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Ambrus Valsin leans forward, carefully placing his elbows between papers piled atop the desk. “For an organization as far-reaching as the Pathfinder Society, alliances are common, but true allies are rare. Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng asserts that a kobold tribe known as the Sewer Dragons are among our greatest allies. He inducted a number of them into the Lodge as Pathfinders and sponsored the training of a great deal more.”
“A few weeks ago, a clockwork drill dug its way deep underground from the city streets, passing right through the Sewer Dragons’ territory and releasing beasts from below. There were casualties, but with our help, the Sewer Dragons survived intact. Their home didn’t.”
“Dreng’s been helping the Sewer Dragons relocate. He was scheduled to meet with them this morning, but he never showed. While the Sewer Dragons were waiting, they witnessed a battle between two figures. Apparently, the combatants were so powerful, the kobolds just stared in shock. The fight ended with the figures merging into one cloaked being with a gleaming red eye. Then the merged figure vanished."
“Dreng hasn’t turned up, the kobolds are spooked, and this merged figure makes me nervous. I’m sending you to meet with the Sewer Dragons. They’ll guide you to the meeting site where the figures fought. Investigate the site and follow up on any leads you uncover. Find out everything you can about this merged figure—and speaking of leads, the figure dropped this bag as they fled. What do you make of its contents?”
Ambrus shoves aside a pile of papers he was sifting through and passes a small leather bag containing a coin and a badge over to you. The coin is heavy and unevenly minted. One side depicts a lightning bolt piercing a storm cloud, while the other depicts an angular rune. The badge is easily recognizable as a badge of Absalom’s city guard, with the words “Sleepless Suns” engraved in the side.
Ulfgar and Krazza know the storm cloud and rune are both symbols of Urxehl, demon lord of catastrophe and natural disasters and creator of the first trolls.
Ida knows the Sleepless Suns are the guard force of the Foreign Quarter, led by Shristi Melipdra. They embrace cultural diversity and personal individuality and number among the most respected and prestigious precincts in Absalom. Many members compete in the Irorium, a famous combat arena in the Foreign Quarter.
“When you’re done in the sewers, come back to the Foreign Quarter and visit Shristi Melipdra of the Sleepless Suns. See if he can offer you some insight. Understood?” Ambrus leans back in Dreng’s rickety chair, which creaks under his weight.
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"Dangs, those poor kobolds just can't catch a breaks," remarks a small, stumpy goblin with skin the color of an old bruise. "Firsts their home gets smashed and nows this? And I's used to thinks I's had it rough!"
The goblin hops up from her seat and stretches much like a cat would. "But that's okays. We's gonna fix it! Well, maybes not the part about the homes getting smashed, but we's gonna fix this other problem for sures!"
"Oh. I's Pooka, by the ways. Nice to meets you," she adds, fully turning her attention to the rest of her fellow agents. "I's does a little of everythings. Fights, magiks, sings, makes drinks. All that good stuffs."
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"Sounds like they could use a bit of my expertise," says the elderly halfling woman cheerfully. She pats the heavy pack she lugged into the room, "Although it presents a difficulty. I never leave home without my cookware, but it's just too much! I'll never keep up carrying it. I'll have to leave it at the lodge--unless one of you youngsters and tallfolks have some spare room in your packs to help me out? It's not integral, I admit, but I promise it will be missed."
Double-checking that everyone present is supplied with a cookie, she gives a short bow. "Ida Tappleby, or 'Grandma Ida' to some. I never did anything this exciting when I was younger! Been a simple cook all my life, but one day I made soup that was a little too spicy and it ended up burning down a barn and saving the town. I started experimenting a little and it's all snowballed from there. The last kobolds I met were none too friendly, so I'm eager to meet these Sewer Dragons. I try to keep well-supplied with treats, though don't take without asking because some of 'em have a little extra pep."
She returns to her seat before looking up again and adding brightly, "And if any of you need some poison, you just let me know."
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You see a fair-skinned female half-elf, with long red hair under a tricorn hat. She wears a black sailor’s outfit, and has a dagger and hand crossbow at her hip.
