Regan decided that he would indeed take a seat at the same table as his uncle.  He hadn't met the woman before who appeared to enjoy being attached to Marcus' arm but didn't let that fact bother him.

The druid was about to speak to his kin before a serving girl approached the table and offered to take a food and/or drink order.  Regan looked at Marcus as if to ask if he was intending to eat or drink.

"She's Marcus' new 'girlfriend'," Gina said from her seat between the two cousins Digorye and Gabriel. "And he's Regan, Marcus' nephew. You must have met him before, haven't you Gabriel?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:13, Thu 06 Dec 2007.

Julian waved to Blythe and the other acrobats and wandered over to say hello.

"Hey there mates, you're looking fine tonight.  I'm here with some family," he pointed to Gabriel to make the point, "...who are usually boring.  We've got some catching up to do but maybe, if you don't mind, I'll come back and we can swap tales and drinks."

With another wave and a wink, he was back to talking with his family.  Gabriel was serious about something and it'd be rude to ignore that kind of intensity.

"I understand," Blythe said. "I'll see you later than." She kissed Julian on the cheek before returning to her friends.

Recognition flashed on Gabriels face. He looked closer at Regan "You look different without your hair." he said off-hand. His attention was then pulled back to the strange woman with Marcus "We have things to discuss Marcus, can your company give us a few moments alone?" Gabriel said to the elf. His tone was clipped as if he didn't expect to have the extra comapny, and wished she hadn't been there.

"I'll be back in a little while," Dove said as she rose and left the table.

Marcus blushes at Lady Gina's words, but he holds his tongue. He has an end in mind, certainly. But it is unlikely to be the one that the others think of him. As Gabriel asks for words in private, Marcus looks down at Dove and nods slightly, whispering something to her. He allows her to rise and walk away, and his eyes follow her with a curious expression, not the lust that would be expected.

[Private to GM: He whispers, "My friends must speak alone for a moment. I will signal when it is safe to return. We still need to hear your tale."]

Gabriel watched Marcus' girlfriend walk away once she was a good bit off he started to speak. "That figure I followed he was an elf." Gabriel let the words hang a moment before starting again. "He eventually stopped running and stopped like he was waiting for me." his eyes were alight like they hadn't been since childhood. This experience seemed to have had a profound effect on him. "I called out to him but he did not answer. I don't know why I did it. Looking back it could have been a mistake. I pulled out the music box and opened it right there in the alley." Gabriel looked at Marcus now expecting a look of disdain for his actions but never the less he continued his story "The elf just stared at me, moving a little closer as the song played. I asked for his help, told him we didn't know what to do next. But he didn't answer. Finally he spoke, but only to say that he would return, then he disappeared." Gabriel looked at each one of them in turn. From the others whom he had been with since arriving in Pashin to Regan who he had hadn't seen since childhood. He hoped to see the same fire in their eyes that he knew he had in his own. "Well what do you think?"

Marcus's eyes widen in shock at Gabriel's rashness, but he holds his tongue to hear what else he has to say before judging him. After all, very few people would know the true significance of the music box, so there is unlikely to be a real danger in showing it. And if someone does know about it, then they probably know more than the group does about its use, meaning they may be able to learn more. He is intrigued that the elf reacted quite like he did, and it offers hope that tehy will be able to learn more. Of course, there is a good chance that the elf will try to steal the music box or get others to do so, but he figures that the group should be able to deal with that. He finally contents himself to say, "We seem to be meeting all sorts of mysterious people, don't we?". His eyes go to the bar to watch the slender form of the helf-elven Dove as he says it. He then continues, "We know little of real use about the box, so we must follow any leads, even if it means walking knowingly into a trap. We must trust to Paladine that we will come through safely," he says with a simple confidence.

Regan listened to the fairly serious conversation that was flowing between the group but was still mostly in the dark.  Unsurprising, considering he hadn't seen his kin for the best part of seven years...

Keeping his voice low he asked, "Such mystery over such an innocent looking thing.  How did you come of it and do you know much about it?"

