Daron takes four gold out from his gold pouch and, walking back to the table, places it down. "Extra gold for the trouble," he says to Durnan with a nod.

Durnan nods and the group leaves the Yawning Portal emerging into the dark and wet streets of Waterdeep. 

The streets of the Castle Ward, where the Yawning Portal is located, are illuminated with street lanterns. On the main thoroughfares the lanterns are arranged on both sides of the street at regular intervals. Wide walkways line these main streets with well kept homes, government buildings, and businesses towering in stately watch. You see some people still traveling the streets, both by horse pulled carriage and groups walking home from such entertainment as the theater. 

However as you travel south through the city, and into the Docks Ward. The street lanterns are placed farther and farther apart and many are unlit, their candles stolen. The wide walkways of the Castle Ward disappear as the streets become narrower and steeper as the land descends sharply to sea level.  You pass ramshackle buildings of splintering wood. Some you recognize as tenement homes other are probably businesses or warehouses, but few signs announce these business names.  

As you turn a corner, you find yourselves on a street that has been cordoned off by the City Watch. Lying on the cobblestones are a half-dozen corpses, seemingly the victims of some terrible skirmish. Watch officers have disarmed and arrested three blood-drenched humans and are in the midst of questioning witnesses. One of the officers sees you. “Get on,” she says. “Nothing to see here.”

Leol you in particular do not recognize any of these Watch members. 

Kip pauses, mingling with other onlookers. “Oi, what happened here?” He asks while looking around the scene. 

Investigation: 7

Perception: 7

Priscilla keeps up her tiny feet not as much a hindrance in the hustle and bustle of city life as she can weave in and out of the crowds. Seeing the bodies she pauses and shakes her head. She makes a half circle with her hand over her heart then moves it to her mouth kisses the palm and raises it to palm up uttering in Halfling. "[Yondalla forgive them, Urogalan watch over them and guide them to the next world]"

 After she says her prayer she begins to look about and see if she can see any local practitioners of the trade and see if she can find out what happened.

Perception4

Investigation18

Insight4

((The city watch is made up of hundreds of individuals as it is the police force for the city. It is completely reasonable that Leol would not recognize this particular unit of the Watch.))

Kip stands next to an older gentleman with a long beard and unkempt hair. "Not sure, Lad. Watch have been talking to a few folks and those three lads have been on their knees, arms on their heads for at least ten minutes now. Streets are getting dangerous these days," he says. Kip is able to confirm the old man's observation with his own. 

At that moment two horse drawn carts pull up. A watch member standing behind the detained, blood-soaked men begins pulling their arms down locking them behind in manacles. They are roughly pulled to standing positions by the Watch and made to climb into the cart. Several Watch members are assigned to ushering the men aboard. While several yards up, two other Watch are hauling the dead bodies onto the other cart. 

Kip moves closer to the watchmen carrying the dead bodies, trying to get a glimpse of anything recognizable from the corpses. Again he also asks onlookers, "Who are the unfortunate souls who lost their lives?"

Perception: 20
Investigation: 4

Priscilla asks around but doesn't get any better idea what happened here.  Surveying the Watch throwing the bodies onto the wagon, she does notice the Watch officer that tried to usher onlookers on a moment ago look closely at one of the dead. She uses her unsheathed knife to carefully lift the corpse's long hair away from the nape of the neck. The officer nods to herself as if seeing something she expected. "Get this mess cleaned up," she commands as the last detained man is loaded into the cart. Feeling the eyes of your group and a few other rubberneckers on her back, she turns. "Those looking overly interested in murder may be accomplices and should be detained with the others," she says very loudly to a nearby officer while eyeing the gaggle of onlookers. Several of the others gathered around begin to move on. The officer continues her work containing the scene and removing the assailants and victims in a manner that bespeaks of official procedure. 

Kip studies the bodies of the dead as they are hauled onto the wagon one by one. Five of the dead bear no particular likeness toward one another, but Kip notices that they each wear mismatched leather armor. The sixth dead man is wearing dark clothing and leathers similar to the arrested men in the other wagon. No one seems to answer your query, however.

((You have time to study either a dead man wearing mixed leathers or a dead man wearing dark leathers before they are thrown into the wagon. Which to you choose to concentrate on?))

Kip looks closer at one of the dead men wearing mixed leathers, thinking that word of those arrested would eventually make its way to the streets. 

Grykham hangs back.   A bunch of dead fools is of no interest to him.   A quick glance tells him none appear to be the guy they are looking for.   Violet jacket trimmed in silver and pewter colored trousers.  That's what Volo said.   He had no interest in what this situation was about.   They were looking for Floon.

When he heard the watch officer say those too interested would be brought in as accomplices he really decided he wasn't interested.   He moved on up the street the direction they were going and waited for the others to catch up. 

Kip makes note of what he saw and then follows Grykham up the street, not wanting to draw the ire of the watchmen. Once everyone has followed, he tells the group, "I noted that the dead wearing the mixed leathers bore the same eye tattoo as the ruffians in the tavern. Hard to believe that is no coincidence. Something seems to have the gangs restless this eve."

"Whatever is going down it's on the up and up," She says as she smiles looking at the others telling them about it before she looks about. 

"We could ask about and see whos' turf this is, pretty sure they'll tell us who done the murder and the kidnapping," Priscilla says as she looks up at the others.

Daron hung back the entire time; a horrified look on his face as he saw the dead bodies. Was this the gang war that Yagra was referring to? It probably was, and since they already had a job to do - and tha guards refused to answer questions thrown their way - he thought it best to move on. He muttered a few words then went up to follow Gryk and the others. The others spoke and he looked over at Priscilla, "Perhaps," he says with a shrug, "we could ask when we get to our destination. Seedy folk over there might have an idea."

The party continues down the narrow streets of Dock Ward toward the Skewered Dragon.  The odor of salt and excrement hangs heavy in the air. The densely packed, multilevel tenements allow very little of the stars' and moon's light in resulting in near darkness in these winding, dirty streets. One nearby shop stands out from the others. Above the door hangs a sign whose elaborate letters spell out “Old Xoblob Shop." The window is darken, and like the rest of the shops, save a few taverns and run-down inns, the shop is closed.

Just down the street you find a spark of light and life at the Skewered Dragon. The tavern is in ruins of grey salt-weathered boards. Both of its front-facing windows are smashed, and a ship’s anchor is lodged in the roof, whether on purpose for 'decoration' or through some sort of mishap is unclear. Through the windows, you can see a group of haggard patrons drinking from huge tankards. A woman of voluminous proportions stands behind the bar, leaning heavily on it reading a book, a pencil behind her ear. 

"Smells like home," She says with a smile as she strides towards the Dragon, noting the shop. As she stands before the bar reaches up and plops down a gold.

"So tell me, Miss, I ask for a table and a drink !" She says as she chuckles unable to really look up into the woman's eyes.