The four of them hurried to the docks as quickly as they could before night consumed the city completely.

Still, as they went westward, then turned down the Shardway, they still found it difficult to find their way through the streets, stepping carefully around the loose and missing cobblestones. The warming air above the sea had cast a thick sheet of fog over the Wave District, spilling from the water's surface to land. It lingered for several blocks on every side, spilling its blue-tinted mist over the evening and muffling the few golden magelights at the side of the roads.

They found themselves more or less alone. A beam of light shone from the top of the Moonhall this time, functioning as a lighthouse for this district. Still, few ships came in and many remained in port, rocking gently back and forth on the waves while anchored in the harbor.

Those few who were passing them on the street flitted from building to building, keeping close to the walls and hardening their gaze towards anyone who came too close. This was especially true of those who wore the Shadow Thieves' jacks of plate.

Lidia recalled Jaheira mentioning that the vampires were active near the docks. However terrorizing the Shadow Thieves fit into Valen's mistress's plan, she thought, it was working. Whether it actually did anything to curb the Thieves' activities, however, was something else altogether.

Despite the fog, they had little trouble finding the Seas' Bounty Tavern. The place was well-lit just outside its iron-bound door, with a wooden sign depicting a fish curling around a keg.

The small pub inside was at least a third the size of the Coronet, but much cleaner, emptier, and better-lit, with carefully varnished floors and bright flameless candles hovering in the center of the bar. There were only a few chairs and tables off to the side — most of the half-dozen guests or so were seated around the bar.

The bartender was pale-skinned and well-fed, with a mop of graying brown hair on his head that partially hid a black eyepatch he wore over his right eye. Instead of a left hand, a hook was attached to his left arm; he occasionally adjusted this attachment awkwardly, as though he were unused to it.

As soon as he saw Gorion's Company cross the threshold, he called out to them in a booming voice: "Aye mateys, Thumb's the name, and welcome to the Seas' Bounty!"

When he spoke, a couple of the other patrons muttered to themselves with a growing look of impatience.

Thumb continued, "Well, me hearties, what's yer pleasure?"

Best to get right to the point, Lidia thought. "We're looking for Baron Ployer. Has he been here lately?"

Immediately, Thumb's voice lost the air of sea salt. "He hasn't been here lately, and I doubt I'd say much even if he did."

Lidia approached the bar and leaned forward against it. "We don't mean him any harm. A friend of ours has gone missing and we think he might know something about it."

"Even more reason for me not to talk," he said. "The Baron's had his hand in a lot of 'missing' folks who never seem to turn up."

"Boo is confused," Minsc said. "Are you a pirate or not?"

Lidia turned towards the other patrons, who suddenly seemed very interested in their drinks.

"If you're not willing to tell us where he is," she said, "then at least tell us: how often does he come here, and when?"

Thumb replied: "He's usually here most days, and has been for the past five years, but we haven't seen him in three. Struck me as odd, but I'm not about to go looking for him. I serve him drinks, he pays me, and that's the beginning and end of my dealings with Ployer."

"Did he ever mention someone named Jaheira?" Lidia asked.

At the sound of her name, one or two of the patrons groaned.

"Wouldn't shut up about her," one said. "For a while we thought she was some bint that jilted him."

Thumb leaned forward to meet Lidia's eye level, then whispered: "Look, she got mixed up in his business. If that's your friend, you'd best stop looking."

"I've heard that before, and it hasn't stopped me yet." Lidia said. She pressed further: "What did she do to him?"

Thumb glanced to the other patrons, as though he were sizing them up, then forged ahead:

"So when you're talking of the flesh trade, there's those who buy and sell debtors, or prisoners of war, or adventurers captured by orcs. But then there's Ployer. Supposedly he treated people like chattel; bound them with magic and sold children, if you can believe it, and the law took him for everything he had. At least once a tenday, when he's had enough drink, he's gone on a rant about how Jaheira ruined him on that account. Then, one day, he strode in here looking ten feet tall, gloating about how he's gotten revenge on her, then left."

He gestured to the other patrons. "Look, I've got a bar to run. I'd best get to it."

The worn men sitting at the bar all had full mugs.

"Of course. My thanks, you've been a great help," Lidia replied, moving a couple coppers in Thumb's direction across the bar.

Thumb accepted the money with a nod, then said: "One other thing: Ployer's mentioned one of his old buddies among the Cowled Wizards named Mekrath. Supposedly he was the one that cast spells and drew up contracts on behalf of Ployer's old slaver ring; he still does a brisk trade and can ensorcell you with a look, or so they say."

As the Company turned to go, Thumb called out: "With this whole business, you're dealing with a nest of old snakes. Seemingly harmless, content with sunning themselves, so to speak, but they've got some venom left in their fangs. Careful how you deal with 'em."

They went out to the empty street, silently moving through the mist. It was always safe to assume that, especially out of doors, unfriendly ears were everywhere.

But, once they passed through the boundaries of the Wave District, and the fogs lifted from the narrow streets, Aerie finally felt safe speaking up. "So…now what?" she asked.

"We've gotten ourselves into a fine mess, that's what," Yoshimo said, though with a hint of amusement. "I must say, time spent in this company isn't boring, at least."

"Well, I'm leaving for work before sunup tomorrow," Lidia said. "I don't know how long I'll be out. But you know as much as I do, now. If you're up for it, you're welcome to pick a strand from all this and start pulling."

"Of course my witch and I will help Jaheira!" Minsc declared. "Our butt-kicking friend must not be abandoned in our time of need, says Boo!"

From inside the holster, Larry muttered, "mmmppphh…as long as I start to get killing sometime this year."