Enora pleads for the alchemist to surrender.
Midlret drops the remaining beetle with a savage blow from his hammer.
The alchemists wheezes, draws his dagger, and stabs futilely at Vagantem, then drops unconscious from the effort.
As you search his corpse and the area, you find a small book that is difficult to decipher. This must be his notes.
In addition, you find a potion some kind, acid (2), mwk studded leather, daggers (2), a well-made cloak, alchemy crafting kit, Laszo's formula book, portable alchemist’s lab, two vials of whip, and 10 gp.
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"The problem is bigger than we thought, my friends", Enora tolds to her fellows.
"Laszo sent the imperfect formula to the Aspis Consortium, and they begun to mass produce it", she looks to the addicted people in the tunnel.
"Although everything, Laszo named some specific individuals within Diobel who he blames for allowing whip to spread before he could perfect it. Maybe Magali Delroya would know what to do with these informations", the halfling takes the book with her.
"Let's take Laszo to the authorities. This putrid piece of s&&%", she spits over him.
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"Wait, we need a sample..." Vagantem makes sure both the notes and the sample are secured.
"I don't think I should be the one dropping this piece of scum off for the guards. Actually, we have no proof at the moment about him doing anything illegal here at all. Isn't the consortium mixed up with this drug distribution? Then again, this is their town. We really don't know enough to safety drop him off with authorities."
She once again gestures to the addicts. "These we can help though, or at least make sure they don't die down here in the sewer. The alchemist... he can drown in the sewer for all I care."
Enora isn't able to identify Laszo's potion immediately, but with a bit of work (some help, and several tries later), she eventually discerns it is a potion of cure medium wounds.
You make sure to take a sample of whip (you find a couple on the alchemist's body) and his book of notes. You drag the alchemist back to the ship, where the captain turns him over to a contact he has with the local guard.
Most importantly, you find help for the wretched addicts at a local temple. Radu cannot do much for them, but he helps keep them calm until they are under more professional care.
You leave the sewers and hospitals behind, and return to the ship for the last time that evening.
Captain Zendrani is stands waiting as you arrive at the ship, Sixwing Drake. “An urchin boy delivered this note just a few minutes ago. I tried to keep him here so we could talk to him, but he slipped away without a word and ran off into the city. I haven’t looked at the note—but it seems to be from Delroya.” The captain hands over the note.
Pathfinders,
Your tactics were certainly unusual, but everything turned out as expected. The shipment is delayed, and the Aspis Consortium is occupied with getting everything back in order. Soon, though, the consortium will get its act together and come to the warehouse to proceed with the operation. There is no time to lose. The warehouse is at the southern edge of the Bristles, where Gull Street meets the water. I will meet you there, Fireday [tomorrow] at noon.
--Magali Delroya
Assuming you visit Delroya the next day ....
A large warehouse looms into view at the end of Gull Street. Its main level sits at the edge of the street above a ten-foot drop to the harbor’s waters below. A door in the western wall of the warehouse opens, and a woman clad in simple leather armor steps out. Her features display a blend of Taldan and Mwangi heritages, and her crisp accent is difficult to place. “I am Magali Delroya. You must come quickly, Pathfinders. We do not wish to be seen.” Delroya moves briskly, waving off protests or interruptions, and speaks with the rhythm of her steps. “Questions later. Much is at stake. First you must listen.” Her outward display of authority does not entirely mask her fear.
The small room through the warehouse’s western door features a round table and several chairs. “This room is for the guards. They are all too busy dealing with our disruptions, so no one is here for now. That door leads to the docks below,” she says, indicating a door in the southern wall. “Come this way. I will show you the warehouse.” She opens a door in the northern wall, revealing a cavernous storage room. Haphazard stacks of barrels and crates almost reach the ceiling twenty feet above. Two large skylights in the ceiling provide ample light during the day, and a dozen unlit lanterns are spaced around the room. To the east, a wide opening in the southern wall looks out over the loading bay ten feet below. A freight elevator platform rigged to a complex set of pulleys and ropes and a staircase both lead down to the loading bay.
“As you can see, the Aspis Consortium maintains a sizable operation out of this warehouse, which they rent from the Kortos Consortium’s Locosta family in exchange for alchemical goods. After tonight, I hope that the relationship between Aspis and Kortos will be irreparably damaged.
