What Lies Beneath 1 - Into the Sewers of Coruscant

Our heroes head deep into the Coruscant under-underworld. That's right. Cowabunga, dude!

### Runtime

3:57:19

*Our heroes are send into the underworld of Coruscant - literally - to investigate the source of a new non-human targeting virus. After Jowkazza and Katira implement a combination of intimidating presence and persuasion to take the equipment they want, the team gets their heads in the sewer. Below the bustling city-planet streets our heroes meet the denizens of the sewer as Tek leads the way, lightsaber in hand. A poorly times concentration leads to fleeing sewer rats, but the gravelly, seductive voice of Rusty garners a guide to the man known only as the Emperor, a man who won’t meet without a fight*

*Tek bends the force to his will and pushes his weapons past their designed limits. Rusty, the former Rebellion fighter and demolitions expert, has no training in using blasters or grenades. In addition, though he is absolutely phenomenal at landing blows in hand to hand combat, he lacks any punching power. When the dust settles, the group finds themselves face to face with the Emperor… of Sanitation*

## **Previously**

*Jawa Jimmy found himself sequestered within a Coruscant spaceport terminal for a New Republic quarantine with a group of strangers, only to discover that the supposed New Republic guards are actually Imperial impersonators. Before a solution can be discussed a Kowakian Lizard-Monkey sets off a major explosive, killing the majority of the room and leaving Jimmy on the brink of death. A Wookiee medic caught in the middle of the mess tends to those survivors he can before carrying as many individuals as he can to the nearest medical facility, and the agent of chaos that is Roostan Steele finds himself hiding the clue to the source of Imperial interest in a damaged Sparky before hurrying out as well.*

*As Jimmy recovers in a bacta tank, the rest of the team is still passing their time on Coruscant unaware of their little friend’s dire situation.*

> "*Normally we’re a little bit better about kicking these things off.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

> "*He’s lying!*"
> ― Ilya
>
>

## **Recap**

### **Mission Brief**

As each member of the group is handling their own business on Coruscant, a message is delivered to the scattered individuals from Cal Omas informing them of the recent events involving Jawa Jimmy. Though Katira initially asks whether Cal meant to contact her as well, his assurance causes her to arrive with the rest of the time in the Senator’s office.

As the group walks in they are introduced to Jowkazza and Roostan Steele, the two individuals that carried out the survivors from the recent incident at a nearby spaceport. The introduction is brief as Cal launches into the real reason that he called the team here. Recently a virus has appeared on the planet, with two bodies already having been found. The symptoms of the dead are strikingly similar to the effects of the “Krytos” virus that was released on the planet by fleeing Imperials when the New Republic came to power. A virus that was financially devastating to the fledgling government, but more importantly politically harmful due to the near immunity of humans in comparison to the high mortality rate among non-humans.

Bota is the first to speak as Cal finishes his brief, asking why the New Republic doesn’t simply send probe droids to investigate, and what the team should expect if they are exposed to the disease or fail in the mission. Cal responds that there are two primary issues with sending droids. First that the location is in the very lowest levels of Coruscant, where it is difficult for the droids to navigate in the first place. The larger issue is that the location of interest is in an underground sewer network, and hundreds of droids have been lost in the area due to underground ion fields in the area disabling any droids that enter. As to concerns over the disease, the team will be provided with the closest cure that they have available and should return for medical assistance if they exhibit symptoms.

Some small questions of payment are discussed, and sensing a general consent by the group to take the mission, Bota requests that upon successful completion they be assigned to continue in operations against Admiral Daala.

> "*This would be great. You want to do this work and then more work?*"
> ― Cal Omas
>
>

While the rest of the group converses, a somewhat disinterested Jowkazza begins to look about the room in search of a new stream of credits. With nothing coming immediately to view, the Wookiee gives a gesture of accepting the mission in hopes of pushing things along. Interested in preventing the death of more innocents, Rusty agrees as well.

> "*…and because I’m not human… I’m most likely going to die?*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*Uh… you or the Wookiee, yes. But think about this: all your family would also die if you did nothing.*"
> ― Cal Omas
>
>

> "*Well… I’m not too concerned about them.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

From their meeting with Cal, the group is escorted to a New Republic requisitions depot to outfit themselves for the upcoming operation. Jowkazza barges straight past the storekeeper and grabs all of the available medpacks for himself, with the storekeeper cautiously avoiding the mass of fur. Tek looks to grab a medpack for himself, but finds none available.

