Heading back to the lodge, you all find your rooms and crash from the long night. Waking in the morning to the smell of breakfast you all eventually make your way downstairs to the kitchen to see a wide array of food and drink available in the dining room.
Troy, the young half-elf boy, finds you when you are all together to deliver a note "This came from the city watch early this morning."
Opening the note it reads;
Tracking down any of the Sczarni gangs is tricky normally, but I did some asking around. As far as I know, the Tower Girls themselves have recently changed their headquarters. No informants have yet been able to update the city watch as to their new headquarters, but apparently a few months back, the Tower Girls had a falling out with another Sczarni gang, the Wreckwash Blades. For several weeks after that, rumor was that the Tower Girls were slumming it in an abandoned warehouse in Underbridge that they shared with a disreputable local by the name of Fenster the Blight. He may know where the Tower Girls or perhaps Natalya are located now.
I've included directions to this warehouse on the back.
~Kasadei
"Well, looks like the winds are favoring us," Temmer says with satisfaction. "Let's catch them while we can."
He is ready to leave as soon as the others are.
"So we find longshanks again, not stabbin'?" Gurk asks between bites of his food.
"Looks like workin' with the guard might have paid off. It's worth a look at least."
She looks over to Gurk with a raised eyebrow as he asks his question. "Not unless they attack you first."
Lexi seems out of sorts in the morning, perhaps bothered that her masterful plan has (potentially) gone by the wayside. "'This came from the city watch early this morning,'" she mockingly grumbles under her breath between nibbles at her breakfast while reading a book entitled Serpents and Snakes of Avistan. "WE came from the city watch early this morning," she grouses mainly to herself. "Kasadei should've just given it to us before we left!"
In truth, Lexi's sort of surprised she's still a part of the team. Apparently, none of her new comrades reported to Lady Sheila that she'd seemingly gotten lost crossing the docks to an old tavern she'd broken into earlier, and as a result was a no-show at the big fight that had ensued. On the positive side...well, at least she'd paid off her debt to Adistan.
Lexi finds she lacked the self-confidence to try to push ahead with her brilliant plan, now that Inspector Kasadei had ruined everything by giving the party a solid lead. Taking a piece of bacon in her hand, she stares at it with her sea-blue eyes and mutters, "Delicious bacon, fuel my memory! Fenster the Blight...Fenster the Blight...Fenster the Blight..."
Lexi had this habit she couldn't quite kill. She tended to eavesdrop on agents when they dropped in to chat with or report to the Venture-Captain; it was one of the few times Lexi still did her job as a part-time maid and server at the lodge, delivering food and drink to make her eavesdropping easier. On the positive side (like now), it gave her ridiculously sharp memory access to all sorts of varied topics and name-dropping; on the negative side, she was fairly certain that Lady Heidmarch was wise to her tricks and did not entirely approve.
But with a name like 'Fenster the Blight?' Seriously, how many folks in the city had 'the Blight' tacked on to their first name? Probably...one. And it sounded vaguely familiar...but not familiar enough.
With pretty much everyone agreed on chasing down the new lead, you finish up your breakfast and gather your gear before setting off to follow the directions given in the note you received. Stepping outside the lodge the morning air is refreshing. You can see, in the lower districts the a thin sheet of fog that has rolled in from the harbor before the light has had a chance to dissipate it. Of course, out of the whole city Dockway, where you are headed is one of the districts covered with the thickest fog.
It takes a bit of time since you have to walk all the way through the Capital district before you can cross into Dockway and then head northeast toward Underbridge.
Once you reach Underbridge you can definitely tell that this is the worst part of the city. Seedy taverns, poorly run brothels, and rat-infested gambling dens compete with salt-blasted tenement buildings and cheap flophouses. Underbridge’s roads are little more than muddy gaps between slumping shanties and decaying shacks. As you walk along as a group pretty much anyone you pass does their best to avoid you.
Eventually, following the directions from the city watch you finally arrive at a partially collapsed warehouse on the shoreline. Pushing open the door the building has a relatively large open area within however there's not much there except in one corner where it appears a sort of crude shelter made from rowboats resides. The entrance to this hovel consists of a pair of skiffs leaning against each other to create a triangular “arch” from which a moldering remnant of a ship’s sail hangs like a curtain. Sitting next to the entrance is an old sea chest with a broken lid. A sign leans against the front of the chest “LEEV A GIFT AND WATE OUTSID.” A dented tin platter sits on the ground before the sign.
"This place feel good. Like good-made goblin village," Gurk comments as they travel. "All longshanks should make huts like this."
