"Drop your weapons and step to the wall please. We don't want to hurt you. All we wanted was for you to agree to not attack the people who live on the surface. We were trying to save lives on both sides. Do you think he'll give up his crazy idea to attack if he lives?" she asks the wererats.
She suddenly remembers the cat, "Oh and let that cat go. I'll take it with me if it will allow me."
When she has a moment she'll look around the room and casts Detect Magic.
"Girrigz should not be allowed to live." one of the other wererats says and the others nod in consent. "You have shown us the folly of Girrigz's revolution. We don't want to hurt anyone. We just want respect and to not be hunted by misguided humans. But Girrigz is beyond redemption. He is an unrepentant murderer and will stop at nothing to get free and continue his assault against humankind. More than once, he has snuck up onto the streets to take out his hatred on beggars and other unsuspecting humans. Less than a year ago, he took two silver crossbow bolts from a well-equipped Korvosan Guardsman who came upon him savaging a dockside tramp. Barely escaping with his life, Girrigz has since been a fiery and vocal member of the wererat community, urging us to strike back against the weak humans above. The lack of reason and cowardice of our elders long stifled Girrigz's warmongering, but the attacks from those above coming in the days since the plague finally convinced us that we should fight back. But we see now that such a course of action will only lead to our demise. Instead we shall hide deeper below ground and ride this event out like we'll always done in the past."
Another wererat goes into the back room and hands you a filthy sack filled with a few items inside. "Please take this. It is the least we can offer for what you've done for us."
Inside the sack is 4 potions of cure moderate wounds, a masterwork silver dagger, an eversmoking bottle, and 145 gold is assorted coins. Girrigz's equipment consists of a +1 silver rapier, a +1 chain shirt, a potion of blur, and 30 more gold. None of the other wererats have anything magical.
A third wererat brings Iolana over the crate with the cat inside so she can free it outside the sewers.
Ayako distributes a potion of CMW for everyone. Then we will leave Girrigz's final fate to you, since he is one of you. Thank you for your choice, I am sure Iolana's friend will be happy.
"Thank you." Iolana says as she takes the cage. "Yes my friend will be very relieved you've seen Girrigz's folly, and changed your minds."
Sebastian's jaw drops as Lucien once again proves why he is Abadar's champion. The dancing fire gives the scene an even more dramatic cast to it, as Lucien's single strike completely incapacitates his opponent while still miraculously leaving Girrigz alive. Dumbly, he replaces his dagger in his belt. Having contributed nothing more to the battle than to sound an unnecessary tactical retreat, he silently retrieves his crossbow, too embarrassed for words.
As he examines Girrigz's equipment, Sebastian is shocked by the quality of the sword and armor. Even here in the sewer lit only by the flickering campfire, he can tell that the pieces are fine work. The sword is excellently balanced with a delicate-looking yet quite sturdy basket hilt protecting the grip and intricate filigree along the ricasso and forte of the blade. The chain shirt's appears to be woven on an uncommon 6-in-1 pattern with alternating rivets. He can't be certain, but he suspects that the equipment is enchanted.
Marveling at the craftsmanship, Sebastian struggles to keep a note of accusation out of his voice. "Where did Girrigz get these?"
One of the wererats replies to Sebastian. "You think us primitive or thieves, don't you? That is a common assumption by your kind. However, many of us were once human just like you, only now we are more. Others we naturally born with this gift. I assure you that Girrigz's equipment is wererat crafted by one of our elder blacksmiths. Our craftsman can easily rival those on the surface. Our nimble fingers lend well to performing fine details. I can see you appreciate the craftmanship on those items. Are you perhaps a blacksmith yourself? Please take the items. Girrigz won't be needing them any longer."
Another wererat addresses the group. "Do you need a guide back to the surface? We'll take care of Girrigz from here and you have our word that we will not cause any further trouble. Of course we will still defend ourselves if more drunken sailors come hunting for us down here."
We know our way back, thank you. I am sure that Iolana here will make sure to tell her acquaintance that the meeting was a success.
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"Yes I will. Thank you. I don't know about everyone else, but I would expect you to defend yourself if people come into your homes looking for trouble."
She looks at the rapier and the armor. "That's some nice weaponry and armor. It looks like something you could make use of Sebastian."
If you can lower yourself to use non-Chelaxian made gear.
