JJ Doe

Dark Dagger

Arin von Astastel

Arin was cleaning up after himself ---while he waited for the wooden ring he found to completely soak up the crystalized essence--- when he heard sounds of struggle come from somewhere in the inn. It was brief enough that it could have been mistaken for a wild animal ransacking something outside, but Arin couldn’t ignore it. He left the kitchen to investigate the source.

It didn’t take long for him to find a wolf standing over a bloody man. Arin froze at the sight. How did a wild animal get in? He regretted not bringing something to scare the wolf away and considered going back to the kitchen to fetch something, however, based on the amount of blood pouring out from the man’s throat the elf imagined he’d be dead by the time Arin returned… if he hadn’t died already. Arin swallowed and slowly inched his way towards the wolf and man.

Knowing that it wouldn’t be wise to surprise the creature, Arin softly greeted the wolf “Good evening.” He wasn’t sure if he startled the wolf, but as soon as he spoke, he saw the wolf back away. The elf continued to cautiously advance towards the bleeding man, making a conscious effort to stay close to the wall, leaving plenty of space on the other side of the hallway so that the wolf could run away whenever it wanted to.

Still keeping an eye on the wolf from the corner of his eye, Arin crouched down beside the man. He held one hand over the wound and took a pulse. The body still felt warm, but the man was dead. Arin reflexively clicked his tongue. Although he was no stranger to death, it was never a pleasant feeling to witness it. Even if it was just part of life.

Out of habit, Arin was about to offer a prayer to the recently departed but stopped himself. No divine being would ever hear his kind’s prayers. As much as his parents wanted to believe otherwise. Instead, he took out a handkerchief from his pocket and covered the man’s face.

He looked up and was surprised to see that the wolf decided to stay where it was. Softly, Arin asked the wolf, “How did you get in here? Are you lost?” He stared at the wolf, something about it suggested high intelligence. He couldn’t quite pinpoint what made him think that, though. Maybe it was the same feeling he got when he looked into his brother’s eyes. A warm smile spread across his face. “I suggest you leave this place promptly. You will be skinned alive if the villagers catch you. People usually do not take kindly to animals killing people.” Arin made hand motions to shoo the wolf away. With each failed attempt, the elf got closer to the wolf, until finally, he was close enough to touch it. Arin sighed and raised his hands close to the wolf’s nose, allowing it to sniff him. “I was not joking about being skinned alive, you know?” The docility of the wolf gave the impression that it was domesticated, a companion to a ranger of sorts. In which case, he could only assume that the wolf attacked the dead man because he posed a threat to it or its master.

Although a part of him told him it was a bad idea, Arin was curious if he could pet the wolf. It was not every day that one encountered a docile wolf. He tried to think it over, but the wolf's fur was too tempting to resist. Using his clean hand, Arin petted the wolf. As he did, his fingers brushed against what felt like a collar. He looked to the side to get a better look at it and instantly recognized it as a slave collar. He pulled away from the wolf, suddenly getting a bad feeling. The feeling got worse when he noticed the door across the hallway was ajar.

Arin stood up and peaked in after knocking on the door. A quick survey of the room told him it was Elra’s. Elra, the elf that had the same collar as the wolf he just petted. Arin felt his cheeks flush. He tried to hide it as he turned around to face the wolf. For a few awkward moments, the elf opened and closed his mouth, though not a word came out. Finally, he relented, cleared his throat and bowed, “Forgive me Ms. Silverfang, that was entirely inappropriate of me. I did not realize it was you.”

He looked at Elra, then at the body, “What happened here?”

Dark Dagger

Arin von Astastel

The travel to Timberholde was surprisingly uneventful. Whether it was thanks to the rain that was so cold it could suck the enthusiasm out of any would-be attackers, Vuthaternock’s ever-elusive wyvern ally, or plain luck, Arin didn’t know. He was just thankful that the group’s time in the rain was kept to a minimum.

