Tonight Ellanzo summoned us and about 20 or so other deputies to help in a raid to sweep up all the slave ring contacts we had located in the last several weeks. We were formed into multiple groups with members of the regular constabulary and elements of the Arcane Task Force so that we could hit as many targets as possible that night. Surprisingly, Walton and Billy Barrue were there as well. As a candidate to Ellanzo's office, the Barrue's were entitled to be there to monitor this raid, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were connected to this slave ring in the first place.
The leader of the raid, Sgt. York, explained that we were to use a "Flush and Scrub" tactic where one team would go into a dwelling to take out the targets and a second group would wait outside to pick off any stragglers that escaped. The Arcane Task Force would stay at a central location and provide support when needed. Each team was given a glass rod that, when broken, would summon a squad of the mages.
Our first mission was to take out a small group of slavers at an inn by the Docks District. We were the "flushers" on this mission and were able to efficiently take out our targets without anyone escaping or any civilians getting injured.
Our next couple of hits involved us playing the role of "scrubbers". The first operation went smoothly with no blood spilled. The second went horribly wrong. Our "flush" team went into a warehouse on the docks as we formed a perimeter around the target. Moments after they entered the warehouse we heard fighting break out. There was a flash of light from within the warehouse and a squad of Arcane Task Force appeared and joined the fray. Suddenly multiple explosions rocked the warehouse and we heard bloodcurdling screams. Out of the back of the warehouse, 6 men-at-arms appeared escorting either a squat human or dwarf. The figure wore a blood red robe etched with golden sigils, a pure white fur cape, and hid its face under a cowl. As we moved to intercept, the figure struck a large scepter on the dock which erupted in an enormous explosion! The warehouse and the surrounding dock were blown apart and we were thrown with the men-at-arms into Waterdeep's bay.
A fight for survival ensued with the combatants vying for pieces of dock to stay afloat. The heavily armored Giovanni seemed to make out since he landed in neck deep water near what remained of a pier. I was hoping he'd be in position to look for the crimson robed figure, but he was immediately beset upon by giant crabs from the bay. What is widely regarded as a delicacy in Waterdeep was now trying to make a meal of our friend! As Giovanni dealt with the crabs, the rest of us managed to pull ourselves onto large floating pieces of the dock while we battled the men-at-arms. While Brolgar, Leif and I battled guards on larger, more stable section of dock, Riddick and Jax had managed to take out another guard and pull themselves up on a smaller section.
This being our lucky day, a large water elemental suddenly appeared next to Riddick and Jax... obviously summoned by the crimson figure or drawn to the large release of magic that had precipitated our plunge in the bay. It quickly tangled the two in its nets and skewered Riddick with its trident. The creature resisted my attempt to draw it to the larger section of dock, so Brolgar and I did what any self-respecting, heavily armored warriors would do and leapt in the water toward it. Thankfully, Brolgar landed several telling blows. Riddick, inspired by our charge into battle, recovered to deal it a vicious stab and Jax was able to freeze the creature with his Icy Rays. By this time Giovanni had overcome the giant crabs and we were able to mop up the remaining guards and make it to dry land.
Unfortunately, and probably luckily, there was no sign of the crimson figure once we made land. We went back to the station so we could report and get a short breather before going out on another raid. While we rested, Riddick took advantage of the chaos at the station and relieved Ellanzo's cabinet of a couple of files that dated to the death of Leif and Jax's fathers. I hope we can get those back before Ellanzo finds them missing.
We set off on our last raid for the night, this time as the "flushers". Remembering what happened to the last group; we steeled ourselves and entered a nondescript house in the Warehouse district. Riddick performed some trick where our entire group was shrouded in shadow and moved as silently as cats. We moved quickly and quietly through the house meeting no resistance and discovered slave pens with occupants in the basement. The slaves, alarmed by our appearance, attracted the attention of their slavers, a group of Drow led by a formidable looking warrior named Etchzeeth. Surprisingly, Etchzeeth seemed willing to be brought in by us without a fight, but his lackeys had other ideas. Swords were drawn, but before they could take a step a powerful wizard appeared from a glowing portal and immolated all the Drow save for the sensible Etchzeeth.
This powerful wizard turned out was one of the Masked Lords of Waterdeep! Etchzeeth was his servant and a double-agent who was investigating the slave ring at the behest of his master. The Lord had heard of the raids and had come to avoid any conflicts between his servant and the constabulary. We released the slaves and found paperwork revealing the vile intent of this cell of slavers, a bill of lading indicating that the slaves were to be used in a foul ceremony in an underground church of Cyric.
Back at station, the operation appeared to be a fantastic success. All of our targets had been rounded up and eliminated. Our celebration was sobered by the loss of five fine constables and a squad of the Arcane Task Force at the docks. I gathered the names of the fallen so that their memory might be honored. I also pledge to seek justice for these fallen comrades by putting the head of our crimson clad foe on the end of a pike!
We had suffered other losses as well. Most notably, Billy Barrue had gone and gotten himself killed again. With the death of his son and the overwhelming success of his political rival's raid, Walton Barrue was conspicuously absent from the celebration.
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