Norton Rhodes approached me, frustrated and convinced that Charles Reinold, the local book merchant, has been swindling the villagers. He claims Charles has been overcharging for books and lying about their value. Norton asked me to investigate by speaking with Marek Tholy and Sambor Ogden to gather evidence.
| Difficulty | Giver | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Padstow Weaver | NPC: Padstow Weaver NPC: Padstow Carpenter NPC: Padstow Blacksmith NPC: Padstow Books Merchant Village: Liberated |
| # | Step | Summary | NPC | Bring | Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Talk To Marek Tholy | Padstow Carpenter | Marek Tholy, a regular customer of Charles’s shop, confirmed that he’s noticed rising prices. He mentioned that Charles often labels regular books as “special editions” to justify the higher costs. Marek also recalled a suspicious incident where Charles claimed a book was sold out, even though Marek had seen it on the shelf the day before. | ||
| 2 | Talk To Sambor Ogden | Padstow Blacksmith | Sambor Ogden was far more direct in his accusations. He called Charles a swindler and claimed he’s been overcharging villagers for years. Sambor also hinted that Charles might have accomplices helping him inflate prices or smuggle in cheap books. He confirmed Norton’s suspicions but added that Charles’s status as the only book merchant in the village makes it difficult for anyone to challenge him. | ||
| 3 | Talk To Merchant | Padstow Books Merchant | Charles Reinold was calm and collected when I confronted him about the accusations. He denied overcharging and claimed his prices reflect the true value of his books. He also dismissed Norton’s claims as personal grudges, explaining that Norton has been bitter ever since Charles refused to sell him a rare book at a loss. | ||
| 4 | Talk To Norton | Padstow Weaver | I returned to Norton with the information I gathered. The villagers’ accounts and Charles’s explanations painted a complicated picture. Norton was adamant that Charles is guilty and urged me to help him report the merchant to the village elder. I hope I made the correct decision. |