Be A Wight In The Darkness
Log Info
- Title: Be A Wight In The Darkness
- Emitter: Whirlpool
- Characters: Carver, Dalton, Eztli, Kyria, Nemori, Sora
- Place: Alexandria Sewers
- Time: June 18th, 2022
- Summary: One problem about modern plumbing, is that it potentially creates another avenue for infiltration into the city by wights and other undead. The city has hired adventurers for the unpleasant task of returning to the sewers in order to make sure none are hiding or entering through them. The group presses onwards and downwards to check the system, and they encounter one secure exit, but there are more to check, and footing isn't always stable,. Several of the group fall down and through the muck, much to their dismay, but that is not the worst of it, as they are ambushed by a giant bug!
One adventurer made the mistake of pointing out that it was possible that wights could maybe slip into the city through the Tornmawr river -- it's not like the dead need to breathe, after all -- and naturally that would also mean that they could slip in to the city sewers through the same means more easily unntoiced than the much watched shoreline. No one has spotted any wights so far, thankfully, but the concern over the walking dead is real and the city packed with people vulnerable to the possibility should even one arrive.
Which, of course, is why you're now standing as a group collectively in front of a sewer entrance, a grate peeled open and a set of stairs leading down into the darkness. Your mission is to go to several points in the sewers and clear them so that a later team can see about making them impassable to the dead.
The map indicates six such locations and given the distances involved it looks like you're going to be ... down ... there ... a while.
The smell drifting out is already ... painful.
Sora shifts and adjusts the hanger for her greatsword so that it doesn't drag on the ground. She flexes her artifice arm, and does some stretching as she checks the straps of her breastplate, the shiny metal clinging to her chest. She sighs a bit as she looks at the grate, "Why did I agree to this again, I hate the sewers." she mutters to herself and then shakes her head again. She glances around at the others for a moment and then chuckles. The small human lass shakes her head, "At least I am not the smallest this time." she says and smiles just a bit.
Nemori is asking herself for what she is sure the hundredth time why she is doing this as she stares at the sewer entrance doing her best to not gag at the aroma floating out. Still, she had been warned about the possibility of missions like this when she first registered at the Guild... one of the first purchases she made for her 'adventuring supply' were small sticks of wax, two of which she is now working with her fingers to soften and mold.. and eventually plug her nose with. At least it's a full sized company this time.. and at least a couple of people who might make decent shields. "I would doubt the integrity of anyone who claimed they did not hate the sewers." "Now, I kno'. You smell that malassy?" Carver's voice is muffled behind a facescarf, perhaps scented with something to ward the ~worst~ of the stench of the deeps they are diving. "Issit bad? Yeah. Issit jus' really awful? Yeah. Bu' yous ever been stuck in a tunnel with a pack of Dwarf Stouty Miners with gas? Issit that bad? Naaaaah. Burn th' hair right off ya nose. Jus' think about that." The well-packed ranger with her survival gear reaches for the her light, a thin shallow beam lighting off the walls as she holds it aloft. "Sorry, wot those can see in the dark. Can't tell a gnat from a rat withou' a lil' touch of the sun." Kyria lifts a hand to try and cover her nose, at least for the moment; it's going to be a losing battle. A glance to Sora and she smiles a little, then shakes her head. "I just hope there's no swimming needed." It's an attempt at a joke but it sounds too forlorn to hit that mark. Looking to Dalton she gives him a slightly concerned look, "And I wouldn't stand up all the way if I were you." Dalton just exhales with puffed out cheeks and a slow, steady leak of air like a pierced balloon. The giantborn is already slouching a bit as he adjusts the weight of his shield on one arm and the heft of his longsword in the other, "I just hope the tunnels are all the same height," comes the lightly graveled bass voice. Another deep breath of clean air and he's stalking into line with the others, likely at or near the front knowing the general idea of 'oh look big meat shield'. A sniff and he wrinkles his nose before looking at Carver, "It's pretty bad," in declaration. "Bu' not gassy Dwarf butthole bad." Carver says, hoping to keep the Giantborn's morale up.
Etzli was stopping to wonder how she ended up on this job. Not only was she being sent into a sewer, it was to potentially deal with wights sneaking into the city. Neither were particualarly enticing concepts. But she didn't really have a choice to turn it down, either.
"Gods, it smells even worse." The small makari bemoans, before reaching into her robes and pulling several pouches out of them, until she finds one with medical supplies in it. And more importantly, a vial that she opens to spread underneath her nose.
