Frank, although relieved to have the right one, does not appreciate the joke.
"You butt-hole, don't pull phanks like dat at a time like dis! Why didn't you just tell us dat it was a silvehy one anyway!"

"Oh, there you are." Iridia appeared around a tree, she looked behind her shoulder to make sure no one was following her then approached the group.

"So... did you get it?" Iridia asked Frank, and then noticed Gaiven was not around. "Where is Gaiven?"

Gaivn is nowhere to be found.

In time, the driver reins his horses to a fast trot toward Rimuldar.

Frank shows Iridia the necklace.
"Right here. Did the dhiveh check on the passenger, or are we in the cleah?
...
So I'll hang on to the necklace, and we'll meet de coming evening at the havens claw, right? Gaiven sais he'd be there and we'll give him a good howleh."

"Great! Good job Frank!" Iridia was genuinely applauding him, "I don't know, I slipped away when Whisper here did some kind of magic trick that covered the area in darkness. Anyways, are you sure you aren't going to lose the necklace Frank? Maybe its best that I keep it."

"Well, alright, but don't you dare lose it."

Iridia took the necklace from Frank and examined it in her hand. She contemplated putting it on, but quickly brushed the idea away. Instead, she tucked it away in her brassiere.

"So, shall we head back?" She asked the two men.

"Sure. Its not as if it will rain gold if we stay here."
Frank starts trotting back to town.

After Whisper has a look at the road to see if any stray pearls were left in the dirt -- and finds three -- the group heads back to town, veering off the road before arriving. They duck in through a side alley and slip through the lower ward into the night.

A white haired head peers about the corners of an alleyway. The roads were empty save for the stray cat here and there. Rimuldar was fast asleep. Heading back towards her companions, Iridia stretched her hands up and yawned.

"I am heading back to my shambles of a home." Iridia whispered, careful not to awake anyone in town. "We are meeting at next midnight, right?"

"So no chance of me staying over at your place, right?"
The worlds smallest violin plays a requiem for Frank and all the other homeless in the city.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:49, Mon 10 Nov 2008.

Iridia folded her arms and arched an eyebrow. She seemed amused with Frank's proposition. A small smile drew upon her lips.

"Well, well, well... Aren't you bold today?" Iridia's tone was deeper, bordering seductive. She stepped closer to Frank and looked him straight in the eye. While the idea of her and Frank sleeping in the same room did not appeal to her, she contemplated teasing him a bit. "You can come..."

"For real!?! Yes! I'm getting a good night tonight!"
Drawing a big cheesy smile, it takes Frank a while to realize that he's not just get a warm bed. When that thought crosses his mind, he falls silent and the smile is replaced with a head so red, it would make roses pale in comparison.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:57, Mon 10 Nov 2008.

In another time, in another place elsewhere in Rimuldar, a coach arrives at the front gates. "Guards! Guards!" the driver yells as he nears the wooden threshold. Ever since the empire's shadow crept over the city, soldiers were posted at all three of the city's main thoroughfares.

One of the two black-clad soldiers posted on either side, holding a spear and shield, answers. "What urgency do you wish to report?" It was a standard reply given on almost all circumstances. Requesting the assistance of an Imperial Soldier without just cause was a crime.

"Highwayman! They stole Lady Devonshire's necklace! I think they made off with a young lass as well!"

"Oh, yes you would..." Iridia continued the act. Before she headed out, she turned to Whisper. "What are you going to do now?"

"I really don't want my money getting too far out of my sight.  So I go where it goes."   Whisper glanced at Frank as his face grew hot and chuckled.

Iridia, Frank and Whisper return to her home in the Lower Ward, a small elongated shed built against a bakery.

When Frank and Whisper arrive, they find a humble interior furnished with crates in place of chairs and tables. In one corner, blankets and a mattress are draped over a row of crates. On the same wall is a make-shift dressing table that has an old mirror, a collection of combs, and a small chair.

There are two entrances to her humble home; one leads to the bakery in front, and the other opens to the alleyway.

The three slip inside the back and agree on arrangements. Soon, they are sleeping...

Whisper awakens to a clatter and thud coming from the next room. He isn't too alarmed as Iridia explained the bakery normally began its day's work before sunrise. However, the mage isn't accustomed to the noise and another bump in the night wakes his mind just before it drifts back to sleep. A few moments later, and a woman's singing and the clatter of pots and pans keep him awake.

