanks to Laurenz and waves good bye to all of the interesting things in the shop, especially the bag full of furry things. He'd quite like to see some of them not in ball shape.

"Glad you two are paying attention.  This shop is like a candy store and just a bit distracting!"  She waves to Laurenz as they leave his shop, "I'm sure I'll be back to see you!"

She follows the two giants as they head towards the gate, staying fairly silent as she thinks about the idol that made such an impression in the shop.

Mala looks a bit relieved as Ilithir steps in to ask Corporal Singer questions.  She keeps an eye on the woman but takes a brief step back. Surely Ilithir seemed more the type to get some answers out of this person.  She was still interested however to hear more details of what happened. 

Quote from kqstark >>

"Glad you two are paying attention.  This shop is like a candy store and just a bit distracting!"  She waves to Laurenz as they leave his shop, "I'm sure I'll be back to see you!"

She follows the two giants as they head towards the gate, staying fairly silent as she thinks about the idol that made such an impression in the shop.

 I believe Thurodim wanted to go back to the Screaming Skeleton first to collect some bits and say goodbye to his mum, but the two of you are welcome to go to the Fault Gate, or any other place. Does Faera have anywhere she needs to go / anyone she needs to update on the situation?

The game started at 9 in the morning. The events with the harpies probably took an hour in total, or close enough with all the back and forth, and you have been in Longboot's Boutique for 4 Identify's. So let's call it quarter to 11 in the morning. You still have a hour and a quarter until you are expected at the Fault Gate.

Anything people want to do secretly we can RP in PMs.

Team Town

"Goodbye!" Laurenz calls as you exit. "I look forward to seeing you again! My stock will be waiting, ohohohoo!"

Faera, Thurodim and Ghurr, let me know what you want to do next / feel free to RP among yourselves.

Team Temple

Singer looks up from her knees, brows knotted in confusion. "What they did? But... I'm the one who put the brooch up there. They were just trying to help us. I thought if anyone could handle a couple of harpies it would be Riva and Cornel. They are... were... the best of us, that's why I activated the brooch before their Tower shift. I guess even the best just wasn't... wasn't good enough. Thank you," she says to Friar Nick who, having left briefly, has returned with a handkerchief. The Corporal blows her nose wetly. "Maybe everyone is right. Maybe the Guard just isn't worth it. Let mercenaries and adventurers like you all look after the town. We can't handle it any more."

"Goodbye Laurenz, I have a feeling we will return." Thurodim says and leaves the shoppe. Outside in the street he bids his associates goodbye too, then making his way over to the Screaming Skeleton to collect the rest of his gear and to say good bye to his mum.

"Ooh!  We do have a little time to kill, I'll meet you two at the gate!" and with that, Faera scampers off on her own.

Ghurr watches Thurodim take off and then Faera. He frowns slightly wondering if he should have somewhere he should run off to as well. But try as he might, he can't think of anything he needs to do.

He makes his way to the wall to follow it to Fault Gate. As he does, Hoppy appears out of an alley, pouncing at one of Ghurr's furry calves.

"There you are," Ghurr says, reaching down to pet the cat. "Ghurr have to leave town for while. Hoppy be good while Ghurr gone."

The pair walk along together to Fault Gate.

Never before on his entire life Ilithir experienced something to demanding of strength and determination as the effort to contain his will to facepalm. He simply could not believe how gullible the guard was. Then it him – maybe she was not. Back at the fort he had considered the use of charming magic. Now it seemed incredibly possible.

“They were not trying to help. They wanted you to bring harpies to the mid of a crowd and I believe that they used spellcraft to influence your minds, yours and your companions’, without letting you notice that. To make sure, force you, to use the brooch.” And the reason for that may be present on her words. Discrediting the guard. If hat was the case them the enemy, whoever it was, had every intention to undermine Landgrave’s position. “Your will to protect is so strong that subconsciously you managed to minimize the damage.” He said with far more confidence that what he really felt. “You are more than capable of handling it and I need you to describe everything you can remember of those two. Color of skin, hair, eyes, height, weight, clothes, weaponry, accent.” Could she even remember as much? Maybe the magic used to influence her erased such details. Maybe the figure of the two strangers was a fabricated memory. “Anyone here can speak Elvish, Celestial or Sylvan?” The elf asked high enough for everyone in the room to hear. “Can you?” He focused his eyes on the corporal. “I know this situation is hard, but please try to focus.”

