Open for dotting.
The ramshackle tenement outside of Korvosa softly echoes with the sound of light rain as Venture-Captain Sir Canayven Heidmarch begins his briefing.
For this mission you will have to venture into the sewers beneath Korvosa. Sascha Antif-Arah, he announces, gesturing to a haggard human woman who is past her prime but whose posture expresses confidence and experience, requires access to a particular vault. The society is going to help her. Sascha eyes each Pathfinder in turn then nods to herself with some satisfaction and steps forward gracefully. Some years ago my friends and I had made quite a name for ourselves around Korvosa, and our adventures earned us a considerable amount of gold. We stashed most of it in one of the Vaults after evicting the cult that had already claimed it.
Sascha pauses for a moment, smiles, and shakes her head as if recalling particularly amusing details of the raid. Anyway, I retired from the business after that, started up a shop, and lived peacefully until I got into trouble with the Hellknights.
I can’t show my face in Korvosa because I don’t fancy spending my retirement in shackles, but I’m willing to cede my share of the loot in that Vault to you. It’s no dragon’s hoard, but it should be more than worth your time. The only thing I want from there is an old locket—nothing magical or worth fencing, but it means a lot to me. Once I have it, I’m getting out of this place and off to somewhere the Order of the Nail has no sway.
The entrance shouldn’t be too hard to find, assuming you know what to look for,” she remarks as she fishes several folded papers from her haversack. “There’s an old service entrance into the sewers about a quarter mile north of my old shop in Midland; I wrote down directions that should lead you to the vault. There’s a big room inside, and I stashed my share under the flagstones in one of the small chambers nearby.
She extracts a few more items from her bag and holds them out. I hope you don’t need these, but you never know. I certainly won’t be using them in my retirement. Good luck to you, Pathfinders.
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Cirri seems somewhat excited about what should be a smelly, dangerous sewer hunt. "We'll definitely find your locket, ma'am! You can count on us." Cirri keeps one end of the staff on the ground and knocks the other end between each hand.
"I will miss the open sky, but the chance to see one of the Vaults of Korvosa? I can't wait! Ooo, I wonder what kind of vermin is down there? Rats, of course. Carrion feeders, maybe? Ooze? I hope not!" Cirri shudders at the thought of ooze, underlining "ooze" in her animal watching book.
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A barrel-chested, spiked-heavy-armor-wearing, thug-looking half-orc listens impassively to the briefing. An amused smile cracks his thick, scarred lips at the retelling of the woman’s past.
”Rats, oozes, and sewers.” the half-orc muses in a deep, rumbling voice. ”About all I get to see on Society missions.” He shrugs massive shoulders, the movement creating a jingling and clanking of gear, armor, and weaponry, ”We’ll see what we can do.”
The half-orc looks to his teammates for this assignment, ”Name’s Mors. Mors Buolgun.” He hikes his thumb in an unhelpful direction, "From Magnimar."
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Looking over the items presented, Conlaoch becomes a little concerned. He picks up an antitoxin and alkali flask. "Thank you for the help. Is there anything else you can tell us? What sorts of creatures are you expecting us to run into? And are there any traps or safeguards in place that we should know about?"
And then another thought occurs to him. "You say 'your share'. Are we likely to be finding other shares as well? And if so, are we meant to retrieve them as well? I am not a friend to the Hellknights, but I am no thief either."
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Petrus raises an eyebrow.
"The Hellknights you say. Not a group one wants to get on the wrong side of. Rarely even amoung fellow inquisitors do I find anyone so zealous and unbending as them.
What'd you do to earn yourself a share of their ire? "
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I expect you might run across the typical sewer beast. Korvosa’s
sewers have lots of blackboil alligators, so I wouldn’t go for a swim unless you really have to. My group ran into some other strange creatures years ago, but our scholar usually identified them for us; I don’t remember what they were.
As far as the treasure, my comrades are all a bit older than me and have settled down, they’ve no doubt claimed their own shares over the years. There shouldn't be any traps or such. The great thing about the vault is after my group cleaned it out everyone assumed all the treasure was taken.
The woman gives Petrus a sly smile, Wouldn't you like to know.
