You can't tell if they have your description or not, but figure they will be pretty hostile to anyone they encounter based on the fact that no one is supposed to be in the sewers. You and Morosino crouch in the dark access tunnel...waiting.
The three armed men approach your position. You hear the argument turn to the futility of the search and that they should return to the chapter house. They pause in front of the access way. You push Morosino back deep into the shadows holding your breath.
Finally, the argument breaks and they agree to continue the search. They move on past your position.
Wait for them to move down the tunnel until they are out of sight, then Morosino and I will continue on our way, following the sword symbols to the safe house.
After further travel, the tunnel ahead branches off to the left, but the sword marker indicates that you should continue on through a door further up the tunnel past the left hand branch. You feel hungry and thirsty and can only imagine that Morosino is famished.
Stop and listen and look around. Then give Morosino something from my rations and take some myself too. Then head up to the door and listen.
Feeling refreshed, you listen carefully at the the thick wooden door. You hear no noise from the other side.
Open the door ready for action.
As the door opens your nose is assaulted by the smell of rotting corpses; 5 decaying forms turn at the sound of the door opening and begin shuffling towards you groaning mouths agape looking to gorge on your flesh.
Shuffling? Does that mean they are really slow? Do I think Morosino and I can run by them without getting attacked a bunch of times? If so, I will grab him and tell him let's make a break for it.
Shuffling cause they are zombies and will always have last initiative, but no way you can run by them without taking a bunch of AOO. You could try to bull your way through and let Morosino follow in your wake.
Close the door. Morosino and I will make our way back to the locked access tunnel where we hid from the hell knights. I will try to pick the lock, if the zombies don't follow us then I will take 10 trying to pick the lock so that would be +10 to below roll.
You backtrack for some time, finally reaching the access tunnel. A thorough review of the grating to the surface reveals that the locks are essentially unpickable from the sewer side (DC 35). Bashing is an option, but the grates look amazingly stout; probably a result of the fear of the nightly plague that menaces the streets.
Damn. Head back towards the zombie door, but will take the path that branches to the left before the door, will then try to take next path that heads back to the right to hopefully find another sword symbol that is beyond the zombie room. Will also keep an eye open for other access tunnels.
Will also ask Morosino if he has any knowledge of the tunnels that might help us.
I only know the way marked by the sword symbols and have only been down here a few times before to help mark some of the way. I'm not sure if we can actually get to the safehouse any other way. We can't go back, somehow we must go forard. Between the two of us we can get through. Lend me a blade, would you?
You can tell that he's trying to put on a brave face for you after his failure with the goblins.
I hand Morosino one of my daggers, "if you are up for it, we will go through the zombies and out the other side, follow me, fend the zombies off with the dagger if necessary but keep moving, there are too many to defeat, we just need to get past them."
When he is ready, I open the door, move through as quickly as possible, using my short swords defensively, rather than attacking.
You wade through the grasping throng of zombies, using your blades to push back and block most of their grasping hands. However, one does break through your defense and clout you for 7 points of damage. Morosino is able to tavel quickly behind you and your initial push is enough to get you both through with no other damage. You sprint down the hall, the low moaning and heavy shuffling of the zombies remind you that you must keep up the pace to make good your escape.
Keep moving quickly down the hall, only slow at intersections to check for sword symbols.
The sewer continues on for some ways with many twists and turns. At each juncture you look for the sword marking. A few times you find that the marking has been rubbed out or scuffed by something and you have to back track upon occasion to find your way.
After some time has passed Morosino tells you I think we are close. I seem to remember this area, but to be honest I've seen so much sewer over the past few hours that I coulde be entirely confused. There should be a few last turns and then a T intersection with a door in it.
If as on que, a short while later you approach a T intersection with a stoud iron bound door in it. The door is about 100' ahead of you.
Cautiously approach the door and listen. If I think it's safe try the door, pick lock if necessary. Ask Morosino if he knows of any traps or if there is a guard.
As you approach the door a swarm of scuttling insectoid like creatures breaks cover from the sewer water and attacks! The antennae-like appendages wave about aggressively and their multiple legs carry the semi-transparent bodies over you in a disgusting, squirmy wave.
The swarm crawls all over you biting at your armor ineffectually.
Initiative:
Rip them off with hands or stab them with swords whatever makes more sense.
One of the members of the swarm finds a way through your leather, sliding and slipping through the neck apeture and savagely biting and stinging you for 9 points of damage; your skin boils from its acidic touch! Slapping around with both hands you are finally able to grab it and pull it away from your body, throwing it to the ground and stomping it with your foot. Morosino stabs about with the dagger you lent him squashing a few of the bugs. Get to the door! Get to the door! I'll use our code knock and they'll let us in!
Initiative!
Guess I will get to the door and hope Morosino knows what he is talking about.
Dashing through the swarm you intrepidly make your way to the door. Blocking and smashing the creatures as they approach, you hear Morosino knock distinctly with a 4 beat staccato knock and hear the door open behind you. A hand grabs you and roughly pulls you inside just as the swarm is about to envelop you once again.
Look around, do I see Janiven there? Does Morosino seem to recognize the person or persons that grabbed me.
"What in the 9 hella were those things?!"
