Taking 20 to investigate the room.
Looking around the room, Eitylen finds more than a few valuables lying around...
On Cadore's body you find a wand of Magic Missile . This wand seems particularly old,as if had been crafted at least a couple years ago... There are also two +1 cestus, a +1 breastplace, and two potions of Cure Moderate Wounds (CL 3)
Around the room you find numerous golden coins, fine silks and even a few gems. Their total worth (after the half-orc and the amazon took their share) is 4000gp. Plus a masterwork crossbow next to the bed and a masterwork dagger under the pillow.
In addition to all this, you find a few papers listing a variety of different herbs, oils and poisons. You recognize some of these as the ingredients found in the body of the masked Gnome you killed. Next to the list there is also a document revealing the date and tie of a shipment, though nothing is mentioned about the ship's crew, cargo or passengers, only the boat's name: "The Sea Rat"...
You hear muffled steps and cackles coming from downstairs...
Kadir starts reloading each of his guns barrels, "Get the loot and lets get out of here!"
Brother Cyrus grabs the documents and some of the gems to carry.
"Lets get out of here and hit this boat when the shipment is due. I don't have much more to give in regards to keeping you all alive till the next day." Cyrus proclaims as he dabs his bleeding arm with a portion of his robe.
Eitylen doesn't complain about some resting and healing.
The group decides to retreat for the night...
You grab whatever valuables you can find, then leave... You ignore the disturbing groans and laughter coming from behind the heavy steel door and leave... Your bodies and minds are tired and wounded, but you feel you've grown stronger from this trial.
The halfling and the pale man are still out there, but at least the criminal behind the distribution of the demon-blood drug is gone...
The ship described by the documents you found is expected to arrive in 3 days.
Eh, that is too much. The next day, and after purchasing Eitylen will try to collect information about the gnome
Eitylen finds out a good amount of information, but not all questions are answered...
The Halfling:
The general description of the Halfling vaguely resembles that of a Halfling herbalist named Fogger, from whom the bartender of the Viper's Nest used to buy redbark sap, a toxin commonly used to make drugs (usually alcohol) more potent.
A couple months ago, Fogger started to become more and more of a shut-in, eventually completely disappearing from the streets... His house and laboratory didn't show any care or maintenance, so the neighborhood assumed he had left for good... A couple weeks after he was last seen, some men took Fogger's old laboratory for themselves. Since that house was rented, it was no surprise to anybody.
Fogger hasn't been seen ever since.
The Ogrekin:
No one knows anything about any Ogrekin... A deformed muscular warrior has been seen among the men who overtook Fogger's old lab, but he wasn't nearly as big as the Ogrekin you saw.
The Sea Rat:
A few sailors and merchants recognize the ship's name, but they don't know much about it. The Sea Rat is often involved in... not strictly legal activities... Its crew is experienced in combat and the captain is a short man often seen with a sickle on his belt and a rat on his shoulder. The ships most distinctive feature is the Dire Rat skeleton used as a figurehead.
Eitylen ask Tai Leng and the other to return to the last house to see if they can find any clue about the halfling.
Kadir takes his cut of the gold and gathers his niece. Together they ride to a local smith where he gives the blacksmith a enormous bag of gold.
"It's time for you to learn the trade my dear. Hand me those tongs. There's a ship I might have to sink." Over the course of the next few days Kadir forges a large iron tube.
"The construction is simple. A smoothbore tube sealed at one end and a small hole to place the charge," he says pointing to the mold. "It's too heavy! It's more than 30 stones!" Evelyn exclaims. "Bah! I've got a strong back and with magic i can carry a mule on my back. Get to work making the black powder! We'll need two kegs!" Kadir orders....
According to the documents you found, the shipment is scheduled to arrive in 3 days, at midnight... That seems like a rather risky choice, considering the storm that's been brewing for the last few days... Whatever it is that the Sea Rat is bringing inland, someone is in a hurry to get it, or is counting on the storm to hide the cargo... Most likely both.
I suppose we wait for the ship.
Leng purchases a Lesser Amulet of Mighty Fists, then rejoins the group.
"We should stake out this ship and finish this. I grow increasingly less assured this is the kind of life for me, but I intend to see this matter through."
Brother Cyrus spends some time in quiet reflection on the past events.
"Gods, grant me the wisdom and courage to see me through these trials and the power to undo evil's touch." Cyrus says in prayer at the Temple of Iomedae.
Then, before returning to the party, he cross checks the information Eitylen gathered and sees if there is anything more to learn.
