Pfft... well this is pointless. Thanks anyway, Prest.
"Alright, thank you for your help Mr Prest. If you do discover anything that you think may be helpful, then please let us know." Simza wraps up the interview, and unless Issceran has further questions, gives the lawyer the address of their headquarters, and moves onto the next owner.
Simza gets pretty much the same answers from the other lawyer, save confirmation that he's more of an estate executor than a criminal lawyer.
Kinman seems surprised by Barin's sudden belligerence.
"You have Merryfoot's copy? Is it in as good of condition as mine? Anyway, I don't know anything about summoners. I haven't read the book, but it's the holy text of Asmodeus worship. Does that involve summoners?" His eyes narrow as Barin turns The safe-keeping of his tome into a confiscation. "Why do you need my book? If the thief was after the books, he failed to get both. He must not be a very good thief."
"Yea, I think that's 'nuff jibjab with the professionals." Koraq mulls around a bit after talking with Garrus, making his boredom and restlessness fairly obvious. Lessee what our shorter investigatas found. We should, I dunno, do a group sharin' thing and go over what got here."
"Mr. Kinman, pardon my companion's brusqueness. As to the thieves' motives, we're not sure that the books were what they were after."
"However, as it is a possible connection between the two incidents, we want to insure their safekeeping until such time as we can confirm or deny such a connection."
"My main concern that if the books are involved, than whoever has them might be targets of future attacks."
Rasil smiled before adding, "I'm sure that you'd rather the criminals come after my team and I as opposed to you."
Barin almost scowls at Rasil for the apology:"Listen, and listen well, Kinman: we know this place was brought down. We knos Naos Market was collapsed before this. And we know the one who did this is a summoner. We also know you and the Halfling both possess copies of this less than savory book... the ONLY two copies in the whole of Magnimar, I might add. So try to use your head: if this summoner wanted these books and went to the extreme of collapsing two buildings and killing a man to get it, what would he do to you if he catches you with the book? More importantly, we KNOW this summoner got something out of the rubble here at Irefoot Hall, so... are you sure you don't miss anything? Think hard, because as I see things your position seems pretty suspicious, especially considering we know you tried to coerce Mr Merryfoot out of his copy of the damnable book..."
"So I'm a suspect, now? Fine, but you think hard. Whoever did this brought down two entire buildings to do it? Do you really think a simple metal safe was going to stop him? If he was after my book, why is it still here? Take the book if you want, but I want it back when you find that it and I had nothing to do with any of this. As for am I missing anything, it would help if you people would let me look for things. I have hundreds of pieces in my store, several of which would be worth doing this for. Do you have a description of what you think was taken from the building? Maybe I could run down my list and see if anything jibes. I want to help, but I don't appreciate the idea that I've destroyed my entire business and thousands of gold pieces worth of inventory in some ploy to get a nine hundred gold piece book othe cheap. You think hard about that one."
Rasil stood by silently as Rav Kinman went on.
When the man had finished, the gnome said, "You are absolutely right, Mr. Kinman. The thief did take something from the rubble! It is quite possible that the books have nothing to do with the case at all."
"Unfortunately, we really do need to wait until the building inspector gets here to declare the structure safe. Hopefully, Mrs. Rumblemountain--that's the building inspector--will be along shortly."
"As for what was taken," the gnome shrugged. "Our witness didn't see what was taken, only that something was."
Simza glances at the impatient Koraq as he suggests they meet back up with Rasil. "We still have 3 shop-owners to interview here Koraq. We are meant to be investigating, so we shouldn't be going about this willy-nilly." It had been a long day, and she was starting to feel quite tired from the unaccustomed weight of her armor, not to mention being out and about for so long, but this was their job now.
"I'd like to at least speak with the Antiques owner and the Jewelry store owner, since there were similar shops at Irefoot Hall."
Kinman does hand over his book, taking the offered receipt.
For those at West Naos Market, Rumblemountain bids you a good-bye as she heads to Irefoot Hall to determine if the cause of collapse was the same, now that she knows what to look for. Just let me know which merchant you want to talk to first.
