Carina ruefully witnesses her own and others' failed attempts to intimidate the still conscious elven burglar.  So poor are her own efforts that even the divine guidance from the dragonborn cleric seems unlikely to help.  So much for that.

If their attempts to glean anything fail, she sighs.  "Well, then perhaps they can answer to the town leader.  Three are dead, one is unconscious here that I have tied up.  Perhaps bind up the other one and let's search the rest of this place, then take these two living ones to Elro Aldataur.  We can then tell him what we found... at the other huts as well."  (NOT wanting to mention Tulgi or Croakers' Cave where the still-awake burglar can hear).

She looks around for any door to other rooms in the shop, perhaps a back room:  Perception:  18

It takes a bit to pull out the dead elves into the snow because the Curiosities that give the shop his name are lying around everywhere between flipped over counters and shelves.

The still alive elf still grinds his teeth in pain from his wounds but as he hears the plan to be handed over to Elro he shouts:

"No! Please No! Don't bring me to Elro, he does not allow thievery in Palebank Village! Please do not bring me to Elro and l will tell you all!"

Meanwhile Carina sees the door to what must be a backroom right next to elf, that Elmira shot down last.

Ashton looks at the thief. "Let's start with who are you? Who do you work for? What were you looking for?"

While Ashton questioned the elf and Carina steps to this mysterious door, Pandora search the chaos in front of her for clues. (Perception: 24)

Pandora searches through the objects on the ground. Most of it has been destroyed or is broken by the thieves, who were clearly searching for something else than the strange objects that lie scattered around everywhere. She finds small statues, broken mosaics and even old paintings of creatures or gods she has never seen between books in unknown languages and a huge mass of all kinds of strange relics, that look like broken off parts of ... buildings? ships? There are idols, ceremonial and ornate clothing and  There are also sharp edged pieces of broken glass and liquids spilled. Pandora is careful to not touch it. Between all of this and hidden under a turned over shelf, Pandora finds something that catches her eye. It is a rather large coin or medal, but the truly remarkable thing is, that it dimly sheds light in a 5ft radius around it.

Meanwhile Ashton interrogates the tied up elf. The elf is intimidated by the prospect of being handed over to Elro, although he seems not to be intimidated at your group that much. On Ashtons question, who he is and what they were doing here, he says:

"My name is Aumrauth and I work for Hulil! She is sick or cursed with something and now she can only move slowly and her veins are turning blue. Hulil ordered us to trash this shop in search of potions, scrolls, or other items that might help cure her. I swear that's all of it!"

Carina looks at the others significantly, though she does not give voice to her thoughts where the burglar, Aumrauth, can hear.

So this elven bandit works for Hulil, Tulgi's sister... the sister at Croakers' Cave where Tulgi sent all of the relics that she stole from here, or all except the dagger, anyway.  All the relics Urgon Wenth had brought back from Eiselcross.  And now Hulil has the same sickness and also looks for a cure.  It suggests that one of the other relics, not the dagger, might be the source of the disease.  Croakers' Cave it is then, though we should first report to Elro Aldataur.

Still musing to herself, she turns and tries the door to the backroom to check if it is locked.

Carina sees, that Pandora already tied up the conscious elf and tries the door to the backroom. It is indeed locked but it does not seem the sturdiest. 

(OOC: Last comment from Pandora on Page 11 - there she ties up the elf)

"The door to the back room is locked, though none too sturdy," Carina calls back to the others.

"Anyone see a key?  Or should we either bash through?  Or maybe try entering through a back window?  Not sure this Pelc would want us intruding into their back room if the burglars hadn't made it in there, but at this point, her shop is wrecked regardless, and there may be other clues."

Pandora stares at the coin. It's beautiful! "Guys look at that beauty and how it glows!" She steps to the dead body of the elf she killed before and tears off some fabric from his cape to wrap up the coin. Be careful. Don't touch it. "We should take it with us. Maybe it helps or gives us some answers." she says. 

After she showed the item to the rest of the group, she put it in her backpack. 

As she saw that Carina stands in front of a locked door, Pandora joins her "Maybe i can open it. Let's not make more of a mess than there already is here." says she with a little smile on her lips. So she digs out a lockpick from a pocket on her coat and starts working on the lock. (Dex: 21 + 2 (Proficiency) = 23)
The lock makes a click-sound. Pandora takes a step back and makes a welcoming gesture for Carina. "After you, my dear." she says while bowing to her. 

Ashton asks the elf. "So this Hulil, is this Tulgi's sister?  She is in Croakers Cave?  How many of the items that were stolen does she still have?"  he takes the dagger from his pack and carefully unwraps it.  He shows it to Aumrauth. "Have you seen this before?"

Pandora and Carina walk into the backroom of Pelc's after Pandora successfully unlocked the door. Right in front of the door is a tidy desk with multiple papers on a stack and an closed inkwell. Left to the door is a big chest and opposite to the door, on the wall, is a huge cold fireplace. What appears to be an ice statue of an elf is bundled beneath the blankets of a bed along the east wall of the room. A small table loaded with dirty teacups and a kettle stands next to the bed. 

The elf, interrogated further by Ashton, is still in pain from his injuries. After breathing away some of the pain he says:

"Yes! Hulil is Tulgi's sister. We hide in Croaker's Cave. How do you ... ? Argh! I don't know if she sold the items... A few days ago, she came back with gold. I think she sold at least some of it?"

