Penny/Cid
You were planning to have a party inviting a few mages to display your flan tank. During this party you were then going lure Cormac with alcohol to discuss the murder with him.
Inviting scores of people, in a series of small parties would be the least efficient way to gather information. I'm sure the EKP have many clues that you could sort through if you talked with them first in order to give you direction.