Deuce Traveler's Sewer Rats

[Fangor the Fierce]

Needles waits for the mirror to piece itself back together, growing arms and teeth made of shards of glass. Instead, the pieces stay on the ground. They don't' move. He shrugs, looks to the workers and says, "Hurry up. We'll keep watch."

He then moves to the entrance, keeping watch.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

"Thanks. Do you mind getting the body out of there? We can call a disposal squad to come down and get rid of the corpses once we get back out." Red says as he and his companion unsling their shoulder packs and take out their tools.

 

[Fenris]

"Thanks. Do you mind getting the body out of there? We can call a disposal squad to come down and get rid of the corpses once we get back out." Red says as he and his companion unsling their shoulder packs and take out their tools.

"No problem" says Fergus as he heads in and turns to Gunzuul "Come on let's pick her up and get her out of the way. Do you want to bring her back?"

 

[Herobizkit]

"Wait, wait, wait," Pickwick says, waving his arms indignantly. "That's it? That's all we had to do? I don't buy it."

Pickwick scrunched up his face, which is how it looked when he was in deep thought. "I mean, if it was that easy... but then again, they didn't have a gem."

Pickwick screamed. "AH! That means WE don't have a gem anymore, either! Now we can't use the portal for my... er... our grand design of making mutants!"

 

[ghostcat]

Seeing that the others seemed to know what is needed, he refrains from giving superfluous orders. Instead he exits the room, puts a stone in his sling and watches back the why they came. He moves up the corridor a bit to give the dwarves room to work.

However, is does give Pickwick a dark look for his making mutants comment.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

After moving the body into the corridor, the party stands on guard for several hours while the two Union workers seal the wall back up. The work goes on without event, though the bodies begin to collect some flies. Gunzuul recognizes the 'ogre' as the halfling in which his now-dead friend had taken the fatal job.

Once the wall is bricked up and looking like new, the group backtracks through the sewers and into fresh air once more. The group comes through near the docks, where the famous statue of the Eagle diving down and attacking the Serpent lies. It is known simply as the Eagle and Serpent statue, though it symbolizes the rivalry between the warrior family of the Lombard House and the scholarly family of the Saventi. The free City avoided the influence of the two rival families, and neither House is allowed seats on the ruling Council. A young woman lies vulnerable and helpless near the fighting animals, as she represents the city and the danger that the conflict put its people. It is rumored that the Lombards were little more than successful brigands, and the Saventi practiced dark arts. Eventually the Lombards became the dominant House in the lands outside the City, though the Saventi seemed to reappear every few decades in a partially successful attempts to eliminate the Lombard line.

Once everyone is out of the tunnels and secures their equipment, they walk away from the statue and go to the Union Hall to make their report. The Sewer Rats and Union workers enter the Hall and make themselves comfortable and simple wooden chairs opposite a long table where three Union bosses and Artemesia, the Sewer Rat representative that assigned them, sit. Gunzuul is quickly introduced to Artemesia before the report starts. The party and Union workers explain in minute detail everything they saw and did, with contradictions patiently worked out through repeated questioning. The Union bosses take diligent notes and scribble constantly, never taking their eyes off their own and each others papers. Artemesia also takes notes, though she studies the faces of her Sewer Rats with interest when they describe the mutant encounters. At the end one of the Union bosses says, "Thank you. It's an interesting report and we'll make sure to send a copy to Artemesia once the final draft is created. The city has sent payment to us for you work, but is there anything you would like to say or ask before we finalize your allotted benefits?"

 

[Herobizkit]

"I just think it's a damn shame that we didn't get a chance to study the energy before it was suppressed," Pickwick says. "Were we able to learn how it worked... so many possibilities..."

 

[Boddynock]

Gunzuul steps forward, clearing his throat.

"I'm Gunzuul Farreach. I know I'm not one of your team but a friend of mine was killed down there, so I have a personal stake in this."

