The discussion was abruptly interrupted by quick knocks on the door. Janiven immediately gets up and peers trough a window. She moves swiftly to the door and opens it. An out-of-breath and frightened-looking teenager stumbles in and calls out: "They've got him, they've got Arael!" He doubles over in a fit of coughing brought on by his long run. Janiven’s face grows grim as she comforts Morosino and asks him to explain himself; in a moment the lad recovers enough to spurt out, “The dottari nabbed Arael, and the Hellknights of the Rack are trying to get custody of him!"
Morosino's entrance brings Shannon out of his indecisive stupor. Reflexively, and perhaps because of Morosino's tender youth, Shannon moves along with Janiven to offer succor. While at the same tine taking an opportunity to peer out the window. "Take ten seconds to gather your wits and your breath," he instructs him. "And then tell me: were you being followed? And did Arael know us? Our names, and that we would be here?"
Mazon rises to her feet, a tower of muscle and green flesh that suddenly looms over the group by the door.
"Told you there were a lot of Dotter-men around," she says, her voice not quite a growl, but certainly a bit too deep for carefree discussion.
The Orcmaid seems to be chewing over her next thought -- literally, if the twitching of her jaw is anything to go by. Then she heaves a sigh. "What they take your man Arael for, then?" she asks.
Maxis quickly stashes his wayfinder in his pockets as the youth scrambles in the door. His eyes widen a bit at the mention of the knights. Arael...if the knights get custody, it's all over for him. they'll probably try to pin things on us, too. Even with no crime committed in just being here, they'll find something to accuse us of. This is getting bad, quick. But if he doesn't know us, he can't tell them anything, can he? I mean, we haven't broken any laws just sitting here talking... Maxis' gaze snaps downward to the wayfinder. that might be a problem. Would they take it if they came here? Would I be arrested for this? Would they do anything to Father because of me? Gods what have I gotten myself into?
Janiven! this is suddenly a bad place to be. If the Dottari or the knights come around here, there could be any of a million excuses for them to carry us off in chains or worse, no matter what we say or do. If any of our assumptions or conclusions are anywhere near correct, you must have a backup plan for things like this, right?
The boy stumbles into the the empty tavern as Ozer tosses back another gullet full of ale and commotion erupts at the diner table. Ignoring the others he moves to windows, makes sure curtains or shutters are drawn and then peeks out seeking signs that the boy was followed.
The boy confirms the questions and fears. "Yes they followed me, they should be here by now! What do we do Janiven?"
Mazon grunts -- and shifts her stance slightly. "I will go with you," she says to Janiven, and follows her to the trapdoor. "Fighting hellknights would get us in trouble with all the law in this city. Too soon for that."
As she follows Janiven, Mazon draws a staff with slightly tapered ends out from under her pack's shoulder straps, and keeps it in hand.
Janiven ponders over the possible options, and then makes a decision.
"We move." She says. She locks the door tight and walks towards the door behind the bar. "I don't know why they took him, Mazon. Shannon, if Morosino escaped they haven't had a chance to interrogate Arael yet. So they don't know a thing, they just followed the boy. Either stay here and be in trouble with them or follow me.
She opens the door to the kitchen and disappears in a trap door.
"Well you brought enough of them with you lad, I see at least ten of the Knights out there. We are not leaving by the front door, unless they drag us out. That is if they let us live." Ozer finishes the the refill, "Drat you and your holier than thou talk. Come on folks, we best be going." Ozer pulls his sword free of it's scabard and moves towards the trap door waiting for the others to go through it first. He looks about for something he can barricade the door with after going down.
"It does seem that, 'not where the Dottari are' is a fine place to be." Ronwn moves to the cooking supplies, and starts to root through looking for some ingredients, which she starts to pile into a shallow pan.
"Hey Sparky -" indicating Maxis, "sulfur-and-pepper stink bomb, goes well with a trapdoor - keeps down both dogs and soldiers. Any good accelerants on you?"
As Janiven disappears down the trapdoor, "Janiven, what's down there? Tunnels, caverns, catacombs, or sewers? Where does it let out?"
Too late to back out now. I guess I wanted adventure..time to eat from the plate I've filled, I guess.
"Let me see what I've got." Maxis rummages through his pack for suitable ingredients. "Ah! this might help."
"Hope Janiven doesn't plan to come back to this inn for awhile. It might never smell the same. Heh heh."