Korvosa’s sewers shelter an immense number of rats—dire and mundane. In addition, goblins, wererats, and otyughs all exploit the immense amount of refuse discarded by the city’s citizens.
The garbage also provides nutrition for a wide variety of fungi and shade-tolerant plants. Most are not dangerous, but a rare few supplement their diets by capturing live prey.
Several types of oozes are known to prowl the Korvosan sewers, particularly oozes that use cunning camouflage to get close to prey.
The Vaults employ a hodgepodge of architectural elements both due to staggered phases of construction and the inclusion of natural cave features.
Not all of the tunnels leading from the sewers to
the sea have grates, and sometimes marine creatures
work their way into the tunnels.
Early Korvosan engineers incorporated pre-existing
construction into the sewer system, including Shoanti
burial mounds and unidentifiable, worked passageways.
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"Since we'll be in the neighborhood, would there be anything worth retrieving left in your old shop? Sounds like you had to get out of there in a hurry."
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"Well, Otyughs are big, smelly disgusting pile of tentacles and slime. It likes to eat lots of trash and garbage. So I guess it makes sense we would find some in the sewers...I think." Cirri recites what little she remembers, noting she has to learn more about these kinds of creatures.
"Somewhere between rat and, um usually human I guess lies the wererat. Naturally they are best friends with other rats, but they are so cute with their tails and fur! They can transform, too. I hope they don't bite us though!" Cirri nods, disturbingly cheerful.
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From out in the rain, you hear the sounds of running footsteps punctuated with wooden thunks. Seconds later, a breathless, water-soaked young Taldan man steps in, with a pack on his back and a longspear in his hand. His brown eyes search between everyone’s faces before settling on the VC’s.
”Master Canayven, sir. *HUFF* *PUFF* I’m Pathfinder Brown, sir.” He fishes around in his gear, having to put out an excessive amount of energy to pull out a simple piece of paper, which—even as he holds it out for the Venture Captain—seems to try to slip from his fumbling fingers. ”There was some mix-up. *GASP* *WHEEZE* Mors Buolgun is needed elsewhere.” He looks around to see which of you is Mors before finishing. ”I’m to take his spot on this assignment.” He gives an awkward, half-hearted salute as he doubles over to catch his breath. ”If you’re okay with that … sir.”
Mors steps forward when asked, looks at the paper, shrugs, and clanks his way out of the tent.
Kiddrik tries to stand up straighter as the tent once again goes quiet. ”So,” he says, finally getting his breathing under control, ”What’d I miss?”
A rusty, slime-encrusted steel ladder descends into the Korvosan sewers, whose tunnels stretch to the north, east, and south like roads in an underground city. Curtains of fungus and mold hang from the ceilings, which rise roughly ten feet above the tunnels’ walkways, which run along either side of the sewage channels. Occasional dim patches of light filter in from the streets above providing minimal illumination.
Despite the sickening smell of decay, the tunnels are largely free of garbage, waste, and the other byproducts of Korvosan life.
Petrus, can hear the shuffle of large feet coming from the tunnel from the north and a low muttering. He is able to pick out words like Food, Fresh, and Mean. The foot steps seem to be getting louder as if the creature is heading your way. The directions say to head in that direction to get to the vault.
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Petrus and Tipple move to the front of the party. He draws his greatsword and casts Detect Evil, focusing on the tunnle ahead of him to try and discern if the presence approaching the party is a malignant one.
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"Bye Mors..." Cirri barely finishes her sentence before Mors runs off. "Is he afraid of rats?" She figures. "But they're so cute...but not as cute as this wolf!" She bends down to pet Petrus's pet wolf, Tipple.
In the sewers, Cirri thanks Kiddrik for the light before she hears some noises. "Trouble ahead? I wonder if I'll draw some of this sewer water if I try to push 'em." Cirri pulls out her longbow and draws an arrow.
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Petrus scans the tunnle ahead, trying to discern what's approaching with his darkvision.
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Wattling around the corner above is perhaps the vilest creature you've ever seen. Perched atop three stubby legs this monsters is mostly just a gigantic mouth. The long tentacles, two tipped with barbs and one with eyes, extend from its sides. The moster lets out a horrible roar, showing off multiple rows of jagged rotting teeth, and throws its spiked tentacles against the walls and ceiling tearing away large chunks of fungus and rocks. It does not charge though and infact it stops and starts calling out to you in a gurgling gasping voice.