"It'll be alright, right?" She nods to Nemori. "We'll keep an exit planned and in mind. I know you're still figuring things out, but I can count on you if any of those undead show up, right?"
"Alright?" Nemori echoes rather dubiously, but she looks down at the diminutive Makari and considers her. Friends are a rare commodity, and while she and Eztli might not be terribly close yet.. the smaller one has professed an interest in that direction. So Nemori sighs and offers her a nod. "I will do my best, Eztli.. but be prepared to run." She does her best not to sound annoyed, as well. If it weren't for Eztli's presence.. well.. now it means that she's going to have to ensure at least one person's safety if things go bad. To the others. "It will be worse once we enter, I am sure. Best we be about it. Perhaps we will become accustomed to it." As if listening to her own advice, the two pieces of worked wax go back in their container, and then disappar into one of her small pouches. "Lead the way."
All that's left is the getting on with it, then, and so down the steps you go. Immediately, you're greeted with the intensification of the foul (but not fel, at least) odours wafting their way up to you. It's the sewers! What did anyone expect?
Still, it's ... breathable, by certain definitions, and you're soon on your way. The map makes navigating a bit more easy and, after about twenty minutes of movement, you're at the first stop on your journey, having travelled alongside waterways and down a few flights more of steps to find a grate that has a sewer out flow. It looks nice and sealed, a set of levers and mechanisms designed to open it sitting on the walkway at a console of some kind nearby. Lot of chains here. Seems like someone hsa to come down here to activate it every now and again.
There are no signs of anything bad here, thankfully, at the moment. You're all fairly sure of that.
Sora wrinkles her nose and shakes her head a bit the smell is not something you can ever get used to, but at least it is not as bad as some of the stories she has heard over the years. She was gone for a while and only recently returned to the city, but is trying to help and take as many jobs as she can, even if it means going into the sewers. She cocks her head to the side and keeps herself as alert as she can, ready to grab her greatsword at a moment notice. SHe glances at the others, "Well shall we?" she asks as she glances towards the levers.
Kyria moves along with the group, the sorceress finding herself a spot semi in the rear, and at the very least behind Dalton. She gives him an encouraging pat on the back, then tends to focus on listening and watching their surroundings as they go. What counts as unusal in a city sewer? Giant Crocodiles to go with the wights? She gives up trying to stifle the smell as it just gets worse and beyond what a hanky under the nose will cover. Her voice drops to a quieter level as she offers as well. "If anyone wants a light let me know."
Breathable is something at least and Dalton still makes a chuff sound as he tries to force the smell out of his nostrils by exhaling hard, which just makes him have to gulp in a breath again and then instantly regret life for the effort. There's a reassuring pat on the back and he huhs a little confusedly because that's normally where Kyria goes, in fact the big guy makes sure to do a headcount and doesn't cease until he sights in on the elf again. A look at the chains and levers, the control panel itself and he huhs, "I think we should, yes," overexplaining his position on the matter even as the fighter checks his gear and armor buckles over. Out the flood gate is dangerous he assumes.
Eztli nods back and continues down into the bowels of the city, which unfortunately smelld about as pleasant as the real things. The small makari's eyes were watering the further they went in, and she had to stop for a moment to stifle a cough from the smell.
"Sorry, not the best environment for focus." Eztli grumbles as she reapplies more of the peppermint oil. "So, the wights probably couldn't get through that floodate, but, we need to check the other side of it? I hope they check over there often enough for things to not have built up."
"Everything seems... fine." Nemori says, her tone somewhat neutral. On the one hand, finding nothing is supposed to be good, right? Fighting in this filth is not exactly a dream come true. On the other hand, finding nothing could almost be called a waste of a trip altogether. She looks at the grate, the levers, the chains.. then shakes her head. "I would rather not touch anything here which does not require touching. Nor would I wish risking breaking something. This particular station looks like it may be occasionally in use.. but who can say what the condition of the others we find deeper in may be. I suggest we carry on."
Carver's dark, coal-rimmed eyes dart about madly. It's presumably to pick out those devious hidden wights, just ready to ambush them at a moment's notice -- Wait, what's that?! Oh, it's just... "A rat?" The beanpole woman shakes her head bemused, lifting the lantern up again. "Nah, if it holds, on we go!" That's the sort of down home charm you'd expect someone to spout alongside gems like "A snake can't fall down" or "If you're thirsty, dig a well!".
