August 12, Year 3488 (SE 118)
Having arrived back to Viskha, the characters spent the day asking questions and gathering information. They ask around with various merchants to learn when the next caravan back towards Barar is leaving; they learn that it will head out in two days' time, on the 14th.
At around noon, they go to visit Iskander and ask him some more questions about the missing holy symbol. He explains that he has contacts and sources all over the land who keep an eye out for rare items for him. The missing holy symbol of Kord was found by one of his contacts to the east, but he doesn't know any details about where it came from before that.
They next go to Lieutenant Hadia, of the Viskhan Police, to ask her about the city's Thieves' Guild, wondering if they might be involved. Hadia tells them that Viskha doesn't have one single Thieves' Guild; it used to, but it was rooted out and destroyed by Queen Ilthai about a decade ago. Instead, there are a variety of smaller, competing guilds and gangs throughout the city now. While it's not impossible that they're involved, she can't act without any sort of evidence.
Finally, everyone except Iriellis talks to various merchants around town, trying to learn what the missing caravans were carrying. From a few different merchants, they get a good idea of what those missing goods are. Iriellis, on the other hand, asks about the symbol of Kord in particular, in case it has ended up for sale somewhere in the city. She is unable to learn anything.
August 13, Year 3488 (SE 118)
Suspecting that the theft of a holy symbol might be related to the mysterious cult whose symbol they found in the Temple of the Iron God, the party head to the police headquarters to speak again with Hadia, who initially warned them about the cult. When they explain the circumstances, she isn't convinced - she points out that the most likely explanation is a particularly well organized group of bandits is hitting caravans, completely unrelated to the cult. She doesn't have a good explanation for the caravan where all the goods and traders simply vanished, though, except to suggest that the bandits might have a wizard in their employ. Regardless, she tells them that her jurisdiction is limited to the city itself, so she can't do much to help them.
In the afternoon, the party split into three groups to ask around town. Adokas and Sharla ask around about the missing goods, trying to discover if any of them have been sold in the city. Flossaria and P'hla do the same thing in a different area of town. Zedlyn and Iriellis follow a different track, and try to find out if Iskander has any rival or rivals who might have orchestrated the theft of the symbol of Kord.
Flossaria, P'hla, Zedlyn and Iriellis are all unsuccessful, learning nothing of interest, but Adokas and Sharla succeed. They discover a local merchant, Rahim, has recently sold several pieces of semi-precious jewelry that were reported missing from one of the caravans. When they confront him, he is evasive, simply mentioning that he doesn't dig too far into where his sources get their items. Switching tactics, Sharla mentions that she is a collector of holy symbols (which is actually true) and that she's looking for a particularly rare symbol. She describes the holy symbol of Kord to him, and Rahim says that he'll keep an eye out, although such a rare item won't come cheap.
As Sharla leaves, Adokas stays behind, discreetly watching Rahim to see what he does. A few hours pass, and around nightfall, a shady-looking individual approaches Rahim as he's closing up his stall. The two talk, and Adokas eavesdrops on them. The stranger is describing various caravans, and asking Rahim if he'd like to purchase any items from these caravans "for cheap". Rahim expresses interest in a few, and the stranger wanders off.
Adokas switches to following the stranger, and watches him as he visits several other merchants and has the same sort of conversation with them, including a sketchy weapons dealer who expresses interest in the caravan that is supposed to leave the next day. Eventually, the stranger heads off through the gates into the Southern Yannreach, with Adokas still following behind.
Adokas continues to follow him through the slums, until he vanishes into an alley. Adokas follows him in, but he doesn't get very far before he is grabbed from behind by two thugs - a big bruiser and a smaller, more agile man. As they roughly question him, asking why he was following the stranger, he discreetly reaches for his poisoned dagger, then stabs the smaller thug when the opportunity presents itself. As the thug staggers off, the larger man charges Adokas and grabs him by the neck, smashing him against the wall. Adokas fights back with his hands and feet, but the smaller thug quickly recovers and attacks him as well with a dagger. Adokas is stabbed twice before he manages to drop the bruiser; he then evades the other thug and flees into the night.
Returning to the inn in Yahn's Market, Sharla heals Adokas to the best of her ability, while Zedlyn and P'hla fetch Iriellis and Flossaria from their respective temples. The two clerics patch Adokas up, and the group discuss what they should do. Despite the fact that it's the middle of the night, they decide to send Adokas, with Flossaria as backup, to the police headquarters to report what they've found to Hadia.
Hadia isn't in, given how it's the middle of the night, but they convince one of the night watchmen to fetch her, and within half an hour she's arrived at the police station. Adokas explains to her what happened, but he isn't able to remember exactly what route he took or where the alley is, so they head out to try to find it, using the trail of blood left by Adokas to track his route.
Unfortunately, they aren't able to find the exact alley, but they do arrive in the general area. Hadia recognizes it, saying that it is the territory of a gang of toughs called the Black Hand Gang. The three of them aren't nearly enough to attack the gang head on, so they return to confer with the rest of the party.
They come to the following agreement: Hadia and the Viskhan Police force will continue to investigate in the city, while the party will head out with the caravan on the next day. They'll conceal themselves, and when the caravan is attacked, they'll reverse the ambush against the attackers.
With the plan decided, the party rest for the remainder of the night.
August 14, Year 3488 (SE 118)
The next morning, the characters, along with Hadia, head out to meet the caravan before it departs. Hadia explains the situation to the head merchant, who agrees to take the party along in order to protect the caravan. Most of the party hide themselves away in the wagons, so as to not arouse suspicion from the attackers, and the caravan sets off towards Barar.
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