Choir picks up the shield indignantly.  Evil?  How can anything so shiny be evil?  Obviously, Fisk is an idiot. She carefully polishes off some of the fingerprints that careless people have put on the shield's surface. "This shield...can help us bring back Elturel. Huddle Lord guide and protect," she says with conviction.

Polly look up at the others as the shield starts to speak to her in her head. It is as disturbing as the first time it happened. “Did they here what you just told me?” She thinks to the shield. “I’m going to need to speak with them about this.”

Out loud she answers the commander “I thank you commander. And I do want to leave. I have had enough adventure for a lifetime I think, I just want to get back home and try to regain entrance to the academy.” She takes a deep breath “But I have made a promise to my friends to help them to get Elturel back from hell and I want to see this to its end before I leave.” 

“Falaster, I will rest tonight and speak to my friends about this business. You’ll have my answer after I have rested.”

In lieu of a rest, Ordrag spends the morning at the armoury. First he wants to acquire a longsword, and expects a common weapon like that to be easily enough obtained. The scimitar he took from Dead-Eye the pirate he will stow in his foot locker as a souvenir. Second he will look for an improvement to his battle-worn chain mail. If the Fist can supply him with a set of splint (or better) then he will take that. If not, then he will spend the remainder of the day in the city looking for an armourer that can sell and fit a set of splint. Finally, if he has any leftover gold, he will buy a drink then send the rest to Luskan. He is happy for any of his companions to accompany him.

Ordrag was pleased at the offer of becoming a citizen of Baldur's Gate, and accepted, although he declined the invitation to join the Fist permanently, and was also ready to accept the offer of freedom and return to the Grinning Oyster ... until he heard the rest. On the ship, you could receive a few lashes for a job unfinished, and to Ordrag this trip to Candlekeep was as important as tying up loose rope-ends. The whisperings of the shield in his mind were also tempting - another payment or two like the ones they had already received, and his mother would never want for anything again. And seeing as they had curried the favour of the top brass, Ordrag decided to press their luck...

Well me can stay on a bit more, but me forget, did you say how much you pay for this job? And Candlekeep a long way, maybe us can take a ship, or at least us can go by horses.

In response to Reya's question, whether she listened or not, Fran would say it outloud all the same, even if it was to herself. "I don't think it's all that cryptic. We've proven there are betrayers within the city and there could very well be more."

The thoughts Reya left behind the night before stuck with her as the day's proceedings carried on in an orderly fashion. Fran was present but allowed the others to do all the talking. She stood silently with her arms crossed and Brutus at her side. The artificer would observe all the key players wondering if any of the new faces could be just as slippery and deceiving as Thavius and the Valamphurs (sp). She needed to take time to read this new Commander. So far she felt the constants have been her teammates. She'd trust them, then the Captain. Falaster has given her no reason not to trust him. This Huddle Hidden Lord though... now that it's invaded her min, she's even more skeptical.

Now she had the weight of the Captain's offer to consider. All this talk to Reya picking a path, Fran had a choice to make. She had some gold to line her pockets, but that would only take her so far. The artificer's path has pretty much been linear her whole life and it was as though this was an opportunity to choose. It took some time in silence for her to think on it, eventually breaking the silence with a chuckle to herself, "Aye. I got me some commitment issues right now. 'Freedom' does sound tantalizing." Though, deep down she definitely couldn't deny the satisfaction that came with belonging to something and it providing a purpose. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't need the gold. The redhead would snap her finger. "How about an 'honourary Flamin' Fist'? Yah know. Like I don't wear the badge but keep it in mah pocket?" She'd pull out her badge and hold it to her shoulder before tucking it into her pocket to animate what she was saying. "In all seriousness Capt." Fran would straighten up, "This place has grown on me. So far I'm on board with the direction ye've pointed us and I'll continue teh ride it out." She'll be blunt, "Keep up the no bullshit, and I'll be there fer yeh."

Once dismissed, Fran would invite Reya and accompany anyone (Ordrag if the time works out) out shopping for some goods and a beer before setting out on the next leg of their journey. The first thing she would want to do would be to replenish her healing kit. (Still looking at other items to shop for) If the Hellrider were to be joining them, she'd be happy to outfit her with anything she needed.

 Choir tags along on the shopping trip.  She's going to pick up a few javelins, so she has some missile options that will let her keep her shield equipped.  If the party wants to go to Candlekeep and let scholars look at the shield, she has no objection.  But she doesn't plan to let those scholars keep it. And she's pretty sure the Huddle Lord will be on her side.

Very quietly, she imitates the sound of a growling guard dog.

Adray provides additional input when needed as the story of the last few days is retold.  At the end he remains silent as each other member states their intentions.  When it came to him he finally said, "Sounds as if everyone is in this.  Should go without saying.  I'm from Elturel, and all signs point to Candlekeep for more answers, so that's where I want to go.  If those are the orders even better, if the whole team is going wellI got no doubt we'll see it done."

At the end of the meeting and the invite for shopping Adray politely declines, "Sorry friends, with being stabbed, jabbed almost dying and then patched up, I could use a little rest before we make a long trip."  Adray pulls out his pouch with his gold (250gp) and tosses it Fran.  "Restock that kit on me, buy around on me and if ya come across something interesting you think I'd like pick it up, if there is something the group needs use it and if nothing else, grab some more health potions."

Fran would catch the pouch and give Adray a flourished salute. "You got it." She's smirk before letting out a whistle, sending Brutus to the monks side. "Keep 'im company. Make sure no one bothers the man so he can get some rest." The iron defender would trot along with Adray, intending to 'snooze' guard outside his door.

