Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
Deuce Traveler's Sewer Rats
Chapter One: Collateral Damage
It was the yelling of the crowd that first caught your attention. You and many of the other Sewer Rats were sitting in Abe's Pub as dusk began to settle. The veterans (those that have stayed on for more than a couple years) were stopped from their comments on how business had slowed of late by roars of excitement from outside. As a group, all of your fellow drinkers went to the grimy windows that revealed the City streets, where a crowd of screaming fans followed a party of adventurers who were throwing copper pieces into the streets. Adventuring companies had a habit of throwing copper into the streets after a successful run through the many forgotten catacombs below the City. Forget your self-respect, make a spectacle of yourself, and collect enough of the copper while trailing in the adventurers' wake and you could gather the money for a decent supper and drink.
"Them's the Company of the Silver Blades," a scarred kobold says, pointing at the five companions. One was a tall, blonde elf in polished scale mail armor and with a yew bow. Two others followed her, both human dark and brooding males with scarlet cloaks, plate mail armor, round shields, and sabres at the hip. They looked as if they could be brothers. Another armored male with red hair was throwing the copper around, while he was bedecked in holy symbols along his armor and shield, while a mace rocked along his belt. Finally a hooded member of the company also threw coins, though his or her features were hidden under his or her cowl. The five tall folk that made up the company pulled a good trick. It was obvious that they had just come from the sewers as they had just enough grime to prove the fact. Yet they still somehow looked beautiful, with armor and shield glinting enough in the sunlight to make an impression, and expensive clothes that spoke for them of their successes. "They always make a mess of things, even more so then some of them other companies that pass through here. Guess we won't be bored no more. Gonna get work soon."
The silence that followed was broken by the door of the Pub being swung open and a messenger shouted into the Pub. "Sorry to break this up, gents, but the Boss Lady wants some teams put together. Sven! Yellow Toes! Sleepy Tom! Joe Joe! Burrfoot! Down those drinks and head to the office right now!" The Boss Lady was the clerk, Artemesia, of course. The Boss was Sir Silvershield, but Sewer Rats considered him more of the boss by authority of the City Council, and not really the brains. When Sir Silvershield gave orders, you nodded respectfully to him and then tried to find out what was really going on before sticking your neck out. When Artemesia needed you, you moved quickly and did exactly what she ordered, because following her orders gave a Sewer Rat the best chance of coming out alive and with some coin.
Well, that's what the old timers who had been at it for more than a couple of years told you. You still haven't been sent on a mission from her. Still haven't gotten a chance to prove yourself. You sigh as the Sewer Rats that were called down their last gulps of ale, shake hands with some of their friends, and head out the door.
Your melancholy is shattered, however. "Chernguk! Pickwick! Hardnose! Kurkaz! Down those drinks, go home and get geared up, and meet at the Sewer Rat office in half an hour. Congrats, rookies! Not sure why the Boss Lady wants a team made up entirely of newbies, but she must have her reasons."
Your thoughts and feelings are your own, but you move quickly and meet up with your new team members near the office as night fell. As you walked down the street together, you noticed a large, broad-shouldered man leave the Sewer Rats office. You could smell him from many feet away, a stench of rotteness that you would soon not forget. The man's body was completely covered by ragged clothing and a hood which hid his face. He acknowledged you in a cheerful tone as he passed, "Evening governors. Best of luck to you." The odd man passed you by on his way towards the slums, and you were glad to breathe fresher air once he was gone.
You entered the office and appeared in front of the desk of Miss Artemesia. She still looked young for a human, though her face seemed to possess a permanent frown as she stared in though at one of two chessboards near the wall. "Oh good, the new team is here. Please come closer," she requested as she pulled her eyes from the games. No Sewer Rat knew what two opponents she played against, but that one of the chess boards was white and light gray in color, while the other set was black and dark gray. The darker board was the one which had occupied her attention before you had entered.
"I'm truly sorry that we haven't had a chance to talk before. I do try to meet with new employees, on a one on one basis before I assign them to teams, but recent events have forced my hand. The Silver Blades just came back from a mission from the tunnels below the City. They fought some undead, though the mage of the party blasted some tunnel walls, it seems, and the rest might have damaged some piping. I just sent some Sewer Rats to find the damaged piping and protect some Union repairmen, while the pipes are fixed.
I have a different mission for you, if you are interested. Mr. Stinks is a trusted contact and knows the sewers pretty well. He just left this office with disturbing news. According to him, the Silver Blades broke into a chamber housing magical equipment owned by Mr. Stinks' employer, took a valuable gem from one magical tool, and left without realizing that the gem was used to contain the tool's power. Now rogue magic is seeping into the tunnels, and is posing a bit of a threat. I need your team to go in, guide a couple of Union repairmen to these chambers, and destroy the tool and protect the repairmen as they seal the chamber back up. Each of you will earn 500 gold coins for this job, before damages and other expenses that you may cause."
