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Three freshly minted adventurer stepped off the ship at Stormreach harbour, the largest and most cosmopolitan city of Ebberon. With little money in their pockets and no renown to help open doors the only place that welcomes such strays as themselves was The Wayward Lobster.
The elf wizard, by the name of Iss, was the first to enter the dark interior. Waiting for his eyes to adjust he could see a bar and several knots of individuals around tables. He saw in a glance the varieties of people that lived in the city, a rich human merchant, a worried looking dwarf and a forlorn kobold.
Behind him trundled a heavily armoured dwarf. Leo by name and fighter by nature and, conveniently, occupation. He thought about pushing the skinny elf out of his way but was sure if he did the elf would break like a twig. Not a good start in a new city.
The third to enter the Wayward Lobster was a tall and shining knight stately in plate armour that reflected light from outside into the dingy corners of the Wayward Lobster. With a florish Sarius swepted into the room, a platnium dragon symbol on his shield lighting sparks of light from previously unknown sources catching everyone's attention.
“I am Sarius, a paladin of Bahatmut. I am looking for a number of hearty adventures to join me in quests for fortune, fame and the glory of Bahatmut. Are there any in this establishment that are willing take up arms with me?”
Both the elf and dwarf step up thinking themselves lucky to have such a one as the paladin looking for help just as they should arrive. The three adventurers don’t get a chance to introduce themselves before the Kolbold, hearing Sarius and his wish to seek adventure, leaped from his seat and scuttled over to them.
“Excuse me, sir knight and others but I could do with the services of adventurers.” The kolbold stated blinking his oversized black eyes nervously. He was half the size of the human and elf, a quarter the dwarf’s girth and they looked down on his rag covered hide like something that had crawled out of the sewer; which he had. “I’m a peace loving kolbold, never meaning harm to anybody. My family and I live in the sewers under the harbour here, but recently some in the City Watch have decided we’re not fit to live in sewers and mean to have us out. They sent five half starved dogs into our home to scare us out, which worked as those dog were frightening.”
“The City Watch?” The Paladin queried unsure he wanted to go against the wishes of the official law in the city.
“Only some. Most of the Watch are happy to have us down there we’re sort of their eyes and ear if you know what I mean. But a few like to bully little folk about. But if you’re concern I could pay you for your efforts, twenty gold pieces each?”
“Deal!” Said Iss and Leo in unison and shook…claws with the kobold.
“Come on Paladin, “ Leo cajoled Sarius, “ afraid of getting a little dirt on that shiny armour of yours, let’s just get in there and kill us some dog.”
“Kill!” The kobold squeaked. Iss and Sarius both detected the note of panic in the kolbold’s voice and they asked him what was the problem.
“Ooh, do you have to kill them. Under normal circumstances, I like dogs and it’s not their fault but the fault of those bullying Watch. Look, if you can keep them alive I’ll give you another twenty gold pieces to share.”
“Ooh, do you have to kill them. Under normal circumstances, I like dogs and it’s not their fault but the fault of those bullying Watch. Look, if you can keep them alive I’ll give you another twenty gold pieces to share.”
“How do you expect us to get the dogs out then?” The dwarf huffed through his beard in protest.
“I don’t know,” wailed the kolbold, “ but please, help.”
With only a little persuasion (as his coin purse was sadly empty) the paladin also agreed to help the kobold who was only too pleased to show the party to the nearest entrance to the sewers he called home. Once inside the dank tunnels under Stormreach harbour it was clear that this was not going to be a comfortable mission for the Paladin. In full plate armour from head to toe he barely missed the ceiling of the sewers. Being shorter and less heavily armoured the dwarf and elf had no such problem, but the stench of the sewer was enough to turn to elf’s stomach and he hung back letting the other two lead the way.
Unlike a sewage pipe that only ran with water and waste, the passage way the kobolds lived were wide stone covered halls tidy and dry. Someone in the past had used this space for storing barrels and crates now left stacked neatly in niches and out of the way corners. The adventurers, curious at what the packing material contained sorted through them finding a few coins each. It was when they were sorting through boxes that they came across the first dog.
It was a sad mongrel, half starved into madness. Without a thought for personal safety it launched itself at the dwarf and bit him. With little thought but the get the dog off him the dwarf struck back with the butt of his sword. Unfortunately that was enough to finish the cur off and it rolled off him dead.
“Quick, hide it or we’ll lose our bonus!” Iss said trying to stuff the dog into one of the barrels.
“I will not be party to deceits,” The Paladin said, “the kobold, low as he may be, has dealt with us fairly and we should do the same or risk dishonour in this town we’re so newly arrived at. Forgo the twenty coins, we will find other more suitable work than this before too long.” Sarius was adamant, he may be been reduced to killing dogs but it did not mean he had to forget his principles.
Now with a little less care the party continued through the sewers finding two more dogs and dispatched them with equal ease. Then, from the end of the sewer came bounding a huge black and tan monster of a dog. No whipped mongrel this one but one of the Watches own guard dogs. Iss who was standing in the middle of the passage way was the dog’s target. Sarius took a swing at the animal as it passed by but struck the ceiling with his longsword missing his chance. Leo gave the animal a slash with his sword with little effect, all its attention was on the skinny elven wizard. Without a cry Iss brought his hands up in a complicated gesture and sent a sleep spell directly at the beast.
The dog swayed on its feet as the spell took effect. It took two more steps, growled and crumpled into a heap at the elf’s feet.
That left one last hound. A flip of a coin lead the party down one of two passages. Sneaking up of elven light feet, Iss found the last skinny hound sleeping in an alcove. The party arranged itself and Sarius ran up the passage armour clanking, raising such a din that the dog awoke.
It was easy work to dispatch the last poor beast. With that done the party celebrated their first job done and went back to the Wayward Lobster for their payment.
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