Area one done, five more to go.
So, back on the move. Area two is much like the first as you carefully navigate occasionally slick floors alongside water passages and cisterns. Nothing standing out. Ideally, you c an all get paid for just enduring some bad smells and that's it. With the second marked location, another river floodgate about thirty minutes from the first, ticked off, now you hve a deeper locale to get to. Sloping downwards, you find yourself heading into more pungent (and warmer) parts of the sewers. The walls here are patchwork constructions of various ages and repair. Breakdowns appear to be very common, and the rush of water recedes into the distance a bit, overtaken by the sounds of scurrying rats and dripping instead.
This is about when you encounter your first significant problem. The map is good, but about halfway down the intersection it wanst you to go to the next part, you find the tunnel is ... plugged.
Grease. A whole lot of grease has solidified into an unpleasent ... mass, sealing off the passage ahead.
"Well. I do not suppose any of you brought.. shovels?" Nemori asks, her expression not being shy about showing her distaste. "Otherise it looks like we may be having to mark this obstruction and move on."
Sora cocks her head to the side and blinks, "not what I expected to see." she shakes her head and glances around a little, she starts to say something and then shakes her head a bit, "don't wanna jinx it." she mutters, though she does pull her greatsword from its sheath, something unexpected is cause for concern. The mithral greatsword is almost bigger than she is , though she holds it easily.
"I don't normally have cause for a shovel, unfortunately." Eztli responds as she looks at the obstruction, and coughs again. "This shouldn't have ever had a chance to get this bad in the first place. I don't like it, but. there's no question a wight or anything else could dig through it if they wanted to. So, I guess we need to make sure nothing is there."
Dalton sets his face like a stony cliff face for a moment at the suggestion of digging, because it makes the most sense and it's the one he likes the least. Still, it's honest labor, he will find a place to hang his pack so that he can pull out the utility shovel usually used for making a fire pit and eyes the mass of gunk. "Just like being on the farm again," he notes because shoveling poop is probably a thing he's done many a time. "Not the biggest shovel, but it will do," he points out to his tool before he goes to get the first lump moved and find a rhythm.
Carver sets her lantern down on the floor, and streeeeetches way back for a small shovel. She takes up a spot next to Dalton, shrugging at Sora. "That sword seems way too nice to be cuttin' at some ole greasy discharge. We got this."
Nemori's eyes open a little wider.. her shovel suggestion had been a little bit sarcastic. Yet.. if it gets them through. Rather than take part, however, she just steps back. "I might want to point out we do not know what is on the other side. For all we know it is holding back a higher level of sewage."
GAME: Carver rolls survival: (10)+8: 18
GAME: Sora rolls survival: (7)+10: 17
GAME: Nemori rolls survival: (1)+3: 4 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Eztli rolls survival: (19)+1: 20
GAME: Carver rolls Guide: (1)+Guide: 1 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Carver rolls Profession/Guide: (3)+8: 11
...so the good news is that you have a map. This map allows you to back up and spend some time studying it under a lantern's light to identify an alternative route to your destination. After a while, you're fairly sure you've got it between Carver and Sora's eyes. Now, you've got a twisty passageway that goes down some steps and under the one you were meant to go to. Now there's another tunnel, after a treacheroursly slippery set of stairs, that's more of a sharp slope down.
Your first steps into it reveal it is very, very slick.
GAME: Carver rolls reflex: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Kyria rolls Reflex: (19)+3: 22
GAME: Sora rolls reflex: (17)+7: 24
GAME: Eztli rolls reflex: (6)+4: 10
GAME: Dalton rolls reflex: (4)+3: 7
GAME: Nemori rolls reflex: (5)+4: 9
"Okay, everybody, listen right up. Unplug those earholes!" Carver says, a professionally curt delivery. "Now, I need you to really pay attention, this is what we in the business call a 'HAZZYARD' alright? Now, when you shift your weight, you have to be careful to keep feet firmly planted and cautiously advance. Don't go all willy nilly with your toesies like you're dancin' with the cutest girl in th-" Whatever their tour guide was going to say is lost as she suddenly tea kettles up with a wallop like an alleycat's tail being stepped on and schwoops down the slope.
