Zelda gives the gnome an exasperated glance. ”Destroying the Runewell isn’t our job. The Aspis was asked to deal with whoever was behind the Dockside murders. Let someone else put their neck on the line shutting down the Well.”
The woman frowns as she considers further. ”But if you come across any information about the Runewell while you’re down there, grab it. I get the feeling information on Sin magic theory is going to become a lot more valuable in the near future.”
The gnome bows.
"Judiciousness and wisdom equal to your beauty; do your virtues never end?"
Kalam is still wiping the cold water from his face as he enters Zelda's office. Taking in Zelda's appearance and the faint smell hanging in the air, he grimaces, taking his customary chair for these meetings. He listens to the varisian woman with little of his usual humor, taking the requisition paper when she offers it with a quick flip of his wrist.
He frowns further at the mention of avoiding the runewell, "Fair enough. So our goal is purely to take down the lovely couple working the well? Perfectly mercenary. People are what I know, I'd say our chances are looking up."
"Any other information you'd like to impart before we grab our supplies? I do so like to be forewarned when able..."
”I’ll let you know once you’ve got your things together.”
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mezzen Mur and I have been assigned to help fix problems for your admirable democratic collective -- as long as those problems include getting into places one should not be, arcane scholarship, ancient languages, or setting things on fire. Doctor, while I am not a medical man myself, have you considered using Spellscorch to help against troublesome wizards?"
Kalam smirks, "About our little "democratic collective", I'm afraid voting powers are size based around here. I'm afraid you'll be relegated to a partial vote. Hope you don't mind..."
He sips from his flask and turns to the doctor expectantly, "So what do you think doc? Know anything about this Spellscorch stuff?"
Any suits of armor (base value 400 gold or less) +1 x2
Any weapon +1 x1
Potion of Cure Light Wounds x8
"Size-ist! As my mother used to say: 'No incineration without representation.' Gods rest her Andoran sprit," Mezzen quips.
Kalam raises an eyebrow, "I'm compelled to ask, just who was you mother in charge of incinerating anyway?"
Mezzen winks at Kalam. "Enemies of the Common Rule, obviously."
He claps his hands together, "Right, in that case lets get downstairs and collect our equipment before I end up singed."
Ceinwynn looks down at the newcomer. Glad to have you on the team Mezzen. I am Ceinwynn.
Annoyed by the suggestion, the doc eyes the gnome and then Kalam. "If I had a never-ending vault of gold I'd try my hand at making it, but it's a tad too specific for its cost. In our line of work it might come in handy, but I'd rather spend the gold on something else .. if I had the gold."
A prickly one, he.
Mezzen spreads his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "It was only a suggestion, good doctor. I have seen its effects and thought it might be useful against the person who summoned those hell hounds. But if you say it is inefficient for the cost, then it is inefficient for the cost. One should not ask for an expert's opinion, and then not take it."
Kalam simply shrugs, touching the hilt of his rapier, "Fair enough, guess we'll have to deal with them the old fashioned way."
He holds up the requisition papers, "Right lets go grab our new toys. Coming?"
He begins striding off to meet with the quartermaster without waiting for a response.
Roughly an hour later the party returns to Zelda’s office. Ursus is there, mostly over his hangover, along with two other teams of silver Aspis agents. Zelda moves about the groups handing out tiny scrimshaw trinkets. She extends one to the party.
”Break that once you’ve reached the hideout of whoever’s behind this whole thing. That’ll give the other teams the signal to get out. I don’t want them down there any longer than they have to be. Living agents tend to be more expensive than dead ones but living ones produce. Do you understand?”
Kalam frowns, "Is this signal particularly...loud? I'd hate to give away the element of surprise if we are able to reach the hideout without causing too much noise..."
"I have the utmost confidence in our ability to produce results." The value of those results may vary . . .
Turning to the democratic collective, "There is a murderer out there who Mistress Zelda has not gainfully employed . . . let us go show him the power of collective bargaining and fixed labor markets."
Mezzen smiles hopefully at his new compatriots as they exit the office. That was very inspiring if I do say so myself, but I must not encourage them to unionize. Mistress Zelda would not be pleased.
Zelda shakes her head. "The signal is silent. Once you break yours the other scrimshaws will get warm to the touch and vibrate a bit."
After a night of drug-fueled reading, the past-middle-aged woman has little patience for the gnome’s exuberance.
”Ursus, get them out of here before I do something that requires me to fill out another expense report.”