After handing off a few dashes of powder and liquid, Maxis follows Janiven to the trap door.
"No going back now! If they catch any of us we'll never see the sun again. Let's go!"
Under any other circumstances, Shannon would have hit the sewers before anyone else and been well on his way to safety. But the sight of the approaching armored men hold him spellbound. A heat rises up through his neck. It is like has sewn needlepoint into the thread of his high, closed collar, a cold heat shearing away the flesh and muscle until it hits the spine and he collapses against the window frame like a marionette or the corpse of his mother when her head was hewn from her shoulders. His knees go weak. He falters, and Ozer might mistake the faint thud of his head against the wall between the window and the door as the makeshift barricade he is putting up.
Did she try to keep them out, too? Move one of her full-length mirrors in the way, only to have it come crashing down when their boots knocked the front doors down, giving her seven years of bad luck in the next three months of incarceration and interrogation?
Fueled by his moment of panic, the opera star focuses his concentration on the scenario, imagining the Tavern as the backstage and the armored men approaching from the forestage. Someone's hands patter on a leathery drumhead in the orchestra pit, attempting to mimic fleeing footfalls in an attempt to lure the attention of the armed men towards the audience and have them chase the sound offstage.
He does not wait to see the results of his subterfuge, and hoping he has purchased them all adequate time, scurries across the floor of the Inn towards the trapdoor.
Ronwn ensures that everyone is down the hatch before she enters. As she closes the hatch behind her, she leaves a pot of stinkbomb juice perched precariously on the top step of the ladder, so that when the trapdoor is opened again, the pot will fall and mix all the components together into a vile, stinky (but otherwise non-injurious) noisome cloud.
'It may just annoy them, or it may just give me a bit of satisfaction. But if they have tracking dogs, it may put them off any scent.'
Preparations complete, Ronwn hurries to catch up to the the rest of the group.
While at first it seemed as if the Hellknights would bash trough the door immediately, they seem to be delayed. This gives everyone the time to descend from the stairs that lead to the beer and wine cellar. It's a large space, with just a few barrels. Janiven moves to a floor-level cupboard, opens a secret door in the back of it and tells Morosino to crawl trough it. The young lad isn't hesitating, and almost jumps into it.
"Quickly, let's use every second of time we have gained. Morosino knows the way, it's a tunnel that leads to the sewers."
While you follow Morosino, Janiven further complicates matters for the Hellknights. She moves the few barrels in the room to the stairs, effectively barring the way. Then she puts a Tanglefoot bag on top of it, one that will fall as soon as the barrels are moved. While she is doing this, loud noises come from the tavern. It seems the sounds outside didn't keep them long. Janiven follows the last member of the group, into the tunnel.
Light is completely absent here, and it's only because Morosino continues to tell you which way to go, that you remain sure of where to go. The secret tunnel under Vizio’s Tavern is rough-hewn and leads down along a 20-foot-long, 5-foot-wide hallway to a simple wooden door. After Morosino opens it, you become aware of where you are by the stench that welcomes you. As the last one, Janiven bars this door as well with the wooden bar at the other side of it. Only now she lightens a sunrod, and you see a sewer tunnel running to the left and right. Everything about the sewers seems ancient, except for the smell. Janiven walks towards the crossing and starts investigating the walls. She pushes aside a rock near the entrance to reveal a small hollow in the wall and sighs in relief.
"Good, they're still here..." She turns towards you and gives each one of you three potions. "These will heal you in time of need. We will have no time to rest, shadow creatures come down here as well. We will move to our hiding place, in the Rego Sacero, we should be safe there. These markings, these small swords, will lead your way. The point is always leading to the safehouse. Arael and I made these marks a few months ago when we explored the sewers. We marked all the intersections so our people could find their way through the sewers to our hideout. Now that you know all this, I have a request for you..."
She hesitates for a moment. What she's about to say, clearly doesn't sit well...
"I would like to split up, so I can bring Morosino to safety. He is just a child and shouldn't be into danger like this. If I move ahead with him, we would be faster. But I do realise this brings you all in danger..."
Morosino starts to protest, as only a teenager would, but after a single intimidating glare of Janiven, he shuts his mouth.
"Would you be prepared to do this? I know I'm asking much, but you should all better be able to defend yourself as this child..."
"Good trick," Mazon grunts, eyeing the little swords. "I like it."