She heads for the surface with the cat. Once she reaches the end of the room, she'll cast light on a button as she moves into the darkness.
You make your way back out of the sewers without any other events. Once on the surface, Iolana frees the cat and the scared creature bolts down a nearby alley and out of sight. The rain has stopped but the sky remains dark and cloudy and the streets are wet and muddy. In light of the plague, the street cleaners have been negligent of their job and the moisture has brought up all of the stink into the air. It doesn't smell much better out here than it did down below. You can also see in the distance that the city has taken to burning the dead in huge mass graves in the Gray District, and plumes of rancid black smoke fill the southern skyline.
Let us deal with the key from the toy store, then we can see about investigating the sunken ship.
Sebastian is surprised by the wererats. He had no idea they had such skilled craftsmen, and their generosity humbles him. He doffs his ridiculous hat in thanks for the equipment. "You do me an honor. This craftsmanship is superior to all but the finest work my own family produces. When this plague is dealt with, I should like to return and meet this smith of yours. But for now, we shall leave you in peace."
Sebastian finds himself agreeing with Ayako. Despite the weather, the day was turning out to be better than he could have ever hoped. The prospect of finally getting to ride a hippogriff is the only thing that could improve his mood further. Still, there's something that sticks out in the back of his mind. "What of this hospice that's letting convicted criminals loose on the streets?" Seeing Giggles again had been quite a shock, and Sebastian still isn't sure if leaving him where they did was the best move.
We can start asking, the Church of Pharesma is a good place to start.
"I agree" says Lucien with a nod. "Although I would like to spend some of our remaining daytime trying to sell the things the wererats gave us. If I remind correctly, there is a good silver dagger, some coins and both a magical weapon and armor. We should sell them so we can invest is our own equipment". At this point, Lucien stops to look around himself and smiles. "Sorry if I'm being too haggling, but you know, Abadar is the god of commerce and I must forward his goals as best as I can".
____________________________
"Thank you for your help with the wererats. Would it be ok if I continue to work with you? I think our skills will be complementary.
This key? What is it to?"
Sebastian rounds on Lucien, aghast at the thought of selling the wererats' exquisite handiwork. "Do what you will with the rest, sir, but I will lay claim to Girrigz's sword and armor. To part with such gifts for filthy lucre would be an insult!"
I will just claim one healing potion. As for the key, we will need to see what is in the vault when we get there.
You spend the next two hours heading south to the Gold Markets and selling off a few unnecessary items. Overall, the experience is uneventful. The only thing of note is overhearing that some of the Hellknights are being recalled. Rumor are spreading as to the reason why.
Next you head north to the Bank of Abadar. Temple guards stand watch at the doors, only allowing those with enough coin for curative magic or with legitimate banking business to enter. The cleric Ishani takes a moment to greet you.
"Ah, I see you have a brass safe deposit box key. Let me just check our records." He shuffles through a large ledger. "According to this, key number 261 belongs to a Rodolfo Giotorri. If something happened to him, he has no recorded beneficiary. According to the law, technically, in this situation, his possessions would be transferred to the church. However, I've met Rodolfo before. He was a nice enough fellow. I'm sure he'd rather someone like you get some use out of his savings. It's a simple clerical change to correct that. Let's see what we have here."
Ishani leads you downstairs to a huge underground vault seals by a gigantic 20 ft. tall circular golden vault door. He unlocks the vault but asks you to wait outside. "Please wait here. I'll be right back." From where you are standing, you can see rows and rows and numbered drawers. Ishani unlocks one and brings the contents out to you. "You may use one of our private booths to examine the contents privately. I'll be waiting outside until you are ready."
Inside the box you find 68 gp, a set of masterwork thieves tools, a pair of boots of striding and springing, and a sheaf of papers detailing the creation of dozens of poorly designed toys (worthless).
Once you are done, Ishani leads you back upstairs and to the front entrance. "In better times, I'd need to report Rodolfo Giotori's death to the authorities but nowadays so many are passing away due to this plague, no one can even keep track. Well good luck to you all. With Abadar's blessing we'll meet again."
We will put these to good use. No doubt he was an unfortunate victim of the plague or undead.
Ayako looks at the tools. I have no skill with these, perhaps Sebastion or Lucian can make use of the boots. Being mobile seems very important so you can get the most out of your skills.
Iolana looks impressed that the church guards would speak so respectfully to the group. Then she remembers that Lucien is a Paladin of the church.