After drying himself off at the inn, Arin spent some time warming his body with a hot cup of tea, cherishing the heat provided by the fire in the fireplace. As much as he wanted to stay there until bedtime, he knew that that was not possible. In fact, it was unlikely he was going to sleep tonight. Not with the amount of work he had to do.

With the permission of the innkeeper, Arin borrowed a corner of the kitchen, including the kitchen appliances, transforming it into a makeshift laboratory. For the next several hours, Arin remained in the kitchen, analyzing the samples he gathered during his brief time at the castle’s vaults.

The process itself was simple enough but was tedious even at the best of times. First, he removed all contaminants from each sample. Once finished, the sample’s magical energy was condensed and crystallized. Arin used the crystallized magic to study the spells in further detail. Based on their characteristics, he cross-checked the notes he took of the vault and the list of authorized spells he was given to find whether or not there was an outlier.

There was none.

Arin rubbed his eyes. No unauthorized magic was used in the theft, at least not the ones involving the vaults. This strengthened the hypothesis that the thief knew about the authorized magic and used it to gain entry. Though, there was still the possibility that the thief waltzed in from a secret passage that not even its current residents knew about, making the royal vault less of a vault and more of a glorified treasury with an open backdoor. Either way, the thief had knowledge that only a few knew about.

"Bodies? No. Missing family . . .? Well, he's not a second cousin, but he has been gone for quite some time." She rolls her head. "Callin always was a studious one. He much prefers the pursuit of knowledge to running a kingdom." Rynn snorts and toys with the end of her braid. "Not that I blame him. Why waste his time in such a dirty, decrepit place when he could see the world?" She shrugged. "But I couldn't imagine leaving father and mother. They're much too old to have another heir."

@pinkkoala321

Arin’s fingers moved away from his eyes as he looked down at a particular crystallized sample. It was the sample he obtained from the “keyhole” of the vault, one of the last samples he got during the vault examination. The guards didn’t question him when he collected it because the elf managed to annoy them enough by that point that they didn’t think to stop him from collecting essentially what was the key to the vault. Arin had no intention of using it to gain access to the vaults unsupervised and only took it to see if unauthorized magic tampered with the mechanism of the vault, though that turned out not to be the case.

If the thief did use authorized magic to access the vault, that meant they had the blood to do so, whether it was from their own veins or “borrowed” from someone else.

Arin picked up the sample, fidgeting with it until an idea popped into his head. His original plan to track down the one who used unauthorized magic to break into the vaults might have been thrown out the window, but that did not mean he couldn’t use some variation of it. All he had to do was imbue the concentrated magical essence into an item that he could alter to serve as a detector. Arin could make it so that the item would respond to the blood of individuals who recently opened the vault door.

He would need to eliminate Rynn’s essence from the item to prevent it from responding to her continuously, but if this went as planned, the next time the item responds it should be to the owner of the blood or a container filled with the blood used to open the vault. The plan wouldn't have worked effectively if the group stayed at the castle, but out here ---far from the cluster of people who Arin knew can open the door--- if there was someone who can open the door legitimately, the item would tell him. If not, the blood used to open the vault can be narrowed down to the residents of the castle, Rynn included. Assuming that the thief still remains in Ovyadell or the Underground... Or if there is enough blood left for the item to respond to, but I suppose it is worth a try.

Arin started to rummage through his belongings to find a suitable item.

Dark Dagger

Arin von Astastel

Arin had mixed feelings about how well the group conducted their investigation of the vault. Some did help, albeit in varying degrees. Callista provided insight from a non-magic user perspective. Even Vuthaternock came up with a few ideas, some rooted more in the realm of possibilities than others. Both, however, lacked evidence and time needed to gather said evidence from the vault or the castle.

Elra’s initial input was helpful, but then she thought now would be a good time to revert to her slave days, fetching her master ---nay, employer’s daughter--- and her guests' things that Rynn undoubtedly already prepared beforehand unless the trip to Timberholde was decided at the spur of the moment. One could chalk it up as her being considerate, but Arin couldn't entirely. Who asked her to do it? Arin certainly didn’t. It wasn’t her job, far from it in fact, or was the king hiring new servants simultaneously with hiring people to find the Dark Dagger? No, she made the decision herself, before anyone asked her to do it. Just like a well-trained slave who learned the hard way what happened when she wasn’t “considerate” enough.

