Fil takes a mighty swig. "It's good, a solid dwarf brew worthy of kings. I will have to tell Queen Raedra Obarskyr about this when I return to Cormyr."  

"Oh, back so soon?" Glim says to Fi. "I assume based on that lock of hair you took you were off scrying on our new employer. Don't worry; he's severely underpaying us given the value of the item we're to retrieve -- nice job negotiating that, by the way. I suppose I brought this on myself by disappearing." He holds out a hand as the spider lowers itself on a piece of silk into it. Glim places the arachnid in his pocket. "In any case, the dwarf should be more worried about us not showing than we about him."

Fionula

"You find spider is the way to go?" she wiggles her fingers at the familiar. "I squished Swifty repeatedly. Sometimes by mistake. You tell me what you know and I'll tell you what I found out."

"Spider, hawk, octopus..." Glim replies. "Make the tool fit the job, I say. And Minerva doesn't like to stay in one body too long. Usually stays away from owl, though, out of respect for Lucy. Plus the whole face-flapping distraction thing... not really our style. I find it's more effective to just stop the enemy's eyes from working. But... to each their own, I suppose."

"Anyway, the axe is called 'Orcsplitter'. Flametongue was an ancient king of the Besilmer dwarves... You can imagine how it got the name. In any case, it's enchanted, obviously, and prized for its historical importance. Supposed to be a helm hidden with it. Maybe if we find that too it will make up for the insulting fee. Though I suppose you'll probably just try to run off with it."

Kelvin had been scratching variations of a sentence while everyone talked. Surprisingly, he even ignored Glim's jab without much more than a grumble. When he had finished, he rushed out the door and began tracing letters across a crystal while staring at the sky. After minutes of concetration, the clouds had shifted to form the following sentence:

"KELVIN SAVED YOU ALL. DRINKS APPRECIATED AT GLOWING GEM INN"

Fionula

”I wish I’d gotten a girl familiar. And, hey! I resent that characterization! I am not some common thief. Try to run off with it. Anyway, our friend lied, no big surprise. He has his diary right up in his room. I couldn’t read it, probably in Dwarf or, like Historian Gibberish, but he’s got it under lock and key. And trust me, you do not want to go looking for that key. Unless you can tinker up some grease and a long set of tongs you don’t want to keep.”

As the evening wears on, Klong starts to yawn. He tries not to drink too much, as a hangover isn't the best for adventuring. Plus, he doesn't know yet the full capabilities of these people. Will he have to fight hand to hand? Be a healer? Use magic? Klong finds what he does changes as often as the weather. He is content to listen to the others mostly talk, getting a sense of their dynamic. Around 11pm, he goes up to this room and falls asleep on the extra large bed Dale's wife prepared for him.

Quote from Barlow >>

Kelvin had been scratching variations of a sentence while everyone talked. Surprisingly, he even ignored Glim's jab without much more than a grumble. When he had finished, he rushed out the door and began tracing letters across a crystal while staring at the sky. After minutes of concetration, the clouds had shifted to form the following sentence:

"KELVIN SAVED YOU ALL. DRINKS APPRECIATED AT GLOWING GEM INN"

Gotta be a some Insipration for finding a great use for Skywrite !

Morning comes with little incident. As you come downstairs, you notice Gargosh is already waiting impatiently, wearing hiking gear and pacing a bit, an air of nervousness about him. A young girl, likely Dale's daughter, is clearing a plate of food from his table.

Fil goes downstairs and sees the dwarf. "Be patient friend, some of us need a night's rest before the journey. It was hard enough as it was to sleep because of the footsteps in the hall."

Gargosh's eyes go wide. "Footsteps! You heard something? What was it? WHO was it? I was robbed in my sleep!"

Fionula

She bounds downstairs, coming up short at Gargosh's declaration. "Wasn't me, don't give me that look. I was locked up tight all night. What'd they steal? Was it your tiny key?" and she giggles.

"Hey, Dale?" Is Dale around?

Heavy footsteps can be heard as Klong comes down the stairs. He is dressed and ready to go. 

Quote from Mingofaust >>

Fionula

She bounds downstairs, coming up short at Gargosh's declaration. "Wasn't me, don't give me that look. I was locked up tight all night. What'd they steal? Was it your tiny key?" and she giggles.

"Hey, Dale?" Is Dale around?

 The girl cleaning looks at you: "Nope. Me da sleeps in the morning. Mum and I get up and do breakfasts. "

Gargosh raises his eyebrow. " I woke up and me chest was open and me diary was gone! GONE! . Wai, If you didn't steal me diary, how did ye know about me keys!! Want to have a peek and see if I still have my key ya cheeky scamp? Luckily, me lack of strength came with an abundance of smarts! I have everything I need to find the Tomb up here", and Gargosh points to his head. "I'm anxious to be off. I had the girl's mum whip up some food for ya so we can get going quick"

Glim arrives downstairs a bit late, moving slowly and yawning. He approaches just as Fi is protesting. He narrows his eyes at her, focusing on the eye movements she makes as she speaks, attempting to suss out potential deceit.

Insight: 10

Klong frowns, not liking the idea of a scuffle with the guide first thing. "No argue, no tricks. We go."

Persuasion: 20

Kelvin staggers into the room, apparently worn out from the night prior. His trick in the sky didn't bring the city to drown him in affection and drinks, but a half dozen grateful townsfolk were enough. He takes a seat, rests his head, and waves the waitress girl over for a quick meal, then waits for the signal to leave.

Fionula

Why, she's as honest as the driven snow. Or some other mixed simile. :)

"I'm sorry, Gargosh, I did check up on you, just to make sure you were well, and may have caught sight of your special hiding place. But it was only out of an abundance of concern for your well being, the axe being an item of such worth, and you its only champion. But while I had nothing to do with the theft, I do have this," and she produces a piece of paper with a map on it, drawn from memory. She is persuaded by Klong's honest, forthright nature to be forthcoming. "So all is not lost! It is the map you had in your diary! I copied it!"

OOC > I'll let Ceekay77 post the map if he wants

She is being unusually forthcoming, so that in itself is suspicious, but no deceit detected.

"But I'm with our learned dwarf friend, if someone else is on the trail of this thing, there's no time to waste on breakfast or hangover cures. We should be away!"

Fil calls over for a meal as well. "You can leave right away if you want, but if there is something that is interested in this and we have to confront it, it is better to do that after a breakfast when we are at full strength. If need be, I can fly and catch up with you."