Inquisitive Ingaram

Name: Inquisitive Ingaram

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Bestows Quest(s): Hiding in Plain Sight

Affiliation(s): The Free Agents

Location: The Wayward Lobster, at the bar

Description: You need him to give you permission to Zerchi Spire-Keeper transport you to The Foothold.

The Wayward Lobster

If you try to talk to him while at level 7 or lower, he will reply:

• Inquisitive Ingaram: Ingaram looks up briefly from a book of financial records. I'm sorry, but you lack the experience for my line of work. I am investigating a case that involves the most vicious players on the Stormreach underworld. I could not, in good conscience, throw you into such a den of basilisks!

If you are at level 8 or higher, however, he will reply:

• Inquisitive Ingaram: The man looks up from a book of financial records. Hail and well met. Are you a fellow inquisitive? I confess that Baudry Cartamon's shadowy nemesis has me stumped. I could use your help, if you are stout of heart, swift of reasoning, and prone to violence.
  • You: I'm not familiar with your profession. What's an inquisitive?
    • Inquisitive Ingaram: Why, an inquisitive inquires, of course! Private citizens hire us to discreetly learn the secrets of their enemies, or uncover criminal plots when the authorities are unhelpful. We detect the truth, no matter where the search may lead! I have been retained by Baudry Cartamon, but my inquiries have been blocked at every turn....
      • You: What trouble has old Cartamon gotten himself into this time? (See below)
  • You: What trouble has old Cartamon gotten himself into this time?
    • Inquisitive Ingaram: In the past weeks, Cartamon has suffered a string of financial disasters. His ships have been plundered by pirates, and a number of treasures have vanished from his protection. He has already lost enough contracts to set him back years in the shipping business With his last coppers, he hired me to identify the saboteur behind his downfall.
    • You: And what have you found?
    • Inquisitive Ingaram: Someone is spending a huge amount of gold to muscle Baudry out of the Harbor. For example, his business rivals have paid off years of back taxes in a few weeks—where did they get the gold? And the pirates are sinking Baudry's ships outright, instead of seizing their cargoes. Where's the profit in that? It's clear that Baudry has a wealthy enemy who will pay any price to render him copperless!
    • You: Have you identified any suspects?
    • Inquisitive Ingaram: There is one suspect worth mentioning -- Hazadill the Bugbear Ever since Baudry foiled Hazadill's plans to steal a rare dragonshard for the Emerald Claw, Hazadill has sworn revenge. But Hazadill was financially ruined by that escapade. Perhaps Hazadill has found a new patron with deeper pockets than the Claw? If so, I cannot find Hazadill's new hideout, or even prove that he's back in business! I have scoured Hazadill's Shipping Warehouse myself and found no incriminating evidence. His new operation must be elsewhere. I need someone who's not afraid of this bugbear kingpin to find him and take him down!
    • You: Hazadill is a small-time crook, no matter who pays his bills. I'll find him and put him back out of business.
    • Inquisitive Ingaram: Be cautious. Hazadill may once have been a 'small-timer,' as you say, but now he's a powerful crime boss. Your first step must be to interrogate Baudry about Hazadill's whereabouts—I suspect he knows more than he's telling me. Together, we'll smoke this bugbear out of his lair....
    • You: That sounds like a good lead. I'll question Baudry at once. (Bestow quest)

Talking to him after acquiring the quest, but before talking to Baudry, will make he say:

• Inquisitive Ingaram: You should question Baudry about Hazadill the Bugbear's whereabouts. I'm sure he's not telling me everything he knows, although I can't imagine what he's trying to hide. Until we learn where Hazadill's smuggling cartel is hidden, we'll never stop his campaign of revenge.

Talking to him after getting more info from Baudry, but before completing the quest, will make him say:

• Inquisitive Ingaram: Baudry thinks Hazadill has corrupted his own employees, eh? I can understand why he'd be reluctant to admit such a thing. The next step is to search Cartamon's Shipping Warehouse for evidence of Hazadill's dirty tricks. With luck, we may catch this audacious bugbear off his guard.

After you finish the quest and take grasp of Hazadill's book of charts, telling him will make him reply:

• Inquisitive Ingaram: The bugbear kingpin is dead! Fabulous news! But there is still a mystery to solve—to wit, where did Hazadill get the gold to fund his vendetta against Baudry?
• You: I found a book of charts.
• Inquisitive Ingaram: Ingaram seizes the book of charts, but his eagerness turns to disappointment. I am sure the location of Hazadill's treasure trove is recorded here, and perhaps even the identity of his patron. But the notes are written in gibberish! Show this book to Baudry—perhaps he is familiar with this cipher.

After you get the book's info from Baudry, he will congratulate you with the following:

• Inquisitive Ingaram: Ingaram listens as you recount the revelations in Hazadill's book of charts. So the Aurum is buying up artifacts from the Restless Isles? That can only mean that the Twilight Forge has been found! It is a legend among treasure-seekers—a lost armory from the war between the giants and the Quori dream-lords, hidden somewhere among the inland lakes of Xen'drik. The Quori are gone, but the magical technology they left behind is beyond price. According to rumor, an evil presence took the place of the Quori, and previous attempts to locate the Twilight Forge have ended in ruin—but it seems that someone has succeeded!
• You: Now that Baudry's problems are solved, this Twilight Forge intrigues me. Artifacts beyond price, you say?
• Inquisitive Ingaram: I knew you wouldn't leave the Twilight Forge to be picked over by Hazadill's underling! Hurry and speak to Zerchi Spire-Keeper, the airship master in the Marketplace. Ask him to arrange your passage on the 'Soaring Otyugh,' Hazadill's artifact-running airship. If you drop my name, Zerchi won't ask too many questions. And Hazadill's smugglers will be looking for new leadership—if you are quick and confident, you may convince them to work with you, instead of against you! I require no share in the expedition. Knowledge is my stock-in-trade, and I have learned a great deal from this investigation.
• You: That's surprisingly generous of you. Speaking of generosity, I am still owed a reward for eliminating Baudry's rival....

After completing the quest and taking the reward, if you talk to him again, he will reply:

• Inquisitive Ingaram: You're a talented investigator. Have you considered a career as a private inquisitive? The pay is unreliable, the work is dangerous, and you'll meet the worst scum of Eberron. It's like being a city guard, but so much more romantic! Ingaram lowers his voice. Anyway, have you spoken with Zerchi Spire-Keeper about traveling to the Restless Isles? Hazadill found a vast source of wealth there. If you move fast, you might claim it as your own!
• You: I'll speak to Zerchi. Whatever Hazadill found in the Restless Isles, I want a piece of the action!