(OOC - seems Jumpier is away again. Hasn't been on since March 3rd. Hope everything is ok with him and everyone. Hopefully we'll pick this up again soon.)

(Seems so.  But likewise, hope everything is well with Jumpier and everyone else!)

(I’m back, terribly sorry. Real life stuff piled up but it’s better now, so we’ll pick this back up tomorrow, it’s kinda late for me rn. Hopefully everyone is ok)

(Good to have you back! About to head to bed myself, but I will have a post up as soon as I can after you re-start the story :)

The guards look at each other. One shrugs and says, “you must certainly be new here. The mages have vanished, disappeared, whatever you want to call it. They haven’t been seen for about two days. The whole town is uneasy, but the buzz of the markets helps to hide it.” He pauses a moment and sighs. The other picks up where he left off, “we can let you in but I doubt whatever message you have will do much good now.” He turns to unlock the door.

Tender notices nothing out of the ordinary, although she notices the location of the tower is strange. While near the palace and being a fitting place for five heroes and saviors of the world, it is also near a number of abandoned buildings, all quite large and decrepit.

(Glad you're back!)

Tender takes note of the decrepit buildings, wondering if they are worth checking out later. She turns her attention back to the guards, offering a sunny smile. "You have our thanks for letting us in!" Missing for about two days, she thinks, glancing at the others. Were they taken? Hopefully there was some sign left in the tower. 

"I suspect they might already know what we've come to tell them, then," Kallista says to the guards. "Let us hope they are simply busy preparing their response." Meeting Tender's gaze, she gives a small shrug. She doesn't really know what's happening either, and they can only hope that something terrible hasn't happened. She steps forward and heads into the building, nodding her thanks to the guards as she passes.

"Something will turn up. We can't have been sent here for nothing" Fletcher seems to be talking more to himself than anyone else. Surely this couldn't all have been in vain? No, he would trust that Frillis set them on the right path. 

The guard opens the door and motions for you to go inside. “Good luck finding anything. No one else has been able to.” The doors opens into a simple entry room with a dead fireplace on the opposite side and fine couches set around it. Bookshelves like the walls, and a set of stairs to the left winds up through the tower.

Tender steps through, glancing around at the entry room curiously. "Do you think we should check the bookshelves?" she asks, peering closely at one of the books nearest her as she moves toward the stairs. "Or should we just start at the top?" Would there be more apparent clues up there? She frowns, still feeling like they were two steps behind where they needed to be. 

Orimdal steps into the foyer and looks around in wonder. "Well, hard ta tell, but I'd say startin' at the bottom an' workin' our way up seems best idea." As he steps closer to the fireplace, he stokes the embers and throws a nearby bit of wood in before casting Create Bonfire to create some light and warmth in such a dreary place. Then moves over to the books to look over the titles (Investigation: 13).

(Sorry did not realize that this had restarted)

Evi stayed quiet as they were allowed entrance into the tower, a bit disturbed and concerned by the news the guards shared.  When they entered the first room of the tower, Evi joined in searching the room for anything useful.

• Investigation - 8

Nothing of interest can be found among the books. Despite the mages being missing for a day or two, the place is surprisingly dusty.

Tender runs her fingers through the dust, frowning. Surely fancy, important people would not live in so filthy a place? "Did you all see the abandoned buildings nearby? The big, rundown ones? Isn't it weird that this place is right next to them?" she asks as she moves to the stairs, cautiously starting up them. She didn't know much about the city, of course; maybe it was normal, but she didn't think so. She tests the stairs as she moves up, pressing down on the one above with one clawed foot before moving up, keeping her tail held up so that it doesn't drag.  "Were they taken?" she wonders aloud, halfway to herself, "or did they just leave?" 

"Or 'haps this were simply just a vessel? The dust here is definitely more than I woulda' expect after two days," Orimdal strokes his beard. "I've heard o' mages usin' portals an' illusions ta hide their private spaces. 'Haps that's what's goin' on here?"

As Tender moves up the stairs something can be heard shuffling above. It is quiet, almost like a scrape against the floor above.

Tender freezes upon hearing the sound, tilting her head to listen better. She flails one arm out to get the attention of the group before pointing to her ear and then up at the floor above, mouthing quietly, 'something's up there!' 

Kallista nods in understanding and slips past Tender up the stairs, sticking close to the wall and keeping her footsteps as quiet as possible. She tries to peer through a doorway or opening without being noticed when she reaches one, and keeps a careful ear open for any more sounds.

Stealth: 20

Perception: 5

Orimdal pauses his ponderings and quietly ascends the stairs, keeping an ear out (Stealth: 19 and Perception: 14),

Fletcher covers his mouth to mask his gasp. It couldn't be...them, right?