Bhoors smiles at Dack, "Not after today."
Bhoors pulls out a bandana and ties it where he can pull it up over his nose and mouth. "I hate sewers."
Bhoors looks over at Unmei, "Trust that just means we think our interests align right? City lost a crap ton of gold when Neverember vanished. That's connected to this magic stone. Given the heat that every clique and crew in the city is squabbling. 10 large might be a reasonable piece of the pie. In her eyes."
"Let's get moving." Bhoors heads off in the direction of the sewer entrance.
Unmei watches the elegant woman disappear around the corner, quickly reviewing the conversation in her mind. The First Lord was an very difficult woman to read, not surprising for one who has risen so far in Waterdeep's deadly political realm. As far as she can tell the offer was sincere and genuine.
With Bhoors taking the lead, you follow Laeral's directions until you descend a flight of stone stairs into a dim, dank, narrow alley. Water drips on the stone landing at the end of the stairs from above and a small pile of smelly trash rots in the corner. To the right is an iron bound wood door, closed and locked with a sign painted in large block letters.
"SEWER ACCESS: AUTHORIZED CITY OFFICIALS ONLY."
"Never thought I would be official." Bhoors smirks and looks over the door before using the key.
Dacknar takes a look around to see if anyone is taking notice of our going on's
Bhoors doesn't find any traps and the lock opens with an easy click as he turns the key. Not seeing any prying eyes, Dacknar gives the nod to go ahead and you all slip down a flight of short steps into a pitch black stone tunnel.
The ceilings are seven feet high and a 'river' of sewage runs down the middle of the tunnel at least one or two feet deep and giving off a generally stomach churning odor. The sound of a small waterfall echoes up the tunnel from the south. Fortunately, there is a narrow walkway leading north and south running along the edge of the tunnel so there is no need to immediately go wading in the filthy water.
According to the First Lord's directions, the gang's hideout is supposed to be located somewhere nearby along a side branch of the main sewer tunnel.
"Lets go South, it will feel like were walking down hill." Dacknar chuckles at his joke.
And Dacknar will take the lead to which ever way the group decides. Looking for traps and hidden doors.
Following Dacknar's confident lead, you work your way down the foul smelling tunnel for fifty feet when you come to a narrower side tunnel. A simple stone bridge crosses the eastern artery where it forms a mucky, black-brown waterfall that cascades into the main channel and continues south. Unfortuantely, there is no walkway in the eastern passage and although the muck doesn't appear quite as deep as the main tunnel, it is still deep enough to flow over the tops of boots and foul your clothing up to the middle of your shins.
.]"This is Gross. Let's remember the shiny bit at the end of the tunnel."
"Oh, stop complaining. If I could sit through that meal that was more of a snack and that fake fighting show. You lot can handle a little sewer sluge. But I don't see that any guild would have it's members walk in any deep water. So I think we stick to only walkways. Maybe we'll just go to the next side branch south. And if we don't see anything, we try the north route."
Dacknar keeps going south along the main route looking of any traps or hidden doors.
You all step across the slippery bridge and continue along the tunnel leading south for several long minutes. There are a few more side openings to the east, but these are much shorter and narrower than the tunnel encountered earlier. Each one forces you to take a short but precarious leap to avoid getting sloshed with sewer sludge. A few paces further and Dacknar notices a larger track that opens to the west. Again, its contents cascade into the larger main sewer. Unfortunately, the only way to access it would be a leap across onto the slightly higher ledge and then wading through the sludge since there doesn't appear to be a handy walkway running along the passage to the west.
Finding another dead end. Dacknar turns around and heads back to the north. Still looking for anything he might have missed.
"I hate to say. Knee deep in the murky brown is a better place to hide what you don't want found."
Backtracking north, you come again to the small bridge and intersection to with the first side tunnel. This time Unmei, gives the area a much closer inspection and notices several odd looking scrapes and scuff marks about midway up the wall of the side tunnel. It looks like the marks were made by something sharp gauging the wall and after a few seconds of further concentration could be the familiar circle and stalks symbol of the Xanathar guild.
"Now we 'ave those scallywags now. Most likely thar will be a hidden door or somethin' I wager."
Now that Dacknar knows what to look for since Unmei pointed out the marks. He starts to take a good look around as he walks ahead.
