View source for Step 3: Live Bait

{{Infobox expedition log
| title             = Step 3: Live Bait
| date              = April 24th, 2023
| storyteller       = Doug
| tier_of_play      = Trainee
| player_characters = [[Absinthe]], [[Breatel]], [[Ishi]], [[Iskierka]], [[Kali]], [[Kit Calloway|Kit]], [[Maki]]
| rewards           = 350 XP, Healer's Tools (Expanded), Polished Demon Horn, Lesser Thurible, Bane Rune, gold
| result            = Success
| author            = Kali (Foster)
}}
The group distracts countless rats, losing one party member in the process.

==Log==

Ko warned me of the danger of the [[Round Table Council|Council's]] missions, but I'll admit that I thought she was exaggerating. I saw the posting and assumed that it would be an easy payday. Go in, make some noise, kill some rats. Simple enough.

We snuck into the depths of the mine while others from the city secured our escape route. After situating ourselves deep within an echo chamber, we began to make noise to attract the rats. After a short time, they emerged in force. The fighting soon devolved into a rather chaotic fight for survival. Not only were there rats, but also what appeared to be humanoids with cursed, rat-like forms (Not Ysoki. I'm not so foolish to confuse the two when there was a clear difference.) and even a strange doll-like kami and it's guardian that seemed to be working with the rats.

Our group began a fighting retreat, moving up the shafts of the mine towards our escape route. One of our group, Ishi, had the foresight to bring along a ladder which was a great help in our escape. Unfortunately, the ladder was left to the rats. We were in rough shape by the time we came within sight of the escape route, the guards there working hard to ensure that the passage was clear of rats. Ko escaped with the aid of one of her potions and I was right behind her. The others were cut off by a group of rats. I'm told that the halfling that came with us on the expedition, Breteal, fell to his death while working to make sure the others could escape. He succeeded. The others all escaped.