"Tania was paid to go down to that mirror and to sprinkle some sort of dust on it. I don't know what it was, and I don't know who her employer was, but it seems to me that he knew more about that mirror than the rest of us. The dust caused what seems to have been a discharge of whatever energies were present in the plane behind the mirror. That's what killed them, since the energies caused massive and grotesque enlargement of their tissues. That, incidentally, seems to be what's been causing the monstrous creatures you people have been finding in the sewers."

"So, as I say, I'm not one of your team, but if you're planning to search for Tania's employer, I'll help you. So long as one thing's understood - when we find him, I'm going to chop the sod into little pieces."

"In the meantime, well, I've got nothing better to do, and if you need a hand down there, I'll be happy to help out. For the usual fee, of course."

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

Needles listens to the others, patiently waiting. Eventually his patience wanes, as he too speaks up.

"Like they said. Someone else was down there. One mutated into a giant and we killed it. The other died. We did what we were asked of and now I simply want the payment. This job is done, and I am sure there is more to do."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

The Union man replies, "Yes, I am aware of your report and we are quite concerned about the goings-on. We have decided to pass your information onto the local law enforcement and will make strenuous demands that they act accordingly and with haste. Now, onto the subject of pay... your team was offered 500gp each for successfully protecting and escorting our Union workers during their work. With your original five members, the total pay was to be 2,500gp.

Now, the danger was obviously greater than we had anticipated, so we had to add danger pay to our laborers. Unfortunately, it had to be taken from your hireling funds, according to Section 6.3.2.4.1 of City Ordnance AX-32-6 of the City Labor Code. Danger pay was increased to 225gp for each laborer, or 450gp total.

The wall that was supposed to be rebuilt was widened and the damage to it greater because of your lack of action. This added twice the work upon the Union staff, costing in material and overtime and penalty charges as stipulated in Section 13.4.2.6.3.1 of the General Agreement of Labor Demands, signed by the City during the Year of Fierce Disgruntlement. The charges total 850gp.

One of our Union members twisted an ankle, meaning he worked while hurt and will also have to be given paid leave for weeks and perhaps month until he can recover again. Because of your failure in properly providing protection as stipulated in Section 1.2.1.1 of the Sewer Protection Agency Agreement of the City Labor Code, we will have to confiscate the remaining 1,200 gp in funds for damages and his recovery. Unfortunately, that leaves you with no monetary reward for your service. I hope you do better in future endeavors. Oh and welcome to your new team, Mr. Gansoul," the man adds to Gunzuul with an empty smile.

Although you are furious at this treatment, Miss Artemesia's eyes shine like daggers behind her glasses. "Gentlemen, are you quite done," she asks the men coldly.

The men dread what is coming and move their chairs into a hushed huddle while frantically going through their various notes. Finally the speaker says once more, in a higher pitched and defensively squeaking voice. "Yes, I have the papers right in front of me! It's all there, binding and legal!"

Miss Artemesia speaks steadily and completely off of memory. "Then I suggest you review Section 1.2.1.1.4.4 of the Sewer Protection Agency Agreement of the City Labor Code which specifically states that my agency and its employees can only be held up to 50% liable for injuries that happen to a Union worker if the Union worker does not report that his injury prevents him from being able to continue his labor to the team, and if the injury occurs during a second Thursday. Your employee failed to say he could not continue and worked through his injury. Further, sirs, it is a second Thursday. My team is entitled to 600gp and they are entitled to their reward right now. Further, I suggest your employee learn his own responsibilities so we do not have to come to a court settlement in the future. I am, as you know, well versed in legal proceedings."

The red-faced men pay up, and soon you are out of the building.

"Well, there you are, a hundred gold pieces each, when we include our new employee, Mr. Gunzuul. Welcome to the team. I'm sorry I could not do more for all of you. I will make your report known to Mr. Stinks' employer. I am certain he will be quite satisfied with the skill you have shown. Also, if the law does not follow up on your very dire concerns, I may have some other contacts we can use. Rest and enjoy yourselves. I will be contacting you for employment with the Agency or possibly with some of my contacts very soon, if you are interested in additional employment."

OOC:
Everyone earns 100gp and 300xp.