Arin was most disappointed in Ernestus. He apparently spent one full hour talking to one of his guards and not once did he ask about the thefts. It was a lost opportunity for them to get information that perhaps the guards were hesitant to reveal to their superiors but were more open to tell an old friend. He might have discovered that the guards fell asleep or were drunk while on duty or that they left their posts the moment of the theft for one reason or another. The fact of the matter was that if the thief did use the front door to enter the vault, then they needed to pass the guards. What were they doing when that happened? If magic was used ---and Arin would find out soon enough--- then he’d be more forgiving depending on the type of spell, but if magic wasn’t used then that would mean they were present to see the vaults open and, or, they weren’t present at all. Both were equally bad in their own ways.

The elf didn’t expect impeccable results, especially with the time given, but he couldn’t help feeling dissatisfied. He’d only have to hope that the group would shine out in the field. Most of them did look like they’ve seen their fair share of battle. Perhaps, with this party’s composition, it would be more effective to beat up every suspect ---royalty or not--- they come across to get to the dagger and its thief. Arin let out a deep and long sigh at the thought.

He glanced at the princess, recalling her earlier response to Vuthaternock’s comment about Rynn accompanying them and how her parents would not approve of it.

He tilts his head. "Why do you keep saying "we"? You assume that you're coming? I highly doubt your parents would approve. As their only heir, if you were to die, the royal family would die out completely. If you come with, we cannot guarantee your safety. We will likely have to undergo many obstacles in out search for the dagger, and if you are hurt or killed under our watch, it is us, the people, who will suffer the most." He shakes his head. "It is not in your best interest to come with us. I might be able to get you a wyvern bodyguard if you wish."

@Shadow Dragon

"Regardless," Rynn said, turning her nose up at the dragonborn, "someone managed to get into our vaults without doing any of that. And they got through all the spells guarding the inside of the vault as well. There is not a single item untouched by a ward in that vault. Certainly not the Dark Dagger, but someone found a way to take it without leaving a trace."

She snapped her fingers. The guards moved to attention. "As I said before, we ride for Timberholde."

@pinkkoala321

She responded, by not addressing it at all. Arin rubbed the bridge of his nose. For a moment, the elf considered going to the king for confirmation, then dropped the idea. Babysitting the princess was not part of the deal, as such, it was not Arin’s problem. The contract specifically demanded that he would investigate the theft, especially that of the dagger. He would not be bridging the contract by not taking care of Rynn or by not reporting her to the king. If the king was not going to hold his end of the deal because something happened to Rynn, it was King Silas who would suffer the consequence. The contract would make sure of that.

Dark Dagger

Gotcha, thanks!

Dark Dagger

@pinkkoala321 So, just to clarify, Arin would find absolutely no traces of “unauthorized” magic?

Dark Dagger

Arin von Astastel

Arin was slightly taken aback when Rynn relented. She struck him as an individual who was headstrong, unabashedly obstinate even: nothing, absolutely nothing, would get in her way once she made a choice. He had just resigned himself to being kicked out of the castle and be on their way to Timberholde. Yet, here they were, about to head to the vaults.

He didn’t know what he said differently that convinced her now that didn’t convince her before. Maybe Arin pestered her enough that Rynn was allowing the investigation of the vaults only to shut him up. Wouldn’t be the first time that happened. Besides, it wasn’t as if his request was illogical considering the circumstance. Had they been someone who Rynn trusted with her life, she would have let them in the vaults without a doubt.

While he would have preferred having a whole day to examine the vaults, Arin knew he’d be pushing his luck. So, he took what he could get.

On their way to the vaults, the group took a detour to retrieve his belongings. The elf brought with him a large leather satchel and an even larger wooden chest with makeshift wheels and a long sturdy handle attached to it. Based on the contents that protruded out of the satchel, anyone could guess that the elf’s luggage comprised primarily of alchemical ingredients and tools and little of his personal belongings.