Frustrated, Whisper is mentally cursing the woman and her insufferable singing and dish washing. How does Iridia ever get any sleep!? He looks over and sees the beautiful woman fast asleep in her bed.

That's when he hears the woman's startled gasp coming from the next room as if she had discovered a dead rat in the dough or a hissing snake under a pot. Heavy boots rumble against the hardwood floor.

"We're here for the girl," comes a dark and gravelly voice. "Where is she?"

"zzz... hmmmm Iri hmmmm tickles ...zzz...zz*
uh... mohning Whispeh
...
Why are dey in such a rush to get us into de stocks. It's not like it will leave at high noon. Iri, wake up!"
Frank nudges Iridia.

[Private to GM: Frank the Fiddler rolled 11 using 3d6. to wake up. IQ 12.]

"Hmmmmm.... just another five, mama." Iridia moaned as Frank nudged her. She mustered all her strength just to raise her eye lids slightly, just enough to see Frank.

"Ah, you are still here?!" Iridia said through a yawn as she stretched herself in the bed, "Whats going on?"

"It's the guards, they're already here to pick us up, but I didn't expect them till after sunrise. Why are they so early?"

"I need you both to get to the door, quickly!"

As they all moved to the door, Whisper took a few steps and began casting spells on the trio.

Blood had begun to trickle from his nose as Whisper moved to open the door.

"Now go! You haven't much time!"

Once they were gone, Whisper cast another spell upon himself, causing yet more blood to flow from his nose.  Once he blinked from sight, he followed the others outside, staggering as he went.

OOC: Cast invisibility using 3 FP and 1 HP per person (Total 9 FP, 3 HP spent)

[Private to Stripe: Whisper rolled 6 using 3d6. roll vs skill 15-3 for using 1 HP and having 2 spells on
Whisper rolled 9 using 3d6. roll vs skill 15-2 for using 1 HP and having 1 spell on
Whisper rolled 14 using 3d6. roll vs skill 15-1 for using 1 HP.]
This message was last edited by the player at 15:43, Sat 15 Nov 2008.

"Wha- How?" Iridia muttered in disbelief, "Shades be damned..."

'The guards are onto me? How? How did they know I live here? We weren't followed...' Iridia asked herself. She knew there was no time to think about it at this moment.

Iridia moved down from the bed. She was still in her sleeping gown. Her basic plan was to barricade the door to the shop, and slip out the back silently. But just as she was heading to barricade the door, Whisper told Frank and her to move to the backdoor. She didn't know what his plan was, but she knew that he has magic. So she fetched a cloak and wore it, covering all but a small part of her sleeping gown.

Seeing Whisper bleed and stagger as he cast the invisibility spell, Iridia attempted to help him, but he was quick to shoo them off. "Just don't lag behind, friend. Come Frank." Iridia said before heading out.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:51, Sat 15 Nov 2008.

Mass confusion errupts as the door to the alley opens. Three black-clad soldiers were standing outside in the alley, waiting for the soldiers advanceing inside to flush the occupants out the back. When the door opens, they draw their batons and wait to rush upon those exiting.

However, both Frank and Iridia are invisible so they are unable to see them. Iridia gasps as soon as she sees the scowling soldiers, but then realizes that she's been rendered invisible by Whisper's magic.

Behind them, three balck-clad soldiers burst through the door and stride into the room.

"Come out!" one commands as he kicks one of Iridia's boxes.

The three soldiers in the alley rush inside, pushing through Frank and Iridia. Whisper is still inside, but is able to make good his escape

Her heart thumping, Iridia made her way through the backalleys of the lower ward. She didn't realize it at this moment, but her life in public had porbably just ended. It was then that she remembered. Iridia forgot to pickup the necklace which she placed on the dressing table. Its a decision now between the risk of going back for it or the safety of running away empty handed.

Stopping dead in her tracks almost immediately, Frank would have almost bumped into her. Standing in her spot, as if frozen, Iridia was trembling with fear on the inside.

"Frank... The amulet." Iridia said and began to snivel softly, "Its back inside. I forgot it. I'm sorry."

----

OOC: Replaced sob with snivel.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:50, Sun 16 Nov 2008.