"Mobility isn't my strong suit. Now if you want things frozen. There I can shine."
After Ishani leaves them alone, Sebastian raises a question. "Should we tell him that Giotori had vampires in his basement?" Turning his attention to the contents of the box, he quizzically examines the items. "What was a toy-maker even doing with these?" The lock picks seem highly suspicious to Sebastian, especially since they appear to be of high quality. The boots, too, look very well-made. Since they'll be of no use to Giotori, he might as well try them on. They're a tight fit, but surprisingly comfortable once he gets them on. "Ah yes, very nice!"
"Mobility isn't my strong suit. Now if you want things frozen. There I can shine."
Just what we needed. An ice queen.
We should say that we found undead feeding on bodies, no need to mention Giotori.
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As the day draws to a close, you retire to the Three Rings Tavern. After dinner, as the sun sets while relaxing in the common area, Eries Yelloweyes returns to you in her human form.
"Iolana, and company." Eries smiles at you. "I received word that you were successful and I sought you out to thank you. As promised, I believe I have some valuable information that you will be interested in."
"Fortune has it that several sewer tunnels empty into the Jeggare River below the Wall of Eodred. The night a black-sailed ship was sunk before reaching the harbor, several of my brethren were watching. They saw nothing on the ship except for a yellow light, but once it sank, strange debris drifted from its hull. Tracking down some of the flotsam, they discovered a few small boxes filled with dead rats and a few pouches of silver coins conveniently bound to floating timbers. Suspecting that something was wrong with the rats, and scenting some foulness upon the coins, my brethren kicked the debris back into the river. I know little more than this, but I don't believe that the ship's sinking, the strange flotsam, and the advent of the plague are mere coincidence."
"If you wish to learn more about the sunken vessel, I can point out exactly where in the river it sank. I've also had one of my children fetch you each a potion of water breathing which I'll gift to you."
As she hands you each the potion, you notice the label says "Col's".
Thank you very much, Eris. She turns to the others. We might want to get spears or thrusting weapons to help us in case there is something hostile down there.
Iolana rises when the older were arrives. "Please have a seat. I'm happy we were able to come to a fairly peaceful solution. We are very interested in the ship. My colleague's have been looking for a particular ship that sank. I assume it's the same one. I can't imagine there were two plague ships in the Jeggare River at the same time."
She pours a glass of ale for Eries, and takes the bottle of Water Breathing. She rolls it in her hand examining it. "Thank you for your gift. If I may ask, who is Col?"
Eries accepts the offered seat and ale. She shrugs at Iolana's question. "The alchemist who doesn't realize he has a hidden tunnel in his basement I suppose."
If you and your people can perhaps aid Korsova during this time it would be much appreciated. Making sure bodies are disposed of properly for example, I am sure that we could arrange to purchase any needed supplies such as blankets, food, tools and so on in exchange.
Sebastian chuckles at seeing that the bottles were stolen from their old ally. I'll have to stop by sometime and let him know so he can close that hole. He's less amused when he realizes that the lead they had risked their lives (and humanity) for was just a confirmation of what they already suspected. "Wait, does this mean that we don't need to ride the hippogriffs?" He can't keep the notes of disappointment out of his voice as he realizes that he'd just been robbed of the chance to fulfill one of his childhood dreams. Especially since Lucien already got to.
Well I am sure you can have a chance to, we can fly over to check where the wreck is.
"We are in need of supplies and medicine but I'm not sure the city has much to spare. Still we can look into ways that we can help. However, most Korvosans' opinions of us aren't going to change any time soon, so it is still best for us to lay low for the time being."
Eries spends a little more time with you then takes her leave. You also retire for the evening not long after.
The next morning you all wake up refreshed, except for Sebastian who wakes up feeling weak and has red splotches on his face.
Ayako looks at Sebastion.Oh dear, did you not take your antiplague? She takes out a Bodybalm and makes tea for Sebastion to drink. [b]Take this
Getting sick from the sewers isn't going to improve his attitude toward me much. Hopefully getting the nice weapon and armor will make up for it
Iolana stays back but offers to fetch tea, or toast for him.
After dealing with Sebastion's spots, Ayako will head to market and buy an Elixer of Swimming to go alogn with her water breathing potion(50 gp) She will then go to the Temple of Pharesma and inquire about the hospice where people have been brought.
