Riverside 20: Another day, another disaster

[Zefir]

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Fade and Dena and Ruby]

Fade takes the hand to shake and then fokus back on the map. Hearing out the explanation he speaks up.

"It sounds resonable, but what is in the southern part of westside that makes them go around it?"
he says pointing at Westside part next to southside. Then he looks back at the part people suggest the rats came from.
"Do we know about any entrance to the lower sewers? It might be that the path is open there."

[The Grand Hall - Inside -> To the park]

"Well, some healing would be fine and some that increase my concentration." Karl says. "Protection is allways good as weel and should be enougth for the task." Thought any kind of Potion with a good effect will do.

When this is done he will go for the park mentioned and investiagte. Looking around for any suspiciouse people.

[Breakthrough Day]


Yes, I mixed up the last and second-to-last booth.

"Isn't a breakthrough more about new inventions than small improvements like that? A new capability, or a whole new way of doing things?" Alice inquires. The rest of what the stuttering fellow says, she nods in agreement with. "What do you mean about damage to the people?"

[Breakthrough Day]

"We C-cant say what lays in the f-future. Breakthroughts can be s-small or b-big." the person stutters.
"O-our production and energy management changes the ar-ea. We damage the air and ground. Peopl h-aven't adjusted to that and suffer f-from it. even if it is so small the-y don't fe-el it. The other part of ou-r homeworld is quiet more sen-sitiv. They noticed the difference so-on."

[Recaiden]

"Damage the air? But how?" Air is barely even a thing! It's not like you can mess up its shape or break it apart.

"Oh. And that's what brings you in conflict with nature, right? But once people do adapt, it'll all be well."

[Morty]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

"All this to get rid of rats? Hardly worth the effort," Amalungak scoffs. "What is their next target going to be? And their ultimate goal?"

[Gullara]

KABAL & Archera Sewer Rat Hunting

Flicker and Spewer bend over and walk into the sewer to follow the vigilante hero. Spewer's grimacing a little and spitting, as the pill he took to alter his power's affect into generating acid didn't taste very nice. Flicker is rather obviously breathing through her mouth, but Spewer seems less affected by any smells emanating from deeper into the tunnels. Flicker's power isn't hampered by the enclosed space, but she stays next to Spewer rather than using it to catch up to Archera. They'll walk quite swiftly, though; they don't want to be left behind. Spewer pulls out an electric torch from inside his coat, but doesn't turn it on yet. He'll wait until they're struggling to see before flicking the switch.

KABAL & Archera Sewer Rat Hunting

So they head through the sewer system, eventually coming to what appears to be a hub where several of the newer and older sewer tunnels are intersecting. It's easy to tell the difference as the newer tunnels are far larger than the older ones.
But as they stand there, likely considering which tunnel to take, they can hear what sounds like someone running down one of the newer tunnels only to suddenly stop when they got close.
A glance down this tunnel will make them just barely make out a shadowy figure just out of their light's reach...

[KABAL & Archera Sewer Rat Hunting]

"Light's off. Now." Archera urges. If the light is in fact turned off, her eyes with glow like purple torches in the darkness, and that darkness will be no barrier for her vision. Who's lurking down here in the sewers? In either case, she prepares herself to spring into action.

[Earl of Purple]

KABAL & Archera, Sewer Hunting

Spewer does as he's bid, turning the light off, but keeping it in his hand. Neither of them have enhanced senses, so they're pretty blind down here. Well, Spewer's got adaptations to his nose and sense of smell, but more so he can handle particularly foul odours better than most without gagging or retching.

This means that they're now nearly blind and pretty helpless.

[Shadowcaller]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

"...I'm sorry..." The rat-creature whimpers. "T-they won't say anything else." He shakes his head and just keeps doing that repeatedly like if he's twitching.

