[center][h3][colour=DDA0DD]Qasem Laghmani[/colour][/h3][/center][hr]
[sub][colour=DDA0DD]Castle Mandelein II[/colour][/sub]

It was a snug and cozy fit for all the Biros to stay within the few provided rooms and beds given them. But Qasem was accustomed to lacking accomidations in remote places, and lost little sleep from it.  He was the first one out for breakfast, though conversation with the locals in the inns main hall was sparse due to his ignorance of the local dialect and their barely-veild distrust and discomfort of his pressence.  

If their prejudice bothered Qasem, he concealed it well.  He greeted his fellow students with open arms and welcome words as they descended to join him and got what little information they could from the innkeep before making plans to investigate for the day over their meal.  

[colour=DDA0DD]"I should like to see the ones that accosted us the other day,"[/colour]  He finally spoke once Manfred announcied his intentions to head for the barracks first, where the highwaymen were being held.  [colour=DDA0DD]"We never really had the chance for a proper introduction after all."[/colour]

[Hider= The Barracks]
The Barracks were where they had entered the town, at the base of an old watchtower. Ragged but built to be stout, it seemed to have recently taken a blow but stood strong regardless. A middle-aged man in a raincoat studied the group before opening the door, however Ismet would first get a hand rested on her shoulder. She, unlike the others, would be ordered to rid herself of anything that could be used as a weapon. Qasem got a simple glare, but wasn’t accosted. 

Inside, there was a room with a table in the centre and two young constables playing a game of cards. One of them was the female assistant to the man called Leonhardt, and she was playing against a fellow female worker that looked to be just below her twenties. Their coats hung by the entrance and they were relatively plain clothing one would expect from lower merchants/artisans. Except of course for the multiple guns they kept close to their persons and the knives attached to their belts.

[color=#756CE0]“Ah! I knew you’d come!”[/color] said the older girl in what sounded close enough to Kerreman, [color=#756CE0]“If you want to talk to the boss, he’ll be back after his patrol. But for now it’s just me, Strigenroth, and loser Baum here.”[/color] she informed them before placing a winning card to what seemed to be a very simple game of war.

There were a few doors that led to different, unknown rooms in the building with one of them undoubtedly being a small armoury. The cells were, on the other hand, very much visible from the main lounge they played in. Most of the highwaymen were in trios within the few cells available, along with an extra older fellow that sat in the corner of his cell. Annette was awake but didn’t say a thing, nor did she even look at the group. Her fixation was on her wrist. Cristophe kept his eyes on them, sat on his bed with a wary look, [color=#756CE0]“Do you want to talk to them?”[/color] Stigenroth emerged from her seat and adjusted her belt, [color=#756CE0]“They already told us everything. They’ll pay a fine and get back to work soon.”[/color] she nodded toward Cristophe, [color=#756CE0]“You will also need to pay a fine for their losses, however.”[/color] she brought up, arms crossed in a defensive manner, [color=#756CE0]“The human losses, I mean.”[/color]



Whatever surprise Qasem felt upon hearing the guard’s words and commands, was kept carefully concealed behind a veneer of cordial politeness.  Whatever strange and sideways looks the small party gave him were readily ignored and returned with polite half-bows upon each introduction.  

[colour=DDA0DD] “We will be only too happy to assist however possible, but first we too will be needing some formal documentation please” [/colour] As soon as the translation was finished, Qasem turned to his pack and produced a loose-bound notebook; rather official looking, with the embossed seal of the Greyscale Charmine order on the covering leather and written in flawless Inipori script inside.

[colour=DDA0DD] “Firstly for the Inipori Charmine Order will need full reports on those who threatened the life of a serving brother to be preserved and recorded with the writings Ar'qush.”[/colour]  He flipped some of the pages. [colour=DDA0DD]"My colleague, being a holy sister of the Pentad, has already gone to give her side of the report to the Quentic authority here, but I'm sure they too would appreciate hearing another account."[/colour]

 [colour=DDA0DD] “Of course the free city of Ersand’Enise will be needing its own filing for student records. As well, the noble houses of the Marquis Elstrøm von Wentoft, Graf Hohnstein, and not least the Hohenfelter Reichsgrafs require notice of the endangerment of their kin and heirs.”[/colour] His smile remained as wide and pleasant as ever while he waited for his partners to translate.  There was not a trace of insincerity about him, as one by one pages were selected from the back of the book and placed on the card table.

