Fraid I am not the best chatter but I am pretty good at sniffing out lies and such.
Pouring over some of the papers Lavinia found in the vault, you find in the document are several maps of jungles, coastlines, and other regions that seem to represent some unknown tropical location. The document also includes dozens of sketches of strange, exotic creatures. This document was Larissa vanderboren's journal cataloging her explorations of the Isle of Dread.
Dain orders a wand from his church, and it will be ready in a few days. Dain also moves to the Azure district to investigate.
Day 1 of investigation:
Knowledge (local)
When the group gathers together to eat and compare notes, Mahath shares "As luck would have it, I heard some patrons talking about a work of art in an inn lobby. They said it was done by Brissa Santos, a local artist. When the merchant asked where he could find her, the innkeeper said he hasn't seen her lately. She hadn't been working as much since she started carrying on with Vanthus. He told the merchant that he was worried that she'd fallen back down to pickpocketing."
Dain has no luck what so ever and even gets into a few brawls with people he insulted. He ends up back with everyone for supper sporting a black eye. Well it looks like we should try to find out where she was living then.
As you inquire about Brissa, you run down some leads in the Azure district, but they dry up. You consider where to go and Dain picks up and pays for his CLW wand.
"Why don't we head over to Shadowshore? If she was a pickpocket and was trying to lay low, then maybe she'd head back to familiar ground. I have to say, I'm not sure I'd like to go there alone. Why don't we all head that way first thing in the morning and check things out?"
Let us try Shadowshore, since Vanthus seems to have gone bad, he might of gone to ground with the other thugs.
Mal nods in agreement, "If this is a bad area of the city we should stay together as we search, we have the advantage as we are looking for him and he does not know it".
As the group heads to Shadowshore Mal let's the others do the talking.
Dain will scowl and look all mean so as to intimidate any possible muggers.
Garnstn nods and says "Shadowshore is a good place to get lost. Best be careful there too."
He makes sure that his axe is prominently displayed and his two swords are ready for action as the group heads into the shadow.
Day two is spent inquiring around Shadowshore.
At the beginning of the third day of investigation, a nervous-looking half-elf with messy black hair, a ragged suit of leather armor, and dirty hands approaches them. Glancing about, the man introduces himself in a quiet voice as Shefton, and asks them if they're looking for Vanthus.
"I need to know you got some gold to pay me and the ability to protect me from Vanthus. He is moving in some pretty powerful circles at the moment."
Jon Snow Dain knows nothing.
Hmm..Well we can pay for information and I suppose we could hide you somewhere for a while if the info is corect.
Mal frowns, "What sort of circles? I have a favor I could perhaps call in but I would need to ensure that the threat is one that my contact would deem is worthy of such a drastic measure".
Knowledge (local)
Having been able to turn up details on his own (but coming close several times), Mahath listens while the others work it out with Shefton.
The search has yielded little fruit. The half-elf seems to be unhappy about being threatened. "No, you don't get something for nothing or threats. I have come to negotiate in good faith, but see little merit in working with you. I may get more from staying loyal, I guess they call it the devil you know."
The half elf seems to be ready to leave.
Dain is sure he is quite the unsavory character, willing to do anything for a profit. He also is sure the man is afraid of those he is betraying. He seems confident he has valuable information, but has little trust in you. He is rethinking his initial decision.
Dain waves at his comrades. Don't go scaring him off, I believe he has information we need. He turns back to the elf. Okay then I am willing to get you somewhere safe, or as safe as we can get you and pay as well. How about we get to a tavern at least?
"Agreed. We are far from rich, but we can discuss a price. Both parties can walk away with more than they came with.'
The half elf is still wary.
"Vanthus is on Parrot Island. I can show you there if you get a boat. And, I expect to be paid up front. How much is it worth to you?"
Parrot island is a notorious haven for smugglers that wish to avoid paying Sasserine taxes and tariffs.
Aboveground, the island is little more than a rock outcropping surrounded by 3o-foot-high cliffs save from the eastern end, where a narrow beach affords an easier approach. The isle is thickly vegetated. the trees above serving as the roost for hundreds of noisy, brightly colored parrots.
I have 80 gp, how about you folks?
