Session 1: Sewers of Madness

After an unsuccessful day trying to secure employment in a caravan heading north along the Dresium Road to the Citadel of the Arcane, each of the PCs had retired to an open air tavern on the outskirts of Arkesh to unwind and plan their next move. The tavern’s owner, Ninki, had encouraged Mid to entertain her customers. After an initial problem with the strings of her lyre, Mid played her lyre to the pleaure of the crowd, while PPP entertained the audience with his knife tricks. Meanwhile, Ninki busied herself with serving drinks and rubbing gnome heads, although an illusory worm put her off of Terlis’s head.

All of the PCs noticed as an older Guldorian woman came in to the tavern looking distraught and confronted Ninki. Each character recognized the woman as Lina Gustenwald for they had all sought employment with her dresium wagon earlier in the day. Terlis edged closer and overheard some of their conversation. It seemed that Lina was frantic to find her husband, Knute who had not returned home last night after coming to the tavern for a drink. Ninki claimed no responsibility for Knute’s situation as he wandered off from the tavern last night “deep in his cups.” Ninki was a bit annoyed herself at Knute’s disappearance, for Knute apparently had a significant bar tab to clear.

Getting no help from Ninki, Lina looked around the tavern and noticed the PCs who had all asked for employment with her that day. She called them out and told them that if they were able to find her husband, she would repay them with employment as guards for her wagon. She was distraught, but upon inquiry, was able to provide the PCs with a locket that contained a picture of her husband. She also described him as a tall, older balding man with a fine trimmed grey beard. Ninki also indicated that she thought he had headed in the direction of the city along the river. After Clancy deftly persuaded Ninki to not collect their bar tab, the PCs headed out in search of Knute, still not knowing much about each other.

Passing through the city gates into the city, Terlis spotted a pair of rats and was able to use his natural ability to speak with them. One of the rats, was so surprised by this that he offered some information after a little bit of food was offered. He recalled Knute from the picture as one that the rats liked because he often dropped food in his drunken state. The rat believed he had been through last night. Terlis quickly wrapped up the conversation as a guard began to take note of the funny little man talking with a rat.

Knowing that they were heading in the right direction, the PCs then began to look for other clues. Showing some familiarity with this urban setting, Riya was able to find large footprints that weaved about on the river’s edge. Suspecting that these might be Knute’s footprints, the party followed these tracks until they stopped abruptly. At this point, the PCs saw signs of a struggle and some blood along the river wall. As they investigated these clues, a nearby beggar called out “Its no use, the Rat God got’em!”

The PCs began to question this beggar whose name was Boda. He was a Keltish man with one hand who claimed that he lost the other hand in the Great War. After a bit of coin and some persuasive words from his fellow Kelt, Clancy, he confided that he and several other beggars had set up a fane to the Rat God in the sewers underneath the city. As they were sleeping there last night, something came out of the dark and grabbed them. His two friends were captured, but Boda broke free and ran away in the dark. He managed to scramble out of the sewers and onto the streets where he collided with a tall older man. They both fell and Boda quickly got up. He didn’t look back but could hear signs of a struggle behind him.

Suspecting that these mystery assailants had nabbed Knute, the PCs determined that they would need to explore the sewers. Through a mix of persuasion and intimidation, Clancy was able to convince Boda to show them where the Rat GodRat God fane was located. The party made it through the sewers without incident and came up on a hole in the wall of the sewers. On the other side of this hole lay an ancient crypt where a simple and crude altar made of a dresser and black cloth had been set up.

As the PCs explored this crypt, they discovered two areas of stone that appeared to be depressable if pushed. Preparing for an ambush, the PCs got into position around this area and then Clancy and Terlis both used their arcane magic to push the pieces of stonework from afar. instantly a secret door opened at the same time that a spear shot out from the other side of the room, only to miss the entire party. Behind the secret door stood six strange humanoid creatures. They looked vaguely like humans, but had a stooped gait and grayish skin. Skin had also grown over completely where their eyeballs should be. Each carried a crude club with spikes and they were dressed in rags.

It appeared that these creatures had been about to spring an ambush on the party, but were caught off-guard by the opening of the door suddenly. Thinking quickly, Mid rushed forward and strummed her lyre. it produced a thunderous sound that drove several of the creatures back and left them all clutching at their ears. Taking advantage of their disorganization, the remaining members of the party made short work of the group, crushing them with weapons and magic.

The party began to explore the twisting tunnels that the secret door had revealed. The stonework of this area was different from the crypt and seemed strangely alien in design with strange bumps here and there and no detectable seams. The party first sent Terlis’s bat familiar to scout ahead and then followed. As they explored the tunnels, they were ambushed suddenly by two small grotesque creatures that were nothing but brains with four clawed feet. The things struck with their claws, but also released some kind of psychic attack that caused Kiki to collapse to the ground, unmoving. The remainder of the party was constrained by the tight space and had difficulty bringing their power to bear on the two strange beasts. Suddenly one of the beasts seemed to leap and vanish into mid-air. Mid used her arcane abilities to cause the remaining creature to fall on its back in strange laughter, which left and opening for Zhang Min to literally squash it to death with his maul.

Kiki remained senseless after the fight, but as the party took a brief respite she slowly seemed to regain her senses and appeared to return to normal. The party explored the tunnels further and eventually came upon a room with three prisoners, one of whom turned out to be Knute. The other two were beggars. Deciding that their mission was accomplished, the party decided to make a hasty exit from these mad tunnels.

As they were leaving the tunnels, Zhang Min suddenly noticed that Kiki had vanished. Quickly backtracking they saw her ahead and quickly sprinted to catch up. They finally caught up with her in a spartan room with a single altar. On top of this altar was a statuette of a grotesque alien head with tentacles where a mouth should be. Kiki appeared to be in a trance and was reaching for this statuette. Zhang Min quickly grabbed her from behind to restrain her, while Clancy’s pine martin familiar climbed up onto her and licked her on the face. This seemed to snap her out of her trance, although in her surprise she threw the pine martin against the wall, vanishing it to its pocket dimension. Meanwhile the rest of the party attempted to break the surprisingly sturdy statuette. It ultimately fell to Riya’s fists.

The party then returned to Lina outside of the city. She was overjoyed to see Knute. She followed through on her offer of employment and offered each of the PCs an advance of 50gp. They would receive an additional 200gp upon arrival at the Citadel of the Arcane and another 250gp upon the return trip back to Arkesh. She then made everyone a special dish of krummeschnitzel and petersil kartofflen, along with ale. Afterwards the PCs met the two other guards for her wagon: Ernus, an elderly and experienced Guldorian guard full of piss and vinegar, and Zaffa, a quiet young Bakshuni. Ernus gave the PCs some information about the trip explaining that it takes about a month and that the most common dangers of the road are bandits and “bugs.” The caravan leaves the day after tomorrow, giving the PCs a chance to take care of any business in Arkesh they wish to on the next day. The party then bedded down for the night, anxious about what their journey to the Citadel of the Arcane would entail.