Lucius Cypher

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

You’re easily able to keep track of Pylia. Her unusual look, such as her strawberry blond hair, makes her stand out even among a crowd, so you could easily keep your distance as she wanders around. She ignores most merchants calling out to her, only stopping by one shop to buy a healer’s kit at a medicine stand, but even so she continues to wander around instead of heading to the Silver Stag. You find your opportunity to catch her as she stops by what smells like an aromatic shop called “Delusions of Grandeur”. There was hardly anyone in there aside from a young shopkeeper and Pylia herself, who seemed to be browsing the shelves.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Going to bed, but roll me a Perception check to keep track of Pylia.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Buddy nods, and quickly writes a note. "I'll watch here. Find her." It takes you a few minutes to get dressed, but soon you go out and try and find her. Pylia was walking quickly but not quite running so you could see her, however she was about to go through a large crowd of people in the marketplace. You could try and catch up to her, or just try and keep track of her and see if you can't tail her from afar. Either way you'd need to make your decision fast as Pylia walks into the crowd.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

"I should be fine. I'm not much of a fan of the city, so I'll be quick." Hearing these words, you get the feeling that something isn't adding up. Firstly, you remember quite clearly that Pylia wanted to wash up. Why would she mention wanting to do that, and yet maintain being rather filthy and smelly? Not to mention if she wanted to buy medical supplies, she should've done so while they were at the kobold's market. While it wasn't something you were paying much mind to, you do remember that among the food vendors, there were a few selling herbs and healing equipment, things that Pylia herself did look over. Surely someone as cautious as her wouldn't be so careless as to let her supply run low. And of course, there was still the matter of the conversation you said you wanted to have with her. Now would've been a good time to speak since Shortfang was in the water closet and Buddy doesn't seem to be listening (granted he doesn't seem to be doing anything).

She didn't even bother tending to your tattered outfit, which still laid in shambles on the bed. Sure, it might've not been the fancy dress you got from Cassari, but surely she would've tried to mend it. She could easily do so quickly thanks to her magic. As Pylia went to open the door you knew that she was just stalling for time, trying to avoid you. Avoid your conversation. Ever since you spoke to her in the wagon about that night she's been rather distant from you. There's a knock at the door just as she opened it and it was one of the tavern maids with the basin. "Oh, thank you. You could just leave that inside, we'll get to it soon." Pylia says quickly as she slips pass the maid, not even waiting a moment to step aside and let the lady in. Pylia was in a hurry.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Mind rolling me a quick insight check?

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

"Mhmm, true, I bet in your world you don't have to go around wearing armor all the time." Pylia applied her medicine to your wounds. As usual, it was a cold sting, but the pain quickly subsides as she rubs the ointment to ensure they heal properly and naturally. Your arms in particular were still burned from the ooze cube, and now that you were finally able to lower your guard, they were very sensitive to the touch. Pylia's medicine stung more around your hands, but the pain became more soothing once the medicine took effect and Pylia wrapped your wounds with bandages. "Hah, I should probably head out and buy more healing supplies." Finally Pylia just about finished patching you up after carefully applying medicine to the wound across your chest, binding it together with the last of her gauze. "Ugh, I really just want to rest, but I can't just go to sleep while I need supplies. I'll be right back."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Pylia looked at you strangely as you whispered to her but says nothing. The party would reach the Silver Stag while it was surprisingly not too busy, with only a few patrons eating some supper while the majority of the workers were cleaning tables or doing other menial tasks. Pylia asked for a basin for washing at the front desk, and the wood elf said they'll send it over soon. Back at your room, everything was fortunately left as it were, even the beds didn't seem to have been remade or anything, still all scuffed up from when Pylia went to lie down. "Shortfang use water closet!" The kobold said as he headed towards the bathroom to do things you do in the bathroom. Pylia went to her bed and began to take off her armor and other equipment, stripping down to her skivvies as she took some bandages and medicine from her pack. Buddy simply stood by the door, still as a statue.

As Pylia was tending to her wounds she looked over to you. "Hey, come over here. You got beat up pretty badly too, not to mention your outfit is in shambles again. Maybe we should get you some armor too."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Bonesaw took your coin and counted them quickly, smiling as he puts it into his pocket. "Good deal, best deal! Here you take, and if break, come see Bonesaw! He have bone glue to fix!" The kobold handed you the two tonfas. They were surprisingly light for their size and material, yet at the same time very solid. There was a coating on them, likely something to make the bones harder. Bonesaw even handed you a leather sheath you could wear to put your tonfas away. In the meantime, the others did a bit of business too, though only Shortfang did anything notable by selling the greatsword. It was far too huge for most of the kobolds, but it was shiny, so Shortfang came back thirty coins richer. With their business concluded, you and the others would leave through the secret kobold tunnel back towards the surface. It was a bit cramp for everyone but Shortfang, as it was a small tunnel, however sure enough you'd arrive in the back alleys of the market district. There wasn't much here except trash and a rather wretched scent, likely due to the trash, but at least no one was here to bother you.

