Lords of Norwold - On the Road Again
by Jeff Daly"Feober's House of Finding", read Riordan, "Let's try this one!"
Count T grimaced, "I don't see why it won't be any different from the 20 or so other Houses of Finding. City full of mages and not a blasted one can cast."
Entering the establishment, the two adventurers took a casual note of the silk pillows, divans, and tapestries. A man in silk robes reclined on one of the divans, being served by two lovely ladies.
"Yes? May I help you?"
"Are you a diviner?"
The man smirked, "I trust you've never heard of the great Feober?"
"Are you a diviner?"
"I am a diviner."
Count T nodded, businesslike, "We have need of your services. Can you find a man for us?"
"I'm afraid my talents don't run that way."
T sighed, "And what way, prithee, do your talents run?"
"I specialise in finding small items in a close area."
"What use is that?"
Feober sneered, "Well I should say a great lot of use, if you are a man who has lost his wedding ring, and the wife will be teleporting home any minute."
T simply stared back for a moment, "Hokay, thanks, be seeing you."
"I'm about ready to give up," remarked Riordan as they exited the establishment.
"Me too. We told everyone we would meet at the front gates in another hour. I was sure we could find a diviner by this time. One more place..."
This last place was a shabby dwelling, at the very end of Mage's Avenue. Apparently the entire street consisted of mages who had studied at some college or other, but only for a ridiculously short time.
The dark, one-story building smelled of incense. After their eyes adjusted to the darkness and the smoke, T could make out a somewhat overweight man in cotton robes, leaning against a table and staring back at them.
"We need a diviner," T said carefully.
The man smiled a little, "Well, you either know a thing or two how to look, or you have methodically checked every two-bit hedge wizard along this street."
T smirked, "We needn't get into that."
He laughed, "What can I do for you?"
T could now make out the pure white skin and black hair that marked this man as one of the less common of Alphatian races. Spots of grease marked his robes, perhaps explaining why he chose a material other than the silk one saw so often on Alphatian wizards.
"We are trying to find someone. Follow him, rather..."
"Oh? Do you have a piece of his body?"
"We have a bracelet."
"Too bad. Body parts always work best. Well, let's see it."
T handed the bracelet over.
"How long did the fellow own this?"
"We're not sure. We don't think it was long. He gave it to a lady in our party."
"Oh. Well...that's not so good either. I shall do what I can...for 500 gold."
The money was exchanged, and the spell cast.
"Here it is. I am not sure the duration or range, so follow him as quickly as you can. I do not know if this man is a friend of yours, or an enemy, and quite frankly, I don't want to know. Just realise that murder and thievery do not exist in Alphatia. The law here is far too good at catching and interrogating."
T looked dubious, "I'll remember
that."