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Fade and Dena and Ruby]

Dena strokes her chin thoughfully as she looks at Holly gesturing at the map and then turns to Ruby. "So, Malechenar told me that they found these underground passages underneath the city a while ago by using some kind of sonar, like Holly just suggested." She gestures at the half-elf. "They blocked the entrances to these passages while they were remaking the sewer system. However, it's possible that one of these passages might have been re-opened at some point. Though as Malechenar lost access to this 'sonar' with the castle they have been sending agents to check on them instead. From what they told me, they haven't seen anything which leaves us with two possibilities. Either Malechenar haven't been as through as they claim they have or a new passage has been created somewhere in Westside. Apparently, it has happened a couple of times while people have dugged out wells or things like that." She starts poking at the digital map, causing red dots to appear. There are four in northside, two in westside, one in eastside and none in southside.
Notebly, one of them is at the same spot at MERC's

"These are all the passages they told me about. As I told you already Fade, there is a passage right underneath us and I know that one is sealed up. Since there is only one more passage in Westside that would be a no-brainer but Malechenar assures me that one is sealed too. So either we double-check it or starts using Holly's sonar idea to find if more entrances might have opened up." The gorgon pauses for the others to come with their opinions.

KABAL & Archera, Sewer Hunting

The "figure" is dressed rather peculiarly.
They're wearing a dark grey cloak around themselves which seems to be made of some kind of laminated material given how firm and inflexiable it seems. The shoulders of the cloak is adorned with golden metal stripes that seem almost claw-like. Underneath the cloak a black armor can be hinted at.
Though most notebly is their helmet with a completely face-concealing visor. The lower part is made of up a long golden metal stripe with jagged edges which meet up in the middle of the visor with a shorter stripe of the same materia which makes up the upper part of the helmet. In-between the stripes the helmet is black with two glowing red "eyes" which might just be another part of the helmet.

But almost as soon as Archera seen the armored figure, they turn and run the other direction. Back into the tunnel they came from. They're fast, moving with grace despite all that armor they're wearing.

[The Grand Hall - Inside -> To the park]

Karl will after a bit be provided with newly purchased potions before he goes to the park.
Moth park is fairly empty at the moment, likely due to all the rats. But there are what appear to be homeless people going around begging or trying to find cans or catch rats which they can make some money off on.
They could all be seen as potentially "suspicious people". Karl might need to ask around for more information or continue to observe these ragged beggars.

[Morty]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

Instead of responding, Amalungak focuses his sight, trying to see the threads of whatever force or will is controlling the rat-creature. Even a faint trail will be better than nothing, and he doubts he'll find out more by talking.

[Gullara]

KABAL & Archera, Sewer Hunting

Spewer does as he's bid, turning the light off, but keeping it in his hand. Neither of them have enhanced senses, so they're pretty blind down here. Well, Spewer's got adaptations to his nose and sense of smell, but more so he can handle particularly foul odours better than most without gagging or retching.

This means that they're now nearly blind and pretty helpless.

KABAL & Archera, Sewer Hunting

The "figure" is dressed rather peculiarly.
They're wearing a dark grey cloak around themselves which seems to be made of some kind of laminated material given how firm and inflexiable it seems. The shoulders of the cloak is adorned with golden metal stripes that seem almost claw-like. Underneath the cloak a black armor can be hinted at.
Though most notebly is their helmet with a completely face-concealing visor. The lower part is made of up a long golden metal stripe with jagged edges which meet up in the middle of the visor with a shorter stripe of the same materia which makes up the upper part of the helmet. In-between the stripes the helmet is black with two glowing red "eyes" which might just be another part of the helmet.

But almost as soon as Archera seen the armored figure, they turn and run the other direction. Back into the tunnel they came from. They're fast, moving with grace despite all that armor they're wearing.

[KABAL & Archera, Sewer Hunting]

"Stay where you are." Archera says, not to the mystery person, but to her companions. She grabs her bow and a stream of water takes the form of its string, and then of an arrow as she draws it. She aims at the fleeing figure carefully and then lets it loose. The water shoots toward their legs and wrap around them should it hit. Though if Spewer falters and the light is turned on before she can do that, her aim could be quite off.

[Earl of Purple]

KABAL & Archera- Sewer Hunting

Spewer doesn't turn the torch back on, so they can't see the running figure- except only vaguely, as a movement in the darkness. They do as Archera says, staying put and not moving, though Flicker's raised her shotgun and Spewer's ready to spit if they're attacked.

Flicker could probably catch the fleeing figure, since she's capable of extremely fast movement- if she can see where she's going and knows who to chase.

[Recaiden]

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Fade and Dena and Ruby]

Holly the Half-Elf^TM waves at the Southside representative as they're introduced, and then shakes her hand.