"Ugh. No offense Shortfang, but I feel disgusting. Let's head back to the inn so I can wash up." Shortfang shrugged. "Bah, you soft humie. Kobolds not picky where to live! Can't be picky. Anyways, Shortfang don't mind go back to inn. Shortfang tired too. But if boss want, Shortfang shop too." Buddy simply shrugged, having no real desire to go anywhere or do anything. He wrote down a note saying that it was starting to get dark. Sure enough while the sun was still up, the horizon was orange, indicating that it was setting. However that didn't seem to affect the nearby market place which was still bustling.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

"Hmm. There's no way trogs would've been able to set up those defenses on their own. And that sword from the bigger trog we fought, that's definitely human made. This is definitely some solid evidence that the trogs are getting outside help." Pylia says. Shortfang nods and looks particularly passionate. "Yeah! Evil humies help trogs! We go in, kill Red Stain, show Grey Scales not to trust bad humies!" Pylia nods. "That's the plan yeah."

There was a small market place in Underhaven where the merchants were at. Most were selling things like food, which consisted of various broiled and roasted meat of mysterious origins, as well as vegetables made from local plants, and booze if unknown ingredients. Shortfang didn't seem concerned but Pylia was perplexed that she wasn't able to identify most of these things. More along your interests however was a weapon shop. Compared to the ones on the surface however, the weapons where were limited and sized for the much smaller kobolds. There were knives made with stone or bones, arrows, slings, and spears. As for staves, the best they could do was sell you the shaft of a spear, which didn't seem to be any particularly stronger or weaker than the previous staff you found in that cave.

"Hey hey, pretty humie in pretty dress." A young looking kobold called out to you. "You look for good weapons, yes? I have good weapons! Best weapons! You call me Bonesaw, make weapons from many bones! Big bones, small bones, strong bones! Yes yes, pretty humie need pretty weapon, not kobold weapons. See here!" The young kobold took out a pair of tonfa's similar to what those guards had. Sure enough, though they looked like they were made of some sort of bone-line material, their craftsmanship was topnotch. "Sewer Dragon special! Bone clubs, very good! You pretty humie so you get good deal, two Bone Clubs, twenty gold!"

Tonfa

Simple Melee Weapon
1lbs
Damage: 1d6 Bludgeoning
Properties: Finesse, Light, Special

Special - While wielding one of these weapons in each hand, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and you qualify as having an equipped shield for all abilities and features other than the monk's Unarmored Defense Class Feature.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

You two enter the hall, and sure enough it's quite crowded. It seemed like many of the more severely wounded kobolds were brought here, being tended by the Grey Scales themselves. There were also a few scouts here, clad in dark outfits that would let them blend into the shadows more easily. The Grey Scale leader, Longstrider, sees you and motions you over. The scouts seem uneasy but her words allow them to calm down as one of them, a greying kobold missing and eye, speaks out. "As I told our Longstrider, we found the Troglodyte's main nest. Their leader has fortified it as well, with stones and weapons unlike anything we have seen before. Large crossbows, fire pots, better suited against human armies than kobold forces. But there is much fighting among trogs there too. We see heads of trog chiefs at the walls, to scare trogs because Red Stain does not have their respect anymore. Many tribes are fleeing the sewers, which should give us a chance to recover and counter attack."

Longstrider heeds these words carefully as she looked towards you and Shortfang. "I have heard that you managed to bring Green Eyes back to us, safe and sound. On behalf of the Sewer Dragons, we thank you. However our war is not over yet. This is our chance to route the troglodytes and leave them in shambles, now that Red Stain has made the mistake of removing leadership. If he falls, the trogs would have no one to lead them, and they would scatter, caring nothing but themselves, unable to form an army big enough to fight us. However getting to him will not be easy, if his lair is heavily guarded..." The scouts nods and sighs. "We try to find ways around wall, but cannot. We lost two scouts trying to find hole, they very close. No way through tunnels." Longstrider sighs and looks to you directly.

"Then we must rely on you. Rest up. Tomorrow, Sewer Dragons prepare for war. You, and your friends, need to find a way to bypass the walls and attack the trog lair. But do not think we forgot what you did for us. I know your human nose does not like the sewers, so take this." Longstrider waved one of the kobolds towards you, and that kobold handed you a small bronze key. "This is a key to one of the Sewer Dragon's secret tunnels, which will allow you to quickly go from Underhaven back to your city. It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes. Additionally, if you wish, you may do trade with our merchants. Before the trogs warred against us, the kobolds here have made a business hunting the beasts in the sewers and making clothing and weapons from their bodies. You may find something that interests you. They will know to give you a fair deal."