"I can add two platinum to that. One hundred gold seems pretty fair for a boat ride."
Knowledge (local)
Garnstn shakes his head at Kat, knowing little.
So would 100 gp do? Plus we get you a place to hide out in.
The half-elf agrees, taking 50gp up front. He will take 50gp when you find Vanthus. Passage aboard Slip's ship is arranged, and the half-elf directs the ship to a nearby small island.
The isle is thickly vegetated. the trees above serving as the roost for hundreds of noisy, brightly colored parrots. The half elf points out a partially overgrown trail leading up from the beach to a small clearing at the center of the island. It is up this trail and to this clearing that you go until your guide points to a secret door. Hidden at the southern end of the clearing is a stone trap door. Once it's open, a five-foot-wide shaft leading down into the darkness below is revealed . A rope hangs from a hook in the wall, providing a relatively safe method of descent (DC 5 Climb). The shaft itself is just over 30 feet deep, and opens into an empty room below.
I have candles and torches for those who cannot see in the dark and can see perfectly. If I head down first, I can make sure the area is clear without alerting anyone with light.
Dain heads down the rope
Dain manages to make it down and looks around with his darkvision
Mal will follow behind Kat, after he is over the wall he will draw his bow and string it.
Climb
And Mahath will follow last.
Climb
Garnstn follows behind Mal, darkvision peering ahead.
A few moments later, The half-elf's bleeding body falls into the shaft, his body striking the ground with a jarring impact, it appears he is not getting up. The cut rope comes slithering down the shaft a few moments after the half elf. At the top of the shaft is a human male matching the description of Vanthus, and he speaks: "That is how I handle traitors. Say hi to Penkus's ghost for me while you're down there! Serves you right for messing around with my sister, you thugs!"
He gives you a mocking bow. "Anything I can help you with before I leave? I am quite a busy man you know."
Well I suppose I could shake my fist at you and exclaim that you will never get away with this. Then you say that 'I already have!'
Perception
"Let's stand back so he can't thrown anything at us." Looking at the broken body of the half-elf, he adds "Anything else, that is."
Mahath will take out his everburning torch. "Let's put his body to the side and search. Maybe he has some keys on them that we'll need to get out of here."
Looking around in the light of the torch, are there any exits?
Vanthus scrambles and turns a crank which starts to move an iron lid over the top of the shaft. The then seems to be securing a lock to it on the outside.
A five foot wide passage goes into the darkness. As you follow it west and north, opening a northern set of double doors, you find yourself in a ten foot wide east west passageway with a set of double doors to the west and east.
Dain will pat down the half-elf and make sure to get their gold back if he has it on him.
He then gets his shield out and will take point.
Mal will sigh, "Well that did not go at as planned did it?"
Garnstn looks about the area carefully with his darkvision.
"Well, we might as well start here." Mahath says, pointing at the double doors to the east. Be careful. This is an island of rogues and scofflaws; it may be trapped."[/b]
Mahath will follow the group last, holding his everburning torch high.
He tells Dain and Garnst "If you want to look ahead without my light giving us away, just do this" he says, demonstrating a hand signal "And I'll wait and let you go ahead."
Good idea, Garnst and I will examine the doors to make sure there are no surprises. Dain will follow Garnstn
Garnstn looks over the doors, and wil open them if he finds nothing.
Mal holds back his bow at the ready to fire upon threats that his allies uncover.
Opening the door east reveals a barren room. Opening the door west and peeking west reveals......
Four great wooden pillars rise up to support the ceiling, which sags dangerously in places and is thick with hanging strands of fungus. Several doors line the walls-one to the west {from which comes a muffled sloshing sound), two to the north (the western of which is badly damaged and hangs askew on its one remaining hinge), and the two to the east you opened. To the south, the ceiling has collapsed , leaving the southern part of the room choked in debris. A rippling pool of water reaches halfway into the room from this wall of stone and rubble. It seems that a wooden pier once extended into this pool, but all that remains now are several rotting wooden pilings protruding from the water. A man's body floats face down among them.
To the south, the sloshing pool of water may be the beginning of an underwater escape route. But, unfortunately, the submerged tunnels are rarely wider than a foot