Yesterday a tall, fit looking woman with shoulder-length auburn hair and a sword at her hip approached you, introduced herself as Janiven and asked to talk with you privately, she then invited to you to a clandestine meeting in a tavern by the name of Vizio’s in Parego Spera. It was nearing nightfall, and she left quiet suddenly, but that night as monsters haunted the streets, curiosity stalked your mind, and after finishing breakfast and your morning routine, you made your way through Westcrown’s cobbled streets, the mid summer sun shining bright and hot in the sky.
You arrived at Vizio’s to find the window’s boarded, but the door is open and after you entered the cool shaded taproom you soon found yourself sharing it with Janiven, and two strangers. Once all three of you have arrived, Janiven smiles and says 'Great, you all made it!'
'I have some food prepared, so please pull some chairs off the stack in the corner and sit at the main table, introduce yourselves, we’ll get down to business after we eat,' she smiles again and stalks into the kitchen, sword bouncing on her hip.
I sit at the main table, smile friendily at the two strangers, and say in a broad Andoran accent:
"Well 'ullo, my name is Wat, 'spose I was a lumberjack once, I'm travellin' in these parts now. Who's this Janiven lass, eh, you friends of hers?"
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Taking a seat at the table I survey the two men opposite me, a mildly interested expression crossing my face. I listen politely to Wat as he introduces himself before speaking up.
"Lets get all the cards out on the table here Gentelmen. I assume, from the blank expressions on your faces, that none of us are sure of why we are here, yes?" I nod softly to myself, frowning a little. "It is most strange then that three strangers should all feel the need to agree to a most ludicrous request, from a young woman who I assume we do not know... Ignatio Aulaxma, at your service!" I add my name as an after thought, choosing to remain close lipped about anything else till our compatriot has spoken.
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I take a seat at the table. My name is Euphemi Zaydona, but a lot of people just call me Zay. What made you guys decide to come here? You guys from around here?
"I'm from Bellis, in Andoran. Spose I just wound up here, on my travels. Don't really know 'nyone else in th' city, so figured I'd see whut she had t' say"
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I take a second to study the two before me, watching them with careful consideration. The flickering sunlight sparkles off the hilt of my rapier as I shift my weight a little, sitting forward.
"Neither of you are from Westcrown? Stranger and stranger this plot becomes... What is it that would draw us all to this place? Were we the only three asked? If so why? I am a Bard of Westcrown but I do not see any crowds to play before here... This whole thing reeks of intrigue!"
I stand, frowning softly, taking a step toward the empty fireplace, pulling a long stemmed pipe from my sleeve and thumbing it full of tobacco before lighting it. I take a slow draw on the pipe, exhaleing a smoke ring, stareing up at it as it drifts up and disapperates.
"Here is what we know... We have a Lumberjack, a Bard and..." I stare at Euphemi slightly puzzled for a moment before contineuing on. "A pleasant young woman who has yet to reveal her skills. And we are here on the whim of our attractive young hostess, with no idea why. This is most confusing. Most confusing..."I nod, turning back to the fireplace, drawing deeply on my pipe, thoughtfully. 'Most confusing indeed!'
'I can see how it would seem confusing,' Janiven says as she returns withcutlery and a tray. 'Euphemi here is in fact from Westcrown too, you've all been asked here because of an interest you share.'
She ducks into the kitchen again before any questions can be asked, returning quickly with plates and setting them before you as Ignatio returns to the table. Removing the cover on the tray she reveals an assortment of simple but filling food.
You begin to eat, quite quickly as you taste it, thinking to yourself that warrior women like the one before you do not make good cooks, it is passable however and you soon finish.
After the meal, a few hours before sundown remain. Janiven walks over to the door, looks outside then bolts it shut. She returns and stands at the head of the table, looking intently at each of you.
'As promised, let's get down to business.' She draws a deep breath before continuing.
'Again, thank you for agreeing to meet with me here. I have chosen each of you for a singular reason—everyone here, myself included, has suffered, whether we realize it or not. I have lived in Westcrown my whole life, and although I love this city, I must admit, as must you, that despite our peace and prosperity, we continue to suffer.'
