So there they were: Shadowale the halfling rogue, Rhogar the dragonborn, Kyllar the human wizard, and Gnofulk the gnome barbarian, walking yet again down to the Cogs and catching up after a hearty breakfast and a few days apart.
Kyllar was brought up to speed on the failed crusade of Steven Brighthammer von Carlsburg Jr, and his molten fate… and the wizard is duly outraged, because guys he probably had a ton of magic swag. The party bickers arguing that it was probably paladin-only gear, and that selling it would have been a hassle. Not once do they think of donating it back to the Silver Flame (for the moment, commanded by Blume, Asmund’s mentor).
The party soon finds they have wandered to the dam, still being repaired by House Cannith workers. Shadowale does his best inspector impersonation and nods approvingly as the party passes. As they make their way down the switchback into one of the residential areas of the Cogs, Kyllar relates to the party how he found his kobold manservant, in an alleyway in Sharn, surrounded by a few plump orphan children. Kyllar was originally pleased that the kobold was so protective of others.. until the kolbold licked its lips and procured some pilfered spices. Kyllar was mortified, woke the sleeping street urchins and forcefully took his kobold back towards Ghallanda, lecturing the reptile all the way, though Kyllar new the fault lay with himself. The kobold was just hungry, and Kyllar should have kept a better eye on his scaled ward. So of course, Kyllar locked the kobold in the room today when he went off adventuring.
The party starts traversing the neighborhood, and cheers are raised as they pass, particularly for Gnofulk, as he was a familiar face in the Cogs previously, and the actions of the party in halting the crusade (and the actions of Gnofulk in introducing Steve to lava) and protecting the Cogsfolk have turned the gnome into a recognizable local hero of sorts.
Children scamper up around the party, trying to compare their heights to Gnofulk, and (occasionally to) Shadowale, though the halfling seems to have far too many blades to be truly approachable. Not to be outdone, Kyllar starts conjuring toys for the children… which dutifully wink out of existence every time a new one is created. Brief wails of disbelief are created in the wake of the passing party.
As they turn to the east, towards the efficient foundry (that refused to summon a fire elemental for the party), they notice two things. The first is that the foundry is back in business, and busy. They’ll need to go around it. The second is that some signage is being changed to “Rhaaal’s Way.” The party investigates, questioning the locals as they go.
As it turns out, Rhaaal, the orc fighter and his cornergoblin Zeke, are also local heroes. When the party failed to convince the orc to team up, and sent him out to warn the rest of the Cogs while the party dealt with the problem on the dam, he went on a bit of a rampage, cleaving his way through a few Silver Flame patrols. Terrified locals inspired by Rhaaal’s brutality, and encouraged by Zeke, who was shouting his little goblin lungs out calling for the locals to follow the green pair to safety, ended up doing just that. The Cogsfolk eventually made it to Blume, the City Watch, and safety.
The party learns that Rhaaal was injured while rampaging, and is recovering nearby, so the party take a quick detour to visit. Outside the little huts, a statue has sprung up. …at least the party thinks it’s a statue. Rubble and debris look to have been glued together to form what appears to be a goblin, pointing forward, riding atop an orc with a huge axe. With a flick of his fingers, Kyllar the ever meddling, gestures towards the statue, which starts to emit a soft, golden glow.
Zeke greets the party and informs them Rhaaal is resting. They chat, and Zeke is eager to tell them that their local hero status will probably catapult them into being on a Sharn city council, or maybe alderpersons or something? He’s not quite sure what’s what of how Sharn government works, or if there are even elections, but he’s excited about it. The party grumble that they’d like to have something named after them, and the goblin’s pointy ears perk up. Perhaps, whenever he figures out what Rhaaal and/or Zeke are doing, they could name something after the party… which is called, what? Exactly?
The party departs, bickering again. Gnofulks Folk is quickly shouted down, as is every other “Person & Friends” style name. The foundry is sidestepped, and the party, while still debating, makes their way, for the third time as a group, into a well populated neighborhood in the Cogs, where they are singled out for special, personal thanks from the populous, despite still debating names. Kyllar continues to conjure toys, and little squeals of delight as they receive the gift, followed closely by wails of disbelief as it disappears when a new is handed out by Kyllar, continue to burst from Cogsfolk children as the party travels.
They make their way onto the bridge, still debating, and agree they should visit the goblin Zoop, whose Soup Shop is nearby. They find it bustling. The original shop is entirely kitchen now, and some neighboring hovels have been turned into seating, and everything is being renovated and connected. The party wander into the kitchen, and Zoop, who has acquired a second-hand poofy chef hat, excitedly greets them, and offers free soup, clearing off spots for them at the counter. Business is booming, and all he has ready right now is Soup #1, which the party admits, has improved drastically from Zoops other, meatier soup endeavors.
