Molds, mildews, and fungi-- oh my! Or is your cave safe?

[CrispyWalrus]

A response to DM Paranoid's "Strictly business" Pt. 2

"So... fellow Cave Inspectors..."

Mot McGee says with mirth in his eyes, his words recalling their successful con as he flashes a wry grin at the group in the hopes of lightening the mood. It does not however. The journey back from the cave where they found the woman's corpse had been a somber one thus far.

They had failed in their two goals. They had not been successful in returning the human lad Peter's mother to him-- alive at any rate and they had also failed to take any of the men responsible for her senseless tragic death alive either. It really was very sad and for all their efforts they still had no understanding of why it had happened.

"...what do you all make of this stone Drem heard mentioned? It must to be of some importance."

The woman hadn't had it the man had said. Why kill this simple woman over it? Or was she a simple woman? Perhaps she was more than she appeared? How had she appeared? Mot had never seen her alive and now she was but a lifeless corpse. She didn't appear too well. What sort of stone was it? Was it a magic stone? Perhaps it was a rune stone or a gem stone? He really rather doubted that it would be a sling stone.

Mot's thoughts race. He himself kept a large pouch of many different gem stones. He loved to rub them and seem how the different kinds shone in different light. Sometimes alone he would dump them out into one big pile. Oh how they glittered and made his heart glad. Putting his hand into the pouch now he rubbed at one now wondering which it was that he held in his hand currently. It soothed him.

Glancing over at their auspicious group he could see furrows on the three councilors brows. Two Istari mages and two members of the Gnomish religious community all told together-- they would get to the bottom of this. He was sure they had magical means of augur available to them. Perhaps they would still be able to learn more and gain some guidance to what should be their next move. For his part, Mot was sure that this was not over yet. It just couldn't end like this.

Continuing to grin despite the group's sagging spirits his gaze moves from the councilors to the two other Gnomes crossing the whole group as he tries to lighten the mood once again...

"Okay.. okay. All right. Stop me if you heard this one... An Elf, a Dwarf, and a Half-Orc all walk into the Elfsong and sit at the bar. The Elf orders first-- a glass of Westgate Ruby. The Dwarf follows asking for a mug of Dragon's Breath. Lastly the Half- Orc requests a pint of Luskan Black. The Elf then turns to the..."

[Morndinsamman]

The day started like most any other. Wake up, stretch sore muscles, complain to Bakemono, laugh at his response, place normal allotment of wards to ensure arthritis is not as painful, nor as debilitating. Nerbert dressed and left the Tower, headed for Bentley's future Inn, to set about another round of protection duty.

Some business by the bulletinboard, and he was off, but not even a fifth of the way across the Chionthar, a young boy came looking for his mother, and that changed everything. Once the story was learned from the child, Peter, about his mother, Elenor's disappearance, he set out to find her. As she was to meet someone named Strickland by the riverside, he checked the south shores first, but only found evidence of anything odd by persuading a weasel with cheese to tell him what he had seen.

Once he knew that at least four men had been on the other side of the bridge, he hastened there and determined that there had been 4-6 men at a campfire that was at least a day cold. Fortune shone, however, for they poorly burned a map that brought Nerbert the information he needed. Where to continue his search.

Gathering many of his kin, they set out to determine what they could, and eventually found themselves in a very damp cave complex that Foggy later indicated had once been a thieves den. Even though it took some lying, which Nerbert didn't really approve of, they gained entrance into the inner sanctum, where Alice overheard someone saying the woman was dead. Magical energies swirled about, and a wind blew through the rooms, later proven to be a transportational spell.

Once the woman was dead, the mercenaries apparantly had no more use for the location, and were prepared to leave, as they had found the stone they were looking for. They did not count on Elenor's cunning. Nerbert had the final piece of the stone they sought in his possession, thanks to Peter. When the vile bandits learned of this, the fight was on. It was fierce, and three brave gnomes fell, with Nerbert almost visiting them on the Fugue himself. Thanks to the Sly One, the Earthfriend, the Luckmaiden, and the Lady of Mysteries, they prevailed.

Nerbert managed to restore life to everyone except Peter's mother, which put him in a horrible funk that many would take note of for the next few days. Only when he arranged to have peter cared for at Mercy Orphanage, and a collection of coin for the child's well-being was gathered by his kin, did he seem to cheer up even the slightest.

Those who know him well can still see it still weighs heavy upon the rock gnome's mind, as if he may have sworn a personal vendetta to avenge Elenor's death. Only time will tell.