Gaiven grabs the pen with a demonstrative sweep of his hand, and dips is just a bit too violently, ink spattering over the edge of the inkwell. Xavier can hear the sound of scratching as he finally writes a short sentence.

"I have no idea where the tooth is."

Xavier at first smiles as he sees Gaiven scribbling quickly on the paper.  Reading the words there causes his smile to disappear.  Dropping the paper back to the counter, he smiles again,

"Then perhaps we should ask our old friend Zuul."

[Private to Stripe: OOC: AFB right now, but I think Summon spirit will aloow me to ask questions right?]

Gaiven jerks the paper back to his own side of the table, scribbles, and then thrusts it back.

"I am not going back."

[Private to Whisper: Travial is pretty far away from Rimuldar. Six weeks journey in fact.]

Iridia wasn't very impressed, and showed it. However, she wasn't expecting much in the first place so she chose not to complain.

"A mansion would be good. It has been a long while since I did a job, and I am itching for it." Iridia added, "However, we need to know a fence first, or else it's useless. I used to deal with one other than the Gargoyle before I joined the Raven's Claw, but I don't really remember where he is, if he is still around anyway. It isn't safe to ask around for him. Eddy, how come you are a thief living here and you don't know a fence?"

12:48, Today: Iridia Silvermane rolled 12 using 3d6. Area knowledge. 
This message was last edited by the player at 08:51, Sat 31 Jan 2009.

"Well I used to know a guy named Zuul, but he got himself wasted. I think I know a good tavern where we could find a new one. It's better than staying up here."
Eddy leads his companions to a shady tavern in the underclass housing district.

Eddy Smalls rolled 9 using 3d6. Looking for Underworld. Streetwise, bl:12.

"That ugly bastard is the one that was introduced to me after I joined the Raven's Claw. Good riddance. He ripped Frank and I off when we were trying to sell a diamond. I believe it was called the Dragon's fang, or something like that. Anyways, I could swear the stone was magical." Iridia slammed her fist on her palm, then took a deep breath. "Well, no use griping about something that happened years ago. You are right, let us go to a tavern. Come along Suzette, you are about to get your daily booze fix."

With a loud crack resounding, a man comes tumbling backwards out of the Cracked Mug's front door. Following him, an ogrish brute strides out, cracking his knuckles. "And stay out! Yer barred fer a week."

Inside, Eddy, Iridia and Suzette can see through the window that the tavern is a rowdy madhouse full of drunkards and wenches. Music from the three piece band can scarcely be heard above the din.

It's just past nightfall, but the party has already started for the patrons of this Lower Ward bar. There are other taverns that might not be so busy.

Suzette climbs for altitude, and spirals above the crowd, looking for a familiar face, any familiar face.

She fails.  Shrugging philosophically, she waves impatiently at Iridia and Smalls, and powerdives for the bar

OOC: 08:31, Today: Suzette rolled 14 using 3d6. Streetwise, looking for a friendly fence.

"Then perhaps I should bring Zuul here then?  Have it your way."

Xavier shrugged and sat himself on the floor facing the window of the shop.  Crossing his legs and placing his hands palm up, he stretched his neck a bit, then spoke to Gaiven,

"Might want to make sure no one bothers me. Don't want any spells misfiring in here, could be messy."

With that Xavier began chanting.

There was nothing that Gaiven wanted less than seeing Zuul again. Well.. even less he wanted magic performed in his shop. Gaiven weighted the option of throwing Xavier out on his ear against the chance of some dark magic overflow killing him and throwing his soul to the hells. Gaiven didn't want to go to hell.

With a harried expression, he strides over and closes the latch on the front door. Then thinking, he opens the latch again, and walks outside to close the shutters across the windows.

Several queit minutes drag by with Xavier chanting as he sat on the floor.  Suddenly his arms grew lax and his sagged.

"I was not able to bring forth his spirit here."

Xavier shook his head while it still hung to his chest.  Looking up to Gaiven he smiled once more,

"Don't worry, I can try tomorrow as well and everyday after that until we get him!"

Standing back up he went to the door and unlatched it,

"Oh and don't worry about security.  I'll bring my own tomorrow."

With a sping in his step, Xavier walked out the door and gave a few quick nods and 'Good evenings' to those he passed on his way back to his wagon.