“Good day t’ye”, she says, doffing her hat. ”Black Molly’s the name. I’ll be bringin’ support from Davy Jones’ locker”
She nods at Ida. ”You’re a little firecracker, ain’t’cha Gran? You’ll have ta tell us sometime how burnin’ down a barn saved a town!”
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"I'ds like to hear that stories too," Pooka agrees, looking at Grandma Ida with a mixture of awe and respect as she munches on the gifted cookie. "Fires automatically make a story, like, ten times coolers!"
She then turns to Black Molly, expression curious. "Ares you a pirate? Because pirates make stories coolers too, you know."
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Gathering your belongings you enter Absalom’s sewers through a well-used sewer grate outside the Grand Lodge. From here, it’s a 15-minute journey to Sewer Dragons territory.
The sewers are crisscrossed by abandoned catacombs, handmade tunnels, and smuggler’s caches, making Absalom’s underground a twisting maze. Navigating this complex network typically requires great skill or an experienced guide, but the route from the Grand Lodge to the Sewer Dragons is well-labeled and free of danger.
The entire area is dark, illuminated by only rare slivers of light creeping in via sewer grates and drainage channels. Most tunnels are 10 feet tall, with 5-footwide walkways on both sides of the 5-foot-wide central sewage channel, though the path is interspersed with narrow, rough-hewn passages cut through the walls. The stench of sewage is overwhelming though!
As you enter Sewer Dragon territory, a drill-bored tunnel pierces the ceiling and floor, funneling sewage deep underground. Heaps of rubble from recent collapses partially block the path, and newly erected wooden supports in weakened sections prevent further cave-ins. Despite the mess, it’s obvious the kobolds have worked to clear a path through the rubble. From here, it takes only a few minutes to reach the Sewer Dragons’ base of operations.
The Sewer Dragons long ago outgrew the long-abandoned underground theater they lived in previously; from there, they’ve expanded their territory into multiple hand-hewn caverns and tunnels. Thanks to the drill, both the theater and surrounding expansions have partially collapsed, the floor now littered with mounds of rock, wood, and masonry. Kobolds bustle by, clearing away rocks and hauling debris and broken belongings into a pile. Some kobolds pick through this refuse, repurposing and repairing what they can, while others erect wooden supports and scaffolding. A blue-scaled kobold, Dragon-Speaker Engashez, stands onstage, surrounded by kobold youths. Engashez beats a drum and regales the children with tales of the hardships the Sewer Dragons have faced and their triumphs over such adversity.
As you enter the Sewer Dragons’ home, kobolds point and chatter. A moment later, the blue-scaled kobold pounds their drum, proclaiming in draconic “Pathfinders! Alert Chief Yiddlepode!” Drawn by the commotion, a trio of kobolds arrive from a side tunnel. These kobolds are Chief Yiddlepode, a green-scaled kobold with a fine blue cloak; Trapmaster Tok, a copper-scaled alchemist and brother of Chief Yiddlepode; and Pethjun, a white-scaled kobold with a gem-encrusted metal circlet, gleaming rapier, and bombastic attitude. As the trio approach, the surrounding kobolds return to their duties.
“Greetings, Pathfinders,” Chief Yiddlepode remarks with an incline of her head and a flourish of her fine cloak. “You see our sorrow? The glorious lair of the Sewer Dragons is no more.”
Trapmaster Tok nods. “We could rebuild, but that cursed drill rendered this entire region unstable. We must start fresh elsewhere.”
“Plans are already in motion, brother. One of many reasons why Drandle’s disappearance is so disheartening,” Chief Yiddlepode replies, before turning to you. “But you’ve come to see the meeting site, yes? Ambrus said he would send a team to investigate. I’ll guide you to the place we were to meet Drandle Dreng. Perhaps you’ll find clues that we missed.”
Turning to the assembled kobolds, Chief Yiddlepode announces, “Pethjun, with me—bring a platoon of your warriors. Trapmaster Tok, you’re in charge until I return. Be safe, brother.”
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A blue scaled kobold quickly scampers into the room as introductions are being made, huffing as he catches his breath.