She looks at the map. "So they cross the river first and then move south from there," she says largely to herself. SHe looks over the map, the north-eastern part of Westside which is very nearly directly in the center of the city, and then at the live radar blips of radio-wave-infected rats. "That kind-of makes sense."

She looks back up at Dena. "So, presumably, the entrance we're looking for should be in that area. Isn't sonar pretty useful for finding underground passageways? Or Ground-Penetrating Radar, I suppose, that might work as well if we just make some tweaks to the current radio-wave devices in that area. Maybe some kinds of magic could do it, too. If we can get someone to fly over and use some of those, I bet we could map out the underground of that area pretty quickly."

Fade takes the hand to shake and then fokus back on the map. Hearing out the explanation he speaks up.

"It sounds resonable, but what is in the southern part of westside that makes them go around it?"
he says pointing at Westside part next to southside. Then he looks back at the part people suggest the rats came from.
"Do we know about any entrance to the lower sewers? It might be that the path is open there."

Dena strokes her chin thoughfully as she looks at Holly gesturing at the map and then turns to Ruby. "So, Malechenar told me that they found these underground passages underneath the city a while ago by using some kind of sonar, like Holly just suggested." She gestures at the half-elf. "They blocked the entrances to these passages while they were remaking the sewer system. However, it's possible that one of these passages might have been re-opened at some point. Though as Malechenar lost access to this 'sonar' with the castle they have been sending agents to check on them instead. From what they told me, they haven't seen anything which leaves us with two possibilities. Either Malechenar haven't been as through as they claim they have or a new passage has been created somewhere in Westside. Apparently, it has happened a couple of times while people have dugged out wells or things like that." She starts poking at the digital map, causing red dots to appear. There are four in northside, two in westside, one in eastside and none in southside.
Notebly, one of them is at the same spot at MERC's

"These are all the passages they told me about. As I told you already Fade, there is a passage right underneath us and I know that one is sealed up. Since there is only one more passage in Westside that would be a no-brainer but Malechenar assures me that one is sealed too. So either we double-check it or starts using Holly's sonar idea to find if more entrances might have opened up." The gorgon pauses for the others to come with their opinions.

"Just one tunnel left in Westside? Let's get right on checking it out! If Malechenar is right, then we move on to the radar." Ruby suggests. It's just one tunnel; how hard could it be?
"But look; if one of them is open after all, it's probably one in Northside, right? They've just got more to watch. Is there anything that would draw the rats down here if they were originally coming from up there?"

[5a Violista]

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Fade and Dena and Ruby]

"Unless we already have sonar or ground-penetrating radar and a helicoptor or something already set up, it would definitely be faster to send people to the tunnel first," but Holly thinks it's more likely a new tunnel was opened up, than a Northside tunnel gets missed - sure, they've got more to watch but since it's closer they probably also care about it more and watch it more closely. If the rats are originating from Northside, it seems likely Malenchenar would have already noticed that.

"And while people are going to check it, we could have some of our more technologically-minded people set up the equipment."

"However, I'd bet that they're coming somewhere from Westside instead of Northside - because, as you said, they're crossing into Eastside from Westside and it's a lot harder to cross the river and the border at the same time than them both separately." And Holly would know, because she had to cross that river-border on the way here. Within Northside, there's probably lots of infrastructure that crosses the river. There's considerably less that crosses from Westside to Eastside, since they have different governments.

[Zefir]

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Fade and Dena and Ruby]

"Malchanar is weakened with the lost of their castle. We should check things for ourself. They might just tell people that they checked things to calm the people down. We should continue to pinpoint the origin." Fade says.

"We also might ask ourself about their general goal. I have watched them and they seem to make places just filthier. I'm not sure why they do that exactly. Either they want to prepare the place for themself or they just want to get people out. Either way We should prepare for something else coming."

[The park]

Asking around sounds more fun, but first he has to catch some rats. Using a peak he will hunt down some rats mostly trying to avoid the other hunters. After that he will go and search for soem who hunt rats, but got less success.
"Hey there. I'm looking for someone to answer some questions. It won't be your lost if you can answer me some." he says nodding at the bag with rats on his back.