In between slurps and sips, the party inquires after the Daask, who had been ensconced to the west. Zoop replies that the gangsters packed up and left – the party even saw them packing. And no, nobody has moved in yet. It’s been like, 3 days guys. It was a bad neighborhood before, they trashed it before they left, and there are no big land developers on the Cogs eager to buy it up. It’s terrible set of properties – an entire “fixer-upper” neighborhood over there.
The party finishes their soup, and go to pay, when Zoop reminds them that they get free soup here, for their work on the train. Still, a going coin stealthily makes its way into Zoops pocket, deposited by Shadowale. As the party leaves, Zoop calls after them, saying if they ever need a goblin – he’s the goblin to call.
The party walk over to the still-collapsed bridge, peering over into the sealed foundry owned by that warforged society. They cannot come up with a good way to all traverse the river of lava, and decide investigation there would not be worth the effort, and travel towards the neighborhood previously held by the Daask gangsters.
The Cogs were sparsely populated here, and the ramshackle abodes acquired by the Daask are a ways apart from the next nearest group of ramshackle abodes. It would have taken some serious strong arming to acquire the next nearest cluster of shanties, which as the party discovers as thy approach, has some children playing “kick the rock.”
Kyllar conjures an actual ball for the children to use, and the oldest, a young orc girl steps up to claim it, and asks her about the Daask. Her attention is elsewhere though, and still clutching the ball, she wanders over to Gnofolk, reaching out to touch his magical axe, pausing at the last moment to ask permission. It is given with a nod, and she reverently places her hand on it, amazing that she touched the “axe that saved the Cogs,” and wishing that she’ll get her own axe someday. Every orc needs an axe, apparently. Her brain catches up to her, and she stutters, asking Kyllar to repeat his question.
The party is soon brought up to speed. The orc child, and the other children, and their families were caught unaware by the crusading paladins. The “ignoble-looking” Cogsfolk were chases back towards their homes by the advancing Silver Flame zealots. Then, the Daask charged the paladins, a fight ensued, and the normal Cogsfolk were able to flee and hide. The paladins fought hard but were slaughtered to a man; the numerous Daask went back to packing, and then they themselves fled, taking all sorts of neat-looking axe-like weapons and kegs with them. She tells the party that she peeked into a few of their huts the other day, but didn’t see anything. She thinks they are truly gone.
The party remembers their manners, and ask her name before they depart. She replies that she’s called “Grrrrrrra!” tossing her hands up at the end. She says she doesn’t need to do that when she says her name, but it’s more fun that way. The party chuckles, and wonders if that’s a traditional orc name, as they turn their attention to investigating the former Daask strongholds…
The Daask.. arrangement, is split roughly into four clusters of buildings. Two groupings of “outposts” stood apart on flat ground, and two other groupings of buildings abutted the bedrock walls of the cavernous Cogs beneath Sharn. The party opted to investigate the outposts first, starting with the northernmost cluster, with Kyllar reaching out with ritual castings of Detect Magic.
Peeking quickly around the buildings, the party confirms they appear to be abandoned. Two of the buildings are longer and stouter; four are taller and thinner, and look like makeshift towers. Choosing one at random, Gnofulk pushes against the door, but finds it a bit jammed. With a grunt, he swings his axe at the door, and it gives way a bit before slamming back shut. A crossbow bolt bursts out of the door above Gnofulk’s head – it was trapped! Shadowale and Kyllar move back, and Rhogar takes up a position by the doorframe. He extends extending his magical arrow-catching shield to protect against any more bolts as Gnofulk takes another chop at the door, breaking it down.
Inside they find the "abandoned" crossbow, and the trip-wire mechanism that triggered the shot. Gnofulk breaks them. They traverse a rickety ladder to the roof… and don’t find too much. The party splits up, and jumps, spider climbs, and walks to the other “towers.” Another crossbow trap is found and easily smashed/disarmed, as well as a rock trap on a trapdoor, both before they can do any damage.
The barracks are abandoned as well, but not trapped. A few rusted, broken blades and some broken arrows and crossbow bolts are found… along with some very dirty sleeping pallets. Everything is incredibly grubby, and everything of remote value seems to have been carted off.
The second cluster of outposts are similarly grubby and similarly trapped, though the party avoids triggering any traps. Still nothing of value is found.
The next nearest cluster of buildings appears to be arranged around a large T-shaped building attached to the cavern wall. Investigating the surrounding buildings reveals them to be largely supply huts - now empty, save for a few broken, dry casks of Ghallanda Hall's "Bour-bon Voyage".