'Fear should not be an expected part of life, and yet each night brings fear to our doorsteps. Other cities do not fear the night. Other governments do not cede the streets to monsters of the infernal shadows. Westcrown was once such a place, and she wants to be such a place again. Westcrown is not only her buildings and canals and docks and history—she is also her people. Westcrown is our friends and neighbors, our mothers and fathers, our siblings and cousins, our sons and daughters!
'With but a small group of supporters and dedicated brothers and sisters, we can earn the trust and admiration of those people. I speak to you not of war, for the devil-bound are ruthless and powerful but of a subtler insurrection. I would like to invite you all to join an organisation dedicated to earning the people’s admiration and trust, and so seek to both influence the government for the people’s good and to fight against the corruption that haunts the streets and shadow beasts that stalk the night! Are you willing?'
I sigh deeply and sit back in my chair, crossing my arms.
"I know a bit 'bout fear and suffering, for sure. And I decided a long time ago not t' let m'self be pushed around by those above me, or t' let em do the same t' anyun else. Can't say as I know much 'bout beasts or shadows, but if I can help the common folk, then I spose I'm with you."
I consider her words carefully. I lean back in my chair, taking comfort in my full belly, a rare experience.
"I have long suffered as a result of the night time streets of Westcrown. It can be a dangerous place, especially when one has to sleep there. I have learned to use my abilities to keep myself, my loved ones and anyone I can safe, but I never thought that something could be done about it on as large a scale as you have put forth."
I lean forward, putting my elbows on the table. "Anything that can help the people of Westcrown is something I can get behind. But how exactly do you plan on winning the hearts and minds of the people?"
'Well, Arael-'
Janiven is suddenly interrupted by a young lad of perhaps fourteen winters bursting in through the kitchen door from the back of the inn.
'Jan...' He gasps desperately out of breath.
'What is it Morosino?' Janiven replies, clearly suddenely anxious.
'...Hellknights!!!' At this the warrior-woman blanches, and your own heads are filled with tales of what the Hellknights do to people who even dream of opposing house Thrune. Diabolic tortures and the eponymous tool of Westcrown's Order of the Rack filling your head you find yourself on your feet, Wat's hound Chompsky having entered the inn after the breathless boy catches on the fear and stands close to Wat, hackles raised.
'We have to get out of here!' Janiven suddenly exclaims.
'Quick, we have an escape into the sewers, its in the kitchen,' at this she runs into the kitchen and you hear her pulling at a trapdoor. The lad, Morosino looks at you wide-eyed and obvously terrified for a moment, before hobbling after Janiven, still clearly exhausted.
Ignoring the sudden lurch in my full stomach, I jump to my feet, and run into the kitchen, standing just on the far side of the trap door, waiting to usher the other two down into the rank sewers below.
"Come on you guys, quickly! You don't want to get caught up here! Trust me!"
I grab at Chompsky, with effort pulling the snarling hound with me and into the kitchen towards the trapdoor.
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I swear an Oath to myself softly in abyssal, sliding my cowl over my head, drawing my Rapier and stareing at the door for a moment as the others clear the room.
"You bastards dont scare me!" I growl softly in my throat before turning on the spot and dashing towards the kitchen. "In Euphemi. I'll close it!" I turn away to face the inner door before I see the girl react, my knuckles white on my Rapier. The Hellknights were part of the reason the Lords of Cheliax got away with their worships. I hated them for that reason.
Cursing this stranger's arrogance softly, I jump over the trapdoor. I reach up, grab him by the shoulders and spin him around to face me.
"If you're not scared, you've either never seen the Hellknights torture a man to death, or you're a very stupid individual. They travel in packs, there's no way you'll be able to take them. If you want to live to do them some damage, you'll run with the rest of us."
I then proceed to listen out for the Hellknights to estimate how much time we have before they burst in the door.
