Satisfied with the ingredients and his meal preparation Vaughn reveals a previously unseen spiral staircase descending behind the bar, the group follow him down through what had previously been the wine rack in to this dark staircase.
The group follow for some time, legs aching they eventually reach a landing and stand in front of a large set of double doors with no discernible locks, handles or seams to open. Vaughn takes a dagger, slices in to his hand and holds it to the door to open, blood is the key here.
As the group follow through the door they progress in to a long corridor that feels like a furnace, feeling hot and breathless it feels like walking through a thick and heavy steam. Whilst Geschut feels quite at home; the rest of the group are feeling it hard going to travel through this environment as they reach a foreboding chamber with a platform surrounded by four imposing statues. The large black statues are each a giant black warrior atop a rearing horse with gleaming red eyes. Remmi finally makes his appearance and takes the platter from the Loxodon explaining to the group that they would be introduced to Morrow Mossani the head of the Mossani Cartel. Remmi warned the group may see signs of cruelty but would be wise to hold their judgement and tongues and offer respect and a bow to Mossani.
The group look to a set of stairs to the edge of the chamber where a large throne sits and Mossani makes his appearance - a larger than life bloated humanoid with an amphibian body takes the platter presented by Remmi as he surveys the group seemingly mouth watering as he does so before devouring the platter for several minutes.
Mossani appears pleased with the platter and asks the group to explain themselves one by one. The confidence of some of the group and the demonstration of their skill in the sourcing of creature's meal seems to be enough to convince him to reward the group with 250g each and the position of Sicario in the cartel.
The group accept their position and each receive an arcane brand to symbolise their membership; having granted these brands Remmi disappears and leaves the group to receive their task from Mossani.
Mossani explains that he has some concerns about some members of the cartel working against them from the inside. The group is tasked with investigating and rooting out the 'corruption' and as reward they will each be granted 2000g and a promotion to the rank of officer within the cartel.
The group are sent to meet with Endrea, a Blacksmith at the Omnimarket who is a contractor of the cartel and not a full member so is the contact for the investigation and has leads for the group to follow.
The group is granted continued use of three rooms, each with two beds at the Last End Inn as part of their Cartel membership.
The group spend that evening at the Inn getting a night's rest and deliberating the days event. The next morning Dolosis wakes in a cold sweat following a night of restless sleep and nightmares, not something he wants to share too many details of with his roommate.
The following day the group head to McFini's shop to see if Frug has had any success identifying the dagger; Frug managed to identify the initials as Leopold Tiantatu (?) and concluded from Artificers guild records that it was commissioned for ornate rather than magical purposes.
Picking up a pearl at McFini's the group are also able to identify the staff Geschut had been using as a walking cane since their last encounter as a rare Staff of Ashes, a welcome and powerful weapon to add to his arsenal.
Heading in to the Ominmarket the group stop at Maga's Melodies and Mixtures to see if Elric (was it Elric who went in?) could identify a plant he had picked up at the site of the Basilisk (?) kill. Maga is a beautiful young human apothecary who explained it is Aberrant Weed; a base ingredient used in many potions. As negotiations continued Elric mentions the name LT and Maga transforms to a old hag and flying at Elric with a hand around his throat demanding to know what he knew of LT. When Elric produces the dagger she calms and explains LT is a long lost acquaintance of hers and the dagger will help her track him down. Elric agrees to part with the dagger and 300g in exchange for a potion of flight and the potential of further work from Maga in the future.
As the group continue on to seek out Endrea they see a strong orc working hard at her smith, as well as finely crafted weapons and armour the group see various artistic works made from copper wire (Lotty purchases a copper swan model). Andrea explains to the group there are two targets:
1. A female halfling bard named Layla Lasador. Layla is an entertainer who works in the bars of the Prominade of the Exalted (?) district where she is largely loved by her fans for her singing and political comedy. Recently she has been speaking out against the Mossani Cartel and she needs to either be silenced or convinced to change her message.
