Ander nods along with the Lord Sage's story, then asks, "Has this Tibeem fellow spoken at all as to his and Spernik's motivations or goals? If not, might we be allowed to talk to him ourselves?"
The Great Book Rescue...that should make quite a tale. Uriah quips
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The Lord Sage's brow furrows, "I went to visit Tibeem, but the rogue was tight-lipped and would not reveal anything of worth. Mayhap the Black Fist had better luck, but I would not hold hope that Tibeem is available for further questioning. Perhaps if you head to the Stojanow Gate, the Black Fist can answer your questions."
Upon hearing Uriah's quip, you see the first flash of emotion that you have seen from the Lord Sage, "You jest? Tomes like The History of the North held information that is invaluable! Information that could help save hundreds, if not thousands! You jest at the importance of saving books?"
The storm is gone as quickly as it came, the half-elven scholar gathers himself then speaks again softly, "My apologies, that was unseemly. In The History of the North, one of the tomes recovered, there was a discrepancy, a chapter that was missing from the forgery. This chapter, upon referencing the original, recounted the Circle of Scale, a druid circle that sought to enslave dragons somehow. In the original Lex Geographica, there was an entry referring to a circle of standing stones located in the Dragonspire Mountains, where it is believed that a sect of dragon-worshiping druids, possibly the Circle of Scale, once resided. This chapter was also missing in its copy. Perhaps, these clues may prove useful. I couldn't see why these chapters would be important, but perhaps you can use them with any other clues you may find."
"Aaaah..." says Ander, holding up a finger in a gesture of revelation, "I was just wondering why it would be such a bad thing for more copies of these rare books to exist; but the replacements are leaving things out. Sounds to me like our quarry and his allies have some reason not to want other people learning about these subjects."
Ander turns to his new comrades and says, "I imagine the culprit is headed to that circle of stones with the intent of doing something he'd like others not to guess at. How long would it take to get there?"
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The Lord Sage pulls the Lex Geographica toward him, and it falls to the desk with a thud.
Cracking it open, he flips through the pages. After a minute, he comes to a stop. "Hmm, perhaps a day into the mountains."
As you lean over to look at the tome as well...
"Well, that sounds all kinds of doable!" Ander declares optimistically. "Let's look for clues around here a bit, and then hit the trail!"
upon the man, stating he will pay an additional 100 gp for some stupid books, Godfrey will slam his fist down on the table, and then point at the mathuselah of a half-elf, You said it old man. Deal. HA! 100 coin for some stupid books. You lords need to learn how to better spend your money. 100 gold could by you food and drink and a nice pair of legs to slid in between for a tenday and you want to waste it on books. HA!
He will turn and leave, Come find me at the Laughing Goblin when you are ready to leave. He will slam the door and sing a dirty Limmerick on his way out of the library.
His personal mission is two fold, first he intends to hit the market, specifically Cockburn's Grocery. Laughing at the name, he enters Did you get burned by a dirty prostitute? Why else would your Cockburn? I would like healing potions my good man, four of them. As the grocer gathers his items he asks about the two criminals, or more importantly an unusual orders recently.
Secondly he will go to the Laughing Goblin, entering into the familiar bar, he will jump up on the bar top, spin so he is facing in the bar. He will then use gust to blow Im's skirt up to check out her ass. When she looks around he will wave, fingers wiggling, Im, my love my beautiful creature. Come here. HE will hold his arms for a hung and when she leans in will steal a kiss. I will take the usual, and he leaves 3 gold on the counter. As she gets his drink, Hey, where is Mar that fat f$&@?
Upon being pointed out to Mar, Godfrey will sit at the table that he is busing. Tibeem and Spernik, spill it. I know they came in for a drink you have to know more, or do we need to have a repeat of last time?
After Godfrey leaves, Ander announces to the room in general, "Just for the record, I don't actually know that guy."
Scanning the little group of allies, Ander then says, "Here's my suggestion. Sir Adrian and Uriah seem like personable fellows, so perhaps they should question the chroniclers and other library staff. Wrathmire and Kane, you could come with me and look for clues in the thieves' rooms, and Sen, you can join us when you're done reading up. Let's all meet up in an hour at, say... the front of the library?"
