When Simza is finished Barin clears his throat after giving Rasil a couple of glances and deciding he's not willing to talk about what they discovered:"Since Rasil is uncharacteristically silent let me tell you what fruits did our investigation bear: we went to the pretentious establishment known as Meisner's Auction House of Fine Art and Antiquities. There we learned 2 of the enjoiners were traded and the names of the two who purchased them. One was a certain Mar Bannock, the other one Veristan Mikobar. We tracked down Bannock easily enough... he's none other than the butler of lord Millis. Logically our next stop was Lord Millis Manor. There we had a not so pleasant chat with said butler, who confirmed he bet on his employer's account on the enjoyner, because it was a family heirloom. We tried to impress in the man's head that someone is out there ready to do anything to get that bauble but I'm not sure he took us too seriously. Anyway, after that we did a bit of research on Mikobar's account and guess what? We discovered he's a tatooed shoanti, he's shunned by his own people, who actually have put a price on his head, and most important of all... he has an adorable little pet called Wisp... a funny little snake... Well, that's all, I think... what do you think?"
It's about two in the afternoon. I assumed you all got a very early start to the day.
Rasil, who was busy eating while Barin talked, chimed in. "Well, Barin covered pretty much everything of note."
"Hopefully, with the information we gleaned about Mikobar, we can narrow down the search."
Leaning forward a bit, he said, "The places to avoid are Kyver's Islet, Rag's End, as Mikobar is unlikely to be around many other Shoanti."
"Well-off Shoanti favor the Marches and Lowcleft, so he probably won't be there."
The gnome leaned back, and snagged the last piece of a roll. "If he's in Underbridge, we'd never find him without a local guide, and would be dangerous."
Rasil shrugged and gave everyone a sheepish grin. "He might be hiding in one of the Summit districts. That's where I suggest we start looking."
"Hmm, he actually bought one of the fragments?" she asked, mildly puzzled "Perhaps Irefoot and West Naos aren't the only places he's burgled, I don't imagine the auction was cheap... Do we know which 'hero' that fragment came from. We know that Rav Kinman bought his from Hynter, which would leave... Gush, Harbuck, and Quintari unaccounted for. I was planning to see if Mr Marblecutter knew which one he had as well... Oh we also learned that Quintari married into the Pinecrest family, Koraq found out a little bit more about the current fortunes of the five families."
The elf paused and set his pen down, looking to his fellow investigators. "So, we have a rogue shoanti running around the city who is a suspect. Now, how farfetched would it be to wonder if he is related to Tyval Khallish, the creator of the enjoiner. As has been said, he is an outcast of his own people, correct?" He tapped the table quietly as he let the idea sink in.
"Wow! That sounds very plausible!" Rasil exclaimed.
"Might be. It's definitively a possibility",mutters Barin under his breath.
Then he answers Simza in a much louder tone:As for the fragment Mikobar purchased, it was the Gush Fragment,at least according to Meisner.
Finishing a second sandwich as he quietly listened to the discussion, Koraq finally chimes in. "Well, the Underbridge is a good place to hide out. Can't think of much else off the top of my head."
"A dangerous place, as I said," replied the gnome.
"Eh, musta missed that squeak mid-chew", the half-orc indifferent to any offense his words cause. "Well I been down there a few times when I first got inta Magnimar. I'd be willing to check that out for shifty Shoanti shamen."
"Well, before we decide to go wandering into Underbridge, we should try a few other avenues first. We should send word to Captain Percival about Lord Millis, have him put a few men to keeping an eye on his manor if possible, and then try and question Mr. Mablecutter, and if he doesn't know which part he had, the two remaining families, see if either of them still has their fragment. If we can get to the last unknown fragment before Mikobar then we may be able to draw him to us instead. Simza offers. She didn't know whether Issceran's suggestion was possible, but even if Mikobar was a descendant of the original creator it didn't give them much. "Issceran, do you know if the ability to summon creatures like... Wisp was it? Is that hereditary?"
Barin finds his way to the larder while the others are talking, he's back with a giant sandwich some minutes later, just in time to hear Simza speaking:"...OR we can meke Mikobar come to us. We know he wants the enjoiners. We know he's aware Lord Millis owns one as he was outbidded on that piece by Bannock. So IF we can secure Lord Millis collaboration we can easily set up a trap, let's say a ball or some other high society nonsense in which the enjoiner fits prominently... Millis lives in a damn manor with thich walls, armed guards and even some protective enchantments I bet. Mikobar should be waiting for a chance before trying his luck against that... so why don't we provide him with that chance? And then when he causes mayhem we wait for him or his pet trying to steal the enjoiner and we apprehend them!"
