`Week Eighteen, Day One to Week Eighteen, Day Six

 

            Patrols of the area assigned.

 

Week Eighteen, Day Six

 

            Luke schedules a retest of his value as an enforcer and qualifies for Rank Three.

 

            Feeling that they are near ready for their visit to Lyeuskold Lilly pays one more visit to Kati.  Trading in three scrolls and paying the rest of the balance, Lilly selects a magic missile wand and scrolls of animate rope, delay poison, gust of wind and locate object.

            Together Luke, Krystal, Lilly, Grey Eyes, Jeffery and Kikah make their way into the downs looking for a sewer hatch in the downs nearest Lyeuskold.  They find what they are looking for only a few blocks away from the fencing around Lyeuskold, but it is heavily sealed and locked.  Krystal believes they may be able to get a key to such a seal from an enforcer headquarters that has some influence in the area they are in.

            Backtracking they look for and find the nearest enforcer headquarters and walk up to the font desk.  Krystal states simply that they are enforcers and require use of a sewer key for their current task.  She is able to sign one out easily enough and the team makes their way back.  It takes some moments for Krystal undo all the locks but she is not strong enough to remove the lid.  The lid turns out to be three feet thick.  The underside of the lid is covered with claw marks but from what they cannot tell.  One by one they put on their gas masks and make their way down the shaft

            The tunnel they find themselves in looks as if it has not been in use for ages.  Nothing flows, what is left in the sewer is stagnate and a bit of dust lays everywhere.  While there do appear to be footprints they are unable to tell the maker or how long ago they were made.  With the corpsefire-compass leading the way the team makes its way down the tunnel.

             Not far down the tunnel a side passage comes into view.  As the team draws near a faint rasping sound can be heard.  Looking around for the source it is found that the odd noise is coming from Krystal.  Krystal’s radio emits an unexplained rasping which has everyone confused including her.  A few members of the team suddenly make references to Silent Hill but Krystal mostly ignores them.  She fiddles with the radio for a few moments to try and get something clear.  Rather suddenly a bucks voice comes over the radio:  “Somewhere from…it’s like a…cave ins block…anyone find…please anyone.”  The transmission cuts out suddenly and Krystal is unable to get anything else from it.  She explains that there is likely heavy interference down this deep so someone might be down here with them.  As the compass points further down the passage in the direction they were going they ignore the side passage and continue.

            While the floor is far from clean there is a sudden increase in debris.  Everyone is quick to note that this is not average sewer materials but bits of cloth and bone.  The bones have been chewed and not by the teeth of a carnivore, very clearly by the teeth of a hare in fact.  The cloth is tatters of rather decent suits…all the same.  A short distance up the tunnel is another side passage but not one of the original sewer designs.  An earthen tunnel sloping from above has been dug into the wall of the sewer…from the other side.  At the mouth of this tunnel and running up it’s length as far as can been seen are the bones and cloth fragments.  Lilly and Grey Eyes determine that it is a ghoul tunnel; one that likely leads under a graveyard.  Krystal is at a loss as to what she is looking at and asks the two of them as they seem less confused than anyone else.  They tell her it was likely made by “sick people” into a graveyard so that they may feed upon the corpses there.  Krystal stammers, shaking her head.  She is both frightened and disgusted that even when you are dead, finally free of being hunted this is in fact not so.  Helpless as you are in your grave and the horrors of life behind you, still you are preyed upon.  Not seeing much they can do the group moves on.

They see that ahead the tunnel opens up so there could be some sort of room ahead.  Just as they draw near Krystal’s radio acts up again but the noise clears quickly.  “Any teams please respond, don’t care which one.”  Krystal speaks “Hello, this is team leader Krystal who is this?”  “Krystal?  Team leader?  What team is this I don’t remember a Krystal at briefing.”  “We’re special for….uhh, a special team looking for the cause of a disturbance”  “Huh, you’re not with our force?”  “We are down here alone”  “Well that is just frelling fantastic, Kammy and I are the only ones of our team left and we can’t get a word out of the other two teams so we are alone down here too it looks.  We’re down here to do some clean up but we’re the ones gettin’ cleaned.  We’re lost in this mold pit of a sewer and all the access shafts we have found are sealed.  Think you can help us out here?”  “We just got down here by way of a shaft we opened so that should help.”  Transmission cuts out again.  Unable to get anything more from the radio they turn their attention back to the room opening up before them.