The T building appears to be mostly a cafeteria, of sorts... though much of the tables and stools and benches have been smashed. A lone door is slightly ajar at the halfway point of the cafeteria. Finding little use in picking through the splinters and debris, the party opts for the door.
The room can only be described as a kind of abandoned art gallery. While the party is in the Cogs, the usual muggy warmth seems to dissipate, and the room is damper and cooler. Opposite the door hangs a tall faded tapestry, depicting some unnamed nobleman hunting with his entourage. In front of the tapestry stands a cleared, simple desk. On the walls, color disparities show where things had been hanging until recently. A number of pedestals sit about the floor. Four pedestals are larger, and and have life-sized stone statues atop them.
Detect Magic hasn't triggered yet, though the party is quite wary of possibly being attacked by the statues. They very hesitantly approach each in turn an examine it.
The first is a reclining gnome, his stony face lumpy and his fingers mangled from some unknown violence. Though battered, he appears defiant, and is making a rude gesture as best he can.
The second is a female elf warrior, blade bared in a downward stroke.
The third is a human male, preparing to thrust with a spear from behind his shield.
The fourth statue is a recline orc child, folded in on itself, its eyes with with terror.
As Rhogar examines each, something catches his eye about the third statue. The party huddles close and realizes that the man has the insignia of a member of Sharn's City Watch, though they do not recognize him. They quickly re-examine the other statues, and while they do not recognize any of them, the party has a suspicion that these were real people turned into stone.
Curious, but stumped, the party decide to leave the statues alone for now. Shadowale moves to investigate the tapestry, and with a grin, jumps, and rips it off the wall. While the halfling is buried in cloth, the rest of the party see that it was hiding a bricked over archway. Gnofulk and Rhogar examine it, knocking on it. The sounds are muffled, Gnofulk is able to determine that the is no bedrock on the other side of the wall, though the party is uncertain if they could break through. They decide to return, as there is yet one more group of buildings to investigate.
As they approach the last grouping, Detect Magic trips, alerting Kyllar of something in the farthest hut, which is built up against the cavern wall. They sweep the surrounding building first, and find that they are somewhat nicer than the other huts they have seen. Most have a few pieces of furniture, and look to house only a few Daask members in each. However, these too are picked over, and the party can find nothing of value or interest.
Eager for any scraps of loot or information, the party eagerly descends on the last building. Like the ones searched just now, it is nicer. Or.. was. The roof has collapsed, and rubble is everywhere. Detect Magic tells Kyllar that the object of his search is in the rubble, a ways back. Kyllar and Rhogar groan at the thought of excavation.. but Shadowale and Gnofulk can see under the desk, and think they can crawl under the desk and avoid any heavy lifting. The short stack duo depart, while Kyllar and Rhogar gingerly begin moving rubble off the desk - this room doesn't look to have been stripped clean like all the others...
The gnome and halfling deftly traversed the rubble, and found themselves in a secret room. Gnofulk is able to determine that this room has been hewn into the bedrock, it's existence kept secret by the actual building. They locate a safe, though Shadowale's lockpick attempt fails, and the broken tool is jammed inside the mechanism. They also find a full cask each of Ghallanda Hall's Bour-bon Voyage and Rye Not. They immediately start a quality control effort.
The short stack duo manhandle the safe out into the other building. In between tipsy hiccups, Shadowale tells Kyllar that the safe is unpickable, and the safe finds its way into the Bag of Holding. The liquor recovered while Kyllar and Rhogar examine the missives they recovered.
Most are torn, or illegible. But they are able to recover two missives. One is in common, and is an update on the experimental airship being developed by House Cannith and House Orien. After a few rereads, the party recalls that when they first traveled to the Cogs, it was to find a fiery elemental for a new airship to use. It probably is the same airship. The report notes where the flight tests have been taking place in Sharn.
The second missive is in orcish. Gnofulk, despite knowing the more goblin-centric language of Gobbledygook, can't discern the note's significance, and the party pockets the note, hoping to find someone that speaks orcish before time passes and the note's information becomes out of date.
Their spirits buoyed by their finds here, the party decide to return to the gallery and investigate that archway.
Gnofulk procures a bottle of frost giant strength from one of his squirrel-skin pouches, but the party decides to use the pedestals as battering rams.
Given the varied height of the party members, the first several attempts mostly result in shattered pedestals. Kyllar then remembers he has a spell called Shatter, which, after a few attempts, sunder the brick and mortar barricade.
Dust flies, and the party feels a damp chill from the air beyond the arch. They peer inside, and see a long stonework corridor stretching and winding deep into the dark...
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