Excerpt from the Rook Times. (update 11-25)

- "Well, whatever force or group or whatever is causing these disappearances is likely well outside of any legal rights it may have. At least, that's my hunch. Now, can you force caster types to, say, pool their energy to create a large magical power? If so... That could spell some huge trouble if that's the endgame."

- "Even so, Joy, I can smell you. At least, now I know your scent, so there won't be any of these shenanigans while I'm around."

Urist continues about his tasks oblivious to the news. He doesn't learn about it until he enters the Golden Plow, as he does every day, looking for work. Its seems to be all the talk among the patrons. Between what he overhears and a quick conversation with the barmaid, Urist gets the gist of the conversation -- namely that casters are disappearing and nobody knows why. Urist contemplates the situation as he finishes his drink. Then gets up and checks the job board. Nothing catches his eye and so he pays for his drink and leaves.

While the missing casters is unfortunate -- especially for the missing casters -- it doesn't effect Urist and he has more pressing concerns. Even before he gets to the door his mind returns to other topics and the plight of the casters is all but forgotten as he goes on about his day.

Zakryk walks into the Golden Plow after being unsuccessful in his search (mostly because he has no idea where to look and no rapport with the community).  He decides to try listening in on conversations again.  Zakryk sits somewhere within earshot of Drakovan, thinking he looks important enough, but not knowing for sure.  (EDIT: Noticed Drakovan was invisible, sorry about that.)

Drakovan breaks invisibility when he sees Crunch enter the room. After listening to what he has to say, the Drow responds "No, but read this." Drakovan then places the day's newspaper in front of Crunch.

"I've not heard of any others from that group being on the move, so it's hard to tell what this means... but if even a magic user with the strength to take on a God is taken, we have little hope..."

- "We don't know for sure the circumstances of this 'Rainen's' disappearance. Also, you may want to mask your scent in addition to your visuals. I could tell you were here as easily as you noticed me. We cannot be too careful in these times. What the hell happened to this man... I most certainly hope he is still on the side of Rook. As for yourself, did anyone notice you come here? I may look like a freak, but I look nothing like a caster. You, on the other hand, almost literally wreak of magic. Your components and magical aura make you far too noticeable, even while invisible."

Crunch looks over his shoulder into the corner of the main room of the plow and notices Zakryk listening in nonchalantly. Crunch addresses him as follows:

- "Hey, this is a, uh... private conversation. Unless you have business with one of us, of course."

Zakryk steps forward once Crunch and Drakovan notice him.

"Hi, I was also concerned about mages disappearing, but I haven't been able to find anything else out, so I came here."

Zakryk then turns to Drakovan, to respond to his Message spell. "I used to have some magic, but it hasn't worked for me lately. Maybe that issue of mine spared me from being taken, but I don't know what will happen once I get my power back..."

Trouble in rook in always expected you cant always keep track of it all. I had heard about the mages disappearing but Rainen going missing is a red flag and then some. When you do what him and the others did to themselves for the sake of power they get it and very few people around could take one of them out without leaving a leveled city around them. Then again, Naya disappeared rather suddenly too, no warnings there either.

I sip my drink, planning my next step. No real point in going to the plow yet, adventurers gossip like a sewing circle and there would be no telling what was true or false. Sure there were a few reliable people that hung out there and Big Duade was always fun but the place was always a bit of a shithole, the default adventurer bar because it was the only place low enough on the rungs of society that it couldn't turn them out. It was time to go talk to them again. Sighing, I stand to gather my things. Cloak, rings, bracers and The Blade. Damned creepy ass sword had been awfully quite lately. Well no telling what the thing was up too until tried a hostile take over again.

Who to go to though. I'm not certain how to track down Baldur. Naya is just gone. Lorek is to paranoid to let any info he did know about this slip. Ben, I shudders as memories of glossy scales a long neck and to many teeth flash in my mind, Ben could wait for last if at all. As always Miere is the most reliable one left, even though he should feel off putting something about his demeanor always seemed to make Faelyn feel fine, at least until he got home. Or... not. None of them then, at least not yet. For now, time to hit the streets and see if any of my contacts know anything. Then the Plow, save them for another day. Elise isn't home from teaching yet. I'll stop by and see if she won't stay at Falcon Crest for the a bit. If they are targeting mages I'm in the sweet spot of strong enough to matter but not strong enough to own my own demiplane, which might make us a target. First the streets then the Plow, and if I'm lucky I won't need to talk to them at all. Yea, right.


(Would I be able to make a gather information check on whats going on before heading to the plow or is this a no rolls yet kind of deal? If I can then, |rHgesNN1d20+1d6+20

Dragon: By gathering information (check=41) you notice many trends. The first is that mages that have been killed recently are a little bit on the stronger side (4-6 HD), but the mages that have been reported missing are exclusively on the weaker side (1-3HD). Another pattern that you discover is that Rook's funds dedicated to adventurers are being redirected towards other purposes with no information as to what. You also notice that trade between more magically inclined cities (Such as trade through the portal, Freygate and Nyhavn) have decreased, and finally, you discover that there have been an increased amount of travelers leaving Rook by small caravans, with no similar increase in travel back in to Rook.

Loxard: You almost immediately find that the rook guard has been doing the exact same.

((I'm definitely going to need to do some thinking about those facts irl so for now I will also be heading to the guard to talk to the person in charge of the investigations. Also I want too talk to Bergstein and see what he knows, specifically I want to ask about funds for hiring adventurers being cut.))

The guard reaction to adventurer's prying about the events is remarkably negative. Any adventurer who has worked with the guard in the past will know that the guard is usually much more helpful as adventurer's are known for happily accepting even the most suicidal of tasks.

Commander Bergstein is apologetic, stating that his superiors are pressuring him to do certain unnamed things. He refuses to elaborate.

Drakovan invisibly enters into the Plow, returning to the back room. Hearing cleru on his way in, he responds as he breaks invisibility, "Yes, it certainly has. Apologies for my tardiness, I had some... business to take care of with our findings last night. Everything is cleaned up though..." Drakovan grins malevolently, "I assure you."

Drakovan shakes his head, "It would seem the hamlet of Nyhavn is taking in adventurers who choose to move there. Outside of that, I have no useful information. I'm reasonably sure the guard wishes to keep what information they know to themselves... or at least within a sufficiently powerful circle."