As the group approached, what seemed to be, a dead-end, Arin could feel his skin tingle from the arcane energy that was either being emitted from the vault itself and, or was the magic seeping out from within. The elf checked his body to see if the energy affected him but was relieved to see that it didn’t.

As Rynn cut herself with a blade to reveal the hidden vault, Arin made a mental note that a relatively small amount of blood, from individuals who were permitted access to the vaults ---probably most, if not all, members of the royal family, but also potentially a select few non-royals such as the mages who cast the spells and trusted loyalist---, was required. "Impressed?" Rynn asked. Arin smiled at her briefly as an answer and dropped it once she looked away. Though impressive, this made it even more likely that the theft, at least of the objects locked in the vaults, was an inside job.

“Your Grace, has there been any bodies found or any of your family missing, like a second cousin?” Elra asked. She makes an excellent point. He’d have to look into it, but there was nothing to suggest that the blood had to come from the living.

While he and the others waited for the guards to return with a key and additional guards to watch the group, Arin opened his chest and started to prepare. He asked the other volunteers ---those who remained--- what their expertise was concerning investigations and suggested that they should split the work to collect as much information as they can in the one hour they were given. He told the group that he was going to focus on whether or not magic was used to break into the vaults.

When the extra guards arrived, Arin gave his two guards things to hold. One was given a tray with sample tubes, tweezers, cotton, a small container of distilled water, an inkwell filled with ink, and a quill pen; one was given a tube rack, an unusual device, and a thin, rigid board with papers stacked on it. The guards were confused at first but were shocked, even mildly insulted, when they realized they were being used as a manservant. “Well, if you are going to hover over me and watch my every move like a love-struck maiden, you might as well be of some use,” Arin took the board with papers on it and dipped the quill into the ink. “Do you two have names?” The guards remained silent, though one was obviously glaring at Arin. “No? Then I shall name you Bob One and Ben Two.” The elf heard Ben Two mumble something about his name being Wyll and snapped, “Well it is too late for that, Ben Two. You should have introduced yourself like civil people when I asked. Now you have to live with your decision.”

Ignoring Ben Two’s grumbling, Arin continued. “As you may already know by now, we are conducting an investigation of the vault to determine how a thief would be able to steal the Dark Dagger unnoticed. Since our time is limited, I will be primarily focusing on collecting samples to analyze later and taking notes to organize my thoughts. I will tell you every detail of the process and why it is being done so that you two do not go into a frenzy every time I do something that you think is suspicious. I will explain in such detail and repeat the explanation so many times that by tomorrow, you two will be experts yourselves.”

True to his word, Arin explained every little thing he did in agonizing detail and repeated the explanation again when he did the same thing once more. This ranged from relevant things such as the sample gathering methods to irrelevant and mundane actions such as scratching his nose and sneezing. Ten minutes into the vault examination, Bob One and Ben Two begged for Arin to stop explaining absolutely everything he was doing. At the fifteen-minute mark, they asked him to only explain the new things he was doing. By thirty minutes, they just wanted him to work in silence.

During his time in and around the vault, Arin took meticulous notes about the vault and the objects inside. The notes included sketches, measurements, and personal comments. He made sure he collected all the samples that he could possibly collect. There was so much more he wanted to do, but there was precious little time left and Arin knew he needed to talk to the people who knew what authorized spells were used inside and on the vault, maybe throughout the castle itself.

The plan was to compare the magic samples with the list of authorized spells to see if there were any outliers. Ideally, the unauthorized spell would be that of the thief. Arin would then use the essence to track the thief or the magical item that the thief used, which hopefully was still in the thief’s possession. If there were no unauthorized spells, then it was highly likely that no magic was used for the theft or the thief ---or their accomplice--- used authorized magic to cover their tracks. It would also strengthen the theory that someone close to Rynn was involved in the theft. It was that or there would have to be an outsider who had a deep knowledge of Eastormel Castle, but who would have that kind of knowledge? The elves of old? Perhaps there was a long-lost map floating around that revealed all the secret passages. The possibilities were endless, but Arin needed to focus on one thing at a time.

