1. Journals

Chapter 28: The Beast Below

Chapter
Campaign One 2022-09-09

Facing the Beast

As the battle springs into action, Penny and Granny joins the fray, having heard the commotion from outside. Granny quickly Hunters Mark one of the bad guys, while Fie misty steps outside of the door, hoping to get clear of the worst danger, as he is best suited ranged. Unknown seem to be an easy match for the group, not really being a big danger for anyone, but what can you expect with the experience the party has?

After taking down about half the gang, the door to the north suddenly opens, and out comes a tiefling, wondering what the commotion is. The hostilities stop momentarily, and the tiefling introduces himself as Raam, asking about the rest of the group's name (explicitly saying that he isn’t fey, so he isn’t stealing any names). They seem to be quite reluctant to give out any information, with Thistlethorn saying that her name is Leaf. Granny simply says he reminds her of someone they know.

In the meantime, Penny has turned herself invisible and sneaks into the room, with only Willowbark noticing her presence. They ask Raam what his intentions are for the people, and he simply refers to them as assets in need of relocating. Some have to die to convince the others that they have to follow the rules he sets up. They ask if he rips off the victims jaws to avoid having someone cast speak with dead on them, but he simplys says that’s a consequence he hadn’t considered. He offers the group a… payment, to compensate them for ignoring Kirrus Mericious’ request, and leaving well enough alone. They seem disinterested in accepting, with the Sewer Hounds, well, those that remain, giving looks that suggest they should do what he says. Raam makes it clear that he isn’t a person they want as an enemy, and especially not the man he’s working for. 

An Offer Refused

Making it clear that they do not want to play Raam’s game, he says “very well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” and turns into a big, horned, winged beast. A horned devil, with a massive pronged spear, prepares to attack. After some back and forth, Kal nearly gets killed, but is saved by the rings they received from the Monk, thanks to Penny looking out for her. Trying different approaches, realizing that he regenerates health, they find that radiant damage halts the healing process. Penny also thinks, thanks to her tiefling background, that he should be weak to silver and holy water as well. Kneeling, heavily damaged, and looking at the group, and says that he will find them again, and they will regret this. Willowbark is having none of it, and blasts him with a Moonbeam. The beam sears his flesh, causing him to scream in agony, before nothing remains except a hand, his wings, and a pile of fried, smoldering goo. He is defeated. The rest of the sewer hounds are quickly dispatched of, with Kal taking out the leader, Cedric Baldini

The Plot Thickens

Out of danger, the party searches the area, and finds six people, starving, miserable, tortured, lying in their own filth, in cages. They quickly release them and guide them outside, after having cleared away the bodies. The rescued people tell them that Raam would transport them by using a sort of teleportation spell, but if anyone objected or were “difficult”, then he would simply kill one at random, forcing the rest to fall in line or face the same fate. They gladly accept any food or water the group gives them, and wait for them to be guided out of the undercity.

Penny searches the desk of Raam, and finds a bottle of Aged Goodberry Wine, a Mystery Key, another Potion of Spirit (Experimental), as well as some gold, which seems to be payment for the gang. She also looks through the documents on his desk, finding them to be lists of people that have already been transported, as well as references to a “Muzak”, a name they have heard before, mentioned by Anne Harlow’s father, according to Kody Camden

Rendezvous at the Docks

Venturing back the way they came, Granny manages to find their way back whence they came, with a squad of city guards waiting outside, after Kal sent Kirrus a message, saying where to meet them. Kirrus approaches them, looking very tired, but happy that they managed to hopefully put an end to the kidnappings. He is also particularly glad that they captured the head of the Sewer Hounds, Cedric Baldini, who is taken to the stockades. They ask if he has heard the name Muzak, and Willowbark instantly senses a look of recognition on his face, admitting that he is a crime boss that has his fingers in every shady business happening in every major city. Nobody knows who he is though, as he works with an intermediary. In either case, he thanks the party for their service, and promises to go through the reward the coming morning. 

The party however is not done, having seen bloody trails leading west from the base. They take a short rest, using Bozuuth the Sentient Coffee Pot to shorten it. Bozuuth is delighted that they managed to take down one of his enemies, and is looking forward to the rematch. Seems that the devils are still at odds with demons. They wonder if the coffee pot is on their side or not.

“Damn Thing Cost Me an Arm and/or A Leg”

Back in the undercity, following the trail, they eventually reach an opening that leads into the sewers. The stench is horrible, and they do what they can to keep the smell at bay, using whatever means available. Venturing forth for a while, they eventually reach a large chamber where the trail ends, with all sorts of inlets pouring in sewage from the city above. As Theren and Penny investigates the bloody trail, and examines that the bodies were thrown into the waters here, a giant crocodile suddenly lunges from beneath the water, only Willowbark noticing it in the last second, but being unable to warn the others. It goes straight for Penny, and bites her in the foot, dragging her into the water, before rolling around, tearing Pennys foot clean off. 

In a panic, and a state of shock, the rest of the party snaps out of it, and rushes to Pennys aid. She is unconscious, and Willowbark drags her ashore, attempting to heal her. Penny awakens to excruciating pain in her leg, and looks down finding it missing from the knee down. She crawls as far away from the crocodile as she can, with Granny firing a couple of shots at it, while positioning herself between Penny and the croc. The rest of the party attempts to take it down, but its focus is entirely on Penny. Even a wildshaped Willowcroc isn’t enough to stop it’s onslaught at the tiefling, with Granny almost being hit by it’s tail as she is blocking its prey. Pissed off, hurting, and probably afraid, she summons her form of dread, and limp forwards, inflicing the crocodile with terrible pain, causing it to perish beneath the waters. Her foot floating back up to the surface. 

They quickly grab her foot, healing her some more, and find their way out of the sewers as quick as they can. Penny and WIllowcroc have a conversation, with Willowbark being surprised that she can understand her in croc form. She asks if it’s a gift from her patron, which she confirms. Granny carries Penny in her arms. Willowcroc gets a scolding from some city guards and pop out of wildshape when they reach the streets. The closest temple they can find is a temple of Mova, but they are unable to reattach her foot, which Kal has gently reposed to preserve it. They spend a while looking around for something to help her walk, and Claira Aloro has an old prosthetic limb lying around, that Penny gladly purchases. Kal purchases the closest thing she can find to a pirate hat, a purple tricorn, and gives it to Penny. Tired, traumatized, spent for the day, the party thinks it’s best that they get some rest, which Kirrus offered to put on the city watch’s tab, so they go wherever they can find some sleep…