[colour=DDA0DD] “Some translation will be necessary,”[/colour] He continued, almost apologetically, [colour=DDA0DD]“But I’m sure by the time your captain has finished the paperwork, we will have the requested funds at the ready”[/colour]

Manfred had been seething, at first, but now, he worked hard to hide a smirk. This Darhannic monk was [i]good[/i]: really good. He crossed his arms, translating more or less word for word and adding his own notes and addenda. [color=1a7b30]”You shall, of course, have our full cooperation so long as we can be assured of yours. Surely, you’ll understand the need for a full report of the attack perpetrated against us for when we forward these expenses to the academy.”[/color] He smiled agreeably enough, doing his best to match Qasem’s masterpiece of self-control, before clapping his hands in a businesslike manner. [color=1a7b30]“Well, I hope that settles that. Now, onto other matters.”[/color] He adjusted the rifle slung over his shoulder. [color=1a7b30]“I imagine you’ve been briefed as to why we’re here, but first…”[/color] He began moving over to where the rifles leaned. [color=1a7b30]“I just [i]need[/i] to take a moment to admire this thing.”[/color] He focused, in particular, on the older of the two pieces: an aged but magnificent wheellock. [color=1a7b30]“Is this a Koppelman 49?”[/color] he wondered.

The wheellock in question was bigger than the rest of the weaponry available, [color=#756CE0]“Ah ja - One of our older ones.”[/color] Stigenroth made her way to the weapon and hoisted it up with both her arms. It looked a bit heavy for her, [color=#756CE0]“It’s an old variant, mostly used for Skuggvars. We used to have many lurk in the Teufelssumpf.”[/color] she presented the weapon in an inviting manner toward Manfred.


He took and spent a good while inspecting it and talking shop, here to provide muscle, gravitas, and - most importantly - translation if needed, but recognizing how much better cut out Qasem was for this sort of thing. At the very least, he could make a positive impression and see if there were any openings for information gathering that presented themselves.  [color=1a7b30]“Skuggs, hmm? They aren’t still a problem? This strikes me as prime turf for the big ugly bastards.”[/color]

The girl shook her head, [color=#756CE0]“They were a problem for years but recently …”[/color] as Stigenroth got a little chatty, her younger associate flicked her shoulder to snap her out of it, [color=#756CE0]“Ah ja. They migrated, most likely. After a few hunts they must’ve … Lost interest in the territory?”[/color] her lying wasn’t great and her shrug was exaggerated. The silent partner sighed from her nose and shot a disappointed stare at the older constable, [color=#756CE0]“But the gun is still good enough to shoot coal toads! Especially the big ones.”[/color] she added, cheerfully. Manfred was not fooled for a moment, of course but he appeared to accept the clumsy coverup, and perhaps it was a mutual understanding that they both knew that the other knew and nothing would be said of it for now.

In the meantime, the young associate of the vice-constable had been noting down the translated demands of the Darhannic foreigner with great rigour. And once all the bureaucracy was put on the table, literally, the mousey worker scampered through one of the closed doors, only to emerge with a folder with a couple of papers. The information was tightly compacted, barely readable AND in Kerreman. They were clearly saving on paper, and the information they’d find there would likely be incomplete. [color=#756CE0]“There was no time for a copy. If you want it faster, you can borrow the report if you copy it in here.”[/color] proposed Stigentroth, [color=#756CE0]“If you want to interrogate, you may. Constable Leonhardt has allowed it.”[/color]

[colour=DDA0DD]"Thank you,"[/colour]  Qasem said to the steward then began providing the documents. He scanned the indecipherable language only briefly before looking to his partner.  [colour=DDA0DD]"We'd appreciate the chance to question them most certainly. But I think first we have some for you. Where is it they will be sent off to work? What is to prevent them from attacking us again? Is it common for Constable Leonhardt to grant access to prisoners?"[/colour]

Manfred crossed his arms and nodded. He had his suspicions, but they were best not voiced yet. [color=1a7b30]“Are they going to Drachenkopf or somewhere else?”[/color] he inquired. The Dragon’s Head was an ancient and notorious prison in the west of Kerremand, not actually that far away. It was the obvious choice and he could likely send a letter that way and check their claims if necessary. It was growing in him. These weren’t necessarily bad people, but they were hiding something. They were [i]up[/i] to something.