Arin reluctantly left the vault, with his two guards right behind him, to find the person he needed to speak to. After he verified the spells, he came back to the group. He carefully returned all his tools in their designated places in the chest. He took all his notes, reviewed them one last time before blowing on them. Slowly, the letters started to fade, becoming invisible to the naked eye. He then carefully tied the papers with rope and put it in the chest like the rest of the items. Arin whispered a spell after locking the chest and stood up.

Dark Dagger

That someone:


@pinkkoala321Oh yeah, since we're in the vaults, is there anything in particular the gang can/will find?

I'm planning for Arin to check if any magic (especially the thief's) is present and analyze what type of magic they are. Directly ask questions to the guards who were guarding the vaults the night the dagger was stolen if the others don't ask first.

Dark Dagger

Arin von Astastel

Arin’s patience was wearing thinner by the second. Waste of time? The only person wasting his time was the princess. Who was she to tell him how to do his job? No proper investigation has ever been done, and never will be done, by not looking. Why was he even summoned here in the first place if not to investigate?

Slowly, but surely, the letter in his pocket became something unpleasant and hard to ignore. Reminding him of what happened to bad little Astastels who failed to uphold a deal made in the House’s name. The thought sent shivers down the elf’s back.

You just had to make life harder for me, did you? Reluctantly, but no less annoyed, Arin focused on gathering arcane energy to one focal point. When just the right amount accumulated, he cast two spells in quick succession.

Sensing something amiss, the guards rushed forward to defend their princess, ready to cut down the foolish elf who dared to ambush a member of the royal blood. Arin, unfazed, raised his hands in the air and waited for them to settle down. They anticipated for an attack that never came. When nothing happened a few more seconds later, the soldiers relaxed a bit.

“V pnfg n fcryy gung rapelcgf jung jr fnl. Ab bar urer rkprcg sbe lbh naq V pna haqrefgnaq jung jr ner fnlvat. V oryvrir guvf jvyy znxr vg rnfvre sbe lbh gb nafjre… jung V cerfhzr gb or qvssvphyg dhrfgvbaf,” Arin bowed dramatically and added, “Ynql.” The guards looked at each other in confusion, before aiming their confused expression at their mistress.

The elf straightened up and began to peruse the study. Examining whatever he got his hands on, squeezing past others when he needed to, in order to find the thing that he requested earlier from the princess. Seeing that she never said no ---she in fact, never spoke about it---, Arin decided that it was a yes. As he did, he spoke in an even tone.

“Gb ortva, V zhfg cbvag bhg gung V unir orra fhzzbarq urer gb qb n irel fcrpvsvp wbo. N wbo juvpu lbh ner npgviryl trggvat va gur jnl bs zr qbvat. Gb vairfgvtngr vf gb pneel bhg n flfgrzngvp be sbezny vadhvel gb qvfpbire naq rknzvar gur snpgf pbapreavat jungrire gur fhowrpg vf, va guvf pnfr, n frevrf bs gursgf. Guvf vf qbar gb rfgnoyvfu gur gehgu. Ceriragvat hf gb vafcrpg gur fprar bs gur pevzr, cevaprff, vf gur rdhvinyrag bs gelvat gb qrgrezvar gur pnhfr bs qrngu bs fbzrbar jvgubhg gurve obql; tb ubefr evqvat jvgubhg gur ubefr; n grn cnegl jvgubhg grn. Be jungrire nanybtl lbh cersre. Gur cbvag vf: lbh ner ceriragvat hf sebz qbvat n gubebhtu vairfgvtngvba. Lbh... qb haqrefgnaq ubj fgenatr lbhe vafvfgrapr gung jr qb abg qb bhe wbo pbzrf bss nf, lrf? Znxrf lbh ybbx qhovbhf.” Arin closed the book he was skimming through and slid it between his underarm.