The massive ulfen grunts and nods. ”Let’s get going.”
”This is your operation. Where do you want the other teams and I?” Ursus asks as the Aspis teams head toward the lifts.
Based on the maps Kalam reviewed there looks to be four routes that lead to this abandoned section of the sewers.
A) Maintenance access once used by the city workers. This was the entrance the party tried yesterday and seemed to be heavily guarded.
B) Runoff pipe that dumps into the sea. This would require a boat and a bit of climbing.
C) Entrance via an current sewer access deeper into the city. This one would be the longest (distance-wise) route and would be the most visible.
D) Dockside surface entrance. Near an abandoned alchemist lab. Local vagrants have built a small shantytown on top of it.
Mezzen pulls out a map and taps option C. "My recommendation is that one group go the obvious way, while another group with Ursus goes in the entrance that you previously used. This would pull their forces in two opposite directions and Ursus is fierce enough to deal with the sin spawn the best. When they are in position, we will slip in through the dockside entrance. That is my recommendation."
Kalam frowns, taking in the arguments, "I think the lovely lady is right. I'm usually a people person but I don't really fancy dealing with anyone who's bedding down right over top of the damn well. I'm sure the Aspis can provide us with a boat to get to the pipe."
He looks at Ursus, "I think we're in agreement on the other positions though. Be careful with those...sinspawn things. They pack more of a punch than you'd expect."
With a long pull from his flask he looks around, "Everyone set then?"
"Works for me. I'm a terrible climber. I'll just ride on Kalam's back," Mezzen says winking.
Ursus grunts and nods in understanding. The other teams do the same but with a great deal less confidence.
”I’ll arrange for there to be a dingy waiting for you near where the riots started. Move your asses out there. They’re not paying me to babysit”, the huge ulfen man explains.
***
A couple hours later the party and their back up teams depart the Crossroads and leave for their assigned locations. The other teams aren’t very happy about being diversions but a growled word from Ursus keeps them in check and they silently fall back into line. The teams part ways as they approach the farthest edges of the docks.
The riots have done their worst there. Many buildings are burned out husks and blood stains litter the street – though it’s impossible to tell from who or from what. Very few people are seen and those that do show their faces have a feral gleam in their eyes.
Sure enough a small but intact dingy is bound near one of the peers with a pair of sturdy oars attached to it.
"I have always wanted to be a coxswain. When I call 'row' you pull the oars." The gnome advises as he gets into the dingy.
"Time is not on our side, gentle democratic collective."
You just keep the rhythm. We will make up the time.
After piling into the small vessel, the party starts rowing and slowly makes its way up the face of the docks eventually coming out on the northern side away from the bulk of the docked ships.
The dingy is about one hundred feet from the runoff pipe Kalam found during his research when a large dark shape is spotted under the water circling the party.
"Trouble!" The doctor sounded tense as he hissed out the word under his breath. A hand pointed out the approaching shape.
The shape becomes clearer as it approaches the surface of the water - long and sinuous with sharp fins. It slams into the dingy but not before Abramov jabs at it with his dagger.
He grazes the beast causing blood to cloud the water but it still hits the vessel with tremendous force.
The tiny coxswain is thrown overboard by the jostling.
Rolling with the impact, Kalam is able to keep his seat. Drawing his rapier he stabs down at the aquatic menace.
"Get back in the boat before you end up some sort of knock-off pirate with a peg-leg dammit!"
Kalam clips the beast again but its frenzied thrashing doesn't slow down.
Ceinwynn steadies herself.
Arcane Point: 1
Mezzen sputters, treading water, before touching the heel of his palms together and chanting. "By the Fires of Faltine and the Hoary Horde of Hoggoth, burn you f%#&er, "
Keen eyes observe the swimming beast as it charges their boat. Only then does Abramov realize that he shouldn't be studying the damn thing while it's on its way to destroy their boat!
He then leans to the side and assists Halsanna in getting back onboard.
Abramov and Ceinwynn are able to drag the floundering archer back into the vessel while Mezzen chants his spell. He completes it, but rather than a gout of flame a blast of super-heated steam shoots from his hands. The beast darts away from the worst of the blast but is still badly burned.
It lunges for the gnome and snaps at him.
Ready to attack when it is in range.
Kalam steadies himself against the side of the boat and looks to stab at the fish as soon as an opening presents itself.
Kalam manages to clip the fish again but, between the blurred target and the rocking motion of the water, Ceinwynne has less luck.
Mezzen Mur tries to get back in the boat.