"I say we head to Digory and Claremonde's first. If he is as grumpy as they say, lets get that out of the way first."
"Aye. Sounds like the place to start."
"Who knows, maybe some uninvited guests will improve his mood," Wolf-Eyes adds. "'Specially a motley crew accusin' him o' theft."
.
With all in agreement, the group heads out to visit the cottage of Digory Norion.
Following the directions given by the Firths, you find a dilapidated cabin at the far south tip of the village. a badly rusted plow sits off to the side and the sagging roof is choked with moss and lichen. Outside the house a woman in her early thirties toils away in a weed choked vegetable garden. She stops her work as you approach, leaning on her hoe and eyeing you suspiciously.
As usual, Kee-rik hangs back and lets the others make first contact. He is looking around carefully to see if there are any other people about, what's growing in the garden, any animals acting unusually, or anything that might be out of the ordinary.
Dolph also lays back, waiting for one of the more diplomatic members of the group to take the lead. Silion wasn't here, these folk didn't know him.
A parched tumbleweed blows through the yard...
Raidh looks to her friends, then at the working woman.
"Goody Norion? Claremonde? Good day to thee."
Claremonde wipes sweat from her brow and nods suspiciously. And g'day to you. What do you want? she asks shrewishly
"I'm Raidh, of the Angharads. My friends and I are looking to talk to Digory. Is he around?"
Phht. How much does he owe you? Before anyone can answer, she calls over her shoulder. Digory! Get out here!
A slouching dark haired man emerges from behind the cabin, hatchet in hand. Stop yer caterwall'in woman! That wood pile won't cut i'self, I ... he trails off as he catches sight of the group assembles before him. What's going on? he asks his wife, but she just shrugs and goes back to weeding the garden.
"There's been some strange doin's afoot in town," Wolf-eyes replies. "An' it looks like a Norion was involved - or someone with a similar taste in jewelry."
Digory scowls. Don't know what you're talking about, but no one round here has any time to get up to no good.
Claremond lets out another phht! at this but doesn't comment further.
Yep, that's one of the family rings alright. So a Norion is in some sort of trouble and you floks think it must be me eh? My brother Galit send you here? It don't matter, that doesn't prove nothing. We've all got one. He holds up a meaty hand as proof, a silver ring identical to the one Wolf-eyes is holding glittering on his finger.
"Everyone in your family has one of those fancy rings? Have you seen anyone missing theirs?"
Raidh nods as Dolpho asks the question. "This is more than a question of any tomfoolery or wrongdoing Digory - lives are at stake. More lives than possibly any of us want to think about. When did you see your brother or cousin last - the way I see it, if, to your knowledge none of them have had their ring stolen, they might have lost more than a ring recently."
"Any information you can give us is very important goodman Digory. This one would not alarm you, but that ring was still on a hand when we found it... A hand, and nothing else."
Digory scratches his chin a moment then says, Its got to be Galit and his strumpet of a wife.. Lost a hand you say? Ha! Would serve that thief right, it would. Now I've got work to do, so unless you plan on staying and chopping firewood, go on and leave us be. As you can see, everybody here's got both their hands, and our precious rings.
"Good enough for me. I say we check Galit's place... [here Raidh turns to go, then turns back] Just one thing Digory - "thief" you say - care to elaborate on why you use that term for your older brother? He hang about with Lorin at all"
Because he is. Digory says matter of factly. Everybody knows he cheated me out of my share of the inheritance.
Dolph nods at the couple. "Well, much obliged for your talking to us. I suppose we know where we need to go next!"
Sense Motive on the man's story
Dolph gets the sense that Digory isn't withholding information or trying to be deceitful
Sure, I guess. They're family Digory responds sarcastically.
If the others were ready, Dollph bids farewell to the family and heads to Galit's place.
Kee-rik didn't have anything to say. And I guess he didn't notice anything.
The group takes their leave of south-side Norians and heads to the north end of the village to visit Galit and Alice. Their home is large and comfortable looking. It is also empty. It is late afternoon and Galit and Alice, along with most working folk in Eiren are out in the fields, unlikely to return until near dusk.
Before departing with the rest, Wolf-Eyes says to Digory:
"If'n either o' your kin come calling missin' a ring - or a hand for that matter - we're stayin' at the Greenbriar. We'd be much obliged if you let us know."
