(RP) Puzzles and Codes and Sultans, Oh My!

[Fanny Firebottom]

Fanny paced back and forth across the room. As she walked from wall to wall papers fluttered and curled around her feet like flower petals caught in a breeze. "It's here," she said aloud, "I know it's here, I just have to see it."

Parchments, papers and small notebooks from the provisioner covered every available space in the tavern. Puzzles, cyphers, passwords, codes and clues, things written in numbers, things written in other languages and newspaper clippings were all laid out.

"Hm.... see it in a different way..." She hopped up onto the bar standing there and surveying the room in her socks for several moments before cartwheeling into a handstand. Now it was just an upside-down mess.

Firebottom flipped off the counter and landed on a stack on notes. Too much. Too much information, too many things at once... all connected and not at the same time – it was maddening.

Lords Cauthon and Caleb, Mornwok-Morrow, Akron, assassins, artifacts, Lady Vasheri, sultans and orphans.., crazed magicians. Better to pick one thing and follow that through then trying to solve it all, which brought her back to crazed magicians....Balandar.

Morrow and him. Were they in cahoots? She started digging through piles of paper looking for it...

 

[Lord Gareth]

*Peeps in the window* Well if this is what the "Path" leads to I forfeit *Tacks a message with a list of names to the door*

Identified Ghosts/Remains
You see: Alphonse (Guardian)
You see: Zackariah Epson (Guardian)
You see: Jasper Amender (Guardian)
You see: Petra Vash (Guardian)
You see: Cornelius Tamren (Guardian)
You see: Bryant the Trainee (Guardian)
You see: Broderick the Trainee (Guardian)
You see: Hobir The Gallant (Guardian)

I Wish you the best of luck and have every confidence you will eventually make sense of everything and solve the mystery of Gwen Irina' baby-daddy little cousin is from Paws...that's what we were trying to solve right?

 

[WarderDragon]

She had no warning.

He approached from the shadows, moving across the floor with his cool, arrogant swagger. The familiar scent of peppermint and sandalwood wafted across her nostrils, as the tight leather that bound his legs came into full view. He was a beast of a man, tall and broad shouldered, standing as high as she could reach with her arms outstretched, and in her crouched position, he towered over her, his shadow sliding up across her form.

He stopped, the sole of his boot standing upon one of the papers she had just been reading. “Still up to your old tricks, I see.”

 

[Mirt]

Wanders in with his bow in his hand. Fanny why are there always people wandering in on you like this. How many times do you need to be reminded to lock your door.

 

[whiterabbit]

Ozog sneaks in behind Mirt .Sneaks bewteen himz legs and sinks himz teeft into the strargers leg.

 

[WarderDragon]

He craned his head back as the teeth sunk into his thigh, a hiss between his teeth, and a command, “Harder.”

The pale haired stranger stepped past the girl as the goblin bobbed on his leg, those cold, almost inhuman eyes drifting absently up her figure and to the man with the bow. “And this is how these adult novels get started. Two men showing up for the girl at the same time,” dark amusement radiated across his features, as he stepped forward and faced the man, apparently having no concept of personal space. “These friends of yours?”

 

[whiterabbit]

He craned his head back as the teeth sunk into his thigh, a hiss between his teeth, and a command, “Harder.”

The pale haired stranger stepped past the girl as the goblin bobbed on his leg, those cold, almost inhuman eyes drifting absently up her figure and to the man with the bow. “And this is how these adult novels get started. Two men showing up for the girl at the same time,” dark amusement radiated across his features, as he stepped forward and faced the man, apparently having no concept of personal space. “These friends of yours?”

YOOS LEBES HERZ ALONE HERZ BEEE MEES AND PITMUCKERS FRIEND

 

[Lady CaT]

Do what I did Fanny! Gather up all those papers, parchments and notebooks and walk right over to the hearth! Personally I'm hoping they all kill each other.

 

[Ashlynn_L]

Ashlynn looked around the ruin that was her home. It wasn't so bad. Though mold grew everywhere and various kinds of fungus made their home in every hole and crack, it was actually quite comfortable most of the time. Except when the wooden shingled roof swelled and leaked during rainstorms. And when it grew horribly cold during winter months. Ashlynn hated the cold. Mind you, she hated the warm months too. Far too hot. And bright may I add.

