The party stood in the aftermath of the battle at the Savage Shark, bodies of Vladaam gang members all around.  With the immediate threat ended, you quickly removed the bodies of the thugs and Godfred himself from the outside of the building.  Though some spectators had clearly seen the battle, Godfred’s death in a back alley was apparently unnoticed.

After some discussion, most of the party decided to rest in the tavern while Raelen did a search of the premises and bodies.  On Godfred you found a few interesting items: a set of keys, likely to the Vladaam estate, and a business card for "Blackstock Printing", with a hand-written note on the back that says "Ravenstroke - ask for #4".  You pocketed these items for later use, then you headed to the cellar.

Two hellhounds in the cellar were no match for your strength.  While most of the party fired ranged attacks from above, Raelen waded in and used his Frost Tongue blade’s cold blast to end the threat.   In the cellar was an arcane circle - likely the delivery method for the shivvel - along with various sacks of shivvel, sorting tables, some odd urns full of acid, and a chest.   While Raelen and Carric went back upstairs to stand guard, the rogues examined the chest.

Neither Phen nor Ebrahim was able to open the chest or find the hidden glyph on its lock.  Eventually, Ebrahim was forced to melt open the lock with his chaositech dagger, setting off the magic rune and summoning a clay golem into the arcane circle.  Phen spilled an urn of acid on the golem, only to find it strengthened!  The golem then attacked Phen savagely, as both he and Ebrahim found they needed magic weapons to damage the construct.   

With Phen and Ebrahim in danger, Raelen rushed to the cellar and engaged the golem in melee, and Carric tried a rare use of the Lich’s Hand artifact on the beast.  Under these multiple attacks, the golem went berserk but was eventually brought down.

With all the threats in the building ended, you sent the bird Simon with a note to fetch Captain Wibert, and he soon arrived with a sergeant of the watch.  They secured the building, took the evidence from you, and then Wibert agreed to let you dispose of Godfred’s body.   Ebrahim didn’t hesitate to use the urns of acid in the cellar to do the deed.  It was agreed that your role in this raid wouldn’t be made public, and no mention would be made of Godfred’s fate.

Satisfied that the Vladaams had been set back by your efforts, you turned to other priorities.  Carric requested a visit to the White House.  The upper-class social club remained the only clue you had from the mysterious gnome, corpses, tracking stones, and abductions from the prison.  This was the only lead you had on Fennic.   Before visiting the club directly, you opted to go to Castle Shard and talk to Lord Zavere.

At Castle Shard, Zavere and his guest, Father Mand Scheben, were able to confirm that the club was frequented by the city’s well-to-do.  It was a club where high-level deals were made, and the city’s power brokers mingled.  Zavere himself was a member, but described the club as not to his taste.  But he could use his membership to get you in.  You found out the club was owned by Argus Shaw, the same man who owns the Cock Pit, and who was known have dealt with Kobayashi in some exchange of tracking stones months ago.  Mand Scheben let you know he no longer went to the club, claiming that Mr. Shaw filled him with dread, and he believes him to be evil.

With that background in hand, you headed to the club with Zavere.  Carric and Raelen would enter, while the rogues would scout from the outside.  Inside, the club appeared as advertised: nobles and well-off merchants mingled.  An off-duty (and drunk) guard captain Cortez was there, as was the widow of the beast-handler Korben Trollone, who the party killed last summer.   The widow Trollone thankfully did not recognize Raelen or Carric.   Aliaster Vladaam was there and was not looking distressed about his brother’s disappearance.   In conversation, Raelen found that the gnome Dortrix came to the club infrequently, usually only to meet with Mr. Shaw.   Finally, Argus Shaw himself made an appearance.  After an introduction by Zavere, you chatted briefly.  Shaw seemed outwardly polite, if obtuse.  He offered that the Storm Guard would be welcome back whenever you wished.   You left soon afterwards, leaving the back rooms unexplored.

Again at a crossroads, Phen let the party know he had a lead on Dyrk, the Killraven Gang member that had dropped by your flat months ago, and who was now likely trying to kill Phen.  Dyrk was known to frequent a brothel in the Warrens and a metalworkers guildhouse in the Guildsman’s District.  Since it was clear the Killraven Gang must have a new supply of Dragon Pistol ammunition coming from somewhere, you decided to stake out the Iron Guildhouse to see if you could catch sight of Dyrk or otherwise learn more . . .