Dalton doesn't know better, he's going to take the field guide at their word when Carver speaks with experience. He's doing as he's told, but he's also a man not used to being so careful with his footing. Sometimes weight just helps you avoid some physics, not this time though. Mold and algae and whatever else combines to make his first two steps turn into a lot of pinwheeling of arms before he's right down after the dwarf with a rather excitedly frightened, "CHYEEAAAAHOOO!" the sound disappearing as he does down the tunnel in a heap of clattering and thudding parts.
Kyria is a damned elf, and they're all nimbly-bimbly after all. So as she makes her way ever so gracefully down the steps she's forced to watch as nearly everyone else goes traveling onwards on their rumps. She 'Oooohs!' as she watches the uncomfortable trip, blinking at Sora since she seems to be the only other left up on steps taking the boring way down.
Sora makes her way along, when things start to get treacherous she starts watching where she places her feet a bit more. "Careful through here." she mutters to the others and makes her way down carefully, thanks to her grace and practiced agility.
So much for avoiding the worst of the filth. Nemori is also an elf.. however, her descent is far less graceful yet far more rapid than the other elf's. Much swearing in Sil can be heard on her way down.
Eztli was getting along well, she was making her way out down the path. Only ocassionally stopping to steady herself on the slipppery flooring. But then Nemori goes sliding down the tunnel, and the small makari tries to reach out and pull the elf back, only to remember that they too were very small. The weight sends her tumbling down as well after she tripped over her tail in an attempt to get her footing, not uttering any profanities out of a desire to get nothing at all in their windpipe. When she's able to pull herself up and out however, she ducks back to the back of the group. Eztli coughs once and snaps her fingers, before there is the sound of retching from the back.
Thankfully they were already on the edge of a sewer.
"I've got some magic to clean off, but I don't know if I'll feel clean regardless." She grumbles.
GAME: Eztli casts Prestidigitation. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14
Now that you've hit bottom (boy did some of you hit bottom), you find yourselves rolling around in a rather terrible amount of gunk. There's a reason this wasn't the path you were supposed to take, after all, even if it became necessary. The ceiling here is dripping with water and ... other things, and the room is full, full *full* of refuse, gunk, and mounds of fungus and mold.
As you right yourselves and begin to brush off the filth, you see the exit on the other side of the squishy floor you need to cross. That'll get you back on course.
Dalton is glad for the lack of extremely hard surface at the end of his careening but at least he's stopped rolling and he's pretty sure he didn't land on anyone - wait - "Little Guide?" he calls for Carver, hoping the dwarf is okay and not..under him. A shift and he pushes to his feet to find things soggy and squishy in places that make him make a face. "Kyria?" he calls up the stairs some trying to ascertain how separated they are. Oh not much at all - he's just filthy for the journey. Yay. "Next time, I vote twice for digging," he nods firmly, as if this is how voting works.
Sora cocks her head to the side as she managed to make it down without getting....icky, well more icky than just walking around in a sewer, still going to take days to get her armor clean. She looks at them, "Hopefully you all are ok, nothing broken but pride?" she asks as she calls over to those that slipped.
"Ow," Carver's muted response comes from underneath Dalton. Oh wait, no, she's somewhere to the right, crumpled against the wall. She wobbles very slowly to her feet, dripping and smelling worst than death. Her facescarf is gone and her raccoon eyes are narrowed slits as if she's in pain. Which she probably is. "Well," She looks down at the map in her hands that she managed to keep mostly dry. Then slowly, stiffly, points. "I think that's where we need to go."
Kyria makes her way down even if a little slower. She looks around at those peeling themselves up off the floor, unfortunately literally given the contents. "I'm fine Dalton, how about you?" She'll offer hands to those that could use them to get to their feet, looking over heads for bumps and bruises.
as Kyria speaks, the moss covered floor behind her seems to ripple as something peels its flattened form from the ground. Slowly, the vines rise up behind her, casting a shadow over her form in the dim light.
Yep. That's bad.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Whirlpool has dropped a TIMESTOP!
Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Whirlpool to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.
For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 21.
It is now Kyria's turn! Fungal Crawler is next!
GAME: Kyria casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14
GAME: Kyria rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 19.
It is now Fungal Crawler's turn! Eztli is next!
Kyria gets that tingling at the back of her neck, that someone is giving you an eyeing from the all concealing shadows. She turns out of reflex, stepping back away from the bad feeling out of habit before she lifts her hands up and fires a round of glowing purple missiles into the darkness, where they all smack into the nasty little pile of fungus.
