Piero shrugs. "I'm no expert on Archaics. It seems like stories were more related to people seeking them out for knowledge than them asking other people to do stuff. But who knows." He nods, "Yea, seems like Mal would know. Maybe Lesviel. We could ask. Wonder if she's about." 

(OOC - Assuming this conversation is taking place at the dorm, shortly after the group's return. Malvyn or anyone else could probably show up to join the conversation.) 

"I'll go check," Piero says, heading down the hall to knock on the door.  Lesviel answers the door, "Yes?"  When Piero explains that they were trying to identify the magic on an item, she shakes her head. "No, I'm not familiar with that sort of magic. But I would imagine you could put in a request at the Campus Magic Labs if you really wanted some help. This was something you found down in Silkmeadow?" 

Guardok, who had followed Piero when he went off to speak to Lesviel, shakes his head.

"You can't trust the Campus Magic Labs. Things go missing from there. I'll wait and see if Mal can help, and if not one of our Professors surely will be able to".

He seems very set against going to the Campus Magic Labs, and unlikely to change his mind.

"And yes, it was something I came across on our journey back from the mountains", he explains, and shows her the mask. He has had time to clean it up by now.

(OOC - Just to get everyone back together... We're kind of on two timelines here. One with Guardok asking about the magic of the mask. A bit later, a meeting with Mae having something to say to the group. My belief is we can probably resolve the first quickly. Then we will continue on from the second!) 

A bit later the same day Guardok was talking to Piero, he manages to catch both Malvyn and Mae around on their floor in Dresar Hall. 

 Early the following week, it is Mae that gathers the floormates together, at least her, Malvyn, and Guardok that is.  She has Larine in tow and seems to have 

(OOC - Ok, I guess my post did not get anyone back together here! Maybe it will help to take things one at a time? So, building on the first item then.) 

It is still the week that Malvyn, Guardok, and Mei had returned from Silkmeadow. Guardok had just been talking with Piero about the mask they found and had gone to Lesviel to ask about it. She wasn't able to help with examining it and really has nothing more to add after looking at the mask. Later that same day, he catches up with Malvyn on their floor.  It's later in the evening, and Mae had also already returned from her tutoring. 

(I'll try and write more tomorrow, but Mae is returning along with Larine)

Running into Guardok on their floor at Dresar Hall, Malvyn breaks out in a wide smile. "Hey there, anything new?" He asks with curious eyes, aware that Guardok too probably had continued his investigation into the events of last weekend.

"Hey, Mal", Guardok replies.

"Nothing major, although Piero seems to think the mask we found is magical. I am tempted to try and use it, but it would probably best to see exactly what it is first", he explains. "I don't want to send it into the labs, after the other stuff got stolen. Any idea? I have asked Lesviel already".

"Oh, and everything good with you?".

"All good thanks, think I caught up with my studies now." The purple-skinned tiefling says with a pleased smile. "Have you asked Mei about the mask? I'm sure she could find out more about it, she is a diviner after all." He continues, seeming intrigued over the mask being magical.

I imagine Mae and Larine are coming down around this time as well. "Oh, everything all right out here?" She gets a somewhat apprehensive look at Mal and Guardok.

Larine walks along very quietly with Mae, almost seeming to try to hide herself behind her. She puts a hand on the aasimar's shoulder though, whispering to her. "You should just tell them." 

Hearing the noise of people gathering, Mei steps out from her room. Her hair is mussed a bit as though she'd been sleeping. She looks over at Guardok and Malvyn, "You said something about a magic mask?"  

"No, I haven't seen her", Guradok replies to Mal, and then Mae appears.

"Hey Mae. Larine. Yeah, all is good. Piero thinks the mask we found on the path to the Disyn's cave might be magical. I am trying to find a way of identifying if that is true with using the magic lab where things disappear".

When Larine speaks, he looks at Mae curiously, wondering wondering she had to say.

