Session 26: Into the Undercity Report

General Summary

The squeal of hundreds of rats in the dark was followed by raspy threats, “We had such plans! Such great things to do… but for your meddling!” Those with darkvision watched as wererats slunk in and out of their eyeline, ducking behind buildings and stepping behind doorframes.   Aatavi strode boldy out to meet the challenge, his trident glowing brightly courtesy of Aaura's light spell. He screamed a warning to the rats in the dark and was answered by poison tipped crossbow bolts. Chaos and violence erupted.   The wererats ducked in and out of buildings and hopped across canals of brackish water, firing crossbow bolts and trying to stay out of range from our heroes. Aaura’s divine portents saved her from a fatal crossbow shot and ensured Aatavi would not fall prey to the lycanthropic curse yet again. Keokan's deft and deadly maneuvers with his moon sickle and short sword proved too much for his foes, even when he was overrun with a swarm of rats. Adockus joined the fray by helping to illuminate the battlefield and blasting the rodents with scorching rays. Aatavi stood his ground, a thunderhead in the vanguard, taking blow after blow and returning in kind with the fury of the Mysati. Surprising even himself with his power, Faelyn loosed a fireball for the first time, annihilating a group of enemies in spectacular fashion. Shadow ensured no witnesses when she loosed a silver tipped bolt across the vastness of the chamber and brought the last fleeing foe down.   Aatavi slumped against the cold stone wall after the fight, poisoned from a wererat’s bolt. Though the blood pounded behind his eyes and his insides roiled, he assured his friends he was fine before proceeding to retch into a canal while Faelyn held his hair back.   As the barbarian disgorged himself the others rummaged through the now human bodies of their fallen foes. A scattering of coins, a deck of cards; their search turned up little of interest until Aaura discovered a sheet of parchment with a listing of all of their physical descriptions. It only confirmed the fact that their identities were no secret to the rats beneath the city.   They headed deeper into the undercity, past clanging pumps and banging pipes, through gates and around intersections. Shadow used her knowledge of Thieves Cant to check for hidden pictographs that helped them stay on the right path – soon she had shown everyone what to look for. At nearly every intersection; carved into door jambs, scratched into railings, or painted on wall surfaces, the image of a small bird drew them deeper and deeper below the city. Following the bird’s path they soon came to an expansive chamber with a bridge spanning over a cistern far below. At the end of the bridge a large circular portal, ringed with glowing runes of aqua, opened into a chamber beyond. Even from the far side of the bridge the Shore’s Light could see eerie green light emanating from beyond.   A quick examination of the magical nature of the runes led Aaura to recognize their protective purpose. In the event the waters of the cistern were to rise, the runes outside would activate and magically seal the area beyond from flooding.   Moving past the portal entrance the Shore’s Light stood on a landing overlooking a vast subterranean chamber. Below them was a maze of structures cobbled together from ruins, detritus, and garbage. Magical driftglobes and string lights shed a blue-green luminance over the area. At the center of this shantytown stood a wide, dilapidated, two-story structure where the light of a hearth could be seen from within. Taking a moment to disguise themselves with Shadow’s disguise kit and their masquerade costumes, the Shore’s Light descended into the subterranean village.   Most figures drifted away from the party, slinking back into the shadows as the Shore’s Light passed by. Near a ruined wall a beggar reached out with a bowl and regarded them with a croaking voice,   “Spare a few coins for one in need?”   Aatavi crouched next to the wretch to take a closer look. Beneath his tattered hood, the beggar exhibited an odd look. Bulbous eyes that protruded from his heavy brow, thin piscine lips that covered rows of sharp teeth, and a greyish pallor to his skin. Rather than being repulsed, however, Aatavi leaned closer in.   The Mysati commiserated with the wretch, whose name was Kylen, and pressed a handful of gold coins into the beggar’s webbed fingers. Through a tender conversation Aatavi learned about the people who dwelt far below Damarask, those who trusted their faith to a being named Lith-Cyak, and those who were blessed by her Exalted Broodlings. Aatavi told Kylen that he and his friends had appeared to rid the region of the blight that plagued their seas, killed their fish, and put hunger in their bellies. Aatavi talked of the plague of his own land and through this common ground, raised the spirits of the wretched beggar.   Aatavi’s words brought Kylen to his feet where he revealed himself to be goliath, nearly as tall as Keokan. With a stammering croak he explained that he would help as much as he could but he was pitiful, not blessed by the Broodlings and might not be worthy of bringing them to an audience. Motioning towards the two-story building, Kylen mentioned another of his faith named Flitch who could be found within.   A sign outside the building identified it as “The Rusted Pump.” The glow of a hearth spilled out from the windows and the sounds of a lute jangled through the air. As Aatavi and the others followed Kylen through the front doors, Aaura took one last look at Shanty’s Market behind them.   In the green hued shadows behind them she watched a figure slink back into the darkness.