Grimoire, Looking for advice to get around missing an important loot object

[Knee and Earth all]

The message below contains spoilers, because it refers to a specific loot item, NPC, adversary and location. (In my draft version of this message, I tried using the Hide Spoiler HTML option, but ended up using so many, that I thought this opening spoiler alert sentence would look simpler.)

I'm really enjoying Grimoire. I'm about 15% in to the game, and so a relative novice. I've got to the point where Cpt. Krone wants the Necrostaff, but I don't have it, even though I killed the Black Lich in the Inner Sanctum. (I've carefully checked my inventory, and can't see a staff or wand icon there.) I'd like to get the armoury key off Krone, but I'm reluctant to kill him for it, as I'm concerned that it might disrupt the flow of a plot thread somehow. (I tried stealing it, but failed.) I've rechecked the floor area of the Inner Sanctum where the Lich was slain, but it's empty.

As it's been many hours since I killed the Lich, I honestly can't remember if it dropped the staff or not. I'm almost certain that I haven't sold it. Could I have equipped it, then lost it due to say an Oreworm attack, as they can destroy weapons? I'm assuming that this staff is not a critical item. I'm using the Quick Start party, w/ Little Rosie.

What's my best option at this point?

- Shall I kill Krone, and deal with all the fallout from this action? Is this fallout considerable? Will I miss out on any game/plot content?
- Shall I wait, and eventually buy the staff elsewhere in Hyperborea?
- Is there an Editor that can put the Necrostaff (back) in to my inventory, and which is compatible with the version of the game from gog.com? (The game states: Version 3.0.0.0-R)
- Do I have any other options to consider?

Thanks a lot for any comments. Great game btw!

 

[Gunnar]

Myself never had the staff fail to drop. The staff cant be destroyed by oreworms. If you dropped it somewhere, it should still be there. If you sold it then it’s probably gone. You can’t buy it elsewhere.

Krone gives you the key and a letter iirc that you can present to someone later on for (i think?) access to a shop that has good equipment but I can’t remember it’s been a long time since I played…

 

[Dadd]

The staff should have dropped, and items stay on the tile you drop them on forever in this game, so if you dropped it somewhere, it should be there. If I'm remembering correctly, killing Krone antagonizes some key NPCs in different areas.

 

[Dorateen]

Is picking or bashing the door to the armoury an option? I don't recall because I had the necrostaff and got the key. It would probably be high level. But depending on your characters, might be able to make the attempt.

 

[GandGolf]

- Is there an Editor that can put the Necrostaff (back) in to my inventory, and which is compatible with the version of the game from gog.com? (The game states: Version 3.0.0.0-R)

Does the Decline editor work on version 3? That's what I use to edit the Grimoire save files.

 

[Knee and Earth all]

Thanks a lot people.
In the end, I managed to work things out quickly and satisfactorily. I attempted to Steal from Krone again, several times, and eventually succeeded. (He didn't seem to mind my failed Steal attempts.) I stole both his key and letter, which I was able to Id as a letter of commendation.
I notice that approximately once in every three or four attempts to enter Krone's office, he's not there, which allows access to the door beyond. I also noticed that when I explored the areas past Krone, I was attacked by many waves of guards, but after this and after I had stolen everything, on a revisit back to Krone's office, he was oblivious to these actions, and did not attack me.