Zane, you unsheathe your blade and swing but you manage to only cut into the robes of the individual and not actually strike flesh. "What the hells!" He gasps as he backs up. "What is going on here? A spy in Lord Agustins new recruits?" As he finishes Tex and Lizzy unleash their attacks, killing the foe in a hasted flurry leaving only the individual under the effects of friends who says "Ma'am stop them! What is going on!?"

Rel feels a pang of guilt.  She thinks of her dead father.  These poor workers are but pawns in a greater game.

But then she considers Vale's brother in the crate and the horrors of the Briarwood Manor.  And whatever awful secret rite Lord Austin is planning, with a pit full of rotting corpses as evidence.  They shall receive the mercy of a quick death.  She is not sure if the dark voice is her mother's or... the other one.

As she raises her hand towards the second worker's chest, the black strobe of Rel's eyes is hidden by the disguise of the brown-haired woman in violet and gold.  She nods grimly at the man and repeats Zane's words, her voice as flat as a flagstone.  "No loose ends.  Lord Agustin's orders."

Rel Eldritch Blast To Hit:  27 (Nat. 20)
Rel Eldritch Blast Damage:  14 (force)

Lana was simply watching in surprise as a peaceful talk, when the cultists - or whoever they were - practically ate from Rel's palm and tried to tell all they knew as fast as they could, suddenly turned into a bloodbath as Zen decided to attack out of the blue.

They did not need her help here, though. Should they do, she would be ready.

When the foes are down then Zane says, "They might be connected by the real person soon via magic and she will surely know something is up when there is no answer. Lets get the cloaks, search them, and hide the bodies."

He will Help anyone with searching the bodies.

Tex jumps to assist Zane and checks the bodies for anything worthwhile. (Investigation: 21 - or 23 with Zane’s help)

”So what’s the plan? You mean to dress up and impersonate them? Or do we only pick up some evidence, like these rocks and return?” Tex turns to Lana, “Speaking of the rocks, do you know what they are?”

"No, I do not." Lana stepped from behind the arch support and showed one piece she picked up. "Careful, don't touch it with bare hands. It hits like lightning." She wrapped the rock up again and tucked it back in the pocket. 

"So... The plan is to kill anything that moves? Maybe we can skip the talking part then? Just a suggestion."

If the boats are Lana checked them. "I would assume these boats are supposed to take the load of the rocks by themselves. We can pretend to be additional cargo."

Zane says, "No idea what the rocks are. But I believe the boats are not manned, so we can just follow them from the side, maybe. The other option is to go upstream and see where they're coming from in the first place. No loose ends and all that. I really don't want surprises considering how spent we are."

Bellamy is also surprised by the turn of events, but soon gathers himself and shares his thoughts "I may not know what these red rocks are, but from my experience these can be used in some ritual though I know not which one. We can learn more from the Library of the Cobalt Soul faction"

(Assuming both workers are dead).

Rel looks apologetic and defensive, still in the guise of the brown-haired woman.  She looks towards Lana and the others.

"I am sorry it came to that.  I think we did glean some information from them which we would not have without the ruse about the ritual and boats, and also that an underground waterway connects here in addition to the tunnel from the mansion.  But once we found that the woman is communicating with them telepathically, we had to finish them.  Unfortunately, she will know soon enough, as Zane said, when her message goes unanswered."

She looks up.  "So, I am open to different paths.  Retreat and report back to Jarsali Firahel to let the Zhelezo take it from here, while perhaps researching Ruidium at the library Bellamy described?  Or press our luck, riding the unmanned skiff or moving beside it to disrupt whatever ritual the woman and Sir Agustin are overseeing?  It cannot be for any good purpose with all the corpses and the Clovis Concord leaders' meeting tomorrow.  But we have to consider our resources.  Zane says he is mostly spent.  I still have most of my magic and can replenish it further." (Font of Magic)

"Either way, let us move fast."

Lana nodded to Rel's words. "Do not see any benefits in killing those two - as you said, their death will attract as much attention if not more. But what's done is done. Maybe if we att their bodies to the death pit, it will give us more time."

"What to do is up to you, though. I was sent to help you and will do my best to aid whatever you decide. If you care about my opinion, reporting to Jersali is the soundest option. There are too many of us to properly scout, and most likely too many of them to kill everyone if this is your intention. We now know the way. If that library, that Bellamy knows, has answers about the red rocks, we might even interrupt the ritual from above, or at least warn about the ritual."

"Yet again we can split - half returns and half stays. Not safe for both split parts of the group but an option."

(The other individual is indeed dead after the attack)

Searching the bodies, each of the figures has a rapier and a component pouch of basic spell casting materials, nothing of value though. You can see that they are wearing leather gloves to protect themselves from being in contact with the ruidium, Lana had found the hard way, just touching it can indeed cause an effect. You can easily remove the robes if you wish to try and disguise as the figures as well, although one of them is slightly tattered from Zane's rapier strike.

“Agreed, we can return to Jersali and report about the rocks and the ritual, might be they re-evaluate sending in the cavalry. I feel, though, that Jersali would prefer we deal with it directly instead of running back to her. Also we haven’t found any clue about Vlad yet and that’s what originally brought us here.” Tex turns to Bellamy, “Could you not send your bird ahead and check where the waterway leads? Perhaps you even find the ritual and we learn something else that allows us to make an informed decision as to how to proceed.” 

"Sure lets see what Melby can find" he summons the tiny Owl and ask it to fly down the waterway to see where it leads

Zane looks around and says, "I wonder where the ruidium came from."

He goes through the immediate area, trying to figure out which rooms are there and which paths lead out from the area. Also, if the ruidium was kept in something before put into boats.

While Bellamy summons Melby, Tex performs a ritual to detect Magic and superficially scouts the several floors of the cavern.

Melby makes its way down the waterway. (Are you trying to look through it's eyes or what is the plan there?)

Tex, you cast detect magic and look about the cavern a bit. The crate is emanating a magical aura but it is one that you are unfamiliar with. It is not of one of the regular schools of magic. Also the skiff that arrived earlier is now leaving, emanating an enchantment magic aura. 

Zane, looking through the cavern you find there is a path leading south/southeast as well as the way you came from. The waterway the skiff came form leads south but you cannot see where it goes as it leads down into a darkened tunnel beyond your darkvision. There is also the source of light from above where the water enters this cavern. It would be very difficult to climb up though as the rocks are quite slippery

Yes Bellamy will look through Melby's eyes as he has his own closed.

"This crate or the rocks are magical but I can't ascertain the school," says Tex and casts Identify on the source of magic, then he sees the skiff leaving and gasps, "The skiff is enchanted, too, and it appears to be leaving! They will know soon that something is wrong here!"

Bellamy, you watch through Melby's eyes as they fly down the waterway, after 100 feet your connection is lost. Before it is lost you can see the path continues further

Bellamy recalls Melby back to him and then says "The waterway continues on beyond 100ft and I don't know where it ends. We can head back and learn more of the Ruidium"