Her gaze swivels to Morosino, and her eyes narrow. "Obey Janiven," she says, her voice not quite a snarl. "She is your chief. If she is a good chief, you do as she says; you are not yet a grown man, she is more experienced."
The snarl turns into what might be an Orc smile. "Learn from good leaders to become a good man, and then you can advise her."
The Orcmaid pockets the potions and nods to Janiven. "I will go. If a shadow tries to attack, I will fight it. That is the whole reason I came to Westcrown." She turns back to the others but briefly. "You coming or not?"
Shannon takes the potions and pockets two of them, keeping one ready to quaff if necessary. Although Janiven tries to keep their attention and Mazon seems eager to break the teeth (and more) of anyone who gets in their way, Shannon's ears are trained on the path behind them and the Hellknights in lukewarm pursuit.
"Is there even anywhere-"
He starts to inquire as to whether anywhere is safe for Morosino to be spirited to, since he was spotted by Hellknights, but recalling the frailty of youth he chooses not to add any more cause for worry to the boy's mind.
"-that we wouldn't be prepared to face danger?" he rapidly corrects himself mid-sentence, creating an overall awkward sentiment laced with a dubious sort of courage. "If you think he is safer with you than with us, Miss Janiven, then by all means, hurry forward and we will try to catch up, keeping ourselves between the two of you and our pursuers. Though I have no wish to tangle with them, either."
Maxis covers his mouth on entering the sewer; the odor is overpowering to his finely tuned senses. the young halfling almost vomits more than once.
It's like every failed mixture I've ever made ended up here...wait...it probably DID...Milani's mercy, its....ugh...
"If we're curing Westcrown, I think I'll start with better anti-nausea medicine."
Maxis holds up one of the vials he receives for a few moments, as if gazing at the very particles that make up the liquid.
Oh, these'll come in handy.
On Janiven's suggestion, Maxis's eyes light up and he reaches into his pack, producing a vial of his own vermin repellant to hand to Janiven. "Here. It's not nearly as useful as a healing potion, but I don't like letting people walk away empty-handed in a deal. Besides, you might be glad you had it down here. Just apply to the skin and stay together. Most of the pests should keep their distance. Most."
Really wishing I had a cold right now...oohhhhh...
Ozer enters the sewer inhales the foul stench and expels the liquid contents of his stomach. After a brief moment of dry heaves and a deep settling breath, he wipes his mouth and chin on his sleeve. "I hate this place."
Janiven follows them out onto the stone walkway, reveals her stash of vials and her plan. Taking the vials from her he snarls, "Do not think that this gift will make me dislike you any less. You are playing with peoples lives, mine, theirs, and this boys. Get on with you, see to his safety. We will be fine. Just know that your meddling makes you no better than Queen Abrogail." Ozer spits phlegm and bile to the floor as he speaks the monarchs name.
He turns his back to their host, and digs his own sunrod out of his back and strikes it. Taking a moment he studies the Janiven's hideout mark. "We must go, and go quickly before something foul comes along to eat us." He hands the glowing rod to Maxis, "Stay close and follow me." He hoists his heavy shield up and with his bastard sword at the ready says, "Mazon stay to the back and make sure nothing sneaks up on us. Let move."
Ozer takes the lead and follows the symbols only stopping if Maxis doesn't follow with the sunrod.
Maxis keeps the sunrod held above his head, trying now to hold his nose instead. He Follows behind the swordsman, keeping eyes open in the direction not travelled, alert for ambush.
...But apparently his eyes sting from the fumes of the sewer...
Ronwn gives Janiven and Morosino a quick hug, saying quietly, "Godspeed and stay safe."
Observing her colleagues cope with the stenches of the sewers, Ronwn thinks to herself, 'Oh, oh my. I've got to get some of these shrinking violets up to the Fens. Granted this is a noxious reak, but vast stretches of the Fens are at least as pungent...' Shaking her head a bit, she reaches into her healers' kit and draws out a small vial of camphor. Offering it to each in turn, she demonstrates how to apply the unguent so the vapors blunt the sense of smell. She does not take any for herself.
She quietly accepts the healing draughts, and arranges them in a business-like fashion in her large waterproof bag. As the older sot (and fighting man) starts to bark out orders, Ronwn takes brief exception - then evaluates that they're probably quite sensible order, and she fall into line just ahead of Mazon, and moves out quickly with the broad group.
Mazon frowns at Ozer's back, but says nothing. She falls in at the group's back, her staff still in hand and her whole body language somehow... ready. The Orc waves away Ronwn's offer of the camphor, however.