The room they have come across is fairly large and circular.  The features of the room are not what catches their attention so much as the movement within.  A quick count finds there to be eight “things” walking about the room, things that from this distance look to be wayward abdomens.  As the compass points through the area in front of them they decide they have to clear the way.  With range their advantage they prepare to fire and retreat, repeating as best they can before being forced into combat.  The first volley knocks one down, permanently with luck, but the rest are alerted to their presence and give chase as only a pair of legs and intestines can.

            Krystal is running with more spirit than anyone, screaming frequently.  When the team stops to fire again Krystal just keep running.  Everyone else sticks together and lay as much waste as they can upon their pursuers before making another retreat.  As the remnants close the distance they hear Krystal scream again, this time not fading further with distance but getting closer.  Krystal is well on her way back with a flesh ghoul not far behind.  Luke moves to assist Krystal while shots are fired and neither blades are conjured.  Although facing attack from in front and behind the team comes through mostly untouched, expect for Krystal who is very shaken.  They try to calm her down before moving on again.

            The room they found appears to be a four-way junction.  The compass points them forward so forward they go.  This branch ends up being a dead end as a cave in blocks further advancement.  They backtrack and take a right hoping they will make their way around the blockage.  This tunnel leads to another intersection, this time a four-way.  As they are about to turn right and follow the compass Krystal’s radio comes to life again:  “Come on respond, don’t you vanish on us too”  “Hello, sorry you cut out.”  “It’s the frelling walls down here, they are interfering with the equipment, can’t keep the signal open for long, farther away you are worse it gets.”  “Where are you?”  “Same place as before, lost and our weaponry is running out.  You?”  “We just exited some circular room and are partway down a branch.”  “Hey, we passed through one of those I think, can’t have been to long ago either.  Signal is clear too, you can’t be all that far.  I don’t have any directions we have been running wild.  What we came down to clear is sort of…hunting us right now.”  “I think I know what you are talking about, we’re in sort of the same job right now, hold on we’ll get you back to the shaft once we find you.”  “Better make it fast, I got a bad feeling about this path we are taking.”

            Picking up the pace a little they resume their direction.  Again the tunnel spits with a side passage to the right.  They choose to give this branch a try hoping it will meet up again with the other tunnel behind the cave in.  Down this tunnel is yet another room, this one triangular.  In the middle of the room is a curious blue light.  They approach it slowly but it turns out to be something familiar.  A small mote of corpsefire rests upon the floor with no visible source.  It is very unusual for corpsefire to be found as this and it is thought that it might have been made and left here by a necrologist.  While this is interesting they do not have the time to spend here.  They leave and follow the tunnel they just left.

            A T-intersection greets them, of which they choose right.  Moving down this way brings them to another side passage going left.  As left is the direction their compass points that is the way they take.  Another T-intersection is found at the end of the tunnel but here Krystal’s radio picks up another transmission: “You still there?  Please tell me you are close.”  “Yeah, we haven’t gone anywhere but I can’t tell how close we are, how are you doing?”  “I don’t know, we have not seen anything for a bit, don’t even hear them anymore.  Normally I would be glad but these things don’t seem the type to give up easy.  Any trouble on your end?”  “Not at the moment but I don’t wanna be down here any longer than I have too be.”  “Not like I do either, Kammy says hurry up and find us, she’s gonna make you the biggest sandwich when we get out of here.”  “I think I wanna bath first.”  “I hear that, this place smells worse than it looks.  Smell?  Frell its that smell again, Kammy look out [feminine scream] how’ed they get behind us, there’s a cave in!”  They hear the sound of gunfire over the radio and quite clearly from their own left down the tunnel.  Believing they are close the team runs down the tunnel to a four-way intersection.

            Seeing light from their left they run that way first.  Weapons at the ready they enter a triangular room and quickly look about.  The light has been coming from two fallen flashlights.  About the area are strewn the bones of what appears to be at least two individuals judging from the number of skulls.  There are a few moments of confusion before Krystal speaks softly into her radio.  A short distance away her voice is heard.  A blood-splattered radio laying next to a smashed skull repeats her words.  No one really says anything as they all come to the same conclusion…they are late, and from the looks of it years late.  They loot what they can from the area: Two Hand cannons, 3 Heavy Rounds, 2 Tasers, radio, 24 wafers.

