The group does not know what the alchemist might have been working on.
Anyway, there is little other thing to do but to go forward east through the major channel, and so, the party does once recovered from the fight. After fifteen minutes walking...
Ahead is a junction where a smaller sewer line once joined the main passage. The ceiling of the smaller passage partially collapsed, filling most of that tunnel with rubble. The surface of the rubble pile seems to shift strangely and closer examination reveals thousands of tiny vermin fleeing into cracks and shadows.
The rest of the ceiling is sure, it is not going to collapse further.
A hollow point in the ceiling above the rubble could present a bigger danger as it traps sewer gas. It should be save as long as you do not approach a torch or other fire source.
Although the stones block the tunnel, some sewage does manage to trickle through.
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Coming from a family of dwarven engineers, the structure of the tunnel shouldn't be as puzzling to Strom as it apparently is. It must be because of human engineering. So shabby compared to dwarven engineering.
Either way, Strom is glad his companions could make sense of it.
"Aye, let's disarm it and then burn them to damnation!"
When Hrothman approaches to have a closer check on the point of gas the spiders below get agitated, more and more start to gather. The half-orc attempts to secure the gas while Strom approaches. He fails, but fortunately he does not trigger the gas pouch.
The spiders though have organized and a myriad of them get out of the rubble covering most of the walkway and approaching Hrothman dangerously!
This is a spider swarm. They are diminutive, which means only area spells, splash weapons and similar can deal damage to them.
They are poisonous and distracting.
Hrotman and Strom retreat while Terval prepares an acid flask to throw at the spiders.
Brand steps towards the halfling and retrieves one of the flasks too.
The spiders start to advance through the walkway, and when they are almost to reach Strom, Terval tosses one acid flask that burst burning away some of them and splashing on the one following behind.
The despicable vermin start crawling up Hrothman's and Strom's legs!
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"Lets retreat once more and pepper them with Alchemists fire this time. We should be far enough to avoid blasting up the tunnel."
Tetrval retreats backwards and readies one of the alchemists fires. He throws it at the swarm as soon as Strom and Hrothman have retreated far enough to be at a save distance.
With the others retreating, Terval and Brand have a clear path to throw their alchemicals.
Both acid and fire burst around the spiders that quickly disperse. Fortunately it seems the fire does not trigger the gas bag.
Still the rubble in the junction is still there, with the danger of the gas too. You will need to jump over the minor channel to continue walking to the east avoiding to use any fire in the area. Or Hrothman can try to disable the gas bag once more. You could also avoid jumping and explore the pipe to the north.
This time Hrothman skillfully blocks the pocket of gas. With the water current the remaining gas slowly disperses rending the place not dangerous.
You set foot into the side tunnel trying to endure the mixed stench to rooting food and rancid humidity. Your light pushes back the darkness as you file up the minor sewer line to the north for half-mile. Then, the tunnel abruptly ends at a nexus of pipes, the largest of which is only one foot in diameter.
It becomes obvious that the prince came from the intact tunnel when he floated by this point.
Tracing your way back to the previous junction, you come back to the main tunnel and start walking east. Soon you reach another intersection where a minor sewer line flows into the main line from the south. Graffiti covers much of the walls here, most of it simple drawings. Prominent among them is a large stylized drawing of a wyvern in shiny gray paint. Also among them is an image of a skull crawling with bugs and an arrow pointing back to the west from where you came.
The Graffiti clearly means that the Steel Wyvern’s claim this territory.
Another graffiti is the representation of a beggar’s bowl holding a coin and a key with an arrow pointing to the south. Underneath the picture of the bowl is the word “Almsman.”
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"He specifically said he passed the Almsman, so I imagine south is our route?" it's a bit more of a question than statement, as Brand is not typically comfortable in the role of decision-maker. After answering, he looks down at the cards he's shuffling and waits for someone else to decide if they'll follow his insight or not.
As most of the group think the south is the best direction, there is were the Pathfinders head to.
After a couple of miles walking through the dark corridor and enduring the stench, the tunnel turns again towards the east. Finding another similar graffiti, you press on resolved, avoiding another minor tunnel.