Digorye leans forward and speaks up a bit. "Speaking of mysterious people... earlier today in the marketplace I had an interesting encounter of my own. An old gnomish salesman I was speaking with suddenly went into a trance and started speaking very slowly... well, you know... for a gnome. He told me that I should seek the elves, because they would have the answers we seek, but also more questions for us. When he snapped out of it and started speaking quickly again it seemed he didn't remember anything of the conversation... like he was channeling somebody or something else. I was planning to ask Dove about any local elven communities, since I noticed she's half-elven herself, but haven't yet had a chance. But maybe this other mysterious elf you were chasing had something to do with it as well?"

"Sounds like that's the case.  I wouldn't have shown the box to anyone, Gabe, but I think that actually may have been a really good choice.  If the elf was really bad news he would have just stabbed you and tried taking it.  All things considered I'm surprised he just left rather than have any extended conversation with you after pulling it out."

Julian notes with creeping self-awareness that he was being serious and took steps to remedy that oversight; his emerging grin acts as an oracle of things to come.

"Personally, if I met someone in an alley and they whipped out their box and it started to sing to me, I'd want a close look at that box, too."

Marcus leans forward and quickly explains to Regan everything that has happened, from his dream to the fight out in the countryside. He quietly hopes that something will strike a memory within Regan that may help them. If he has been in the area for a while then he may know a great deal of local elves and bandit nests. To Digorye's story he simply says, "Paladine sent us on this quest. I trust that it is Him who is sending all of this mysterious help. Even finding Regan after so many years has strengthened us a great deal. I am confident that Paladine will continue to guide us."

[Private to Regan Meyer: Rather than explain the whole backstory I will assume that you have read the older and archived threads and are basically aware of what has been going on. Let me know if you need more information though and I will try to summarise. It will take a while to type up something reasonably comprehensive though.]

The serving girl returned with your drinks and food. It was nothing compared to the Inn of the Last Home, but then again nothing compares to legends.

"Digorye," Regan began, "I believe that gnome was Halthorne the Wise and I encountered him also.  Infact a similar thing happened with me whereby his voice altered slightly, suggested I locate my kin for a 'quest' and then he returned to his usual self with seemingly no memory of what had been said!"

Regan took a swig of water from the drinks that had recently arrived and placed the mug back on the table.  "From what you all say, this certainly has a lot to do with the elves and perhaps you're right ~ maybe this Dove can help?"

OOC: Read it all now so know (roughly) what's going on!

"Well, if this Halthorne was right about you finding Marcus and the rest of us, it's likely that he's right about us needing to find the elves as well. I think we need to talk to Dove about them, and see if she knows anything. If she doesn't, then we'll hope that other elf that you chased returns and we can ... discuss matters with him. Either way, we seem destined to find some elves."

As an afterthought, Regan suggested, "You know if you'd rather not say anything to Dove at this point, perhaps Bisa can track the elf for you?  He's got a good nose for that sort of thing."

"I agree," replies Marcus. He catches Dove's eye and gestures for her to return to the table. As she sits beside him he says quietly, "I apologise for that. My friends and I had to have some words in private. Now, can you tell us the story you said you had for us?"

As soon as Marcus located Dove, he motioned for her to join them, and asked her to tell them her story.

"What story," Dove asked.

"You said that you could tell us many things if you were in a warmer place. So lets start with what you know about the local bandit problems. Also, do you know of any tribes of elves in this area?"

”That was information, not a story.” Dove said. “I don’t do stories.”

“There are bandits in the area. Some worse than others. Any particular bandit you had in mind?”

“I do. Most believe that the elves have left, but it seems like they’ve rather gone underground, and from a position of hiding keep an eye on any elves captured by the Knights of Takhisis.”

Julian's desire to have sex with the gymnast was scratching at his consciousness and made it difficult to stay and talk all this serious jibber-jabber about elves and secrets, but it was still important and his opinion might still matter.  He took a drink and stayed, but offered up nothing.  What was there to say?  They were pumping a prostitute for information, which was probably a sight less intrusive than most of her daily transactions, and it was her show.

"Do you know how we can get in touch with these elves? I believe they have important information for us."

"I do not," Dove said.

Marcus decides to leave the bandit question for now and to focus on the elves. "Do you know anyone who may know how to get in touch with them?"