Their return to the inn was a lot friendlier than their first arrival. The adventures who hadn't already run off without Alouella there to keep them in place gathered around her to hear what had happened. Apparently there had been a few small earthquakes when they'd gotten the elemental riled up.

Clarke skipped out on the thrilling tale and the showing of the few things Wade had brought back, instead cloistering himself in a room upstairs. He'd first taken a thorough bath that stained the water an ugly brown but left him feeling much better. He wrote down everything that had happened and, after careful drying, put the smudged end of the report between the pages.

Still legible. Good.

His own treasure, a piece of the elemental, he stashed away in his lab inside the hole just as there came a knock on the door.

“Hey, you're not gonna come down? They're treating us like we actually did something even though we ran away.”

Gwen entered, two plates of food, one half eaten and the other set on the bed for him. In his eagerness to write everything down his ears had seemingly not heard the many groans his stomach had been making, begging for something to eat. He lay into the plate, mashed potatoes gone in seconds and pork chops following. He talked through the food, spitting little bits of meat.

“No, crowds aren't my thing. They're probably just interested that we found something so big. The town will probably look into it, maybe find a way to retrieve the left behind gold and jewels. Plus the dwarven inventions probably sitting down there. A whole city of forgotten devices.”

Gwen verbally prodded him.

“So...what about the note you found? I hate to say it but Wade was right. It's not exactly pointing you where you need to go.”

She opened his book, flipping through the last several hours in ink and paper. She was okay but she was not touch-the-book okay. He pulled it away from her.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“I have some ideas. You'd be surprised how many ways there are to see the happenings behind actions. If I could find some wizard or cleric able to divine the nature of objects. If I could find someone who knew the nature of paper, they might know where this paper came from.”

“Isn't paper your thing?”

He shrugged.

“I can tell you this isn't just some thrown together paper. It's very well made, no jagged edges. It's very nice. It's also card stock, but I doubt that means anything other than that it's more durable. No, what I need is to talk to an expert.”

He ran his finger down the paper, thinking of the tools he had at his disposal. He remembered the one old tool a day or so away in a small, hateful town.

“I think I know someone.”

He looked to the door and scowled, thinking of the tall, dark and eerily smiling stalker he had. Gwen followed his gaze and picked up on his worries.

“Ah, forget that guy, he's a jerk. You should tell him thanks but no thanks and go do your thing.”

Clarke quickly began packing up.

“Uh, are you doing your thing right now?”

“I am.”

“I didn't mean yet! Come on, sit with us, be beloved by the townsfolk. Eat something more than a mouthful!”

Clarke ignored her plea and made his final checks. He didn't have much luggage but triple checking was a good habit.

“He's a little more dangerous than that, I'd guess. When I was hugging him during the rescue I felt several different knives and scabbards hidden away on him. Even a couple potions. Well prepared.”

He hoisted his book on his back, a bag of traveling supplies after that.

“So he's blade happy.”

“Yeah. That usually means nutcase or well trained nutcase. And where are you going?”

Clarke opened the window, looking down at the few handholds and footholds. She whirled him around, speaking each word separately and clearly.

“Hey. Where. Are. You. Going?”

“That guy is obviously following us and me and I don't like people snooping in my business. I'm going. Thanks for your help.”

“What? We're not done! There's more to this and I'm interested now! You think I don't want to help?”

He swung a leg over the side, gauging where to put his next foot. His fingers tapped on the sill.

“We'll see each other again. I have found you very handy to have around.”

“But...just give me a minute! I'll come too! Surely me and Alouella and Wade can tie up one-”

Clarke hopped out the window, dropping from handhold to handhold until his boots padded into the ground. She whisper yelled after him.

“Well hell! What do you want me to tell the guy you made a promise to!?”

“I didn't make any promises. I made a noise. A noise is not legally binding in a verbal agreement. Now I've got a rat to see.”

He was already jogging off into the night and Gwen was wracking her brain for something to tell the others.

Dwarfs were not creative with words.