Ahead a faint light glimmers in the dark. Slowly it resolves into a crude lantern held by a toothless old beggar who holds a chair leg in his other hand. Beside him stands a scrawny youth, similarly armed but obviously terrified. Behind the two derelicts is an open door bearing the symbol of the beggar’s bowl, coin, and key.
The old man eyes at you warily as you approach. He speaks up with a rusty and unsteady voice "If yer intentions be peaceful, Abadar makes you welcome."
Although the two men try to put on a brave face, they pose absolutely no threat. If attacked, they will probably flee for their lives.
The beggars look at each other and whisper something, then back at you "You are no beggars, but you do not look like Steel Wyverns either. I suppose you can pass..."
Beyond the door, a short flight of steps leads up into what appears to be the basement crypt of a church of Abadar. Perhaps two dozen beggars huddle among sarcophagi, some sleeping, some haggling over bits of junk or scraps of food laid out on blankets.
A tall man in clean robes wearing a plain copper mask walks among them. As you enter he regards you coolly and says, "If you respect this sanctuary, I offer you what sanctuary I can. Otherwise, begone!"
You spot at least three of the beggars laying down are ill. An Osirian man with tattoos of a shepherd's crook on his right wrist and a threshing flail on his left wrist. The other two seem native from Andoran.
[ooc]DC >14
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"We do respect your sanctuary father. We are merely passing through."
"One of our man came by your place in the last few days while fleeing down this tunnels. Have you or one of your man noticed him or anybody else coming down from further down these tunnels"
When he sees the ill men he talks to the Priest. "These man seem seriously ill. This looks like Filth Fever to me. They aren't looking well . Do you need any help?"
The Almsman tone is visibly calmer when he answers you "I will need you to be more specific about who you are looking for. Many beggars and other people come and go through my place. We are a large community who coordinate efforts on different locations to maximize their profits as Abadar commands. Some people come by and then we never again see them, so... whom are you looking for?"
The masked man looks at those ill "We would certainly need help with those ill. The illness surpass the power of my prayers. But we have to solve our money issue before we can pay for a solution to them"
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When Leena mentions the alchemist, Terval replies:"Yes you are right there was something."
Then he start rummaging through his backpack until he draws forward the Flasks of Filth Fever Tonic. "I think the Silver chains gang asks for your forgiveness and has decided to donate these to your worthy cause. Although I assume that change of mind might only be temporary." He then gives 3 of the bottles to Almsman.
"As for the man we spoke of, it might have been that hew only drifted past outside, but that was not clearly to understand as he is very ill right now."
"There are many bald beggars, and it is not rare for the better standing to hate them to the point of wanting to burn them down and doing it... don't you have a name?" the Almsman goes silent when Terval shows the tonic "The silver chains? Have you... stole a remedy from the Steel Wyverns?"
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"Well we had a small misunderstanding with them on our way through their territory, which left them with 3 fewer gang members. We also decided, that in order to make amend for the trouble they caused us they would donate their loot to our expedition. But if this bothers we can just refill the remedy into something else so that nobdy knows it belonged to them."
The copper mask makes it difficult to tell out the reaction of the Almsman, but after some seconds he does answer "I know where “Prince” Gandros dwels, but..."
The man turns towards Terval and Brand "So you defeated 3 of the Steel Wyverns... If you are that able combatants, we might come to an agreement here. Abadar teaches us help must not be provided if it is not in a way that motivates to provide something back, so society improves by collaboration. We have a problem with the Steel Wyverns, if you help us, I will share with you where Gandros lives"
"As I told you before, we coordinate here the work of the beggars and distribute the coin for better profit. Regretfully, most of the profit is taken by the Steel Wyverns for “protection”. I am in a fairly desperate situation. The Steel Wyverns are demanding a higher tribute than I can afford. They want me to steal from the temple above or give them access to it so they can steal from it" the man negates with the head and negates determined "I refuse to it. But they have warned me that they will destroy this sanctuary and beat anyone within it senseless if I do not pay."
"I swore a personal vow not to ever take up arms, but organized my workforce into resistance anyway. We are probably going to be beaten hard, but... if you were already able to kill some of those brigands... there is hope... What do you say, do we have a deal?" the man extends his hands openly, showing he has nothing else to hide.
You do think the Almsman tells the truth.