> "*Jowkazza, I’ll forgive you, but only this once. You know… I have a medical knowledge cartridge…*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*You’re going to have a medical condition if you try to take a medpack from that Wookiee, Tek.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

Rusty is issued a few grenades, but when he asks for larger explosives is summarily denied and insulted. In response, Katira manages to convince the officer to provide her with the explosives in addition to her own requests - being sure only to obtain remote detonation devices - and hands them over to Rusty in order as a gesture of welcome to the team.

While the team gears up, Rusty then rushes to the hospital facility to check in on Jawa Jimmy and retrieve the capsule he hid inside Sparky. Though there is a tense exchange in which Sparky nearly attacks Rusty (having been offline when Rusty hid the capsule), the astromech eventually runs an internal diagnostic. Discovering the vial, he turns it over to the Aqualish then keeps his sensors locked on Rusty until he departs the room.

> "*You’re not gonna shock me again, are you? I’m just gonna… slowly take this thing from you…*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

### **Possum Kingdom**

The group is transported down to the final location reports received from the New Republic scout droids. As they arrive disabled droids scatter the floor, and an ambitious Tek feels a small jolt when he passes the threshold of a nearby ray shield. Taking a moment to look at his droids he notices that they are all non-functional, having been wiped out by the same field that fried the New Republic droids.

Disgruntled, Tek moves further into the sewer ahead of the rest of the team. As he approaches a doorway a low whistle calls out, giving Tek pause. A bit further back, a heavy groan erupts from the doorway that Katira is adjacent to. Stumbling from the room, a hulking cyborg bursts forth and is quickly dispatched by 3 quick shots from Katira’s blaster rifle.

With the coast is apparently clear, Tek draws his lightsaber and enters the room that emitted the earlier whistle.

> "*Hey, what are you whistlin’ at?*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*With your lightsaber drawn?! It feels like someone just catcalled you, and you’re like f\*\*\* this.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

> "*Not in my sewer!*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

Finding an old, decrepit man that looks to live in the sewer, Tek approaches as the man whistles out a call. Showing obvious terror at the sight of Tek’s glowing green blade, the man immediately yields and begins to provide information. He informs the Zabrak that the people in these sewers are protected “by the Emperor”, and that he is standing lookout. As Tek questions further, the man (Dob Dilark) explains that the people here are protected from the virus, but are subject to this “Emperor” experimenting on them to turn them into the type of cyborg Katira killed, who they refer to as “the enlightened”.

Dob offers to lead Tek and his group further into the sewer, and even to introduce them to the Emperor if they would like, and the group tentatively moves forward with the idea. Just outside, Jowkazza approaches another debilitated sewer dweller, this time holding a defensive stance with a small metal shank. A whistle from Dob puts the alien at ease, and the group is permitted to pass deeper into the sewers.

Dob leads the group toward a common area, where more abused and malnourished people reside. As they enter into a room with several of these individuals, an argument ensues over Dob’s choice to allow the group to enter. They decide that since the group has made their way this far, they may as well proceed with the introduction, but are terrified as they turn back toward Tek to find him attempting to concentrate in the force in order to search for the “Emperor” himself.

> "*He’s talking to the dark arts! Everyone run!*"
> ― Dob Dilark
>
>

Rusty hurries in behind the fleeing sewer dwellers and shouts for them to stop. One of the individuals turns back as the others continue to flee, and Rusty finds himself transfixed by her beauty (NPC rolls 24 on 6D6).

Just outside the room, Jowkazza notices that the majority of the sewer dwellers appear to be abused and suffering various minor injuries. Putting on a display to emphasize that he is medically trained, he manages to convince them to allow him a brief diagnosis. Recognizing the scope of their conditions, Jowkazza applies a medpack to the most receptive individual before heading up through the sewer water to look for anyone else amenable to the idea of being treated.

Keeping further back, Katira slowly catches up to the rest of the group as she inspects the area more thoroughly. She spots cyborgs in several of the rooms that the team had already passed by, though they appear disinterested in any approaching persons, simply staring at the back walls. Based on this, she surmises that their senses are somewhat dulled but may include a form of thermal vision that would explain the cyborg that moved to attack the group near the entrance. Satisfied, she approaches a standoffish man that has been glaring at the group and repeatedly spitting in the sewage but gains little information.

Tek opens his eyes to see Bota falling asleep bored in the corner, Jowkazza applying first aid to a nearby sewer dweller, and Rusty talking to another. Unable to concentrate, he shifts gears and tries to sense all nearby life in the area.

Next to the still motionless slicer, Rusty finally catches himself and attempts to talk with the beautiful sewer woman in front of him.