“We may have delayed the shipment, but my sources tell me that both the Kortos and Aspis consortia are likely to investigate the warehouse later tonight. I had hoped for more time, but I will not able to move the goods until after midnight. I need your help in holding off the agents until everything is in order. They are not likely to work together, so you should prepare for multiple groups of agents. While I have no qualms about fighting the Aspis agents, if possible we should avoid further antagonizing the Kortos Consortium. Their agents may be willing to look the other way.”
“Because the agents are on high alert, you should stay at the warehouse until they arrive. We wouldn’t want anyone spotted or attacked out in the city before we’re ready. That gives you several hours to prepare. Most of the items in the warehouse are simple trade goods designed to make this outfit look legitimate. You may want to take some time to look around, though—you never know what the Aspis Consortium might have stowed away here.
“I can stay here briefly, if you have questions or need assistance.”
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"Right, so we try and hide from the Kortos consortium if they turn up - or will they disrupt your plans too? And the Aspis... well, it sounds like they are behind the Whip - and will get little mercy from me."
She looks around the warehouse, taking her time to examine everything she can.
"Four ways in and out... " she notes, checking to see if the doors can be bolted to stop entrance through them.
"I assume they are normally kept locked and bolted?" she double checks whether the doors are locked or bolted to begin with so as to not necessarily mess up how they look to start with.
"Hiding from them may not be sufficient. Perhaps there is some other way to keep them from taking too keen of an interest in your activity for the evening."
Delroy nods at Vagantem's question about locks. "I've made sure all of the doors are open, to assist whatever preparations you may have. Locking them is probably irrelevant, as both Kortos and Aspis are likely to have keys."
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"Right..." sighs Vagantem.
She still checks them out for deadbolts that could be shut.
"What about these crates? If we move them in front of a door to try and keep the entrances to a minimum will that be okay?"
Then she looks upwards.
"Any of you guys archers? I wonder if there is a good beam up there you could perch on to see everywhere clearly?"
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Mildret seems a bit uneasy.
- As much as I dissaprove of the Consortsium activities, would that be exactly legal to occupy this warehouse? I mean, we won't have to fend off the guards as well? Maybe we could just eliminate the shipment and leave.
If Magali disaproves of his plan, Mildret looks around the warehouse, checking for items of interest and good choke points, where his long weapon would proove to be most beneficial.
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When they receive the note from Delroya and before meet her at the warehouse, Enora checks if it is a forgery .
Enora holds her wand of mage armor in hands while listen them.
"While I have no qualms about fighting the Aspis agents, if possible we should avoid further antagonizing the Kortos Consortium. Their agents may be willing to look the other way."
"I think that nobody here want to spread blood on the floor, unless it's strictly necessary. We'll do our best to keep the Kortos Consortium's agents away without a fight, but, if they resist...", she clenches her fists.
"What about these crates? If we move them in front of a door to try and keep the entrances to a minimum will that be okay?"
"Well, this could show them that somebody is waiting for them here, and we probably lose the chance to surprise them. Ah! And I'm not an archer, unfortunately"
- As much as I dissaprove of the Consortsium activities, would that be exactly legal to occupy this warehouse? I mean, we won't have to fend off the guards as well? Maybe we could just eliminate the shipment and leave.
"From what I understood, they can appear at any time, and this could put us in trouble, as long as we would be distracted leaving the shipment. And the concept of legal is relative...", she says with a smile on her face.
After wait a little time, she suggests "and if we stay hiding here, waiting for them? When they appear... We improvise! It is not great?", she looks excited with her idea.
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- Yes, I am aware of the "rubber law" concept and I do not approve. Laws are laws and those who break them become criminals. You would understand that, if you lived in Cheliax.
Mildret stops abruptly and blushes.
- I didn't mean it in the racial way. Sorry. Eh, the Empire has some shortcomings. Oh, god, sorry, that was not a comment on your height.
He bites his own fist.
- You know, I will just go over there and lift that heavy box. Silently.
There are many heavy crates, but no extra rope laying around that you can see.
"Feel free to move crates around, but please do try to keep damage to a minimum."
