The party goes to visit arrested Fenerus Stormcastle to discern whether he had the actual, factual Stone of Golor or a decoy. They persuade the guard that a visitation request was timely filed and that Fenerus needs legal representation urgently.
Hours later, Magister Barch grants disarmed Luth and Janky access to Fenerus in the basement pokey. Savvy Fenerus sees through the ploy to trick him into revealing the location of the Stone of Golor, recognizes his own painted rock decoy, and demands immunity and release before he will disclose the location of the real stone. Pending charges against the known Blood Hawk Posse henchman include highway banditry and assault.
The party next sets out to locate Open Lord Laeral Silverhand at the Seven Masks Theatre to surrender the phony stone and to bring her Fenerus’s offer. They arrive during midday rehearsal of a play, Sapphiria’s Booty, directed by theater owner Rongquan. The box office is no help directing them to Laeral Silverhand and refers them to Rongquan.
Rongquan does not mind the interruption. He knows Laeral Silverhand through Lords’ Alliance and is authorized to collect the Stone of Golor from the party. He detects the fake in less time, and for 120 less gold, than the identify spell. They kick around the idea of negotiating the pardon of Fenerus to learn the location of the true stone. Rongquan points out the limitations of the executive branch when it comes to criminal justice, but he offers a forged letter from Laeral Silverhand, embossed from the Lords’ Alliance, if that would be any help.
The party returns to the justice center with the letter and renders it to the guard for the magister’s consideration. The magister convenes a meeting in the courtroom. Janky presents a forthright outline of the deal: Fenerus’s freedom for the key to the pilfered city’s wealth by way of the Stone of Golor. Irked by any compromise of justice, the magister requires some accounting for the net public good. Janky critically persuades her that the official recovery of the hoard of dragons might squash the rampant competitive bloodshed amongst the various criminal factions.
The magister summons Fenerus to the meeting for a quick deposition. Fenerus affirms that he does know the location of the Stone of Golor, pictures it in his mind right this moment, and will reveal that location in exchange for his freedom. Magister Barch unexpectedly orders Fenerus back to his cell before any such verbal revelation happens. She then explains to the party that Fenerus hid the Stone of Golor on the top floor of an old tower in the dock ward.