A pack of kobolds come bounding down the sewer, emerging from the dark with sharp picks to try and surround the fighter! Luckily their attacks bounce off his armor! One also tries flinging a stone with equal lack of success.
"May this be the day death comes for us!" Anivash cheerfully exults to his companions as he rushes forward to help Robert, rounding the corner and closing with the nearest kobold before striking out with a flurry of blows
"Let's show them what we're made of, shall we?"
1) Inspire courage
2) Stride
3) Attack Yellow.
for
Sadly for the kobolds, Anivash literally ruins a couple of their days as they go down in a flurry. Jean is less effective, but still somehow inspires courage by his valiant attack.
Nalshene moves forward and casts a telekinetic projectile at the nearest kobold.
Grim steps around the corner, dropping his shield as cover while his allies seem to be making short work of the kobold attackers.
Nalshene's rock brains the kobold... Literally as their head explodes.
Ord moves forward and launches a bomb at the remaining visible kobold but misses.
One more kobold moves down the tunnel and launches a pair of magical missiles at Robert
Happy that the Kobold came to him, Robert takes his sword in both hands and swings at the Orange Kobold.
for
Robert was just about to strike down the nearest kobold, before Anivash steals his kill. He instead moves down to smite the kobold sorcerer in a mighty strike!
The remaining kobold is clearly demoralized by the fact that it is the sole survivor and surrounded by enemies and is visibly shaking... but seems more afraid of failing something else and moves forward to attack Robert!
Unsuccessfully.
"Do not give him Pharasma's gift yet," Anivash calls out, closing to strike with open-handed blows.
"I am sorry," he tells the kobold, regret clear in his voice. "I cannot send you to the peace of the goddess yet."
Nalshene grabs another rock or something similar and tosses it at the kobold with her mind.
Anivash could probably make a living selling his fists as sleep aids, as the last kobold is put to sleep.
Searching the cavern, you find a small stash of goods just inside the entrance. The trove contains a scroll of illusory disguise, a well-worn hat of disguise that appears to have been repeatedly rumpled by a meaty fist (or maybe even a tentacle), and 8 sp.
You also find a waterlogged journal. The ink on many of the damp booklet’s pages has begun to smear, but the pages near the center are still fairly legible.
Shortly after you finish wrapping up the last of the Dragon Shark kobolds, Fazgyn and the Sewer Dragons emerge from the southern cavern. The kobold trapmaster relays that his team defeated the paltry scouts that the Dragon Sharks had at the other side of the outpost and that the you clearly had the harder challenge. He congratulates the PCs on a job well done, promising to relay their mutual success back to the Sewer Dragons.
"Hm. Not exactly what I expected to find in a kobold's lair. Do these names correspond to the murdered individuals?"
"Is this all of them then?" Anivash asks Fazgyn.
He glances at the journal.
"We know at least one is a victim, but we should see if Pharasma has gathered the others to her bosom as well," he agrees. "But perhaps we should look around first, to try to determine how this journal got here. Perhaps this kobold can tell us when it wakes."
At least a few of the names do seem to be related to individuals who are missing or murdered: Remna you heard of from the Barbers and Nelfurhin Zor whom you were looking for leads for. Some of the others aren't immediately recognizable, but might be potential leads.
Questioning the kobolds when they wake, they (fearfully) say that the journal belonged the the sorcerer, who (wrongly) believed it might be a spellbook. They also mention that they have tribal elders that sent them here to secure an outpost deeper in the tunnels, but that seems to be of more immediate concern to the Sewer Dragons and not in your current job description.
When you return to the Grand Lodge and report your successful mission, Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin is very pleased. He has other assignments ready for you, but first suggests that the group takes a break (and a bath) before tacking your next assignment. He also makes a personal note of contacting his fellow venture-captain, Drandle Drang, about the Society’s ongoing relationship with the Sewer Dragons.
When presented with the waterlogged journal, Valsin believes the notes can open up future leads. Regardless, you have some time to rest and enjoy your success...
