Fawkes: Sewer Rat

[Straither]

Tunnels: Sewer Network

11.30am

Illumination: infravision.

Fawkes can do nothing more for Goran. He tries to take some form of vengeance but his shot goes wide and now alerted, the guard chooses to bolt too; this time running down the walkway. But instead of crossing the arched bridge to engage Fawkes in melee, he runs down the side channel.

Fawkes can give chase but soon finds that the Orc guard has given him the slip. After the bridge, the walkway goes only a short distance down the side channel. The construction of the sewer changes here, the main channel dividing into three smaller tunnels. The walls are still made of brick and the ceilings of stone, but there are no longer any dry ledges to walk upon. The floor is solid, but is covered by about 2’ft or more of sewage flowing towards the main channel. Wading through this against the current is difficult and tiring. All movement is reduced. Looking down the three divergent passages, you cannot see any sign of the Orc guard as the passages turn also a short distance along. Presently you only have your infravisual sight and in the sewer channels, the reeking steam and humid conditions hide much clarity from what you can see.

Next Action Fawkes

new updated map in Maps thread

Fawkes 6/17hp

[Stirling]

Fawkes

Will take whatever he can from the bodies of the guards; uniform,weapons, supplies. Quickly donning anything and casting any of the bodies into the sewer channels for the crocodiles.

I will spend a turn trying to hear noise such as booted guards approaching, anything echoing in the passage.

Fawkes: Hear Noise vs 15% [1d100]=78

To be honest, alone, not sure where to go. I have no spells left and injured cannot fight directly. Surprise attacks aside. Figuring a safe place to rest. The dammed channel's thatch of flotsam or the cemetery crypt?

Let me go back to our first hidey hole and wait out any period of guards searching the sewers again.

[Straither]

Tunnels: Sewer Network.

Fawkes pick up some hastily grabbed basics; a light crossbow and pouch of bolts, a bloodied leather uniform, a wineskin and a few unstruck firebrands. There are no immediate patrols about though you suspect it won't be long as the guard who fled will inform his colleagues.

Sewer Network: random encounter vs 1 [1d6]=5

You can make it to the northern end of the walkway and need to scramble carefully back up the loose rubble wall that dams the sewage in the upper tunnel section. provide a Dexterity check please.

Then you need to hide successfully, out of view in the niche and lying upon the top thatch of flotsam and patiently wait out your time until you feel safe enough to explore further.

Fawkes 6/17hp

Next actions and indicate how long you prefer to stay hidden in the tunnel please.

[Stirling]

Fawkes

Next actions and indicate how long you prefer to stay hidden in the tunnel please.

tough call. Part of me says sneak about, try and find others. Wisdom says rest up. Try and pray through the night, get some spells and health back, then go again.

So unless attacked by a wandering monster or caught out by the guards, I will stay watchful in the niche, looking out for anyone exploring the sewer network.

Fawkes: Hide in Shadows attempt vs 15% [1d100]=8

[Straither]

Tunnels : Sewer Network.


Guards do come and comb the walkway. They check for boot prints leading anywhere and splashes of sewage in case you fell in the croc infested channel. They shine lights into the tunnel recesses, fearing to climb the clogged rubble in case they loosen a stone and cause the dam of backlog to spill forth and overwhelm them. For good measure they loose half a dozen bolts into the tunnel, fiery shafts that land among the damp thatch and flotsam, hoping to highlight you in case you hideaway up there. Promises "not to harm you if you surrender" are unheeded.

The walkway patrol stays to the channel for a good hour before giving up, your Hide check enough to conceal yourself effectively from detection.

Sewer Network random vs 1: [1d6]=3

Waiting out your time can take you to midday and beyond. Unless a worthy interruption occurs, such as the party coming close or a significant wandering creature happens by, then I will be fine rolling off screen to cover for a night in the tunnel niche.

[Stirling]

Waiting out your time can take you to midday and beyond. Unless a worthy interruption occurs, such as the party coming close or a significant wandering creature happens by, then I will be fine rolling off screen to cover for a night in the tunnel niche.

Good for me, Fawkes will wait out in his hiding place until he can renew spells at least unless encounters/party members come along.

[Straither]

Sewer Tunnel:

Fawkes tries to rest, uncomfortable, cold, stinking of sewage, hungry, exhausted, alone in the dark.