Chapter One: Collateral Damage
It was the yelling of the crowd that first caught your attention. You and many of the other Sewer Rats were sitting in Abe's Pub as dusk began to settle. The veterans (those that have stayed on for more than a couple years) were stopped from their comments on how business had slowed of late by roars of excitement from outside. As a group, all of your fellow drinkers went to the grimy windows that revealed the City streets, where a crowd of screaming fans followed a party of adventurers who were throwing copper pieces into the streets. Adventuring companies had a habit of throwing copper into the streets after a successful run through the many forgotten catacombs below the City. Forget your self-respect, make a spectacle of yourself, and collect enough of the copper while trailing in the adventurers' wake and you could gather the money for a decent supper and drink.
"Them's the Company of the Silver Blades," a scarred kobold says, pointing at the five companions. One was a tall, blonde elf in polished scale mail armor and with a yew bow. Two others followed her, both human dark and brooding males with scarlet cloaks, plate mail armor, round shields, and sabres at the hip. They looked as if they could be brothers. Another armored male with red hair was throwing the copper around, while he was bedecked in holy symbols along his armor and shield, while a mace rocked along his belt. Finally a hooded member of the company also threw coins, though his or her features were hidden under his or her cowl. The five tall folk that made up the company pulled a good trick. It was obvious that they had just come from the sewers as they had just enough grime to prove the fact. Yet they still somehow looked beautiful, with armor and shield glinting enough in the sunlight to make an impression, and expensive clothes that spoke for them of their successes. "They always make a mess of things, even more so then some of them other companies that pass through here. Guess we won't be bored no more. Gonna get work soon."
The silence that followed was broken by the door of the Pub being swung open and a messenger shouted into the Pub. "Sorry to break this up, gents, but the Boss Lady wants some teams put together. Sven! Yellow Toes! Sleepy Tom! Joe Joe! Burrfoot! Down those drinks and head to the office right now!" The Boss Lady was the clerk, Artemesia, of course. The Boss was Sir Silvershield, but Sewer Rats considered him more of the boss by authority of the City Council, and not really the brains. When Sir Silvershield gave orders, you nodded respectfully to him and then tried to find out what was really going on before sticking your neck out. When Artemesia needed you, you moved quickly and did exactly what she ordered, because following her orders gave a Sewer Rat the best chance of coming out alive and with some coin.
Well, that's what the old timers who had been at it for more than a couple of years told you. You still haven't been sent on a mission from her. Still haven't gotten a chance to prove yourself. You sigh as the Sewer Rats that were called down their last gulps of ale, shake hands with some of their friends, and head out the door.
Your melancholy is shattered, however. "Chernguk! Pickwick! Hardnose! Kurkaz! Down those drinks, go home and get geared up, and meet at the Sewer Rat office in half an hour. Congrats, rookies! Not sure why the Boss Lady wants a team made up entirely of newbies, but she must have her reasons."
Your thoughts and feelings are your own, but you move quickly and meet up with your new team members near the office as night fell. As you walked down the street together, you noticed a large, broad-shouldered man leave the Sewer Rats office. You could smell him from many feet away, a stench of rotteness that you would soon not forget. The man's body was completely covered by ragged clothing and a hood which hid his face. He acknowledged you in a cheerful tone as he passed, "Evening governors. Best of luck to you." The odd man passed you by on his way towards the slums, and you were glad to breathe fresher air once he was gone.
You entered the office and appeared in front of the desk of Miss Artemesia. She still looked young for a human, though her face seemed to possess a permanent frown as she stared in though at one of two chessboards near the wall. "Oh good, the new team is here. Please come closer," she requested as she pulled her eyes from the games. No Sewer Rat knew what two opponents she played against, but that one of the chess boards was white and light gray in color, while the other set was black and dark gray. The darker board was the one which had occupied her attention before you had entered.
"I'm truly sorry that we haven't had a chance to talk before. I do try to meet with new employees, on a one on one basis before I assign them to teams, but recent events have forced my hand. The Silver Blades just came back from a mission from the tunnels below the City. They fought some undead, though the mage of the party blasted some tunnel walls, it seems, and the rest might have damaged some piping. I just sent some Sewer Rats to find the damaged piping and protect some Union repairmen, while the pipes are fixed.
I have a different mission for you, if you are interested. Mr. Stinks is a trusted contact and knows the sewers pretty well. He just left this office with disturbing news. According to him, the Silver Blades broke into a chamber housing magical equipment owned by Mr. Stinks' employer, took a valuable gem from one magical tool, and left without realizing that the gem was used to contain the tool's power. Now rogue magic is seeping into the tunnels, and is posing a bit of a threat. I need your team to go in, guide a couple of Union repairmen to these chambers, and destroy the tool and protect the repairmen as they seal the chamber back up. Each of you will earn 500 gold coins for this job, before damages and other expenses that you may cause."