S.Y. 317.2
(March 21, 2003)
A Missing Friend, Part II
By Lady Sam
From Zed's Journal
"Lets see, I have 100 of these hides and the going price is..." I am sitting in my shoppe, counting new items, and doing the numbers as best I can when a rider approaches and enters the shoppe.
Well I will not complete the inventory tonight I think to my self, as I turn to see who entered the shoppe, my thoughts of the inventory disappear, fore its an old friend, Lord Zed.
"Hail M'Lady Sam" he says quite quickly, and as I begin to reply, Lord Zed continues, "M'Lady, there is trouble afoot."
"Trouble you say, what be the problem, tis been very quite since the Bazaar"
Lord Zed thinks for a bit, then responds, "Well M'Lady, that may be the problem", he continues, "Sardel is missing and several folks have been asking about him". Lord Zed leans on the counter and say "and the rumors are not good"
Now I know there is trouble, "Lord Zed, what do these rumors say?" Lord Zed, thinks for a bit and whispers "Murder and a Missing Guard from Serpents Hold"
Not taking the
care that Lord Zed had, I speak rather loudly "Murder", which
attracts the attention of the vendors in the shoppe. Lord Zed continues
in his whisper "Aye murder, and I fear, Sardel maybe be involved"
Lord Zed motions that we should go upstairs to discuss this further, out of ear shot of the vendors. By the time we settle on the balcony, Lord Zed has told me of his fears that Sardel could be missing.
After Lord Zed finishes, he sits back and begins thinking, I on the other hand try not to think that much, I begin to form a plan, I stand up, "Lord Zed we need to find Sardel, if he still lives, lets search the prison's and see if we can find him, if he has been arrested for murder that is where he will be"
First we travel to Trinsic, nothing, the guards know nothing, "Hmmm, We must travel to N'Jehlom and search the prison there". in moments we are in N'Jehlom, and walk to the debtors Prison, again the guards have not heard of Sardel.
"Well
Lord Zed I think the last place to look is the Yew Prison.", Lord
Zed responds, "I fear what we will find." "I fear what
we won't find. Lets be off"
We arrived at the Hall of Justice and walked the long halls back to the Prison, as we pass the Jailers office, we review his book, and on the second to last page, a notation, "Sardel of Skara Brae, Scribe, Murderer", Captured by Rydoc the bounty hunter of serpents hold.
"Lord Zed, It lists here the evidence. A badge and a sash of one of his victims, a Sgt. Gertok, and an ax, apparently the murder weapon of a man named Reebdoog. Well it does seem we have found him, lets search the cells"
We venture into
the prison, the dark walls covered with moss, the guards are not the
talkative, so we have to look in every cells, strange, no Sardel, "Wait,
Lord Zed here", Lord Zed rushes up behind me, "Look Sardel
has been here." Lord Zed looks at me, "How can you tell, the
cell is empty, except for Bread and Water", "Ahh, look at
the bread, the last one here nibbled on the bread, look at the teeth
marks, tis an over bite, It was Sardel"
Lord Zed leans against the wall and stares at the cell door "If Sardel would have been taken to trial or released the Jailers records would have shown that", I start to agree with Lord Zed, as I watch him slowly fall backwards as a secret door opens in the cell. "Hmm, I think you may have found something, Lord Zed", As Lord Zed stands up, and brushes the spider webs from his robe, he say, "Aye, I think I found a very poor masonary job!", "Lord Zed, I think you found a secret exit from the prison."
Lord Zed's eye brighten, "A secret exit, well lets look about", as we search the hallway, with the only light coming from between the cracks in the stone walls, a shaft of light comes from the end of the Hall, we walk to the end of the hall, and Lord Zed, puts his shoulder to the wall, and being prepared this time, does not fall down as another secret door opens, but this time to the outside.
Knowing my maps better then my figures, I say, "Lord Zed, the prison is on an isle, we will have to search the isle." as if on que, we call forth ethereal Steeds and search the prison isle. As we return to our starting point Lord Zed say, "well Sardel is not here.", I nod my head and begin thinking, like I said I don't like to do that, but all of a sudden, "Lord Zed, since we are on isle, then the only way off is by ship, so either Sardel had help in escaping or he was taken off the isle by others."
Lord Zed starts to think very hard, and comes to a very good conclusion, "M'Lady, we need more information, rumors will not due, we will have to find Sardel and get the bottom of this." With that Lord Zed opens a Gate to Joh's on the mainland of Skara Brae.
"M'Lady we need to travel to Sardel's Cabin, I say "tis in the Hollow, Skara Hollow, follow me", I turn my steed east along the road, and start out.
As we reach the turn off heading to Skara Hollow, Sardel's Cabin comes into view. Lord Zed looks about the cabin, shrugs, and walks about the front, looking down at the ground. I say, "Lord Zed what may I ask are ye looking for?” Clues" he says, "hmmm, what kind of clues," I ask, Lord Zed stops and look at me, "signs of a fight, tis said that the Sgt from Serpents hold was killed and that his axe and badge were found in the cabin but the body was not found."
Well, we expand
our search to the woods near the Cabin, and within a few minutes come
across a blue cap and several pieces of plate amour, Lord Zed leans
over 
and
mumbles, "M'Lady, I think we have found the remains of Sgt. Gertok,
the one that was seeking Sardel." In my best way of covering, that
I have no idea if this is good or not, I ask, "Lord Zed, are there
any clues?" Lord Zed turns to me, and says, "Either clues
to clear Sardel or to convict him, I am not sure, I will have to do
further examination at my tower." Lord Zed take a portion of the
blue cap and a plate mail glove, "We will have to talk to the authorities
and have the remains of Sgt. Gertok properly taken care of and returned
to Serpents Hold."
With a very determine look in his eyes, Lord Zed say, "I must return to my tower to look at these items, there may be something useful." with that I nod and Lord Zed prepares to say several magic words to open a gate to his Tower, then he stops, "I must apologize, M'Lady do you need an escort back to your shoppe?", I smile and tell Lord Zed, "Nay, M'Lord, tis but a short ride and I need to notify the authorities of the body, be off and see if you can find any clues." With that said, Lord Zed, gives me a wink, utters a few magic words and walks into a magic gate.
I ride to town to report the finding of the body and I return to my shoppe, "hmmm, I still don't think we have found out any thing yet. I still think we need some more information."