At Galit's place:
"Do we wait for 'em here, or try to find 'em? If Galit's half as pleasant as his brother I wouldn't 'spect him to take too kindly to findin' us darkenin' his doorstep."
"This one would prefer to solve this mystery sooner, rather than later. We should seek them out in the fields."
Dolph nods. "Any of you good trackers? If we aren't going to wait here, let's get to finding them. The longer we wait, he further away the book gets from us."
Erien is small and close knit and it only takes a few questions to track down Galit and Alice as the toil in the fields of Lord Wrothe.
The couple appear to be a few years older than Digory and Claramonde, and are happy to take a break from their work to answer your questions. You're Silion's old apprentice right,Galit asks, offering a hand in greeting to Dolph.
Alice smiles at Morgtii. And you must be Morgy. We haven't met, but Agnes and our other children are all very fond of you.
Husband and wife have all their hands attached, but you note that Galit is not wearing any rings.
Dolph nods at the man as he begins speaking with him. "I am indeed, funny thing you should mention Silion. He has sent us out here to investigate a break in at his library recently. This was found at the site," Dolph says as he produces the ring for the man to notice. He waits before saying anything else, waiting for the response.
Galit listens to Dolph and looks over the ring. Yep that's one of the family rings. Its Digory's isn't it?
Dolph looks pointedly at Galit's bare ring finger, and after a momentary blank look, the big farmer takes his meaning. Oh, my ring! Its here He fishes his ring out of a pocket and fits it on his beefy finger. Don't wear it while I'm working He adds sheepishly.
At this point his wife Alice pipes up. I can't believe any Norion would risk tarnishing the family's good name by stooping to burglary - not even Digory. There must be some mistake
"We have actually already talked to Digory. You mind telling us how you know this one is his? He had a ring that looked really similar to this when we spoke to him."
Raidh makes a show of seeming unimpressed or unconvinced by the pair's performance, if this is a performance. She interjects.
"Huh. Well, isn't that interesting. [here looks tellingly to her gathered companions] Seems like one of you isn't telling the whole truth. And, might I add, Digory had a few less than pleasant things to say about you. [pauses] Though, to be completely honest, Digory's wife had a few unkind words for him as well. I guess the wearing of crested rings is a...difficult business. At least keeping them on one's finger is difficult."
Galit looks at Raidh a little lost, not quite understanding the implied accusation. His wife Alice is quicker on the uptake though.
Oh, in the name of the Goddess! she snaps. You can't possibly think Galit had anything to do with this! Here, look. She snatches the ring out of Dolph's hand and tries to jam it on her husband's finger. It does not fit.
There, that settles the issue I should think. She tosses the ring back to Dolph.
Actulayy mum, says a timid young voice. A girl about twelve in a simple homemade dress and carrying a bushel basket of apples has come up behind the Norions. I think I know who's ring that is.
Hush now Agnes. Don't go poking your nose into grown-up business. Alice says.
.
Kee-rik looks at the girl with interest. If the girl looks back, Kee-rik makes a funny face.
Agnes giggles at Kee-rik
Wiggling his antennae in a complicated (and rather silly looking) set of gestures, Morgtii greets Agnes.
Hello, Agnesfriend! It has been some time since this one has seen your smiling face! Perhaps we can leave these big ones to talk and go see if your siblings need any help with their chores?
Okay! Agnes darts away before her parents can object, leaving her mother sighing in exasperation and Morgtii jogging to keep up.
Alice turns her attention back to Dolph and the others. Look the Norions are good folk. Despite what some of them may think about each other, she looks pointedly at Galit ,who "harumphs" and looks at his toes, no one would do something to tarnish the family's good name like that - even Digory.
As Agnes rejoins the other three Norion children gathering apples from the orchard, she explains to Morgtii about the ring. That ring Mister Santiwale was showing to Daddy, it belongs to cousin Walcott. I know because one time him and me were out climbing the rocks near Beck's bluff and he fell. He was okay, but he put a big nick in his ring. He was scared Uncle Lorin, that's his dad, would be upset so he told me not to tell, but he's been a big jerk this summer, so I don't care any more about keeping his stupid secret.
"Ot course we apologize for any misunderstandings. But there are questions that had to be asked once the ring was found. I'm sure you understand. Silion needs answers to who broke into his place..."