The darkness of the sewers looms before you... Are you brave enough to enter, and to face the evil that may be lurking there?

AMdG

Sastre dropped down from above.

This entrance to the sewer system--a section of thoroughfare that had been broken open by something large bursting up from below--had been easy to find, but much harder to actually sneak into. Guards stood watch day and night, whispering back and forth about the supposed "giant stone fly" that had erupted up from the ground in this very spot weeks earlier. What the creature was--and why, according to rumor, it was carrying an unmoving dragonborn upon its back--was still a matter of debate, and it would probably be embellished upon for years to come before falling into the realm of "legend."

Sastre couldn't care less, and he was sure that the unconscious guards above would have much more to talk about when they awoke.

The Hunter had managed to sneak back into the city earlier that day, finding the task much easier than he had feared. The dragonborn, it seemed, found all humans' appearance similar enough that he'd barely even had to disguise himself as he marched purposefully back through the city gates. A bribe here, a threat there, and Sastre had managed to find his way into the closely guarded labyrinth of sewage tunnels beneath the sprawling city.

As his eyes adjusted to the scant light, the first thing that hit the Hunter was the stench. It was a sewer, of course, and he had been expecting it, but it still was enough to nearly drop him to his knees. Reaching into his pack, the whip-wielding human drew out a sunrod, wincing as the bright light flooded through the darkness around him. For the second time his eyes had to adjust, and what he saw explained the horrid smell that had struck him.

Overflow.

The sewer system was in shambles. The walkways that he'd heard criss-crossed the rivers of sewage were mostly flooded, and the various grates and channels that directed the flow out into the sea were clogged beyond repair. Sastre took a single step forward, holding the rod above his head and shuddering when the ground beneath his boot made a sickening squishing sound.

"Lovely..."

Taking a deep breath (and regretting it almost immediately), the Hunter looked back up to where the late afternoon sunlight shone down through the gaping hole in the street nearly twelve feet above. Whether Mizzely and her briefly-mentioned comrade would find this place or not, Sastre still had a job to do...

Rosalyn had arrived in the sewers a little over half an hour prior. She had originally come with a group of people from the Foreign Quarter, all of them deciding something should be done about the situation if no one else would. Rosalyn had no stake in this herself, but she had been taught to help those in need and figured if she wanted to make a good impression with the people around here, she decided to help them. That, and they may be so grateful to her that they'd want to be part of her crew once she becomes a pirate. But for now, that would have to be put on hold...

Only fifteen minutes after entering the disgusting tunnels had Rosalyn become separated from her group. What started as a group of ten had quickly dwindled to just one: her. She held a sun rod above her head, not one of her own, but one she noticed one of her companions had dropped moments before. In her other hand was her longsword, in case something should attack her. She wandered about, now focusing on trying to find her friends. Were they playing some kind of sick joke? Or something far worse. She kept wishing for the former, but the situation started to take shape of the latter. Surprisingly, she had gotten used to the smell, figuring it was the least of her problems. She was a bit wet, she felt hot in the humid tunnels, but most importantly, she was scared. Terrified even. She stopped upon hearing a squishing sound, followed by a faint voice. She swallowed hard, biting her bottom lip. She stashed her sun rod into her sack upon noticing another source of light around the corner. She felt a cold shiver run up her spine, her other hand moving to retrieve her short sword. Upon hearing the foot steps resume, she pressed her back to the wall, readying herself for an attack should whatever comes from the other side be deemed threatening. She waited, her teeth gritted as he steadied her breathing...

Willow erased all traces of her camp, carefully burying the remains of her small cooking fire and brushing away the minor evidence of her presence etched into the ground. There wasn’t really anyone here to hide the camp from, but years of scouting deep into Genasi territory had etched the precautions deep into her mind. Finishing this, the lycanthrope pulled her skirmishing gear on over her breeches and tunic, the perfectly broken-in leather molding comfortably to her body like a second skin. She then slung her scabbard across her back and secured her chakram to her belt, carefully checking and adjusting her gear. After glancing once more around the small clearing, the lithe woman turned and loped easily into the forest, headed for the dragonborn city.

Might as well scout out these sewers and see what all the fuss is about, she thought to herself as she dodged easily between brush and tree trunks. Doesn’t look like I’ll be going anywhere until those damn rumors are taken care of.

Willow reached the gates in good time, her breathing barely elevated. Fighting down a slight wave of panic at the thought of entering into the milling crush of bodies once more, she waited for a large group of people to cover her entrance and slunk inconspicuously under the gazes of the imposing guards.

Now, to find an entrance… she mused, darting into and alley and searching discreetly for an unguarded sewer grate. Bright Lady, but I hate going in blind.

A good distance into the city, the slender woman heard a faint commotion off to her right. The humans and dragonborn nearby seemed to take no notice, and she surmised that she had her wolf-like hearing to thank for picking up on the disturbance at all. Approaching the source of the scuffle, she slipped carefully into the shadowed overhang of a building and glanced quickly around the corner. In a small plaza a few paces in front of her position, a unit of dragonborn lay unconscious, sprawled around a gaping hole in the middle of the cobbled street.

Well this looks promising, the warden thought wryly, drawing her sword and approaching cautiously from the shadows. I suppose I’d better take advantage of the opening before someone else notices this mess and calls the rest of the guard.