"We could be gettin' close to th' hideout's entrance. So lets try 'n be quite."
Dacknar sloshes up the western passage, the tip of his greatsword occasionally tapping against the narrow stone walls. After wading through the muck for a good hundred paces or more, the half-orc sees a rusty iron door set into the south wall of the tunnel. The doors sits about a foot above the floor at the back of a welcome, dry ledge just big enough for two of you to get out of the flowing sewage. It looks like the lock rusted away long ago.
Dacknar takes a close look at the gate and lock to see if it has been used or is it truly rusted.
Bhoors follows Dacknar close keeping his eyes peeled.
"Well which looks more used?"
Bhoors keeps a close eye on Unmei as she wors pointing to anything significant.
Unmei and Bhoors examine each of the hidden entrances carefully and although neither seems to get a great amount of use, they eventually determine that the door leading south is used more often.
"We're covered on crap chasing the biggest score any of has ever heard trying to get the jump on thieves in their own lair. . . that don't sound like avoiding trouble." He nods south, "Traffic means use. Maybe recent use by those we are looking for."
The hidden door to the south, doesn't appear to be trapped or locked.
Being a little put off by missing not one but two hidden doors at others spotted so easily. Dacknar slowly opens the south door takes a look inside and walks in.
Dacknar carefully and quietly opens the door. Even before he gets fully inside the short narrow passage he hears voices and a metallic tapping sound not far away.
"Blast! Give me that other mallet. No fool! The small one. Can't you see that's to big." A voice rings through a dimly lit room from somewhere out of sight of the door.
"Yes, yes, boss. Here you go." Answers another which is then followed by more banging.
The room itself is about twenty feet wide and twenty feet deep. There is an opening and short passage three-quarters of the way along the western wall. The east wall of the room is partially collapsed creating a wide opening where the voices and more light come from. The room itself appears to be little used as rubble, refuse and rat dropping are scattered all over floor.
Judging from the nearness of the voices and the light, if you step completely into the room, there's a good chance someone will spot you, but for the moment you have the element of surprise on your side.
Dacknar slowly closes the door but not shuts it so there is a very small crack left and it will be easy to push open when the time is right.
"There are at lest two of them in there. I did not see them but from the light and where they were talking, they are real close to the door. If we step in they will spot us right off. Any of you have some magic to knock them out or help us sneak in or do I do it my natural way and just cut them down before they yell and alert everyone?" whispers Dacknar.
While you stand just outside the hidden door, you hear the loud clang of metal falling on stone along with another series of smaller pieces hitting the floor. This is followed by a flurry of loud curses.
"You blasted fool! I told you to keep that out of the way! Why don't you two do something useful for a change. Go patrol the tunnels while I clean up this $#@%! mess."
This is followed by the sound of heavy booted footsteps stomping toward the door and two whispering voices.
"What'd you have to go and do that for? Now I'm going to get slop all over my boots."
"Oh shut your gob. Your delicate boots'll be fine. They're all blood stained anyway, a little dirt won't hurt 'em none." The second voice, slightly deeper and more gravelly then the first.
"I can't help it if that stupid elf bleed all over 'em before he died. Besides, that's just a badge of battle. Not jus' splashin' through muck, cause you got in the bosses way."
"Bah! He was the one who...." The voice stops suddenly. Clearly surprised by something. "Hey! Did you not close that all the way the last time? What good's a secret door, if you leave it open all the time."
"Me!? I ain't been out all day...say...you don't suppose..."
Dacknar smiles, kicks open the door and attack the first one near the door. His sword slashing down to make quick work of the talkers.
"It's time to pay the piper boys. growls Dacknar.
Dacknar silently kicks open the door and his lips move but no sound escapes as Unmei's magic stifles any and all sound near to and around the hidden entrance. The surprised shouts of the guards are left unheard as his sword slashes down across the nearest foe. The dirt covered duergar staggers back a step as a huge red gash opens up along his arm and chest where his armor gave way under the half-orcs blow.
Bhoors slips through the door and around the surprised guards blocking any chance of an immediate retreat away from the door. He lashes out twice. The first attack, misses badly causing the bard to stumble and barely avoid cutting himself on the subsequent back swing.