Sounds perfect. Come, Uriah, let us snoop around the scene of the crime a bit.
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The Lord Sage responds to Sen with a mere gesture inviting her to peruse the tomes as she wishes.
Some catastrophe left their home in ruin, many decades past. You garner some clues that allow you to narrow the area down a little.If you had a high vantage point, you could probably find where they resided. That would add a half-day travel each way.
At your commentary of the name, he laughs, "Haw! Good one! Four, you say? Very well!"
He rummages around a crate and produces four small flasks, "This should do ya. For 200 coin, you can't find more reliable wares!"
Upon showing him the wanted poster, he scratches his chin, "Can't say I remember seeing him, but I do remember a guy who made some odd purchases."
Moving around to his ledger, he looks back a few days. "Aha! Here... lessee, vellum... chalk dust... and a waterproof scrollcase. Oh, in fact, he left this."
The grocer produces a notebook, "I think that he was in a hurry or something, because he was gone before I could return it to him!"
@ Cockburn's Grocery
Godfrey will look through the notebook, Mind if I keep this, after all I just paid your rent for the month with my purchase.
Vellum, chalk dust and a waterproof case, hmmm. Would you have any extra, and a pencil?
What did the guy who made the orders look like?
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@Godfrey: "Sure, go ahead. He hasn't returned for it, so I would say he's outta luck. As for the vellum, and the like? I am waiting to refill my stock. It's not often that there is a need for those, slow-sellers ya know?"
The grocer gives you the best description that he can given that he sees many people a day, but he does a pretty good job. I will let you know if and when that becomes relevant.
Right, thanks Cockburn. Watch out for those prostitutes. Now which way to the Laughing Goblin, ah right this way.
Can I make sense of the doodles or notes?
Wrathmire nods and heads off with Ander to investigate the room.
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@Godfrey: Without context, it means nothing to you. Nearest you can tell is that it has something to do with a temple in the mountains. EDIT: The last page has a crudely drawn map of the foothills of the Dragonspire Mountains.
@Wrathmire and Ander: The room is rather small and furnished with a bunk bed, a narrow desk, and what appears to be two small dressers. In the desk, you find what looks to be a shopping list of sorts. A scribe tells you that the haversack was found on the desk.
Sir Adrian leans in close to one of the scribes that appears to be willing to answer some questions, and he whispers,
What do you know of the two new chronicler's that stole The History of the North and Lex Geographica and replaced them with forgeries?
He raises an eyebrow,
We want to know if there are any similar subjects that also may have been stolen and replaced with forgeries, or, more specifically, where they were physically working when in the library so we can search for other potential thievery.
What my most heavily armored and pious friend is saying, is "Can you give us some insight into why these particular tomes were forged?"
Uriah flashes a winning smile
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@Wrathmire, Ander, and Sen: Sen joins in the search of the room. As she searches the desk, Wrathmire and Ander are about to tell her that it has been searched already, the elf lass smiles as she pops a false panel out the back. Inside are two sets of black and purple clothing, each embroidered with the livery of some dragon motif.
@Sir Adrian & Uriah: The scribe bows his head apologetically, "Many apologies, but I do not know. The Lord Sage has had us begin the search, but as you can see," he gestures with a wide arc of his hand, "We have many volumes to look through."
You are walking and talking, then the scribe stops abruptly, "This is their work desk. Perhaps you can find something here? The two of them often kept to themselves and rarely even took meals here. Usually they left the library and ate a one of the inns in town. I am sorry that I cannot be of more help."
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@Godfrey: You arrive at the Laughing Goblin. The streets are dark by now, and street lamps have been lit. Merry pipes and thumping drums can be heard from almost a block away from this tall timber-framed building. Your mouth waters as the smell of roast duck, flowing ale, and pipe smoke wafts from the brightly lit entrance. A woodblock sign hangs over the entryway carved in the likeness of a grinning goblin's head. Every table, bench, and stool is crowded with boisterous patrons and spilled ale.
What inn? ?uriah asks innocently enough, Uriah has had a debauched enough life that he knows most of the Inns in Phlan, even though he just arrived a fortnight ago.
Uriah will look through the work desk, but his skills are for flattery and wit, not investigation.
