Vark’s eyes and mouth remain wide open in surprise throughout the entire experience. “I saw Endelfjell! His home he’s- w-well I didn’t exactly see him. Just the mountain but... that must mean he’s still there right?! And al-live?” The excitement beams out of him as his greatest fear is seemingly disproved. 

After asking around for a short time, Thurston comes across a wood elf who seems to have sunk to the very bottom of his cup, which is rapidly emptying. He looks despondent and world weary.

"Do not despair my friend!!" exclaims the Norscan tapping the wood elf in the shoulder " Now that I am here your cup will be refilled faster that you can drink!!" he orders another tankard for the elf and another for himself. 

"Tell me mellon, why are you so sad in a beautiful morning like this?" 

He looked to Val and the professor, apparently very proud of himself for using an elven word with naturality.

Stood behind Thurston, the professor gives an encouraging nod and smile with a subtle thumbs up at his use of the word. He then stands ready to add to his notes. 

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," the elf replies with a scowl, "and I see no beauty here." Nevertheless, the fresh tankard is graciously accepted and seems to buy Thurston a moment of the the stranger's time.

"My beauty is mine no longer," he reluctantly elaborates, "she favours another. Tell me, Norscan, have you ever been in love?"

As Thurston sits with the elf, the professor turns to Val and Brundir. 

"I don't think it takes four of us to question this one poor man. Perhaps we should all split up and see what we could find? Remember, we need to know what happened, where and when. When is the most important." He says the last part firmly, emphasising each word. 

He looks over with curiosity towards the door.

"And has anybody seen Jex? He promised me he would be along later. Such a sharp fellow."

"I think Jex 'ad other things t'do. Except from drunks mopin' over drinks, what're we lookin' fer?" Bründir hooks his thumbs in the belt under his breastplate carrying his sword.

The professor shrugs. 

"Yes. Probably. He is always so busy." He gives a disappointed sigh before answering the next question.

"Anybody happy or sad. Ask if they have been lucky or unlucky. It's all about the luck when tracking a devil. Remember, we need to know when and where it happened." 

Thurston sits in front of the elf 

" There was this shield maiden...she could beat the shit out of a giant! but tell me. What happened my friend? "

The elf groans.

"What more is there to tell? She loves me no longer. She has left my side to live her life with another man. Sometimes Hanali is a cruel mistress."

“The will of the Gods is hidden for us most of the time. But tell me, this didn’t happen yesterday during the festival, right?” 

The elf shakes his head.

"Three days ago. The festival of love should be a joyous occasion," he mourns, "but I have no joy left to give."

Thurston taps the elf the man on he shoulder quite comforting 

“It will pass. Who knows what the Gods have in store for you but in my experience they are not cruel all the time. At least not the not cruel ones I mean!! “ he tastes his drink and continues “ mourn your loss today mellon, but do not let this sunken your soul in sorrow. Perhaps this is not the doing if your Godness of love but of another hideous God or entity. Remember that your feelings feed on your feelings so to speak. Try not to put all the blame on the Gods, they have our fate decided but they left our hearts to our own. You’ve lost now but you are also free to search for someone who appreciates what your heart has to offer. “ 

The Norscan shares the drink with the man while the rest asks around and left another one paid for him when he goes to the professor to share his findings. 

Although many are reluctant to confide in the eccentric professor, Thurston's amiable demeanour has a way of disarming those he approaches. The good-natured Norscan has a face that puts people at ease, while the professor's keen eye has little trouble finding those who look like they have a story to tell. In time the duo move beyond the common room of the Silver Tower and walk the treetop paths of Hyarantar, speaking with whoever draws their attention.

The unusual spate of good and bad luck appears to permeate the entire village, although no story goes back further than a week and a half. Whatever caused this, the effect seems to be easing with time, and by the night of the festival there are barely enough stories to be considered more than normal happenstance.

“Well good professor” says Thruston “Donyoubhace enough clues to locate this fiendish influence? And what could possibly take Jex so much time? Do you think he could have been caught by devils? If he was investigating alone...” 

The professor strokes his chin, though he has no beard, crinkling his brow as though deep in thought. 

"Oh. Jex? No. I should hope not. Far too talented to land himself in trouble. I'm sure. No. What we are looking for is more likely some big event. A large infernal release of energy. About a week or just more ago. Somebody has released a terrible blight on this world. We should find them. Perhaps a cult. Perhaps some poor idiots tricked into doing the work of this devil."

Seid thinks over everything that Vark explains with his scrying. "Well, it is a little strange you only saw the mountain and not the giant himself." He sees Vark's eyebrows raise in alarm so Seid quickly reassures the young sorcerer. "He is alive though, otherwise the spell would not have worked at all. It is possible that his domain is protected against intrusive spells like a scrying or there could be other forces at work. It is difficult to say as I did not witness that actual outcome, nor have I ever cast a scrying spell before. I am learned on such subjects, but for practical experience in this matter I have none I am sorry to say. The fact that the spell worked at all means he is alive though and it took your vision to his actual location. So we know he is there without a doubt and that he is alive. Beyond that I cannot say, but I do hope this gives you some peace of mind that you did not have previously regarding your mentor's condition." He places a hand on Vark's shoulder and smiles. "That way you do not rush off alone, needless and befallen some terrible fate. I recall what happened to you the last time you rushed off on your own. Recall the ravine and the cavern, Vark. There is a strength in numbers always. That is why I sought out you and your friends. I could not have handled the liberation of Sheercleft alone, no matter the extent of my abilities. Nor could any of you companions do so alone. This is why you all travel together. Take heart, Vark, and trust in them as they trust in you. It is quite clear to me that they value you, otherwise it is likely they would not have kept you around after what happened with your secrecy and that stone." He squeezes Vark's shoulder lightly and looks him gently in the eyes. "Just promise that you will be more open about such things in the future? When in doubt, be like Seid. You all know more about me than I know about any of you." He smiles wryly and chuckles.

Vark smiles back at Seid’s rambling reassurances. “Yes... you’re right. Thank you. Ya know you... you almost remind me of him. Aury. The way you explain things...” his thought trails off and he turns to Peldirion. “Uhm P-peldirion I think we’ve learned all we can here. Thank you very much... when we figure out more we’ll definitely fill you in.” Turning back to Seid, “Uhm... should we meet back up with Val and the others? And I guess wait for word from the Marquise in the morning.”

Seid blushes at being compared to such a powerful entity as this giant. He then walks over to Peldirion and bids the wizened elf farewell. "I thank you for the usage of your collection; it has brought much insight that was sorely lacking." He speaks in the elven tongue. "Fare thee well."

Thurston scratches the back of his head with a guilty look on his face. 
“Well about that dear professor... I think it’s better if you sit and grab a drink. I will need one for sure” says the Norscan. 
“It all began when we raided that bandit camp and we found this stone... well Vark did it but he kept it hidden from then rest of us.... “