In that case, Shi will sneak up behind the group as they are walking, and speak to the priest as he's walking along. "Pardon me, sir. But if I might I'd like to make a complaint about the Inn you just left. My name is Shi'Vatha, and they treated me rather rudely. I thought, you being a priest, you'd be the one to complain to. And here I was told by Montigue that I was to have a reservation there..." He then waits to see if the man recognizes his name, or at least, the name of the priest (Montigue) who sent him to meet someone. If not, he's not the guy Shi was to meet...
"So... It seems they want the "ringmaster" so that we can start the main show. Should we go get Simon so we can start this?" Zathyl says, currently picking up Slatha and the table after his little performance.
Scout says, "We may as well get Simon."
Simon smirks as he is pushed out of the building.
He returns to the group at the wagons.
"That did not go as planned..."
"Just in time. Group is needing announcer! Go, go! Tell them what is going on on stage!" Sergei urges Simon forward, and then remembers "Also, tiny friend of Simon is disappear. Invisible disappear. Mother Bobo is being asked to help."
"Really hope that doesn't have to do with what just happened... I have a bad feeling that it does..."
Simon facepalms before stepping behind the curtain. He clears his mind and straightens his posture, putting on a big smile before he exits onto stage.
"And that was our Scout's comedy routine. You'll see him later on. Now. We're going to take a short break before our show later on tonight. It will be spectacular, I promise."
Simon's address to the audience garners a round of applause and cheering, although as some of the crowd realizes that he just said that the show would be later they start calling for more entertainment immediately.
The crowd quiets down when the Thyrian priest and his soldiers push through, all of them armed. The soldiers line the front of the stage while the priest takes the stage. "There will be no show tonight until the thief in our midst has been found. A valuable piece of property has just been stolen from the church of Thyr and we have reason to believe that magic was involved. All of you are advised to report any suspicious findings to myself or one of my men immediately. I'm sure this circus troupe will be more than happy to lend their aid." His last line he delivers to the crowd with a smile, yet also with the slightest hint of a threat.
Anyone who bothered to check, would also notice that Veilwar is nowhere to be found.
"I didn't do it," Jack mumbles backstage, turning to Scout with a frightened look.
"Hm... This is troubling. What are the odds that something like this would happen on the day of our big break?... Anyway, with our show officially on hold, do you think we should bury Rictus or are they saying that we aren't allowed to leave the area? I wouldn't want them trying to pin anything on us due to a misunderstanding..."
Zathyl puts away the table that he set up earlier and then notices that Veilwar is gone again. Instead of pointing that out, he quickly looks around all the area for him.
Shi frowns as the priest continues on despite his polite cough, and he follows the priest into the circus tent. After the man speaks, he steps up to him again, this time putting his front paws on the man's stomach so his head is at head height with the priest. His forearms drape over the man's shoulders, and his muzzle is close enough to the man's face that he can smell the horseradish on his breath.
"I say again, Pardon me, sir. But, again, if I might I'd like to make a complaint about the Inn you just left. I shall repeat the complaint, which you seem to have missed when I told you a few moments ago on the street. My name is Shi'Vatha, and the innkeeper treated me rather rudely. I thought, you being a priest of Thyr, you'd be the one to complain to. I had been told it was a most excellent inn by my friend Barahil, and that I was to have a reservation there..." He then waits to see if the man responds this time.
Scout thinks, "This is strange. I wonder why that bozo would make a straight line to us. Is he the sort of weirdo who gets scared by clowns? Still, Tarrio disappeared and he is a definite wild card. Don't know him at all. And where did Veilwar get to?"
Scout whispers to Jack:"I haven't stolen anything since I joined this circus over 30 years ago. I'm pretty sure that nobody in our group did. Though I do wonder where Veilwar went. The other guys we linked up with yesterday I have no clue about, except for Tarrio who I would want to talk to about this. At any rate, let's go chat with Zathyl."
Before the priest can respond to Shi'Vatha, one of the Thyrian soldiers posted back at the inn comes running towards the stage. "Sir! The adventurers we hired have disappeared! All of their rooms are completely empty."
