A prim-looking elven woman named Majalin shows you to the servant's quarters upstairs in the Town Hall building (which is also Smith's manor.)

You hear muffled arguing that stops as you approach the room, and your escort opens the door. "Excuse me, but Smith has asked this woman to look into the missing cat. Please treat her as you would Smith himself," says Majalin to the two people there, a dwarven man and a human woman, both in expensive looking servant clothes.
This message was last updated by the GM at 19:48, Thu 08 Apr 2021.

Myre followed the elven woman upstairs. She stared around the manor as she was shown through, it was rustic but still probably the most lavish building she had been in. She eyed the raven on her shoulder, it was thankfully quiet. Strange that the bird was being respectful, Myre thought she should be grateful for now, doubting it would last. As the woman stopped by the door and the arguing ceased she frowned slightly, unsure of what to expect.

She stood silently as she was introduced but couldn't help herself but widen her eyes in surprise. The studious man with the paperwork was Erret Smith... the Erret Smith of Smith's Gambit. She shrunk a little in embarrassment. Had she realised she would have said more to the man.

She stepped into the room as she was introduced, "Thank you Majalin."

Turning back to the servants Myre smiled and put both hands on her staff as she offered a curtsy. "I am Myre, a Druid in service of the Raven Queen. I have been asked to help in finding Lord Caldessar's cat, Duchess." She smiled politely, "Do you know who could help with my enquiry?"

The two look at each other. The woman wrings her hands and looks at the Dwarf pleadingly. He rolls his eyes, "Cornelia, I shan't cover for you if you insist on wearing your guilt like its the latest Rebian fashion. Tell the woman what you did!"

"It were an acc'dent, mum, I swear!" The woman says, tears beginning to well in her eyes. "I din't know the young master was in the washroom groomin' Dutchess when I opened the door! He he din't answer when I knocked, or when I called out! 'Sides, who ever heard of giving a cat a bath anyhow? I thought the whole point with cats was they wash their own selves?"

"The whole p--" the dwarf's carefully trimmed handlebar mustache twitches as he sputters, his face going white with shock. "Don't let his lordship hear you speak that way!"

The woman seemed confused, not seeing anything wrong with what she said, but she replied, "Yes, Mr. Glassbottle! I mean, I won't do it again, Mr. Glassbottle!"

Myre looked between the two and frowned, "No, your don't bathe a cat."

"So... the cat ran away?" She clarified, "Which door or window did it escape from?"

She looked around the room, "Are there any other pets kept by the Lord?"

Cornelia leads you to the washroom, and says, "Then she ran down them stairs, and out the front door while someone was comin' in! His Lordship ain't got no other pets, mum. Just Duchess. Don't know why the young master would be washin' her. He never seemed to like that his uncle paid more attention to her then to him. Ooh! You din't hear that from me, or its my job!"

Myre nodded as Cornelia explained, "Don't worry about that. It is something I can find out when we have Duchess back. Please, show me the way down."

As they walked to the front door Myre continues her questioning, "What color is Duchess? Did she have a collar or bell on? Has she been outside before?"

Mr. Glassbottle answers, "She has long white fur, a blue collar, and a silver bell. She only goes outside with Lord Damien, and then, she stays at his feet. Though she's very well behaved, we're all, nonetheless, very careful to promptly shut the doors if we hear that bell. Unfortunately, it never occurred to any of us to post someone at Mr. Smith's front door."

"I hope the poor thing hasn't caught a cold, goin' out in the snow all drippin' wet like she done," says a worried Cornelia.

Glassbottle says, startled, "Oh, my. I hadn't thought of that! Madame, you must make haste!"

Myre nods, of course she would be finding a white cat in snow. Well, she hadn't really planned on using mundane means. "Echo, take a took around please." The raven on her shoulder squwarks and flies into the air while she continues speaking with the two servants.

"Whatever the young Master was doing with poor Duchess I can discuss with her upon her return. So do not worry yourself over that." She had her suspicions but it would be best to talk with the cat first.

"Please make sure you are available if I need to return." She curtsied again and turned away from the Town Hall entrance.