"These towns are mazes filled with too tall folk and too big roads. The Dragons need help...and two more have shown up just to do that!" he exclaims holding a clawed hand over his heart, where a talisman of a long serpentine figure is coiled around a blue gem.
"Krazza Volkir! And if you show reverence perhaps Gyagati will grace you with his presence!"
---
He raises his arms in victory when he sees Chief Yiddlepode, "The Sewer Dragons chose the right Chief! The blue of those scales send the finest shock down my spine! What is this I hear about a drill?" he says with haste.
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Though not running, and certainly not fast, a dwarf catches up to the group of Pathfinders just as they're entering Sewer Dragons territory.
His red hair is receding and unkempt but his beard is carefully coifed and braided. The weapons of his ancestors hang from his belt and back, a faintly ornate Clan Dagger at his waist and a simple war axe on his back. His eyes are small and almost hidden in crow's feet.
He gives the group a single nod of greeting as he passes them to take the lead, looking at the crumbling caves suspiciously, though he hangs back as the kobolds come to greet them and tell their tale.
Once it seems they're ready to get underway, he gives another nod and spits to the side before moving to follow their guides.
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"I'ds like to hear that stories too," Pooka agrees, looking at Grandma Ida with a mixture of awe and respect as she munches on the gifted cookie. "Fires automatically make a story, like, ten times coolers!"
She then turns to Black Molly, expression curious. "Ares you a pirate? Because pirates make stories coolers too, you know."
”Aye, lass, and don’t I know it!”, Molly replies, ”but if it’s stories ye want, the Cap’n’s got a million of ‘em. Can’t shut that one up, once he gets goin’!”
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”Aye, lass, and don’t I know it!”, Molly replies, ”but if it’s stories ye want, the Cap’n’s got a million of ‘em. Can’t shut that one up, once he gets goin’!”
"Oh boy, all kinds of new things to be singings about," Pooka remarks gleefully as the group sets off for Sewer Dragon territory. "Maybes you can introduce me's to your Cap'n later!"
She waves at Krazza and Ulfgar as they catch up to the group, giving Krazza in particular an appraising look. "Nice to meets you's. Maybe tells me when you gets a chance who Gyagati is?" she asks, before turning her attention to the approaching kobolds. After hearing Chief Yiddlepode's words, the little goblin looks thoughtful.
"Dids Drandle say anything weirds the last time you saw him? Weirder than usuals, that is? I's heard he's nice, but...a bit of an odd ducks, too."
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"I wondered when you’d ask,” Chief Yiddlepode replies. “Drandle Dreng is helping us relocate to a new territory in the sewers. We waited at the appointed meeting place, as scheduled, but he never arrived. Drandle wouldn’t miss a meeting. And yet....” She lets out a low hiss. “While we waited—Pethjun, Trapmaster Tok, and I—we witnessed a strange pinpoint of black energy. It lasted a moment, then flared with an eldritch pulse that cast a pair of battling figures into the room. The figures fought furiously; had we interfered, we would’ve been killed. Of this I have no doubt."
“The figures grappled, then merged. They became one form—a form with a hooded cloak and a gleaming red eye visible within. They retreated in another swirl of black energy, but as they fled, they dropped a small bag. We gave that bag over to Ambrus Valsin.”
Chief Yiddlepode looks to you. “I suspect Ambrus is more worried over a new enemy than the disappearance of our mutual friend. Tell me, what is your mission?”
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"We've been tasked with trying to figure things out, first of all," says Ida as she absently hands the chief a small meat pie, "The bits of evidence we have are all very confusing and don't seem to fit together well, so we need to start putting the connections together. Can't act properly until we understand what's happened, after all."
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Krazza perks up at the questions on Gyagati. He nods excitedly, "Yes, oh yes, Gyagati is my patron and potential. A figure of great power and wisdom. Just you wait!" He continues to make grand gestures with his claws.
---
"To see this meeting place...where they fought. That bag had an ominous rune, a demon lord's. There must be more clues than we have." Krazza adds.
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“And your abandoned companion? How long until they call you ally no further?”