Give something good to Togg! I am Togg! Give Togg good food with good taste!
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"So Cirri... this is, I'm guessing, the otyugh you mentioned? You said it eats garbage yeah? Wonder if it'd like stale trail rations. Had these in my pack since my first day as a pathfinder. They're slightly moldy, but I'm going to guess that's likely not an issue for our friend here."
Keeping one hand on his sword, and his eyes on the approaching creature, Petrus rummages around in his pack until he comes up with a fistful of moldering dried meat, hard cheese, and a chunk of bread that could easily be mistaken for a brick.
He tosses them towards the feet of the wretched thing in the tunnle and watches, ready to attack should the beast dislike his offering and decide it would prefer live prey.
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Kiddrik stands staring at the … thing.
Hoping to avoid a fight, Kiddrik props his longspear up so it looks more like a walking stick.
”Uh, hi, Togg!” Kidd responds warmly as Petrus offers the rations, pitching his voice like one would to a child. ”I’m Kiddrik. What do you like something to eat, Togg? Petrus has some meat. Do you like meat, Togg?”
Kiddrik pauses for a second to see if the creature takes the food, but regardless, he presses on, keeping his tone flattering and welcoming. ”Say, Togg, I’m glad we ran into you. We could sure use some help. We need someone smart who knows this place well. Do you know this place? How about…” he quickly describes the vault they’re looking for, ”.. does that sound familiar? Could you point us in that direction? We surely don’t want to interrupt your meal.”
The creature moves slowly forward and snatches up the rations from the floor and swallows them in one gulp.
Meh. This not that good. I like meat but I want fresh meat or meat hot from fire with stuff to make it taste gooder. Togg says disappointingly. Listening to Kiddrik he bobs its head up and down excitedly. I help I help. I know sewer very good and I very smart! Sewers have lots of food, but I want better food. Food from above! Tasty drinks and Meat!. He then offers helpfully, That one looks good. It’s small. No one would notice it’s gone. the Otyugh says pointing a tentacle at Tipple.
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"For your gracious help Togg, I will gladly get you roasted meat and strong wine from above. Wait here, and I will go purchase you a meal such as you have never had."
He sheaths his greatsword and turns to climb back out of the sewers.
"Thought you said they ate trash and refuse..."
He mumbles quietly to Cirri as he passes her.
Once on the surface he seeks an inn where he can buy a slab of meat off the spit and a skin of wine, then returns to the sewer to present the acquired foodstuffs to Togg.
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As Petrus heads back up to the street. Togg awkwardly shuffles its feet. Um... Me Togg, and you Kid...chin... who everyone else? The beast asks, while trying to smile. It air nice today. No rain. No too hotness. No too coldness. Very nice. The monster starts licking its chops and there is an audible grumble from the things stomach. When man get back? I hope he bring lot of good food. You all very nice, much more nice than other mans who come down here, I feel bad to eat you.
Just the the smell of roast meat cuts through the sewer air and Petrus returns with his haul. Literately drooling puddles, Togg hops up and down in excitement.
NOM!NOM!NOM!NOM! The Otyugh devours the meat and guzzles the wine in a huge, disgusting, mess. At the end he let out a ground shaking burp that cause most of you to feel nauseous.
SOOOOO GOOD! You all Togg very best favorite two legs! Me help you all you want and let you go in and out of Togg's sewers all you want.
When asked about tunnel further ahead:
That way has the stone rat and mean people. I asked them for food, too. They said ‘no’ and ran. Bad people. Looked tasty, though.
A stone rat statue is one of the landmarks in the directions you received.
When asked about the Vault:
No, me never seen that place but sewer big maybe you find it.
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Kiddrik watches the disgusting meal with open amazement (though he tries to hide his disgust). ’Thanks, Trogg, I’d hate for you to have to eat us, as well. And you’re my favorite otyugh.” He shrugs helplessly at the team at that last statement. ”Bad people? Could you tell us more about them, Trogg?”
Kiddrik is quiet for a bit as they move on. ”Well, that was weird.”
