The group meets up in Arcane Row bright and early the next morning. They weave their way among the seemingly-endless rows of shops and stalls hawking all manner of items until they arrive at their destination: an especially narrow shop entitled, simply, "Antiques & Artifacts." One by one, they file their way inside.
The interior of the shop is almost the precise opposite of the visage presented by its owner: whereas Phedilo is collected, well-articulated, and seemingly-organized (yesterday's nerves not withstanding), the shop is visually loud and over-stocked, its shelves, walls, and even isles populated by a cluttered array of every manner of objects imaginable. One shelf is lined with the preserved figures of fantastical creatures, some in jars, other stuffed (although one would swear to have seen a flash of movement or two); over in a far corner, a dense swarm of ioun stones circle a perched parrot, which grins unnaturally from ear to ear; a case against the far wall is filled with a breathtaking array of rings and necklaces; and as the group enters further, a carbuncle floats up out of a pile of silver shavings, ignoring yourselves, the shops only patrons. From somewhere deep within the shop's recesses, Phedilo emerges. It's immediately clear that he's more nervous than ever about the day's impending task.
"Thank you for arriving on time, you all," he nods hastily. "I'm glad you all decided to come. Please, follow me." The carbuncle settles onto Phedilo's shoulder, where it takes a proffered piece of fruit. Phedilo leads the group into the back of the shop, through a storage area even more cluttered than the showroom, and to the back wall, where the group collects in awkward fashion. Phedilo utters an intelligible phrase, and a ladder materializes out of nowhere. The group make their way up the ladder - with Phedilo entreating Maui to ensure Taniwha's behavior - and find themselves in a small-ish chamber with a ceiling that seems impossibly high considering the dimensions of the shop as seen from the outside; the room seems to house a more select array of objects. The halfling gestures to a small pedestal off to one side of the room, the object upon which is concealed by a heavy velvet sheet. "The stone is under there."
It seems innocuous enough.