> "*Hey… you’re beautiful. You been running through my swamp tunnels **all** day long.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*I bet you could swim in these waters all day long.*"
> ― Ochelle Mibama
>
>

> "*You coming with me? Little dip?*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*We don’t get a lot of visitors in these parts.*"
> ― Ochelle Mibama
>
>

> "*Well let me be that light that shines on your dark tunnel.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

After a bit of playful banter a budding new relationship sparks to life, and Rusty finds that the inhabitants of the sewers are resigned to being held there against there will by this “Emperor”. Showing an interest in Rusty, the woman then offers an audience with the man who would be emperor, and after Katira informs Rusty that the woman appears genuine, they decide to follow her.

> "*I mean… Rusty, she’ll take you to the Emperor but I think you might just be able to take her out of here without seeing him.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

Just ahead, Jowkazza looks after two more sewer people with signs of abuse, then moves ahead a short distance before spotting two intimidating cyborgs guarding what appears to be a massive drainage screen. Rather than approach the guards, Jowkazza enters an adjacent room to discover two more cyborgs standing guard over a young girl. The girl herself appears to be unconscious, recovering from an operation that installed certain cybernetics on her body.

Jowkazza moves forward, signaling to the medical patch on his sleeve and attempting to look over the girl. In response the cyborgs shout out and charge at the Wookiee, punching him square in the face. Completely unaffected by the blow, Jowkazza responds by ripping off the cyborgs arm and swinging it back around at the attacker. As the first cyborg crumples against the nearby wall, the second rushes at Jowkazza and punches him in the face as well. The second blow stuns Jowkazza, who stumbles back a step in a slight daze.

Hearing the commotion, Katira sprints past Ochelle Mibama toward the room where Jowkazza is standing. As she hurries past Rusty’s interest, she jostles the woman just enough to leave her teetering on the edge of falling into sewage - in the perfect position for Rusty to rescue his beau. Entering the tight space, she pushes off the far wall, redirecting her momentum directly at the cyborg. Pulling a dagger, she slams the blade directly into the monsters eye with both hands and ends its miserable existence.

With silence returning to the sewers, Rusty takes hold of Ochelle and ushers her into the room. He asks who the girl is laying on the ground, and is told that her name is Kudek. The most recent of the experiments of the “Emperor”, Ochelle is unsure if Kudek is pure enough to survive the enlightenment process, which is finally explicitly described as the change of the sewer dwellers into cyborgs.

As Rusty and Ochelle talk, Jowkazza releases his grip on the cyborg arm then moves toward the young girl. He looks her over and finds that unlike the other inhabitants of the area, she shows no signs of physical abuse. The only apparent reason for her unconscious state are the cyborg implants and scars indicating a recent surgery focused on her brain.

### **Sewer Scuffle**

Jowkazza manages to bring Kudek to consciousness, but she is obviously far from coherent. He picks the girl up and begins to walk out from the room when Ochelle responds with surprise.

> "*You can’t take the Emperor’s wife from him… can you?*"
> ― Ochelle Mibama
>
>

> "*Well… we just did.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

Dismissing the comments from Ochelle, Rusty takes a look at the discarded cyborg arm laying on the floor. Observing that the arm appears to be made of scrap, Rusty comments in surprise that those “enlightened” individuals are being given pieces of garbage. Ochelle appears confused, simply replying that the people in these sewers never get sick or feel cold thanks to the actions of the Emperor. With that, she reasserts her offer to introduce the group to the Emperor.

The team moves toward the indicated location of the Emperor, but comes to a halt when Tek tells them that he senses 8 life forms in the nearby rooms. Knowing that their upcoming meeting with the Emperor will be a violent one, they set themselves in position, pick their targets, *concentrate*, and open fire.

Katira fires a single round to commence combat, wounding one cyborg. A concentrated Tek shoots 3 rounds from his Thunderer, dropping two and wounding a third. A confident Rusty charges in without concern for his own safety, landing a blow directly to the torso of a nearby cyborg for little effect as Jowkazza fires a shot that finishes a wounded cyborg and lands it straight in the seawge.

> "*Why’s it… why is it metallic down there? You’re creeping me out.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

As the heroes look on, a mass of cyborgs emerge from the nearby rooms. Walking over their fallen enemies, they rush in close and begin swinging. Rusty is immediately knocked to the ground, suffering a blow to the torso, but Tek manages to absorb the incoming blow as another rises from the sewage to attack.