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You have a few days rest before the next letter for Valsin arrives:
There are certain places in Absalom where criminals go when they want to keep a low profile. The Puddles is one of those places. Street after street of abandoned buildings and a small and underfunded guard force make it an ideal place for people looking to stir up trouble without getting caught.
Still, someone there may have heard something useful. Travel to the Puddles and speak to the guards. They’re called the Muckruckers, and you can recognize them by the bronze badges they wear. I’ve provided you with a small donation to help fund their public services, which should help convince them that talking to you is worth their time.
Enclosed with the letter is 35 silver.
When you arrive, rain patters down onto the muddy streets of Absalom’s Puddles district, covering it with the murky pools of water that give the district its name. The buildings that line the streets have seen better days. Many of them are decaying, shuttered, or boarded up. The door of one of these buildings swings open, letting rats rush out into the streets. A woman wearing leather armor and a bronze badge stands in the doorway, slashing a shortsword into the swarm of rats and urging them out of the building. On her forearm, a tattoo of a dog animates and snarls.
sighing after the final Kobolt was taken down. “These small guys be tough. Any food to make body feel better?“
Ord watches the rats emerge and stands ready to help the guard should they turn on her, or worse, begin to form up into a swarm.
"From the sewers to the Puddles. We're certainly getting a tour of the most scenic parts of the city."
Jean will watch his back carefully in the Puddles.
The Muckruckers do their best, but frankly, their best is underwhelming.
Anivash looks at his others.
"That is perhaps one of the Muckruckers we are looking for?" he points out. "Perhaps we should go see if she needs help? She might be more willing to help us in return then."
"Do you need help?" he calls out as he moves toward the door.
"Oh dear, rats! Disgusting. I do wish I had brought along a scroll of fiery spray."
The guard turns when she hears you call out.
“I'm fine, but do you need something? As you can see, I’m busy. Can’t have vermin chewing thorough our food stores, and this isn’t even the first swarm of rats I’ve dealt with today. They’ve been everywhere lately.”
Grim smiles at the Muckraker. "Perhaps you might arrange for one of the mangy stray cats here in the Puddles to help keep your storeroom rodent free. Using what you have at hand to complete a job is a virtue the Smith would be proud of."
Continuing, Grim says, "What is the cause of this plague of rats, miss? Perhaps we can be of some service if a simple house cat won't suffice?"
Frowning slightly, Robert shakes his head. “Rats, these little food spoilers are worse than dunks at bar.“
Right you are my good fellow. We could use your help and would be grateful if you could assist us. We are looking for, well some folk of the criminal sort and believe they hope to elude justice by hiding here in the Puddles. If you help us locate them we would make it worth your while with a donation to the Muckruckers.
At the mention of the donation she perks up. She explains that a few days back, she received a report from a local named Dahlia that one of her friends had gone missing. With the current vermin problem, the Muckruckers don’t have time for a full investigation without more evidence to suspect foul play. She directs you to the Frog’s Tongue, the tavern where Dahlia works as a cook, if you want more information.
The sign announcing the Frog's Tongue tavern is a mummified frog glued to a slab of wood. When you arrive in the early afternoon, business is slow. The door to the kitchen is open, and you can see a woman frying fish in a skillet. When the you approach, she notes the glyph of the Open Road this is on a few of your belongings and seems eager to speak with you about her friend.
“Thank the gods, someone can help after all! As I was telling the badge lady with the dog tattoo, it’s not like Justerian to not show up for work. He’s a cook here with me, see, and he loves his job. He’d been a slave for years, and with all that slavery isn’t on the up and up anymore, he finally had a chance to pull his life back together. Puddles ain’t the best place for that, but he was managing just fine. He kept talkin’ about how he was worried that one of those underground slavers was gonna come snatch him back. I thought it was just talk, but now I’m worried.”
"Can you tell us anymore about these underground slavers? Was there anything specific that made him fear that?" Anivash says, giving a little shudder at the idea of being underground.