The younger constable took the lead while Stigenroth tended to the gun Manfred and herself were admiring, [color=E06CD7]“Back to the roads. They’ll pay a bigger fine if they attack you again. Yes, only after a night to sober up and if they’re local. Outsiders stay isolated until interrogated and judged.”[/color] she rapidly fired responses after Manfred had translated. Her Kerreman had a thicker regional accent than Stigenroth, and she spoke quickly! But, she was a very understanding mousey little lass and accepted to repeat as much as needed, [color=E06CD7]“They work for us. Why would they go to the big prison? They’re punished with a fine and harsher punishment will come if they continue.”[/color] she smiled.

[colour=DDA0DD]"I see."[/colour] Qasem said curtly, giving the barest side-look to his companion before closing his own page book.  His expression quickly returned to impassive politeness. Foreign as the people and their language might have been, Qasem knew a corrupt bureaucracy when he saw one.  Not that this group seemed particularly worried about hiding it.

 [colour=DDA0DD]"And Constable Leonhardt,"[/colour] He pressed the least addressed point. [colour=DDA0DD]"He answers to your local lord or governance?"[/colour]  A sheepish smile of innocence came to his face as Manfred translated the words.  [colour=DDA0DD]"Please excuse my ignorance as a stranger; unfamiliar with the laws of this place."[/colour]

Stigenroth was about to say something, but Laura, the meeker constable, spoke up, [color=E06CD7]“Constable Leonhardt will be here soon.”[/color] she said, [color=E06CD7]“He will answer that better than we could.”[/color] again, she smiled.

Qasem reflected the hollow smile back to the woman before looking at Manfred [colour=DDA0DD]"Let us interview these... decommissioned guardsmen in the meantime, yes?"[/colour]

There was a pause and Manfred was less than thrilled with the entire situation. He was beginning to see why this place had required attention, though just [i]what[/i] was being hidden, he did not know and was not certain that he could handle. [color=1a7b30]“Yes,”[/color] he agreed, already moving. [color=1a7b30]“Let’s.[/color]

The cells held the familiar faces of the defeated bandits, most of them recovered from their injuries. Some were sleeping, a couple played cards with one-another, and a female had been giving the group the stink-eye. The red marking around her eyes indicated she had been crying.

Even more familiar were the two heads of the group: Annette, referred to as ‘Haken’ by the Constables and the associates that were Cristophe. She did not glare as intensely as the distressed thug, but she hadn’t let Qasem out of her sight for a moment, as if she was eyeing prey from the bed she sat upon.

Cristophe was playing cards with a male inmate, appearing somewhat disinterested in the presence of those that had captured him. The cells were closed, although they seemed to have access to water, food and even some moonshine.

Seeing as they already had her attention, Qasem moved to stand opposite Annette first.  [colour=DDA0DD]"I'm glad we have an opportunity to try for a less painful introduction,"[/colour]  He smiled as he nodded at her reformed hand, willfully ignorant of her obvious disdain. 

[colour=DDA0DD]"My name is Qasem Laghmani,"[/colour]  His own right hand reached between the cell bars in greeting [colour=DDA0DD]"and this is my associate."[/colour]

[color=1a7b30]“Manfred.”[/color] The large Kerreman with the magnificent mustache did not offer his hand or so much as uncross his arms. 

[colour=DDA0DD]"Just so,"[/colour]  Qasem continued,  [colour=DDA0DD]"Might we begin by asking why enforcers of the law patrol the area under the guise of highwaymen?"[/colour]

Annette stared at Qasem’s hand, and then at hers. No response from her, nor from the group locked up behind bars. Cristophe didn’t let this attempt at a conversation interrupt his card game. [color=#756CE0]“Uhm,”[/color] Strigenroth’s more timid voice spoke up once it was clear the prisoners weren’t keen on simply cooperating, [color=#756CE0]“they are not actually men and women of the law.”[/color] she explained, much to Laura’s annoyance, [color=#756CE0]“They were hired to help keep the roads clear of beast attacks, and to add some additional safety to ease the minds of the townsfol-”[/color] as she spoke, Annette chuckled and spoke over her, [color=757163]“You’re not scared of any beast, little girl, it’s just a legend your dead grandparents loved to tell to scare you brats.”[/color] she hissed at the young constable but her eyes remained on Qasem,  [color=757163]“You want to keep these fucking Affen and other foreigners out. And we agreed, these rats cause only grief to good Kerreman towns and homes.”[/color] she then snorted before spitting into an empty cup that once held some moonshine,  [color=757163]“Better choo them away before change excites the creatures that don’t take kindly to that.”[/color]