> "*Damn hole in this armor.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*You are wounded.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

> "*Save me Katira!*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*That will be on your tombstone, and Katira never, ever visits your tombstone.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

Seeing her new ally knocked to the ground, Katira moves to stand over his prone body as she decapitates one cyborg and knocks another to the ground. Tek turns tail and runs, missing one shot as he distances himself from the incoming monstrosities. Jowkazza responds by taking the space vacated by the slicer, swinging his powerful fist directly into the cyborg and stunning it.

With the rest of his team fighting for their lives, Rusty calls on his strength to recover from the blow and manages to rise triumphantly to his feet. Clearing his mind for a moment, the Aqualish turns to punch another cyborg square in the chest, yet again yielding little result.

> "*It’s like trying to cut a steak with a spork.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*You punch this person straight in the chest. The recoil, but you do **literally** no damage. But… you see the accuracy. You hit them right where it **should** hurt.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

The cyborgs close in around the team, raining down blows as soon as they are in range. Jowkazza absorbs two blows without issue, and Katira parries another. Returning to the offensive, Katira clears the escape route for herself and Rusty as Tek eliminates the two cyborgs surrounding Jowkazza. Finishing strong, Rusty rolls a grenade behind the steady flow of cyborgs that had been using him for a punching bag before getting out as quick as he can.

### **Emperor Evezan**

The explosion from Rusty’s grenade echoes out through the tunnels of the Coruscant sewer, fading until the slow moving water through the sewage canals is the only sound. As the group looks on dust blown out from the explosion clouds their view, and the shadows of a man flanked by two smoking cyborgs shuffles out.

> "*Who dares disturb the Emperor?*"
> ― Emperor Evezan
>
>

> "*Dr. Evezan?*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*No… **Emperor** Evezan!*"
> ― Emperor Evezan
>
>

> "*Oh… no…*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

Standing proud despite his miserable position, Evezan states that he acts as the leader of this underground group, keeping those under him safe from disease while using them as subjects in his experiments.

> "*Hey, can you give me like… give me some cool like, weapon hands? You know, so I can actually hurt things.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*I had a friend that used to have hoof hands in some memories. In other memories he had normal fingers. The one thing I remember about Aqualish is that if you have your hands chopped off by lightsabers you still bleed!*"
> ― Emperor Evezan
>
>

The “Emperor” continues to casually discuss his past leading up to his arrival on Coruscant as Tek takes the lead, alternating between questioning and threatening to arrest the man. He explains that he arrived on Coruscant some time ago, taking to the sewers to go into hiding. After eking out an existence and proclaiming himself Emperor for some time, he was eventually found and offered a large sum of credits to keep droids clear of the area. The task had proven simple enough, primarily because the mysterious benefactor provided the generator assembly for the quasi-ray shield up front.

Knowing that the group was not sent down to the sewers for him, Evezan instead offers to lead the group to the source of the virus if they agree to allow him to continue his life as Emperor in the sewers. Unfortunately for the mad doctor, the group quickly dismisses the offer and takes him into custody with orders to lead them there regardless.

## **Featured Characters**

### **Our Heroes**

* Bota Zi
* Jowkazza
* Katira Eve
* Roostan Steele
* Tek Krodak

### **NPCs**

* Cal Omas
* Dob Dilark - one armed sewer refugee
* Ochelle Mibama - sewer refugee/Rusty’s girlfriend
* Kudek de Raybom
* Cornelius Evezan

### **Mentioned**

* Droo Vos
* Jawa Jimmy
	+ Sparky
* Gold Armored Mandalorian Female

## **Inventory**

* -6cp to boost Scholar: Mandalorian to 4D (Katira)
* -9cp to boost Languages to 4D (Katira)
* -6cp to boost Dodge to 4D (Rusty)
* +5D heavy blaster (Rusty)
* +light armor: +1D all damage (Rusty)
* +light armor: +1D all damage (Jowkazza)
* +3 medpacks (Jowkazza)
	+ +5 from NR Storeroom
	+ -2 to treat Kudek and one other sewer dweller
* +recording rod (Katira)
* +3 smoke grenades (Katira)
* +4 grenades (Rusty)
	+ +5 from NR Storeroom
	+ -1 in battle
* +new waterproof tactical boots (Rusty)
* +remote detonated vehicle mine (Rusty)
* +remote detonated personnel mine (Rusty)
* +virus antidote capsule 1 (Rusty)

