"Whatever you say, Cookie Mugger."
With a wave of Palindrome's hand, a spectral mage hand appears ten feet distant from Palindrome, points at the ground, and slowly revolves around the mage, describing a circle. "This is the I-know-you're-a-dirty-thief-with-nothing-better-on-his-mind-than-picking-my-pockets-so-you'd-better-stay-away-from-me zone. Pickpockets within the zone are subject to immediate magic missiles, acid arrows, etcetera and so forth. Don't blame me if it happens. I don't make the rules. I just follow them."
The mage hand stops pointing at the floor and waves for Palindrome's attention.
"What's that Mage Hand? You have something you want to tell me?"
The hand makes a fist and nods.
"Very well. You have the floor."
The hand performs an elaborate gesture, equivalent to a formal bow.
The hand makes several convoluted, perhaps profane, movements, often pointing at Atreus.
"Oh... You're saying that the Cookie Mugger is dirty nasty sneak-thief with nothing better to do than rifle through my pockets?"
The hand makes a fist and nods.
"Thank you, but I already knew that."
The hand performs an apologetic wave. Then, it claws the air and rushes towards Atreus. It restrains itself, and instead begins hopping about, making vulgar gesticulations.
It is a surprisingly expressive hand!
"Now, now, little hand. There's no need for such bad manners."
The hand droops, suitably chastised. It rushes back to Palindrome's shoulder.
A tiny voice sounds from Palindrome's vest pocket. The mage pulls back his jacket and opens his vest. The voice is a bit louder, but still incoherent.
"What's that, little bugbear eye?"
The voice grows more insistent.
Palindrome pulls the eye out of his pocket. The voice is louder still.
Palindrome points the eye at Atreus. The Palindrome brings his eyes to the level of the bugbear eye and squints. "Oh! I see what you mean."
The eye responds in its tiny high-pitched voice.
"Yes. His soul IS stained with stoogery for our 'beloved' master and does have a certain smallness of scope. Never you mind, little friend. If he proves too troublesome, he can always... Oh, nevermind."
The eye laughs a very tiny, very nasty laugh.
"Say, would you do me a favor?" Palindrome asks the eye.
"Sure!" shouts the bugbear eye.
"How about you and Mr. Hand keep watch out for the nasty sneak-thief?"
The bugbear eye cheers. The mage hand grasps it and floats ten feet away from Palindrome, right between the mage and Atreus.
"Back off, bozo!" says the bugbear eye, now quite audible since it is so close.
Palindrome nods once. Satisfied.
"Now would someone INTERESTING please tell me what happened to Adie?"
[sblock=Oh!]And I reckon Palindrome should do an identify item on the floating quill just in case it does something additionally cool, like take dictation or have infinite ink or writes on air (Now that would be freaking cool!) or somesuch.
Yes, I know I'm a very silly player. I get all goofy for non-combat, non-stat effecting items.[/sblock]