[WSUCougar]

Down the hall and but a few thick doors removed from the members of the quest, hands clenched tightly behind his back, Lord Pelspin paced edgily about the broad reaches of a brightly-lit chamber. A Prytian of some high standing, he was known in noble circles for his wayward ideas, a smoldering temper, and deep ponderings of olden history. All three familiar notions held true to form now.

“Stolen! The damn copy has been filched from this very residence! And we’ve no idea who’s responsible…Rhyllans…Cranstonians…common thieves…I know not.”

Vasheliave shifted in his chair, trying to keep the mud on his riding boots from spreading any further to the luxurious wine-colored carpet which graced most of the floor. A trusted captain and jack-of-all-trades long in the service of House Pelspin, he had been summoned from the principal estate deeper in central Prytia to this border residence in the middle of the night. He was tired and sore, but he knew from his liege-lord’s mood that he’d get little rest until an investigation was begun.

“I will start an inquiry immediately, my lord,” Vasheliave said tentatively. This was not the only concern, of course. The adventurers housed elsewhere in the building were another, perhaps greater one, and he knew this was a potentially-touchy subject to broach. He hesitated before finally asking, “A delicate point, my lord, but…can we trust the company that’s assembled for the quest?”

Lord Pelspin halted in his paces, placed his hands on his hips, and exhaled deeply. This was not the angry outburst of emotion Vasheliave had feared, and he, too, exhaled a bit to himself in relief.

“I’ve no choice, Vash,” the nobleman said quietly, using a familiar name for his captain-of-arms. “The old Kir monk brought the whole matter to me, so I’ve no reason to doubt him, and the Prytians I’ve no real qualms with; Mavirr, the bard, has a local reputation of sorts, Baldar is a wizard but seems true to his native blood, and the paladin was hand-picked for this task. The dwarf, however, is a foreigner and a definite unknown…his origins might well be shady. And then there’s the Wemic. Whatever you wish to say about Wemics, I can’t see them conspiring with the enemies of Prytia in such a manner. And he has yet to even make contact with the quest…”

Vasheliave stood to address his lord directly. “I take it, then, you’ve committed to do this thing? To undertake the quest?”

“Aye,” said Pelspin, with the tired suggestion of a smile. “They must leave forthwith, however. I had hoped for more preparation, more time, but this…this debacle forces my hand. They will depart in the morning and make contact with the Wemic. See that they are prepared. I will speak to them first. They are probably getting restless as we speak.”