Delroya nods at the questions of legality. “By now you should know that the Aspis Consortium is breaking Diobel’s laws. What we’re doing here is not exactly legal, either, in the views of the Kortos Consortium. I am hoping that we can get through this without drawing their ire, but as a last resort, you can use this document. It should eliminate any questions as to the legality of your actions. If you can avoid having to use it, I would be grateful, but do not hesitate to present it if necessary.”
—Scion Lord Avid
You can move crates as you like to create your own hiding spots.
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"I suggest we block up all the doors apart from the one into the guard room. We can then bottle up anyone coming in. I for one am pretty good with my sword - but if we want to avoid bloodshed - maybe someone else should do the talking. I'm not very happy with this town and how they let that alchemist get away with his 'experiments'"
Fumes Vagantem.
"Mildret, come and help move crates."
While moving boxes, Vag checks out the loading bay. How high is the drop? What more can we see about the thingy on the map with a lever - does that go up and down?
""Does anyone have oil or grease. If we put that on the ladder leading into the guardroom it would stop anyone coming in that way."
You have several hours to prepare.
As Vagantem looks around, she finds a bucket of grease next to the lift. The lift seems locked and rusted, but if one were to grease the chains and gears, it seems like it might work again. It would take one person a couple of hours of work, however.
The wall where the lift operates is 5' high.
A quick walkabout shows the exterior doors are all unlocked.
Among several items of little interest (old nails, inventory sheets from the previous owner, etc.) you find a box labeled "theatre" with two disguise kits, and a human-sized cage with a lock and key.
Searching the guardroom, you find six smokesticks hidden under a discarded tunic.
As you walk among the boxes, you find a boarded crate with air holes, labeled "M. Vic." A brief inspection reveals it to be a hungry fighting dog, which growls at you from within a locked cage. The key is in a pouch nearby.
As you search the most dangerous crates in the southern end of the warehouse, you find a vial with six doses of something dangerous.
Before she leaves, Delroya adds, "You know, I think it was neat how you helped those victims in the sewers. There is something else about this warehouse I think you ought to know." She leads you around to some outer walls, and points out two secret doors, one on the north wall, and one to the southeast, below the loading dock.
She also passes out tanglefoot bags. One for each of you.
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"Mildret, come and help move crates."
- Allright.
"So..." she asks "Who wants to deal with the Kortos folk. Might be best not me."
- Talking is not my forte, but I just might be able to knock the Kortos folk unconcious, without unnesesary bloodshed. If you lend me a hand.
Mildret then shares a battle plan with the other agents.
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As you search the most dangerous crates in the southern end of the warehouse, you find a vial with six doses of something dangerous.
Anyone have Healing, Craft(poison), Survival, or some other skill they think might be useful in identifying the substance?
Radu has busied himself with examining the contents of the box.
As he is poking about the crate, he becomes aware of Enora asking him whether or not he is good with words.
Yes, Yes, of course I am good with words. Am I to be the one to talk to the Kortos agents?
Radu sniffs the vials, and deduces it is 6 doses of Drow poison.
As Blaster scouts his position, he glances up and notices the skylight. That's a possible entry point too ...
Evening comes, and you hear the people approaching the northwestern doors. After a brief pause, the doors rattle as someone pulls on them There is a bit of muffled swearing, and the footsteps hurry to the south.
From the guard room, Vagantem sees the western-most door open. A shirtless man, possibly a bodyguard or other tough enters first. He is unarmed save for a single kama tucked through a sash at his waist. A robed figure with a touch of dragon in his lineage stands behind. The dark hood hides scaly skin and blue-tinged claws. Two others wait outside the door, a second tough and a robed/armored man holding a crossbow.
The clawed figure steps forward when they see Vagantem. "Who are you, and why have you come to our warehouse? This area is property of the Kortos Consortium."
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Radu steps forward and addresses the hooded individual.
My friends, please forgive this intrusion. My comrades and I have no quarrel with the Kortos Consortium. We do have a few matters to discuss with some associates of yours. We would like to discuss these matters with them and then be on our way. No need for any trouble, eh?
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Blaster, keeping his musket aimed at the draconic on, shouts down. "Come in and sit, and you can watch that we have no intent on your property. But let's not let this come to blows. The Aspis are the ones we seek, and they alone. If you would be so kind to stand out of the way, we will be quick and careful."