In the Pipes Underneath Swift Rock Bay
As a group you leave the Clam Shell and take to the streets, seeking an entrance to the pipes under the city. You move from alley to alley, hoping to find a service hole covered in enough shadow that your descent will go reasonably unnoticed.
Keeping the approximate location of Hugo's place in mind, you find a metal plate covering a sewer entrance about four blocks away in a dead-end alley off Vega's Lane, just a few streets away from the docks. Marissa and Jaleph keep an eye on the end of the alley, while Ven and Kragor lift the heavy metal cover off and move it aside. Bran peers down into the hole, sniffing disdainfully.
Ven descends first, climbing down the cold iron rungs for about 15 feet before dropping into a roughly worked tunnel, about 6 feet in diameter and lined with roughly worked limestone. There is a thin stream of water running through the tunnel, though watermarks on the sides show the tunnel is often filled to capacity during the heavy, seasonal rains. Ven creeps 20 feet ahead, his sharp eyes probing into the shadows, and the others come down after him. Kragor brings up the rear, sliding the metal cover back into place as he climbs down the ladder. With your arcane torches set on narrow beams of light, you slowly move forward, your ears straining to pick up even the faintest noise.
With Ven in the lead, your party moves toward where you believe the tunnels might run underneath Hugo's bunker. Pausing at an intersection, Ven holds his hand up for silence. He moves forward, to inspect some marks and splashes that caught his eye. He looks down either of the side passages, then comes back to tell you what he found.
This intersection, turning to the right, should lead underneath Hugo's bunker. To the left, it should take you toward the docks and open into the bay. A small group of men, three to five people, has passed from the right to the left, probably no less than 10 minutes ago.
Even as Ven relays this to you, you hear water splashes and voices coming from around the corner. Another group of men, coming from Hugo's direction, is heading towards the intersection! You cap your lights and try to formulate a plan before they find you....