Ayako and Iolana treat Sebastian for a few hours in the morning and he starts to feel a little better.
After a brief stop at the markets, you head to the Grand Cathedral of Pharasma in the Grey. The burning of the bodies continues and the smell of burnt flesh now permeates the air.
Bishop Keppira D'Bear greets the party at the temple. "Welcome back my children. What brings you here today? Perhaps Pharasma's will has guided you here because I could certainly use your help."
Lucien smiles at Bishop Keppira. Another task...I never expected helping this city would prove so...demanding. Trying not to betray his inner feelings, Lucien nods as he keeps smiling. "We're here because we could use some help too, actually. We'd like to know more about the hospice where diseased people have been brought. We know of at least one convicted criminal let loose on the streets. Can you give us any insight about this matter?"
"Truth be told, I don't know much about it. I know the Queen's Physician's have converted a warehouse in Midland into their headquarters and have renamed it the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden. It is supposedly open to the public as a place of hope and respite for those suffering from disease. They seem to be accepting the sick of any walk of Korvosan life so their is always a line to get in. Despite this, I haven't heard much else about it. I assume that the physicians are helping but I haven't heard from anyone who was treated inside to really know anymore."
Lucian is correct, there was seemingly an escape by a convict who was ill. Perhaps we will go visit the hospice. We also have some more leads such as discovering that the ship that was sunk in the harbor may very well have been carrying tainted rats and coins that are a source of the disease.
Ayako will exchange some pleasantries and then head out when the others are done
Iolana bows respectfully to the Bishop. "Thank you for your information. You have heard of no one who has said they have been treated there, and yet the lines are always long? That's disturbing. You would think that at least a few people would find their way to you with information about how they were helped." she thinks for a minute and then remembers, "What was the task you needed us to do?"
"Well as it is painfully obvious, we've been tasked with the burning of the diseased bodies to prevent them from further spreading the Blood Veil. However, while digging one of the mass graves, our acolytes accidentally dug into a ghoul warren and released a nest of angry ghouls and ghasts into the graveyard. Our clerics have been exhausting all their resources to cure those they can so we don't have the strength to clear out this infestation at the moment. I'm sure it would be a small task for you but it would be a big help to those working in the Grey District if you can make it safe again." Bishop D'Bear replies.
I would be more than willing to help, would you be able to tell us more about the nature of these creatures?
"Ghouls are undead that haunt graveyards and eat corpses. Legends hold that the first ghouls were either cannibalistic humans whose unnatural hunger dragged them back from death or humans who in life fed on the rotting remains of their kin and died (and were reborn) from the foul disease—the true source of these undead scavengers is unclear."
"A ghoul's bite can inflict a disease called ghoul fever. A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. Their claws can also inflict a temporary paralysis."
"Ghasts look just like their lesser kin, but they are far more deadly and cunning. In addition to the ghoul abilities, ghasts also exude an overwhelming stink of death and corruption that can sicken those around it."
"Although not harmed by the light, they typically come out at night. I can point you in the direction of the mass grave and you won't have any trouble finding them tonight."
We should procure holy water and perhaps some magic that can remove paralysis.
Ayako purchases 3 scrolls of Remove Paralysis for 450 gp and 4 vials Holy Water for 100 gp
I have a cantrip called Disrupt Undead. That should be a little helpful with this task."
You are able to purchase all the items you stated above directly from the temple. You wait a little while and head out just as the sun begins to set.
You arrive at an area with two 20 foot squared pits. Each is five feet deep with countless numbers of bodies filling them. An empty cart and shovels sits beside the hole. The smell of death is nearly overwhelming and a thick cloud of flies fills the air. Six ghouls and 2 ghasts mill about the area gnawing on diseased limbs. They tear muscle away in strips and crunch on the bones. Dried blood drips from their chins. The creatures themselves resemble starved humanoid corpses but with glowing red eyes, rotting fangs, and a purplish tint to their skin. The bounty of dead bodies is enough to keep them sated for you to sneak up to them.
Iolana moves forward. Here we go. I hope this works I really don't want to be paralyzed or catch ghoul fever.
She casts Burning Hands defensively. Instead of the red flames that are normal for the spell, a sheet of blue ice shoots from her fingertips.
Ayako casts Bless on the group before they engage the undead (+1 Hit saves vs. fear for 5 minutes)
She then sends a sling stone at the ghast to the east