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (19)+10: 29
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (12)+6: 18
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (20)+6: 26
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (19)+6: 25
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d4+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d4+2: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d4+2: (2)+2: 4
It's not exactly intelligent, right? It's a plant. Sora's nearest next to it and so it flings its cricket-like body, covered in fungus and mushrooms, at Sora instead. It lands next to her and proceeds to rake her with its... claws and tentacles? That's about the best way to describe it. Regardless, it looks like it managed to scratch her up pretty badly.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 18.
It is now Eztli's turn! Carver is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (14)+6: 20
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 14.
It is now Carver's turn! Dalton is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+4: (7)+4: 11
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 13.
It is now Dalton's turn! Sora is next!
GAME: Eztli rolls 3d4+3: (8)+3: 11
GAME: Dalton rolls 1d20+7: (12)+7: 19
GAME: Dalton rolls 1d20+7: (2)+7: 9
Eztli was still recovering from the deluge of sewage when the insect attacked, and she wasn't sure how to react at first. But, it seemed to be more than a nuisance as it attaced one of their group. The small makari reached out, and brandished the palm of their hand in the direction of the insect, with the swampy air igiting into a spray of flames in the direction of the bug. And then she bravely ducked back, away from the threat as far as she could get.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 11.
It is now Sora's turn! Nemori is next!
GAME: Dalton rolls 1d8+4: (6)+4: 10
Dalton may be covered in filth, and quite not-okay about it, but that doesn't mean he can shirk in his duties of clammoring to the front to make some noise and raise some heck! The hustle from Kyria to avoid the shambling creature is enough to make him spring into action. The fighter lunges the short distance to flank the beast with one of the others, his sword hacking wetly at it before he also tries to shield check the thing into backing up - that's far less successful though, and he mostly just kind of wetly-high-fives the thing with his shield.
GAME: Sora rolls strike+2: aliased to finesse+3+2: (16)+11+3+2: 32
GAME: Sora rolls powdam: aliased to 2d6+3+2+1+1+6: (11)+3+2+1+1+6: 24
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 7.
It is now Nemori's turn! Kyria is next!
GAME: Nemori casts Spiritual Weapon. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15
GAME: Nemori rolls 1d20+4+3: (12)+4+3: 19
GAME: Nemori rolls 1d8+1: (8)+1: 9
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 21.
It is now Kyria's turn! Fungal Crawler is next!
GAME: Kyria rolls 1d4+1: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Whirlpool removes the timestop.
Timestop by Whirlpool has left.
Sora gets mauled by the plant...thing and really isn't happy, "You shouldn't have done that." she mutters and her greatsword starts to whip around her like it was a smaller blade. She starts moving with it almost like it was dancing. Her grace and agility with the massive weapon is impressive. As she dances her focus seems to shift from accuracy to power and whn she finally whips it at the creature she slashes deeply into it, almost like carving it open.
Nemori gives up immediately on her hat; she doesn't even try to salvage the sodden thing. There is no way she is ever putting it on her head again. That's when the.. fungus.. thing.. rises. Another sil swear word, then she's shuffling backwards as she summones a rosey, translucent rapier which stabs the plant creature from behind.
And to polish it off, a second volley of Kyria's missiles streak through the dark to plonk into the bloodied critter. There are a few wisps of smoke that rise from it, and a sound that is either sizzling fluids or a pitiful squeak of protest at it's demise.
It is now leaking horrible ooze, yes, and melting into a pile on the ground. Ichor and grossness and fungal ... gooo.
At least it's dead now, right?
Dalton huffs and still probably baps the thing with his shield a bit more sturdily this time. Razza frazza. He stomps once or twice and then grunts low before turning a smile towards the flinger of magic missiles that all seemed to hit their mark. "Long. Hot. Bath." He says before wiping his face with a sleeve...which doesn't help matters, the poor giantborn's beard is a right sad sight. "Maybe I vote three times for digging," he says quietly and mostly to himself as he gathers himself, and tries to flickas much guck off of himself as he can.
Sora winces a bit and shakes her head, "Now that wasn't fun," she says and shakes her head a bit more. Having been mauled, she still doesn't look too happy. She looks at the others and raises a brow for moment but looks back towards the creature and shakes her head.
Eztli seems to settle down, and the small makari looks around when the insect seems to stop moving. "It's dead, right? Cockroaches are pretty resilient, and that's a really, really big insect. Or, kind of an insect." She mumbles. "Everyone alright? I can't do much for any injuries, I'm sorry, but at least I can clean off the worst from your clothes."