"I grew up in an Orc tribe," she says, bluntly. "I have smelled as bad before. And worse. Besides, I must not dull my senses if I am to be the rear guard. Quiet time, now."
Maxis's relief at the application of the camphor is unmistakable. He tries to find a spot in the middle of the marching order.
Wish I'd known we'd be down here. Never had to use much of my mixtures for myself; I'd have brought something for this. I hope they've got a safe hideout down here; the sun's probably down soon, if not already. Looks like this...swordsman? Knows what he's doing; maybe he really was someone great? I hope s-whoa!
Maxis's pondering is interrupted when he almost trips over a loose piece of rubble. Ok, time to calm down and watch where you're going, Maxis.
Mazon casually reaches out, grabs Maxis by the scruff of his neck and hoists him up on her shoulders.
"You keep lookout," she says. "And have better elevation to throw things. Halflings are good at throwing things that hurt."
The Orc grins at the prospect.
Shannon's adrenaline coursed like a dulling fire through his veins. He hadn't noticed the stench of the sewer even until Ronwn offers the camphor, but he applies it with petite dabs upon his upper lip, taking that moment to give her a grateful nod. As he hands the vial back, he asks, intimately, "Now that we flee shoulder to shoulder through Westcrown's sewers, have I earned the lady's name? Even if it is one fit only for the stage?"
As the group moves forward, Shannon at first wants to stick close to the safety of the center and Maxis' light from the top of Mazon's shoulders, but then he debates whether Ozer is sober enough to spy the arrows they're looking for, so he moves up behind their fearless leader and keeps his eyes peeled for the arrows Janiven had pointed out.
Janiven nods to you all with a grateful smile. "Thank you. I will not forget this, you're all good people. Including the drunk. We'll meet you at the Safehouse. Come on Morosino, let's go."
You follow Janiven trough the sewers of Westcrown and at first, it seems like the two groups move at an equal speed. But after the next corner, you realise why Janiven asked to split up: the path goes trough a rusty gate, half broken but still strong enough to resist a grown man from pushing it down or destroying it completely. First Janiven goes trough, then she helps Morosino. She keeps her thumb up as a good luck for the adventurers, and swiftly moves. She disappears in the dark as the party slowly moves trough the rusty gate.
You go into the direction where you saw Janiven disappear, untill you reach a crossroad. You can't find a sign right away. There is a tunnel to the left that seems to be a bit smaller and darker as the one you're currently in. The other option is to continue the current tunnel, but you already see a large gate that might block the way.
While Janiven and Morosino spend their time squeezing through the rusted iron gate, Shannon squants down and, removing a kerchief from a side pocket, picks up the hilt of the broken dagger. Since he has some time, he assembles the bloodied pieces into the strangely shaped dagger on the sewer floor. It is a grim reminder of the danger in the sewers. "It is signs like this that make me realize," he reflects aloud to them, in a moment of grim clarity as he pieces the sign of someone's probable last stand together, "that even though you are all strangers to me, I'm grateful for the company. Very grateful."
Mazon's eyes narrow as she stops moving forward and regards the dagger in Shannon's hand. "Blood," she says. "Is it fresh?"
"I don't think anyone would have any good reason to come down here alone. If not for our circumstances, I don't think I'd find a reason to come down here EVER."
And Milani forbid I ever have to again....ugh.
"Anyone see any more of the sword markings? I was pretty sure we'd followed them..."
Then again, it is a hideout. They're probably some space apart to make sure at least SOME people can't find it...
"Rat-catchers," Mazon corrects Maxis. "Sewer maintenance-men. Criminals hiding from the law. Good eating. Steady work. Safe hiding and travel. Good sewer."
In response to Shannon's heartfelt sentiment, she just pats his shoulder.
Ozer stands impatient as the others lolly gag about with daggers and sentiments. "Come on, the Hell Knights will not be help up long, and there are other dangers that lurk down here. We must move or we are as good as dead." He turns and leads the others down the tunnel, keeping an eye out for danger as he scouts for the trail markers to the safe house.
"Other dangers may be closer than you think," Mazon says, pointing at the broken dagger. "Time for you to walk in back and carry the bomber. Let me go in front; I can see in the dark better than you can, without light."
Lacking the combat sense to know exactly what constitutes "fresh blood" (still warm? still wet? still with a sharp coppery aroma?), Shannon offers the pieces of the broken blade to Mazon so she can make her assessment.
