For a warrior, Know Creature is not really of much use IMO. You can check your trophy list after killing something to look at its stats, but having that information in advance isn't necessary to plan your strategy (ie whack it with something sharp or heavy until it stops moving).
Tingalf in Ars Magicana sells lockpicks, if you have not already had him arrested. Otherwise, Blake in Ars Magicana and Mpenzak in Verdistis occasionally have some.
If you installed the patch before you started the game, Finnigan in the cellar of the Ducal inn in Verdistis sells survivor supplies, including lockpicks. He also gives you a quest to retrieve his magic lockpicks. If you have the patch installed they are unbreakable. If you installed the patch before starting your current game, you will be able to return the magic lockpicks to complete the quest, and then buy them back. If you started the game first, and installed the patch afterwards, leave the quest unfinished and just keep the lockpicks (in addition to being unbreakable, they give you a nice stat boost when in your inventory).
Some budget re-release versions may already be updated to v1.0034A, as shown in the bottom right corner of the main menu, so would not need the
patch.
