Rest at the Red Earth Inn
Vaaris Traverton
On arrival back at the Traverton, the party makes its first use of the information from Enelach. The Alshekal have a set of permanently reserved lodgings in this Traverton at a place called the Red Earth Inn. Passwords exchanged, the party tucks in for some days of rest and recovery, and to decide what to do next.
The Anvard-Vaaris Gate is still open, but based on Enelach’s information the party knows there may be a cache of Ancient Race bones on the tiny Outer Island of Wisp, which in a stroke of good fortune will open a Gate to Vaaris in about a week’s time. In the meantime, tracking down Dar Aslan or his companions to get the Enelach Spirit of Intellect skull back - and/or to possibly get even with them - becomes a diverting pass time.
From the innkeep they learn that the local Baraki guardsmen have suffered a social embarrassment at having their local lock-up being subverted quite so easily, and they have the word out that they want the escapees brought in to assuage their hurt pride. The party limits their time outside the Red Earth, relying on a network of local scamps led by three children known to the innkeep to keep eyes on people and places of interest. They give them descriptions of Dar Alsan, Biolo, and the short portly man. Akissi, the friendliest and motherly type, spends the days “running” these scamps from the tavern of the Red Earth.
Biolo is easy to find. He is holed up in another inn and tavern, drinking mightily and daily and picking fights late into the night. The owner purportedly only tolerates him because he is spending gobs of money.
However, Biolo is also easy to find - one of the scamps followed him to an estate on the edge of the Traverton. Koros and Paetro check it out, and find a fenced compound with a complement of guards. A scamp keeps it under watch and sights Biolo and the portly man occasionally strolling the grounds in conversation. Ramach makes a visit and determines that the skull is indeed on the compound. The party contemplates sneaking in, or bashing their way in, but decides against it, to watch and wait.
No one of Dar Alsan’s description is seen anywhere.
After brief forays to locate the requisite supplies, Ramach and Mote spend the days huddled in a corner, exchanging spells.
Koros and Paetro hit the local grey economy, searching for information on a guard with a flexible sense of pride who may be moved by money to allow the party through the Gate to Wisp. A captain with a taste for pastries (and bribes) named Galdis proves willing, and arranges for himself and his squad to be on duty the morning the Vaaris-Wisp Gate will open.
Orosh makes a visit to Biolo’s pub, and shares a few drinks with the man (they never came face to face at the vault entrance). He seems the genuine article, belligerent and slightly dim and full of drunken warrior camaraderie. He says he was hired by Dar Aslan for muscle on the trip out to the vault, and was paid handsomely. He spills the name of the portly man - Kander - and says he is a mage-for-hire from Anvard, brought by Dar Aslan to provide magical support for the same trip. He is certain that Kander created an illusion of a giant humanoid beast to keep laborers in line and intimidate some poor schmucks who got to the vault before Dar Aslan. He was let go from the vault and made his way back on his own. From this information the party infers that the other Biolo hanging out with Kander at the fenced estate is likely Dar in some kind of disguise or illusion.
On the day before the Vaaris-Anvard Gate closes, the scamp watching the estate reports that “Biolo” and Kander left with packed bags. They went to the Arcanist’s compound close to the Gate. Paetro and Koros hustle to stake out the compound, and see the two leaving and heading towards the Gate plaza. Koros tries following a little too closely, and suddenly Kander and “Biolo” are facing Koros from a short distance. After a brief stare down, all parties run away - Koros back up the street, “Biolo” and Kander to the plaza and through the Gate to Anvard.
Ramach checks the estate again, and finds the skull gone.
Their quarry seemingly fled, the party gears up to move on to Wisp. In the early morning hours on the appointed day, they gather in the plaza and watch a robed and hooded Arcanist wave his arms in arcane gestures and the Gate shimmers to life. The bribed captain, Galdis, waves them onward...and out of the gate step a handful of bedraggled folk, who beeline for the captain. There has been an incident on Wisp. Creatures have infested the Island, and have taken farmers away. They beg for relief and for refuge, and have come to raise the alarm. Galdis quickly gestures the party on, knowing that the plaza is soon to be filled with guards and Arcanists. The party steps through the Gate...