"This is sad," Temmer says. "People shouldn't have to live in such filth and squalor. These poor people don't even know how to spell. I suppose a gift of some sort is in order?"
He takes 4 silver coins and drops them into the platter.
As Davor inventories the group's finds, Lexi takes another close look at the ring found inside the paradox box. "Oh--that's a ring of feather falling," she announces matter-of-factly. She also admits that she has no solid memories of one Fenster the Blight.
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Amelexis gasps when she sees the coins both Adistan and Davor have dropped into the offering tray. She quickly scoops up all the silver and replaces them with her last gold coin.
"I know you believe rats to be sacred," she says quietly to Davor, "but if 10% of the three or so dozen rats we've already seen are actually wererats, that's three lycanthropes we might need to defeat to get out of this place alive! Best that I have plenty of ammunition for my coin shot spells!"
She nods in agreement at Adistan's words and then casts prestidigitation to temporarily correct the poor spelling on the sign.
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Bixby squints to see better through the fog.
"This part of town is full of deviants and scum. Gurk clearly feels right at home." He shakes his head, still in disbelief that the card-carrying member of the Sczarni was part of their team.
"They want gifts? This is another criminal racket to deprive us of our coin..."
Or perhaps a trap cuts your hand off when you reach in...
Verris looks around at the squalor and decay present in this part of the city and anger clouds her face at the difference between here and the wealthy part of the city.
She shakes her head at Gurk's comment and nods at Adistan's, saying "That's the problem with most cities. Someone's got to be poor for others to be wealthy and most folks don't give a damn about the poor." She shakes her head again, this time a hint of sadness joining the anger. Sighing, she matches Davor and Adistan's gesture by throwing four silver coins in the platter.
Almost a minute after Verris places her coins in the plate with the one gold coin Lexi deposited a creepy looking man pulls back the 'curtain' and eyes you all with his one good eye before coming out. He looks down at the coins and frowns then looks back to you all "That ain't no proper gift... whatcha a bunch o' beggers lookin' fer some free help?" He pockets the coins with an irritated look on his face, then proceeds to take a seat on the old sea chest waiting for an explanation.
"Good day, Mister Blight," Lexi replies with a polite smile. She points to Natasham. "We're looking for her kin*...." Her words are interrupted by an unladylike snort as she swallows another sudden giggle fit. Once she regains her composure, Lexi adds, "Her cousin went missing in these parts recently, and we're worried sick about her. Natalya's her name. Oh--don't bother speaking to, um...Katrina here--she's even shyer than I am, plus she so distraught about her missing cousin that she's cried herself hoarse."
"So...have you seen Natalya? Looks a lot like her cousin here."
"By the way, that's a very generous gift! Why, you've got more money in your hand than I have in my life savings!"
*...her Vancasker-kin, to be precise!
Verris eyes the man with a disapproving expression. "That money is more than most folks earn in a week. If ye help answer our questions, maybe we'll increase our gift to ye!"
"Like my friend here said we're lookin' to find Natalya. If ye've got some information that might help us find her, we'd be grateful."
The man rolls his eyes at the continued mention of Natalya "Ya, I knows Natalya... ya be needin' to pay me more than a few coins ta tell yew 'bout her though... Tower Girls be wantin' her too. Only reasons they don' 'cause they haven' been 'round for awhile. Make it wurth ol' Fenster ta tell yew instead eh? Them Tower Girls, I knows will pay good, so if yew want the dirt yew need ta make it wurth ol' Fensters time..."
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Hmm...he spells bad even when he's talking.
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Bixby sizes the man up and shakes his head.
"Oh, woe is me!" he cries, putting a hand over his eyes and crying.
"I did not want to part with my greatest treasure, but I am afraid I must! We simply must have this information!"
He rummages around in his backpack and pulls out a pair of smoked goggles--something he kept on hand for the obvious threat that creatures with gaze attacks pose.
You never know when a basilisk will be around the next corner, but I suppose I could purchase another pair.
"These are magical," Bixby lies. "They have two purposes--one I can demonstrate now, the other will only activate when you find a hidden treasure."
He holds them out for the man to take.
"They are called Goggles of Treasure Finding and Seeing Through Clothing," he says.
Once the man puts them on, Bixby says "Please take a look at my attractive friend, Natasha, and focus on her."
The gnome moves over to the illusion of Natasha and says "I would not dare intrude upon your privacy, but if you will please turn around so he can get the idea," Bixby suggests.