[Breakthrough Day]

"It is a bit complicated. Let us say the produktion brings particle into the air where they don't belong. A certain amounht is harmfull especially to some plants and humans who are weakend due to age or other illness." The person says (stuttering still happens only time to write it that way is missing)
"You should know that nature is an own force with Dryads, treants and other creatures on their side. We hope we can settle with them in the future."

[Shadowcaller]

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Fade and Dena and Ruby]

"Yeah, I support double-checking the tunnel and then move on to the sonar plan once we have anything like that. I could set up my drone Violet to perform sonar with a few adjustments."
Dena turns to Ruby and Fade. "Going into Northside might mean trouble though. Malechenar have agents patroling the sewers for rats and they don't appriciate us policing their home territory. We've been strictly ordered to just inform them if any criminal end up on their side of the field. I mean, we could just ask them to double check considering what we now know, but would you trust them to?"

She archs an eyebrow. "And Fade, what do you mean exactly? What sort of preperations? Since I think we are as prepared as we can be for a rat invasion by now. But either way, who wants to check the westside passage? I'll be adjusting Violet and probably have some of the technologically minded people pick up whatever sonar equipment that we have. Might be able to pick up something from some high-end store otherwise."

KABAL & Archera- Sewer Hunting

Archeras arrow hits true and the water wraps around the fleeing figures legs. They fall to the tunnel floor with a splash and a grunt. However, almost the very same moment they seem to turn into liquid blackness and melt into the darkness that sorrunds them.
They reappear a short distance away in the direction they were fleeing, now free from the liquid bindings but stumbling for a few moments until they can recover enough to run at full speed again.

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

The threads go deep. Running straight down the ground and further than Amulungak can even see into a place that has never known light.
By this point Tarim starts looking impatient. "Are you getting anything, mage?"

[The park]

The catcher he finds is a scrawny looking young man with charol black skin and burning eyes that gives him a weary look. "Three gold and I answer any questions you want." He holds up his hand expectingly.

[Recaiden]

"We've seen that too." Ruby says to Fade. "Just spreading dirt and waste. If they're preparing the place, it's for something other than rats."
"Anyway, why don't you and I check the other Westside passageway? We can worry about Northside after we see what we see there."
But no, Malechenar probably can't be trusted with something so important. They'd need to see the sealed tunnels themselves.

Actually, could Malechenar be shipping rats into Westside? Why would they want that?

[Morty]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

With an effort of will, Amalungak splits his attention between the mortal world and the other one.

"The will controlling these rats... it's of the fey. And wants to cleanse the city for some purpose. Its tendrils extend from deep beneath the earth."

[5a Violista]

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Fade and Dena and Ruby]

"Well, good," the Half-Elf^TM says. "Just having you two going to check it would be best." A MERCenary and her. He can do all sorts of helpful stuff and she's done a lot of searching into the rats' patterns. Two people would certainly be faster and more efficient than more.

...

And the faster, the better because then they'll be able to see what's going on sooner and know how to proceed faster.

[Recaiden]

[Breakthrough Day]

"It is a bit complicated. Let us say the pr-production brings p-p-particle into the air where they don't b-belong. A s-certain amount is harmful especially to some p-plants and humans who are weakened-d due to age or other illness." The person says.
"You should know that n-nature is its own force with d-dryads, treants and other creatures on their side. We hope we can s-settle with them in the f-future."

"Settle with them? I thought the forces of nature were your enemies. Pretty opposed to progress and, well, breakthroughs." Alice says, gesturing at the fair all around them. She gets out a stick of gum to chew, thoughtful. So some of the breakthroughs they need are nature-friendly technology?

[Shadowcaller]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

Even as he divide his attention, he can feel the entity staring back at him. Trying to make sense where his own lord is located. In or outside the city?

Tarim just stares at him for a moment. "No, the spy told me it was the dark ones will behind this." A pause. "Could fey be controlled..." He shakes his head. "We need to know more. Where is it? In the sewers?"

[Gullara]

KABAL & Archera- Sewer Hunting

Spewer doesn't turn the torch back on, so they can't see the running figure- except only vaguely, as a movement in the darkness. They do as Archera says, staying put and not moving, though Flicker's raised her shotgun and Spewer's ready to spit if they're attacked.

Flicker could probably catch the fleeing figure, since she's capable of extremely fast movement- if she can see where she's going and knows who to chase.