And then, provided she swaps places with Ozer, follows behind her, eyes still peeled for directional signs.
Bomber? I never thought I'd have to use these as weapons...I guess I'll be getting in some field testing whether I like it or not...
From the tunnel to the left, two rats are coming into your direction. They don't stop or turn around, they just keep running and disappear into the tunnel you came from.
"Danger near," Mazon snarls, her stance shifting slightly as she jabs her staff through her pack's straps and unslings what looks like a knife on a chain. "From the left!"
Spooked by Mazon's announcement, Shannon takes cover around a corner from the open sewer entrance the rats came from.
"those rats are huge. I wonder what they've been eating down here..." hope it's nothing too mutagenic. "Oh hey!" Maxis points at the bloody sign on the floor. "There's the next marker. Pointed straight towards that gate. Let's hurry before anything worse comes along."
Ozer watches as the rats scurry past curious if they run from something else, "Keep alert, they could be running from something they fear more than us, or they just do not fear us." Blade at the ready and shield held high he takes a steep towards the leftward passage peering into the darkness and listening for what, if anything, spooked the rats.
From the same tunnel as the rats, an insectoid creature appears. This scuttling thing looks at first glance like a colorful, animate blob of slime, but its thin insectoid legs and eyestalks suggest it is a more advanced creature. Its antennae-like appendages wave about curiously, and its multiple legs carry forth its transparent, hand-sized body at a surprisingly swift scuttle. The creature is not alone, soon 8 of them are coming your way.
Ozer:
Mazon:
Ronwn:
Maxis:
Shannon:
Creature1:
Creature2:
Creature3:
Creature4:
Creature5:
Creature6:
Creature7:
Creature8:
Map
1. Creature8
2. Creature7
3. Ozer
4. Creature1
5. Mazon
6. Maxis
7. Shannon
8. Ronwn
9. Creature2
10. Creature3
11. Creature4
12. Creature5
13. Creature6
The creatures don't seem to be as afraid as the rats, they come your way directly. And they're not fleeing.
1. Creature8 moves 3 squares to the west.
2. Creature7 moves 3 squares to the west.
"Bugs," Mazon says, wrinkling her nose. "Sewer bugs. Not worth our time. Let them fight the Hellknights."
Far too focused on the torbles oozing towards them, Shannon isn't interested in anything beyond them.
"Torbles, to be exact. Their bite stings like lemon on an open sore."
"Pull back, we don't need to waste time here."
"I think I've read about these things. As long as we don't get in their path, they should leave us alone...I hope. Let's get through that gate and try not to appear threatening." Or tasty...
Maxis does his best to move to, and possibly through, the gate, at the least trying to keep the burlier combatants between him and the creatures.
Mazon follows after Shannon without wasting another word on the 'sewer bugs'. She only pauses briefly to pick up Maxis again, once they are both on the other side of the gate.
"Yes indeed - let's leave these for any pursuers. There's no benefit in confronting them. In fact..."
Ronwn roots briefly in her bagt, and pulls out some jerky. She tosses it behind them, in the path they just traveled.
"Perhaps they'll linger on our backtrail if we leave them some encouragement."
The insects seem to doubt for a moment when they see the size of the group they were about to face. They don't come closer as the point the two bravest of their comrades went first. When Ronwn throws meat in the area they came from they wait untill the party moves out of the way, then they move towards the jerky. As soon as they start eating from it, the color of their body changes and takes the exact colour of the meat.
Just before the gate, on the right side you discover a door and a silver sword above it. Behind the gate, the tunnel continues for another 50 ft and then turns left.
If you squeeze trough the gate and take a few steps, you become aware of the penetrating odor of rotting garbage. Even if you started to get used to the smell of the sewers, this one is overwhelming you.
Even with the application of the camphor earlier, Maxis still makes a face at the renewed putridity of the area.
"Gods above...maybe we need to inspire Westcrown to find a better way to dispose of our waste. Hard to even breathe with this unholy stench."
"Big creature, coming around the corner!" Mazon barks. "Weapons at the ready, or whatever you use!"
Shannon's instinctual reaction to "big creature coming!" is to find a place to hide. He starts to grab for the door in the wall, and then looks at the sword, and instead reaches up tentatively to see if it can be taken down, worried that it is perched precariously and could fall and hurt someone if they have to get away through the door.