"Will nothing go as planned today?" the priest grumbles, "They must have teleported out. This and the diamond is enough cursed luck for the day. Let us see what horrible tidings this little one brings us..." He looks Shi'Vatha up and down, one eyebrow raised. "Barahil, you say? And who would you be?"
Meanwhile, Scout stumbles upon a hastily scrawled stuffed underneath a box nearby Veilwar's last sitting place.
investigating tarrio, will return
-Veilwar
Shi muzzle opens in a lopsided grin, and he nods. "Yes, Brahil. He ensured me I would have a room at that inn you are staying at, and the innkeeper was very rude. He promised me a reservation, said I might even meet some new friends if I stayed there, but the innkeeper threatened to have me arrested if I didn't leave because he said I was a dirty animal." She tilts his head thoughtfully. "I believe he also stole my gold piece that I put down as proof I could pay for the reservation... I thought a priest of Thyr would be interested in seeing that justice was done..." The eidolon stares deeply into Simon's eyes, wondering idly if the church of Thyr has never heard of discreetness in public. Given the current display, the Eidolon is fairly certain they have not. "And, as I said twice before, good priest, I am Shi'Vatha..."
Simon waits for the priest to finish speaking to Shi'Vatha before he interjects.
He smiles, not in his usual flirting way, but in a way of pleasant olive-branch-offering.
Scout takes the note and puts it in one of his pockets. He gestures to Jack to follow him and goes to talk to Zathyl.
Scout says, "I found a note that Veilwar left. He said he was going to check out Tarrio. Given that he's got a reasonable chance of doing that without getting noticed it might be a good idea to leave him to it. Our best bet for dealing with the obnoxious priest is probably going to be to let Simon handle it. However, while I know almost nothing of the government here, I didn't think it was a theocracy. Perhaps the priest is overstepping his authority? Maybe we should talk to the city guard about that."
"We're dealing with magic invisibility rings here. I'm suspecting Tarrio's hands might not be clean, in which case Veilwar could be in trouble. Or it could be those 'adventurers' might be implicated. Maybe Zathyl will be able to track our friend, or the stranger."
"I suggest that you take up the issue of money with the innkeeper or the city guard. We have larger problems on our hands than recovering a single gold piece. Problems which those adventurers would have helped solve for us in exchange for the diamond. The adventurers and diamond are now gone, but our problem still exists." The priest thinks a moment, then addresses Simon. "I must thank you for your offer, although recovering the diamond is a paltry matter in comparison to this larger task that befalls us. Perhaps this Shi'Vatha and yourself would be willing to gather the other members of your circus in one of these tents so that we may talk in private?"
"I will gather them, but I'm not sure what you'd need circus performers for."
Simon goes out to the other collected members of his troop, speaking with Shi'Vatha as he does so.
"I was going to offer you a place to sleep for the night as you were having trouble with the owner of that inn. It's no Six Candles, but there's always room in my tent. I'm Simon by the way."
"I'm sure that if he is indeed overstepping his authority that someone else will deal with him. I don't feel that its our place to make enemies here just yet... but if you really feel the need to ask them, don't make it seem like we're trying to step on his toes, okay. I may not be part of a clergy, but I know what happens when you upset the servants of the divine." Zathyl says kindly but warningly to Scout.
To Jack, Zathyl says, "I might be able to, but like I said before, the magic either needs to be very powerful or fresh for me to follow. If we do go after them, we need to decide quickly."
Shi'Vatha does a complete about face, dropping away from the priest. "Ah, yes, of course. My apologies for bothering you, silly request. Never mind..." The Eidolon turns away, as if the man were no more than a leaf on the wind, totally uninterested in him of a sudden.
When Simon approaches, the Eidolon seems mildly distracted. "My pardon? Oh, yes, well, thank you. It appears the... priest... thinks I am part of your troupe. I suppose it's an easy enough mistake to make... I am Shi'Vatha..." Once the Eidolon has walked with Simon far enough to get out of earshot of the Priest, he tilts his head. "Do you know if there is a Temple of Muir in the city? And I appreciate the offer, I may or may not take you up on it. I have some unfinished business that has just become a major issue that I must deal with first." He looks over his shoulder at the priest and his guards. "I would, if I were you, delay as long as possible gathering your people for this priest, and then I would, without letting on, assume he is less than truthful. If you can delay him long enough, I will attempt to return with someone that may be able to find the gold amongst the hay."
