Check Storm Doors

The new Freelancer, a very fluffy grey nekomata with a white chest and hands, paused at the doorway to the back of the Freelancers Tavern, tails twitching with curiosity.  Quite a few persons were within; some were drinking, but most were having breakfast.  He decided to sit at the long table where many were eating and talking, and found himself facing a very well-dressed half-elf woman.

The gossip and speculation amongst the Freelancers there was mostly centered around the group that had gone after those Daystar cult people who had been broken out of Church of Storms.  Also some Freelancers had done the legwork to backtrack the Daystar cult people before the breakout.  Of those, some had then gone on a mission for pollution cleanup, and a new member who was a nekomata had been slain, and reincarnated as a fluffier person.  Some Freelancers glanced at the new nekomata.

"This is not he," the half-elf said to the others, "That was Maghris, off with others to see about a giant bee problem." She turned to the new Freelancer.  "Maghris is black-and-white, you don't look anything like him," she explained, then, "I'm Aranel," she introduced herself, and looked expectantly.

"I'm Leafshadow," he said, and the others also introduced themselves.  "I'm intrigued, though, what is this Daystar thing?"  The more senior Freelancers at the table took turns explaining the horrors of the Daystar cult, with their multi-level marketing lotion that eviscerates one's common sense, and their peculiar expression of worship, not to mention that the Daystar is not a god to be worshipped.

Aranel seemed to be listening to the gossip as much as Leafshadow.  "Let's go see what we can do," she suggested to him.  They rose and Leafshadow followed Aranel upstairs, to Arnari's office.

Arnari was sitting back, away from her desk, playing a harp.  The music was not a recognizable melody, but had a pensive tone.  She stopped and set it aside as Aranel asked, "May we come in?"  Arnari waved them in, "Sit, sit."

Leafshadow looked around.  There were two maps on the wall:  one of the skylith and one of the city.  Shelves on the wall held some knickknacks and more musical instruments.  The desk was mahogany and covered in stacks of paper, with the dark half-elf behind it wearing blue and gold.  Assorted mismatched chairs were arranged around a bearskin rug.  He sat in a chair, gingerly, and discovered it was less comfortable than it had appeared.

Arnari said conversationally, "With just the two of you – I would normally offer several missions – but it might be good to check the Storm Doors."  She started ticking off her fingers.

• Walk the tunnels
• Check the doors at either end
• Report your findings to dockmaster Wymar Adelard
• You do not need to clean anything up.

"I would normally have more variety of clean-up," she repeated, "for example, eggs for House Aldous, but given the two of you are relatively inexperienced, maybe just check the doors."

Aranel:  is there anything in particular we are looking for?
Leafshadow:  any reports?
Arnari:  that's [make a report] what you are going to do.

Arnari showed them where to go on the map, and they headed out, but not before getting pencils and paper from the quartermaster.

The two Freelancers walked from the tavern to the southernmost tunnel, intending to zigzag from south to north.  Aranel had her shamisen out, and she would strum it occasionally as if she were trying to figure out the right way to hold it.  Neither Leafshadow nor Aranel were from Cliffshadow, so they looked around curiously.  They realized they didn't stand out, a lot of different peoples were in Cliffshadow's busy streets.

At the entrance to the southernmost tunnel, they saw the tunnel was wide enough for 3 wagons, and had many mosaics, which seemed to tell a story.  They walked along the tunnel, looking at the mosaics, and almost stepped in piles of shit!

They'd reached a dogleg in the tunnel, and there was a bunch of humanoid poo clustered in the corner.  From the states of its dryness, some of it had been there a while.

Aranel:  this is foul.  What is wrong with people?
Leafshadow:  it stinks to high heaven!
<Leafshadow made a face, then took a piss on the freshest poo.  Passing carters cast a side eye.>
Aranel:  what are you doing?!
Leafshadow:  marking it.  Will make it smell better; trust me.

Leafshadow kicked his booted feet some, as if to bury the poo; then kept going, Aranel following and shaking her head.  They exited the tunnel near the elemental airship docks, and both stared at all the airships, as they walked to the next tunnel.  Faced with the dockside doors, the Freelancers remembered they were supposed to checking them.  The doors were fine, and they proceeded down the tunnel.

Aranel and Leafshadow found themselves trailing an airship crew just arrived and on leave, but they did not see anything of note in the tunnel.  On the city side, the tunnel doors had pebbles stuck in them.  They walked north and saw the Pilot's Guild stables ahead on their left, then got to the next tunnel, which was wide enough for five wagons.  A pilot flew through them, overhead, on a peregrine gryphon.

The cityside doors were fine, and they strolled through the tunnel.  Aranel was enthralled by watching the speed of the peregrine gryphon navigate the tunnel, and watched in vain for more to come through.  Leafshadow did not care; he noted nothing untoward in the tunnel, and found rust on the hinges of the dockside doors.

As they kept walking north, the Freelancers found themselves passing the mechanical airships; their great wings and propellers rather noisy.  The next tunnel was also 5 wagons wide, and the dockside doors were fine.  They found mule manure in the tunnel, but the central and cityside doors were also fine.

They emerged right next to the Pilot's Guild, and as they headed north they saw the buildings and places were getting nicer.  The cliff itself above the Pilot's Guild had a beautiful mosaic.  The Freelancers got to the next tunnel and it was only 3 wagons wide.  It didn't have a lot of traffic, so Aranel tried the shamisen as they walked, to see how the acoustics were.  Leafshadow checked the doors, the cityside doors were fine.  He noticed some scrubbed-off graffiti saying SKYGUARD SUX, with various dicks painted, on a beautiful mosaic of a pegasus.  As they emerged onto the docks again, Leafshadow took note of some dry rot in the doors.

They strolled past large sailing airships, graceful and powerful, and saw the last tunnel was the prettiest.  It was well-swept and clean, and the doors were fine.  After they walked through the tunnel, they emerged in Parkside, with upscale shops nearby.

The Freelancers decided to report in to Wymar, since the dockmaster's office was pretty much between where they were and the Freelancers Tavern.

Aranel:  so, we just tell Wymar everything is fine.
Leafshadow:  well, dry rot and rust.
Aranel:  what!
Leafshadow:  you were too busy playin' your banjo there to notice
Aranel:  this is not a banjo!  It's a shamisen!
Leafshadow:  well, locks and doors are kind of my thing

They got to the dockmaster's office, and presented Wymar the report.  He started reading it and erupted.

Wymar:  fucking teenagers!  It's some kind of weird dare to take a shit there!  I don't want to have to station someone there, they'll just change tunnels!
<Leafshadow stayed very quiet, and Wymar continued scanning the report.>
Wymar:  wait, did you see anyone in the 4th tunnel?
Leafshadow:  what?
Wymar:  a Wind sagani?
Leafshadow:  didn't say that; a bit of mule poop
Wymar:  usually Amar is there
Aranel:  is this something we should be concerned about?
Wymar:  I'm not sure; maybe he already got enough money and is in a tavern
Leafshadow:  should we go look at it?
Wymar:  there are sooo many taverns.  I'll keep an eye out.

Wymar paid them 50gp each, and admonished them to give Arnari her 5gp cut.

• Leafshadow → lvl1 rogue!