Sexta opens her mouth to answer Richard, but closes it when Brother Loran interjects with a proposal. Her lip forms a slight pout as her eyes show confusion at his offer.

Fost frowned, pondering what had just happened.
And it sure looked like Richard had caught on to something, too, so maybe, just maybe, it was not his imagination.
Taunt like a bowstring he observed the elf as Rchard put forth his seemingly casual question... but then Loran ruined it all.
He could not shake the feeling that they had been on to something.
Whatever the reasons Loran had intervened, Fost was fairly sure the Monk was convinced he had done the right thing. Right now, Fost was not sure he agreed.

For now, though, he squinted briefly at Loran. Maybe Loran had caught on, too, but preferred a less direct approach.
"Yes, errmmm, yes of course, Loran. We should indeed do everything in our power to make sure that Sexta is well protected and safe. And I will gladly listen to the Sermon."

---

I assume any potential rolls/tests to see if someone else is lying or if there is something odd, e.g. Intuition, are made secretely by the GM

OOC: Yes, for things where your character wouldn't immediately know the result, I'll make secret rolls in your name.


Sexta looks down at her unfinished fish stew, then back up at Fost and Loran. With a resigned sigh, she stands and moves to leave with them.

Brother Loran realised he'd been a little hasty and laid a gentle hand on hers "please my dear finish your supper we will head to the protection of the chantry after our meal has finished"

He turned to the others "please all let us eat and fill our bodies and spirits before we retire"
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 21:38, Sun 10 May 2020.

With a grateful look in her eyes, she mouths "Thank you," to the brother and returns to her stew.

"I can walk her to the Chantry, if you need to go to the sermon." Mikhail offered, more because he would need to check back in with the Templars before heading back to his room. He would need to draft and send a letter to the Circle. At the very least, he needed to inform the Senior Enchanter that approved his transfer to do this work out here. He needed to give them an out, in case he overstepped his bounds and would need to be recalled.

Brother Loran turned to Mikhail "that is very kind of you but the mother superior has given me leave to attend our guest and as long as we are back before the gate is locked for the night we should be fine."
Knowing only a little about mages and the circle he was aware their mage would have to report to the templars at some point

"Perhaps when we have all finished our supper we can walk to the chantry together" he was probably naive in the eyes of most but he felt magic was given to a person for a purpose and it was the maker who decided who would have such abilities and it was humans that were afraid of it so his simple gesture of walking back to the chantry was his way of giving Mikhail a reason for going without having to bring to everyone's attention that because of who and what he was he needed to report each day

The group finish the rest of their meal and, eventually, everyone but Orlin heads off to the chantry together. The last rays of the sun have finally disappeared behind the horizon, revealing the starry curtain above.

Ser Elias is standing out front in his gambeson and robes, sword still present, but armor tucked away for the evening, as it always is. He’s talking with Owen the blacksmith, who has his daughter, Valena, with him. Elias sees the group approaching, and raises a hand in greeting; Owen and Valena glance at them, the blacksmith acknowledges them with a curt nod, and the young teen smiles broadly. The two men continue talking as the party passes.

Inside the chantry, they find that evening prayer has ended, and that some of the local villagers are still milling about. Loran’s fellow brothers are stowing the sacramental icons and performing the general cleanup that forms the bulk of their duties. A few of the chantry sisters are picking up prayer books from the pews, presumably to return them to the bookshelf in the left wing.

One of the sisters, Winter, appears to be waiting for their arrival and immediately approaches the men and their ward. She bows slightly in deference to Brother Loran (who is her superior) and Mikhail (a “powerful” Circle Mage) and announces, “Brother, I’ve been instructed by Mother Hannah to ensure the elf has an opportunity to clean up, and to show her where she will be sleeping during her stay.”

Sexta, for her part, seems a bit reluctant to be handed off to someone else.

Brother Loran acknowledges sister winter " sister this young lady is Sexta the guest the mother superior spoke to you about" he said part as an introduction and part to inform the sister that the elf had a name.

Turning to Sexta "please be calmed sister winter will lead you to a chamber to allow you to wash and clean yourself. Then a good night's rest will make things seem clearer in the morning. If you need for anything send word to me with one of the sisters"

Fost had accompanied them to the Chantry, but now it was obvious that everything was in order and with everybody already informed and the Superior Mother having taken things in her own capable Hands, Fost felt a bit left out.
He dawdled a bit more, then wished good night to everybody and returned to what had become a home of sorts.

Folks soon settle down for the night. After a lively discussion about the dissonant Canticle of Shartan, Ser Elias and Mikhail are the last to extinguish their lamp and head upstairs to bed.

Mikhail and Loran are startled awake by frantic pounding from outside, as if someone is banging on the chantry door. Ser Elias wakes, too, and gives Mikhail a concerned glance as he quickly dons a robe.

They and a few others (notably the novice brothers who sleep on the first floor with Loran) make their way to the front door, and open it to find one of the arl's foot soldiers and Ser Perth (who looks very tired).

"Is the elf with you?" the knight asks, an urgency in his voice.

It would appear the time has come to deal with this. "She's somewhere around here, I'm sure. Should we get the Mother Superior as well?" Mages as a whole are not exactly on equal footing when it came to speaking engagements. That being said, it wasn't that he couldn't speak on anyone's defense. He just wasn't very good at that.

"I'd prefer to find the elf first," Ser Perth responds. Ser Elias nods and sends one of the acolytes to rouse Ser Faustine and the elven maid, and the knight continues. "Adric here -" indicating the watchman "- spotted someone creeping away from the village about a half-hour ago. He gave chase, but the figure was able to elude him past the windmill. He swears the figure was 'elf-like.'"

