(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest

[Kasu]

> "I see...  Are there any places in particular you frequent?  It would be best to start with those and fan outwards into the normal areas after."

[DracoOmega]

> "I see...  Are there any places in particular you frequent?  It would be best to start with those and fan outwards into the normal areas after."

>"Well... we sometimes go for walks around the neighborhood, or down around Artisan's Loop or Mercer's Row. I love window shopping. There's always so many wonderful things to see. Welwyn's is having this wonderful sale on Val Razuan brocades right now, did you know that?"

[Kasu]

> Do we have any particular penchant for Val Razuan brocades?
> "I didn't know that.  But back to the topic at hand, did anything odd or suspicious happen at all before or after Sokrates disappeared?"

[DracoOmega]

> Do we have any particular penchant for Val Razuan brocades?
> "I didn't know that.  But back to the topic at hand, did anything odd or suspicious happen at all before or after Sokrates disappeared?"

>You doubt you could even identify them as such, at a glance. Fabric isn't really your area.
>"Nope," she replies. "He was there, and then he was gone. I looked around, but I couldn't see him anywhere at all."

[Kasu]

>  "Hmmm...  Well I suppose it would be best to get on this right away then."
> "Ah!  I don't believe I caught your name Miss...?"

[DracoOmega]

>  "Hmmm...  Well I suppose it would be best to get on this right away then."
> "Ah!  I don't believe I caught your name Miss...?"

>The girl nods enthusiastically. "That's so kind of you. I'm sure Sokrates is scared and misses his home."
>"Ellen," she says, smiling. "Nice to meet you."

[Kasu]

> Smile.
> "A pleasure to meet you too Ellen."
> Unless any voices object to ending it here, bid Ellen adieu and head for a look around the neighborhood to see if we can find some more info.

[Hello Purvis]

>"One more question, have you noticed any places he seems to especially like going to when you are out and about? Oh, and does he get along well with other cats?"
>Pause for a moment.
>"Do you have a picture I could borrow?"

[DracoOmega]

> Smile.
> "A pleasure to meet you too Ellen."
> Unless any voices object to ending it here, bid Ellen adieu and head for a look around the neighborhood to see if we can find some more info.

>You return the pleasantry. Ellen smiles back at you.

>"One more question, have you noticed any places he seems to especially like going to when you are out and about? Oh, and does he get along well with other cats?"
>Pause for a moment.
>"Do you have a picture I could borrow?"

>"No, I don't think so..." she says. "And he's a little shy around other cats, I think, but I take good care of him so it's all okay~"
>"You want a picture? That's so sweet. He really is an adorable cat, isn't he? Here," she says, handing you the picture she showed you earlier. "If you can find him, I don't mind you having it. I'm sure Sokrates would be happy, too. Even a mouse cares about him, isn't that sweet?"

[Sect]

> Mouth twitches. "Yeah, sure, it's sweet."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Is what we have enough to go on for sensing Sokrates' location?

[DracoOmega]

> Mouth twitches. "Yeah, sure, it's sweet."

>You try to reply as graciously as you can manage, though a twitch escapes just the same. Ellen smiles; you don't think she catches the subtext.

>Is what we have enough to go on for sensing Sokrates' location?

>A cat is a fairly mundane being, certainly nothing that would trip your treasure sense. If you had something strongly associated with him and those dowsing rods you've been trying to save up for, you might be able to get a direction, but as it stands there isn't much you can do in that regard. However, there may be more mundane means of tracking him.

[Hanged Hourai]

> How is our sight, smell, and hearing compared to that of an average person? Especially smell, is it proficient enough to track something with it?

[DracoOmega]

> How is our sight, smell, and hearing compared to that of an average person? Especially smell, is it proficient enough to track something with it?

>Compared to a human, your sight is only average, but your hearing is very keen. Your sense of smell is also a fair bit better than a human's, but you're not sure it's up to the task of tracking a specific cat unless you were already pretty close to it.

[Hello Purvis]

>If we showed the picture around to various mice, could we expect them to recognize it? Or do they not really note differences in cats?

[DracoOmega]

>If we showed the picture around to various mice, could we expect them to recognize it? Or do they not really note differences in cats?

>You think most of them would be able to note obvious differences. They mightn't be able to tell two white cats apart, but they wouldn't confuse a white cat for, say, a calico. And given many cats' typical reaction to mice, you don't imagine it's something they would overlook, if they'd been near it.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Your Sokrates, ...he's not a mouser, is he?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Your Sokrates, ...he's not a mouser, is he?"

