<div class="floatright">(https://i.imgur.com/96vBEQq.png)</div><strong>Artemis "Arty" Fellbrook</strong>(https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=326953.msg15652157#msg15652157)<br/><strong>HP:</strong>40 / 40<br/><strong>AC:</strong>22<strong>TAC:</strong>14<strong>FFAC:</strong>18<strong>CMD:</strong>19<strong>Fort</strong>+4<strong>Ref:</strong>+6<strong>Will</strong>+6<br/><strong>Resistances / Immunities:</strong>Acid, Cold, Electricity 5<strong>Senses:</strong>Darkvision 60 ft, Perception +10<br/><strong>Spells Remaining:</strong><em>1st:</em>8 / 8<em>2nd:</em>7 / 7<em>3rd:</em>5 / 5<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Mirk's questions were, of course, perfectly reasonable but he knew the dour sourpuss well enough by now to know that no amount of reasonable answers would reduce his suspicion. He was an investigator, after all, a detective extraordinaire! What kind of lead chasing, cynical-thinking hard boiled detective would he be if he took everybody at face value? It was a tough way to live, obviously, but then that was often the problem with having experience. It made you tougher, stronger, faster, smarter...but too often, those experiences weren't exactly pleasant. Every physical boon you got often came with an emotional scar. Mirk had never talked about it, but it was clear that he was - for example - extremely self conscious about his scar. Now, Arty thought it added character. It added depth. It added experience and a rugged edge to the life story that was his weathered visage. But clearly, Mirk didn't view it that way. He saw it as an embarrassment, or perhaps a reminder of something he would very much rather forget. That was a little silly in Arty's mind, of course - anything you had a scar from was clearly something that had failed to kill you, which was something to be proud of - but he wasn't so arrogant as to say that everybody should see things the way he did. So all he could do was make sure that Mirk knew that Arty found him attractive in part<em>due</em>to the scar and not<em>despite</em>it. Hence the kiss.<br/><br/>But that didn't mean that Arty wasn't focused on what was going on at that moment. His exuberance at meeting old friends aside, they<em>did</em>have a more pressing matter to attend to, and one that did not deserve to be treated like an afterthought or a joke. Granted, he was currently latched onto Mirk's back like a monkey, but that did not mean that he was in any way happy about why they were there. Mirk needed affection - that much was obvious - but even from Arty's position on his back, he was giving it a great deal of thought. In his experience, Drow kidnappings only ever really had three motivations; money, revenge or power. It was that simple. Drow either captured surface-dwellers to sell them as slaves, for use in rituals or deals to get themselves more power, or because they'd been wronged somehow. The last one didn't seem likely - if Sabian was to be believed, they had no contact with Drow or other unsavoury characters - which left money or power. The obvious answer was simply that she was a target of opportunity, but he had to admit that Mirk's suspicion seemed reasonable at least. There were surely easier targets than a traveling noble, and if they were going to capture a Lady, why not kill the Lord and cover their tracks? Arrogance? Possibly, Drow were as a society very self-confident. But maybe...it could be something more.<br/><br/>He hummed to himself and looked at Sabian. His friends' questions could be answered a little later, once they were on the road properly and had had a chance to step outside away from prying ears. They could catch up over a campfire or something. Right now, it was questioning time. Though he had to admit, the image of being punished by a certain sexy half-elf was definitely not far from his mind as he did so!<strong>"Did th' attackers say anythin' t' ya, before they left?"</strong>A long shot, but you never knew with Drow; arrogance came hand in hand with narcissism, and he'd known a fair few Drow who liked to gloat and posture in victory a little too much.<strong>"Have there been any other victims lately? If so, 're they anybody y'r missus knows? Mebbe there're similarities in appearance or occupation?"</strong>It was tricky, thinking of questions that might connect the dots. Honestly, it might just be that the only way they could get answers would be to actually find the slavers and ask them themselves, before putting them to death for their crimes.<br/><br/>He pulled a contemplative expression, then turned his head to look at Mirk.<strong>"If worst comes t' worst, I ain't <em>bad</em> wit' animals. I'm sure I c'n get a trained dog t' sniff out a trail, at th' very least."</strong>He hoped so, anyway. He wasn't about to stop a rampaging bear, but...well, maybe he could get a dog to follow a scent, though perhaps a spell or two would be necessary to give himself a fighting chance. Yes, he kind of wanted to show off to Mirk, but that was besides the point! After all, he'd already let him clamber all over him, so clearly he had a soft spot for him. Arty already knew he had a hard spot too, of course, but they'd talk about<em>that</em>later. For now, they needed to get as much info as possible, and then...then they'd set out to hunt down those bastard slavers and make them pay. Arty wanted to reform Drow society as Plan A, but if that didn't work...well, he'd kill them all one at a time if he had to. That much, he could promise with absolute certainty.