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Venture-Captain Hestia Themis, a small, unassuming woman of Taldan heritage with dark hair and eyes, holds a large sheaf of papers in her small hands and clears her throat. Her booming voice, the antithesis of her stature, fills the main hall of the small Pathfinder Lodge in the Taldan city of Cassomir.
“One of our own has been kidnapped. Pathfinder Cestis was taken just days ago from a relics auction in the Imperial Naval Shipyards, and we believe his dissapearance to be related to the six dozen or so kidnappings of the last several months. Now that one of our own is missing, this has become a Society matter—something we’ll get to the bottom of.”
Themis gestures to a teenage boy standing beside her, who nervously regards his surroundings and sweats profusely, his thick brown hair matted and wet against his head. “This is Nefti, the assistant to the biggest thorn in my side in Cassomir—an agent of the Aspis Consortium named Kafar. Kafar is also missing, taken from the same relics auction along with Pathfinder Cestis and a dozen other citizens of Cassomir. Nefti was at the auction, saw where a small group of the kidnapped victims were taken, and his handlers in Cassomir have give us access to him so that he might guide us to our missing Pathfinder. If you happen to find Kafar...” Themis grinds her teeth. “Let him go, per the agreement I’ve just made with his superiors. Your priority is Cestis, and I think Nefti can lead you to him. Any questions?”
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Hah! I dislike working with the Consortium. They will surely betray us. We must be wary.
Kramac turns and addresses Nefti. You should leave this wicked organization. They will lead you down an evil path. you are young - you have much ahead of you. Find something better to do with your life. And see that you do not betray us in this matter, I'd hate to have to crack the skull of someone so young.
What do we know about what was being auctioned? And do we know anything about the previous kidnappings? Any criminal organizations in the area that tend to perform kidnappings?
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Themis takes a moment to think through, taking a deep breath before expressing what he possibly knows. “There are... rumors of twisted men from the Darklands who climb up through Cassomir’s Locker, the sewers, catacombs, and older ruins below the city. Alas, they are only rumors. We don’t know who’s doing it.”
"No clues or messages we're left at the crime scenes of the kidnappings." He adds on what he knows about the kidnapping, looking rather uncomfortable discussing it. “They started a few months ago. Cassomir has always had some trouble with its citizens going missing, but this was different. Only those associated with the Imperial Naval Shipyards were taken—shipwrights, carpenters, navy guards, and so on. This recent kidnapping, where they took Cestis, was brash and bold. They grabbed more than a dozen people in one attack, neglecting to grab Nefti. Their mistake is our fortune.”
The young man Nefti is unsure how to react, but looks to have taken Kramac's words to heart as he quietly stands by Themis's side.
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Flyn fails to hide a frown. "Things must be desperate indeed if we're in bed with the Aspis...especially considering my past dealings with them...
Twisted men out of the Darklands, eh? But no word on who's orchestrating it...any word on whom else has been kidnapped? Seems like they're indiscriminate as they've targeted both Pathfinder and Aspis...I wonder if these kidnappings are random or planned..."
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"Dozens of kidnappings? DOZENS?! Is there no authority in this stinking city? Does nobody care about such criminality? Kiboko does not understand why any thinking person would choose to live in such places as this. Cities are no better than prisons! Bah!
And as for sewers!"
Kiboko looks to Mvumbu the Wise and Beautiful, and adjusts her fine new cloak, as if in anticipation of the inevitable filth it is soon to be covered in.
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"Fortunately for you, it's not a sewer, but a Inn, or what looks like an Inn." Themis replies, "The authorities are aware of that matter, but are somewhat incompetent. They’ve been unable to recover the dozens of other Cassomir citizens who’ve gone missing in recent months. What makes you think they’ll get our Pathfinder back? Besides, Cestis has some... knowledge I’d rather the local authorities not get, and so I need you to get him for me.”
The young man explains that the location of this inn is in a very difficult part of the city, while he does not want to go there, he is not easily explain how to get there, he assures you though once he reveals the location of the place he will make a mad dash away from it for his own safety. He then ask in a soft and somewhat timid manner, "Are.. we ready.. to go..?"
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Flyn slaps his hand against his bow. "Cúdin and I are good to go!"
Grinning at the companions he's fought alongside before, he says, "Kramac and Kiboko! Good to see you again...it's been a while. And you too Mvumbu...you look even wiser and more beautiful than I recall. Once more into the breach, eh?"
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"I.. will... show you.." The boy stutters as he replies. Everyone packs themselves up and starts the journey to the Inn.
He leads the group through a maze of streets, passing questionable establishments and people, leading you to harbour side of the town. His fear although no mentioned, is likely stemmed from inexperience and not wanting to be kidnapped himself. As soon as you approach the inn, he makes his promise good, and immediately makes a dash after pointing the inn out to the group.
Perched precariously overhanging the dirty harbor water stands the Inn of the Unlucky Sailor. A fresh coat of white paint glistens on half the inn’s outside walls, and most of the windows are boarded up. The roof leans slightly toward the harbor, as if at any moment the entire thing could come off and slide into the ocean. The dock leading up to the inn is made of rotting wood connected to thick, rank-smelling pilings. Several small rowboats are currently tied up along its length.