The sound of men outisde the inn is now growing audible, the harsh barks of orders and dulled thuds of armor. Janiven and Morosino are well down the ladder below the trapdoor, and Janiven calls up, but the words are lost are muffled by the narrow tunnel.
The Hellknights are now on the street outside Vizio's Tavern.
I struggle to lift the big dog up onto my shoulder and hold him there while climbing down the ladder. "I've dealt with some bastards in my time, but torture, I can't abide by that..." I mutter, feeling comforted by the weight of the axes on either hip.
I freeze. Memories of beatings in alleys and tortures in backrooms flash through my mind. I shudder, blocking them out. I drop my voice to a harsh whisper.
"They're right outside. Come now, if you want to live."
I let go of him, take a step back and with a gesture and a whispered incantation, runes flicker over my wrists and a mist starts to fill this room, and the next.
Before he vanishes from my sight completely, I hiss at him: "We've got about a minute before this mist dissipates. Come on!"
I make my way gingerly toward the trapdoor.
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"Im not stupid girl!" I growl sharply, throwing a vicious glare at the young Witch. Swearing in abyssal, just loud enough for her ears, I move to the trap door, stareing down into the darkness.
'I swear that I am going to murder every one of those bastards one by one if it takes me a life time. No Devil Worshipping whores will ruin my city, not while I still have breath!
I jump down the opening!
I climb down after him, closing the door after me, making sure it's locked tight. I look around me after I get to the bottom of the ladder.
"Never mind his growlin', he's skittish when he's all cooped up." I say, scratching Chompsky behind the ears and squinting down the underground passage. "Hush, boy, hush now. Where does this tunnel lead?"
Janiven approaches you with a torch, carrying one more. Which she hands to Wat and lights it with her own.
'Take these,' she says as she hands each of you vials of green liquid.
'They should heal any wounds you take.'
Now with light spreading out around you, you see Morosino waiting at a large hole in the wall of this room leading into the sewers.
Janiven begins to lead you towards it as Morosino clambers through. You smell salt water and fouler things, though not as bad as you had expected for a sewer system.
'I'm glad you all agreed to join us, we now have no choice but to escape to our safehouse. Take a right as you enter the sewers and continue to the first junction, once there you'll find a small sword symbol of Iomedae scratched into the wall pointing towards the correct junction. Follow these all the way until one points upwards, this will bring you out in an alley behind the safehouse. Me and Morosino are going to take a different unmarked route. Please be careful, its a noticeable trek and the sewers are not te safest part of the city.' At this she turns to follow through the opening.
'I'll see you all at the safehouse, knock three times, then twice more. Good luck!'
Janiven climbs through the hole, then turns left, her light moving away down the sewers. Near the entrance you see two additional unlit torches, the room is otherwise unlit. Above you hear very distant shouts of confusion and some mist as begun to drift down from the ladder's tunnel
I take the two torches, light them off Wat's and give one to Ignatio.
"Looks like we have no choice but to do what she says. I'll take point. Wat, you're not from here, and Ignatio, you don't exactly look like you're used to walking the sewers. I am.
I proceed to climb through the hole and make my way right, holding the torch high, constantly on the look out.
I follow the woman, squeezing through the hole, and whistling for Chompsky to follow, and resting my strong arm on the head of the big axe on my right hip.
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Keeping silent through the whole exchange, I take the Torch with a bare nod, raising it high, stareing around. My rapier flashes brightly in the flickering torches as I follow the pair of strangers through the passage. Ridiculous as it seemed I was stuck with them now. It would all come good in the end!
Swearing softly to myself I prayed it would!
I follow the path until I see the sword etched on the wall. I look behind to make sure my companions are following, then follow the path the sword indicates.
You find yourselves trapsing along the dank sewers on a walkway beside the tepid stream of the cities waste. A little way along you come to an intersection with two possible tunnels leading away from you.
However you cannot ar first find the marker. It seems that it has been obscured or washed off the wall.
Will you turn left or right?
I hold my torch close to the wall, looking for any sign of the sword.
I hold my torch close to the wall, looking for any sign of the sword.