Three days go by without further incidents... The storm punishes the city with a cold heavy rain, slashing winds, loud thunder and blazing lightnings...
You march to the place where the Sea Rat is supposed to appear... A rarely used dock almost at the limit of the city.
You find a good observation point (and decent shelter against the rain) on the upper floor of a nearby abandoned warehouse (which seems to barely hold against the gale winds). Through a dusty window you watch a group of 6 men in heavy raincoats and boots approaching. Darkness and rain make it difficult to see, but it's obvious that they are armed.
On the horizon, a huge dark shadow approaches... Slowly being shaped by the decreasing distance into a ship. It handles the weather with relative ease and shouldn't take long to get to the wharf...
Leng crouches in the shadows and watches them.
A dozen of ft away from tai leng
Brother Cyrus watches the six men from the window.
"Perhaps we should take down these receivers first, or convince them to go elsewhere..."
"Those on the boat would likely get suspicious, and not unload the cargo."
The ship approaches the wharf with skill... The dark blue sails and the huge blackened skeleton of a monstrous rodent on the forefront of the ship confirm this is indeed the Sea Rat.
wait.
It takes about 20 minutes for the ship to safely dock... Now that its up close, the vessel is revealed to be considerably bigger than it seemed. Much of its back half was hidden by darkness and mist.
Four men disembark the Sea Rat. One of them is short, but ferocious-looking. His imposing stance and the vicious-looking sickle on his belt tell you that's the captain. A few steps behind him, two large thugs drag around a half-unconscious prisoner in chains... All four of them seem to not care at all about the punishing weather... The chained man seems incapable of caring about anything at the moment, actually.
The group of cloaked men approach the three sailors and their prisoner. The one at the front speaks quickly, but thunder and rain muffle his words...
The captain of the Sea Rat makes a quick hand signal to his men, and one of them slices the shoulder of their prisoner, who growls in pain, but doesn't resist... The dagger is then thrown at the man in the heavy coat, who examines it for a couple minutes, shedding a mystic light over it. He speaks again, once more his voice is covered by the sound of the cold rain around him.
Two of the cloaked man grab a heavy-looking wooden chest from one of their carriages, then drop it at the captain's feet. The short man laughs a cold, cruel laughter... His men throw their prisoner at the cloaked man's feet, grab the chest and go back to the ship while their captain waits... They come back less than 5 minutes later... Followed by a line of men and women in chains, under the watchful eye of their crew's crossbowmen.
There are 12 prisoners total... Theirs bodies are tired and wounded, and their will is broken.
Cyrus growls under his breath but manages to stay the urge to rush out.
"I say we wait until the crew leaves, then move in and take out those men, and free the slaves."
lets see what they do
One of the cloaked men starts inspecting their newly-acquired prisoners, taking special care to check their eyes and mouths... Their leader exchanges words with the captain of the Sea Rat, apparently asking more details about the chained men and women.
After a few minutes, the prisoners are marched into a wagon... They walk slowly but consistently. The cloaked figures stand watch around them...
The leader of the cloaks shakes hands with the short pirate one last time and enters the wagon, together with his men. The captain of the Sea Rat looks up to check the clouds, and seemingly concludes that sailing away isn't a very good idea... He shouts and his two companions grab the heavy chest and carry it into the ship. They all go in, but the ship doesn't leave the docks.
The wagon with the cloaked men and their prisoners moves towards the area where the house of Cadore is located...
I'll follow the wagon, you watch the ship - Taking 10 for 22, also using low light vision as much as possible to stay out of lighter areas.
"Be careful."
Eitylen has no difficulty remaining unseen , but staying close to the wagon is somewhat difficulty, since its rider and passengers seem to be in a hurry... As expected, they do indeed return to Cadore's house...
There is something different this time, though... There are no guards outside the door. No one patrolling the area. No nearby reinforcements. Not a single living soul can be seen outside the house... And yet, Eitylen can't shake the feeling that the place is even more dangerous than it was the last time he was here.
The prisoners are forced into the house. They remain silent and obedient... Unwilling to show even the faintest hint of defiance. There is something odd about these chained men and women, though... Even if it's difficult to tell from this distance in this weather...
- - -
Meanwhile, on the docks... The captain of the Sea Rat returns to his ship, looking very satisfied with his business deal. He laughs loudly and proudly as he walks back to his cabin.
There are no windows on the ship other than the ones where a cannon or ballista is protruding from... Torches indicate that the deck is under guard of 4 men, plus another on top of the mast.
Kadir waits in the rain with his coat pulled close, wearing his goggles which streak with rain. He summons his mount and armor.