>"A... what?" She frowns. "Oh no, he wouldn't hurt a soul, not Sokrates. Nope." She shakes her head.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, good."
>Not in the least reassured.
>"Where was that bakery you mentioned, by the way?"

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, good."
>Not in the least reassured.
>"Where was that bakery you mentioned, by the way?"

>"Yup!"
>If there was anyone who could fail to inspire confidence in her awareness, it would be this person.
>"Oh, you know that little place on the corner of the square and, uh..." she pauses. "...that other street? You know, the one that goes kinda like this?" She makes a sort of curving gesture with her hands. "With the sign shaped like a giant pie?"
>Imprecise directions notwithstanding, you do think you know where she's talking about.

[Hello Purvis]

"Alright, that's a good place to start. Thanks. And...what's the pay for this job, anyways?"

[DracoOmega]

"Alright, that's a good place to start. Thanks. And...what's the pay for this job, anyways?"

>"Wouldn't it be more fun if that was a surprise?" she says, with a little wink. "I promise you'll like it!"

[Hello Purvis]

>Is there a legal precedent we could use to press charges in this kind of situation where the pay turns out to be a not worth the services rendered? Or a law requiring payments to be stated upfront?
>"Is that a contractual guarantee?"

[DracoOmega]

>Is there a legal precedent we could use to press charges in this kind of situation where the pay turns out to be a not worth the services rendered? Or a law requiring payments to be stated upfront?
>"Is that a contractual guarantee?"

>This is atypical, certainly. You don't think there's an explicit requirement that terms of payment be stated upfront, but most clients do so, if only for the fact that few Seekers would be willing to accept a job without knowing what to expect in return. Contracts which are unusually dangerous, or have a high stated reward require a deposit with the guild, reimbursed only upon confirmation of accepted payment to the Seeker in question. Lesser jobs typically have no such guarantees, but non-payment is rare. The guild maintains a register of all clients, and an attempt to exploit a Seeker could lead to refusal of any further contracts. It's an honor system, essentially.
>"It's a promise!" she says. "Sokrates is the most important person in the world to me. I couldn't be mean to someone who'd helped him. That would just be awful."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Alright, that's good enough."
>That should be enough to declare a violation of obligations if she tries to stiff us.
>"Hopefully I'll have something soon. Until then."
>If Ellen doesn't try to stop us, head for that bakery.

[DracoOmega]

>"Alright, that's good enough."
>That should be enough to declare a violation of obligations if she tries to stiff us.
>"Hopefully I'll have something soon. Until then."
>If Ellen doesn't try to stop us, head for that bakery.

>Ellen nods.
>You think you'd have grounds to register a complaint, if she tries to be a cheapskate.
>"Good luck!" she says, waving at you as you depart.
>You leave and head in the direction of the bakery she indicated. Judging by the sun, you think it's getting pretty close to noon by the time you arrive. The bakery itself is tucked away in a somewhat sheltered corner of the market square, by a side street that leads down past a couple other shops and towards another residential area. There is indeed a large pie-shaped sign next to the entrance on which the special of the day it written with brightly colored chalk: lemon pies, in this case. They may not be quite as fresh out of the oven as they were when Ellen was by this morning, but they certainly still smell appetizing.

[Hello Purvis]

>Look around the area. Any sign of cats around?
>If not, approach the owner.
>Can we see what pies cost?

[DracoOmega]

>Look around the area. Any sign of cats around?
>If not, approach the owner.
>Can we see what pies cost?

>You take a little look around the immediate environment. You see no sign of any cat.
>You open the front door and step into the bakery, a little bell jingling as you do so. It's a small but very tidy space; pies, breads, and other baked goods are neatly arranged in wooden display boxes along the walls and you can see a hint of the kitchen in the back, behind the counter. A green-haired fairy manning the front looks up as you enter and smiles.
>"What'll it be?" she asks.
>The lemon pies are on sale for 2 guilders each. Most of the rest seem to be between 3 and 4.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'll have a lemon pie, please. Also, have you seen this cat around here?"
>Show the faerie the picture of Sokrates.

[DracoOmega]

>"I'll have a lemon pie, please. Also, have you seen this cat around here?"
>Show the faerie the picture of Sokrates.

>The fairy nods as you place your order, then you inquire about Sokrates.
>You show his picture to the fairy; she raises an eyebrow as she looks at it. "That's the one that belongs to that witch, isn't it? I think she was by here this morning. Why?"