            As they pick up what they find useful they begin to notice a scent in the air which steadily gets stronger; that of vinegar.  This scent is known to them already, the distinct and telling smell of a flesh ghoul.  Now standing in the hall they entered from are two flesh ghouls looking rather intent on leaving more bones upon the floor.  Wasting no time Lilly and Grey Eyes launch a range attack, notably Lilly risks the use of malicious whisper.  The whisper follows the ghouls as they back out and around the corner.  Lilly believes the spell has attacked and defeated one of the ghouls before is mysteriously becomes inactive and unresponsive to her commands.  Grey Eyes finds that indeed one ghoul is down but the whisper might have been then attacked by the other ghoul which is now nowhere to be seen.

            Having no idea where the second ghoul has gone the group decides to quickly push on before more show up.  Retracing their steps and following a yet unexplored passage they find themselves lead into a large rectangular room.  This room is larger than any of the others and has a pit in its center.  The pit is full of “material” which no one really wants to investigate further.  Finding an exit on the left wall they try to make their way through the room as quickly as possible.

            They are but halfway to the exit when a bizarre sound alerts them to something by the pit.  A green, shapeless mass larger than themselves has risen from the pit and has already begun to approach.  The shape is recognized as green ooze that has apparently been growing in the pit from the matter it contains.  With its supply running low the ooze has sensed new matter and has moved to engulf it.  Hoping that they are faster than the ooze the group backtracks and resorts to ranged attacks knowing just how dangerous an ooze can be in close quarters.  Hand cannons are used by those without decent mystical methods while acid spells are used by those that can.

            Having actually retreated beyond the oozes ability to sense them it mindlessly returns to the pit which is now the closest source of matter it can sense at the moment.  More acid is tossed in an attempt to make sure it does not rise from the pit again before the group cautiously moves on.

            The tunnel leading out has a few turns and twists in it but eventually opens up into a much larger tunnel.  This tunnel is nearly three times the height and width of the ones they were just in and looks very well maintained.  No sludge, dirt or dust lines this section of sewer but it is likely even older than the ones they were just in.  A bit confused but still determined to reach their goal they make their way down deeper into the larger section.

            A small number of turns later small light can bee seen at the far end of the tunnel they are in.  The light is somewhat familiar yet not quite right.  Drawing closer it is identified as corpsefire, much like that leading them in this dark place, but its colour is very off.  The fact it is very likely corrupted corpsefire becomes apparent when they find it is resting in an upturned skull which hangs by several chains from the clutch of an armored bone ghoul.  Surprised and more than slightly intimidated the group stops and adopts a defensive posture.  The bone ghoul takes no obvious actions; it simply stands in place swaying slightly.

            Not knowing what else to do they make an attempt to speak with it.  The bone ghoul is found to be receptive enough to speech so they pose it questions about what it is.  The bone ghoul states flatly that it is a sentinel charged to keep out unruly visitors.  Since they have not been attacked or asked to leave yet they assume they do not qualify as unruly.  Hoping for better directions they ask where it would go if it wanted to see the “smith”.  It states that it would not go anywhere as it has no reason at all to see the smith.  Further prodding for directions gets them nowhere as the ghoul seems certain that if they found their way to this spot the rest will be of little trouble.  Trusting the ghoul will keep their back free of surprises they give up and continue to follow the compass.

            The tunnel turns again and again eventually leading to a sealed end with only a ladder with which to move on.  The ladder puts them in a simple earthen tunnel which ends shortly at yet another ladder.  The ladder puts them back down in another tunnel much like the ones they just left.  Not knowing where they are they just move forward more until a scraping sound alerts them to movement.  Carefully moving down the tunnel they find the cause to be what seems to be the upper half of a bone ghoul clawing at the wall to their right.  Stone blocks and dirt surround the creature which does not seem to have noticed them.  At first they think it might be clawing its way into the dirt to tunnel out but after some moments of watching they find it is conducting what seem to be repairs.

            As with the bone ghoul before they resort to trying to speak with it.  This one explains that it takes what is as close to pride as can be had for a bone ghoul in keeping the tunnels here in good condition and safe for those traveling them.  They ask about the smith and it simply tells them that the smith can be found in Lyeuskold and they can reach it by continuing on their way.  Not holding out any hope of getting more from this thing they take what advice they got and move on.  More turns and tunnels later they find yet another ladder leading up.  Again this ends in an earthen tunnel which slowly widens.

