Clues and leads the party have found to date:
#Breaking their trip to the Cloak Wood, the party interrupted an assault on a local priest, Fayed, the thugs having been instructed by Karne. One captured thug told them Karne had 'plans' for the city and that another gang member had been sent East, to recover an artifact essential to the plan.
# A rough note on an Orc body, from the Red Knight, ordering the band to harass the Trade Road as it passed through the Troll Hills above Baldur's Gate.
# Whilst clearing the Bloodmire Mansion and the secreted basement level of golems, they came across a coded journal, detailing Zhentarim plots. In the final chamber, they caught sight of a man in dark leather that "Luvia" named as Karne, who mentioned the name "Lord Xantum".
# Pursuing a kidnapping case, the party found a secret underground base beneath the warehouse reckoned to be disposing of the body parts. A hastily cleaned gutter confirmed the gory dumping, whilst at the end of their pursuit through the assassin base they overheard a commander intimidating Red Fang goblin minions, before barking at drow associates in the room:
"... you didn't stop them then; sounds to me like failure? I won't tolerate failure. The Lady doesn't tolerate failure either!" at the goblins, before killing one.
"The Lady holds to the treaty, tell your mistress that nothing is changed." at the drow.
Finally on defeating Argesh (the commander - a half-orc, with 'bodily modifications') in a last combat, he uttered:
"The Lady Luvia will know of this, all is by her design and I'm the least of what you will have to face from her."
Ransacking his body they found a map marked 'Cloak Wood', detailing another lair.
# Investigating two unusual problems in the city sewers, the party discovered an unusual quantity of body parts and gore at the foot of a waste pipe (further investigations led them to a warehouse in the Trade Ward); whilst to the NW they discovered a group of shambling humanoids that had been blocking a large confluence - after defeating the creatures the party discovered them all to be decrepit golems.
# Information gained from the Red Fang leader of the Trollbark Forest gang -
He confirmed their orders came from a senior, known only as the Red Knight and that the Red Fangs had their main lair further south, in the Cloak Wood below Baldur's Gate.
# Curuvar the mage in Loudwater advised he had found several notes and comments in Draigdurroch's journal relating to the Zhentarim. The warlock was part of that group and his notes implied his research had more ominous tones for the area than at first believed.
# On the body of the bandit chief in Zelbross, a scroll was found -
Contract of Bounty.
This contract empowers the bearing Najaran representative, to pay a 20 gold piece bounty for each and any human slave delivered.
Sess'Sth, Lord of Chelimber.
# On the body of the Lady of Shadows in her Loudwater lair, a note was found -
You know your part, show no restraint and cause the havoc we need. I have sent aid to the Barrow goblins, for a small matter of theirs, it will aid our plan though they have no part in it. Here I lead the Red Fangs to ever greater success, their outrages are now noted in both Waterdeep & Baldurs Gate. Send your next report soon, so that I may advise the Mistress of your progress. Red Knight
# Scrawled in the dirt, in one corner of a cage located in the lair of the Lady of Shadows, a childish plea -
save us we're being sold as slaves to snakemen
we're being taken to Zelbross
# In the Barrow of the Ogre King a note was found on the body of the Goblin Shaman -
Set your clan against the humans in the valley, cause mayhem and disrupt their lives in every way you can. Soon the Red Fangs will strike north, so your cause will aid our future success. There are other allies nearby who also further our cause, but I you send this barrel of alchemical fire to assist your endeavours. R.K.
