Wild Coast, Elredd, Alley in the Dock Quarter, Night.
While the rest of the party continues to question the Raggedy Man Lucien follows a curious onlooker who was warned off by Edgaar and Saab. The onlooker travelled a short distance and entered a nearby tavern, the Rope and Spike. Lucien enters the tavern and has a quick look around. Assuming the rest of the party will go to the Broken Rudder after questioning the drunk in the alley, Lucien ask for directions to the inn and goes directly there.
The Broken Rudder is a large inn in the worst area of the dock quarter. Like most buildings on the narrow street it is a run down two story structure built right up against it's neighbouring buildings. After waiting some time and realising the rest of the party are not coming Lucien returns to the Hammer and Anvil.
Having finished questioning the drunk the party wait for Lucien to return. After waiting a while they go in search of him in the direction he was last seen departing. They briefly look for him in the first tavern they come across, the Rope and Spike. When they fail to locate him they head back to the Hammer and Anvil.
On the way back to the inn the party notice they are being followed by an individual. Saab notices that a second individual further behind is also following, though if the second individual is following the first, the party or both is unclear. The party round a corner. Some of them position themselves to surprise the pursuer while others circle the block to get behind him. The pursuer rounds the corner and is confronted by those waiting. He immediately retreats back down the street out of sight before the others circle round the block. Saab spots the second pursuer lounging in a doorway at the end of the street. He makes eye contact with Saab when Edgaar, having circled the block emerges onto the street part way down the road. Edgaar briefly blocks Saab's view of the second individual. When the line of sight is clear the second individual is no where to be seen. The party continue to the Hammer and Anvil where they find Lucien waiting for them nursing an ale at one of the tables in the common room.
Jack is unusually serious and asks the party why they did not make it clear from the beginning that their investigation involved the slavers. He refunds the payment for todays services tells the party that he wants nothing more to do with them and leaves. The retire to their rooms discuss their next step. They decide to go to the Broken Rudder.
Anticipating that they will again be followed Lucien shadows the party at a distance as counter surveillance. The party arrive at the Broken Rudder without sign of being followed. They enter the inn. Lucien remains outside and lurks in the shadows on a street corner opposite. The volume in the inn briefly drops as the party come to the attention of the patrons. The party seat themselves at one of the unoccupied tables and order a round of drinks. The patrons soon turn their attention back to their drinks and conversations.
Outside Lucien is approached by a shady individual who offers to sell him intoxicating herbs. While distracted a sack is thrown over his head and strong hands grip him from behind. He is told to be quiet or he will be killed. Lucien wisely offers no resistance as he is dragged away into what he presumes, from the sounds, is a nearby house. He is forced into a chair and his hands are tied. Lucien keeps his wits and contorts his wrists to create slack in the bindings in preparation for eventually escaping his bonds. He is relieved of his weapons and purse. For the better part of an hour Lucien is questioned by his kidnappers. "Who are you? Who are your friends? Why are you asking questions about the slavers? Where do you come from?" and so on. Answers prompt more questions. Any hesitation in answering earns a blow to the face. Blood soon soaks the sack on his head. After the interrogation is finished the kidnappers warn Lucien to stop asking questions and leave the city. Lucien is dragged from the house and dumped into an alley. After he is sure the kidnappers are gone he slips his bindings and removes the sack from his head. Face bloody and swollen Lucien staggers a couple of blocks to the sea and bathes his injuries. Feeling marginally better he finds his way back to the Broken Rudder.
Meanwhile back at the inn the party inconspicuously observe their surroundings looking for clues to the rumoured slaver connection to the inn. The inn seems a typical lower class drinking hole. An not so comely waitress pays special attention to the handsome Tellius. Ever courteous, Tellius does his best to avoid her advances without offending her. The party begin to worry about Lucien. He was supposed to join the party shortly after they entered the inn and was long over due. Edgaar and Tellius go outside to find him but he is nowhere to be seen. They rejoin the others at the table. Eventually Lucien enters the inn and joins the party at their table. In hushed tones Lucien tells of his ordeal. After he has finished the party exit the Broken Rudder. Out front of the establishment Saab prays to the god of his homeland and is granted the power to heal Lucien of his injuries. Within moments all trace of his rough treatment are gone.
Tellius notices a busy brothel down the street. Whores and customers occupy a second story balcony, while a few lounge outside the front of the establishment trying to tempt passerbys. Tellius wanders down to see if anyone witnessed Lucien's abduction. Once the whore out front discovered he was not interested in her services her smiles disappeared and she had no interest in answering his questions. Tellius' persistence results in the attention of an intimidating bouncer who tells him to pay up or get lost. Tellius rejoins his companions.
After some searching and guessing the party locate the likely place Lucien was interrogated. It is a bare house with a couple of rooms containing a few chairs and empty crates. A quick search reveals nothing useful. Saab suggests searching the sewers in the area. The party decide to first return to the Hammer and Anvil and equip themselves. On the way back to the inn they detect someone following them. They set up an ambush but the target is wary, avoids the trap and disappears into the dark streets. Returning to the inn Lucien detects his room and possessions have been disturbed but everything carefully replaced so that the party would not have been aware were it not for Lucien's keen eye for detail.