"Magic is not necessarily hereditary, in fact, it can be dormant for generations. Though, the application, study, and strength of one's ties to the arcane can never be an absolute of birthright. I for one have learned and studied extensively to gain the knowledge I possess today, Miss Caumlo." He rapped his fingers on the table, having looked to Barin onc he returned.
"Keep this mind, thick walls didn't deter our suspect previously. However, I like your train of thought, Mr. Orcbane. I believe if we can acquire one or more of the enjoiner fragments, we'll be inviting our friend to visit us for good or worse. That being said, I recommend we do try to apprehend a fragment if we can do so with what legal authority we have to do so."
"I think that we're going to need Captain Percival to help us with Lord Millis."
Simza opens her mouth to point how that just suggested trying to lure the Shoanti, but let it close again with a slight sigh. "Yes Rasil, it didn't sound like you got very far." If Barin was his usual self she could imagine how that had gone... "Well we should certainly report to the Captain as I said and see what aid he can offer; from what Koraq said about Lord Millis however we still might have some trouble, he seems fairly ahh, well positioned within the city." she looked to Issceran then. "Well as I said there is still one fragment left unnacounted for, so perhaps we should focus on that... if the Captain can help then all well and good, but I say we try to track down the families of the unaccounted for fragments and see if one of them still has theirs."
Rasil gave the human girl a big smile, "That sounds just fine, Simza!"
"Well making our reports to the captain seems like a good idea. And warning these otehr families we know have the fragments is certainly important. I'd start by warning them and giving them a description of Mikobar. A tatooed shoanti shouldn't easily pass unoticed, especially in the places these people live in"
"Should we split up again when it comes to contacting the remaining families?" He raised a brow, glancing to Rasil, Simza and Barin at the question.
"I think we should stick together," said the gnome as he cleaned some crumbs from his lavender mustache.
"At this point, it seems wiser to work as the full team."
Rasil cleaned up after he was finished eating. Over his shoulder, he added, "Is there anything we forgot to cover? What about that scrap of the building plan?"
Simze smiled behind her veils as Rasil supported her.
"Well I said earlier-though it might have been before the two of you returned-that we should see Mr. Marblecutter who had the first fragment, to see if he knows which family his came from, as that may mean one less family we have to talk to. If he doesn't know then we will still need to talk to..." the girl paused, referencing a sheet of notes she'd started at the library. "the Pinecrests about the Quintari's fragment, or the Harbucks."
"Hmm?" she looks up as Rasil mentioned the scrap of blue paper they'd discovered at Irefoot hall. "Ahh, oh yes. I'd forgotten about that. We should probably check with Mrs. Brigglespan to see if Inspector Rumblemountain has sent us anything about the collapses or the blueprint." she suggested, and since she'd already eaten enough, excused herself to do so.
"No, my dear," Mrs. Brigglespan replies. "I have no word from the City Pkanners' Office at all. If I'm not overstepping my bounds with a suggestion, those municipal bureaucracies always need a firm, hands-on approach if you want anything out of them. They have sixteen things on their plate that will always be more important than your thing until you make yours the most important, or as my husband used to say, 'Take their plate of other stuff and dump it over their head!'"
She grins fondly at the memory.
"Heh, I think Barin an' I can dump a few plates", Koraq giving the dwarf a light elbowing as he eats his lunch. He ponders for a moment, then turns to the others. "... though I guess one of you outta ask the questions first before we get to hardened approach."
"I think splitting up has worked pretty well thus far. It helps us to do things faster. For example right now we should warn the other families, write down our reports and ask for the captain's help with Millis, ask some questions to the local bureaucrats about blueprints, track down the last fragment that's unaccounted for at the moment... If we did everything togheter we eould never be finished. So, as I said, splitting up worked pretty well for us thus far..." and with that Barin gulps down the last piece of sandwich.
"So," the elf said, "Miss Caumlo and Mr. Bathbone believe we should stick together while Mr. Orcbane and I agree splitting up will be more productive. I believe so long as we're not going after the suspect in question, we don't need to sty together currently. Given this is a tie, this leaves Mr. Silverclaw as the deciding factor on our next course of action."
Simza thanks Mrs. Brigglespan and excuses herself, returning to the others with a shake of her head. "Well, I don't necessarily object to splitting up, but we need to make sure we organise to meet somewhere to share what we learn like now. Otherwise it could end up being less efficient than if we had of just stayed together..." she observes. "So... how about one group goes to the City Planner's Office and looks into the corner scrap and the reports, and the other goes to see Mr. Marblecutter, and then on to track down the last fragment. Whoever finishes first comes back here and starts to work on the reports for the Captain."