            It ends in a y-intersection after a short distance of which they opt to take the left as it leads at an upward slope.  As they walk down this path to their right appears to be a collapsed tunnel or room.  Soft giggling can be heard nearby.  They do not get much farther before it grows louder and louder so as to be right behind them.  They turn again and again but see nothing.  Jeffery keeps trying and finds that after a few moments of leaving his flashlight trained behind them the figure of a small bunny, crouching with its paws over its eyes, appears.  Moving the light away and back again makes the figure vanish only to reappear after some moments.  It giggles stands and runs down the way they came still giggling.  Expecting it to be a waste of time they ignore it and continue.

            Another y-intersection greets them and again they choose to go left.  A figure is making its way towards them so they stop and watch its approach.  It makes not sound as it draws closer but is very easy to see.  It seems to be a doe that carries a water vessel atop her head.  They part for her and she passes by without making a sound or even moving the air.  She vanishes into the darkness behind them a short time later.  Many members just try to pretend none of this is really happening or of any significance…or at least of no danger.

            Not much further up the tunnel a room is found to be just off to the right.  Krystal suggests that they rest for now and maybe have lunch.  The room is serviceable even if the only table is missing a leg.  The stench of the sewers is gone here except for the scent still clinging to them.  After a short but needed break they are off again in search of the smith.

            An additional y-intersection confronts them and it is answered by a turn to the left which takes them to a t-intersection.  This time they take right, a right that opens up into a domed room with six branches leading out.  With no idea where any of them go, they simply pick the one that is forward and to the left.

            A figure appears in their lights and walks towards them as if they are not even there.  They part for this figure much like before and allow it to pass.  This is a buck, dressed better than any they have seen so far with a look of being preoccupied about him.  Hopeful that it would respond they try to speak with this one as well.  The words “Excuse me sir.” Are enough to make this one stop and turn.  “I listen, although I will not be addressed in such a way.”  This entity prefers to be addressed as “craftsman” which almost sounds to be a term of rank.  They ask him which way to the forges.  It replies “Which one, I know of sixty-four.”  While that number is not very large it is large enough that searching each one in turn for the smith is very unappealing.  The fact they do not know the way leads the craftsman to believe they have no business there.  Grey Eyes and Lilly try to convince it they with to have repairs made to their weapons but he has none of it.  He asks if they are craftsman, smith or of the blade; to none of these they can answer yes truthfully.  Lilly tries to convince him that she is of the blade with a bone weapon, but he states it is a foreigner weapon never touched by the forge.

            Still pushing to have themselves believed Grey Eyes crosses blades with the craftsman and is quickly disarmed.  Luke steps in and states he is of the blade.  While not skilled in conversing with what is likely a ghost it does respond to him and asks if he has house.  He says he does but the issue is not dropped.  The craftsman asks to see his crest, which Luke says he has lost.  The craftsman accepts Luke’s challenge anyway and manages to disarm him; his weapon evaporating as it leaves his grasp.  Satisfied, the craftsman leads them back to the domed room and points the way down to the forges.  He hands Luke a key which while appearing solid enough has no weight.  He suggests that he have the crest of his house crafted into his weapon so he will not be so likely to lose it.

            Down the path they are directed too they find another y-intersection from which they take the left.  The tunnel widens and ends at a boulder set in the wall.  The boulder itself has a small crest with an indentation at about waist height.  Imagining it might be a form of keyhole Luke tries his key.  The boulder slowly splits to the touch of the key revealing a room beyond.  Inside are found smelting equipment and even a lone buck in the uniform of a worker.

            They ask this person if they have seen a smith, to which he remarks they hardly ever show up here unless they are picking up goods for their craft but he has not seen one in a long while.  He explains he also has not had any orders for ingots in a while and is just waiting around for the next load of ore.  Since he seems to have free time Lilly and Grey Eyes ask him if he would smelt the metal from some of the bones they carry.  He seems alright with the idea, commenting that the grade is low but still useable.  From the bones he smelts a few ingots which he lets cool before handing over.  Grey Eyes is rather impressed by the still functioning industrial capacity of Lyeuskold as she did not expect it still existed.  Hoping the other branch of the intersection holds what they wish they backtrack some and follow the left branch.

            Much as before a boulder is found at the end of the tunnel but this one has a different crest.  They key opens this way as well and beyond are forges at the ready.  They walk in and check for a smith or anyone at all.  Besides themselves the forge appears empty of anyone.  From the way they just came a scraping sound is heard.  It is not exactly regular but it is getting louder and closer.