"Yes, Meepo, but the problem is, they're not completely lost. Someone somewhere knows where they are. And normally that's good enough, but they're trying to make sure the priest has lost them. So we need to catch the person who's deliberately trying to make people lose things."

Mordekai turns to the priest, ((and I just realised Mordekai was dead when the rest of the party first saw Milivoj)) "This Milivoj, whom you suspect is an agent of Strahd, you know him well?" 

"No tell what else lost." Meepo says.  "Many things lost."  He assures Mordekai, continuing his search.

“I think the best place to start is by asking Milivoj a few questions. Do you know where we might find him?” Kane asks the priest.

Father Petrovich raises his hands with caution, "Oh, no, the boy is not an agent of Strahd. I'm sure he hates the devil as much as the rest of us. No, but..something must have driven him to steal the bones. His home is near the middle of town, on the south road, just two houses down from Blinsky's Toys shop.  He's...a well meaning lad...there must have been some reason for him to do it." 

Olin nods at the priest. "Thank you for the word of caution, Father. Returning the saint's bones is our top priority, but we will not treat Milivoj as an enemy. It can be hard for us to know the difference here in this dark land." Gesturing to the group, "Let's be on our way, while we still have what little daylight is available here. Meepo, as our resident finder, please lead the way."

Meepo, currently under a bench, looking around for other things that could have been lost, and just not realized they were missing yet, peeks his head up.  "Meepo no done here." He says.  When it becomes obvious they are planning on leaving he gets up with a huff.  "Meepo finish here later then."  He shrugs and goes with the others to the doors.

The group wanders through the town. The life in this place is more present than in the other sad town you were in, but fear and distrust are in the eyes of every person you pass along your way.  You come upon south road and follow it to the right.  Part way down the street something catches your eye.  A cramped shop with a dark entrance portico, above which hangs a wooden sign shaped like a rocking horse, with a "B" engraved on both sides. Flanking the entrance are two arched, lead-framed windows. Through the dirty glass, you see jumbled displays of toys and hanging plac­ards bearing the slogan "Is No Fun, Is No Blinsky!".  Two houses down you see a run down house, similar to the others, but more rundown than most with sagging eaves and trim peeling from the sides. From within you hear the sounds of children's voices talking loudly at each other. Their words are difficult to make out but it sounds like they're fighting about who gets the last piece of bread on the table.

"Moment." Meepo says as he spots the shop.  Hauling his disk of stuff over, he moves it inside the shop, then dumps the entire load on the floor.  Once that is done he turns around and walks back out, having delivered all of the stuff somewhere it can be sold and find a new home.  "Meepo ready."  he says to the others.  He has a bounce in his step again, feeling good about getting all of those lost things to a shop where they can be sold to someone else eventually.

"Hey now!  What's the meaning of this!!"  is the voice that trails off as the door closes behind Meepo and he walks away from the shop. 

So...knock, break down the door, circle the house, climb to the 2nd floor and break in, light it on fire?  Please choose, or make a new option!

Olin quietly says, "Wait here, I'll take a look around back." He then casts guidance on himself and sneaks around the house, looking mostly for escape routes if Milivoj runs, but also on the off chance that the bones or some sign of them are behind the house.

Stealth, 19
Perception, 13

Olin sneaks around the back of the house. The place is poorly upkept. You see a backdoor, and an unfenced back yard with what looks like a small chicken coop up against the house. Chicken cluck quietly inside.  There is a pile of refuse near the backdoor, and it looks like a few small bones (chicken) are inside, but he doesn't see anything that looks like a pile of human bones. 

Kane stands silently, patiently waiting for Olin to finish reconnoitering the perimeter. "We did not have much time for pleasantries at the church, but I want to welcome you back to the land of the living." Kane says to Mordekai. "Tell me... What was it like on the other side?" He appears only mildly interested, but his casual demeanor conceals a burning curiosity .

Mordekai's visage shifts as he thinks about the answer to Kane's question, his demeanour becoming more like the eternal gloom of the other residents of the land.

"I don't know that I ever truly made it to the other side. I had dreams, or perhaps visions, horrifying ones. Tortured souls, that seemed unable to truly die. I don't know the meaning of the visions, but I wondered if this was what death held for all in this land. I don't know how real it was, but I was certainly glad to return. This is not the place I wish to die."

"Think Olin lost?"  Meepo asks, then catches himself.  he shakes his head and doesn't speak for a bit.  He waits for Olin to reappear.

Olin quietly returns around to the front of the building and reports what he saw. "We should head inside and see if Milivoj is home. In deference to Father Patrovich, we should be gentle with the boy, even though he sounds like he has a temper. If we think this kid might bolt we should station someone out back to watch the back door, or sneak in it." Olin smiles down at Meepo, "If you would lend me the lock picks I should be up to the task."

"Meepo give." Meepo nods his head, handing over the folded pouch with the lock picks in it.  He then moves with the others to the front door.

Kane ponders Mordekai’s answer. “Our souls are not our own, you and I.” He replies as they follow Olin and Meepo. “We have more reason to fear death than most.”

"Yet, it is not the Traveler's claim over my soul that I fear. It is Strahd's. I worry that he now has a taste of my soul and fear he will not easily let it go." 

Olin nods to the group and says, "Right. So give me a minute to get to the bank door. Then knock, I guess. If he runs I'll grab him. If he talks I'll come in." Olin recasts guidance then sneaks back around to the back door, listening carefully to hear his companions knock.

Stealth, 10

Perception, 9

As silent as a still breeze, Olin reaches the back door.  The arguing over the bread has died down and the sounds of play fighting can be heard inside. Olin figures there are probably three young children inside. He also hears Milovoj commanding 'Anya not to jab her brother in the eye like that', and 'Cullen, let go of his hair immediately', as well as 'No groin shots Darik, that's not ok..'. 

Mordekai, Kane, and Meepo approach the front door.  Aga stands back a bit, silent and brooding as usual. Kane raps on the door.  The sounds inside quiet down a bit.  Eventually a voice on the other side that is clearly Milovoj's says, "Hello? Who's there? What do you want?"  Small heads appear at the front window, peering through the foggy glass trying to catch a glimpse of the visitors. 

Olin hears the knock, and the immediate end to hostilities inside, as the children go running to the front door.  Milovoj yells, "Let me, don't open the door...."  There's the distinct sound of him picking up a shovel from the ground, the bang of the handle touching the wall, the 'shnick' of the dull metal scraping on the wooden floor as it's moved.