## **Notes**

* Tek opted to change out of his Mandalorian armor upon arrival on Coruscant after the recent interaction with the Gold Armored Mandalorian Female
* Rather than accepting a portion of the credits assigned to payment for the mission, Katira requested:
	+ New Republic authorization of some items listed as X on value - agreed on the condition that these items not aid in illegal activities
	+ New Republic archive search for intel related to Beskar - agreed
* Tek brought along his aquatic droid and several archaic scout droids. All were rendered inoperable upon passing the area field in the sewers.
* Katira brought along her Chaumscanner Brooch
* Rusty manages to recover from incapacitated with an insane roll (26 on 3D6)
* Virus Brief Notes:
	+ Suspected new strain of the Krytos Virus that had been released on Coruscant by Ysanne Isard following the capture of the planet by the New Republic
	+ Codename: K2
	+ Original Krytos Virus creator is deceased
	+ Symptom: fever
	+ Symptom: welts
	+ Symptom: itching all over body
	+ Symptom: draining sinuses
	+ Symptom: melting skin, followed by death

## **Quotations**

> "*How much money are we talking here Cal?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*You get a fancy New Republic HMO Card.*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*You get some Cal Bucks.*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*I’ll triple the New Republic’s contributions to your 401k plan*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

> "*…and you can ride my new transportation system: “Cal Trans”*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*I’ve been touched by this poor little Jawa creature. Mending his wounds. I mean, it’s a lot to take in… seeing a Jawa without his cloak on. I don’t know how I can handle much more.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*I would like some recruits for my slicing group.*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*You just got recruits!*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*I’m building an army of slicers.*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*Are you asking me to recruit hackers for you?!*"
> ― Cal
>
>

> "*Are you, an ambassador, asking me, a Senator…for hackers?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*I just want some people with security clearance.*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.*"
> ― Cal
>
>

> "*You know, we might be dealing with some underworld operatives Cal. You think I could be officially issued some Andris White Spice?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*I’m going to ignore that request as well…*"
> ― Cal
>
>

> "*Can you give us anything to grease the palms of any informants?*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*Nope.*"
> ― Cal
>
>

> "*That’s what I just asked for, and he said no. No spice for you.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*I mean it doesn’t have to be spice!*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*This is for the medicine. We have a Wookiee that can give us medicine out of spice, so give us the pure, uncut spice.*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*Yeah… medicine.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*I like you guys.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*I used to be in Coffee Squad. You ever heard of “Coffee Squad”? Go in dark, come out with a bang!*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*I’ve never heard of this “Coffee Squad”, grandpa.*"
> ― Requisitions Officer
>
>

> "*Are you sick?*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*No. Oh, I see… no, we’re protected here. By the Emperor.*"
> ― Dob Dilark
>
>

> "*Uh… that’s not good.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*Is that why you have both your arms?*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*No… the Emperor… taught me a lesson.*"
> ― Dob Dilark
>
>

> "*Look, I didn’t go to any fancy school. I was raised by the sewer water.*"
> ― Dob Dilark
>
>

> "*I come from similar upbringing.*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*My name’s Old Huckabee, and I’m just here to whistle to give a warning so we don’t get attacked.*"
> ― Dob Dilark
>
>

> "*By who?*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*By whom. I was raised by the sewer, but I still know my grammar.*"
> ― Dob Dilark
>
>

> "*Do you not like outsiders, or do you just not like aliens?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*Zig don’t like people, Zig don’t talk to people. My name’s Zig, and I don’t talk to people.*"
> ― Zig
>
>

> "*That last statement was completely pointless, Zig…*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*You’ve come to take me away from these sewers and bring me to better sewers, right?*"
> ― Ochelle Mibama
>
>

> "*Why yes, but what’s keeping you down here?*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*The Emperor’s keeping us down here.*"
> ― Ochelle Mibama
>
>

> "*Wait… how… Emperors? There’s more than one?!*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*Well… yes… the Emperor… is. It was a conjunction.*"
> ― Ochelle Mibama
>
>

> "*Oh. I might need help with this one… Katira! She’s talkin’ all fancy!*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*So, you should probably all just leave. Just go. Get out of here.*"
> ― Emperor Evezan
>
>

> "*Alright, but we’re taking the women.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*We can get more women!*"
> ― Emperor Evezan
>
>

> "*You’re the emperor of what… sewage? Sanitation?*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*I’ve changed my accent to help me fit in. But also I don’t remember what I sounded like back then. Anyway, I remember talking terribly. That’s why I always tell my slaves “Let’s have good grammar down here.”*"
> ― Emperor Evezan
>
>

> "*I can tell you one thing. I’m being paid a lot of money to keep droids out of this area, and it’s not even something I’m good at. But they gave me a generator, and they let me experiment on all the people I want.*"
> ― Emperor Evezan
>
>

> "*We’re here to arrest you for crimes against humanity.*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*Are you? Is that why you came here? I don’t think so.*"
> ― Emperor Evezan
>
>

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