Pethjun interrupts for a brief moment during your walk. “Many of our tribe’s young ones have joined the Pathfinder Society. It’s Chief Yiddlepode’s hope that they’ll benefit from a surface education, as she and her brother have done. Have you seen my kin in your Lodge? Have you worked with them? How do they fare in the field?”
You arrive at the meeting site. The kobolds wait in the sewer tunnel, which is 15 feet wide, roughly hewn, and flooded with one foot of sewage. Three passages branch off this tunnel, but the kobolds direct you
to its end, where a large hole in the wall set two feet above the sewage acts as an entrance into a raised stone chamber. "This is where we were to meet Dreng and where the mysterious figures battled and merged." A few crumbling stone pillars carved to depict flames still stand in the northern corners. Whatever the ancient room’s original purpose, it’s long fallen to disuse.
“Undead!” Pethjun yips from the sewer tunnels. “Weapons up, Sewer Dragons!” The daring kobold brandishes her rapier and dashes down a side tunnel.
“Follow her,” Chief Yiddlepode commands her kobold warriors. As she speaks, a charred humanoid corpse nearly ten feet tall shambles into the meeting site from the southwest hall. Its large central eye is completely aflame, casting flickering red light and the sizzling sound of burning flesh throughout the chamber. The corpse lurches forward, a large spiked club clutched in its hand.
“We’ve enemies of our own out here, Pathfinders!” Chief Yiddlepode exclaims. “You handle that brute and we’ll tackle the creatures out here. Be safe.”
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Fran
➤ Ulfgar
Floating Eye (Green)
Floating Eye (Yellow)
Krazza
⠀⠀Gyagati
Pooka
Undead
Black Molly
⠀⠀Cap'n Silverbeard
Ida
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"Oh, I see what you're getting at. I think it's a hard question to answer, because priorities shift, and there are priorities within priorities. Rescuing your allies should come before attacking your foes, certainly, but if you have no leads on the former there's no use in spinning your wheels. And whenever a situation might be dangerous, you have to check for safety first--that doesn't really mean it's your greatest priority, but if you don't do it first you may never accomplish anything else.
"But if you're contemplating this situation, I think you may have overlooked two details: One is that the Pathfinder Society is a large organization, and we often have squads assigned to many tasks. This is our team's task, but that doesn't mean it's the Society's priority if they have other teams assigned to other jobs. The other thing is that you're our allies too. Making sure the Sewer Dragons are safe is supporting an ally."
Lost in her thoughts, Ida is not quick to react to danger.
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Fran seems to fascinate the mindless brute for a brief second as Ulfgar's waraxe seems quite effective against the undead giant.
The pair of floating fiery eyes zp about the room sending wek streaks of flames at you.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Fran
Ulfgar
Floating Eye (Green)
Floating Eye (Yellow)
➤ Krazza
⠀⠀➤ Gyagati
➤ Pooka
Undead
Black Molly
⠀⠀Cap'n Silverbeard
Ida
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At Yiddlepode’s warning, Black Molly shouts, ”Cap’n on deck!”
The space beside her wavers, and a greenish-blue apparition appears. It looks like a human pirate, with a long gray beard and an eyepatch. One hand holds a cutlass, while the other has been replaced by a shadowy hook. A skull and crossbones appear on his hat, as well as Molly’s.
”Avast, me hearties!”, he proclaims. ”Silverbeard walks again!”
”We’ve got company”, she retorts, ”and he’s a big’un!”
”Then let’s cut him down to size! Arrrrr!”
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"Great Gyagati. I am ready to learn from your eminence!" Krazza calls out as lightning wraps around him before materializing into a long serpentine figure, wingless yet floating through the air. Electricity dances underneath it's scales.
◆: Act Together (1 for Krazza, 2 for Gyagati)
◆: Boost Eidolon
"You flattery is really unnecessary...I am more than willing to assist you, little one."
With his words singing through the air like a windstorm, Gyagati lashes out at the green floating eye with maw and claw.
◆: Strike
◆: Strike
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Pooka scowls as she stares at the undead creature, trying to figure out what it is. Then she sighs and attempts to channel a bit of her magic before lifting her voice in song...
