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Even in darkness, Vrothum delivers another thug to the Boneyards as Rhuul scores a lucky blow against the snickering mage, sending her to the floor in a heap, and allowing Savage to open the door uncontested. Deep down, Kryssa begins to question if the old chaps really where lucky. . .
Unable to get past Kryssa to the door just behind her, the last two thugs fight to the death.
ROUND 3
Players: Vroth (), Rhuul (prone), Savage (), Storm Tooth (-3), Horef (-13), and Kryssa (-5)
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Thug 1 (-9) & Thug 4 ()
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Vrothum turns toward the enemies, grins, then licks some blood off his falchion.
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It doesn't take you long to finish up the rabble, (just fast forwarding a bit). You discover a small trove amongst their bodies, though little of it of value. Each does have a silver ear ring worth a few gold, as well as a few masterwork short bows, quivers to restock your supplies, and 4 potions of cure moderate wounds for the taking.
Further investigation into the room reveals a trapdoor, with a shoddy ladder that leads down to the Underdocks. It looks as though Darsielle has gone that way.
About to hop down and follow his trail, you. . .
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Before you all hope down the ladder, you realize that someone, most likely the treacherous mage from earlier, has greased the ladder, and there is a good chance that you would have fallen down to the Underdocks, if not worse.
Forced to take your time to descend safely, you climb down into the shaded darkness below. You enter into a gloomy, greenish twilight where scattered beams of light filter down between weathered dock planks, bouncing off seaweed covered stones that jut from the dark harbor waters. A forest of pylons suspends the docks above where the scurrying feet of merchants, sailors, and longshoremen hammer like a muffled thunderstorm. Between the pylons, you spot small stone bunkers, ruins of older siege forts now crumbling and weathered from centuries of angry waves. A narrow set of docks traverses the rocks, connecting various locations. Eventually, all lead out to the shallow bay at the mouth of the maze. Nearby, you notice a fresh trail of muck-limned, wet footprints.
As you approach, following the trail in the muck, you notice a small hut, though can't see what's in it just yet, as well as a pair of Consortium officials and their pet sea cat cub guard the boats, ready to prevent you from continuing the chase.
Coming closer, they look you up and down, and then call out "You lot there! Stop. Get out your Harbormaster’s Pass or turn around." It's obvious from their tone that they are irritated with having to constantly stop outlanders for the same thing.
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With a snug grin, the corrupt Consortium official says "Ah, what misfortune. But, I's certain that you where informed that you where not allowed at the docks without one. It's a pity, as that means that the city will confiscate your ship after three days of it left at the docks, or you can buy a new one. Without your previous pass", he points to the less than clean water where the paper begins to sink slowly from view, "I am afraid you must pay full price once more. Such a shame. I wish I could help you out, but. . .
"My man here" pointing to the small shack to the side, "can assist you in acquiring a new pass. It will be 200 gold for the pass, another 700 gold to be held as insurance for your stay, which will b returned as long as you do not "disturb the peace", 53 gold in taxes and services, and you will need to file all of the paperwork once more."
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Vrothum is standing there with a befuddled look on his face unable to understand what the consortium is implying. He looks towards the others prepared to do whatever he has to.
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Rhuul steps forward with a grin on his face.
"I heard that Important Officers such as yourself are Empowered to issue.. ahh.. temporary passes."
He puts a sad look on his face.
"But I know that the issuing of such takes some time, and is fearfully tiring and thirsty work..."
He drops five gold into the officers hands.
"Up above it sounds like there may be an inn where you could write one out for us. I'd not want to disrupt the inn myself. With my butter fingers I'd probably drop an ale."
He drops another couple of coins into the mans hand.
"Why not buy yourself and your team some lunch while you are up there?"
Another three coins go clink.
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"This is the last of my gold guys hope this is enough" Vrothum strongest around in his pouch and pockets and manages to find 20 gp
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They accept the money and allow you to pass. While at the counter of the shack, with a third guard inside, you catch sight of a chalkboard inside with notations on various ships and locations. It's a simple code, but you are easily able to decipher it, indicating that "H.F" is, or at least was located at pier 14. Besided it, hanging from the back wall is a basic map, but it shows mooring 14 located in the northwestern part of the outer harbor. In addition, a leather bound manifest log details the comings and goings of hundreds of ships over the past few months in a similar simplified code of numerals and letters.
Exiting the Underdocks, you enter the Shallows, a wide rocky bay only a few feet deep and closed off by immense seawalls that funnel all traffic into the maze. Strung between them, a host of steep maze walls crusted with seaweed, barnacles, and small shellfish create narrow passages just wide enough for rowboats or rafts. Lashed along the sides are free-floating docks which allow longshoremen to help pull boats through or to the side for quick inspections. Every so often, a series of rusted spikes forms a crude ladder leading to the upper maze, where guards keep watch amidst strange shadows cast by weathered devices such
as giant winches and claw-like crane arms. Water splashes softly throughout, creating an eerie echo, and the entire structure groans with ominous creaks and strains as if you were traveling through the belly of a great beast. Thankfully, navigating out of the maze is far easier than navigating in, and the ever-watchful eyes of Enforcers on the walls fall almost entirely on the cargos of incoming merchants.
As you draw closer to the end, the sounds of angry waves slam against the outer walls and echo like hordes of chanting goblins. As you reach the outer locks, a grizzled longshoreman calls down to you from above, telling you to hold tight. The first gate opens with a lazy moan, and he ushers you to move your craft into the small chamber ahead. Once inside, he lowers the gate behind you, then he bids you good luck as he slowly cranks apart the front doors to the open harbor where dozens of galleons and merchant ships bounce softly on their moorings in the water.
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Avoiding too much attention, you spot locate pier 13, and "H.F", which is indeed the still somewhat damaged Hydra's Fang.
Most of the guards seem to be focusing on watching the various cargo coming and going, and do not seem to pay too much attention to you from the high walls. From a distance, you can see a man commanding a small crew to hurry up and continue to repair the ship.
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You all notice a strange sort of creature swimming towards you in the murky water, at first thinking it is a shark, but then realize that the strange fin is actually green, and it's not just the water, (allowing you to avoid a surprise round), as a handful of Sahuagin leap from the water and land around you. Each wields a trident, as well as a pair of nasty claws, and oddly seem out for your blood.
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ROUND 1
Horef and Vrothum
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Sahuagin 1 () and Sahuagin 2 ()
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Savage/Storm Tooth, Kryssa, and Rhuul