Sewer Network random vs 1: [1d6]=2 [1d6]=5 [1d6]=6 [1d6]=5 [1d6]=6 [1d6]=2Sewer Network random vs 1: [1d6]=5 [1d6]=4 [1d6]=3 [1d6]=4 [1d6]=3 [1d6]=5

Rolling a random check for every twenty minutes, Fate determines that you can rest in solitude, not troubled by Orc patrols on the walkway, crocodiles in the sewage channel or Carrion Crawlers and Slimes that might live on the fecal detritus that floats by. It takes you into the afternoon and inspired by the quiet you can strike a votive candle, sheltering the light of the flame to read the wet pages of your prayerbook. You can sing silent songs of praise, recount the liturgies and prayers, confess sins of weakness, negligence and deliberate fault. You break a soggy wafer in communion and give thanks, you are alive at least, bereft of all but hope and faith. No place for charity in the Slave Lord's domain.

Restricted by class level and Wisdom attribute, you need but an hour to replenish your spell allotment, God willing...

Actions Fawkes, adjust sheet for spells and decide on next actions.

dammed Sewer Tunnel niche:
5.00pm.
Illumination: Infravision, candlelight for study.

Fawkes 6/17hp

[Stirling]

Fawkes

Fawkes: casts Cure Light Wounds [1d8]=8

His God favours him and strengthened in body and spirit, he will crawl slowly from his hiding place in the tunnel and check out the walkway.

I will listen in at the Rotating Secret door, the side channel concealed door and explore to the arched bridge and to those tunnels where I saw the guard who took Goran's head leave.

Fawkes: Hear Noise vs 15% [1d100]=9Fawkes: Move Silently thief skill vs 26% [1d100]=18

[Straither]

Great rolls!

Healed up considerably and blessed by divine favours, Cleric-Thief Fawkes goes on the sneaky prowl.

First stop along the walkway is to check at the rotating secret door. You choose not to put your weight behind it and push lest it opens and in a whirl, spin you tumbling into the other side of the passage. You cannot hear any noise on the other side but the door is seamlessly fitted and this may help effectively cushion noise from one side to the other. You do hear noise though, a steady repetitive dull plonk-plonk sound that echoes along the walkway, amplified around the corner of the side channel.

You know of the second concealed door, this one situated at the end of the side channel. Not so seamless and craftsman fitted, this is a rustic panelled door that has been covered with a staccato effect of stones and rubble to reflect the pile of stones that cover the western end of the side channel.

In front of the door there is a skin drum, about the size of a small barrel. Large teardrops of water leaking from a flute like pipe fitted to a bloated wineskin which has been hung over the top of the door panel splatter in rhythmic "plonks" onto the skin of the drum.

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/water ... ng-272425/

A note pinned on the drum, written in Orcish and several other tongues, simple states, "Drip the password or Beat it".

It looks an odd puzzle, suggesting some kind of audible key is orchestrated to access beyond the concealed portal.

Leaving this untouched, you continue to explore the main channel walkway, silently approaching the arched bridge and the three narrow channels of flowing sewage water that enter the main tunnel current.

The question is which way do you go? You have four options; through the rotating secret door, investigate and bypass the side channel drip-drum & concealed door, choose one of the narrow sewage channels or continue eastwards over the arched bridge to the spot Goran was slain and down the south-east turn of the main sewer tunnel.

Sewer Tunnel network
5.20pm.
Illumination: Infravision, (candlelight for study).

Fawkes 14/17hp

next actions please

[Stirling]

Fawkes

Possibly more intrigued by the newly set up drip-drum contraption. I will attempt to see if I can manipulate it someway, removing the pipe tube filled with water, balancing that to keep the same dripping beat but also open the door in the other hand.

Fawkes: Find / Remove Traps skill vs 30% [1d100]=91

which doesn't look like any kind of success! so once I spill water or miss a beat, I will run away, heading over the arched bridge and the tunnel Goran last came from as I expect guards to appear, forewarned once the dripping beat is changed.

Fawkes: Move Silently thief skill vs 26% [1d100]=28

I try to run as silently as I can ...

[Straither]

Sewer Tunnel Network.

Fawkes fails to disarm or bypass the drip-drum setup, trying to hold a water filled pipe in one hand and trying to narrowly open the concealed door with the other. It just doesn't work and the loose pipe cocks heavily to one side and water pours through several of the pipe holes to "kerplunk, plonk, thud, thud," in several untimely beats upon the skin drum. The noise echoes in the side channel tunnel and with the concealed door partially ajar, the water drumming sounds like a rapid door knocking in the dark passage beyond.

Taking no chances, Fawkes runs, choosing to flee south over the arched bridge and towards the end of the tunnel passage that Goran climbed out when he was swimming amid the sewage. You have an expectation that guards alerted to the drip-drum being fiddled with will come to investigate. Quickly you run over the small bridge, pass the passage that splits into narrower sewage channels, you flee seeking a niche to hide.

But in your race, you cannot notice all the surrounds and unfortunately you spring a trap that you are ignorant of. (Goran too discovered it but creeping along in back-to-the-wall style, he was not a victim of the simple tilting floor trap).

A 10'ft section of the walkway tilts alarmingly swiftly and steeply, giving no chance for the unwary who are simply flipped into the maelstrom whirlpool of sewage and contrary water flows. Fawkes falls victim to the Ledge Trap and falls into the sewage. Weighted down with studded armour and heavyweight club, you begin to sink almost immediately, submerging under the sewage and becoming affected by the strong downwards pull towards a large metal drain built into the channel floor.

Sewer Tunnel network
5.30pm.
Illumination: Infravision.

Fawkes 14/17hp

Next Actions Fawkes, I need a [1d100] check modified by strength and armour. Give me three checks which I will modify. Three consecutive fails may have dire consequences ...

[Stirling]

Fawkes

Will take a deep breath, he has a hardy constitution at least; and fights against the current, flailing arms and legs and kicking as fast as he can as if trying to outrace any crocodiles hungry for his demise.

Fawkes: unmodified checks [1d100]=52 [1d100]=77 [1d100]=70

High is good right?

[Straither]

Tunnels: Sewer Network whirlpool drain:

High is good right?

Fawkes struggles against the strong downwards drag effect, pulled towards the bottom of the sewer channel and a cistern pit which has a wrought grate over the top of a drainage pipe that simply acts as the focus for draining sewage, effluent waste and bodies (dead or drowning). Imagine being caught in the spiralling waters drawing down a large plughole. Try as you might, you are inexorably sucked towards the grate. The water is murky and brown, thoroughly tainted by the sewage and visibility is practically only infravision 'nose deep'.

To help yourself, you need release any hand held items, letting go of your blessed Macuahuitl. The dense wood, weighted with obsidian shards is not designed to float and it sinks head first, much like the Cleric-Thief.

You crash against the grate, the force of the suction threatening to pull you deeper into the drainage pipe it covers, (which eventually empties into the Highport Bay). The grate bars are set about a foot apart, enough for a much battered and broken body such as a decapitated Halfling, to be sucked between them and away. Goran's fate. But a human is harder to pull through despite the tremendous suctioning power. This is made even harder by the fact that the human (or humanoid?) figure spread-eagled across face of the grate is head-to-toe fitted in platemail! (So they are not as malleable to crush).

Fawkes crashes into a drowned victim of the sewer channel whirlpool, one he may soon join in watery death. This victim too slow to rid himself of all that encumbered him and therefore handicapped against any chance to swim free; no Helm of Free Action upon the head of this hero but as Fawkes comes face to face with him, he can see the Iconic sigils emblazed upon helm and plate cuirass. Templar designs denoting a holy order of devout warriors. Eljayess, Icon and hero, died an ignominious death, drowning in a sewer of sh#te. unknown to Fawkes, the rescued Elwita mentioned him falling into the sewers.

Fawkes, your three strength based swimming checks each resolve as failures as explained below. The first fail draws you downwards, the second and third pin you to the grate. Each subsequent round after the first submerged increases your handicap to swim free and loosing yourself from the studded armour you wear is only a minor compensation. You begin to drown and I will roll the drowning damage each round until ... well dead or you find the strength to swim free yourself.

Once in the water, the drain suction will start pulling the character down. The character must drop all items in hand to attempt to stay afloat. The base percentage chance for keeping one’s head above the water is 40%; + 1% for every strength point (and + 1% for each 10% of exceptional strength over 18), -15% for leather armor, -20% for shield (which may be released the next round) or studded leather armor, -35% for chainmail, -40% for banded armor, -45% for splint or scale armor, -50% for plate mail, and -10% for each round submerged after the first. All magic armor - except shields - improves survivability by 5%.

Fawkes: swim free % chance: (40+14-20=34% -10% cumulative each round thereafter). I am fine you slashing free from your armour in rounds 2 and you can try to take another underwater action as you get drawn to the grate.

Each subsequent round you take drowning damage [2d4+2] and face an increasingly difficult check to swim free. Round 4 underwater will face a 34% chance, then -10% until it becomes vs 1%,

Next Action Fawkes underwater. Needs to act fast and roll low!

give me three more 1d100 rolls please.

[Stirling]

Fawkes

Running out of breath and time, he has to change tactics and instead of elegant breaststrokes, will go full pelt doggie-paddle and try to swim as fast and strongly as he can. Maybe I can use the grate to push my feet against and get a kickstart to free from the suctioning current.

As far as the drowned Eljayess, I can't grab him but if I can feel that he has a rope on a backpack, I might try to knot an ankle or just loop his neck and swim with the other end in my hand or teeth. If I can free myself, then I might want to try and pull his body free and haul it out the sewer channel to check out.

Fawkes: Speed swimming checks [1d100]=8 [1d100]=39 [1d100]=4

[Straither]

Fawkes

Divine luck favours the drowning sewer rat Cleric-Thief! Relieved of all encumbrances, you face a swim check vs 24%, 14% then 4%, after that if still alive and kicking, I would allow a 1% chance so as not to close all improbabilities despite seeming impossibility.

However Fawkes finds the inner strength and reserve to kick away from the drain of doom, even if I factored in -7hp and taking an additional -1% for each point of damage sustained. With barely a moment and breath to spare, Fawkes surfaces against the rotating whirlpool current and tossed aside as a loose bit of flotsam, you manage to float under the walkway just as the tilting Ledge Trap resets its counterweighted mechanism.

Drowning damage [2d4+2]=5+2=7

As to trying to frisk any of the dead body of Eljayess stuck against the grate as you try and swim an escape, I think to allow you a reasonable chance just to grab blindly at something with using your class Pickpocket ability. I will use the next in line d100 you rolled as the 8% secured your escape.

Your fingers brush over the platemail and helm of the deceased Icon. He drowned quickly, the armour bearing him down whilst he still carried his shield and pack. Those he loosed along with hand-held weapons. His waist still buckled and you brush against a sword hilt still sheathed in scabbard, the long shaft of a Polearm (or spear or staff?) wedged under his body, a leathered satchel weighted with godly tomes and rosary beads.

vs 30% pickpockets success, your second roll resolves as a fail.

Your need to surface and breath overwhelms all other desires to search a body underwater, you can just about snatch the holy symbol that is hung around his neck as the lone tribute to the deceased. Then you swim away.

Sewer Tunnel network
5.50pm.
Illumination: Infravision.

Fawkes 07/17hp

You can wait a turn or two before clambering out the sewer channel. No crocodiles were drawn towards your thrashing, (perhaps the vicinity of the drain is just too dangerous, even for them?), no Orc patrols come along the walkway. Once more you are alone in the Sewer Tunnels; wet, cold, smelling like rotten fish on a bad day, half drowned and still gasping for clear breath. But you are alive!

Next Actions please Fawkes

[Stirling]

Fawkes

Climbs out and sits on side of walkway, when an idea, crazy of course, strikes his bald head. If only he had advanced to 3rd level cleric (he started dual classed so was a few xp short) then he would cast Speak with Animals after luring a crocodile towards him. Schucks!

I don't think going back to hide in my niche or try to explore down the concealed door tunnel are good decisions. I would opt for the Slave Market if I was in a group. On my own, either the tunnel system the guard took with Goran's head or explore the rest of this tunnel.

Let me see where it leads going south-east.

I go forward using infravision and step very carefully and warily.

[Straither]

Tunnels: Sewer Network

Fawkes sits a few minutes, his mind a whirl about what could have been. In front of him, the opposing flows of sewage circle and drain deep below the Temple. His situation is dire and can hardly get much worse than actually being taken as a Slave captive or slain by an Orc patrol.

After the respite and a reluctant acceptance that any higher ordination to actual Priesthood needs to wait, he explores further, going along the walkway as far a a small cave. Stopping at the threshold, to gaze within. Reluctant to proceed until he can assess the coast is clear.

The floor of this next room is completely covered with drying garbage and other foul materials that float atop a boggy and stagnant pool of sediment. Everyone traversing the cave must surely wade through this muck to enter and go to and fro. The air is steamy and slick condensation appears on the walls, already covered by thin layers of verdant slimy growths. The heat of rotting garbage rises from the floor, rendering infravision almost useless. There are four exits from the chamber, one at each compass point. The exit to the west is a brick and stone passage (the one leading into the sewer tunnel network, where you currently stand); the other entrances are dirt tunnels. The odor of rot filling the air is almost nauseating in its intensity, stinking slightly more than you do.

Sewer Network: random encounter vs 1 [1d6]=1Fawkes: Hear Noise? vs 15% [1d100]=81 Hungry larvae wriggles after Fawkes: [1d20]=8

Fawkes cannot discern much visually or audibly and silhouetted in the entrance against the chill background of the sewer tunnels, he makes a moist, warm blooded and tempting target. Suddenly a giant larvae, a fat maggot about a foot and half long with a strange, burgundy coloured chitinous head, blind but voracious and snapping a hungry maw in drooling biting motions. It lunges from its burrow hole under the garbage but fails to latch on. You step backwards to gain a yard of distance, but the larvae raises itself up in it's fleshy stump and sniffs about, touching and sending the places you put feet and hands on the tunnels walls and floor. Blind, it must sense you through other means, even camouflaged with your own layer of infravision dimming sewage. It wriggles after you, snapping its maw on each body print.

You can take a few more steps backwards, then as you watch, you discern another figure steps out of the cave after it. This is a bizarre creature and not one you have ever encountered before. An insectoid that must stand on its two rear legs like a man, towering to almost seven feet in height. With other legs it carries tools, on one side what might be some kind of farming implement, a two handed giant pincer or grabber such as a bounty hunter might use to restrain a prisoner at reach. In the other limbs it wields a large crossbow that is loaded with a slim javelin, almost a harpoon device.

The Insect man steps cautiously outside the cave entrance, levelling the pincer-lance and grabs the escaping larvae between its vice like, scimitar shaped clamps. It picks the larvae up, draws it closer to inspect and with its long proboscis tongue, seems to lick it clean; tenderly wiping soil and waste from the wriggling larvae and cleaning the head from fungal infections.

The creature has multi-faceted eyes, large bug like lens that gives off many pixels of red infravisual highlights.

Sewer Tunnel network
5.55pm.
Illumination: Infravision.

Fawkes 07/17hp

next actions Fawkes as you encounter the Aspis drone and larvae.

[Stirling]

Fawkes

Hopes the fat maggot is making a juicy meal for the Insectoid creature. He is welcome to it. If I think it is staring at me, analysing who I am and why I come here. Then I will try and blab some response in Orcish.

"Good food?" pointing to the maggots and rubbing my belly. Then I will point into the sewer channel and motion swimming and 'make like a crocodile' mime.

"Snapdragons good food. Make good hunt with weapon." I will mime loading a crossbow and aiming into the tunnel water.

Fawkes: charisma check vs 9 (11 for half-orcs) [1d20]=12

If the creature doesn't interpret my actions well and decides to try to attack me instead, I will cast Sanctuary upon myself.

[Straither]

Tunnels: Sewer Network.

Fawkes meets an Aspis warrior-drone, the Giant Weevil-like Insectoid strides confident into the tunnel walkway, capturing the wriggling larvae. I think Fawkes has misunderstood this creature's intent for it is not hunting juicy, fat maggots to feast upon though grubs make up part of its diet. This larvae is a treasured offspring and though handled roughly in preventing it escaping the garbage cave, the Drone-warrior strokes it with a tender care. He places the pincer-lance over his shoulder, the larvae held fast in the grasp.

"New Queen" it clicks in a rasping tongue, "Good food" it says of the mummery performing Fawkes. It straps in a javelin to the frame of the heavyweight crossbow and stepping forward, levels the weapon on his shoulder to aim at the unarmoured Cleric-Thief who quickly invokes a Sanctuary. The Aspis seems to hesitate, the weapon trembling in its limbs as it cannot keep it trained upon him. The Aspis strides forward, triggering the javelin to strike into the sewer water and impaling upon a thrashing crocodile instead. The Aspis looks to where the crocodile submerges, the shaft sticking in its side.

Aspis: [1d20]=14 [1d6+3]=4+3=7

Fawkes can thank his god that prayers are heard and answered but he has only moments before the spell duration ends and the Aspis seems ready to reload his weapon and hunt some nibbles for the larvae.

next actions Fawkes.

[Stirling]

Fawkes

I wonder if I can lure the Aspis to follow me along the walkway. If so I will get to the Ledge Trap, jump over the tilting trap and hope the Aspis doesn't know about it so that when he steps upon it, he gets tossed into the whirlpool and drain.

To entice the Aspis along, I will point out the injured crocodile "It's just up here. Good food, come hunt."