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[h2][color=FF6C5C][i][b]Marita Bärbel[/b][/i][/color][/h2][i][b][color=FF6C5C]Human, Cleric, Level 3[/color][/b][/i]
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]HP:[/b][/i][/color] 18/18	[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Armor Class:[/b][/i][/color] 16	[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Conditions:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Location:[/b][/i][/color] Bob's Public House
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] Eating
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=FF6C5C][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
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Robert's doublespeak was bothersome, but Marita could tell that he was trying to be as straightforward as he could be without coming into conflict with the Geas. As far as she could tell, what he was trying to say was:

[i]I can't speak in such a way that obviously tells you the answer even by omission or the geas will probably kill me.

I cannot do the ring test unless you forced me to because it would set off the Geas.

You should really go to the silversmith for weapons/someone you can talk to.[/i]

Although she did say that she wouldn't be able to trust him if he didn't take the test, she also said that she was going to have faith in them and he's under magical duress not to so she decided to give him the pass there. She did have the tools to force him to do it, but it would both be a waste of time and resources that would be better utilized elsewhere.

[color=FF6C5C]"If we're insisting on splitting off into separate groups, I would strongly suggest not traveling alone. People by their lonesome are the ones who seem to be targeted for abduction, not to mention that with all these people in town for the festival you don't know who you might run into. Regardless, I will be going to the Silversmith, but I'm not taking Robert's money. I'm not desperate enough for coin to take from others who need it more than me. That note would be very helpful to get us into the door though."[/color] Of course, the pay for the job would likely be snatched up by Victoria or one of the others, and she wouldn't stop them, but it went against her principles to directly profit in a situation like this. That said, she was really bothered by how much she didn't know about many things still going on in this township and the promise of finally getting some answers was quite appealing. As for Blueberry's questions she'd provide answers there. At least what she could.

[color=FF6C5C]"We don't know who has returned or how they've changed unless Lea or Daisy know something. I have a list of people who have disappeared and not returned, but people coming back is hearsay told to us by our employer. Apparently anybody who has returned had some answer as to where they were so it's hard to pin them down on top of the apparent cover-up going on. We have been investigating, but realistically speaking we've only been able to actively investigate for less than a day so far so there's only so much we've been able to do."[/color] Perhaps an unsatisfactory answer, but that's what she got, and that's all she could give. 

With most of the pressing points addressed, Marita finally felt comfortable enough to eat and she was starving. When she thought about it, she really had barely eaten anything at all in many days. The biggest meal she'd had in weeks was that breakfast in Darenby before leaving. It was all she could do to retain her manners and not resort to shoveling food into her gullet.

However, there was one major thing that was bothering her that nobody else seems to have addressed. Who could possibly have been able to cast the Geas on Robert in the first place. Maybe everyone else didn't know but a Geas was quite a high level spell that only a select few could cast. Even she only knew of one person in her church who had the capability of using it, where and how was such a powerful mage hiding in a place like this? Judging by the conversation she had overheard that morning, the Constable likely didn't know about the geas and that probably extended to the rest of the law enforcement. Something tipped off in her head and she set down her spoonful of soup.

[color=FF6C5C]"Say Robert, when I was chatting with Lea and Daisy last night they brought up Samthe and Carl. Apparently it's been a long time since they've come back. Did they ever mention where they were going before they left?"[/color] Samthe was the only one she heard about possessing any magical talents in this town, although Carl potentially could have some as well. She wanted to see if the geas prevented him from talking about them as well. Although Samthe's sudden blossoming of magic pointed towards him being either a sorceror or Pholtus forbid, a warlock and she was fairly certain a geas would be beyond the capabilities of those with unearned power.