It is then that Mei appears. "Oh, hi Mei. We were just wondering if you can identify what magic there is in the mask we found, if any? But apparently Mae has something to tell us", he says.

Malvyn too would greet Mae, Larine and then Mei with a smile and nod, curious to hear what Mae had to share and whether Mei could help them with the mask.

Mae cleared her throat softly and wrung her hands a bit. "I-I'm sorry I haven't been around much. So much has happened...but I, um, got a-an odd request from the professor I've been tutored by lately." She took a big breath before continuing. "He wants us to steal a book. From someone's manor. I-I don't really know or understand why, other than he says it would take too long to get it back by asking through normal bureaucratic channels, whatever that means." She sighed, looked at Larine a moment then back at the group. "I wish I had better information, and it makes me really nervous because I don't think this is right, but it sounds like the book belongs to him. And..and Larine says she can help by giving a reason for us being at the manor in case we get caught. Apparently there's a collection of dolls in the attic that could be checked out on a dare." Mae then stopped, looking between Mal and Guardok with apprehension.

"Well, that is certainly an odd request, even for a professor." The purple- skinned tiefling says with a small chuckle, finding it all hard to believe at first, but neither Mae nor Larine seemed likely to come up with such a story. "So, who is this professor and what book is it we're talking about?" He says, going more serious now, even intrigued by the unusual proposition. "And perhaps most importantly, who's manor are we supposed to break into?" He asks. It's not that he magines himself turning into a burglar but his curiosity makes him at least pry for for information before deciding what is right and not. 

"Professor Hopplefepple. I'm not entirely sure what else he teaches, but he always hid this little pest mascot with him. Anyway, the book is in Captain Dapplewing's Manor, which he says is usually vacated from around 10 at night until 6 the next morning. He says it's the "Arcanum Indexus", some sort of item catalog supposedly." Mae was almost shaking from sharing the news and request. "It's ok if you don't want to go, it can't be that hard to get a book, right? But um, I don't want to get in trouble either."

Larine keeps a bit behind Mae but places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The green-haired girl looks a bit confused at the proceedings. In a very quiet, timid voice she says, "I've met Professor Hopplefepple before and he seemed okay." 

Mei is interrupted by Mae's comments and doesn't respond about the mask.

Guardok looks at Mae and frowns, having listened to what she has to say in quiet contemplation.

”It is strange that a professor would ask you to do something like this, but if you feel you must, I will help you out. All for one and one for all!”, he says emphatically.

He looks to Larine, “I am a little confused about the dolls in the attic though. Who would dare us to go and see them, and why? That sounds odd. And why would that get us out of trouble if we were caught?”

Larine looks over at Mae for a long moment, a bit of color coming to her cheeks at the attention. "Oh. Umm. Well, Mae, you said... umm... the book..."  The last two words she mouths, speaking barely above a whisper. She very quietly makes a nervous laugh, turning back to Guardok. "I... think the idea was to take a doll as a prank? I guess it's not likely to get you out of trouble, but was to... umm... distract attention from the book?" She gives a quick, worried glance over at Mae as she says this. 

Mae reached back and squeezed Larine's hand a moment, then looked at the others. "The book is the important thing. And yes, I think the idea was to take a doll. I guess they are quite unusual, or some special collection, perhaps even just strange. But that gives us...pretense! Yes, pretense, a reason for being at the manor overnight, sneaking in. Yes, if we are caught taking a doll as a silly student prank, any punishment would be far less severe than claiming to steal a book for another professor. I hope."

Mae sighed got a thoughtful, worried look on her face again. "Mal, do you think you could dig up some plans of the manor before we go? Perhaps we can get an idea of where to go in and the layout of the house or something. And maybe check for any reference about that book? While I can't imagine the professor would ask me to take a dangerous book, it still might give a clue as to why he wants it, or if there is anything we should know about it ahead of time."

Malvyn was trying to recall what he might know: