Chapter V: Into Oathheath
General Summary
Star, Mandriakus, and Theolin left the camp after sundown that following night. They crept their way throught the trees and tall grasses until they could spy the city of Oathheat, lit by the torches atop the city wall and the watchfires burning around the settlement's perimeter. The snuck to the northwestern side of the city wall where Holly of Oathheath informed them that is where they find the entrance to the city's sewers.
When they reached the grate that raw sewage and waste poured out of, they discovered the grate locked from the outside. They were startled by a tall man of Native Dornican descent, judging by his deep brown skin and the dreadlocks he styled his hair in. The man introduced himself as Duvall, and when he spoke his did indeed have the accent of an inhabitant of Dornica-The Pirate Isles.
Duvall informed the soon to be intruders that he was searching for a way into the city and didn't want to attract the attention of the city watch. He asked if he could follow them into the sewers, and from there he would find his way into the Flagon and the Crow. Hearing that was where the other three were hoping to find this Farrakhan, and concluding that Duvall was not connected to the Black Talon, they agreed to let him tag along, for they did not know what dangers they may face.
Star unlocked the grate to the sewer and into the slime and sludge filled pipe they crawled. Duvall noticed right away the smell of methane gas, and they four determined no torches or lanterns be lit. Theolin used his wand of light to light the sewage passageways. After a couple of hours of navigating the slick walkways in the tunnels, the adventurers were attacked by a small swarm of large sewer rats.
While in combat with the rats, Theolin spied that the swarm seemed to be led by a rat even bigger than the ones trying to devour them. The warrior charged the leader of this rat pack (heh) and engaged in comabt with it, killing it quickly. After dispatching the rest of the mischief of rats, all were stunned to see the dead leader of the vermin was gone and naked human man lay in his place, and slightly stirring though he severed grievous wounds. Theolin decapitated the head off this man, determining that he was under the curse of lycanthropy, and threw its head into the river of sewage.
Another hour passes as the group tries to find the sewer grate that would lead them to the street above closest to the Flagon and Crow. The warriors then stumble upon a cube of green gelatinous matter that shambled towards them of its own volition. Seeing various bones of rats and other vermin, and even the partially dissolved skeleton of a man or elf withing the quivering mass of the cube. The adventurers realized the best way to destroy this thing was with fire, but no combustible flame could be lit. Mandrakus stepped forward and channeling the divine energy of hie god, cast a bolt of mystical energy at the mindless cube and it exploded, covering the group in it's gooey remains.
Thinking they are finally reaching their destination and anxious to escape the sewers, the party was again assaulted by monster with a large, bloated body covered in slimy, grayish-green skin. Three thick, rubbery tentacles sprout from its sides, two tipped with barbed, spiky appendages for grasping and one ending in a wide, toothy maw. Its eyes are small and beady, set on short stalks that protrude from its body. The creature did not stand long in the fight as the group quickly hacked in to pieces.
Making their into the city streets, the adventurers skulked their way through dark or dimly lit alleys, elluding squads of mercenaries patrolling the city streets. After another hour of searching, they find the tavern called The Flagon and The Crow. Once inside, they see the taproom is comepletely deserted. The only people they see is an older human man behind the bar cleaning tankards and a human woman of similar age sweeping the floors with a worn straw broom.
The man behind the bar informs the four adventurers that the tavern is closed, and they inform the bartender that they seek a Zylistanni man named Farrakhan Al-Hakeem and if he can give them any information, they will quickly be on their way. A voice from a dark corner coming from a man sitting at a table the band didn't see when they entered the taproom. The voice asks why these foreigners seek Farrakhan, and the troupe see that the voice is coming from a man of Zylitanni descent dressed in silks and finery, each adorned with jewelry and many opulent rings on each finger.
Theolin remebers the coin that the traveller from Zylistan, Hazim el-Zaman gave him to give to Farrakhan should they find the man. Theolin cautiously walks over to the table shrouded in shadow and tosses the coin on the table and says, "Hazim bids you good tidings..."
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