Spira chuckles suddenly; it doesn't seem too  forced.  "Perhaps it could be as simple as Anita walking in front of Solitude, and Solitude walking in front of Rash.", she says, obviously trying to ease the moment.  "As for that walking, I'll think about it too while I'm on watch.  There might be enough materials here to splint your leg too, or even make a simple soft cast with wrappings of cloth and leather -- that would leave more flexibility than a splint at times you might have  to bend it suddenly."

======================================

Medicine 22

"Never having the criminal girl at my back, at least, would be reassuring" sighs Solitude. "As for the leg, for now, even if it bothers me, I can use it... maybe we'll try what you said when we have to break it again and wait for it to heal".

"That sounds reasonable to me," Rash says with a nod at Spira's suggestion. "Anita... it sounds like the majority have agreed to let you come with us... but if you have decided that you would rather stay here after hearing some of their opinions I would also understand entirely."

He pauses.

"Though Aidwyn also has a point if you decide to wait here... I don't think it's safe to leave you locked in the same room as those two men if we don't have anyone on watch to intervene in the event something happens... even if we leave them bound and you unbound, there's always a chance one of them might be more clever than he looks and find a way to slip loose when you are distracted."

“If you decide to stay you could watch the door but in the event they manage to escape their bonds and the cell do not try to stop them. Hide and let them go. Do not try to be a hero” 

suggests Aidwyn 

Anita holds the gaze of each of those who have spoken, then sighs, turns to the half-orc and says: "Good! You know what? First of all, I can't say I blame those who still do not trust me - some of them I tried to kill, some of them I mistreated while they were helpless.... Secondly… do you think this is the first time that someone doesn't think highly of me? Just remember what that scumbag Kenzo said… I care about the opinion of only one person, at the moment: the one who just took me as assistant!" she smiles "Can I get my armour, mace and crossbow back then? You'll see Rash! Unless you're hunting dragons, no one will be able to get close enough to bother you!"

Rash nods.

"I think that can be arranged," he says with a smile. "I'm pretty sure we left your armor and weapons in the tunnel... but I suspect we can find suitable replacements. Then I'll need your help to find some supplies to cast a spell that should be a big help to all of us..."

Rash will go ahead and get Anita out of the room and untie her hands... though some of his companions voiced doubts, it seems that all (except perhaps Obadiah) are willing to give her a chance, even if VERY grudgingly in Solitude's case. Once she has weapons and armor, Rash will need her help to scrounge up the material components to cast find familiar

Roxana nods to Anita. "If she's coming with us, she needs her equipment."  She pauses a moment. "What happened with the prisoner's gear? I'm sure Gaer and Solitudec would like to have their things too."

Anita brings a hand on her ponytail and begins to fiddle with it nervously as she tries to think...

"Charcoal, incense, herbs and a brass brazier?" she recapitulates "You're not asking for little, Rash... We could get the charcoal from the kitchen fireplace, but ... Incense? A brass brazier? Those two things I'm sure aren't here... None of us were allowed to keep such fine materials for ourselves and Mhurren, if he ever got his hands on anything like that, would immediately tried to sell it... He wouldn't have kept objects of that kind, because he didn't use them".

"Have you already checked the chest that he kept in his room, the one with the throne?" the ex-Zhentarim tries to ask "If those things are not there, waiting to be sold... then they are not anywhere in the base".

"However," the assistant gets an idea "I could go and buy them for you in Longsaddle! It's not too far away... it will take me two, maximum three hours, between going and coming back! No one knows me there, so I should be safe... If you have got the money, I've got the legs!"

Anita replies to Roxana too: "The prisoners' equipment was of no interest to Mhurren... We resold it to a passing fence just yesterday. I'm sorry. If there was something they cared about, perhaps I could help retrieve it... I saw that man, I could recognize him. And I know he would be heading in the direction of Mirabar. If we finish here soon with... with whatever you have to do, we can try to hunt him down".

Aidwyn looks at Gaer and  Solitude waiting for them to reply if there is something of special value, sentimental value she thinks more than anything, that they could want restored.

Rash considers whether or not he should send Anita to retrieve the items...

"That would be convenient," he muses. "But... if we were to go with that plan it would delay us a minimum of three hours... two for you to get the materials I need and another hour for me to perform the ritual."

He pauses and then adds in a very serious tone.

"Also... I know that you won't run and I'm sure you can take care of yourself... but I still don't like the idea of sending you out there on your own. I doubt that the Zhentarim were the only bandits in the area, and a young woman travelling alone on foot would be a tempting target."

"I agree, none of us should travel back to Longsaddle alone," Roxana says. "If there was something of value you lost," she says to Gaer and Solitude, "we'll try to get it back.  But we really should continue on with our task." 

"Rash..." sighs Anita, rolling her eyes slightly "You are very nice to worry about me and you have no idea of how much I appreciate it... but I was the bandit, until yesterday! I could take care of myself - even more so during a an hour's journey. Anyway, so what do you want to do? Shall we do a joint expedition to Longsaddle? Or… will you just do without those components?"

