"Sounds alright by me.  Anything is better than wandering around looking for a needle in a haystack."

"Aye, a good idea - but if he recognizes me he might call the law! - how about one of you approach the man and engage the man in conversation, tell him you are hunting the thief.  I will come around behind his stall in case he makes a run for it"

In reply to Kareth Melphis (msg # 56):

"A fine plan.  Durek, will you do the talking?  I know little of merchants and their commerce-driven ways, but I am keen to learn."

One of the things that occurs to Kareth is that thieves are known to wear disguises, so the thief may no longer look the same, which would explain why you haven't spotted him.

And there's always the possibility that he left the city already.

Now that you know the necklace is... 'peculiar', and Ember suggested there is something going on behind the scenes, the thief may be in hiding... lying low until the heat dies down.

The question still remains: did the thief know the necklace was magical?

"OK, I guess.  The people of Glantri are not known to receive dwarves well.  Which one is the merchant?"

Once he knows which merchant he is going too, he waits for Kareth to move into the crowd and around behind the merchant stall before approaching him.

"Hail and well met good Sir.  I am trying to locate a thief that stole a necklace.  I'm told that you may have his description that I may find him and turn him over to the law."

"Why would I have a thief's description?" the merchant replies, clearly baffled at Dwarf's request. "You think just because I sell necklaces that some thief stole one from me? Well, he didn't!"


Kareth soon realizes that this isn't the 'merchant' from whom the thief stole the necklace, but it is the same stall.

In reply to Mysterion (msg # 60):

"Perhaps you could tell us who rented this stall before you arrived then, friend Merchant?  Anything you can do to help us will surely benefit you." said the Elf as he began studying the merchant's wares as if interested in buying a trinket or two.

Kareth had looked at the same trinkets at one point, which is probably one of the reasons why he was selected as the target of the frame. It is the same stall, selling the same items, but the seller isn't the same person.


"How would I know who last used this stall?" the merchant almost snarls at what he clearly feels is a silly question. "That was almost 5 years ago! It sat empty for a year before I decided to license it."


At Talis's feigned interest in his necklaces, he launches into his sales speech.

"Now that necklace is the finest amber necklace from Ochalea. As you know, amber offers protection from vampires. For only 25 gold pieces, it's practically a steal!"

"That's a quite reasonable offer," Kareth responds to the merchant, "but we'd actually need a set... six or seven, at least."

"As for our enquiries, we're not talking about five years ago. The crime happened this morning, about 10 bells. You weren't here at the time. Was there somebody covering your absence?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:20, Tue 11 Feb 2014.

Durek continues to stare up at the merchant, trying to gauge his reaction.

Kareth is trying to decide if this merchant is really so ignorant of the whole affair.  Perhaps the man is a mark just like Kareth himself was this morning?

He half-turns away and scans the surrounding stalls in case anyone seems to be watching with too much interest.

"Oh. Ummm, well, as a matter of fact," the merchant replies to Kareth, "it's possible I was, um, indisposed right about that time. I asked a friend to watch it for me while I was, um, dealing with that. But I was only gone a few minutes! And there was nothing stolen! I'd know if something was missing!"


Kareth doesn't notice anyone else that seems to be paying attention to them or the merchant. After a few moments, he's convinced that the earlier events were just a one-time incident. Apparently nobody expected Kareth to come back asking questions.

In reply to Mysterion (msg # 66):

"This friend of yours?  Where can we find him?  I assure you we mean him no harm.  We merely wish to clear up a mystery." asked Talis in his most friendly tone.

"Manfred. His name's Manfred," the merchant replied to Talis. "He's an armorer. The last I knew, he hangs out in the Barrel of Monkeys."

In reply to Mysterion (msg # 68):

Talis eyed the man wondering if he was being teased "Barrel of Monkeys?" he then turned to Kareth for an explanation "Barrel of Monkeys?"

"And your name, good Merchant?" asked the tall Elf.

"Where is this Barrel of Monkeys?  Is it a tavern or inn?"

"My name's Morgan... Morgan Shant," the merchant replies. "The Barrel of Monkeys is a pub, popular with Dwarves. It's in the Westside district. Hard to miss."

Kareth nods to Shant "well then, we shall buy this Manfred a drink from the Monkey Barrel."  He flips the man a small coin "thanks for your time - don't bother to remember our faces, geddit?"

In reply to Kareth Melphis (msg # 72):

Talis throws the merchant a rakish smile "Feel free to remember my face, Master Morgan!"

Talis walks across the way to the stall opposite the jeweler and asks the vendor for the name of the jeweler.  Just a double check to make sure the jeweler isn't lying.

"Alright then let us head over to this inn and find this 'Manfred'" Axe over his shoulder he heads to the western side of town inquiring along the way for the directions to the inn.

The vendor across the path is produce seller, and he readily informs Talis that the jewelry seller's name is Morgan.

In reply to Mysterion (msg # 75):

"To the barrel of Monkeys, my friends!" Talis begins to stride off, but suddenly remembers he has no idea where to go.  He stops and bows to Kareth and Durek "After you, Gentlemen."

"Off we go then!"

The group had no trouble finding the oddly-named pub, though there were no outward signs of the name. The exterior was rather nondescript, but, like every building in Glantri City, it was unique.

See "Mayhem in the Market Square" for a description. If you want to go in, go ahead and join the "Mayhem in the Market Square" thread.

Opening the door to the inn, Durek leads the others in.