1d20 + 2
Half-covered in grime you find the sword pointing to the left turn, and you begin moving quickly along as you hear a metallic clank in the sewers behind you. The sewer continues on for twice as long as it had before, twisting and bending, but with no major turnoffs, it is all eerily silent again, sometimes you startle rats who race away into the gloom but otherwise the sewers are lifeless and empty.
Coming to another bend you see strange gelatinous insectile creatures clambering out of the water, around eight of them have climbed out and are ululating eerily as the light of your torch falls on them. They turn as one and a wierd squelching sound emits from them as they begin to move towards you aggressively.
I draw my crossbow and fire at the nearest monster available , delaying my move action until after the my more physical compatriots move ahead of me.
I move forward, drawing my axe, and smash it into the nearest beast. Chompsky darts along beside me, and closes his jaws around one of the creatures.
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ROUND 1
The strange ooze-bugs swarm up out of the dank sewage and move towards the light bearing heroes en mass.
Euphemi draws out her crossbow and fires, but the bolt misses and skitters off into the darkness.
Ignatio follows suit with his shortbow, but his accuracy proves superior, skewring one of the creatures, which then dissolves into a gelationous puddle.
Wat strides forward swinging his axe, but the uneven footing foul his blow, however Chompsky, wading into the shallow filty water takes advantage of Wat's distraction and bites one of the little creatures in half, though the dog visibly shudders at the apparantely foul taste.
I curse and swing again at the disgusting creature, while Chompsky turns to savage another.
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I reach into my belt pouch, draw a flask of acid, and throw it at the mass of swarming, filthy creatures just in front of Wat. I take no further action.
ROUND 2
The several of the creatures attack both Chompsky and Wat, one managing to land a bite on both respectively, a mild acid burnignt he wound.
Euphemi, thinking quick throws a vial of acid at the creatures, though it doesn't hit one directly the acid splashes, burning both Wat and Chompsky , however it seems to roll off the ooze-bugs like water, having no affect.
Seeing this Ignatio strides forward rushing through the foul water to get behind the creatures, however as he steps upon the walkway again and makes his strike a fouls stench catches his breath and sends his strike awry.
Chompsky likewise is distracted by the vapors and misses his attack, however Wat grits his teeth and strikes true, obliterating yet another of the creatures.
I mutter a quick curse, reload my crossbow and shoot at the mass of creatures again.
Inspired by my success, I raise my axe above my head and strike it down onto the strange insect.
Chompsky traps one under his paw, and with a vicious snapping motion tears at its bulbous form
ROUND 3
The ooze bugs attack again, only one manages to bit Chompsky, and he holds another down with his paw, while three get under Wat's guard.
Euphemi's shot goes wide in her attempts to aim into the melee, while Ignatio skewers yet another of the distracted pests.
Wat distracted by the acidic burns of the bites cannot land a blow, but Chompsky tears the creature he had pinned with a vicious tearing action.
[ooc]EDIT: I was editting a profile of my own and I got redirected to the page to edit Wat, wierd! We're haivng alot of odd glitches, when I've
I shove Chompsky back out of the fray and attack the bug that bit him.
"Little bastards!" I growl, by way of response to Ignatio.
I take a five foot step into the sewer water to try to get a better shot, reload, and shoot into the mass of creatures again.
Ignatio and Wat dispatch two of the three remaining ooze-bugs, almost simultaneously, Euphemi sees the last cower, her finger hovering on the trigger of the crossbow and it slinks into the filthy water and down a drain.
Around the corner you find a grime covered door buried in the wall.
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"Well thank the flameing Gods for that..." I watch the last beastie skitter away, taking a deep sharp intake of breath and smiling. "To hell with these Sewers... Lets go before we get more company!"
I stride around the corner, sheatheing my rapier once again, stareing around as I go, peering intently at every corner.
"Well thank the flameing Gods for that..." I watch the last beastie skitter away, taking a deep sharp intake of breath and smiling. "To hell with these Sewers... Lets go before we get more company!"
I stride around the corner, sheatheing my rapier once again, stareing around as I go, peering intently at every corner.