Janvien is actually the person that grabbed you! She embraces you and Morosino in a fierce embrace. You're alive! By all that is holy, you're alvie! When I lost you in the tunnels I just about gave up hope that you would make it here, but you did. Well done! Those "things" are 'torbles' and they occasionally swarm about the sewers. Some of the more daring of the city's mages actually use them as familiars. Come, take some food and drink and rest a while.
***Interlude~The hideout***
"Glad you're okay as well, Morosino wanted to go after you, but by the time I defeated the goblins you were gone. We ran into some armigers hunting for us but were able to hide and had to run through a room of zombies as well. The sewers seem to be a pretty busy place. Where are we now?"
The armigers of the Rack are looking to make a name for themselves by bagging more "rebels". Fools. The sewers are a tough spot for anyone and even coordinated groups struggle traversing its expanse. No matter, you are safe here, now, in this old shrine to Aroden. There are other members of our group here as well. They have been waiting for me, who just recently arrived, and since I told them the news they have been hoping for your save arrival as well. What else can I answer for you?
"Any news of your friend/leader? What's our next move?"
They have Arel at the Rack safe house. I'm sure they will keep him there until they are ready to move him. He's far to valuable a prize to have the low ranking members there interrogate him. When they are ready they'll move him on the road to Citadel Rivad which is a ways outside the city walls. That's when we should strike.
"How are we going to know when the move him? What type of guard will they keep on him? Do you know the road to Citadel Rivad well and do you have a particular place in mind?"
Our people will know when they plan to move him based on their movements and getting the prisoner carriage ready. As far as guards go, I would imagine it will be relatively light given how safe they feel the area is on the way to the Citadel. Of course relatively light means relatively deadly for our group. There are a few good spots to ambush from: either a narrow bridge or one of the tighter sections of road. What do you have in mind?
"The bridge sounds like a good place to me."
Grabbing a piece of paper and a pencil, she begins a quick sketch. I've been on that road many times during my guard days. The water is only 4' deep, but the current is swift and the waters chill. There are a few boulders that one could crouch behind or stumps that you could lay behind and on the south side of the bridge there is a turn-a-bout that carriages use to change direction. There is no way that we can take on all of the guards so we will have to think about a way to draw those on horse away from the carriage so that a quick assualt can be mounted and the captive freed. Thoughts?
"What if we staged 2 attacks on the carriage? The first attack's purpose would be to fail and then flee from the carriage, hopefully drawing off the guards on horseback, if there was bait involved such as another recognizable leader of your group it would be more likely to draw the guards away, the attackers would also need very fast horses to stay ahead of pursuit or perhaps some magical means of disappearing once the guards had been drawn away. The second group of attackers could wait up the road a bit for the carriage."
"meaning up the road a bit at the bridge, and block it off after the guards on horseback go by"
I like that. What if I lead the first group and draw the mounted troops over the bridge? We'll lead them directly into a section of road that will be laced with caltrops, hobling their horses and hopefully throwing them into disarray. As that is happening, you lead a smaller force to attack the troops attached to the prison carriage. It's sure to be heavily locked and that's where you will come in after making sure all of the guards are secured. At least I hope so based on what Salisfer told me?
"Sounds good. I should be able to handle the locks."
Excellent. What do you need while we wait? I'm assuming some rest may be in order...
"Yes, I need to rest and recover from my injuries."
Follow me.
Janvien escorts you through the old shrine to a semi-private alcove area with several cots. As you pass through the building you see several other small groups of people quietly talking. As they see you pass, their conversations fall silent and they look at you, eyes brimming with questions. You can tell that they are respectful of your privacy as you have not been introduced yet and were able to single handedly bring Morosino safe through the sewers.
Janvien gets you some water and lukewarm ale as well as a portion of chicken and some bread and small onions. Take your leave here. When you wake, look for me or Morosino. Hoepfully we will have word on Arael by that time, and we can make our final preparations for the rescue.
"Thank you"
Sleep through the night. Wake up and look for Janvien or Morosino.
***Welcome to level 3!***
nice! hit points!
Ok, made all my changes, and posted to my character page. Ready to continue when you are.
The next morning you wake and find Janvien is not there, but Morosino has been essentially sleeping by your side throughout the night. As you wake he sits up, Good morning Caldir, hungry? I'll round up some breakfast if you are. Janvien is out eyeballing the Rack HQ and talking to some of her sources to see if she can catch word on the tranfer.
"Breakfast sounds good, seems like you recovered quickly from our adventure!"
Yes, well, given everything else going on over the last few days, the night gave me some time to reflect and I had a chance to talk with Janiven. It seems the sewers were my first test and although I'm not sure I passed, I know I didn't fail. Things seem a little clearer to me now and I know that I can no longer stand by and let those Rack nere-do-wells have there way with my fair city. Still not sure what I must do exactly, but if taking up a sword and bashing in some heads is required to make things better, then that's something I am willing to do. He smiles a little sheepishly from his long speach. But let me be about getting that breakfast for you Caldir.
He comes back with a plate holding hard boiled eggs, cheese, and some bread. As well he has a pot of hot tea and two cups. Pouring for both of you, Eat up. I'm sure Janiven will be back shortly and then we will have to prepare to free Arael.
"I think you did well Morosino." Eat my breakfast and wait for Janiven to return.