KABAL & Archera- Sewer Hunting

Archeras arrow hits true and the water wraps around the fleeing figures legs. They fall to the tunnel floor with a splash and a grunt. However, almost the very same moment they seem to turn into liquid blackness and melt into the darkness that sorrunds them.
They reappear a short distance away in the direction they were fleeing, now free from the liquid bindings but stumbling for a few moments until they can recover enough to run at full speed again.

[KABAL & Archera- Sewer Hunting]

Archera curses. "He's getting away." She bolts down the tunnel. She's fast, but her gambit gave the figure a solid head start.

Chances are the darkness isn't needed anymore of the other two want to pursue. Hopefully they realize that.

[Earl of Purple]

KABAL & Archera- Sewer Huntng

The torch is switched back on and pointed down the tunnel as Spewer starts to run after the heroine and the fleeing figure. He's heavy-footed and splashing loudly; he doesn't know that if you keep your feet underwater, you don't make as much noise- though he's running, so it's likely a moot point.

Flicker, meanwhile, is silent, and much faster. The water is enough of a surface for her to use her power, rapidly teleporting over the water's surface, not in one spot long enough to disturb the water with more than ripples. If the tunnel's wide enough, she's going to overtake Archera; her short-distance teleportation works like super-speed, but if the tunnel is not wide enough for two people to stand next to each other then Flicker's going to be a little stuck.

If she can get in front of Archera, she's going to wait until she's nearly caught the dark figure before blasting her shotgun into their knees. She's not the best shot, so she can't afford to be too far away when she fires or she'll miss too much. She's also still using the birdshot she used to kill the rat; she isn't packing any other kind of ammunition.

[Halae]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the East Side Dump]

Halae mutters darkly, "Hrm. Fey, of course it is," With a sigh, she turns to Amalungak, "Well, you're the one with the best sense of where this thing is. Willing to show us how to get down to it?" the Exalt has a finger scratching at the hilt of her blade - she wants to fight something, to do battle, rather than just burn rats in one of the worst smelling places to burn. Seems she doesn't particularly like fey.

[Morty]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

The entity will find it harder to track the King in Rags through Amalungak. Their connection isn't very strong or direct; closer to that between a mortal liege and servant. Still, it might be able to see that he's not in the city. The trail, as it were, seems to lead to a few places, but the clearest one heads towards abandoned marshes away from Riverside.

"Your spy might have been misled," the elf points out. "Whoever is really behind it would have known that the people here would leap at the demons as an explanation for their latest woes, making for an easy disguise." He turns to Halae. "I felt it in dark depths, deeper and darker than any cellar or sewer. But getting underground might still get us closer to it."

[Shadowcaller]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

Tarim frowns but then just shakes his head. "Well, were going to go there either way. All clues lead down below and will make this creature, whatever it is, know that there are no depths in which it can hide from the light." He looks to Amalungak. "The closest sewer entrance then? I will lead."

But as they say, as one stares into the abyss it stares back. Amalungak will get the feeling that this other fey are overhearing this entire conversation. Their gaze burning into his back wherever he turns.

KABAL & Archera- Sewer Hunting

These more modern tunnels are more than wide enough for people to stand next to one another in.
Though as Flicker blinks forward, the figure suddenly turns and a huge blanket made of the same shadowy material that the figure turned into a moment ago seemingly materializes from their hand. It will fly towards Flicker and try to wrap itself around her like a web.

[Halae]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

"Lead the way, then," Halae says, and will move behind Tarim where he leads.

[Morty]

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

Amalungak nods.

"Yes, we need to... wait."

He turns around. Seeing nothing, he takes off his blindfold, reaches under his clothes and suddenly casts a cloud of black dust into the air, shouting. This releases a spell that will try to obfuscate him and his surroundings from supernatural senses.

[Zefir]

Spoiler: Tracking History

Show

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Fade and Dena and Ruby]

"Yeah, I support double-checking the tunnel and then move on to the sonar plan once we have anything like that. I could set up my drone Violet to perform sonar with a few adjustments."
Dena turns to Ruby and Fade. "Going into Northside might mean trouble though. Malechenar have agents patroling the sewers for rats and they don't appriciate us policing their home territory. We've been strictly ordered to just inform them if any criminal end up on their side of the field. I mean, we could just ask them to double check considering what we now know, but would you trust them to?"