(I assumed Reya did not participate in the meeting, but that would be uncharacteristic of her, unless the group would insist for her to wait in their quarters. She would also prefer to talk to the Captain first, but considered that unlikely and went with the party to meet her fate)

Reya woke up closer to the second meeting with the captain. A new face raised the questions, of course, leading to explanations, and recognition. Captain was about to order the arrest of one of the troublemakers, that he was personally hunting for the last several days. Falaster, though, was the first one to come to her defence (with at least Fran's help), stating, that that particular Hellrider had nothing to do neither with Elturel's disappearance nor with Thavius Kreeg's betrayal, but the opposite - helping to exterminate devils and cultists. Attack on the Flaming First guard could be a more serious accusation, but everyone understood that this is the case when "to prove" and "to pin one" are practically the same. Nevertheless, Commander Portir stated that she would prefer Reya to leave the city. Falaster promised to take her with them and on that was Reya left alone.

Commander listened everyone, smiled and concluded. "Fifty golds each for safe transportation of the Shield and the box to the Candlekeep. Plus, you will get permission to leave the city, which is still on a lockdown until I can assess various threats to the city’s security." She looked at Ordrag: "There is not sea path to the Candlekeep, you will have to travel by land. I do not want to you to spend more time on the road than it is absolutely necessary, so yes, you can get horses - or a wagon, should you prefer it."

"Falaster, I hope you have means to enter the Keep?" The scholar-spy smiled and nodded "Then it is settled. Talk it over if you have to, as your friend suggested (she nodded at Polly) and tell me your decision. While you are still in these barracks I will still consider you Flaming Fist, but the journey to the Candlekeep you will begin as a private group." "If you do intend to go, I suggest to finish your business, if you have anything left, and come talk to me in the morning. Dismissed."

She then turned to Captain to discuss more pressing matters concerning situation within the city.

To Fran

(OOC: I described Ordrag's shopping trip as happening during the day, before the evening meeting with Portyr, but don't really mind where it gets slotted in.)

(Possible either way - Ordrag is not looking for something impossible. Just subtract the sum from his money)

(OOC: Just wondering whether anything is available for free from the Flaming Fist, either the splint mail or the longsword. If not, then I'll subtract value of both)

(15% off if bought within HQ)

After the evning meeting with the commander Polly will grab Choirs attention. “Hey Choir, would you like to accompany me to the library? I want to get some studying done before we leave and I also want to try finding your voice. You can read right? I want to see if we can find a word that you have not heard before and let you try to say it out loud! That way, if you can say it, you will have to do so with your own voice right?” She say with a large grin plastered to her face. “And afterwards I want to see if I can find some kind of focus for my magic.” 

Choir is still puzzled by exactly what Polly meant by finding her voice, but she has no objection to coming along to the library.

Polly take Choir to the library and pick out the encyclopledia. "Here Choir, look throught this and if you see a word you have never heard before try and say it out loud. Maybe then you will find your own voice." she hands it over to Choir. "In the meantime I am going read up on some magic books."

Choir flips randomly through the encyclopedia. There are plenty of words she hasn't heard before, or even seen when reading.  Most of them she can sound out from words she already knows.  Myconid becomes My Cone Need.  Bulette becomes Bull Let.  Yeenoghu becomes Ye No Goo. Choir supposes she could say anything she liked, if she just switched between words and pieces of words she's heard before. But it is awkward switching voices that often. 

She wonders if its possible to say something you heard in one voice in the voice of another. Back in your mischievous youth, she supposes it would have been an excellent prank to repeat the words of the cook swearing at his bookie for letting him bet on bad horses in the voice of, say, the high priestess. 

Polly seems to think she has her own voice, though, for some reason. Choir has never heard her own voice.  Except maybe squawky noises when she's surprised or angry. Is that her voice? 

Choir tries to say something in that squawky voice that she heard in a different voice...

(5 INT roll seems best?)

 She makes a few weird noises, shakes her head and goes back to flipping through the encyclopedia. Just looking at the pictures.

A curse is a curse - no matter how hard one tries, the curse from a god can be lifted only by the god as a reward for the deed worth god's attention. Her exercises, though attracted attention of the shield (unless Choir was willing to part with her shiny new toy and left it somewhere).

"I feel your desire, my friend." The library was empty enough for the Hidden Lord to speak freely, if quietly. "And believe me, when I say it - the curse of or your race (a much too severe punishment!) can be lifted, if only for you. Help to return your city, and I personally will testify your worthiness of such reward!"

Polly listen while Choir try to speak the words and can’t help but smile when she hears eight different voices mixed in. “Hmm. So this didn’t work as I thought.” She say. “Choir, I’m sorry if I’m rude, but why is it that you can imitate anyone but not speak yourself? Is there a reason for that?” she ask compassionate. “If we know the reason to why you can’t speak, maybe we can find a solution.”

At first this was only something she found amusing and interesting but now she started to get into it. She really wanted to help her friend find her voice but with the lack of knowlage about Kenku’s she had met a roadblock. 

Choir shrugged. She didn't know any whys.  It was as if Polly was asking her why the sky was blue or why water was wet. She was the way she was, and had never really thought about it.

After trying some more things to find Choirs voice Polly give up for now and turn her focus to the magic books. She studies half the night and when she is done she will go and see if there are any items in the armory that can help her focus her spells. Then she will go back to her room to sleep a few hours before leaving for Candlekeep.