The illusion turns around, and Bixby holds his cloak up to cover the woman's rear end. After a few moments, Nathasha's shirt disappears, revealing her naked back.
"That's enough of a demonstration!" Bixby yells. "Now take them off!"
Natasha's shirt reappears and she turns back toward the group, blushing slightly.
Bixby takes the goggles back, and says "Of course, that is the secondary feature of the goggles. The primary purpose is to find hidden treasures. Why, I found a lamp that offered three wishes to anyone who rubbed it hidden in that big bridge. Some kind of Thassilonian treasure, but I sold it yesterday."
He rubs his eyes again. "I don't wish to part with these magical goggles, but if you will give us the information we seek, it is all yours..."
The man is quite impressed with the goggles, taking them off he nods "Ok. I seen her lurking 'bout in a nearby buildin'. She seemed ta be doin' her best to stay outta sight. Nuthin' in tha Shadow gits by me good peeper!" as he taps the sallow cheek under his non-clouded eye.
He will proceed to give you all directions on how to get to the nearby building, which isn't too far away.
Verris looks at Bixby in, at first, shock, then disgust and finally anger as the gnome describes his magical goggles. She knows that Natasha is an illusion but fully believes that Bixby is telling the truth about his goggles. She angrily tries to think if the gnome had ever worn the goggles while in her presence, or when she didn't know he was there... lurking. Did that perverted gnome ever have those goggles on near me?
She turns back to Fenster, anger plain on her face. "Don't even think of lookin' at me with those filthy goggles or I'll give ya a good thumpin'!", she says angrily. She gives Bixby another disgusted look before angrily stomping away to wait outside.
"Good job," Lexi tells the gnome before scolding, "but you're naughty to have such glasses in the first place!"
As the group nears the building alleged to be Natalya's hideout, Lexi reminds the others that the reward for bringing the truant informant back to Heidmarch Manor alive is 1,000 gold pieces, and she doesn't want to blow the chance for such a windfall!
"Will Gurk be scouting again?" Lexi asks, seemingly mostly to Adistan and Davor.
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Bixby nods as they receive instructions from the man, smirking in appreciation as Verris gives his lie some true depth.
"You better be telling the truth, or I'll be back to retrieve the goggles," he says.
"I am not to be triffled with, either! I am none other than The Dread Mage Arcandantilus, and if you're lying, when I find you there will be nothing but an outline of where your body used to be!"
Trying to look as indignant as he is capable, he says "Now, you will need to wait for them to recharge, as with any magical item. Please don't try to use them too quickly, or you could use up all their power."
As they leave, Bixby defends himself, saying "I'm not a pervert! I never thought we could pass off some mundane smoked goggles as magical, but that's all they were! I will need to buy another pair today. Perhaps before we go into that building. It could be full of medusas..." he trails off.
...or wererats," Lexi chimes in, finally realizing that the tricky gnome hornswoggled Fenster the Blight.
"So Gurk go in and not stab longshank unless longshank stab," Gurk says, trying to see if he had these longshank's thoughts right. "Then Gurk come back and tell you all?"
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Bixby shakes his head. "There's to be NO stabbing of this longsha--Bah!--human!--under any circumstances! As Lexi said, we're to bring this one back to the lodge unharmed! If she resists, we need to talk to her, and in the unlikely event we need to bring her in against her will, we will resort to heroic measures to ensure she comes out in one piece. Do you understand, Sczarni agent Gurk?!"
They will all come to see his eventual betrayal--they must!
Nodding, Gurk approaches the building quietly and searches for an inconspicuous way in to begin his search.
Temmer winces at the whole scene with Fenster, the ignominy of having to so blatantly lie to a sneak thief almost too much for him to bear.
He seems to have his heart in the right place, but the lies, he thinks to himself, his stoic expression not changing.
He waits for Gurk, hoping they've discovered Natalya and all this will be over soon. Surely, Lady Heidmarch would realize he's meant to different things than this. If only it weren't for his debt, but he wouldn't dream of complaining. If this were truly how she felt he should repay what he owed, well, Adistan Temmer was no one's thief.
Following the directions that Fenster provided you find the place he had described. The building has seen better days. Its clapboard sides are dark with mildew and marred by scorch marks. In places fire has gutted portions of the roof ’s moss-covered tile shingles, but the building appears to be structurally intact. The building stands near the stark wall of the Seacleft, and scree from several decades of minor rockfalls has piled up along its southern face. The windows are heavily boarded over, essentially making them just walls. The two doors in are made of heavy wood and securely shut.
