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Ali took a breath steading herself. A she glanced at Ivy she felt calm and a small attachment to her begin. Shaking the feeling away she said, "My sister was kidnapped by a cult of human warlocks. They wore silver masks and purple cloaks. They said nothing once they entered the house. It was organized. They knew where every room was and how to cut of the escape roots. The only reason I escaped was jumping out a window." A tear rolled down her cheek. "My sister was supposed to be right behind me. As the dragged her away she kept screaming for me to run. I returned a few days later to find the house empty except for the corpeses of my mother and father. I grabbed what I needed and came here." She hurried the end wiping the tear from her cheek.

Atropa leant back in her chair. This was a complication but not an insurmountable. She looked at her companions they seemed a little green for this.
"We need more information... I'm going to talk to Geoff."
She stood and walked across to the bar.
"Atropa."
"What do you know?"
"Purple dye isn't cheap, even from the gnomes, and silver is the moon's metal."
"That's interesting. Do you know who they are?"
"There are a hundred races in this city each with a hundred cults... It will take me a while."
"Cheers."
She walked back to the table with new drinks for her companions.

"Geoff is looking into the cult for us... we might need to find a mage to cast a tracking spell, that could get expensive."
Atropa pinched the bridge of her nose in thought.
" I fear our best option might be to go to your home and see if we can pick up the trail from there."

Alia smiled at Ivy nodding her thanks and placed her hand on Ivy's grateful for the comfort. She accepted the drink Atropa brought taking a large chug.

"It's at least a five days ride. There is a stable that is holding my horse. I can easily buy two more unless either of you have a stead in wait." ,She explained, supplies for the ride are also easy enough to come by."

"It's soon going to be too hot to travel soon." Said Atropa. "Do you have anywhere to stay? because I could put you up in the embassy and we can head out once the temperature drops to a sane level."

"No, I was planning on renting a room for the night.", Alia said, "Ivy, what about you?"

"in that case I will meet you here two hours after noon." Said Atropa as she stood.
She walked out of the tavern, a dropping pouch of coins on the bar as she went.
Stepping outside was like stepping into an oven. She ducked from shadow to shadow. Her eyes were arching thanks to the glaring sun. There was a shaded court yard with a fountain where she paused to rest and decide where to go. Stripping she sat in the fountain to think. The Cysgod compound was quite a way away still. The Hiäen embassy was much nearer, and nominally friendly or at least non-hostile. She quickly dressed and headed to the Ice Elves' layer.

Alia decided to look around town and prepare for the journey. She bought supplies, less suspicious traveling clothes, and two short curved blades. She wandered the city exploring and taking in the views before heading back to the tavern. There she waited for the other two to arrive.

Atropa had spent the heat of the day studying the vaulted ceiling of the converted ice-house that was serving as the Hiäen embassy. It was almost cold down there but the few ice elves were all surly and wearing as little as modesty allowed. She thanked her host and made her way to her quarters in the Cysgod embassy. As much as it pained her to hide her tattoos she adopted the dress of the desert nomads. Once dressed she checked her equipment. The fine Gnomish rifle was her prized possession. How she had acquired it was a secret she kept even from her closet kin. Once she was happy she headed to talk to the chief bard.
The chief bard was topless as usual the tattoos below his eyes marked him a her senior. He looked at her and smiled.
"Atropa, heading out in the wasteland?" He asked.
"Oscan, my dear friend I do as the Ri Cysgod has commanded me. It takes me beyond the walls for now. I need a map to the homestead of the Silversmiths five days from here."
"Croen glân, go and get the map of the silver mountains."
A girl who only bore the house tattoo bow and scurried of to another room."
Atropa gave Oscan and inquiring look.
"She is my niece; I committed to fostering her before the Ri Cysgod sent me here."
The returned holding the map. Atropa took the map and placed it in her pack.
"Thank you dear friend." Said Atropa.
"May he who walks the shadows protect you."
"And may the lord of song ever be with you."

She swept through the city with out catching a glance. She comes to a stable where she arranges for six horses and two pack mules to meet them at the gates. Her business done she headed to the tavern.

The tavern was virtually empty when she entered. The bar staff was still scrubbing down the tables, dragging the remaining drunks to one side. Geoff was not behind the bar in his stead was a rotund human polishing a glass.
"Is Geoff in?"
"No; he's... elsewhere."
"Well when he comes back tell him Atropa was looking for him and that I'm likely to be away for two weeks."
He nodded his assent.
She found a seat from which could observe the doors and waiting for the others to arrive.

Alia bounced in excited to begin their journey. She sat be Atropa smiling her greeting. She watched the door waiting for the last to arrive.

" Alia, you are a breath of fresh air. You remind me of my niece."
She smiled at her companion.
"You ever ridden long distance?"

"Thank you." She blushes slightly. "A few trips. Father would have us visit all the mines every few years. We would check the condition of the towns and the mines." She goes quiet at the bittersweet memories. "Tell me about your niece." She turn her attention to Atropa.

"Nephra is in here time of choosing; the time between being accepted into the House and adopting your marked..." She pauses and looks off to one side. "I'm not sure quite how you humans would describe it; she is no longer considered a child but is not a full adult."
Leaning back in her chair she smiles.
"Whilst my path is understood to be necessary we Hunters are not popular; so I'm not called on to look after my younger kin but you tell a Croen glân not to do something... my first tryst was with a Llead. It was exiting breaking all the taboos..." A wistful look crossed her face.
"Anyway; Nephra would sneak out to come out when I hunted for the equinox feasts. She made it so much harder but knowing that it would upset my sanctimonious bitch of a good sister made. The fact she was a fantastic singer also made the nights much easier to endure. "