Antioch
Randall and Elbereth check into the "Mongrel and Mitre" and have a dinner of vegetables and light wine. They talk quietly in a corner before most of the usual crowd arrives.
R-" I believe the gems to be the real thing. The red one is almost surely the one I had carried for a while."
E- "I, too believe they are real. Salix's blade was not even close to what it looked like. The historians only had two things right: it had a blade, and the correct inscription. The gold - certainly not on the blade we saw being forged. The metal was not like the ore we brought to the smith."
R-"What did you notice about the security?"
E-" You pantomime was funny, but it did allow me to look all around the case with the gems in it. All the cases and displays appear to be similar, but the workmanship varies. Some cases in the museum are good and some are nice and functional. But the precious items have specially made cases. This is such a case. It is physically locked, hinged on the inside. I suspect it is magically sealed as well, considering the perfectness of the jointery.
I also noted that windows are barred. Some do not look like it, but the tracery in the leaded glass windows is certainly stronger that it first appears. The doors to each room are well maintained and clean. I suspect the are closed nightly."
R-"We know for sure that we can not teleport in or out of the museum. My guess is that any magic uses will be detected, unless at a level far higher than we can do to avoid detection. As the gems are real, it would be hard to replicate them well enough to switch them without notice. In other words, it would take a thief of high caliber to to this job. That is not us."
Elbereth nods in agreement. "So, that leaves us with getting the blue gem from the store in Malta, and having Master A. help us here. Perhaps we can pick up some other news of the murders, the pasty white haired elves, or whats going on with the funeral and conclave."
R-"That sounds right. Shall we return to Alderweg after the funeral, hope for news of our friends, and then return here for the conclave?"
E-"Two days here would be enough..."
They continue talking about common topics as the tavern fills with others and privacy can not be assured. They plan to listen in around town to conversations, high ranking people especially.
Towards evening, Randall and Elbereth go out scouting for information.
After Randall leaves the inn, he enters the stable and transforms into a common barred owl and leaves a few mice quaking in the straw as he flies toward the inns frequented by the higher eschelons of the church.
Finding a few men entering an inn, he alights on the roof in the shadows and strains to hear any snippets of conversation. He repeats this as conversations dwindle or groups leave for another inn or meeting.
Elbereth, performs a similar transformation, but heads for the poorer districts and the areas by the wharf.
To Be Continued...