She archs an eyebrow. "And Fade, what do you mean exactly? What sort of preperations? Since I think we are as prepared as we can be for a rat invasion by now. But either way, who wants to check the westside passage? I'll be adjusting Violet and probably have some of the technologically minded people pick up whatever sonar equipment that we have. Might be able to pick up something from some high-end store otherwise."

[The park]

The catcher he finds is a scrawny looking young man with charol black skin and burning eyes that gives him a weary look. "Three gold and I answer any questions you want." He holds up his hand expectingly.

"We've seen that too." Ruby says to Fade. "Just spreading dirt and waste. If they're preparing the place, it's for something other than rats."
"Anyway, why don't you and I check the other Westside passageway? We can worry about Northside after we see what we see there."
But no, Malechenar probably can't be trusted with something so important. They'd need to see the sealed tunnels themselves.

Actually, could Malechenar be shipping rats into Westside? Why would they want that?

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Fade and Dena and Ruby]

"Well, good," the Half-Elf^TM says. "Just having you two going to check it would be best." A MERCenary and her. He can do all sorts of helpful stuff and she's done a lot of searching into the rats' patterns. Two people would certainly be faster and more efficient than more.

...

And the faster, the better because then they'll be able to see what's going on sooner and know how to proceed faster.

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Dena and Ruby and Fade ]

"As mentioned I assume something else coming like either some big Version of the rats, some kind of monster that needs filthy places nearby or even the controller themself. We might arrange safty spots which should be kept clean with a little security for the prople." Fade suggested.
Then he turns to Ruby (The dragonborn?). His expression is neutral as allways when people see him.
"Very well. I don't belive Malechenar, but we shouldn't run straight into their territory to prevent missunderstandings."

[The Moth park]

Karl holds out the coins and hands himone over. Obviously not trusting this man to stay and answer. He does after all put the bag with rats in their sight.
"If your questions statisfy my intressts then you might even get those which are worth more then those coins." He says.
"So I heared a lot off people disapear around here. Do you know where they went?"

[Breakthrough Day]


"Settle with them? I thought the forces of nature were your enemies. Pretty opposed to progress and, well, breakthroughs." Alice says, gesturing at the fair all around them. She gets out a stick of gum to chew, thoughtful. So some of the breakthroughs they need are nature-friendly technology?

[Breakthrough Day]

"We are enemies, but on the other hand we need them." The person says.
I wouldn't say directly Nature friendly. It's more like finding materials with simular abilities then the ones they knew which can be produced efficently.

[Shadowcaller]

[Tracking Rats - Holly and Dena and Ruby and Fade]

"I don't see any evidence for that, but we'll try to keep this place clean just in case then." Dena gestures at the goblin who lead Ruby here. Here was hoping that he would be able to sneak away unnoticed. "Have the guys clean the office, 'kay? And I mean all of it this time."

He suppresses a groan and slowly, seemingly painfully, nods in response. "...you're the boss. I'll tell them. They won't like it though."

"Everyone who isn't cleaning will be on rat tracking duty. So they should count their lucky stars." Dena turns back to Ruby and Fade as the goblin closes the door as he leaves with a sigh. "The closest sewer entrance to the passage would be on Owl street. It's right between the old magmart and Moth park so enter from there."

Then finally, as the other two leaves, she turns to Holly. "So what were you going to do again?"

[Tracking Rats - Outside the Eastside Dump]

Amalungak can feel frustration and confusion as the fey-presence loses track of him. He might note that it now feel like several different presences than a singular one as they are all now focusing on different things thanks to the cloud.
"What was that for?" Tarim inquires, just barely slowing down for Amalungak.

[The Moth park]

The man narrows his burning eyes. "Heard about the disapperances." He remarks in a curt fashion. "How much if I tell you about someone who might know more?"

[Recaiden]

[Tracking Rats - Ruby and Fade]

Dragonborn is close enough.
Unlike the emotionless shadow person, Ruby seems excited to be making progress as she heads downstairs, collects the giant lizard monster she rode in on, and sets of for Owl Street.
"I just had an awful thought. What if the rats are here to protect the city? Is there any chance that it was getting too clean recently?"