[color=1a7b30]“Tell me,”[/color] asked Manfred of his partner. [color=1a7b30]“How much harm am I allowed to inflict in order to extract information?”[/color] He reached into his cloak and extracted a set of studded brass knuckles. [color=1a7b30][i]creatures…[/i][/color] he pondered. They would not give the information away freely, of course. [color=#756CE0]“W-what?”[/color] Stigenroth’s hands started to shake. She looked for comfort in different places, although Laura seemed indifferent to the proposition while everything else evoked more anxiety. Meanwhile, Annette stared down the big moustache, [color=757163]“Continuing what your Affe friend started?”[/color] she taunted, [color=757163]“Come in this cell. I’ll give you a good time, child.”[/color]

Cristophe lowered his cards and paid attention to what was going on. The Constables were not intervening, likely from a lack of experience, or even care, of such extreme circumstances. It wasn’t often torture was on the table in this quaint little town, or it would be handled by higher forces. Where was Leonhardt? Stigenroth clenched the Quentic pendant, [color=96374E]“You cut her hand off and she didn’t tell you anything,”[/color] Cristophe spoke up, [color=96374E]“you’re going to alienate the few of you that pass as Kerreman by getting so trigger-happy.”[/color] He sounded quite eloquent when his native tongue was used. [color=757163]“Why are you giving him advice, Cristophe? Looking for a new son?”[/color] scoffed Annette, prompting a glare from the older blonde man. He didn’t add any more.

[colour=DDA0DD]"Thank you for the clarification,"[/colour]  Qasem withdrew his offered hand to nod in thanks towards Strigenroth, but fell quiet again to observe the effect of Manfred's implied threat.  [colour=DDA0DD]"I think enough harm has been done already,"[/colour]  He finally spoke, [colour=DDA0DD]"we came here to help these people after all."[/colour] His focus turned from the woman to the blonde man.  [colour=DDA0DD]"Your son was one of the ones killed?"[/colour]

[color=96374E]“Nein.”[/color] answered Cristophe before pointing at the still weeping dreg of the group, [color=96374E]“Her husband.”[/color] he uttered in Avincian. And he left it at that.

[colour=DDA0DD]"I see,"[/colour] Nothing in Qasem's demeanour softened, and he made no effort to comfort or  make apologies to the woman, instead continuing the line of questioning. [colour=DDA0DD]"The device you used on us that silenced magic, where did you get it from?"[/colour]

[color=757163]“From an Affe’s ass.”[/color] answered Annette, seemingly losing interest as she slouched on her creaking bed.

Qasem sighed, [colour=DDA0DD]"The beast then. Anything you can share about that?"[/colour] He looked to Annette, then Cristophe, and finally Stigenroth for an answer. [colour=DDA0DD]"Do you think we could be allowed inside with them?"[/colour] He asked the guards and gestured to the locked cell door. Laura stood from her seat with the keychain in hand. The cell was opened without a word, giving access to Cristophe’s cell, which contained three other male inmates. They all just stared at Qasem. [color=E06CD7]“Anyone else want in?”[/color]

Manfred narrowed his eyes. [color=1a7b30]“The yasoi,”[/color] he interjected, shooting Qasem a quick apologetic look, [color=1a7b30]“I understand that things are not so good between you and them as they once were, but I am not from so distant a region myself. Did you not once call them brother? Where does this palpable hatred originate from? What have they done to earn it?”[/color] He looked at Annette in particular. [color=1a7b30]“Unless it’s because you’re just a cranky old bitch, of course.”[/color] He sneered in her direction before shrugging most unbothered. [color=1a7b30]“That’s always a possibility.”[/color]

Annette sneered at the boy, [color=757163]“Courageous words to say to a woman behind bars.”[/color] not that she couldn’t do something about them, but it seemed there was a deterrent keeping the more competent mages in check. [color=757163]“The fucking Affe. Heh.”[/color] Annette looked away, palpable rage building up inside, [color=757163]“Those animals are far worse if you step into their shitty land. They [i]deserve[/i] to be smacked out of our own.”[/color] she spat again into her cup, [color=757163]“Now that their home is just so shit, they’re spilling everywhere. Spreading their disgusting habits and degenerate behaviours.”[/color] she continued to rant and did not hold back on the strength of her voice, [color=757163]“And before you know it, your lifelong crew’s gotta get in bed with these fucking junkies. Fuck. Them. And fuck these old ‘friends’ too!”[/color]