Taking a deep breath, Willow steeled her nerves and slunk to the edge of the gaping black maw, peering warily into the unknown depths below.



(OOC: Josh and Shawna, feel free to meet up with Willow at this point if you want – otherwise, she will now enter the sewers on her own.)

Craed burst out of his home and dashed down the street. I'm late! I'm late! I'm late! I'm late! He had barely managed to grab his gear on his way out the door for he had luckily thought to prepare that the previous night. Unfortunately he had left his purse behind. Realizing this nearly made him stop but he shrugged it off and kept going. What do I need gold for in the sewers? He reasoned. Flying around a corner he quickly changes into his fox form, startling a nearby priest of Belradontius and causing him to drop his scrolls.

"You blasted abomination! You should be thrown from the city!" The old dragonborn stooped to pick up the documents and merely glared in the direction the druid had run.

And Mizzely wonders why I don't like my own people. The silver fox merely shakes his head and continues on his way.

---

The dragonborn druid had finally reached his destination. There was a large, well known hole that lead to the sewers in a nearby district. He and Mizzely had agreed on this being the best area to begin their investigation. As he comes within sight of the entrance he notices the unconscious guards and stops. Head down and slinking cautiously he slowly approaches the dragonborn from nearby alley. Just as he reaches the mouth of the alley he sees Willow slip into the large hole.

"Willow! Wait" He calls out. The warden spins around and keeps her sword ready until she sees the fox bounding up to her. She noticeably relaxes as she recognizes the creature from the sparring. "What a fortunate coincidence! I didn't realize you would be here as well! If you'll wait just a moment longer then my teacher, Mizzely, will be here soon." Craed looks around him. "She should have been here by now." The fox tilts his head and looks up into the sky. "Ah, there she is now."

Mizzely had awoken when the sun had peeked its head over the horizon. She had literally caught her breakfast by the time the city was busy, and had been peering down from her perch of the rooftops to digest. Her stub of a tail flopped lazily from time to time as she waited for Craed to show up. A raven soared above her, and she wistfully imagined having wings of her own. Someday, maybe Ardea will grace me with flight. For now, I am content with what I have. Still, she watched it as it went out of sight, then focused back on the street where Craed was to appear.

She yawned. It might be a bit. Curling up, she decided to take herself a nap to wait for her friend.

After a good half hour or so, commotion arose in the streets. She got up, looking over the side of the rooftop to see what all the noise was about, hoping that her fellow druid hadn't found himself in trouble. Instead, she saw the Hunter, carefully dispatching a group of guards that surrounded the entrance she too was planning on using later. She smiled; at least that was one issue out of the way!

Mizzely sat and itched behind her ear with her back paw. One of the underappreciated gifts, she thought to herself and giggled.

A new person that the druid had not seen so far in the city was crouching in the shadows. From her vantage of course it was easy to see this, but it was clear that her position hid her quite well if the guards she sought to evade had still been conscious. The agile woman approached the disarray with caution, and was about to leap in to the hole to the sewers...

Craed bursted down the street in his fox form, his tongue lolling out a bit. Mizzely giggled, happy to see her friend. He called out to the woman near the hole in the street, and exchanged some words. Willow, hmm? Hearing her own name, the lynx started her descent from the rooftop to greet them. She walked out to the two in her humanoid form. Craed remained his fox self, and Mizzely tilted her head to the woman. "Hello, Willow. I am Mizzely. I see you and my friend have already met?"

The Warden put her guard down a bit, knowing that the shifter was no enemy to her. "Yes, I am Willow. It is nice to meet Craed's teacher at last. An interesting art you teach. Are you also coming into the depths?"

"Yes, I believe that is our intent. An interesting pack we shall make!" She smiled her sharp grin. "Shall we?"

The Warden nor Craed uttered a reply, instead jumping into the hole one after another. Mizzely finally jumped in as well, staying in her shifter form. If she was to be fighting down here, she'd want to be prepared for battle.

DM:

As Sastre, I am going to make a perception check to determine if I hear you all approaching, and whether or not I know you are friends and not foes.

AMdG

Perception Check:

Guest carried out 1 launched of one d20 (Image not informed.) :

10

+5

DM:

Alright, I met the Moderate DC. I know that someone/something is approaching, but I do not know if it is friendly or not...

AMdG

Sastre was surrounded.

From in front of him, he noticed a faint glimmer of light peeking out from around a corner only to have it vanish from sight seconds later. The faint, nearly imperceptible sound of a weapon being drawn found its way to his ears.

From behind him, the Hunter heard the sounds of others dropping down from the street above. Their footsteps were light, far lighter than a dragonborn's would have been, but it was still possible that another patrol of non-dragonborn guards had arrived and noticed his handywork.

Perfect...

Stowing his still-glowing sunrod within his cloak--and leaving just enough exposed to see by--Sastre crouched low, his right hand gripping the handle of his whip as he prepared to defend himself...

DM:

Everyone should make perception checks to see if you notice Sastre. Mizzely, you will receive +2 bonus to the check, since you saw Sastre enter the sewers before everyone else.

AMdG

Willow's perception check:

Guest carried out 1 launched of one d20 (Image not informed.) :

7

+9

_________________

Not all those who wander are lost.

Perception check:

Guest carried out 1 launched of one d20 (Image not informed.) :

20

+12 (10 skill, 2 conditional bonus)