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@Uriah & Sir Adrian: The only thing that you find of note is a pillar-folding compass, the kind used for cartography. It just seems out of place, because they were scribes, not cartographers.
The scribe is unsure which inn, but one of the others thought she heard Tibeem mention the Goblin once, but they may have been talking about something else entirely.
Not much here, Uriah. Should we make our way to the Laughing Goblin in hopes of uncovering something?
"Well done, Sen!" Ander says enthusiastically. "We missed it completely! Well, we'd better take those with us, just in case. Now, let's go meet up with the others, yeah?"
The Laughing Goblin, of course. A great place to find...well I'm not exactly sure. I was a bit inebriated the last time I visited. Uriah says
Wrathmire gives a quick nod in appreciation to the elf. We should notify the others, I think Godfrey is going to the Goblin Inn. Shall we go there?
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You shove him off and go back to your seat, scowling at him, no doubt tossing insults or taunts his direction. Discreetly, you read the paper and it says, We understand that you are leaving for a certain destination. Evaluate it for viability as base of operations in this region. Your loyalty will be remembered. Share with the other. It is signed 'C'
Secondly he will go to the Laughing Goblin, entering into the familiar bar, he will jump up on the bar top, spin so he is facing in the bar. He will then use gust to blow Im's skirt up to check out her ass. When she looks around he will wave, fingers wiggling, Im, my love my beautiful creature. Come here. HE will hold his arms for a hung and when she leans in will steal a kiss. I will take the usual, and he leaves 3 gold on the counter. As she gets his drink, Hey, where is Mar that fat f#!#?
Upon being pointed out to Mar, Godfrey will sit at the table that he is busing. Tibeem and Spernik, spill it. I know they came in for a drink you have to know more, or do we need to have a repeat of last time?
[dice=intimidate Fat Mar]1d20+1d4+5
This.
EDIT: that was a 21 on the intimidate check.
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@Godfrey: Mar sputters in protest, but withers under your stern gaze. "Thems two prats, they ate 'ere often, but mostly kept t' themselves. 'Tweren't the most sociable o' fellers, din't really like others talkin' t' them," the fat server wipes his sweaty hands on his apron, "'Nother customer tol' me that theys arrived in Phlan, must be wot, four months now."
The man's face scrunches up recalling memory, "Sometimes they came in wit' a t'ird person, but I 'aint seen him for a couple weeks."
What did the third person look like. Was it one of those f#+~ers from the brawl a tenday ago with the sailors? He thinks for a moment, Yeah, sorry about knocking you out in that fight. You shouldn't have gotten in the way though.
He thinks for a moment, Oh and if a self-important noble, by the name of Sir Adrian Fullbright comes in, whatever he drinks, you give him water. From the pig trough. Pass it off as some elven wine or something. There will be a nice tip in it for you.
Godfrey will take up residence on a stool, flirting with Imizael and antagnozing other patrons. He will order some roast duck and a snake bite, and mostly likely be three sheets to the wind by the time the others get to the bar.
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Sir Adrian, Uriah, Turok, Sen, Wrathmire, and Ander meet up at the center courtyard of the library and set off for the Laughing Goblin.
The inn is alive with business, every stool and table taken. The din of conversation almost drowns out the sounds of the pair of bards performing in the corner.
After a scan of the place, you see Godfrey at the bar, chatting up the barkeep, a middle-aged woman that seems to half paying attention as she moves back and forth filling drinks with practiced ease.
Sir Adrian, uncharacteristically stays to the back of the group. He can tell that Godfrey in in his cups, and he does not want to involve himself in any altercation at the moment that would require him to hurt the street urchin. He says to Uriah.
Uriah, please try to find out if our disagreeable friend learned anything in his endeavor to gather information.
Ah, of course Uriah says as he saunters over to the bar Mar, a beer here, and one for my friend Godfrey. Uriah indicates the sullen man. Uriah takes a swig and says Tastes like pig urine, but it'll get the job done yeah?
Assuming Godfrey replies at all.
Well, I know we aren't here for the fine spirits. Let's get down to the "brass tacks" as they say in Luskan. Our boys, the thieves, they spent time here right?
I will join you shortly when I hear what he has to say.