As you glance over the wall of Auberon’s magical artifacts on display, you can’t help but feel a sense of skepticism. Your training has taught you to rely on your own physical prowess, not some mystical object. However, your curiosity still gets the better of you as you observe the various objects hidden within the glass display cases adorning the wall, the sign above them stating, ‘The Mysteries of the Arcane: A Collection of Rare and Powerful Artifacts’. A well-dressed halfling stands nearby, eyeing a particular case containing a rather ordinary looking ring.
You decide to take a closer look at the artifacts on display.
You tap on one of the glass cases, and inside a floating orb begins to glow with a pale green light. You press your face against the clear container and can feel the heat radiating from the strange object inside. Slowly, the pale green light fades.
Another artifact that catches your eye is a djinn’s lamp. It’s adorned with intricate designs, and you can almost sense the power emanating from it. Despite your disdain for magic, you can’t help but wonder what it would be like to hold such an object in your hands, and what wishes you might have granted.
As you continue to survey the wall, you notice other magical artifacts that you can’t quite identify. Some of them appear to be weapons, while others resemble trinkets or jewelry.
You may be a fighter at heart, but even you can’t deny the value of a little bit of magic in a fight, and you can’t help but think that having one of those artifacts on your side could make all the difference in a battle. As you turn away, an empty display case catches your eye.
You approach the halfling to strike up a conversation. He’s of slight build, standing at only three and a half feet tall. Despite his small stature, he carries himself with a certain dignity and poise, as if he were born to be a nobleman. His features are sharp and intelligent, the scars on his face betraying the fact that he’s older than he appears. He is impeccably dressed, wearing a fine doublet and vest with a matching set of breeches and polished leather shoes. As you near, he welcomes your approach.
“Finnian Highhill is the name, and you are?”
Despite his well-mannered appearance, he has a sly look in his eyes.
“Well met. It’s a shame what’s happened here, and it’s certainly a shame that I’m not sure who could have done it. That’s the problem, isn’t it? So many of Auberon’s so-called friends had plenty of reason to see to his demise, and just as he was about to name one as a thief, no less. As such, I can understand why you’d want to talk to me.
Haven’t they told you? In my younger days of adventuring at Auberon’s side, I was a thief. Yes, disarming traps in dungeons, picking the locks of treasure chests, sneaking ahead as a scout – I certainly did my part for the party and Auberon and I both benefited greatly from our mutual alliance. Poison, as seems to be the case here, was never my forte, however. Fingersmithing and the like was my game, not apothecarial work.
As it so happens, there once was an alchemist in our adventuring entourage, and as it so happens she’s sitting right over there at the table. If this was indeed a poisoning, she might have had something to do with it. After all, Auberon did kick her out of the party all those years ago, and I did hear them having a rather heated debate about something earlier tonight.
As for my own innocence, let me just say that there was a great mutual respect among Auberon and I. He was as avid a collector of magical items as I am, and we shared many wonderful conversations over the limitless potential these artifacts could bring to the world. Would these make great additions to my own collection? Well, who could deny that. But I wouldn’t murder my friend over them.”