Rasil looked to the burly half-orc to see what he'd say.
A wry grin forms on the half-orc's face upon the elf's words. "So I get ta make the big decision 'eh? Mmm I like the sound of that!" He ponders for a moment until Simza speaks up. Almost nodding in agreement, he stands up to give his verdict.
"'ell, as I see it, we don't have much time to waste if we're assumin' this guy already has over half of the enjoina' pieces. I say we split up." Koraq pauses a moment, eyeing his teammates before continuing. "An' I think the smart money would be ta have Issceran, Simz, and Barin check up on the City Planner's while me and Raz question Marblecutter 'gain. As dangerous as this guy is, I want some muscles wit' each group and our smartest guy checkin' out the maps or whatever at the Planner's."
"Well, I guess that's decided then!" the gnome said cheerfully.
"It seems that we have the rest of the afternoon. We should get to it!"
"So, West Naos Market it is. We'll see if we can locate Triffan Marblecutter." Rasil stood, looking at Koraq expectantly.
"Very well then," Issceran mused, standing up and beginning to collect his belongings. Once his satchel was packed up and his papers and ink were stowed away, he shouldered his bag and tipped his head to Simza and Barin. "Lets head out then and get every ray we can out of the sun."
Koraq leans in to whisper something to Simza, then pats her on the back before turning to the gnome in the room.
"Alright, Rasil, guess you'll want a piggy back ride so we can get there faster, 'eh?"
Rasil attempted to look indignant, but then he burst out laughing. "No, Koraq, I'll walk--even though my legs are short!"
"Of course, if a giant snake shows up, feel free to sling me over your shoulder and run for all you're worth!"
"Heh, if I'm gonna sling you over my shoulder like that, it'll be to wind up to use my newly patented gnome-hammer!", Koraq guffawing at his own line as he walks out with Rasil.
Rasil laughed as he accompanied the half-orc on the way back to West Naos Market.
Barin looks at Koraq for a long moment, as if intending to bore an hole through the half-orc's chest with his stare, then, suddenly, he relents:"Very well, the decision is made. Let's move. The first thing we should do is contacting Captain Percival, he'll need time to convince the High and Mighty Lord Millis to lsiten to reason! So better to give him an head start"
"My fragment? Of course, I should have told you before. I bought it from Lord Pinecrest: his Lordship has been selling off many of his family's relics in his last bid to return his family to power. At least, that's what the word on the street is. Does that help you?"
Issceran glanced to Barin to talk about his confrontation with Bannock.
"That is good ta know, thanks. Did any Shoanti ever ask you about the fragment by chance?"
Barin doesn't seem to show any signs of being taken aback by the captain's reaction:"What happened is he was being condescending and dismissive of the watch, so I gave him some reasons to about his stance on the matter. Me and Rasil told him about the summoner's menace and and recent exploits, at the time we didn't know it was Mikobar, and I added his employer would have wanted to know, and that our duty was to warn him and offer the watch's collaboration. Which we did. I stressed that if he chose to dismiss our warnings and offer and something happened to Lord Millis' fragment the blame would be all on him, and that we would have made it aboundanly clear in our reports. Which is exactly what I'm doing now."
Rasil stood quietly beside Koraq as the half-orc talked.
"Shoanti? No, not that I recall. I've had three or four in my shop over the years, but I don't recall any specifically interested in the enjoiner fragment."
"Gimme a sec Marblecutta."
Koraq then turns to Rasil. "Hmm... howdya suppose our bad guy figger out to come here then? Think someone from the Pinecrest family spilled the beans?"
Rasil frowned. "I don't know, Koraq. It's possible."
To the shop owner he asked, "Mr. Marblecutter, you had the fragment for sale, correct?"
"Of course. Since the day I bought it myself, pretty much."
"How long have you had the fragment? An' who in the Pinecrest family sold it to ya?"
Simza wasn't quite sure what to say to Koraq's whisper, and thus didn't say anything before the orcish fellow left. She just looked to Issceran and Barin then considering as they headed out towards the Pediment Building. She recounted the information they'd learnt in the library but then sat back as Barin elaborated on his earlier comments to the captain. The Captain's reaction to the butler's name was not encouraging to their cause.
The elf sat back in his chair as they had their meeting, strumming his fingers across his knee.
"I've had the fragment for over a year now. Magic items are hard to move, but give a good profit when you finally do." Marblecutter pauses to glance around the ruins of his shop, and his shoulders slump. "Usually. Anyway, it was Lord Pinecrest himself, as I recall. I'd be reluctant to purchase such a thing through a servant or intermediary, for fear it might be stolen property. It's not unusual for the servants of faltering noble Houses to rob their lords blind before the end."