Down into the Darkness

Word to the wise: when going down into the dark, dank sewers make sure you always have someone in the party that knows prestidigitation. Otherwise you’re going to have an awful time when you inevitably fall into the sewage and climb out stinking something terrible. I owe Sylvie one once we get out of the situation we’re in. The days never seem to go according to plan, unless someone besides me planned on ending up traversing through the sewers and winding up in a maze of caverns far underneath the city.
 
We started the day watching a vast army travel through town, impressively clanking and marching their way off to war. Everyone was laying down flowers and bidding them goodbye whether or not they knew who it was under the armor, a touching bit of a support for what would probably be a deadly endeavor for the soldiers involved. Or maybe they’d survive, I really don’t know much about the Marines of Averheim. They sure look like they mean business though.
 
While we were examining the aftermath of the tavern brawl (one in which I did not start but will consider myself victorious in) an 8 foot tall Goliath walked in, wearing that familiar cloak once more. Pheonix has now been replaced with Bene, or Ben, and again doesn’t seem to notice that he’s changed. Still seems to be a favorable fellow though so we all just went with it.
 
Ruin requested we check out the Church of Gya since he’s been doing some autopsy stuff during his downtime. Guess one of the homeless folk had one of those awful worms in him and Ruin wanted to investigate further. I did mention to him that I had one of those worms in me in the past and instead of being properly put off the doctor decided to look into it further. Strange folk, those medical types.
 
The church didn’t show much so off to the guild we went, passing through the town square, where a large stature of Oak’Rynn stands tall. Bit more melancholy now that the big man has passed on, and the whole army came to a stop to pay their respects. Lots of candles lit and prayers said. There’s no doubt he made an impact on this part of the world, and there will be no shortage of those looking to avenge him.
 
So at the guild we were met with this frightening sight of an old woman who introduced herself as Oostagraff. Oosta knows an awful lot about me despite me not being from this place. You’d think she’d be one who I would undoubtedly remember if I so much had laid an eye upon her before, yet despite my poor mind turning over and over I cannot place for the life of me. Though I can’t help but feel I owe her a favor….
 
Over the sound of Oosta’s cackling we were able to inform Ember of the tunnels under the coliseum, so she decided to have some of the guild check it out while we went over to the mayor’s house to help him out with a little blackmailing problem. Figured it would be an easy way to get some gold and some clout with the Fey District. The mayor, a delightfully entertaining satyr, informed us that he was being blackmailed because he got incredibly drunk with a stranger and was witnessed streaking through the town square.
 
So… it’s a bit hazy but I do vaguely recall getting absolutely smashed while checking in on Rosie’s whereabouts. Also while sloshed deciding that running through town in naught but my fur being a really good idea at the time. Upon my honor I didn’t know it was the mayor that joined me in such an endeavor. I did give him a proper apology when it was clear there was no way to avoid him noticing that I was the one that convinced him to go streaking in the first place.
 
While we continued our investigations in town we caught sight of Sova’s execution. Now, I don’t think the man should have been turned free after all those folk he killed, not to mention that he did a very good job of trying to murder us all, but the man’s life was ended by being hacked up into pieces and being set on fire. Gruesome, even by my standards.
 
It was an abandoned church that held our next point of investigation. Ruin took the lead, carousing with the local vagrants for information, and by showing a bit of kindness we were able to learn that Chimera’s men were using this place for some secret rendezvous. Nasty sounding folk, ones that clearly do not have best intentions in mind. There’s some kind of deal being struck up north, talk of mercenaries, nothing good. We need to tread carefully or we’ll find ourselves right in the middle of it all.
 
We found the spot where the mayor had been dropping off the blackmail money. The symbol of the mysterious Chorus group was on it, a group that our friend Ben seems to have a kind of history with, and Ben volunteered to be the next one to drop off the mayor’s money so we could see who we were dealing with. I wasn’t about to argue there, and in the meantime we decided to check out the coliseum until it was time for the stakeout.
 
Ember had already sent her crew to clean out the underground tunnels (though they missed a giant spider, the lazy dogs). As we went along both Ruin and I were knocked into the muck by said giant spider, though thankfully Sylvie was able to clean us up with the aforementioned prestidigitation. Deep in the sewers we found Ember’s men, bound and gagged by a maniac wielding an assortment of jolly instruments.
 
Did I ever sound like that when I spent my time as a bard? Laughing maniacally while beating the everloving life out of my enemies through song? Though I have to be honest, I spent a lot of my time running away instead of fighting during that time. Not this time though. With our combined efforts we absolutely destroyed the man, with Ben straight up decapitating our foe. We took the head and continued on after freeing Ember’s men.
 
To our confusion and amazement we stumbled upon a large underground city, complete with their own giant emerald green crystal. Now, honestly I don’t know if every underground city has a giant crystal but it looked very impressive and important. Too bad we didn’t have time to investigate further because we were suddenly set upon by a mass of kobolds, rat men, and other unsavory sorts. We were trapped between them and a menacing cliffside that would drop us far into an abyss below. They even tore the one shirt I decided to wear by trying to spear me with a meat hook, the jerks. Just goes to show that the universe does not want me to wear a shirt-
 
Getting off track here. The battle looked dire, as were were being beset by our tricky foes, but Desmond found an escape by means of riding down a long chain into the abyss below. We managed to hold on and ride our way down (though Sylvie was knocked loose and I had to grab her by the ankle, poor lass), and waiting for us was a vast underground lake. I had no trouble swimming around in the darkness and helped the others make it safely to shore.
 
Now we’re wandering around through the darkness, hoping to find our way out. I’m the only one with natural darkvision so I have been placed at the lead. Having this sort of responsibility would have sent me running when I was younger, but now… I’m inclined to ensure that everyone here makes it out alive this time. We’re a proper crew now and no one gets left behind.