Staying low, Gurk checks the door facing sun-gone and checks to see if it is unlocked.
Gurk sneaks up to the door and makes sure it is unlocked before cracking the door open very carefully. As he does, he hears voices on the other side, it sounds like to men playing some game of cards, while another snores in the background.
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Bixby taps his foot for a while, then begins pacing back and forth while they wait for Gurk. Though somewhat animated, he tries to be as quiet as possible as he addresses his companions.
"Does no one else share my concerns about this goblin? He is a low-life, a criminal, and I believe he is still an active Scznari agent! He will turn on us at his earliest opportunity, mark my words!"
Veris looks at the gnome suspiciously as he explains the goggles were only non-magical mundane items, not sure whether he could be lying again. Finally, she seems to provisionally accept his explanation saying, "Ain't right lying to him neither, although I suppose it's better than bein' a pervert." She says the last part as if almost to herself.
Verris shrugs at Bixby's rant about Gurk, "Seems to have been fair with us so far. I can't judge a fella before he does somethin' wrong. Maybe he's changed since you last saw him?"
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"If I had those goggles, do you really think I would give them to this rat?" he asks.
"But lying to this scoundrel was the only way to get that information without paying him at least a hundred gold--gold I am loath to part with given his ilk."
Bixby shakes his head in disbelief as Verris stands up for Gurk. "You can hold to that belief as long as you would like. But hold on to your purse-strings, too!"
Surely, someone here will come to their senses!
Deciding that saying 'I like Gurk!' likely won't go over well with Bixby (or Adistan, given some of the winces she's seen him making), Lexi keeps her mouth shut.
Not wanting to wholly waste the time Gurk's scouting mission is taking, she loads her crossbow, this time remembering to point it away from her allies.
Hearing the voices, Gurk will turn and attempt the other door instead, remembering that these crazy longshanks say to not stab until Gurk is stabbed. Longshank no know how stabs work.
Temmer nods at Davor's comments, making sure his own weapons are easily at hand.
"There's work to be done. And it hardly pays to speak ill of those you serve in arms with," he says. "We are all Pathfinders here, and I'll thank you to remember that and act like it, Copperpot."
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Bixby shakes his head at Adistan.
This one has not yet earned my trust...
"Very well," he retorts quietly. "If you wish to ignore the investigator who tracked his trail of thefts and arson across half of Magnimar, so be it! But do not say I didn't warn you," he adds.
Bixby folds his arms and waits for the little green menace to return.
Gurk checks the only other door into the building. He finds it's locked, but easily pops the lock on the door. Not hearing anything on the other side, he cracks the door open as far as he can without it making a sound and stops as soon as it does. Peeking inside the small bit Gurk was able to open he sees the entire floor of this chamber has collapsed into the pool of water five feet below. The earthen walls of this flooded subcellar ooze with foul rivulets, and the smell is abominable. Part of the ceiling above the entrance has collapsed, revealing an attic crawlspace above; a rickety ladder leads up from the water into the crawlspace. A door stands in the far wall across the sludge pit with only a single beam connecting it back to the door Gurk is at.
This be good hut, Gurk thinks to himself, taking in the pungent aroma. Smell like goblin hut. Space above like goblin size, too.
Edging carefully to the ladder, Gurk will make his way up into the crawlspace and begin his search from there.
Gurk squeezes inside and grabs onto the ladder to try and climb up. As soon as he does the ladder crumbles away and Gurk falls into the muck below.
Wiping a bit of the gunk off, Gurk turns to the fellow goblins. "Me be Gurk. Be in longshank village long time. Me look for your longshank. Gurk no stab longshank, but keep safe?" The last part ends almost in a question as he tries to sort his previous orders and his fellow longshanks' actions. "Gurk also have others to help, too. Your longshank close to here?"
The goblins look to you with a weird look on their face and reply in goblin "Why do you use the longshank tongue?" They shrug not waiting for an answer then the one continues "So you have come to keep our queen safe? If so, then welcome! She is close. One of us can take you to her if you want. As to the others, you brought other goblins with to help? The queen will be pleased."
With that, Gurk will turn toward the door and pauses as he looks at the entrance above. "How do we get up there to wave them over? They are waiting across the street."
He points toward the closed door opposite from where you entered. "We'll help you up."
Temmer waits, concerned something horrible has happened.
Upon hearing Davor's prompt to get ready she holds up her bow, ready and in hand saying, "I'm as ready as I can be."
She nods in Adistan's direction as he makes his comment to Bixby, her eyes constantly scanning the area where she saw Gurk enter.