"Maybe the figure was that elven scoundrel who 'as been hanging around the tavern in the last few months," Adric confesses. "I didn't get that good a look at 'em, but 'e seemed a li'l small for that rogue."

Holding up a silver coin, he adds, "'E was carrying a sack and dropped this. Fast, too. As soon as 'e reached level ground, 'e was gone."

Brother Loran gathered his robe and put it on and raced pasted the Knights his bare feet the only sound on the stone floor.

He moved quickly to the room that the elf girl had been given and knocked on the door.

"Sexta this is brother Loran can you please acknowledge you are within?" He asked as he leaned close to the door
This message was last updated by the player at 08:44, Fri 22 May 2020.

Loran hears shuffling around in the room, as if someone is getting up out of their bed. Ser Faustine then opens the door, her eyes tired eyes wide with surprise. "She's not in her bed," the templar says. "She's gone."

Meanwhile, Richard comes up behind Ser Perth and Adric. The knight acknowledges him with a nod, then asks, "Did you find anything in your search, Richard?"

He had grabbed his staff as the men went to find Sexta. As a symbol of his status, he felt it was needed for him to display it. That, and the men had their own weapons at their sides. Surely it was only fair.

Catching up to the men and hearing that the elf had fled, he let out a very audible sigh. "Why can't we help out someone and have it go like the stories. Was anyone actually awake and standing watch last night? I swear, I'll start doing night time walks just to keeps people on their toes."

“Sadly no, I didn’t see any sign of her, she is good at erasing her trail. She won’t be able to get far tonight, she doesn’t know the woods like we do. If I was a guessing man she is headed back to her ‘master.’ My only regret is she slipped past me, I was keeping an eye on the chantry, I didn’t trust her. No fault of yours Mikhail, her story was convincing. If anything, its my fault for not pushing the questions further and making my concerns lauder. Do we think she is a risk to the safety of the people? Shall we start a man hunt?”

"She's certainly more than she seemed at the time," Ser Perth notes. "If she is going back to her 'master,' as you think, we can head to the crossroads at dawn."

“Is anything missing? Have you checked to see if her goal was stealing something? My thoughts are it was that or just recon for whatever reason.”
This message was last edited by the player at 15:38, Sun 24 May 2020.

Fost had heard the commotion outside and had been restless anyway as Richard had voiced his supsicions before he had headed out again to keep a watch on the Chantry.
While Fost had been suspicious first, too, he had not seen any signs of mischievousness in the girl and so had let the matter stand.
Looking out the widows he saw the small procession heading for the Chantry and decided to follow.

He was suprised to hear that Sexta was gone.
"If she were a spy she did not learn much, did she ? Maybe she just did not feel safe here after all and decided to go her own way ? If so, however, why sneak away at night ?"
"And I call for is that you do not draw hasty conclusions."

"I blame myself" said brother Loran to onone one in particular. He had vouched for her, petitioned the mother superior. She could have been scared and run again but if she had alterior motives then he held himself responsible if something unpleasant happened next

"You are not at fault, Brother Loran," the voice of Mother Hannah says from behind the group as she approaches. "You showed kindness to one who you honestly believed was in need. There can never be fault in that, my son.

"Brother Gilbert has just informed me that one of our coffers has been emptied of its alms, and some of items of value have been taken. None is of religious value," she says. "This is not to state that the girl was responsible, or knows who is, just that we have something additional to investigate."

"There are enough dangers about at night that I wouldn't recommend starting any search until it's light," Ser Perth responds. Looking at Fost and company, he adds, "However, I will not forbid anyone from striking out on their own sooner, if they feel strongly enough to do so."

"It seems too convienent to simply place the blame at her feet. We should at the very least check the outside of this Chantry tonight. See where that leads us. I won't be able to sleep until I at least see this." He wasn't lying or exaggerating on this part. Her former master was a potential bloodmage, a maleficar. He was perfectly capable of defending himself, sure. However prepared he was wouldn't matter, as one bad mage would further sour the opinions other would have toward him and the Circle. "Could we borrow a torch or two?"

"With permission, of course, Mother Hannah, and Ser Perth," Richard's tone is awkward when addressing Hannah, nervous like she can tell all his sins just by looking at him, Ser Perth doesn't bother him, he is a real treat to drink with. "I would like to follow the footsteps, or possible footsteps, of the she-elf to break-down entrance and exits and put together how, if, she did this. After the investigation of her room, possible routes, and the coffers, determining means and methods, a further search of the exterior and an attempt to trace her footprints, even heading to the crossroads." He pauses for a second thinking. Normally, a job like this Richard would charge his normal rates, but feeling slightly at fault, and frustrated, stealing wealth that he donated to for his village. The job had become personal. That, and how can he claim to be the best, if he can't outsmart this rodent. Especially if it ends up being a damn elf.

"I think you have the right idea, Mikhail, if we split up we can investigate more area. I'll, again with your permission, start in the chantry working my way out of her room, Bother Loren can join me. Mikail, why don't you and Fost start outside. In about an hour meet back here and we can discuss our finds, and decide what to do from there." He gave direction, assuming all would be followed and permission granted, why wouldn't his idea get followed, it was brilliant.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:43, Tue 26 May 2020.

Mother Hannah and Ser Perth exchange a glance, as an unspoken conversation appears to take place between them. After a moment, both nod in unison before the revered mother speaks.

“You may trace her path, but please start with her room first, so Ser Faustine and the sisters can return to sleep.”

“I’ll stick around for a bit, see what they come up with,” Ser Perth offers.

Mother Hannah nods her approval and returns the way she came. Ser Elias offers to help Richard and Loran.