 [colour=DDA0DD]"I can see what you mean,"[/colour] Qasem said solemnly as he stepped into the cell.   [colour=DDA0DD]"That spitting- it's quite similar to the habit of Casii isn't it? The white haired Yasoi this one lost a hand over?"[/colour] He asked Manfred almost conversationally, and moved to place a hand on Cristophe's shoulder. Cristophe aggressively shrugged his shoulder when he was touched, but he was indeed touched by the Darhannic interrogator.

[color=757163]“What did you say, sand-man?”[/color] Annette growled. Stigenroth reached for her baton in anticipation of the worst. As usual, Laura did not give a shit.

Manfred merely grinned, tightened his grip on his weapon, and started to draw, subtly, of course, in the way that magusjaegers were trained to.

[colour=DDA0DD]"The truth.”[/colour] Qasem replied coolly,  [colour=DDA0DD]"We’ve come to you in good faith despite being unjustly accosted in your lands, yet your prejudices have made you too blind and stupid to accept help you are clearly in need of.”[/colour]
 
[color=757163]“And nobody asked for you here, worthless goat-fucker!”[/color] Annette hopped off her bed and smacked her palms against the bars, [color=757163]“Lemme outta here, Stigenroth, I’m not gonna kill him. Just set things right.”[/color] she began to draw, wordlessly threatening to snap the bars off. [color=96374E]“Why do you even care, Haken?”[/color] finally, Cristophe interjected, [color=96374E]“These aren’t our people. We’re just paid to do this.”[/color] he looked tired of it all, enough to tell off his supposed leader. [color=757163]“Why are you defending them? They killed two of-”[/color] [color=96374E]“Maybe you should pick your fights better, Annette.”[/color] the woman was left flustered by that response. Static began to accumulate around all those within the barracks. Harmless but very noticeable static. [color=96374E]“And you’ll end up alone like you did half a year ago. Or dead. If you don’t shut your mouth.”[/color] in turn, Cristophe pushed back with his own magnetic magic. He essentially sucker punched her with a sudden dose of electricity using her own flexing to finally sedate her. She wasn’t unconscious, just dazed and back to sitting on the bed.

[color=96374E]“Let’s make this quick before she wakes up again.”[/color] Cristophe spoke to Qasem, his posture straightened and hands on his knees. Stigenroth was shaking in obvious fear, while Laura had been pointing her rifle right at Annette’s head the whole time in the background, finger on the trigger.

Qasem again waited for the drama to play out, quietly observing the reactions of those around.  He nodded in thanks to Cristophe before speaking again. [colour=DDA0DD] “The attacks that caused need for your employment, what can you tell me about them? What were you watching for?”[/colour]

Cristophe shot a glance toward Stigenroth who didn’t reciprocate, and then to Laura who calmly looked back with eyebrows rising slightly. The highwayman pursed his lips before speaking, [color=96374E]“You heard of a beast, yes?”[/color] the whole group of inmates were all looking at the lieutenant at this point, [color=96374E]“We were to keep a lookout for that thing and ensure travellers wouldn’t fall victims to it.”[/color] he explained, actively gesturing with his right hand while squeezing his knee with the other, [color=96374E]“We’ve never encountered it, but we’ve heard it. Many times.”[/color] again, he looked at Laura and then kept quiet. It definitely looked as though he wanted to add something to that answer, [color=96374E]“Annette believes it to be hogwash.”[/color]

[colour=DDA0DD] “We heard… Something on our way here.”[/colour] Qasem replied, looking to Manfred as memory of the inhuman roar resurfaced with Christophe’s words.  [colour=DDA0DD] “Have people died? What evidence is there of attacks?”[/colour]

[color=96374E]“You should ask the people that live here.”[/color] Cristophe answered plainly, arms now crossed, [color=96374E]“We get paid by the Lord of this land. Maybe you sh-”[/color] a loud, wooden slam shut Cristophe up. It was Laura who practically slammed her rifle onto the table, [color=E06CD7]“Enough of a mess has been made. We should clean things up, before Constable Leonhardt comes back.”[/color] she flashed a hollow smile at Qasem. Stigenroth, after gathering her bearing, nodded in agreement, [color=#756CE0]“Maybe we should continue later, ja?”[/color] she rubbed her arm that held the baton, her feet pacing anxiously.