“Qb lbh xabj jung unccraf gb pbzzbaref jub qb abg yvir hc gb n fbirervta’f rkcrpgngvbaf, cevaprff? Jung lbh znl trg n fync ba gur jevfg sbe, pbzzbaref ner rkrphgrq sbe. Vg vf abg haurneq bs va bgure xvatqbzf naq gurer vf abguvat lbh pna fnl gung jvyy pbaivapr zr gung lbhe snzvyl qb abg unir gur fnzr grzcrenzrag. Fb vs lbh ner gelvat gb znxr hf gnxr cneg va fbzr xvaq bs rynobengr ehanjnl, cyrnfr, qb vg ba lbhe bja gvzr.” Arin turned to Rynn, giving his undivided attention. “Vs lbh ner frevbhf nobhg jung lbh fnvq, ubjrire, gura cyrnfr fgbc jnfgvat bhe gvzr naq tvir zr fgenvtug nafjref gb zl dhrfgvbaf. V arrq snpgf.”

The elf stared straight into Rynn’s eyes, “Jul qb lbh abg jnag hf gb vairfgvtngr gur inhyg?.”
"Vs lbh zhfg xabj, jr qba'g shyyl gehfg lbh nyy. Ng yrnfg, abg rabhtu gb yrg lbh nebhaq gur inhygf."
“Nf tbbq nf nal ernfba, V fhccbfr.”

The guards expressed shock when they heard the princess speak. It didn't take them long to figure out what or who caused it. Their bodies tensed once again, ready to attack as soon as their mistress would allow it. Fortunately for the elf, the Lady didn't.

“Qvq lbh yvr gb hf ng nal cbvag?”
"V unir abg yvrq gb lbh, ohg V frr ab arrq va nafjrevat evqvphybhf dhrfgvbaf."
“Yrg zr fnl vg vf sbe gur fnzr ernfba lbh qb abg jnag hf gb tb vagb gur inhygf, ohg V qvterff. Ner lbh vaibyirq va gur gursg bs gur qnttre?”
"Ab. Lbh jbhyqa'g or urer vs V unq orra."
“Jbhyq V abg? Orvat cneg bs n eblny snzvyl jbhyq znxr vg irel rnfl gb uvqr va gur bcra. Abar bs lbhe fhowrpgf jbhyq qner, ng yrnfg bcrayl, fhfcrpg gurve cevaprff.”

For the first time since he cast the spells, the elf's voice took a softer tone, “Vf lbhe yvsr va qnatre?”

"V unir fcrag zl yvsr genvavat, orpbzvat gur orfg jneevbe V pna or. V yvxr gb guvax gung vs zl yvsr jrer va qnatre, V jbhyq or noyr gb unaqyr vg zlfrys."

Arin seemed to contemplate something before pulling out the letter that was safely tucked away in his pocket. There was nothing extraordinary about the paper minus the insignia of two intertwined wyverns on it, “Qb lbh xabj, rknpgyl, jub erdhrfgrq nffvfgnapr sebz Ubhfr Nfgnfgry? Jub neenatrq n qrny jvgu... ‘hf’?”

"Ab, V qba'g. V jbhyq nffhzr zl sngure, vs abg ol uvf bja unaq."

