New Beginnings

Posing as a Wayfarer has been difficult. Drow are so hated in general. Barra was not a typical Drow, although she has performed evil deeds, these deeds do not define her. Barra is looking for a clean slate. The assault on her house eliminated her family line. This alone is not an uncommon occurrence in Drow culture, but she is the last, and probably hunted. My meditation has been erratic. I find it difficult to find a centered peace for rest. The trauma of my family's death, and the guild of my reprisal, weigh me down like a chain.
 
Her travels have taken her to a guild. Outward analysis shows a desire to make change, for the good. Perhaps, this is where it begins. With a deep breath, Barra enters the recruitment office. This organization has numerous jobs. Parties are not static, and change based on the job. Barra liked the idea. This reduces the risk of people discovering her secret.
 
After being accepted, she is asked to the tavern. In the tavern, she sees others. Some more experienced and some as new as her. The job is an investigation of unusual circumstances. The party as a whole is pretty green, so unless someone doesn't do something stupid, we should be okay. One party member seems to be a pompous drunk. Just what we need.... Just as soon as the bartender says Guild Members arent prejudice, this moron starts talking caste...
 
The job is to investigate the disappearance of fish. Most of the coastal cities practice sustainability. This is the practice to harvest in a way that does not deplete resources, yet, they are dwindling at a rapid rate.
 
Upon arrival at our town, we find a the tavern. I notice it isn't very busy. In fact, it should be bustling. Some of the party enters the tavern, and a couple of us walk the building. Vaaran the drunk tips the bartender 10 gold to help out the economy. In and of itself, a nice gesture. Unfortunately for us, the bartender thanks him by giving him a dwarven 30 year whisky. Just what we need.
 
The other in the party seem to be a little more responsible. A Ignis, Fire Elemental Type who is an Artificer. Axum, a Shapechanging Warlock. Amaya, a Wood Elf Druid. And Vaaran, the Drunken Egotistical Warlock.
 
As the party mingles to find information, I use my abilities to stealthily investigate the building. Amaya get the attention of a group of women. She is led upstairs hastily. Since the rest of the party remained downstairs, I followed unseen to ensure Amayas safety. There is a pungent smell upstairs. A sweet fungal scent that seems familiar, but I cannot identify it. I spy through the keyhole, and see Amaya tend to a young man, apparently the son of one of the ladies. Amaya does her best tending medicinally to the young man, but he passes. Her magic seemed to clear his mind only for a moment, but he passed anyway
 
Through much discussion, we get a tip of a possible source of the contamination. A cave up the coast. We secure a ship with a two man crew and head there. We find the cave, and some seals. Carefully, we enter through the left, avoiding potential dangers. Axum discovers a seal with the same disease as the town member. Vaaran goes his own way. Good idea, separating the party is always a bonus! He narrowly escapes infecting himself by traipsing through pustules.
 
In the meantime, Amaya uses an anti-toxin from Axum to cure a baby seal. The others succumb to the disease. Her faith seems to have carried her in this instance. I deftly harvest some of the puss from a deceased seal into a waterskin for analysis.
 
We decide to head out and investigate a shipwreck. Upon arrival, we notice a this slimy film on top of the water. Vaaran attempts to jump to the bow of the sunken ship. As I expected, the drunk slips and falls into the ocean. I announce we need to pull him out without dragging the slime onto the ship or he will infect us all. The ships bosun secures a pulley system on the mast as we pull in Vaaran. He looks like shit. Serves his ass right. Confidence is the tool of the skilled. Overconfidence is the tool of a fool.
 
Axum suggests we get the ship name and manifest. I point out that the manifest is usually in the captains chamber in the aft of the ship, and that is underwater. Axum shape changes into a merfolk. I don't say a word. Dead heroes litter the world. Just before jumping ship, he sees the name of the ship. Axum is from the area of the shipping company that ship is out of. He changes his mind. Then, the group gets it in their head to detonate the slime, WHILE WE ARE FLOATING IN IT!!!!
 
A grease spell is cast, and they try and ignite it. Grease is soluble in water. Igniting it is near impossibe. Lucky for us, the slime is a methane bomb! The explosion rocks the ship. I hold my tongue.
 
Common sense wins the day and we all agree to head back. Upon arrival, we inform the village of what we find. Our artificer stays back to create anti-toxins for the villages. This will slow the onset, but does not cure it. We expedite back to the guild. Vaaran is quarantined and we inform the leadership of the spread of the infection.
 
Overall all, no deaths, so far and an 80 gold reward along with 15 guild credits for guild purchases.
 
I sincerely hope I am not....."Blessed" with Vaaran again.