Seedy Underbelly Part 2

Log Info

• Title: Seedy Underbelly Part 2

• GM: Eztli

• Characters: Warrick, Crik, Tlanexhuani, Thoth

• Place: Alexandrian Sewers

• Summary: The Alexandrian City Guard have received reports of suspicious individuals entering the sewers on several repeat occasions, and are enlisting the help of adventurers to investigate.

Warrick nods along with the others, him peering back and-- blinking at the much smaller Thoth! Opting to hide his bewilderment, he quietly lowers the visor on his helmet. "Alright then. Stick close."

Double checking the entryway, the arbalest steps through, crossbow first.

"This one will fit through entryways more easily this way." Thoth indicates to Warrick as it notices being peered at. The little War Golem then immediately follows after Warrick. Motioning its hand forward to send Ra ahead to scout the area, hoping that if there are any severe threats, they'd get a warning ahead of time.

GAME: Thoth rolls 10+3: (15)+10+3: 28

Crik takes a slow step after Warrick, still holding up his knife. "... should have asked if the grass is actively trying to kill us." He says, looking at Tlanexhuani. "As you are not wrong." But it seemed he was, so he was carefully following on after Warrick, keeping a close eye on the walls around them.

As Ra continues down the tunnel, eventually Thoth speaks. "A long tunnel. There's more and more overgrowth." It indicates. "And at the end of the tunnel, a man awaits. They have not yet seen Ra. But I do not guarantee this will last. I recommend we pay particular care to these strange plants."

Tlanexhuani watches as the artifice-ial avian compacts itself: part in surprise and part in fascinated curiosity. He then blknks slowly at Crik. "This one hopes green iss not dangerouss..." Especially as he steps in after War Rick, Thoth and the others.

The tunnel behind the overgrown vines is not recently made, as the stonework, where it can still be seen beneath the plants that is, indicates that it was a pre planned passage to some other part of the sewers. It's difficult to move through, as the vines had not only covered the entrance, but were stuck to and hanging through as the group continues, constantly obstructing all the way.

Eventually you do however meet what seems to be the exit, difficult to tell in the dark of the tunnel save for what light seemed to be coming through another wall of vines and mosses that obscured what lay beyond save for a few spots.

Warrick halts briefly as Ra takes up scouting, him giving a slight nod towards Thoth at the report. Deeper and deeper they go. The vines growing thicker. The arbalest takes a moment to put his crossbow away and carefully pull out his longsword and a dagger.

He squints in the darkness, rifles around in a pouch, and pulls out a dull prism. Letting it go to hover near his head. A glance to it, he taps it with a dagger. It softly glows a pale white light like a torch.

"Watch for an ambush," Crik quietly says as he pushes at the vines with his knife. It was hard for him to see through the growth despite his darkvision, and Warrick's light. And the news about an extra man at the end of the tunnel was not reassuring. "Anyone bring hedge cutters?"

With little pitter-patter, the smol War Golem birb wanders along with the group. Keeping an eye out while listening intently to what Ra might pass on during its scouting. It isn't the most stealthy thing in the world, but it's trying its best!

Tlanexhuani looks to the plants as they are warned of them. Just because he hopes they are not dangerous, and doesn't think they would be, one cannot be too sure? It also helps in watching for any ambushes from them. "No, Thiss one hass hammer. Not good cutting."

Warrick grunts, putting a dagger away and shoving vines aside to get the wall of vegetation. "Don't worry Tlan, I've got it." It's a slow process, he's no warden of the woods. But piece by piece, the sword bites into a vine, and a gauntleted hand yanks a rope free.

Thoth wishes they could help. But they did not prepare any 'subtle' spells that could deal with vines of this sorts. So it quietly waits behind Warrick as he starts opening the way for them, and follows after him.

Crik had a knife, but it was more efficient at stabbing than slashing. So he stands there, giving Warrick his space to work - until he quite wasn't. No wait, he just pulled a greener shade of cloak over him in an attempt to hide.

GAME: Crik rolls stealth: (15)+12: 27

Tlanexhuani watches and waits. He also hunches over further and crouches deeper, as if that might make him smaller. The still-larger lizard doesn't move until Warrick has cut something of a path and the others move through. All to guard the rear, and not at all to avoid blocking others in case he gets stuck.

Bit by bit, the heavy mat of vines and moss are cut and torn away, letting more light into the tunnel from the room ahead.

Past the threshhold is a large open area, almost like a glade, only found this deep underground. There was little stone still visible, and the greenery was illuminated by hanging mana lamps. A river of water cuts through the middle with two bridges across, and the far wall is bare, with piles of brick left in several areas as the stone and dirt behind was exposed.