Satisfied with the answers, Arin finally took his gaze off of Rynn and returned the letter into his pocket, “Gunax lbh sbe lbhe ubarfgl, Ynql Elaa.” He bowed slightly before resuming what he was previously doing, “V qb erfcrpg lbhe pnhgvbhfarff ba gur znggre, ohg ‘gehfg’ vf n gjb-jnl fgerrg, Ynql Elaa. Abar bs hf urer gehfg lbh rvgure. Lbhe eblny gvgyr nybar pnaabg jva bhe gehfg. Guvf vf, ng gur raq bs gur qnl, n ohfvarff. N zbqvphz bs gehfg zhfg or tvira sbe rirelbar gb cresbez gurve tvira qhgl. N fbpvrgl whfg jbhyq abg shapgvba cebcreyl vs rirelbar vf cnenabvq. Jung vs gur onxre cbvfbarq gurve ybnirf bs oernq? Jung vs gur crbcyr jub znqr gur ebnqf znqr fher vg yrq gb bhe qrnguf? Rgprgren, rgprgren. Vg vf arire-raqvat naq hygvzngryl n cbvagyrff raqrnibe. Ynql Elaa, V nz abg gryyvat lbh gb gehfg hf jubyrurnegrqyl, gung vf hajvfr rira nzbat sevraqf, ohg nyybj zr gb qb jung V jnf uverq gb qb. Gb vairfgvtngr gur gursgf.” Arin pointed at his pocket without looking away from the book in his other hand, “Guvf yrggre vf zber ovaqvat guna lbh pna rire vzntvar.”

Arin added another book between his underarm, “Qhr gb gur angher bs guvf pbagenpg, V jvyy raq hc ragrevat gur inhygf ertneqyrff bs ubj zhpu lbh gehfg zr. Zvaq lbh, guvf vf abg n guerng, vg vf cneg bs gur Ubhfrf’ erjneq sbe urycvat: gb fghql gur zntvpny vgrzf lbhe snzvyl cbffrffrf naq obeebj vg, ohl vg vs jr zhfg, qrcraqvat ba vgf zntvpny cebcregvrf. V crefbanyyl jnagrq gb rknzvar gur inhygf gb frr vs zntvp jnf rira hfrq gb oernx vagb gurz. Vs gur inhygf qb fgber n terng ahzore bs zntvpny vgrzf, V pna bayl nffhzr gung gur inhygf ner rdhnyyl zntvpny be nagv-zntvpny. Gung vf nyy vtabevat gur cbffvovyvgl gung gurer ner frperg cnffntrf gung bayl n unaqshy bs crbcyr fubhyq xabj nobhg. Gb or noyr gb pvephzirag nyy gung erdhverf fcrpvsvp xabjyrqtr naq erfbheprf. Guvatf gung V jvyy abg or noyr gb svaq gur fcrpvsvpf bs orpnhfr V pnaabg rknzvar gur inhygf.”

Arin walked back to his original position, “Fb jura lbhe sngure nfxf zr ubj gur guvrs tbg va, naq jr svaq bhg abguvat va gur Haqretebhaq, V nz cbvagvat zl svatre ng lbh.” He shrugged, “Ubcrshyyl orsber gung unccraf lbh jvyy erpbafvqre naq nyybj zr gb rknzvar gur inhygf… ohg ol gura V srne gurer jvyy or yvggyr gb ab genprf bs gur crecrgengbe’f zntvp yrsg gb qrgrpg. Whfg xrrc gung va zvaq.”

Arin snapped his fingers, dispelling whatever it was that he cast. “Well then, I suppose I should go get my bags. Long way ahead and all that.” He then took the two history books between his underarm and showed the cover to the princess and her guards. “I am also going to borrow these.”

Dark Dagger

Arin von Astastel

“I don’t think they actually kept it in a vault. As a symbol it would need to be on a display and not hidden behind locked doors,” Elra said, “I think also that her grace and other may have dealt with that issue or they may know more about who has it then they are letting us know.”

Arin responded to Elra after Callista finished speaking. “If this was before the thefts, I would agree with you, Miss Silverfang. I would not be surprised if they put the dagger on display for the whole world to see, to witness it in all its glory,” Arin’s voice changed to something more theatrical by the end of his sentence. He even twirled around once to add to the flair. “ However.” The elf stopped. “Imagine, after a series of petty thefts, things from the armory start to disappear. More valuable items start to vanish into thin air. Would you feel safe, leaving your prized relic out in the open, all day long? Of course, you could increase security, but you cannot avoid the inevitability that there will be fewer people active at night both inside the castle and out. Guards are also a limited resource: security would have to use what guards they had to make sure that the whole castle was safe in addition to protecting any and all valuable items. As time goes by, and there is no sign of the thefts stopping, the ‘resources’ will start to get very tired and stressed, they are people after all, but this makes them less reliable as protectors.”

