Kenan shrugs and nods at the words of Halstram then shakes his head at the end. "May we have a quiet word away from the others."
** spoiler omitted **
Kenan:
He draws a deep breath and speaks more slowly, "It was my understanding that your party would approach the hospital tomorrow morning. So that you will have a free hand, I have been altering the patrol routes so that no Guards will be nearby except a trusted few under my command. I will take the matter up with the Marshal and urge her to follow your advice. "
"Return at dawn with Vander and if the Marshal so determines we will transfer Treadle into your custody. I can do no more. I am sorry."
Kenan bows his head and leaves, thanking the Guard and Donia for their time. Then he travels back to the party.
Kenan explains that the Guard will be pulled off this area tomorrow morning and that Halstram has agreed to let them borrow an old woman from jail. A burglar who used to use the sewers and may be able to get us in under the warehouse, if things haven't changed. Her name is Donia Treadle.
"I be happy to get her if'n you wish to use her skills? Its a stretch but she may offer a fine way to come at this cult. Might not of course but them is the lucks."
"I'll go for that," Emerion nods eagerly.
What Heather wants Majenko to do is roost on the building a little to see if he picks up any stray thoughts.
Morning, 14 Neth.
It was cold dinner last night with the Fireday remembrance.
The three day 24 hour curfew continues today. The streets are deserted, but through the windows you can see that people have rekindled their fires.
Good to his word, at dawn Halstam waits at the Citadel with the manacled Donia Treadle. She is a skinny, grey-haired, unhealthily pale woman. Halstam has dark circles under his eyes and moves with a languidness that bespeaks a lack of sleep.
Nevertheless, on your approach, he greets you with a smile. Speaking softly he says, "I have routed this morning's patrols away from the hospital. Of course I have no control of the Physician's escorts, but once they have left they seldom return to the hospital until late afternoon. With the curfew you won't have to worry about civilians blundering in. You should have an entirely clear field. Inside the hospital a watch of eight Grey Maidens changed at midnight. I don't know if that is all of them inside. Davaulus has not yet arrived. I'm told he seldom leaves Castle Korvosa until the second bell."
He addresses Jeorik, "At Kenan's request I've secured the temporary release of Donia Treadle. Whether or not you take her is up to you. If you take her, watch her carefully. She's a sly one."
Kenan steps up and smiles at Halstram. He reaches into his side pouch and pulls out a small packet of camomile, palming into shaking the soldier's hand. "Cup of tea often helps those with lots to be done."
"Donia, I be thinking that you can help me. Sir, can you spare one or two guards to hold her while we enter the warehouse? You know I will take responsibility for her return but can't be doing that when we go inside. May be busy, don't you know."
"Donia this is ...." he introduces her to the rest and again mentions her specialism in robbing houses from the sewers, trying to make it sound like a positive.
"Donia, the reason many men stopped keeping their strong boxes in their cellars," Emerion grins at her. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady."
Heather regards the woman with a leery eye.As a member of the Merchant Nobility robbers and burglars should be anathema to her.However the sorry state this woman is in does make her have a little sympathy for her.She is, after all, merely a product of the malaise affecting Korvosa from the top down.
Halstam accepts Kenan's gift. "Thank you. I will try it very soon."
Under the party's scrutiny, Donia ducks her head and plucks at her grey state-issued shift to pull it up around her neck. Despite Emerion's gallantry, she seems unhappy, nervous, and cowed.
Halstam motions to a squad of guards. "These are my men. We will wait nearby in case you need backup. There's a sewer entrance two blocks over from the hospital. It's the closest one that isn't in the sight. Shall we be off?"
"Is the plan to go in through the sewers now?" Jeorik says as things are explained to him, "I thought we were going through the front door in order to question our suspect? Do we want to split up with some going in from below and some from above? Of course that might make things more complicated in the long run..."
"We go together," Emerion declares firmly. "If these are cultists we face not ordinary men but priests of a foul deity. This will be dangerous in the extreme."
"I agree with Emerion. When dealing with the foulness of the Pallid Princess, it's wise to stay unified against the horrors she can unleash through the power of her followers...both the living and the dead."
"However, understanding our options...both for coming and going from this place...seems reasonable as well. In the Cinderlands, my people would often scout all the approaches and possibilities to a problem, whether hunting or driving out intruders."
"We can take a look in the sewers and then decide which way is better." Kenan smiles happy with either plan.
"We'll see what Majenko can tell us," Emerion nods agreement.
