#darkmarket

We took a boat from Kugane to Shirogane and waded the shallows to shore before it docked to await us near the ferry. It would return for us at a cove further along the beach. We sent Taryn ahead to scout, and I placed Trint in charge tactically. She spotted four guards around the large estate, which sat as a looming shadow, all lights extinguished, on a cliff overlooking the sea. The plan was for her to take two guards from stealth while S’ira would take one by the door and Trint would take the other on the far side of the estate. Their surprise attacks failed, and the alarm was raised at the estate, though not to alert the authorities.

Luckily, Taryn was able to take the one by the door from surprise with her bow while the other was dispatched. Once the alarm had been raised, I used the card up my sleeve and contacted the woman presumably held captive inside. I told her a rescue was in progress. She and her husband were able to break from their bonds and violently kill two guards inside, hastening their own rescue. 

What we didn’t realize was that the woman was so pregnant, she looked like she would pop any moment. They’d been heavily tortured to the point that they were barely clinging to life, especially the male au ra, who even had a chipped horn that had to be excruciating. We helped them to the cover where the boats were. Mitsu and Evaleigh had come along and offered help, but Mitsu seemed confused we weren’t taking them back to the Rosethorn for expert medical treatment. There was no way we could do so, as we cannot risk associating the rescue with us.

Evaleigh took them to the Compass Rose, a luxury ship that serves as a neutral site for the underworld. They will sail from Kugane to Limsa Lominsa and then be taken to a safehouse. Hopefully the woman’s child survived their hardships. Evaleigh didn’t think they would have lasted but days longer.

My brain tells me we were sloppy, our directives to our operatives indecisive. We’ll have to work on that. I also worry that the slavers we rescued the pair from can somehow ties us to the deed. Having proof would be another matter, but would they even need proof to act?

My heart felt good that for once in this ruthless business, we did something of which to be proud. I worry about Taryn’s reaction to aspects of the mission. We seem to be drifint further apart even as Evaleigh praised the rescue effort and doted on the rescued pair. Soon, I can debrief them on what they know.