She sat on the side of the steps and focused, her eyes losing vision until they focused again in the view of her familiar.

16:05, Today: Myre rolled 9 using 1d20+3.  Echo: Perception.

Echo's eyes see no sign of the cat, but they do see a young nobleman questioning random people.

Drawing back into her own eyes she frowned in thought, but her ears caught the tail end of a conversation between Mr. Smith and a newcomer looking for work just inside.

Standing, she waited by the steps for the new arrival to leave the town hall so she could catch them to see if they wanted to join her.

Divok mentally heard the approach of another. It seemed that she wanted some companionship. He left the Town Hall, bidding Erret farewell...

He saw something quite peculiar outside the door, something almost like it belonged in the wilderness, just like him!

"^{Greetings fellow wildling! Are you also one that walks with giants?}" he says, mentally communicating with the fungus and empowering her to reply.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:35, Wed 14 Apr 2021.

Myre tilted her head to the side as a male voice pierced her mind. It seemed to come from the person in front of her, who was approaching from the Town Hall. She frowned briefly before reaching out with her own mind, ^{"Umm... Hello?"} She wasn't entirely sure what this was, or how it worked. ^{"I'm not entirely sure what this is."}

"What do you mean walks with giants?" She asks in her own voice, he eyes taking in the human-like figure before her. "I just need help finding a cat. Mr. Smith asked me to help find it for a noble friend of his."

She was quite confused.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:41, Thu 15 Apr 2021.

Smiling, Divok waved. "Don't mind him. He's quite confusing at times for me too. Divok, at your service. The man inside the townhall suggested that I help you with your cat problem."

Myre wasn't one to dwell on oddities, often being thought of as quite odd herself. "Hello Divok, my name is Myre. I would appreciate the help."

"Lord Caldessar has been lavishing attention on the cat which has apparently caused the young Lord some jealosy."

She rubbed a finger over her lips in thought, "I believe the servants caught the young Lord trying to drown the cat. I have not spoken of my thoughts to anyone and believed it best to question Duchess upon her return." She continued, "Startled by the intrusion the Lordling let go of cat who then ran out the door and escaped into the town. So now I'm looking for a white cat in the snow, she was wearing a blue collar with a silver bell."

She guestured towards the direction where the Lordling out questioning the townfolk as she catches Divok up on the case.

"I have just finished some quick scouting. No sign of Duchess however the young Lord appears to be questioning the local townsfolk himself." She guestures down a street and behind a few buildings, "Last I saw he was over there some way."

A raven flew down from behind Myre and sat on her shoulder, "This is Echo. He was doing the scouting really." The raven cawed 'Ekka! Ekka!' causing Myre to flinch from the noise. "So that's where I'm at. Any thoughts?"

Scratching his chin, Divok wonders if his talents could be put to use. It seemed he had certainly lined up the right spells for the day at any rate!

"If we could return to the scene of the disappearance, perhaps my talents will pick up a trail." he suggests.

Myre nods, "Of course!"

She shows Divok back up the stairs and knocks on the door she had previously met the servants. "Excuse me! Cornelia? Mr. Glassbottle?"

Divok follows Myre, watching as her raven flies above. She was an interesting creature...well worth getting to know, even if that musty smell was quite unappealling!

FYI: I'll be casting my spells once Cornelia or Mr Glassbottle has had some discussion. I didn't want to brush right past her!

Cornelia seems to be elsewhere, but Mr. Glassbottle answers the door, "Ah!" the dwarf says, "You've returned, Madame. How else may I be of service to you?"

Myre smiles, "Ah, Mr. Glassbottle. Please meet my acquaintance Divok. He has agreed to assist in finding Duchess. Please offer him the same courtesy you have me. I believe he wanted to investigate the room where Duchess was found with the young Master."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:10, Fri 16 Apr 2021.

Divok listens as Myre discusses things with Mr Glassbottle. In the meantime, he commences a ritual spell to help to find the cat's trail.

The spirits show Divok faint footprints Duchess' wet paws left on the hardwood floors, leading down the stairs, followed by bootprints, though it seems the boots dried faster than the paws, as they disappear before the stairs.