Setup

While returning from Swirling Bathhouse with the second of two keys copied from the Polonian Legions personnel responsible for running Highbridge Prison, our heroes Rhagal and Ser Shadow were suddenly afflicted by a bout of Mountain Goose Sickness and wound up laying in their beds in the attic of Batilda’s boarding house, sweating uncontrollably while they were stricken by multiple bouts requiring use of their chamber pots.

In the meantime, a small urchin flagged down the other party members are led them to a meeting with Selma Longbottom. As the party had requested, the Knot had placed lookouts at the prison, and one had returned after seeing an old Polonian man in red robes seemingly emerge from the side of the prison in a flash of light and disappear around the corner.

The party has a view ideas in mind and ventures off to investigate.

Through the Sewers

The party examines the grounds around the prison and finds footprints emerging from nowhere and follows them to a sewer grate in an alley. The lift the lid and hop down inside.

The sewers themselves are roughly six feet in diameter and made of rough stone. They appear to stretch beneath much of the docks area and Buddy informs the party of the presence of at least one horrible monster which he isn’t brave enough to get close enough to identify. The party can navigate slowly and despite finding a exceptionally well sealed and locked door as well as hearing some chittering sounds in the distance, they follow the footsteps to a single doorway.

The party pushes inside and the door locks behind them and disappears. The room is largely empty except for torches, two mirrors and the outline of a five-headed figure drawn on the wall. Grates in the ceiling begin pumping poisonous gas into the room. Moving quickly, the party figures out that looking at the figure on the wall through both mirrors causes the outline of a door to appear. Pressing on the eyeballs of what now appears to be a stylized image of Tiamat causes the door to open and the room to reset.

The Lab

The party steps into a laboratory containing hideous examination tables and lined with jars containing body parts. Two technicians turn, surprised, but the party immediately attacks. A clutch Hold Person spell by Yornan and an unnatural series of natural 20s from Hurodash and Corliss quickly dispatch the sorcerous technicians just as the guards arrive. The guards run and Hurodash, still in his rage, follows them. The other party members sweep up a few obvious items, including an impressive looking wand with a blade of light, and follow Hurodash.

It quickly becomes apparent due to sounds emanating from all directions that the lab is part of a larger, inhabited complex. The initial set of guards run, but more sorcerers and guards continue to appear. The party, in the throes of success, carve their way down the corridor, up a half-flight of stairs and around the next corner, leaving butchered Polonians in their wake. In the sole glimpse around the corner they see another half-flight of stairs, covered by a carpet, leading up to a set of ornate, carved wooden doors.

At this point the momentum of the party’s bum rush is halted and the party finds themselves surrounded. The spellcaster are about to run out of spells and are severely hurt. Hurodash is fending off three guards. And then a particularly vicious blow cleaves Yornan’s armor and he topples to the ground. All looks lost. Very lost.

Quickly, Corliss snatches the last healing potion from Yornan’s belt and pours it his mouth. Corliss and Yornan then both flee, narrowly avoiding the blades of multiple guards as they run. Hurodash plants himself in the middle of the corridor and holds of four guards while the spellcasters escape into the lab. Finally, Hurodash breaks and retreats. An illusion of a blank wall where the door was located gives the party the few moments they need to rush back into sewers.

Escape

The party bursts back into the sewers, pursued by Polonian Legionnaires, and facing the potential dangers of whatever monsters were hiding in the sewers. At first, the party is uncertain of which way to turn, and any bad choice could result in a dead end or the lair of a hungry monster. Fortunately, however, Hurodash never forgets any path that he has taken and leads the party back to the entrance.