The underside of the inn shows a rough wave, and sharp edged rocks all around. Access from the water below is practically impossible in the current situation. The dock leading to the main entrance is so rotten, that it creaks extremely loudly when anyone steps upon it, and any sudden movement could cause the dock to collapse!
The street entrance is boarded up, (), but taking it down would likely create a lot of noise and attract unwanted attention.
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Flyn will survey the inn and surrounding area, looking for signs of traps or foes and any tracks that might reveal the number awaiting them in the inn...
"This will be tricky for us to approach undetected...I'll try to see if I can make it to the main entrance and see if there's a way I can look in to see what we're facing...if I can, I'll signal to the rest of you...don't know if the rest of the party can go that way without being detected...or without collapsing the dock...
Perhaps we can coordinate and some of you can break in the street entrance and we can come at 'em from two sides at the same time..."
Flyn will then attempt to move stealthily towards the dock entrance, being prepared if the docks should collapse...if there's no unboarded window to peek through, he'll see if he can quietly open the door a sliver, just enough to see inside...
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Flynn make his way towards the main entrance, his light weight does him a great advantage as the docks make hardly any creaking as he whistles his way to the door.
Though the windows are frosted, it is opaque enough that Flynn is able to make visible some shapes inside of the building. Through the first window There is some furniture all around, and some small animals scurrying around.
The second window reveals some humanoids, but he is unable to make sense of them.
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Qatala will concentrate for a moment and cast barkskin on herself using her Ki, with the wand of mage armour used her ac is 24.
She will use her stealth to follow Flyn over with her nine section whip in hand.
As she advances and realises she has stood on one of the worst parts of the bridge and it makes a hellish racket. She will break into a run and move towards the entrance.
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Kiboko and Mvumbu prepare for a stealth approach, but Qatala's unfortunate misstep seems to call for more direct action. Kiboko and Mvumbu approach the door with Kramac and Deyno.
Kiboko casts longstrider on himself.
At Flyn's signal, Kiboko lends his strength to the break in effort.
"Come fellows, let us see what has the Aspis boy so afeared."
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Breaking down the door reveals in a room that is somewhat in a surprisingly good condition in comparison to it's outer look. The floors are new and quiet, the walls are covered in fresh paint, and the entire place smells of recently cut wood. Most of the furniture has been removed, though a few tables and chairs remain and are covered in sawdust and wood shavings. Several buckets of white paint sit atop the bar.
In the end of the group, your eyes are met with that of rats, rats everywhere! And an evil looking druid who seems to have been torturing an unconscious kidnapped persons on the table. In the corner of the room lie several more kidnapped. The druid looks particularly unpleased, and orders his army of rats to attack!
From the druids feet, a swarm of tiny rats scatter themselves and scurry towards the pathfinders who broke down the door.
The other rats are much larger in size and are keeping a close eye, one of them looks particularly stronger than the others.
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Seeing someone being tortured sets something on fire in Deyno. He roars. Stop what you are doing!! He eyes go an electric blue before turning serpent like. His skin becomes rough and white shining scales begin to form. Claws sprout from his finger tips.
Knowing he can not reach the man this round, he forms a ball of pure force and launches it at the torturer. One ball becomes three and they all strike true.
Mvumbu joins the fray at Kiboko's side. Sadly, the tangle of rats is not susceptible to the jungle-dwellers' own pack tactics, but Mvumbu chomps away.
"Haaaarrrgghh!"
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Deyno, in all his experience, makes the battle look simplistic. He throws a powerful ball of energy that immediately knocks the druid off his feet as he falls unconscious.
Flyn comes right in with the same confidence as he attempts to fire a couple bludgeoning arrows. One misses as the swarm of rats scurry around it, but the other one hits it dead centre. More than half the tiny rats die on impact.
Kiboko enters and recognises immediately what sort of rats swarm it is. One that carries filth fever, They are quick to react, and have no strong mind.
The dire rats immediately come out of the woodworks to avenge their master druid. They attempt to surround Deyno while another moves towards Flyn. However none of the rats are capable to overcome the strength of the pathfinders.
Mvumbu and Kiboko rush forwards to deal with the rat problem. Unfortunately two of the large individual rats bar their way to the swarm, so they focus on those. Kiboko realises he can't reach the swarm and wields his lance instead. Activate animal focus (Bull).
"Haaargh!"
Mvumbu chomps on a big rat.
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Deyno forceful energy again proves to be too much for the rat as it squirms in pain as it realises it's existence is coming to an end.
On the table, an unconscious kidnapped person lies. He has been tied over the top of the bar table, his abdomen bare, bloody, and bruised. He wears typical clothing but what stands out is the Aspis badge that hangs on his shirt. He becomes plainly obvious that he has been through some physical trauma in this place.
In the corner of the room several few more victims lie, none that look of any significant character, just young able men wearing normal typical clothing. They are all hog-tied with thick rope and then tied to each other by the neck. Nefti, the missing pathfinder, is definitely not among the crowd.
Searching the cultist leaves nothing desirable, he is seemingly under equipped, he owns a piece of leather armor, a wooden shield, and a simple club. The cult seem to be under budget cuts.
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Flyn nods in appreciation to Deyno. He goes to untie the Aspis agent, assuming it is Kafar...and he'll use his wand on him...
...and wait for him to regain consciousness.
Looking down at the cultist, he mutters, "Might as well stabilize him as we may need to question him...we need to check on the others as well..."