After returning home, they receive their monetary compensation for the service and have Chantico perform the scrying while under disguise and guard. As it turns out, the wizard is protected by dint of 40' continuous material, but they got some information, that the wizard has access to a dungeon.
As they leave for the two week journey towards Oxom's Caravan, they eventually pass by a cloaked figure that walks stiffly, and are suddenly ambushed by four ninjas hurling acid flasks, stabbing with wraithstrike dan bongs, and letting the animated full plate hack away at the enemy. Cast and Marshal were severely injured, and it took Marshal's Aura of Healing to keep the two alive by the second round. Fortunately, they injured the ninjas sufficiently for three of them to sprint away into the brush (one was slaughtered by X-37's long spear), and they disarmed the construct of its animating necklace. Originally I had intended the amulet to just be a light source, but it was a clever tactic so I changed its stats to make the amulet the source of its power (not like it was going to survive anyway).
Taking a stop at a town later that day, they sat down and had a good chat with Rayne, the local law enforcement and weather mage (high level adept, cold and electricity). Their drink was interrupted by half a dozen disguised ninjas; one was the piano player, one was the barkeep, another a patron, a waitress, one was hiding in the rafters, and one was disguised as a table. They didn't do as well because X-37 was able to spot them in time during their attack, and cut almost all of them down, except for an AoO that was responded with a wielded smokestick to the face that gave the ninja enough of a distraction to get out of sight.
Rayne, recognizing them for the adventuring type, encouraged them to be on their way quickly after interrogating the ninja survivors. A few charms and threats with ghouls later, and they got a fair bit of information: the Barghest's Maw has reformed, currently led by a goblinoid with a blue tint and access to alot of magic.
The ninjas weren't informed as to whom their target was, but were warned that Cast was particularly dangerous, and thus their first target. The dojo they stayed at wasn't the guild's HQ, and they weren't informed as to where it is. While interrogating, they detected aclairvoyance sensor, dispelled it, and killed the ninjas (removing their tongues afterwards to make sure speak with dead doesn't work).
Leaving town swiftly, they encountered a group of heavily wounded soldiers, having suffered an attack from orcs. A couple showed signs of red fever, and many suffered wounds from insect swarms, which Marshal greatly assisted in dealing with in his healing skills/powers.
Oxom's Caravan was set up next to an Imperial outpost, and a red 'X' was painted on the side of the major wagon, along with several hanging daggers at the four points. Tow recognized them as signs of protection from the Scratch guild, a group of particularly vicious ninja bodyguards. Knocking on the door was the high priest himself, an older halfling that knew a fair bit about the party. He mentioned that he wasn't actually under the protection of the Scratch, but he knew that the party was being targetted by ninjas, so he set up the ruse to keep them at bay.
Giving some information in exchange for his divination, the priest was surprised to know that the Barghest's Maw had reformed after the death of their founder half a century ago (the details given in the setting are post-scene, as word will spread), which makes it relatively valuable information. Performing the spell, it was revealed to him that the key to the tablet's cipher is at Riddle Manor, behind the white fence and in the center of the red carpet. He informed the party of likely dangers, sphinxes, mazes, & minotaurs; as well as the location of the former dojo of the Barghest's Maw before it was originally destroyed (north of the Imperial capital, in the shadow of the peak of the Caverns of Flame).
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