Heather bites her lip nervously."We'd better get this right..there won't be a second chance"
The party and Halstam's squad pass the hospital on their way to the sewer entrance. Majenko swoops down and perches on Heather's shoulder. He does not scream mental greeting to all and sundry.
Heather:
Good morning. I've been very busy listening at the building and looking around.
First off, there are no roof entrances. I remember Emerion wanting to look into that.
Second, there's a lot of people inside. Most of them sound weak or fuzzy, but it they still make a racket. Someone brought rabbit stew for lunch. It's going to be really good....
With an effort he gathers himself and returns to the task at hand.
A couple of them are waiting for Doctor Davaulus. A few are cleaning up and feeding people. It's a thin gruel today, and not very good. No one likes it. The oatmeal is better. Sometimes it has raisins. Nasty dry little raisins, but better than nothing.
Ohh. Sorry.
There's some guards too. Most of them are bored already and can't wait for the shift to end. One of them has a sick sister at home. She wouldn't bring her here to save her life. Mental giggle. Funny that.
"True Heather, very true."
Despite herself Heather can't help but grin at her friends obsession with food.
That's all very interesting Majenko but was there anything wrong about anything you 'heard'..was anyone thinking about doing bad things
Majenko squirms on Heather's shoulder. His claws sink deeply into her padded clothing.
Heather:
Observing as you pass the hospital you can plainly see its heritage as a warehouse. The blocky building is two stories tall and heavily constructed, wood frame over a brick ground floor. Behind the broad banner proclaiming this the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden , you can make out the tops of the letters of the old sign, ARKONA IMPORTS.
Another block and a half brings you to a large metal plug in the center of an intersection. Two of Halstam's men position an odd contraption they've been carrying over the plug. It's like a short pedestal with three pins in the bottom with a long beam across the top. The pins drop into holes in the plug and the men walk around the plug pushing the beam ahead of them. A couple rotations and the plug is free. A third man peers through a hole in the exposed side of the plug. "Looks clear." He inserts a crowbar and pries the plug free of the hole. The hole drops about 10 feet. Bricks protrude from the wall near the hole providing a ladder.
Halstam looks at you all expectantly. "Who's going down?"
"I'll go first," Emerion strikes a sunrod and checks as much as possible the descent is clear before climbing carefully down. Once on the ground he readies his blade and ensures the coast is clear before indicating to the rest to descend.
Perception:
"I'll be following the lovely Donia down." Kenan gets ready to descend somewhere in the middle of the group.
"Majenko says that theres a madwoman waiting to see Davaulus..other than that he hasn't picked up anything suspicious"
Glad again that she is dressed somewhat mannishly she begins a careful descent into the tunnels her nose wrinkling instinctivly.
Istas waits with Jeorik until the others have descended, keeping watch with the Guard while staring back in the direction of the hospital. She mentally steels herself for the trials to come, for she can't help shake the feeling that Pharasma is leading her to an important crossroads in her destiny.
'All those dreams mean something,' she tells herself, 'It's time to follow this river over the falls and see where it leads. And though the plunge may take me into a deep, dark pool, I vow to persevere until I break the surface again and find a brighter day free of Urgathoa's taint.'
Once it's her turn to climb down, she nods solemnly at the guardsmen. "Thank you again," she tells them, "And may your future path be blessed." Then, she hoists her grandfather's spear and make's ready to descend into the sewers. The odor isn't nearly so bad to the stoic Shoanti as the others. She'd smelled worse on the carrion stench of the dead.
A heel deep layer of "mud" squelches under Emerion's feet as he steps away from the ladder. The stonework walls arch in overhead in a smooth curve. A narrow walkway runs along each side of the tunnel. In the middle, a few inches lower the by-products of the city flow sluggishly toward the river. Down the tunnels narrow shafts of light from street drains provide occasional dim illumination.
Donia asks Kenan, "You wouldn't undo the handcuffs so an old woman could climb down safely would you?"
As Heather descends Majenko perches at the edge of the hole and keens softly.
Heather:
Like the street above, the sewers are an intersection in this spot, an underground crossroads. Donia looks around. She moves to the front of the group. Then she starts east toward the river. The hospice lies to the south.
"No, me darling. I know I look stupid but being told you is a slippery eel and promising to keep you nice and close makes my manners second place. You get the pleasure of wearing the "Guard's Jewellery" longer."
The street healer helps her down by leading the way a little.
Prior to descending:
"No, me darling. I know I look stupid but being told you is a slippery eel and promising to keep you nice and close makes my manners second place. You get the pleasure of wearing the "Guard's Jewellery" longer."