There is a figure matching the description given to them before, a black cloaked humanoid with a shovel in one hand and a pair of secateurs held loosely in the other, as they went around inspecting the massive roots hanging from the ceiling.

They turn to the doorway, and the elf lifts their head. "Excuse me, this is private property connected to the municipal waterways, and I would have to ask you to leave. And could you try announcing your presence next time instead of just tearing through everything? I'm going to need to regrow those, and do you realize how long that can take?" The figure offers gruffly, waving away the adventuring party away.

Warrick can't help but crane his head up and around at the underground little marvel. If only his shifts back in the day would have been here instead of the more.... main lines.

His attention pulls back to the black cloaked figure. In a rote manner, he deadpans. "Do you have a permit for this?"

Crik slips in after Warrick whilst laying flat against the wall. The corvid stays quiet to let the others talk; instead trying to sneak around the long way to see what else was in the room.

Thoth looks to the others, then back to the man digging. It doesn't know whether or not one even needs a permit for this kind of greenery being kept beneath the city within the sewers. There's a few bird-like tilts of its head as it considers what the proper parameters are for engaging in this kind of social situation. "This one apologizes for harming your plantlife."

Tlanexhuani blinks at the unexpected cavern and the even more surprising greenery. Twice, even, as he looks around. "Iss many sewer like thiss? Iss very nice." He only notices the other individual that looks very much like their quarry was described after they speak.

This causes more blinking which is compounded by the softskin's words. "This one..." he isn't sure what to offer in explanation or apology "... not know... is home?" The questioning in his words only partly conveys his current level of confusion.

The hooded elf ceases their waving seeing as the party is making no move to leave, they stop and stretch, turning their focus entirely. "Thank you, doesn't mean much to the plants, but at least you're owning up to your mistake." The man grunts. "Yeah, the owner of the estate does, back up top, they're the one you'd need to talk to about it. Far as I know, everything is above board there, so shouldn't be any problems."

GAME: Warrick rolls sense motive: (13)+5: 18

Warrick doesn't make a bother towards apologizing, him keeping his sword tip down, but a hand rests on a pair of manacles on his hip. "No, Tlan, this is different," he mutters to the Makari before turning back to the hooded elf.

Even with the visor down, it's clear he's blankly staring. "Unfortunately for you, that's not the case. There's been multiple reports of suspicious activity matching your exact description. Sewers are municipal. Come with us to speak the Watch, get the owner to give you the clear and check that permit, and I'm sure the guard will see this as a misunderstanding."

He shifts his weight, the manacles on his belt clinking. "Please comply."

Crik's head spins around at the sound of those manacles, beak opening. It was a reflex. His head spins in place for a moment, before he continues to creep along the wall towards the water's edge, laying flatter and more flat as he goes along. It was quite incredible really, how flat an egalrin could go with enough determination.

Tlanexhuani trusts War Rick's judgement and experience. He certainly has much more knowledge of the city and sewers than the azure Makari. So he offers optimistic encouragement and agreement. "Ssa! Is missed understand, words will repair. No more worry guard, no more visitor, no more sad plant."

GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20

Thoth tilts its head a few more times. It has no particular reason to engage right now, even as Crik is halted part-way. After all, it doesn't even notice where Crik has gone. Maybe Ra has more luck, but it is not particularly watching Crik in that moment - it is focused on the man ahead of it. "Yes. Please comply peacefully. This one is certain it is just a misunderstanding."

GAME: Eztli rolls 1d4: (3): 3

Crik's creeping is cut short suddenly by the plants he was seeking to step through one of the plants, he finds it does not bend away to let him through. In fact, it seems to sweep at the corvid's shins, cutting surprisingly easily through the fabric, but not managing to draw any blood.

The elf stops, and drops the shovel they were carrying off to the ground. "Would have been easier if you just went on your ways." The elf sighs. "Leave, now, before I'm forced to dump your unconcious bodies somewhere else down in the sewers." They threaten now, suddenly grabbing a bow out that was hidden beneath their cloak.

GAME: Crik rolls weapon1: (10)+8: 18
GAME: Crik rolls damage1: aliased to 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5
GAME: Crik rolls stealth: (11)+12: 23

There's sudden rustling in the foliage nearby. Accompanied by sudden 'caw', and even more rustling. A particularly perceptive person may see a green shadow slowly step back - before the shadow falls back down into the grass again.

GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+4: (8)+4: 12
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d20+4: (15)+4: 19
GAME: Eztli rolls 1d4: (2): 2

Combatty

Map: https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=m9nyek52kf8"