It was a long time ago, and Pharasma didn't want you, like the others ... You are here, where the sun can find you...
And when was the last time you saw Justerian. It would help if you could tell us where he lived and where he hung out when not working too. Any family? Ord questions?
Rover stand, watching his new teammates ask question of this man. Trying to pick up all that is being said.
The woman sighs. "Other than slavers, I can't think of who might want to hurt him. He kept to himself and was a cook. As for where he lived... He kept staying in this real rotten old place where no
one’d think to look. I kept telling him it’s not safe. The stairs are full of termites, and the attic’s full of bats. One good storm and the whole place might just fall down. I can give you directions"
Bats you say? Ord considers bats. I can think of nothing better to do than to check out his place termites and bats and all. Anyone else have any other ideas?
Only weeds surround this once-majestic manor house, which now leans slightly to the west, sinking into the muck. The first floor is flooded, and its front door hangs open. Two staircases lead up to the second floor, their steps riddled with small holes.
One way or another you make it up the stairs, some more graceful than others.
As you reach the second floor, you find the wood covered in a strange acidic substance. It looks like it was spread by an ooze that is alerted to your presence! You also note that the sound of rustling bats is loud in the room. These might be calmed with a Nature check, but seem on the verge of swarming.
Anivash, Jean, and Grimkel note that the ceiling in this area is in bad shape and the bats that are likely going to swarm will cause chunks of ceiling to fall into the acid unless the ceiling is braced by at least three DC 15 crafting checks. Alternatively a DC 13 Perception or Survival action on your turn can prevent being harmed by the hazard that turn.
Avoiding the acid, Robert steps forward and looks into the room.
He points, ”Watch your steps,
"Well, I don't know much about bats. Watch out everyone!"
Jean makes his way up the stairs without a problem.
And carefully places himself to avoid any falling debris.
Nalshene quickly jumps into action, making some squeaking sounds to the bats.
Anivash easily makes his way up the stairs.
Nalshene quickly jumps into action, making some squeaking sounds to the bats.
[dice=Nature]1d20+2
Grimkell just does keep his footing when the stairs collapse around him, leaning on the railing enough to keep from hurting himself.
Grimkell is not a master craftsman, but his time studying the Smith's theology taught him to be handy at least a bit. He tries to use his ability to prop up the crumbling ceiling, but beam he grabs crumbles also when he tries to root it.
Ah, in that case Jean will shout some encouragement to his companions (Inspire Courage) and draw his ax.
Rober draws his sword and closes his hooded lantarn to only show a small sliver of light.
The swarm of bat descends upon the group, biting and bleeding in their flurry of panic! Of course, you're probably more afraid of them than they are afraid of you, but who is counting?
The displaced bats cause debris to start falling from the ceiling, showering the acid coated floor. One of the globs of acid sprays up to Jean, but they nimbly avoid it.
Nalshene the bat whisperer whispers to the bats, and apparently they hear well, because they appear to settle down and disperse.
You can have only one persistent damage condition of each damage type, and a higher value overrides a lower amount. Persistent damage with the bleed type ends automatically ends if you’re healed to your maximum Hit Points.
You or an ally can spend actions to help you recover from persistent damage, such as using Medicine to Administer First Aid (DC 15) to stop bleeding; successfully doing so reduces the DC of the flat check to 15 and usually lets you immediately attempt an extra flat check to end the persistent damage. The reduction to the DC lasts until you remove the persistent damage or gain another persistent damage condition with the same damage type.
Nalshene will attempt to influence the bats to leave the area, lest they get excited again and attack.
Seeing the wounds cause by the bats, Grim moves to Anivash and with a practiced eye, dresses and closes the injuries as best he can. Once the patient is stable, he moves to the goblin, grimacing despite himself, and works on his teammate.
HP 16/20
AC 14, touch 13
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +5
Spell points: 3/3
Effects: 1 persistent damage (DC 15)
"Thank you," Anivash says as Grimkell quickly blots his wounds to stop the bleeding
He edges forward and kicks at the ooze.