1.2.5 The Undercroft
The players hunt Riptide
Opening Monologue¶
The tavern is dark—lit only by flickering lanterns and the last embers in the hearth. The air is thick with blood and smoke. Splintered wood and bodies litter the floor. Varka’s massive frame stands over the wreckage, a cutlass still slick with blood in one hand, and a shattered chair leg in the other. Her tusks are bared, not in a smile, but in pure, white-hot rage. She kicks over a broken table and growls through clenched teeth:
Varka (gravelly, furious):
"Riptide. That stinking, lying, flea-ridden bitch. I gave her a seat at my fire. Let her peddle her filth under my roof. She drank my ale. She laughed with my people. And this is what she gives back?"
She gestures to the carnage around her, voice rising.
"Half my regulars—dead. Kvarrac—gutted like a hog. And for what? Coin? Power? How does this help anythin.
Varka spits, a glob of blood and grime hitting the floor near one of the rat corpses.
"But she’s not done. No. Coward slipped through the cracks like the rat she is. I know where she’s gone—back to The Undercroft. Hiding underneath and recruiting more cursed folk."
She walks over to a shattered ale barrel, shoves it aside with one hand, and slams her axe into the floorboards. There's a hollow thud. A trapdoor.
"You want to set us free from the threat of her coming back with more of those things? We need to clean house. Cut the rotten limb off from the whole. Hunt the bitch. Then go down there. Into the dark. Gut her. Burn her stink from our halls.
Her voice softens slightly, but it’s no less dangerous.
"I’ll stay here. Stitch the wounded. Drop the dead off the pier where people ain't lookin. And make sure folks keep their mouths shut.
"I've seen ya'll fight. Yer can handle yerselves and unlike most people seem trustworthy. You put this bitch down and we will rebuild the Hand ourselves. Maybe actually do some of that horseshit Kvarrac used ta talk about. Now go, before I get sic of looking atcha and go carve my name into Brelka's fucken rat chest meself."
She looks you dead in the eye. There’s no bluff. Only pain. Only wrath.
Scene 1¶
Rat fight at overlook¶
kill some rats eating a dude
Scene 2¶
Long Rest¶
Riven rolls a 1 while on watch so I PUNISH HIM!@@!
Carrion Crawlers attack (I love these dude)¶
After the fight (where no1 gets paralyzed fml), they try to loot the carrion crawlers - which gives me an opening to mention they never looted the dude the rats were eating.
Hantz finds some potions which he quickly identifies - potion of being a coward - potion of antivenom - potion of healing (lesser)
We also make up a random ruling that Hantz can learn potion recipes, as well as "alchemical formulas". Dan says "wow thats really big", will thinks "is this one of those random things I regret later"
Polly has to go cos its Aidans BIRTHDAY !!!! Happy Birthday Aidan!
We end a little early, all healed up and rested. Overlooking the cave and the task ahead.
Session Notes¶
Jez told us that Perksy is a cheater mc cheat face (its okay we love him anyway) Jez stayed up late! :D We need more of the Jez!