The street healer helps her down by leading the way a little.
Donia shrugs as if she expected no differently and climbs down the ladder.
"It's alright"Heather thinks to the Pseudodragon "You go listen and we'll be back soon"
"What an interesting smell you've discovered" she comments to Keenan.."I do hope this doesn't turn out to be a wild goose chase"
"Geese down here? No milady, they fly not swim. And its Kenan, Keenan was me uncle. Apologies for the chatter everyone, guess I'm not used to doing this with so many unknowns. Hopefully we will find a way in...Donia you are up now." He looks at the old lady expectantly.
Donia hikes up the hem of her long skirt as she walks eastward. She continues all the way to the river. A heavy grate covers the exit of the tunnel. She gazes at Trails' End on the far shore, then turns around and takes the first left, finally headed south.
This tunnel is smaller, with a walkway on only one side of the flow and such a low ceiling that you must stoop as you walk. The smell is no less intense.
Drainpipes periodically pierce the wall. As you pass, one gurgles slightly. Donia stumbles and stops. She asks if she could hold the sunrod. It would make walking easier.
Today's lucky number
Intelligence check DC12:
Intelligence check:
Emerion strikes a second rod and passes it to her, deftly holding himself away from the potential outflow of effluvia.
He prepares to help Donia out the way, "watch fer spillages madam Donia. And you Heather. Wouldn't want you smelling something fierce just yet."
Intelligence:
Jeorik moves along with the rest of the group, an arrow at the ready on his bow. As the pipe gurgles he makes sure to move far out of the way of any potential "water" which might flow out.
"Remind me again why we are doing this and not just bluffing our way in through the front door?" Heather whispers to Emerion
"Bluffing our way in may not work if all the doctors are cultists and all the guards are Grey Maidens. Our own guards would be left at the door, and the 'doctors' may not know the correct password once inside. Besides, while it is less elegant, this way is much more fun!"
Emerion gives an incorrigible grin.
The pipe splutters, then there is a rush of muddy fluid and a few plops of more solid matter that miss the party. Donia's mouth curls down in disappointment as she takes the sunrod and moves on.
An hour later you've been back and forth, crisscrossing the sewers. When the party has seen light or the river through grates or drains, Donia has often stared long at it. The old woman stops and looks back at the party. "Three sides we've checked. The west side I don't expect to to find nothing. It's a big road and mostly it's other main lines that feed it. Vault divers call it the Grand Allee. But it's dangerous. The big otyughs use it 'cause there's plenty of food passing through and they don't have to move much. Others use it too. So stay alert. "
Stepping into the new tunnel, she turns right. This tunnel is indeed bigger. The channel is a man's height wide, the walkways on either side are broad enough to walk three abreast with room to spare.
Emerion moves very lightly, on full alert for the predators.
Perception:
Stealth:
Istas hurries along with the others, eager to leave the sewers behind...less because of the smell and more because of the opportunity to finally trace the root cause of bloodveil back to the cult of Urgathoa that spawned it. Her hand keeps a strong grip on both her shield and spear.
Kenan haa a quick word with the three guards, "of course Captain Halstram asked you to help us. You are to guard Donia here in the event of danger, we will be protecting you three. Don't worry I think we can handle a few big rats like an otyugh, whatever that is."
He resumes his position and pulls out his rapier, swishing it a few times to practice for the coming fight.
"You know there are stories of a massive, ultra intelligent, albino Otyugh down here in the sewers who rules over an an empire of the underways..it's all guff off course but you could almost believe it if you spent long enough down here"
"Oh, those aren't rumors..." Istas deadpans and then grins in the dark silence that follows.
Donia moves into the main tunnel and the party follows. As the last of you clears the turn, light and the sound of running footsteps comes from the north.
I'm happy for Emerion to be wherever he's needed, but as this is a stealth situation up close to the front seems like the best place to me.
To be read after the encounter:
Kenan keeps near Donia, watching and waiting for her instructions. "This Grand Allee sounds good fun."
Jeorik will take move just behind Emerion as support, bow at the ready.
About one hundred feet down the tunnel, three figures round a corner . In front is a tall rangy man; behind him, an older woman carrying a torch ; bringing up the rear, a thin wiry male. They skid to a stop. "The Guard!"
The tall man holds a rapier with a big belled hilt. The old woman has a rather out-sized dagger. The second man has a bow.
They are across the channel.
Marching order, front to back. Advise if you want to change it.
Donia, Emerion
Guard1, Jeorik
Guard2, Kenan
Heather, Istas
Guard3
OK.