Still, the previous evening's event had been pretty interesting she thought.

"Well not really. But what was Lady Vasheri's business there?"

There wasn't anyone of note besides. Not that she saw in anycase. Mostly rich merchants. No court viziers, no ambassadors or important diplomats not from Britannia, Tokuno or beyond...

"Well Morrow was there. Mind you it's not like he's welcome anywhere else. No lands and all that. Must have some use to the Sultan though. Maybe his magic. Pretty sure they aren't interested in his abilities as an assassin though."

There were a number of strangers there, but most weren't dressed in the usual formal attire. Skittering about suspiciously, some of them were awfully close to other members of the court. Who knows why. All a little too suspicious.

"Much too suspicious if you ask me. A few hateful eyes as well."

Of course then Lady Fanny appeared with her book. Equally adept at remaining out of sight at times, that book she had was very... interesting. Well, somewhat explicit too. But interesting. There was certainly no copy to be found in the Silent Rose Library, not that Ashlynn could think of anyway.

"I may have to ask if I can borrow it at some point. In between finding out what is going on of course."

 

[Mirt]

I should say I am her friend. But at this point I am also serving as a protector. One that wishes she would lock her door to make my job easier. As for the goblin... well Ozog has a unique skill for being in the right place at the right time when someone needs biting. Also he brings Ice Cream so he really is good to have a round.

 

[Fanny Firebottom]

Firebottom didn't hear the stranger come in for she was far too engrossed in trying to decipher her own handwriting in the margins of a notebook. She jumped at the sound of his voice and looked up just in time to see Mirt stride through doorway.

"Lock the door," she looked at him curiously, "why would anyone lock their doors?" It was a strange concept to her, well quite honestly, sleeping indoors was a strange concept too.

Her head turned as a flash of green shot through his legs and charged toward the stranger. A low hiss escaped his lips and Ozog hung there teeth buried in his knee.

She stood and ruffled his ears, planting a kiss between them and whispered, "Next time go for the arse," winked and walked across the room.

Parts of what the stranger was saying drifted over to her but she wasn't really paying attention. ...."Adult novel..."

"OH!" she yelled, startling herself, "thank you for reminding me!"

The two men turned to face her. The tall, pale one oblivious to the goblin now hanging from the seat of his pants. Fanny grabbed the book Lady Ashlynn had been interested in borrowing. In fact, Fanny herself had found it in the library of the Sultan. It lay hidden behind a row of books in the extensive library at the palace and was so old the dust seemed to be imbedded in the leather cover. The Kama Sutra for Dummies. She had flipped through it quickly, apparently it was some kind of picture book. But, as long as she was headed back to Britain to check something for the millioneth time, she would drop this off with the scribe to copy.

Tall and pale picked something off a table. "Mm...klim, dearb, rettub," he drolled in one monotone, "another one of your codes, elf?" He makes disinterest an artform she thought to herself.

Fanny tried standing on tiptoe to look over his shoulder then gave up and ducked under his arm. Why did that sound familiar? She looked at the paper, cocked her head and flipped it. "Shopping list!"

"TO BRITAIN! Who's coming?" Firebottom grabbed her pack, some blank notebooks and quills and marched to the door yanking it open. A note tacked there fluttered in the temporary breeze.

"Uh, Fanny..." Mirt was saying, "you may want to..you know.." He was pointing.

Firebottom quickly scribbled Valus and Helena across the bottom of the note and turned to look at Mirt.

"You're right! How could I forget something that important?"

Fanny ran back inside and grabbed her special hat tamping it down on her head. She grinned at Mirt and headed out of the tavern door into the cool night air.

 

[WarderDragon]

He cocked a single brow, his eyes drifting absently to her so-called protector. "After you," he gestured.

 

[Mirt]

Thank you and grab some pants for her on the way out. Getting that girl to wear armor is the toughest thing I am ever going to do.

 

[WarderDragon]

The Hunter curled his lip into a smirk. "She won't," he intoned dryly, "Apparently it's some sacred covenant between the Firebottoms and the Merrylegs. The two agreed to never wear pants into battle." He craned his head back, and then the side, popping the vertebrae into place before stepping out into the rain.

"Well, let's get to it."