"Yeah yeah, whatever, Simz. Jus' make it snappy.", Koraq complains, cleaning his ear with his pinky before shaking it 'clean' and stretching his arms up to loosen his rugged body.
"Suppose you'd rather do the introduction with the Antiquiter 'stead of me, 'eh?"
"Yes. Let's start with Triffan." she confirmed to Koraq, leading the way to find the person in question, asking one of the bored guards if necessary.
Triffan Marblecutter, the dwarven antiquities dealer pauses from his sorting as you approach. "Figured you'd be getting to me sooner or later. How can I help?"
"Simza Caumlo, MSI." she introduces herself to the dwarf with a hidden smile. "We just wanted to know whether you could shed any light on the collapse, so we have a few questions for you."
"You trade in antiques, both purchasing and selling, correct? Are you aware of, or come into possession of anything recently that someone might go to these lengths to acquire? Something that might be of particular value or significance to someone, particularly anything of a magical nature."
"Correct. I have a few magical pieces, but I think I've accounted for all of them. An enchanted music box, two old amulets that toughen your skin (not sure why you'd want that), a ring that prevents falling, a fragment of...no, wait, that's not here. I must have missed it, it is awfully tiny. I think it was over here."
He describes a small amulet, a triangle of black gold on a platinum chain, and gets you to help look.
Perception check.
"Be as it may it is a really suspect circumstance to find the only 2 copies of such a book in the whole of Magnimar in two buildings that happen to collaspe one right after the other. And even more suspect is to learn the one responsible for the deed is some sort of summoner. So yes, you are quite right: you are a suspect. And don't think we won't be looking in your harrasment of Mr Merryfoot anyway. You are in trouble, Kinman, if you have anything else to say about this case you've better to spit it out now..."
"Heh, a different response at least." Koraq mulls for a bit before finally assisting with the search, being nice enough to lift up the larger pieces of rubble for Simza and Issceran. "Yea, you guys would be hard-pressed without me here to do the heavy work for ya."
Simza likewise assists in the search, rolling her eyes as Koraq's statement, whether it was true or not. "What does this piece do then Mr. Marblecutter? The Amulet?"
Kinman has nothing to offer the case save an angry glare.
"The Enjoiner? It was one of five fragments from the original item, fashioned by a Shoanti wizard during the Chelish invasion. I believe it's purpose is to impart the traits of a ghoul to any creatures the wielder summons. It was captured by five Chelish adventurers, who then divided the item into five fragments, as a trophy of their victory."
Sorry, should have made two posts. First was Kinman, second Marblecutter.
Posting from an iPhone on a rickety moving school bus is tonnes of win.
"So we got a thing that might be missin' that makes summoned things creepier, and it just so happens that a summoner is responsible for one of the collapses and probably both. Ain't no damn coincidence to me. Happen ta know if there are any otha' fragments here in Magnimar?"
"Of course. I know of two fragments that went up for auction at Meisner's last year. I wouldn't be surprised if the other two fragments were around the city, either."
"Hmm, interesting." she muses, nodding to Koraq's assertion that it wasn't a coincidence. Then again the summoner had only received a single item from Irefoot that their witness was aware of, so it couldn't be both the book and a piece of this Enjoiner.
"The Enjoiner, could you describe it for me? Both the piece you had, and the whole if possible" she asks the dwarf, borrowing some ink from Issceran if he allows her and taking notes on her own parchment. "and what is this Meisner's? An auction house? Do you have the address."
Marblecutter gives a start when Sinza asks about Meisner's.
"Yes, only the most elite of auction houses in all of Magnimar. My piece, and I believe all of them, were triangles of black gold, very rare that, on a platinum chain. The chains, I believe, were additions made by the five Chelish adventurers, and aren't part of the magic item themselves. As for what it looked like assembled, I have no idea. Nobody alive has ever seen it assembled."
Nope, Kinman doesn't have anything else to offer at this time.
After delivering his final tirade Barin nods at Rasil motioning for him to lead the way:"Let's go Bathbone. I don't want to spend another second in the presence of Mr Kinman. We have better and more enjoyable people to meet."