[Breakthrough Day]

Alice nods.
"Thanks for all your explanations." she says to the stuttering person.
Then she ambles along to see what's going on in other parts of the district.

[Earl of Purple]

Sewers- Kabal & Archera Rat Hunt

Flicker's caught by the shadowy web and fires her shotgun in surprise, the bird-pellets launched in the figure's vague direction. Flicker really isn't the best shot, and she wasn't aiming, really- just pointing her gun in their direction ready for her to use. She's also going to try teleporting forward, though she'll overbalance and fall over. If the shadow-web is anchored, or mystically prevents teleportation, Flicker won't move forward, simply falling onto her back with a large splash and a grunt instead. If she can still teleport, she's still falling over backwards but won't make such a big splash; each small jump cancels her momentum.

Spewer's going to pull out his tin and take a tablet, a red one, popping it in his mouth and swallowing. "Archera! Duck!" He yells, before vomiting a large quantity of red liquid at the shadowy figure. If either the figure or Archera are hit, the liquid should trigger a rage response, though not one very directed. Some has splashed onto Flicker, and she's yelling and struggling even harder. Spewer doesn't carry many of these; he's got no physical enhancements, so making his foes this angry is usually not a good idea. It might make the shadowy figure stop running, though if they don't have true emotions it won't work.

[Gullara]

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KABAL & Archera- Sewer Huntng

The torch is switched back on and pointed down the tunnel as Spewer starts to run after the heroine and the fleeing figure. He's heavy-footed and splashing loudly; he doesn't know that if you keep your feet underwater, you don't make as much noise- though he's running, so it's likely a moot point.

Flicker, meanwhile, is silent, and much faster. The water is enough of a surface for her to use her power, rapidly teleporting over the water's surface, not in one spot long enough to disturb the water with more than ripples. If the tunnel's wide enough, she's going to overtake Archera; her short-distance teleportation works like super-speed, but if the tunnel is not wide enough for two people to stand next to each other then Flicker's going to be a little stuck.

If she can get in front of Archera, she's going to wait until she's nearly caught the dark figure before blasting her shotgun into their knees. She's not the best shot, so she can't afford to be too far away when she fires or she'll miss too much. She's also still using the birdshot she used to kill the rat; she isn't packing any other kind of ammunition.

KABAL & Archera- Sewer Hunting

These more modern tunnels are more than wide enough for people to stand next to one another in.
Though as Flicker blinks forward, the figure suddenly turns and a huge blanket made of the same shadowy material that the figure turned into a moment ago seemingly materializes from their hand. It will fly towards Flicker and try to wrap itself around her like a web.

Sewers- Kabal & Archera Rat Hunt

Flicker's caught by the shadowy web and fires her shotgun in surprise, the bird-pellets launched in the figure's vague direction. Flicker really isn't the best shot, and she wasn't aiming, really- just pointing her gun in their direction ready for her to use. She's also going to try teleporting forward, though she'll overbalance and fall over. If the shadow-web is anchored, or mystically prevents teleportation, Flicker won't move forward, simply falling onto her back with a large splash and a grunt instead. If she can still teleport, she's still falling over backwards but won't make such a big splash; each small jump cancels her momentum.

Spewer's going to pull out his tin and take a tablet, a red one, popping it in his mouth and swallowing. "Archera! Duck!" He yells, before vomiting a large quantity of red liquid at the shadowy figure. If either the figure or Archera are hit, the liquid should trigger a rage response, though not one very directed. Some has splashed onto Flicker, and she's yelling and struggling even harder. Spewer doesn't carry many of these; he's got no physical enhancements, so making his foes this angry is usually not a good idea. It might make the shadowy figure stop running, though if they don't have true emotions it won't work.

[KABAL & Archera - Sewer Hunting]

Archera dodges past the shadow attack and heeds the warning to ducks just before the red liquid flies over her head. Explains the name... She's not wasting any time, though. She runs forward, and as she does all the water she would pass over flows forward, gathering in front of her in a larger and larger amount. Then she stops as she nears the figure, pushing her hands down and forward in a sharp motion. The water follows her hands, compressing downward and surging forward with force. Enough force to take the legs out from under someone. If the figure falls, they'll hit the hard ground, all the water pushed up the tunnel for the moment.