[Private to Stripe: OOC: Actually made no attempt to cast the spell, just trying to force the issue with Gaiven]

Xavier returns to his grandiloquent traveling wagon and enters it with a flick of his flowing robes.

Earlier, he had used his arcane powers to delve into the book he had purchased from Gaiven. The wizard could tell as soon as he first laid eyes on it sitting on Gaiven's shelf that it was a tome of magic, not some trifling book of fairy tales. His mystic spells and enchantments raveled that the book was not as it seemed, but he could not decipher its true nature... Further research will be necessary.

There it sat on his reading podium, opened to its center. It stared back at him like an unsolved puzzle.

Iridia walked into the bar behind Eddy. She didn't look too comfortable with this atmosphere even though she spent the majority of her time away from Rimuldar in such establishments.

She picked an empty two seat table and sat down with Eddy, and began checking the room for people she knew.

And there he was. She didn't recognize him at first, and has her doubts, but it could possibly be Jim.

"Oi, Eddy. I think I spot an old Raven's Claw member." Iridia whispers, "Should we try and approach him? He was a bastard last time I met him."

 "Well you'd know better than I do, but frankly we're desperate. We can't afford to be picky."
Eddy takes out 2 copper-pieces and beckons Iridia to follow. Playing with the metal in his hand he sits down in front of Jim and let's her open the conversation.
 "Hi there."

Standing in the doorway, Gaiven looks after Whisper has he disappears down the street. Closing the door, he considers for a moment, and then closes the latch again. He wasn't feeling in the mood for any more customers today.

Maybe if he kept the shop closed, Whisper would stay away. But it is a forlorn thought. Even if the wizard didn't use some magickery, he could always be back at a later time. Hiding would, in this case, solve nothing. Gaiven shivers as he considers the other things he is hiding from, and how Whisper's presence might compromise that.

Take a deep, slightly shuddery breath, Gaiven walks back to his desk and secures a new piece of paper. Grabbing his pen, he writes a short message. He takes a moment to look it over, takes another deep breath, then nods and places it on the table. He doesn't look forward to the sorcerer's next visit, but at least it might be his last.

Dawn came and Xavier was quick to hop from his bed.  Gathering a few simple items he walked about the wagon until he found another room,

"Jordan! Boy, are you awake?" Somewhere within, a murmur announced the boy's rise from sleep.  "Off to see if our new friend is awake.  Instruct Golem the way to go, I've got a bit of work still to do on this infernal book.  Give me a knock when we arrive."

With that he returned to his small cabin and began reading the book once more, looking for any clues that might be held within the illusionary pages.

"May need a bit more work ..."

---

By the time the wagon creaked onto the street that held the small bookstore, the sun had risen to nearly midday. A small boy sat on the driver's seat alongside a figure entirely covered in a strange reddish metal.  Directions to the bookstore had been given and then re-given to the metal-clad driver until the wagon came to a lurching stop near the door.  The small boy jumped from his seat and gave the metal figure a few quick words which made him dismount the seat as well and follow the boy.  Standing next to the door, Jordan gave the door a few strikes with his fist, then spoke loudly,

"We're here."

A few moments later, Xavier exited with a small glowing ball, the size of a melon, floating near his head.  Looking to Jordan, he patted the boy on the head,

"Thank you.  Now let's go pay our friend a visit."

Looking to the metal figure, he spoke evenly "Follow."

The three along with the floating ball approached the shop's door and knocked.

Gaiven had not opened the shop today. The shutters are closed, and the latch holds the door closed. He didn't want anyone to be here, when the sorcerer arrived.

The knock on the door makes him jump slightly, but then he calms himself. Grabbing the message he wrote the day before, he rises from the chair behind the table, and walks to the door.

He quickly opens the door, and prepares to hand over the piece of paper, but then halts. The metal-clad man. The orb hovering next to Whisper's head. Gaiven reconsiders leaving the sorcerer on the street, and quickly waves him inside, sticking his head out the door to see if any of his neighbors saw, before closing the door behind the trio.

Then, he hands over the paper.

I don't have the Dragon's Tooth. Zuul doesn't either, unless he managed to reacquire it. I sold the Tooth to Thomis the fence back in Rimuldar. I also sold him a magic box you might be interested in. But I've got nothing to do with this stuff anymore. I don't know anymore. I wish you a good journey.