Taking in what the halfling said, Koraq's glad that finally some discussion has brought out useful information.
"Well Simz, think we got ourselves another possible motive... still eff'in' creepy that a skinbook and a ghoul artifact were so close to each otha'. Tilting his head to each side with a satisfying popping sound, Koraq signals that he's ready to head out. "Hey Issy, where's this Meisna' place? We outta see who bought them other fragments."
"It seems we may Koraq." she agrees. "Do you know who purchased the two fragments last year Mr Marblecutter?"
"Back to West Naos Market, then, eh Barin?" replied the gnome.
"We'd best hurry." Rasil led his dwarven companion back to the other crime scene to meet up with the others.
No, after an exhaustive search, Marblecutter's amulet is still missing. Issceran using detect magic doesn't find it either.
The enjoiner fragment is gone.
Simza thanks the Dwarven gentlemen, and asks him to let them know if he finds anything else missing, leaving him to continue sorting through the remains of his shop. She looks at her fellow investigators and then up at the lowering sun.
"Meisna'?" Issceran visibly flinched at the pet name the half-orc felt obligated to use for him. It produced a visible frown as he was roused from his thoughts, trailing behind his would-be companions and fellow investigators. The artifacts perked his interest tremendously however he would have to take time to do his research on them.
There was a lot of research to be conducted.
It's getting on 17h30 when the group meets back up again at West Naos Market. It's early Rova, so there are still a couple hours of daylight left, but most shops and businesses in the city are getting ready to close down.
But there's plenty of time to ask Lucas questions.
"Ah! Finally!" Rasil said as he and Barin walked up to West Naos Market.
"Simza, Issceran, Koraq! What have you learned since Barin and I left?"
"Hey gnome, how do ya feel 'bout ghoulish monsters?", Koraq answers, smiling as he greets the shorter pair with his arms folded across his chest.
"Hmm... I don't know much about ghouls. They eat the living, right?"
Rasil stroked his mustache. "And I doubt that they're good conversationalists, so I probably wouldn't want to meet one."
The gnome eyes narrowed as he added, "Why do you ask?"
"Well, Simz and Issy can give better details than me, but I think we figured out the real motive of this summoner guy."
"Really? I hope it doesn't have to do with that book, because Mr. Kinman, like Mr. Merryfoot, still had his copy."
"Gohuls are just dead things that need to be killed. So, back on topic: did you discover something useful or not?"
"Triffan Marblecutter is missing a magic pendant, a triangle of black gold, on a platinum chain. It is one of five pieces that form an artifact known as the Enjoiner. I'll fill you in on the rest later, but there's still two more shopkeeps we need to interview, and I'd like to finish that today. Rasil, if you want to talk to Ira Mellisor, of precious stones, and me, Issy-" she stops mid sentance, her cheeks flushing as she started to using Koraq's nickname for him. "Issceran, and Koraq will speak with Meritoni Lucas."
"Ira Mellisor, got it," said Rasil, motioning to Barin.
"Let's go find her." The gnome set off to locate the owner of Precious Stones.
"Ugh... another one, Simz?", exclaims Koraq, pouting that he has to stand and talk more. "Pfftt... at least he's the last guy, right?" With that, Koraq turns away from the group and shouts, "MERITONI LUCAS!!! GET OVER HERE FOR QUESTIONING!!!"
In another time, another place Issceran would have razed the half-orc with arcane fire... But he was standing there quite annoyed as the pet name began to spread. He lifted a hand to his lips and coughed to clear his throat. He nearly stared daggers at Koraq before the man stomped off yelling for the next person they needed to question. He shot a look over to Simza and set his jaw, trying to mind nothing of it. she at least had the decency to correct herself unlike the brute with them.
"Sorry" she whispers to Issceran, wincing as Koraq bellows for the sculptor. She looks around for the person, heading to meet them at least halfway.
The merchants are willing to answer questions, though Lucas decidedly less so after the bellowed summons. However, neither of them offer any relevant information about the collapse, and have noticed nothing missing.