~Oh baby, your asphalt eater hung ten
The hoedads and gremmies say you reached top end
So do the dead, through the lights
The surfin' dead, ooh make it tight
The livin' dead, now baby, lose their heads
Now baby, doin' the dead~
...before moving past the other floating eye and out into the room.
______________
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Pooka inspires but doesn't recall what sort of undead this could possibly be. Ulfgar and Fran feel an unholy heat coming from this undead giant.
The giant hefts its giant spiked club to the side as it makes a wide swing at Ulfgar and Fran.
The pair dodge out of the way as the massive club cracks the ground where Fran was once standing.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Fran
➤ Ulfgar
Floating Eye (Yellow)
Krazza
⠀⠀Gyagati
Pooka
Undead
➤ Black Molly
⠀⠀➤ Cap'n Silverbeard
➤ Ida
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Ulfgar's eyes narrow further when he feels the heat, the orbs all but disappearing in the folds of his eyelids and his heavy brows. No worse than the forges back home. He spits on the creature and watches it sizzle.
But, enough fun, there's work to be done.
He studies the creature closer now that he has some time.
Then whips out his Clan Dagger and takes a stab.
He gives a grunt of satisfaction at a particularly well placed blow, then orients his axe and dagger to protect him from another one of those powerful blows.
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Black Molly boosts Silverbeard as the spectre's beard slices deep into the floating eyeball. Ida tries to think and draw the best bomb for this less than ideal situation as she tosses an acid flask. Ida tosses the bomb into the giant, coating its backside.
Fran lunges in and gets a good stab with her rapier as she drives it right to the hilt. Ulfgar's dagger sliips into the woonds as he widens it ever further.
The wounded eyeball continues to toss small flickers of flame at Black Molly.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
Fran
Ulfgar
Floating Eye (Yellow)
➤ Krazza
⠀⠀➤ Gyagati
➤ Pooka
Undead
Black Molly
⠀⠀Cap'n Silverbeard
Ida
With a laugh Gyagati continues his assault on the next target.
◆: Strike
◆: Strike
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Black Molly's shield disintegrates as she retaliates agaianst the eyeball. Gyagati leaps onto the flaming eyeball to finis it off, causing it to explode into a small fireball as well.
Pooka flings a heavy stone into the side of the slow giants head, though it doesn't seem to draw its attention from the mindless brute.
The giant is much too slow as Fran and Ulfgar avoid the worst of it.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Fran
➤ Ulfgar
➤ Krazza
⠀⠀➤ Gyagati
➤ Pooka
Undead
➤ Black Molly
⠀⠀➤ Cap'n Silverbeard
➤ Ida
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Ulfgar jerks his head back slightly as the club goes whistling past.
Now that he's got the proper tools out, he truly gets down to business.
First, he slashes and thrusts with axe and dagger in a single concerted motion.
Then, makes another jab with the dagger.
Then, gets axe and dagger back into a protective position.
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It's already on fire (which doesn't seem to be hurting it). It's already got a dose of acid affecting it. It's undead so poison won't work. And it's not moving much--but with everyone backing off maybe it's going to start.
"Oh my dear, you're just far too slow. You can't catch us, so you should just say you're sorry and think about what you've done."
It... probably won't listen. It probably can't. Ida knows that, but it's worth a try.
Ida hurls a small pastry at it next, which bursts and covers it with gooey, tar-like, inedible filling. At least, that's the idea.
Then she draws her actual weapon, a knife, in cast it comes near.
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Ida tries to demoralize the undead creature but finds it is mostly mindless. Drawing a small sack of goo she tosses it at the undeads feet, coving it in a tar-like substance.
Ulfgar strikes with axe and dagger, breaking through bones as the undead still stands strong.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Fran
Ulfgar
➤ Krazza
⠀⠀➤ Gyagati
➤ Pooka
Undead
➤ Black Molly
⠀⠀➤ Cap'n Silverbeard
Ida
Gyagati nods as he winds through the air to the other side of the undead creature.
◆: Stride
◆: Strike