Mala tilts her head ever so slightly listening to Ilithir, trying hard to keep a grin from creeping onto her face.  When he asks about languages, she gives him a puzzled look, but responds simply, "I speak Elvish."  She isn't even quite sure he was directing the question to her, but she replied anyway.  She mainly remains interested in seeing how well she responds the long list of details asked of her though. 

(Sorry for the delay)

Illithir, please make a Persuasion check with advantage, because that was a good little speech.

Persuasion Check: 24

She looks confused. "Are... are you sure? What they said made sense, it would have worked if... if we'd been better... But then, if they knew we weren't good enough, if they knew we would lose..." She begins to cry again, "I've been such an idiot. Was I really put under a spell? I did feel funny the next day, I put it down to the ale but... Yes, I must have been charmed! I feel so guilty though. Would I feel this guilty if I'd been charmed?"

Much of this is said almost to herself, Illithir's words doing their work, making her believe him. 

"But yes, if I was charmed into doing this, they must be caught! I'll try to remember." She focuses, her face a picture of concentration as she tries to remember through the fog of time and the ale of the night on which her involvement in this plot started. "The tiefling was tall, I remember that. His skin was sort of grey, I think, though it was dark in the Drums. Horns like this." She gestures horns which protrude from the forehead before turning directly upwards. "And he had long, dark hair. She was average height, I suppose. Blonde. Pretty. Kept her hood up though. Her cloak looked expensive, but I couldn't really see what either of them were wearing, sorry. Sorry for everything," she ends. "For all of it. If I'd been stronger..." but she doesn't end the thought, at least out loud.

Finally she looks up at you all. "What will you do? Will you tell the Commander?"

"I think we really have to tell the Commander," Mala says, jumping in. "If there's a spell involved," her heavy emphasis on 'if' suggests just how little weight she puts on that theory, "then I'm sure he'll be much more forgiving.  But whatever you can do to help track these two down, the more it will redeem your actions."  She looks at her two companions, "A tall grey tiefling and a pretty blonde woman. Human? Half-elf?" The last two questions she directs back towards Corporal Singer.

"Oh, um, human, I think." Singer is a little flustered from thinking about your previous statement before having to change tack. "With her hood up I couldn't see her ears or anything. But I think human. And yes, of course I'll do everything I can to help! I need to make this right."

“I don’t think anyone would be able to avoid victims on your place. Not in a crowded space or fighting against harpies in a tall tower.” He said trying to console the guard with some honesty for a change. Even some of his colleagues, despite proving their strength, nearly fell to their death. “You feel guilty for the same reason you decided to not use the brooch on the market or the docks. You are a good person and far stronger of will than they imagined. The Commander will have no reason to punish you, considering the enchantment, but as it seems to influence your actions still it is better for you to stay here until he sends a magic specialist to examine you. Detect and remove the exact spell. You have a debt to pay to those two, so cry as many tears as you need and rise again, corporal.”

They now had descriptions. It was a start, although a vague one. If the duo used magic to disguise themselves the poor woman’s words would be of little use. At least, he thought to himself, Landgrave will know to be more alert against mind controlling spells.

“Comparing to me and my companions here, would the tiefling and the blonde be taller or shorter?” He asked standing up. Then looking at Mala. “We should visit our patron before going meeting the others. And have someone observing her. The charm may force her to suicide.” Ilithir spoke in the tongue of the elves. At that point it seemed an unlikely scenario, but the silver haired man preferred to take no risks. “Can you remember what else they wore besides this cloak? And how was this cloak exactly?”

Notes: The italic and bold text represent what Ilithir spoke in Elvish/Talithan.

(Just had to make myself a quick height chart...)

The Corporal sizes you up. "Um, she was somewhere between you and you, I think," pointing to Illithir (5'6") and Heran (5'9"). "He was taller than you all, especially with the horns. Maybe the horns just made him look tall, I don't know now..." She rubs her eyes. "His cloak was black, hers was, I think it was green... I don't know, it was dark, I'm sorry."

At this point the Friar, who has allowed the questioning so far, steps in. "I think that's enough for now. Ye might have saved her, and I thank ye for it, but Arabella has still had a hell of a time and needs rest. I suggest ye tell the Commander what she's told you, or I can send a message for ye if ye write it down."