"I will definitely try to retrieve my special slingshot!" growls Gaer, in response to Roxana "That stupid ringleader! 'Of no interest', really... If I had the opportunity to shoot even once at his stupid louse infested head..."

"You're right though, girl," the tiefling male says, resolutely. "If we really have to save Dobbian, let's get moving! Knowing him, he's probably causing trouble already in the afterlife too - by resurrecting him, we'll probably earn the gratitude of some extraplanar creature, be it fiends or angels!"

"And by the way," she nods at the girl from Longsaddle. "thanks for taking an interest in this matter".

"Probably both!", Spira grins in response to her brother's comment.  "If we pull this off we'll have a chance to be among the few mortals the Seven Heavens and Nine Hells both owe favors to for the same act.  Let's do this then.  As we discussed before, it's probable that Elky will greet us when we go down to the next level and that he won't remember having met us before.  He asks if we have been invited by the Harpells each time he appears, but he seemed satisfied the last two times when I told him we had been sent  by them to check on this place after so long had passed without any word.  And the first time, he offered to guide us to the 'flag keeper' who could give us safe passage; and told us that if we didn't 'remember' the password of six letters, a clue would be on that flag keeper's forehead. 

Let's try and get him to guide us again, and see if we can learn more from him by careful questioning along the way.  For instance, I could say that the Harpells were PARTICULARLY concerned about a special magical bead, and see how he reacts or if he seems to know anything of it at all.  If he does, we definitely want to see how much we can learn from him."

"Well! We are ready to go then?" Roxana has everything cleaned up from her cooking endeavors. Extra meat she packaged up as best she could and placed in whatever cool spot she could find. "It should last the day, so something for later perhaps."

Grabbing her pack and slinging her bow at her shoulder, she is ready to head down once again to speak with Elky.

"Even if we wait on doing anything about your leg, Solitude," Spira adds as the group gets ready to head out, "I'll see what cloths and other improvised materials I can scavenge as we go along.  Definitely should have restocked in Longsaddle, but there should be something here that can be used for healer's materials in a pinch."

OK, as for cloth, Spira understands that she can easily get material from dormitory sheets... And the bed that Aidwyn has kindly already broken to build the cane for Solitude may be a source of other usable lumber at the very least.

Up until now I believe only Obadiah was routinely carrying a torch...if anyone else wants one, just take one. Anita for example does.

After that, the expanded group of heroes goes through the secret passage (with the young ex-Zhemtarim marveling: "Who would have guessed that!?") and descends the impressive spiral staircase to Level 2.

Under the curious gaze of Gaer and the suspicious one of Anita and Solitude, Elky makes its appearance as predicted by Spira:  "Hello esteemed visitors. I'm Elky and I'm here to serve you. Would you like something to drink or eat, by any chance? I could have you brought some tea, water, wine, eggs and bacon, a few bites of game, horse meat... Or would you prefer to decline the offer?"

"I don't like him..." Anita turns to Rash, whispering "This guy is so quiet, but who knows him? Where did he come from? And... how does he survive down here? And where does he plan to get what is he offering us? I wouldn't trust him..."

"Oh, go figure?" Solitude gives her an ironic smile "Working for our wizard, you've already gained insight! Not so difficult, given the starting level, but still..."

Okay, so Rash decided to go without the familiar (even though he really wanted to summon one).

"I'm completely aware of all that," Rash tells Anita while talking about how little there is to be concerned of during an hour's journey. "But it's still not a good idea to travel alone, and it would take a bit more time than we really want to spend on a single spell."

In the basement, Rash smiles as Anita gives her opinion on Elky.

"You're right," Rash whispers back to Anita and Solitude. "According to Spira he's probably an illusion or a construct... which I agree is likely the case, especially since he doesn't remember the last time we were here at all. I doubt that he is exactly 'untrustworthy' though... if for no other reason than that he probably doesn't have a will of his own and just follows some pre-determined set of instructions. I am rather curious about his offer of food, though... why don't we ask him to bring us something and see where he goes to get it?"

"Sure thing Rash!" Anita approves enthusiastically.

The very next moment, she raises her hand to make sure Elky notices her and exclaims: "Bring a bit of everything you said, for Master Mage Rash! And since I'm his assistant, bring the same for me too, okay? And hurry up, the Master Mage shouldn't be kept waiting..."

"It will soon be done, noble visitor!" assures Elky, as he heads towards the same stairs you came from and starts ascending. "I'll have you taken to a comfortable place where you can refresh your body and spirit! Follow me!"

Anita, perplexed, follows the young halfling butler, but only with her eyes, she does not move. She turns to Rash, instead, and asks: "Where does this one go? There's no such food and drink up there... Unless there's another secret passage... Which shall we do? Shall we follow him?"