Arin paused for a moment to make sure the others were following his line of thought before continuing, “Usually, preferably immediately after things from the armory were taken and before all the guards are worked to the bone, this is around the time the owners of the priceless items decide to place said items in a vault, at least at night. When there is no one to marvel at their glory.” Arin added the same theatrical tone as before to the last part of the sentence. “Vaults are, in theory, the safest place to store items. There is only one entrance that needs to be guarded after all. Even better ones make it hard to get in and out. You could comfortably manage security without them being overworked or overwhelmed.”

Arin’s eyes slowly moved towards and locked on to the guards, assessing their state, “I would be extremely surprised if not a single valuable item was moved from its original place despite there being an ongoing stealing rampage. Makes you wonder who made that decision if that was the case...” Arin added a bearly audible, “and why.”

Her eyes roam over the group, weighing. "I've spent my life behind these walls. There's not a secret in this castle I don't know about. If there is . . . Well, it's well hidden." She plucks an invisible bit of lint from her sleeve. "Which is why I'm surprised that anyone was able to steal from this place, let alone from the vaults."

@pinkkoala321

Arin turned to the other elf, “Regardless of where the dagger was when it was stolen, you heard Lady Rynn say that the thief was able to access the vaults when she entered the room. Based on her choice of words, I can only assume that she too is unaware of how the thief was able to gain access to the areas where the thefts occurred and bypass the guards. They could not come up with even one suspect. Thus, I highly doubt they ‘have dealt with that issue’.”

Arin faced the princess, “I would rather be wrong, of course.” Though that would imply that the group was being actively misled. “Something or things, that may or may not be or include the Dark Dagger, have been stolen from the vaults and no one knows how. My previous statement still stands: it will happen again if you do not know how the theft was done.”

“Please correct me if I misunderstood the situation, or any detail, in any way.”

Dark Dagger

Arin von Astastel

“We have no suspects. And we doubt it's anyone in Eastormel. No one here is that stupid.” Arin almost snorted. If he had learned anything from life, it was to never underestimate the stupidity of people. Stupidity was like an abyss in that it was bottomless; a pandemic in that it can spread like wildfire and, if left untreated, can be deadly. Even the wisest, most intelligent, and the noblest of creatures have done something incomprehensibly stupid at the most inopportune time.

“Right. We can't wait around here forever. If there aren't any other questions of the utmost importance to you lot, we should head out. The Underground is nearly a week's ride from here if we take our fastest horses.” “We”… so we will be babysitting her royal highness after all. I wonder if the King sanctioned this. More than that, Arin wondered why they were being rushed out of the castle. They had just arrived and given no time to do anything. Did the crown not want them to properly investigate or was there more to this theft that even the King, or someone near him, didn’t want to disclose? If it was the latter… Arin’s eyes narrowed, the glint in them fading. Someone is going to be in trouble.

“Our first stop will be the town of Timberholde. If we leave now, we should reach the inn not long after nightfall.”

“Forgive me, ‘Lady’ Rynn, but before we leave, I would like to request that we look at the vault ourselves, as Miss Felmir suggested.” Arin nodded at Callista’s direction. “A fresh set of eyes may shed some light on the case.” Arin turned to redirect the princess’s gaze to the study, “I would also like to borrow any documents you may have on Eastormel Castle, before, after, and when it was built.” Arin turned back to the princess, ignoring the guards who looked like they wanted to deny the elf’s request, “I do understand that you believe time is of the essence.” Why? I do not know. If it was stolen and sold to someone, then it was sold by now. If it was taken by someone, or a group, who was going to use it, it wasn't difficult to assume the dagger was in their hands. Simply too much time passed since the theft. The only reason to rush now was to prevent the dagger from being “used”, whatever that entailed. “I ask of this because, even if we do successfully recover the dagger, it does not solve the problem that there is a method to enter the castle without being detected by anyone. As long as this mystery is not solved, something like this is bound to happen again.”