Togg tries to be as helpfull as he can but his description of the bad people are very vague and it would seem the only reason he things they are bad is because they ran away instead of giving him food.
He does offer to let you look through is lair for treasure but one look at the pile of filth and refuse tells you that if there is anything there it's not worth it.
Continuing through the sewers the tunnel terminates in a small shrine centered around a large statue of a rat, around which handfuls of baubles and trinkets lie as if left as offerings. Nearly every brick bears some type of scratch marks, many having the appearance of writing without actually forming coherent letters. About one foot above the walkway, a large pipe emerges from the
southern wall.
this is not a religious shrine
This is not so much a shrine but a boarder marker. The trinkets are offering to who ever calls the tunnels further on theirs.
The scratches are messages and warning for travelers. You are pretty sure a large scratch mark near the pie reads: “Dangerous plant growth.”
As you get closer to the shrine two huminoid figures spill out of the pipe. For a moment you think they are hiddeous slime creaturs of some type but quickly realize they are just really dirty humans. As they stumble to their feat one of them (you think its female) holds out a staff defensibly, as if to keep you at bay, while the other (you think its a male) draws a dagger.
Who are you!?!? What Are you doing down here!?! the male shouts tying to hind the obvious terror in his voice with bravado.
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"Peace. We mean no harm to you nor any of yours. We're simply passing through. As you yourselves undoubtedly know, traveling by sewer is an excellent way to avoid drawing undue attention from those on the surface."
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Yeah, but it an't to safe. Howd you get past that garbage monster thing!
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Togg tries to be as helpfull as he can but his description of the bad people are very vague and it would seem the only reason he things they are bad is because they ran away instead of giving him food.
He does offer to let you look through is lair for treasure but one look at the pile of filth and refuse tells you that if there is anything there it's not worth it.
"No thanks Togg. I'm good!" Cirri tries to sound polite, but really she just wants to turn away from the revolting trash. Aberrations are weird.
As you get closer to the shrine two huminoid figures spill out of the pipe. For a moment you think they are hiddeous slime creaturs of some type but quickly realize they are just really dirty humans. As they stumble to their feat one of them (you think its female) holds out a staff defensibly, as if to keep you at bay, while the other (you think its a male) draws a dagger.
Who are you!?!? What Are you doing down here!?! the male shouts tying to hind the obvious terror in his voice with bravado.
"Oh yeah, well, we're just on our way. Did you build this statue by yourself? It looks incredible! You even got the dimensions of the rat's legs right!" Cirri peers at the statue as much as she can without seeming threatening.
"Togg got us part of the way in here. He just has a sweet tooth for... expensive meat." Cirri scratches herself sheepishly and looks in Petrus's direction.
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Yeah, but it an't to safe. Howd you get past that garbage monster thing!
"A kind word and a warm meal. More flies with honey and all that. You might just try a bit of kindness yourselves should you need to pass through that way in the future.
I do so hope that you won't object to our continuing on. We've had quite a pleasant stroll up to this point, so far as clandestine treks through reeking sewers go, and it would be a tremendous shame for things to take a sour turn."
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The two look at Cirri as if she had two heads as she admires the statue but they seem to relax and lower their weapons as the rest of the party helps ease the tension. The woman even cracks a rather pretty (if it wasn't for the filth0 embarrassed smile when Cirri critics her fighting stance.
Yeah well, we kind of lost our cool when that monster started coming at us carrying on about food!. You would have too if you were having the kind of day we've been having. The man speaks up final re-sheathing his dagger. Well we'll get out of your way they. We desperately need to get out of these sewers and get ourselves clean. I tell, you I can't ever remember a time I've looked forward so much to a bath!
the two begin to leave when suddenly the eyes of the rat statue behind then start to glow bright red and an evil laugh starts to echo around the tunnel.
What are you doing! You're causing this! the man screams obviously loosing his cool again, as he re-draws his dagger and comes at the party.
p
Petrus sees the flicker of a shadow behind the rat statue and a a small bulbous purple head peaking up from behind the rat's body.
Round 1
Bold May Act
Petrus: 16
Smugglers: 16
Evil rat Statue: 15
Kiddrik: 10
Conlaoch: 9
Cirri: 6