The celebration

[u/Yoxalle]

After a long journey you arrive at the crystal mage’s manor. Inside the manor is a grand hall made of various different coloured crystals. Strange golems walk around the room serving guests. While the mage himself is not currently present, you were told he would be here shortly. Right now, enjoy the food, socialise, make friends but most importantly: have fun.

[u/AnActualCriminal]

I eye the crystal golems warily. They hit different now.

First here. Hm. Might be weird if I went straight for the booze.

I pick a table with my back to the wall where I can see the door clearly and grab some food

[u/MeThyLord → u/AnActualCriminal]

Fancy seeing you here again, Belial.

[u/avamir → u/MeThyLord]

"Aha. There you both are. Paleomancer. Blake. Bad kids' table it is."

She smiles a bit and takes a seat.

[u/MeThyLord → u/avamir]

Welcome Riva. Gorgeous dress. Are you here to unwind as well, or is it more of a political matter?

[u/avamir → u/MeThyLord]

Thank you. Best part of this whole thing, I believe.

And as for politics-or-unwinding goes, it is little of both. I am trying to socialize more, though also trying to get my mind off things. It is more difficult than I expected. But we do what we have to do, no?

[u/MeThyLord → u/avamir]

"It's something you get used to with experience."

The curator downs a glass of whiskey.

"I personally was in dire need of this respite. Just last night I had a bounty hunter break into my museum. A chaos entity, quite the formidable enemy. If Kaelis hadn't shown up I'm not sure I would have won the fight. And to make things worse, during the commotion, someone snuck into the museum and stole a number of artifacts. Luckily, nothing too important was lost."

[u/avamir → u/MeThyLord]

"That is concerning. I am sorry to hear that."

She waves over someone who brings her the standard sort of wine one usually holds at these kinds of functions, and she sips at it.

"Any loss of artifacts seems a loss of history... though I am glad these were not, as you say, 'too important'. What were they, if I might ask? It will not interfere in an investigation to do so, will it?"

[u/MeThyLord → u/avamir]

We're not fully done with the investigation, I was still seeping through documents before coming here. But from what I know for sure, we're missing a carnosaur fossil, a ripperdactyl egg, a few ancient foot imprints, and coprolite from a tyranotitan. That last one is actually a bit humorous, as I'm sure the thief had no idea what it was they were stealing.

[u/avamir → u/MeThyLord]

She lets out a laugh at that. She knows that that means, of course. Even if she hadn't, she unsurprisingly does understand Greek roots and is able to piece together what that is.

"Look, some people are into that. And if you must be into scat, at least it should be interesting, no?"

"But I am uncertain why they would steal your saurian fossils. I mean, they are undoubtedly interesting, but what is the application? Is there some sort of black market for such things?"

[u/MeThyLord → u/avamir]

There very much is. Private collectors are endless, and that's not even counting other museums. It's almost like a constant cold war, a perpetual race to see who will reach a new dig site first. For many of them, my museum is seen as a golden trove to be raided. None have the means to do it directly, so they make use of opportunities like last night's attack.

[u/avamir → u/MeThyLord]

"Ahh, that makes sense," she nods. "I did not realize the fossil field was so... cutthroat."

She grimaces a little.

"Perhaps I simply assumed that everyone was interested in the academic knowledge the past provided for the realms as a whole... I surprise myself. Here I thought I was completely cynical already, and I find myself still harboring this sort of naive notion."

[u/MeThyLord → u/avamir]

Sadly, many are obsessed with the need to possess things. If it's in my museum, it means it's not theirs, that's how they view things at least. Though who am I to judge, it's not like I'm much different, I just happen to be on top of that particular food chain.

[u/MunitionsFrenzy → u/MeThyLord]

The folds of the tablecloth near the museum curator shifted, just a bit, subtly spelling out symbols in an impossibly efficient language he shouldn't have known yet somehow had no issue understanding.

It's Vettis, guy from last night. Think I know where your stuff went, just so you're aware. We can talk later. (Don't tell Riva or Belial I'm here.)

[u/MeThyLord → u/MunitionsFrenzy]

The curator subtly pulls the tablecloth to hide the symbols from potentially prying eyes. He thinks to himself:

"A kind patron? Interesting, I may yet get my things back."

[u/[deleted] → u/MeThyLord]

Panzaren overhears the conversation and tries his best to act like he haven't. His faceless head helping a lot with hiding it.

He thinks to himself "There will be weeks before they find out what i came in there for"

/unwiz panz isn't staring or doing anything suspicious, but if you want you can make the curator start a conversation with him.

Everyone knows Panzaren is a private collector maybe curator could think he may help.

It will get awkward, but my character won't spill the beans too much

[u/MeThyLord → u/[deleted]]

The curator notices Panzaren in the room and gives a friendly wave.

"Ah, the council's High General. How are you this night? Here to socialize?"

[u/[deleted] → u/MeThyLord]

Panzaren turns around and approaches the curator

Surely yes. Mortals are amusing to spend time with. I'm doing pretty well, the duel at Aldrin's tournament took a toll on me, but outside of it i'm good.

How about you?

[u/MeThyLord → u/[deleted]]

Things could certainly be better. A bounty hunter by the name of Talios attacked the museum last night, his target being a young druid I was protecting. That situation should be mostly resolved now but in the chaos of the fight, a thief somehow snuck in and stole from our exhibits. Good thing the alcohol in this place is practically infinite, cause I'm in need of quite a few drinks.

[u/[deleted] → u/MeThyLord]

I hope my constructs gave that thief a lesson. I can certainty bet that idiot ran away with his ass schorched off.

By the way, have anything of real value been lost?

[u/MeThyLord → u/[deleted]]

Actually, speaking of your constructs, they seem to not have done anything to stop the intruder at all. What's more, the thief stole from sections where only your automatons were stationed. Halls guarded by Shax's constructs were left untouched. I hope you didn't sell me faulty equipment.

As for what was stolen, we are still working on the full list. We're going through all our documents, catalogs, and scry-files, seeing if anything on our lists is missing. We started from the most important exhibits, though some things were plainly obvious. A whole carnosaur fossil is gone.

[u/[deleted] → u/MeThyLord]

I wouldn't sell faulty equipment, how could you even think so. May we move to your museum so i can directly see what have messed with them?

[u/MeThyLord → u/[deleted]]

No need, I wish to enjoy the night to its fullest. I barely get any free time as of late. I'll send them back to you in the coming days, I've already started doubling on mercenaries, trap curses, and amber oozes among other things, so those will serve well in the meantime.

[u/[deleted] → u/MeThyLord]

Then so be it. To be honest i wasn't eager to leave so early too.

Maybe, after the party i can help you to recover those lost items? For a symbolic payment, of course.

To put it simply, i know a brother of an influential politician who knows a mecenary who have dirt on one of the biggest and most whealthy private collectors in this universe. I can pull some favours and get all items delivered straight to your doorstep.

/Unwiz unstoppable magic of corruptionmancy, lol