The Eidolon eyes the priest though slitted eyes, the way some might eye a side of beef to be butchered.
"Not magic. Tracks. Invisibility doesn't apply to footprints or scents, right? But if something strange is happening, we should wait for the rest to return."
Sergei sat and listened to all of the proceedings. Not altogether bright, and often quick to act... he had been relegated to guarding the wagon. As a direct result, he simply waited until the others drew close to him, or drew him to them... looking minorly baffled the entire time.
To Scout: "But why would tiny friend steal on his wedding day. Is worse luck than not having cow.."
Scout says to Sergei, "We haven't even known Tarrio for 2 whole days yet. It's hard to say how honest and trustworthy he is."
Turning to Jack, Scout says, "As most of the area here is paved, trying to track anybody by any means other than keeping them in sight is beyond my ability."
"I heard there was a temple in town, but I'm afraid I can't remember to whom it was dedicated. They seem abundant enough that they would be it. How long would this take? He just saw us, so it afraid any time at all would seem suspicious. I'm a rather good judge of character."
He pauses for moment before adding
"Usually... I think it would be best to just see what he has to say. And maybe if things don't work out as you plan, you'd care to join us? We have a place for those that don't quite fit in to the norm."
He smiles and lifts his hat just enough to show two white tufts on top of his otherwise black hair before straightening it again.
Shi'Vatha nods. "I'll try to return as quickly as possible."
Shi then heads out into the town, and ask if there are any temples in town of various people until he gets an answer (He's specifically looking for Muir or Thyr, but doesn't ask by name, just asks until someone mentions one of those two, or he has confirmation that neither has a temple in town).
With Shi and Simon gone, the priest begins to pace back and forth, flipping a copper coin between his fingers as he does so. In a minute, again a soldier comes running to his side. "No sign of the adventurers or the diamond, sir. Shall we report back?"
"Not just yet." Agitated, the priest barges into the nearest tent, or wherever the members of the Circus currently talk amongst themselves. "I must beg forgiveness from all of you on behalf of my very rude introduction. The truth is that the temple of Thyr finds itself in a time of great need and the stress laid upon me has taken its toll.
I am Reverend Mallory and these unfortunate circumstances have placed me in such a position where I must beg for your aid. Why enlist a band of circus performers you ask? I can tell from the, ahem, interesting composition of your troupe and the weather-worn wagons you travel in that you are no strangers to strangeness. This mission which I carry is one that will undoubtedly lead down us down many strange paths and for this reason I believe an alliance would be in both of our best interests. Although I cannot offer any reward now, I can promise many boons on behalf of the temple and if we together we are successful, perhaps a gift from the god himself."
Reverend Mallory stands before you, head bowed, arms up, and palms facing outward.
As soon as Barahil spots you he rushes to greet you, smiling warmly. "Back so soon, child of Muir? What news have you? Have you met with the Thyrians at Six Candles? I did not think they would arrive so soon?"
"Explain to Sergei what is 'Thyr'? Sergei is being from many mountains away, and would like to understand who he aids before he aids them."
-Posted with Wayfinder
-Posted with Wayfinder
"My big friend here brings up an interesting point. We are new to this land and we have yet to hear about the divinities worshiped here. Who or what is Thyr?" Zathyl asks curiously and politely.
Scout says, "Is it not obvious from the priest's actions? Surely Thyr must be the god of theft and extortion. The priest and his men have just robbed us of our chance to make our livelihood in our usual manner, and now he seems intent on trying to force us to undertake a task that a group of trained adventurers passed on. That regardless of the fact that he has armed men of his own to do his bidding."
"Er... That is..." Jack adds, trying not to step on toes, "Our learned puppet speaks true, some'at. If the thing is too dangerous for your armed guards, why would you ask us clowns 'n folk to fight it?"