The elf looks at the presented dagger and shakes his head, still in pain.

"I don't know this, what is it?"

Ashton picks the dagger up off the blanket.  He looks at Xerim and Elmira.  "So if Aumrauth doesn't know this dagger, I dont' think its the cause of the curse.  Also, so far we have Urgon,  Tulgi, and Hulil with the curse.  If it was this dagger and it stayed with Tulgi, the curse would have stopped with her.  But obviously it has moved on to Hulil, so in my thinking, it can't be the dagger.  That is just my logic.  He tries to determine anything he can tell about the dagger, it seems very nicely made. 

Perception:  15

History: 7

He says loud enough for the entire group to hear.  "I do not need the dagger,  If one of you can make better use of it and aren't afraid of it, please have it." 

He looks back at Aumrauth. "How many of you are in the cave?"  "Are any others sick that you know of? How far is this cave and how do we get there?"

Pandora comes out to show the medallion to them.  "That is awesome, would have sure been nice to have while fighting in the dark huh?"  He then watches her go back inside to help Carina with the door.

Meanwhile, Xerim has placed the dead elves in front of the shop where the blizzard is roaring. Two Glassblades on a patrol walk close by and stop talking as they see Xerim through the twirling snow and then the dead elves. One of the Glassblades touches the chest of the other to stop him from walking and points in Xerims direction. Both of them then tighten up and point their spears in Xerim's direction

"Stop it! Who are you? And what are you doing there?"

(@ Ashton, please add an Arcana Check, also it's not a medallion, its a big coin and it only sheds dim light in 5ft radius. Imagine it like a glow stick in the dark)

The elf raises a hand and counts something on his fingers...

"We are ten ... I think ten ... more or less in the cave and none of us is sick except Hulil. The cave is about 2 hours directly north of Palebank Village. Just travel north through the woods."

Arcana check: Nat 20-1 = 19

Ashton sees the guards walk up to Xerim and steps over.  "We are here on the authority of Elro.  He has asked us to try to find the cause of the death of Urgon.  In our investigation, we came across these individuals robbing Pelc's and was drawn into a fight with them.  2 of our party is still inside trying to find more clues while we interview (interrogate) this elf out here."

He points at the guard that did the talking.

"Perhaps you should lower your spear and one of you should go get Elro."

As Ashton watches the dagger carefully he sees and senses that the edge of this dagger is sharper than it should be possible. As he tests it on a piece of furniture in the room, his thoughts are confirmed. This is an especially sharp dagger and as he swings it, he also feels that it lies exceptionally good in hand.

(OOC: The exact features of this dagger will be revealed to the group after the next long rest. Not all items can be identified this way, but simple magic items do.)

"I will stay with my faithful companions. Gladly someone else can have this creepy dagger." calls Pandora from the other room to Ashton. 

(OCC: Is the chest locked?) 

"Carina, look! This might be Pelc!" she says shocked. (Investigation: 4 -.-)

"I think you are right, Pandora.  It looks as if the shopkeeper, Pelc, caught and died from the same disease, presumably from handling the same relics."

Carina calls out to the others back in the front.  "It looks as if we have another victim of the sickness, possibly Pelc themselves.  Xerim, you've been in town, correct?  Could you identify Pelc?  Or rather, the ice statue that remains of Pelc's corpse?"

At that point, Carina notices the Glassblades outside and hears Ashton speak to them.  "I agree, Elro Aldataur needs to see this.  We are in the process of an investigation commissioned by him.  These five elven burglars, three of them now dead, were ransacking Pelc's shop when we arrived, and we believe we know who they were working for and why.  This is important - please, one of you fetch Elro now.  Quickly and quietly."

Persuasion:  24

Barely hearing what Pandora and Ashton shout out of the cabin, because of the wind, they do hear Carinas voice as if she would stay right in front of them. One of the Glassblades thinks about what has been said and nods to the other Glassblade. They talk to each other but you cannot hear what they are saying. Then finally they say.

"Wait a moment please, and do not leave the scene."

He then grabs a horn from behind is back and sounds it three times loudly. Even through the storm, you are all sure that this will be heard at any point in town. A few moments later, one by one, more Glassblades arrive at the scene. As they are about ten people, they send away some other that come late. They talk to each other and then the elf, that spoke first nods to the others and runs off, probably in the direction of Elro. Another Glassblade, a dwarf, steps forward and says:

"You do not mind if we have a look ourselves do you?"

And with this two Glassblades walk towards the dead elves and Xerim, while three more enter the shop. Some of the others walk around the building as it seems. The three that are in the shop, see the tied up elf and start questioning him. You can see that the thief has lost all hopes now. He answers to the Glassblades and in the end it is clear, that you spoke truly.

"We will take these with us... " says the dwarf, pointing at the dead elves and the living alike. If you have any more questions to the thief, you might ask them now.

Meanwhile Carina and Pandora try the chest and find it not locked. It opens without a sound and you see, that it functions as a wardrobe as well as a storage for books that seem to contain supporting documents and bills from Pelc's business. It also contains a small chest made of some pale material. Maybe mother of pearl, ivory or coral.