Last time Iridia saw the man, it was a dark day indeed. He house had been ransacked leaving her little more than a homeless vagabond. Frank had just been drug away to certain doom by the Black Guard, a mage-tracker leading the charge. It felt so long ago, but it seemed like only yesterday the man was leaning against the walk talking with Whisper and she. "Whisper" -- there's a man she hadn't seen in a while either.

What was his name? Jim?

"It's Joe," the man replies to her greeting with a grin over the top of his pewter mug. "Last time I saw you, you were a wanted woman." Looking into her eyes, he talks just loud enough to be heard across the table above the loud tavern's din. "Probably still are."

"Whose your friend?" he asks with a nod in Eddy's direction, but without moving his eyes from Iridia's.

About that time, there's a commotion at the bar. Apparently, Suzette is managing to cause a stir inside an already rowdy saloon. A group of drunkards are laughing a pointing. "Looky there! A gods-damn fairy! Bartender, what's you putting in my drink?!"

Walking into the store, Xavier looked to the metal clad man and spoke,

"Let no one enter."

Turning to Jordan he spoke softly,

"Make sure he doesn't rip anyones arms off will you?"

Jordan smiled and nodded, running up behind the golem and speaking quietly to it.

Xavier had crossed the room and smiled towards Gaiven.  Seeing the paper he took it from him, a bit of confusion on his face. Xavier received the paper and cast his eyes upon the paper, reading the words quickly.  Dropping his arms down, he looked from the paper to Gaiven, his smile gone,

"I have a host of questions for you, none of which really matter at this point."

Xavier let out a sigh and placed his hand upon his forehead.

"You sold it how long ago? Ten years?  What are the odds that Thomis the fence is still in Rimuldar, let alone even alive?"

Squinting now, Xavier considered his options by muttering to himself.  A plan was slowly beginning to hatch in his mind,

"You like books then Gaiven, is that it?  What would you say if I could copy any of your books here in a day?  Two copies, three copies possibly more all in one day.  What would that be worth to you?"

Eddy continues to fiddles the coins on his hand.
"I'm Eddy, and lets leave it at that for now. What  about you? Are you still 'wanted' or did you wuss out when they got the Raven's Claw."

Gaiven squelches a sigh. Of course it wasn't that easy. He'd like to think that it'd just be a question of answering a few questions, but his last proposal made Gaiven uneasy.

Returning to the desk, he grabs the pen, and writes;

I wouldn't want you to copy all of the books. I'm law-abiding now. I want nothing to do with the stone, or whatever else

Gaiven hesitates. He was going to write "you're doing", but he didn't want to anger the sorceror. Not if it could be avoided. He dibs the pen again and ends the sentence.

whatever else is going on these days.

"Seems your mind is made up then."

Xavier shrugged and looked about the room, taking in the surroundings one last time.

"Very well, I shall make the trip to Rimuldar without you."

Turning away he motioned to Jordan and the golem,

"Our work here is done. We are going to Rimuldar, prepare the wagon."

The boy spoke to the golem and the two exited the store, boarding the wagon.

Xavier turned back to Gaiven,

"I wish you well Gaiven, perhaps next time I'll ask just for a book."

Xavier stuck out his hand to shake Gaiven's if he would allow.  Once the formallities were done, the wizard nodded to Gaiven then proceeded out the door to the wagon.  There he turned and called back to Gaiven,

"Good luck Gaiven."

Xavier then turned to the young boy sitting up front with the golem and nodded.  With that the boy spoke to the golem and the horses pulled the wagon forward.  As the wagon slowly disappeared out of sight, Xavier offered one more wave to Gaiven before retreating into the wagon.

"They must have forgotten about me by now." Iridia answered while she stole a glimpse of whatever was happening at the bar.

"I left the city soon after I spoke to you back at the Gargoyle's." Iridia continued while keeping one eye at the Suzette. "You still illegal?"

When Whisper offers his hand, Gaiven hesitates for a moment, then shakes it, before following Whisper to the door. Even before Whisper has reached the wagon, the door is closed again, only the empty front of the closed store offering an answer to his wish of good luck.

Suzette responds to the drunkard, "Whatever it is, gimmee some!  I wanna see the fairy too!"