Valamyr's thrush bolts through the sky and reaches the butchers shop in a matter of moments, then returns with word.
Your walk back to All the World's Meats is uneventful. Drunks and various guard factions are all you come across.
Back within sight range of the butcher's shop, you see the light is still on in the upstairs window above the main entrance.
As you near the shop, you can hear voices shouting from within.
"It's f$&$ing gone! They found the f+@%ing stash! I'm going to gut those lying m@+!@@%~!!@%s!
[b]"Will you stop worrying about that s+$~ right now? Won't do us much good if we're in jail. The Guard is going to be here any second, we need to get the f%+! out of here!"
The heroes returned to All the World’s Meat to deal with the remaining Cow Hammer Boys. Though the mercenaries were stronger than expected, they were eventually defeated. One of the four, Baldrago, was taken prisoner and returned to the Citadel.
After the heroes completed their mission, they took a long rest in the Citadel barracks, then descended into the dungeons to question Verik and Baldrago. They quickly found that Verik was not quite so smart as a shoe, and his crony Baldrago was even worse.
However, their interrogations did return some useful information. First, Verik’s purpose for deserting the watch was an enchantingly beautiful woman named Meliya, who just so happened to be the daughter of Lord Glorio Arkona, patriarch of one of the most powerful families in Korvosa. Most everyone has heard the rumors that the Arkonas are involved with almost every seedy enterprise and industry throughout the city. He mentioned never knowing why Meliya wanted him to re-open the butcher’s shop – the thought never crossed his mind. You also learned that Verik was ignorant of the mercenary work and ‘suspicious’ meat being served.
Once the interrogations were finished, the heroes went upstairs to report to Kressika Kroft and found her entertaining a prestigious guest: Vencarlo Orsini, the famed swordsman and headmaster of Orsini Academy, the most renowned swordsmanship academy in Varisia. He was gracious and kind to the heroes, complimenting them on their dealings with Vancaskerkin. Their conversation with Vencarlo was cut short by Field Marshall Kroft, who assigned them another mission.
“As much as I would enjoy continuing the conversation, I fear we just don’t have time. Vencarlo has often come to me with news of important changes on the streets, and this is no different—indeed, what he’s learned could degrade into sanctions, embargos, or even war against Cheliax if we don’t act now. This problem is a man named Darvayne Gios Amprei. You might have heard of him—he’s an ambassador from Cheliax whose disdain for Korvosa is well documented, and yet he’s taken great pleasure in what our city has to offer. Even before this recent unrest, this man was ready to recommend to his government a sanction on trade, or perhaps even an embargo. Vencarlo has learned through his own considerable sources that Ambassador Amprei’s actual goals are to undermine Korvosa’s economy to the point where he can buy up large portions of the city from desperate landholders and establish himself in a position of power here. Whatever the ambassador’s reasons, we can’t let his bias or personal plans hurt Korvosa. Yet neither can we take drastic action—not only would killing him be wrong, but it’d simply martyr him in Cheliax’s eyes.”
“Fortunately, Darvayne has his foibles. Again, Vencarlo has learned that Ambassador Amprei has been making fairly regular visits to a place in Old Korvosa called Eel’s End. This den of vice is run by a dangerous man named Devargo Barvasi, better known in Korvosa’s alleys as the King of Spiders. I’d love to put Barvasi out of business, but he pays his vice taxes regularly and never causes any problems—in fact, since he keeps his business constrained entirely within the five ships moored at Eel’s End, he’s actually one of the least of my worries. Truth be told, I can’t decide whether Devargo is a stirge or a kraken. He seems like a bloodsucking pest most days, but sometimes I fear just how far his tentacles have wormed their way into our great city. In this case though, his insidious web stretching across Korvosa’s underworld might prove to our advantage.”
“Devargo would never let someone he recognizes as an ally of the Guard into Eel’s End, but your group’s a different case. I’d like you to pay a visit to Eel’s End and secure an audience with Devargo. Find out what he knows about Amprei, get proof of any illicit goings-on the ambassador might be involved with, and bring that proof to me to use to undermine any forthcoming attempts by him to get Cheliax to cut us off. Devargo might not be willing to part with his information easily. I’ll supply you with some gold to bribe him, and whatever’s left over you can keep for yourself. Remember: the man is dangerous, but so are you—if things get violent, I wouldn’t mourn his passing.”
Cressida gave the heroes 1,250gp to help bribe Devargo, then excused you so she could finish her conversation with Vencarlo Orsini.