[colour=DDA0DD] “As you say”[/colour] Qasem nodded to Laura with a tight-lipped smile [colour=DDA0DD] “We wouldn’t want to cause further trouble.”[/colour]  He offered his hand to Cristophe one final time before leaving the cell. Cristophe did not take it and just stared at the man before him. They were not friends, and these people had still killed two of his own.

[colour=DDA0DD] “Do you know when the Constable might be returning?”[/colour] He asked the women. Laura shrugged, [color=E06CD7]“Maybe in five minutes. Maybe an hour. Patrols can take longer when it rains. Or if an animal causes a ruckus in the farms.”[/color] she paused and tilted her head, [color=E06CD7]“Not that there’s much there anymore.”[/color] having clearly lost interest, Laura relegated herself to cleaning up the small mess made by Annette while Stigenroth kindly escorted the group outside.

Once they were out they’d find the rain had calmed to just droplets with minimal winds. Stigenroth made sure they were far enough to bring something up, [color=#756CE0]“That woman, Annette or Haken or whatever,”[/color] she continued to pace toward the town with the two young men, her eyes focused on her dirty boots as she talked, [color=#756CE0]“she used to work with some bigger group that smuggled things through the Irrgarten, causing us grief for a few years. But then …”[/color] they were nearing the square where a few merchants had opened shop since the morning, [color=#756CE0]“we just haven't heard from them since, around when our problem started. I’m not sure why they stopped, or why she left to work for Graf Anselm.”[/color]

Manfred had gone quiet as the questioning had continued, Qasem clearly being the better of the two at this sort of thing, but now he paused to consider. He’d seen seeming coincidences like this before, and it was almost always misdirection. If Haken - Hook - had been working for smugglers before, and only changed employ around when the problem had stopped, she was almost certainly still part of it. [color=1a7b30]“There some way we can speak with the Graf? As a graf of Meckelin-Thandau, I suppose it would not be too hard to arrange a meeting, even as reclusive as he’s supposed to be.”[/color]

Stigenroth panicked a little fumbled her words a little before replying, [color=#756CE0]“Uhhhh,”[/color] cheek scratching ensued, maybe a bit too hard as she’d be left with deep, red marks, [color=#756CE0]“you should speak with Herr Dubosque.”[/color] she nodded, looking toward Qasem to avoid meeting eyes with the noble young man, [color=#756CE0]“He is the liaison, I think. Yes, liaison. They work together for the town. Thanks to him, the incidents were reduced by a lot!”[/color]

[colour=DDA0DD]"Problems.  Incidents."[/colour]  Qasem repeated skeptically, but he'd given up on getting further explanations of those events from her. Directly at least.  [colour=DDA0DD]"How long has Mandelein been your home lieutenant?"[/colour]

Stigenroth hesitated as if this was some sort of trick question. Qasem could feel her anxiety spike. She probably thought it was her turn to undergo an interrogation, [color=#756CE0]“A-all my life?”[/color] she looked at both men expectantly, hoping for validation.

[color=1a7b30]“But of course,”[/color] Manfred acknowledged, smiling in her direction. [color=1a7b30]“A charming town in a unique region of our shared country. I want nothing more than to help it flourish, and that means solving what remains of this issue. Even lessened, it will still be enough to prevent a return to Mandelein’s former glory.”[/color]
[/hider]

Qasem returned to the inn with Manfred, and watched as the Leutenant continued fuirther down the street and around a corner.  

[colour=DDA0DD]"A dissapoitning endevour, but not enirely fruitless."[/colour]  He confided to his temporary partner.  [colour=DDA0DD]"Shame they weren't more forthcomming, but it seems we'll need to go to higher athorities to get anywehre."[/colour]  He checked the sky for any sign of that drizzle plauging them since stepping through the protal might let up, but found none.  [colour=DDA0DD]"We'll hear what the others learned from the church and the town, then try reaching Garf."[/colour]

The pair spent the remainder of their afternoon investigations asking the frequenters of the inn and it's owners  for whatever information they were willing to provide about the handfull of names they'd managed to gather: Herr Dubosque, Annette Haken, constable Laura, and Graf Anselm.