2. A male gnome named Arnon McFini. Arnon is responsible for overseeing the distribution of exhaultium (an additive ingredient that can be added to performance enhancing potions) for the cartel but the books are not balancing and he is suspected of skimming from the top. Either the balance or evidence of his crimes needs to be found.
Lotty storms off leaving the group behind in a furious rage heading back to MicFini's shop, when the group catches up she explains Arnon is her cousin; the middle of three boys whom she grew up with as brothers. She can not comprehend how the innocent, studious and trusted family member could possibly be involved in something like this.
The group get word of Arnon possibly operating out of an alleyway near the docks, after some stalking and investigation Lotty approaches Arnon and forcefully insists on a family reunion, well aware of the heavy guard surrounding him. The group spend the day stalking the alleyway to ensure Arnon does not give them the slip only to find that he had done just that. The group find Arnon back at McFini's shop, not sure what he was doing and startled by the group he was about to make his exit by magical means only to be stopped in his tracks by quick thinking and well thrown sleeping javelin from Geshut!
Lotty slaps him awake and foolishly reveals all to Arnon, fuelled only by rage she shows her branding to him and levels the accusation against him. He explains that he's been trying to earn extra money to purchase a bigger shop for the family in the Omnidistrict and enticed by the thought of extra money began getting involved in the Mossani cartel, when he tried to put a 2000g deposit down on a shop that came with the condition of skimming for the Voodist cartel and Arnon finds himself in the mess that his is.
Desperate for the group not to take revenge on Arnon there and then, Lotty forces Arnon to agree to tell the Voodist cartel the next day that he would no longer work for them and then they would somehow find out a way to come up with the 2000g. Arnon suggests they take 2000g out of the shop finances and work/pay it back later but Lotty insists that involving the family further is not an option. Taking no chances Lotty ties Arnon's ankle to a bed at the Inn, sets Nessie, her Steel Defender, watching over him and stays up to watch over him. When Elric arrives to relieve Lotty from her watch he find her already asleep and, after watching Arnon for some time realises he isn't moving - checking further Elric discovers he has been watching over an illusion. Checking the building for signs of Arnon's escape the rest of the group wake to the realisation Arnon escaped by magical means at some point during Lotty's failed watch.
The group head to Endrea, the blacksmith, to search for leads on Arnon only to be congratulated for a job well done. It seems Arnon had already been to Endrea that day and showed an accounting error in the books and that all that all the money had been accounted for.
Confused and angry Lotty head's back to McFini's to try and find Arnon and answers to what was going on, despite the groups desire to pursue their other lead, Layla, they relent and follow seeing that Lotty will not be deterred on this. Arriving at McFini's they find Lotty's father, Frug, broken at the bottom of a bottle of Whiskey and the shop completely ransacked. Frug is devastated and explained the whole shop has been ransacked and all the inventory (save that which was stored in the mirrors) gone amounting to 40,000g(4,000g??) and the families livelihood ruined. Obviously distraught Lotty does her best to comfort Frug and assures him the group will do what they can the help, overhearing the group mention Arnon's involvement Frug pleads Lotty to look after Arnon and keep him out of trouble.
At some point Elric fails in an investigation search and manages to get such a blast to the face from a skunk that he will probably smell for weeks. He leaves to wash up but the group still stay 5ft away from him at all times.
Despite the group's better judgement Lotty can not be persuaded away from heading to the docks in search of Arnon and follow in support and efforts to calm her down. Agreeing to split up and cover more ground the group are about send one group to the docks in search of Arnon and one to the Omnimarket to see if Andrea has any information when they are surprised at the crossroads!
A large human man appears wielding a longsword and a battle axe and sporting similar tribal runes the group are used to seeing on Rhône. Pointing the imposing longsword at Rhône he exclaims "Heil brother, Rollo would like to have a word" the group realise at this point they are surrounded by similar looking Viking warriors with weapons drawn!
